Suffering Smyrna - Rev 2:8-11

The following took place in the year 155 AD, just 60 years after the book of Revelation was written.

An elderly man in his eighties sitting at a table eating dinner, Polycarp knew his life was in danger. A group of Christians had just been executed in the arena on account of their faith. But Polycarp refused to leave. The Romans were executing any self-proclaimed Christians, and pagans were betraying those they knew to be followers of the Way. After the recent executions, the crowd in the arena had chanted for Polycarp’s death.

A renowned follower of Christ and bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp had become a Christian under the tutelage of John the apostle. Recently, the Roman proconsul had been looking for him for days. After arresting and torturing one of Polycarp’s servants, they finally learned where he was staying. The soldiers came into the house, but instead of fleeing, Polycarp calmly stated, “God’s will be done.”

Polycarp asked that food be brought for the soldiers, and he requested an hour for prayer. Amazed by Polycarp’s fearlessness, especially for a man his age, the hardened Roman soldiers granted his request. He prayed for two hours for all the Christians he knew and for the universal church, and the soldiers let him.

As Polycarp entered the stadium, several Christians present heard a voice from Heaven say, “Be strong, Polycarp, and act like a man.” Because of his age, the Roman proconsul gave Polycarp a final chance to live. He just had to swear by Caesar and say, “Take away the atheists” (at that time Christians were called atheists for refusing to worship the Roman gods). Polycarp looked at the roaring crowds, gestured to them, and proclaimed, “Take away the atheists!”

The proconsul continued, “Swear, and I will let you go. Reproach Christ!” Polycarp turned to the proconsul and boldly declared, “Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King Who saved me?”

The proconsul urged him again, “Swear by the Fortune of Caesar.” But Polycarp replied, “Since you vainly think that I will swear by the Fortune of Caesar, as you say, and pretend not to know who I am, listen carefully: I am a Christian!” The proconsul threatened, “I have wild beasts. I will throw you to them, if you do not repent.”

Polycarp replied, “Call them! For we cannot ‘repent’ from what is better to what is worse; but it is noble to turn from what is evil to what is righteous.”

Then the proconsul threatened Polycarp with fire, but he responded: “You threaten me with a fire that burns an hour and is soon quenched, for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment stored up for the ungodly. But why do you delay? Do what you want.”

They took him to the marketplace and placed him on a pyre.

The Romans had threatened Polycarp with beasts and with fire, but nothing would make him turn against Christ. After he prayed, the men lit the pyre, which sprang up quickly. But even the fire wouldn’t touch him as it formed an arch around Polycarp’s body. The Romans didn’t know what to make of this. In the end, the Romans commanded an executioner to stab him. A great quantity of blood put out the remaining fire, and Polycarp bled to death.

This account of the death of Polycarp came from the ministry the Voice of the Martyrs. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna, and he died in the city he served.

What gives a man like Polycarp unbreakable courage to face wild beasts and the flames of death for the sake of Christ?

How could he have the fortitude to not only stand for Christ, but have the audacity to speak with such candor to his would-be executioners?

It would not surprise me in the slightest if he drew at least some of his strength from the text of our passage today: be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.

It seems that Polycarp took the words of our savior seriously. He knew that the Romans would not have the final say - Christ would.

And today, the suffering church still clings to the same promises.

Today’s text contains the second of seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor. Today we will consider the letter to Smyrna. Allow me to read our text as we begin.

Revelation 2:8–11 LSB

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: This is what the first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says: ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will never be hurt by the second death.’

This letter is the shortest of all the letters to the Seven Churches. In most of the letters, Jesus has something to say to the church by way of correction. For Ephesus, though they were zealous for truth, they had left their first love.

Smyrna is one of two churches to which Jesus makes not statement of condemnation or correction. This does not mean that it was a perfect church, of course. You know what they say about perfect churches. If you ever find one, stay away or else you’ll mess it up!

There are no perfect churches, but it is possible for a church as a collective whole to generally conduct itself in obedience to our Savior. That should give us encouragement, but also challenge us in our own pursuit of Christ.

Smyrna is one of those churches with no words of correction offered.

They, however not a church without trouble. It’s just that their trouble is predominately from without than within.

Smyrna was a suffering church. they were persecuted and slandered. Jesus speaks kindly to them, encourages them, and in so doing gives us hope for the times when we face suffering as well.

