Rev 2:8-11 Jesus Is Better Than Life
Notes
Transcript
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
IN a.d. 177 PHOTINUS, bishop of Lyons, was martyred along with many Christians of his city. The Christians were accused of incest, probably a result of their referring to one another as “brother” and “sister,” and cannibalism, probably resulting from misunderstandings of what happened during the Lord’s Supper. Christians were arrested, tortured, and then brought into the arena to serve as public entertainment. Two by two they were brought out for the stare of a bloodthirsty crowd. They were tortured and then thrown to the beasts.
Eusebius describes the suffering of one young female slave named Blandina:
… her human mistress, who was herself one of the contenders among the martyrs, was in distress lest she should not be able, through the weakness of her body, to be bold enough even to make confession. Blandina was filled with such power that she was released and rescued from those who took turns in torturing her in every way from morning until evening, and they themselves confessed that they were exhausted, for they had nothing left to do to her, and they marveled that she still remained alive, seeing that her whole body was broken and opened, and they testified that any one of these tortures was sufficient to destroy life, even when they had not been magnified and multiplied. But the blessed woman, like a noble athlete, kept gaining in vigour in her confession, and found comfort and rest and freedom from pain from what was done to her by saying, “I am a Christian woman and nothing wicked happens among us.”
Why do people persist when surrendering would save their lives? What keeps people, like this weak young woman Blandina, faithful unto death? How do they remain faithful unto death?
We need to understand what it is that keeps people faithful unto death, so that we can live and die well ourselves.
In order to be faithful unto death, the knowledge of Jesus must be bigger to us than the reality of death itself. Jesus is the First and the Last, the Conqueror over death, the Giver of the crown of life to those who are faithful unto death. Jesus must be bigger to us than death itself.
This letter to the church in Smyrna is all about Jesus. It may seem like the letter is about the suffering and persecution that the church in Smyrna is about to undergo, but from what Jesus says about that, it becomes clear that the suffering and persecution are just a stage built for the enactment of the drama that displays the worth of Christ.
Of the 7 churches, there are only two that are not rebuked, Smyrna and Philadelphia, but both churches suffered for Christ’s name.
This is the second of the seven letters in chapters 2, 3. This letter and the second to last letter match each other in that they are the only two letters in which Jesus neither rebukes the church nor calls it to repentance. The second and second to last letters are also the only two letters that make mention of the “synagogue of Satan” (2:9; 3:9).
This is the reality that we need to be reminded which God reveals to us in His word here in Revelation. Here is a summary of all book of Revelation (chapter 1) Jesus is glorious, holy, and in highest authority. The church must be faithful (chapters 2, 3). God and Jesus are being worshiped in Heaven as they deserve right now (chapters 4, 5). God’s wrath is going to be let loose with fury when the Lamb breaks the seals (chapters 6–16). The enemies of God will be smashed (chapters 17, 18). Jesus will reign (chapters 19, 20). We will someday be home (chapters 21, 22).
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
In 2:8 Jesus tells John to write “to the angel of the church in Smyrna.” And the statement at the beginning of each of the seven letters recalls an aspect of the description of Jesus in glory in 1:9–20, and in each case the aspect of Jesus’ glory that is mentioned is relevant for the contents of the rest of that particular letter.
In this case Jesus identifies himself as “the first and the last, who died and came to life” (2:8). There is depth here that cannot be fully comprehended. Think as far back as your mind can go, and Jesus was there before all that. He is “the first,” before all else that is. He cannot be preempted. Be careful because thinking about him as “the first and the last” will blow our minds. Jesus is bigger than our ability to understand.
He is also “the last.” Nothing will endure longer than Jesus. He is before and after everything. By identifying himself in this way, as “the first and the last,” Jesus is explicitly claiming divinity. This is equivalent to God the Father identifying himself as “the Alpha and the Omega” in 1:8. Jesus here identifies himself with the Father. Jesus is God!
Jesus goes on in 2:8 to say that he is the one “who died and came to life.” This will blow your mind. How does “the first and the last” die? Who would have imagined that God could, or would, die? He is before and after all that is, and yet he entered into the progress of history, was killed, and rose from the dead. There are no categories for these kinds of claims in the religions and philosophies of the world. Being “the first and the last” makes Jesus eternal. How can one who is eternal die? We know that it happened, even though we cannot fully grasp it.
The death and resurrection of Jesus mean that death has no power over him. He is bigger than death itself, and given what the church in Smyrna faces, that reality is one they must keep in their minds if they are to be faithful.
