Churches in Contrast
Revelation 2:8-17
September 10, 2006

When I’m out of the country or even in a different region of the United States, I mentally go through the process of contrasting the things familiar to me with the new things that I see and experience. Take for instance the food. Around here we find hamburger, fries, and chicken sandwiches to be staples. In Brazil, that vote goes to black beans, rice, and a curious ground root known as farofa—or as we nicknamed it because of its appearance, “sawdust.” Instead of grabbing a quick burger for lunch, one might grab a quick plate of black beans with a little farofa to add texture. During the summer we contend with taking care of our lawns; fertilizing, watering, and manicuring them. Even those in apartment buildings, though not responsible for lawns, at least expect the grounds to be kept in good condition. But in contrast, I cannot remember seeing a lawn anywhere during this trip to Brazil. The only grass that I saw was in a city park; and there wasn’t much evident there. Between the concrete of the city and the constant pedestrian traffic that would trample down any blade of Bermuda, there was no need to own a lawnmower or keep weed-n-feed handy. Contrast in this case doesn’t imply that one is better off than the other; it’s simply a matter of difference and familiarity. Whether you eat burgers or black beans, cut grass or trample sidewalks has no effect on one’s character.

Yet sometime contrasts help us to understand important differences that do affect character and lifestyle. That’s what we observe in the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2-3. We’ve noted previously that these are seven churches in seven cities of ancient Asia Minor, all located within two or three days walk of each other. The issues Christ identifies in each church bear resemblance to churches throughout the history of Christianity. We often find ourselves or some aspect of our own situation in one or two or more of the churches. It’s a healthy process to study the churches with an aim to understand what Jesus Christ has called the church to be. With the exception of singling out those destructive groups within the churches, the aim of the messages to the seven churches is always corporate, not individual. All in the church are to hear what the Spirit has to say to the churches; all have responsibilities for the spiritual welfare of the rest of the body. When Christ addresses “the church” at Smyrna or Pergamum, He addresses them in the singular even though the church is made of “many members,” to use Paul’s analogy in 1 Corinthians 12. That’s an essential matter for us to grasp as we contrast the two churches of our present study. Christ addresses us in the singular; we are one body composed of many members. The evaluation, admonition, command, and promise of Christ are not for a few in the church but for the singular body. Our union with Christ in the church calls for the whole body to conform to Christ’s purpose for His people. Some in the churches of Asia Minor had gone astray. Christ calls the whole church to be holy people in doctrine, character, and lifestyle. What does Christ expect of His church? I believe that we can get a good picture of some aspects of His expectations as we consider the contrast between the churches of Smyrna and Pergamum.

I. Faithful until death
We tend to think of the few martyrs we’re familiar with in church history as exceptions rather than the norm. Yet the call of Christ for the church is clearly set forth: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” That’s the call of Christ in the gospel to His church. Yet the thought of suffering, much less dying for our faith in Christ sends shivers down our spine! We struggle with some very modern, westernized, views of Christianity. “Everything should be lovely, now that I’m a Christian.” “God doesn’t want us to suffer or experience pain.” “We’ve not hurt anyone so we don’t deserve to suffer.” “Surely we can all get along with each other in the world.” Nice thoughts; it’s just not reality.

In earlier generations, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs served as primary reading outside the Bible as a reminder that the church is not like the world and therefore, the more we are conformed to Christ the more the world will oppose us—even to death. Peter told the scattered believers in Asia Minor, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Pet. 4:12). It’s part of being united to Christ. The church at Smyrna experienced this. The unfolding portrait of that church corrects many of the long-held, flawed beliefs of today’s church regarding the right to a comfortable existence by the church.

1. The present
First, we notice that Jesus again declares His perfect and absolute knowledge of the condition of the church. He knows every detail. Nothing slips past His gaze since nothing is outside the realm of His governance. “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.” Tribulation is one of the recurring themes in Revelation. The word implies pressure or trouble or being in a tight spot. It can run the gamut from mild opposition to oppression to death for the sake of the gospel. The church in Smyrna was in the midst of tribulation when Christ addressed them. It is likely that their poverty was tied to the tribulation they experienced.