Located some 40 miles north of Ephesus still in Asia Minor, Smyrna was a city that was among the first to welcome the Romans and was the first city in Asia minor to build a temple to the Roman goddess Roma, who was invented by the Romans to be a personification of the city of Rome and really the Roman State. Building the temple of an act of defiance against the Greeks and a sign of alignment with Rome.

Later on additional temples were constructed, including a temple for the emperor of Rome. During the reign of Domitian, which would have been around this time, all Roman citizens were required to burn incense on Caesar's alter and gain a certificate saying you had done it. Failure to do so risked exile, torture, or death.

History does not paint a pretty picture for the church of Smyrna, again, not because of internal sin and failure, but because the church was heavily persecuted at numerous points in her history. It is a bloody city when it comes to the church.

Our progress through this text is essentially going to follow the same pattern as last week. We will see how Christ has revealed himself, consider the condition of the church, see Christ’s command in light of their condition, and then see Christ’s commitment for the overcomers.

Christ: The Eternal and Resurrected One

First, this begins in the original text with that emphatic “Thus says” the first and the last, something that has not been well preserved in our English translations, but it marks the emphatic voice of Christ, Listen to what the first and the last has to say!

We saw this same description of Christ back in chapter one when John reported the vision of the Exalted Christ. the First and the Last. This is a title that is given to God the Father in multiple places in Isaiah, and here Jesus once again claims that title for Himself, not only equating Himself with the Father, but establishing His eternality.

He is the eternal one.

With each letter, Jesus introduces Himself in such a way that it meets the need of the church. With the loveless church, Jesus reminded the church that held them in his hand and that he walks among the lampstands, signifying his ownership of them, that he is near, and that he presides over them.

Here with Smyrna, the suffering church, Jesus says I’m the eternal one. I’m forever. You feel like you’re going through hell, and it feels like the night doesn’t end for you, but it will. I’ve been here before this all started, and I will be here once it’s all over.

He also says he’s the one who was dead, yet has come back to life. He is the resurrected one! Jesus remind the church, hey, even if you have to die through this trial, I’m the resurrected one, and my resurrection secures your resurrection!

Paul wrote about this in

1 Corinthians 15:20–24 LSB

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

Jesus reminds the church, this life is not the end! Resurrection day is coming! When Jesus rose from the dead, he didn’t just come back to life, but he secured the future resurrection of all those who place their hope in Him for salvation. You may suffer in this life. But that is not the end.

In Christ’s introduction of Himself we find comfort. Smyrna certainly must have because as we’ve already noted, Smyrna was a suffering church

Condition: Suffering, in Poverty, Blasphemed

I know you tribulation.

This word could probably be better translation affliction, or oppression. It wasn’t just that they had fallen on hard times, it wasn’t just that they got unlucky in life, no they were suffering because there were people acting against them. They were enduring suffering at the hands of those who hate the Lord.

Notice it says they were in poverty. I’ll come back to the parenthetical comment about them actually being rich in a moment.

The grammar of this text suggests that the tribulation or affliction they are experiencing consists of poverty and blasphemy.

One commentator noted how Smyrna was a wealthy city and making a living there was relatively easy compared to other cities. For an individual to be poor in a city like Smyrna, one would have to be incredibly lazy, disabled, or else somehow prevented from making a living there by other individuals.

We don’t have the specific details, but based on what we know about the city, the church, its history, and then this text in front us, it would not be any surprise whatsoever if this church was in poverty because they were faithful Christians and thus prevented by unbelievers from making their living in the city.

It’s not just they were poor. They were poor because of their faithfulness to Christ.

Though we have not faced sever physical persecution here in the US, standing for truth can be costly.

I think of the cake shops, florists, and clerks who refused their services to same-sex couples. They faced fines, jail time, and years of expensive legal battles.

I personally know individuals who would minister at the abortion clinic pleading with mothers not to murder their babies. There were individuals there whose mission was to ruin the lives of the Christians who would show up there. There would take photos, identify the individuals, and attempt to dox them. They would call their place of employment and try to get them fired.

If you speak truth too loudly in the wrong place today, you will find the internet mobs will come after you and they will do anything they can to ruin you.

Similar things were almost certainly happening in Smyrna.

They faced poverty because of their faithfulness to Christ.

And yet, Christ says in reality, they are not poor, but rich!

Though they faced material poverty, they were spiritually rich!