When you think about the end of your life, do you apply to your thinking the fact that Jesus has conquered death? When you think about dangerous situations you might face—the noise in the night that means an intruder might be in your home, the thought that someone you love could fall into a rushing river or be in some other situation that, if you try to help, might end your own life—when you think of life-threatening danger, do you apply to your thinking the triumph of Jesus over death? My friends, this is what it means to make connections between the good news of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, and all of life. Applying to our fears the knowledge that Jesus is bigger than death will make us courageous.
Courage is a great thing, but we must keep in mind that courage is not our ultimate goal. Our ultimate goal is to live in ways that show our confidence in Jesus. When we are courageous because we know that Jesus is bigger than death, we honor Jesus. And when we put ourselves in harm’s way in order to protect others, or even to save their lives, because we love Jesus and know that he is in control and trust him to take care of us—even if we die—we are following Jesus.
If you do not know Jesus, you cannot follow him. If you do not know Jesus, you do not know the one who has conquered death and freed us from the fear of it. Perhaps you realize that you don’t know Jesus, and you wonder what it means to know him. I would simply invite you to behold his glory. Think about the way that he died to protect others, to deliver those who would trust him from the power of sin and death, and know, indeed fully trust, that he can deliver you. He is able to save, and he is mighty to save. Believe that. Know him as Savior. Trust him. And continue to think on his power to save. If you trust him, he will save you. He is the only hope you have to be delivered from the power of sin and death. Don’t you feel your need for him? Don’t you want “the first and the last, who died and came to life” to stand between you and the awful forces of sin and death?
Let’s hide these truths in our hearts. Jesus is the first and the last. He died and came to life. He is bigger than death. He has conquered death. And let’s be courageous because we trust Jesus and follow him by laying down our lives for others just as he laid down his life for us.
9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
After Jesus announces himself in 2:8, he says in 2:9 that he knows three things: 1) their “tribulation,” 2) their “poverty,” and 3) the “slander” made against them.
What could be more comforting to the church in Smyrna than Jesus saying to them, “I know your tribulation”? Tribulation is painful and wearisome. It tears us little by little, chipping away at our joy, taking the wind out of our perseverance, and things only worsen as tribulation drags on. Jesus does not trivialize their suffering by telling them it isn’t really that bad. He doesn’t demean them by telling them that if they were stronger it wouldn’t bother them so much. And he doesn’t cheapen their experience by offering unsympathetic advice. Rather, Jesus encourages them with the simple and comforting words, “I know your tribulation.”
One of the most discouraging effects of suffering is that we feel alone. When Jesus tells the church in Smyrna that he knows their tribulation, he is reminding them of his presence with them.
The second thing Jesus knows is their “poverty.” The church was poor. The tribulation probably resulted from the people of influence in Smyrna opposing Christianity because they perceived that this new religion was not going to appease the gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon, it was not going to make Caesar happy, and it was not going to raise the city of Smyrna to new heights of prominence in the Roman Empire. In fact, the values of this new faith were at odds with the values of the Roman Empire.
So the little church in Smyrna was opposed by the power structures in the Empire and had no financial resources and no influence in society. Or so it seemed.
Jesus says to them, “I know your tribulation and your poverty” (2:9). This means that the true Lord of lords, the real King of kings, the one to whom Caesar will bow the knee, knows them, knows their need, and he adds, “but you are rich” (2:9). This is the same paradox expressed by Paul when he described himself “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Though we do not have what the world counts as wealth, we have what is in reality wealth. By telling the church in Smyrna that they are rich, Jesus is redirecting their perspective away from worldly standards of evaluation and reminding them of what matters.
We are rich because we have what will save life unto eternity. When Jesus comes on that white horse, outdated clothes, beat-up cars, and houses where the appliances have not been updated will cease to be indications that we are poor. The only thing that will matter is whether or not you have the gospel. And if you have the gospel, you are rich indeed. This wealth is yours if you will trust Christ. We should trust him so we can be reconciled to God, so we can treasure God.
The third thing that Jesus tells the church in Smyrna that he knows is “the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (2:9). The Romans had granted the Jews an exemption from required participation in the Roman Imperial Cult. In other words, the Jews did not have to take part in Roman idolatry. Everyone else was required to participate. Obviously Christians would not want to participate with the Romans in their idolatrous festivals and celebrations. The Jewish slander in view here probably has to do with Jews denouncing Christians to the Romans, and we get a glimpse of something like this in Acts 18:12–17. As long as Christianity was under the Jewish umbrella, Christians were also exempt from required participation in the growing Roman Imperial Cult. If the Jews began denouncing Christians to the Romans—arguing that they were not Jews at all—Christians who refused to participate in Roman idolatry could face severe punishment.