Smyrna’s people gloried in their Roman religion. Not only did the imperial cult touch every part of daily life in Smyrna, but they also had a temple dedicated to Rome. Greg Beale comments, “It was almost impossible to have a share in the city’s public life without also having a part in some aspect of the imperial cult” [NIGTC: The Book of Revelation, 240-241]. This meant that if one did not participate in some way in temple life or in cultic sacrifices, then he would be ostracized by the rest of the city. Ancient trade guilds were tied to particular patron gods. So if one did not participate in worshiping those gods, he would lose his job and meet with abusive treatment. “I know your tribulation and your poverty” were reassuring words to the church. None of this came without the good purposes of the Lord unfolding for them. He reminded the church that in spite of their poverty, “you are rich.” They had a wealth that the other citizens of Smyrna knew nothing about. All the inheritance that belongs to Christ belonged to them. Their suffering would be brief while their bounty would be for eternity.

Additionally, the church at Smyrna heard the false accusations of Jews in the city. “I know… the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” The implication is that, though racially Jewish, spiritually they are not sons of Abraham. As Paul told the Romans, “For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Romans 4:13). And again in Romans 2:28-29, Paul confirms: “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 of Smyrna railed against the gospel and righteousness through faith in Christ. Jesus calls them “a synagogue of Satan” for their blasphemous opposition to the truth in Christ. In contrast, the church fulfills this promise to Abraham since it stands as the true heir of righteousness by faith, having been circumcised in the heart through regeneration.

2. The future
More was to come; and that soon. “Do not fear what you are about to suffer.” Someone might ask what the Greek word suffer means. It means to suffer! In this case, the present tense verb implies ongoing suffering. The main verb suggests that the suffering was not far off; so get ready. How were they to prepare? They were to hear the command of Christ who suffered at the hands of sinful men. “Do not fear.” More literally, do not go on being afraid; or stop being fearful. The fear had already started but the Lord of the Church, who governs the details of our lives, commanded, “Do not fear.” The basis of such a command rests in His authority as Sovereign Lord. But also, as the opening words of the letter tell us, Jesus can command us not to fear because He has already conquered our worse fear. “The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this.” The believers in Smyrna were to find new courage as they considered that Jesus has authority as “the first and the last,” and so could stop the opposition at any moment if that fit into His purpose for them. Yet by His good and wise purposes, He has called them to suffer for the gospel. They were to find new courage by also looking at His death and resurrection. The phrase, “and has come to life,” points to the event of the resurrection. It stands forever as the promise of life to all that are in union with Jesus Christ. “In Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22b). What can their opponents ultimately take from them that will last forever? Nothing, of course, and the resurrection is assurance of this reality.

Here we find the confluence of God’s providence and Satan’s work against the church. “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.” Satan’s aim is to tempt believers to forsake the Lord or to doubt His goodness or deny His faithfulness. Being cast into prison in that era usually preceded a sentence of death or banishment. But the Lord works in the midst of such testing to prove out the genuineness of the believer’s faith; to strengthen the weak areas by honing them in the crucible of trials. The true believers and the false ones are distinguished by such testing, “therefore, the true saints should not be afraid of the devil’s attempts to bring about compromise in the church through persecution” [Beale 242]. No one can pluck us out of Christ’s hand (John 6:39; 10:28). “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:35-37).

In the case of Smyrna, Christ puts limits on the persecution. “You will have tribulation for ten days.” We will see this number ten throughout Revelation. Here it indicates “the completeness of the period of suffering,” yet it will shortly terminate [S. Kistemaker, NTC: Revelation, 125]. Just as centuries earlier Daniel and his friends were tested for ten days and in that time proved faithful, so too would these Christians [cf. Beale, 242-243; D. Johnson, The Triumph of the Lamb, 74].