Clearly they had stored up treasured in heaven, as Jesus instructed us:

Matthew 6:20 LSB

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

James says even if we a are poor we can be rich in faith:

James 2:5 LSB

Listen, my beloved brothers: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

If you are going to inherit the Kingdom of God, there is a very real sense in which, though you may appear to be in poverty now, you are incredibly wealthy beyond all imagination.

Nevertheless, the church was experiencing material poverty, and it was severely affecting them.

Jesus says, I see you. I know you’re going through this. You are not alone.

Not only does he see their poverty, but he sees the blasphemy spoken against them.

The original word here is blasphemia, which is clearly where we get the word blasphemy. The word speaks of lies spoken against an individual with the intent of causing them harm in some way.

When used in reference to words spoken against human beings it is usually best to translate it as slander.

When this word is used to speak of words spoken against God, it is usually transliterated as blasphemy.

Here it is the church that is on the receiving end of this verbal abuse, and so slander is what is in view here.

One commentator noted 6 kinds of slander brought against the church in different places in the first century: cannibalism, lust and immorality, breaking up of homes, atheism, political disloyalty, and incendiarism, which is arson.

We don’t know the exact nature of the slander brought against the Smyrna believers, but they faced lies on account of their faithfulness to Christ, and it cost them dearly.

Who brought up these lies?

Those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

There has been a lot of discussion about this phrase. Most scholars believe that these are ethnic Jews, but there is disagreement about what it means that they say they are Jews but aren’t.

What is going on here is akin to what Paul says in Romans

Romans 2:28–29 LSB

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

The Jews have rejected Christ and thus they have revealed that though their genetic makeup is indeed Jewish, their spiritual condition is not in line with their ethnically Jewish DNA.

Paul says again in Rom 9:6

Romans 9:6 LSB

For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;

Romans 9:7 LSB

nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s seed, but: “through Isaac your seed will be named.”

Paul explains that being a physical descendent of Israel and Abraham is not what makes you right before God.

By rejecting the Messiah, they’ve surrendered some aspect of what it means to spiritually Jewish.

This doesn’t mean that Jewishness or being “true Israel” is transferred to anyone else. no text of Scripture teaches that. Only that those who have rejected the Messiah are not true Israel. They are not part of the Israel of God, as Paul says in Gal 6.

This is why Jesus could say of the Pharisees in John 8:

John 8:37–39 LSB

“I know that you are Abraham’s seed; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. “I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would do the deeds of Abraham.

John 8:44 LSB

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The Pharisees were physically descended from Abraham, they were ethnically Jewish, but by their actions they were out of step with the spiritual condition of Abraham, and thus proved to be children of the devil.

Back in Rev 2, this is essentially what Jesus calls the anti-Christian Jews: they are a synagogue of Satan. They belong to him. Their gathering, their worship, their actions, all of it reveals that they are out of step with the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they are really aligned with the Devil.

And so, this is the condition of the church. Suffering affliction at the hands of unbelieving Jews.

What are they to do?

Command: Fear Not; Be Faithful

vs 10. Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Easier said that done, right?

What are they about to suffer? the Devil is about to cast some of you into prison so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.

Don’t fear it.

One of the scariest things to face in life is the unknown. If you start thinking about all the things you don’t know and have no way of predicting, you can easily scare your self into a self paralysis.

Jesus gives an incredible grace to the church: you are going to suffer. Some of you will be imprisoned. Other will have tribulation lasting ten days. Don’t be afraid of it.

How are we to understand the ten days? Some say its a symbolic number of long length of time, a short length of time, of ten years, or of ten unique persecutions that will plague the church in the first few hundred years of its existence.

Good hermeneutics says that we take things at face value unless there is something in the text telling us not to. I take this to mean a literal ten-day period of time. From a historical perspective, we don’t have enough data to tell us what ten day period was in view here. But that’s okay. We don’t need that to understand the text.

Jesus says, hey you are going to suffer. the Devil is going to work against you to put you in jail and you will suffer for ten days. Don’t be afraid of that. Keep your eyes on me. I’m the eternal one. I’m the one who died and yet lives!

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I think if we were all honest, we would be afraid if our lives were threatened because of our faith. None of us truly knows how we would respond if the gun was at our heads: deny Christ or die.

We don’t know how we would respond. But we can know that we don’t have to fear that. Not because it will never happen, but because if it did, we know what happens next.

We get to be with Jesus! Whatever we face in this life, Jesus comes next!

So the command is not only “do not fear” but “be faithful unto death”

Don’t give up! Don’t give in! Never surrender your faith!

