Revelation 2:8-11

Appetiser

More than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation 2. The Letter to Smyrna (2:8–11)

It is possible that Polycarp was bishop of the church at Smyrna at this time. He was a pupil of John. Faithful to death, this venerable leader was burned at the stake in the year AD 155. He had been asked to say, ‘Caesar is Lord’, but refused. Brought to the stadium, the proconsul urged him, saying, ‘Swear, and I will set thee at liberty, reproach Christ.’ Polycarp answered, ‘Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?’ When the proconsul again pressed him, the old man answered, ‘Since thou art vainly urgent that … I should swear by the fortune of Caesar, and pretendest not to know who and what I am, hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian …’ A little later the proconsul answered, ‘I have wild beasts at hand; to these will I cast thee, except thou repent. I will cause thee to be consumed by fire, seeing thou despisest the wild beasts, if thou wilt not repent.’ But Polycarp said, ‘Thou threatenest me with fire which burneth for an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but art ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why tarriest thou? Bring forth what thou wilt.’ Soon afterwards the people began to gather wood and faggots; the Jews especially, according to custom, eagerly assisting them. Thus Polycarp was burned at the stake.1

Though this happened a good 60 years or so after this letter was written, what we find here seems to indicate that the same kind of suffering was beginning to be experienced by Christians in Smyrna towards the end of the first century.

Main Course

The suffering Smyrna

Their “afflictions” (v9), “suffering” and “persecution” (v10)

“afflictions … persecution”: distress brought about by circumstances. For the Christian, these become test of faith. Sometimes the faithfulness to the Lord itself draws the affliction—as here, hence, “persecution” (v10).

“poverty”—but poor for a particular reason, as the context makes clear: for their faith in Christ, they suffer economic disadvantage, perhaps by losing their jobs because they would not worship the Roman gods.

“slander”, v9b. Apostate Jews portraying themselves as God’s true people. Why is this an issue?

Nobody likes slander.

The Jews had the oracles of God. If they say you are wrong, that’s not an easy charge to shake off.

Some of the Jews had political pull:

Further suffering is coming, v10a, b.

“the devil”—notice the connection to “a synagogue of Satan”; the Jewish apostates become the devil’s henchmen, and the pagan Romans their executioners. Familiar?

“to test you”; not too happy with this translation. Same Greek word can mean testing and tempting—but it is God’s purpose to test, and the devil’s to tempt. Think of Jesus’s temptation. For the believer, every purpose of the devil is turned into the higher purpose of God. This is the encouragement here. Jesus knows, and He has a purpose: “to test you”—never mind the devil’s, to tempt and destroy!

“for ten days”, cf. Daniel 1:12-15. The double point is that the Smyrnan Christians are suffering as righteous Daniel, and that it is for a limited time.

Our afflictions as Christians in the UK

To a degree it can be similar, especially financial backlash; we can also know “slander” by wings of the professing church that have made compromises with the world.

But, in another sense, every difficulty is a test of faith.

Will I trust God to provide for me?

Will I trust God to help me raise my children in the faith, fighting the evil in this world?

Will I resist temptations to compromise in word or deed?

The Suffering Servant

“I know”, 2x in v9

Not just on an information level (like when we read the news coming from Afghanistan) but on an experience level (like Afghans living there). v8: “who died”

So when He says “be faithful, even to the point of death” (v10), He speaks as one with experience.

Christ’s experience

“poverty”

Matthew 8:20: “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Matthew 8:20 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’

2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

“slander” from Jews who were not God’s people: John 8:39-44.

Imprisonment

Roman prisons were not places of punishment; you were placed in prison as you were awaiting trial or the verdict that was to be your punishment.

Was our Lord not captured like a criminal, tried and judged as such? All falsely—just as in the case of the Christians of Smyrna.

Death—He speaks as the one “who died”

Christ’s experience was so that He will redeem His people—He is Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, cf. Isaiah 53:4-9

The Victorious Servant

He speaks from experience: “and came to life again”, v8. He is Isaiah’s Victorious Servant, cf. Isaiah 53:10-12.

He remained faithful throughout His suffering. This was necessary, because God requires perfect obedience. We can’t give it to Him. Christ did. Hebrews 4:15 says of Him:

Hebrews 4:15 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

He conquered death: His resurrection. He “came to life again”, because God raised Him, having accepted His life and sacrifice as the righteous substitute for that of His people.

He comes to His church in Smyrna as the Man of Revelation 1:17-18. He speaks from a position of authority: “the First and the Last”, v8. In Him, His faithful people are victorious.

The victorious Smyrna

His promises

“I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” v10b

The promise of eternal life, similarly as we saw in v7b. It is in His power to give, as the Ever-Living One.

Notice, however, that it is for those who are “victor”-s: they are the true people of God, cf. Matthew 10:22

Matthew 10:22 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

“The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.” v11b

The same promise expressed differently: “the second death” refers to God’s eternal judgment, as we’ll see later in the book explicitly taught.

The persecutors may kill the body temporarily, but the Lord will keep both body and soul. Those who die in Christ are instantly transported into His presence, and will bodily raise to eternal life on the last day.

This is the reason the Christians in Smyrna are called “rich” in v9.

The thief on the cross died naked, but is now in the glory of God. He died richer than Herod, even than Caesar himself—and greater glories await him still.

His commands, v10

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.”

Do not let your mind and heart be weighed down by contemplating the horrors your opponents can inflict on you.

Rather, this is what you should concentrate on:

“Be faithful”

A command to keep being faithful to the Lord, as the implication is that they are so—notice that there is no rebuke in this letter.

Faithfulness is to be demonstrated in loving God with all our lives.

Pudding

Smyrna is an encouragement and a call to faithfulness to God. To keep trusting in Him amidst all our afflictions as Christians. For He knows our suffering, and has conquered them. By leaning on Him, we, too, will overcome, and receive eternal life in Christ.

2 Timothy 2:11–13 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

And so our rest and ultimate confidence lies with Christ.