Something like this seems to be going on in Smyrna, and Jesus says that he knows “the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (2:9). Jesus denies the status of “Jew” to those who do not serve the Jewish King, Jesus himself. He identifies their true allegiance: they are those who gather in synagogues to celebrate Satan’s kingdom, not God’s. God’s kingdom is advancing with King Jesus at its head. All who oppose King Jesus are allied with the dark power in service to a rebel kingdom whose lord is a liar and murderer who hates those who serve Jesus. Our Lord said that those who are not for him are against him (Matthew 12:30). And in language similar to the reference in Revelation to these Jews being a “synagogue of Satan” (2:9; cf. 3:9), in John 8:44 Jesus told his Jewish opponents that they were of their father the Devil.
Whose side are you on?
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Having stated that he knows what they are facing, Jesus tells the church in Smyrna, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation” (2:10).
We should note several things here. First, he tells them not to fear what they are about to suffer. The only thing that will keep the Smyrnan Christians from fearing what they are about to suffer is their living on what Jesus has said to them thus far. He has announced himself as “the first and the last, who died and came to life” (2:8), and he has assured them that he knows what they suffer and knows who their enemies are (2:9). Because of who he is, and because he will be with them through the suffering, they can be free from fear.
Second, he identifies who is at work in their suffering—“the devil is about to throw some of you into prison” (2:10). There is no question here about who is in the right and who is in the wrong. There is no suggestion from Jesus to compromise so we would be more acceptable to the world. If we love Jesus and follow Him, then we have an enemy. The more we are like Jesus the more we will be hated by our adversary. Jesus recognizes who the enemy is, and it is clear that those who oppose his people are diabolical. The devil is about to have them arrested.
Notice, though, that there is a purpose statement following the announcement that the opposition comes from Satan—“that you may be tested” (2:10). I don’t think this is a satanic purpose. It seems that, like 17:17, this is one of those texts in Revelation that indicates that God is using Satan to accomplish his purposes. God is using the devil’s persecution to test and prove his people. And when his people come through the test, they make God look good, for only God could preserve them.
Fourth, Jesus tells them that “for ten days you will have tribulation” (2:10). It seems that “ten days” here points to a full but limited amount of time. I don’t think we should read this as a literal reference to ten twenty-four-hour periods of time. The point is to communicate to these Christians that Jesus knows how long their suffering is going to last, and in comparison with other periods of time in Revelation—for instance, the thousand years we read of in chapter 20—the ten days of their suffering is relatively short. They can hold on to the end because it is a relatively short period of time, and Jesus knows how long it will last.
And then we get the audacious command, “Be faithful unto death” (2:10). Only Jesus could make this kind of demand. Only Jesus has the authority necessary to place this kind of obligation upon people. Only Jesus has the ability to recompense those who would obey this command. The command to “be faithful unto death” proclaims that it is more important to be faithful to Jesus than it is to go on living. Philip Doddridge (1702–1751) once wrote, “I am more afraid of doing what is wrong than of dying.”
Jesus is worth dying for. And if he is worth dying for, then he is worth living for. Only those who are holding fast to something worth more to them than life can be truly courageous. And courage is precisely what Jesus calls the church in Smyrna to in this command. He is proclaiming to them that he is better than life.
Those who experience his goodness, who know him this way, know the truth that Jesus spoke: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). Jesus promises life to those who are faithful unto death. He says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (2:10). This is the only way to life: death. Death to self. Death to sin. Then you will be dead to the world and dead to fear. You will also be alive by the power of the Spirit and through faith in Jesus.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
Revelation 2:11 closes the letter to the church at Smyrna by calling those who have ears to hear, and then the promise of life in verse 10 is restated in verse 11. At the end of 2:11 we read, “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” In this context, conquering clearly means remaining faithful to Jesus even unto death. Those who conquer in this way “will not be hurt by the second death” (2:11). We see what the second death is in Revelation 20:14: “This is the second death, the lake of fire.” The second death is a death that those who are thrown into the lake of fire will experience forever.
The only way to avoid it is to believe in Jesus and to live like you believe in Jesus, being faithful unto death (2:10, 11).
God gets the glory for martyrs because he is the one who has convinced them that his love is better than life (Psalm 63:3). He is the one whose worth their deaths declare. He is the one who has so satisfied their hearts that they cannot deny him—they are not able to do so—they do not want to do so because they want to be faithful to him.
God’s word is true. If we know Jesus we know he is bigger than life, better than life. God gets the glory as people who know him declare that it is better to die than to live without him.
We need this. Not just because some of us might die as martyrs, but because all of us live. The death of the martyrs points to the life worth living, to the life worth dying for—the life that is lived to and through and for God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.