Though the Devil may have the ability to afflict you, he is still on God’s leash. Just like with Job, the devil was given significant freedom, but also limitations, God was accomplishing His purposes through it.

So don’t give up! Don’t give in!

I love that song “almost home” for this reason

Don't drop a single anchor, we're almost home Through every toil and danger, we're almost home How many pilgrim saints have before us gone? No stopping now, we're almost home

That promised land is calling, we're almost home And not a tear shall fall then, we're almost home Make ready now your souls for that kingdom come No turning back we're almost home

Almost home, we're almost home

So press on toward that blessed shore

Oh, praise the Lord, we're almost home

This is the command, because there is a promise to those who persevere:

Commitment: Crown of life, Never Face the Second Death

The crown of life. Jesus says don't give up. you’ve got the crown of life waiting for you!

The imagery of a crown calls to mind the concept of victors in a competition. I loved how one author put it. he says

it symbolizes “joyful victory or celebration of accomplishment, especially to recognize difficult, self-sacrificing service.”

The crown is the crown of life. Life itself is the crown. Those who are faithful until death receive the crown that consists of life.

You might say, how do you figure, they die!

But remember Jesus is the resurrection and the life! This is why he introduced himself as the one who died, yet lives!

Jesus Himself endured the worst suffering any being anywhere has ever faced, and he now lives, and now he calls out to the church, you may be suffering, but it won’t last forever, be faithful, and even if it costs you your very life, I’ve got you. You will be raised to life. you will receive the crown of life!

He seemingly reiterates this point in verse 11. He who has ears to hear let him hear. This isn’t just for Smyrna. This is for us.

He who overcomes will never be hurt by the second death.

The second death is the phrase used in Rev 20 and 21 to speak of being cast into the eternal lake of fire. At the judgment seat of Christ, all those who have rejected Christ and loved their sin over the Savior, they will face final judgment, and will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.

For those who are faithful to even the bitter end, the crown of life. They will never be hurt by the second death.

The phrase “never be hurt” contains the strongest possible negation in the Greek language. It speaks of a prohibitive impossibility. It’s not just that you won’t be hurt, it’s that you cannot be hurt! It’s no longer on the table for you! it will never ever ever ever happen to those who cling to Christ!

This is the promise of the savior! This is the promise of Christ!

Whatever you suffer in this life, if you cling to Christ like the Savior he is, you are promised the crown of life, and you have nothing to fear in the second death!

It starts with clinging to Christ. It starts by recognizing that you are a sinner before God who deserve his judgment. It starts be seeing your sin and the seriousness of it.

But then if you cast your gaze upon Christ. God made flesh. Who died on the cross for your sin so that all who look upon Him, all who believe in the work of Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, if you look to him and place your trust in Him as the only means of salvation, you shall be saved.

God says he will give you the righteousness of God and will consider your sins covered by the death of Christ. You will be forgiven, reconciled, adopted, and granted Kingdom citizenship.

When you have that as your hope, you can be ready to face any suffering this life can throw at you.

That suffering may be at the hands of those who hate Christ and want you to suffer because you belong to Christ.

Most of us likely won’t be persecuted to that degree. The odds of any of us being burned at the stake is are extremely low.

But we may face other repercussions. We may face resistance from our families. Friends. coworkers. even the government, like the cake bakers and florist who stood for truth and refused their services to sinful couple.

But what if we never face any kind of persecution? Is this text no longer relevant for us?

Though you may not face the same level of persecution, you will face suffering. You live in a fallen, sin-cursed world. You will get sick, you will have loved one die, you will may be the words and actions of friends and family, you may face chronic disease, the list could go on and on of all the various kinds of trouble that is possible to face in this world.

Whatever we face in life, these are things that would tempt us away from faithfulness. We can get distracted from what really matters. We are tempted to be like the seed that fell on thorny or rocky soil, though there was initial excitement for Christ, the cares of this world, or the hardship faced on account of Christ threaten the seed.

The promise is to those who are faithful to the end. Will you be faithful unto death, whatever may come?

I love this letter for many reasons. It shows Christ’s love and care for His church. It shows the realism of life in a fallen world. It shows that faithful churches and faithful individuals suffer. It shows that faithfulness in hardship is possible. It shows that the hardships of this world are not the end.

And so, we can sing songs like our closing song today:

sing with joy, afflicted one. The battle’s fierce, but the victory won

God shall supply all that you need

Yes, as your days, your strength shall be