3. The promise
Christ assures them, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Here He indicates that some in their number would die for their faith in Christ. And it happened. Quite possibly at this time, a young man named Polycarp listened to the reading of Revelation. About 20 years later, he was made bishop of Smyrna, faithfully carrying out his responsibilities. As an old man, persecution became acute. Polycarp was brought before the Roman proconsul who told him that he could go free “if he would swear by the emperor and curse Christ” [Gonzalez 44]. He replied, “For eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?” With every threat, Polycarp refused to deny Christ and be set free. After being tied to the post to be burned, he looked to heaven, praying, “Lord Sovereign God… I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment, so that, jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ…. For this…I bless and glorify you. Amen” [quoted from the Martyrdom of Polycarp, 14, by Justo Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity, 44].

Once again, Christ commands, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In other words, the message was for Smyrna but not only Smyrna. Christ is teaching the church in every age about faithfulness unto death. The promise of “the crown of life” “is a metaphor for eternal life” [Beale 244], evident by the next promise, “He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” Jesus was not speaking of peripheral issues. He spoke of life and eternity. The call for overcoming is viewed as the only way to life. Overcoming bears evidence of Christ-transformed lives. What does this pose for the many half-hearted, wimpy, worldly-absorbed kind of professing Christians represented in churches across our land? Here is the radical call to authenticity, demonstrated by faithfulness to Christ even in suffering, and if God so wills, in death. We must not miss the tone of Christ in this letter. He begins with triumph and promises triumph. The opening characteristic shows how we can be faithful: because Jesus Christ conquered death and is alive forevermore, so also will those in union with Him overcome. Christ focuses our attention away from transitory suffering (Rom 8:18) to the bigger picture of eternity.

II. Looking inside
The Pergamum church lived in the midst of religious opposition. They knew what it was to suffer as Christians, and to even see the death of one of their own members for his testimony of Christ. They boldly took a stand in their city as outspoken Christians. Yet, in spite of this commendable stance, a spiritual disease gnawed away at their life and testimony. They faced inward destruction if they failed to take action.

Here is precisely where many churches find themselves. They do not shy away from public testimony of Christ or the teaching of the Bible. They might hold crusades and seminars that mark them outwardly as Christians. They might conduct area-wide evangelistic outreach and even vocalize their opposition to societal evils. They loudly defend reading the Bible and offering prayer in public settings. Yet all the while they are dying a slow death through tolerating teaching and lifestyles that are a reproach to Christ.

1. Living near Satan’s throne
“I know where you dwell,” Jesus told the Pergamum believers, “where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” The term “Satan’s throne,” likely doesn’t mean a Satanic cult, rather it refers to the idolatrous shrines that marked the city. Pergamum was renowned for its library that eventually was transferred to Alexandria. Due to Egypt’s refusal to send them paper, they developed animal skins, known as parchment, for making more books. But of even greater renown were the multiplied temples and altars throughout the city. The city stood on a hill of more than 1000 feet, and atop the hill stood an enormous altar to Zeus Soter (Zeus Savior) surrounded by massive colonnades, giving it the appearance of a throne to the Greek god considered their savior. Teams of priests burned animal sacrifices on the great altar twenty-four hours a day, so that the rising smoke bore testimony to Zeus’ supremacy in that region. The worship of the god of healing, Asclepius Soter (whose symbol is still used to identify the field of medicine), centralized in Pergamum, where sanatoria attached to the temples housed the sick awaiting the touch of the sacred snakes that slithered freely among them. This personified Satan, as John later refers to the devil as “the serpent of old” (12:9) [adapted from Bruce Metzger, Breaking the Code, 35-36 and S. Kistemaker, 126]. Additionally, Pergamum had a long standing tradition as the center of emperor worship with temples dedicated for that purpose. There stood “Satan’s throne” where the church sought to testify of Christ. They lived in an unenviable setting when the rebuke of Christ came to them. How much more does our generation, that has fallen prey to the same errors, deserve the Lord’s rebuke!

With these and other temples, altars, and multiplied gods of trade guilds attached to citizenship, the Pergamum Christians faced enormous pressure to compromise or else face economic, social, and even physical loss. One witness of Christ from their number, Antipas, died as a martyr for his faith in Christ. We don’t know anything more about him other than the approval of Jesus Christ calling Antipas “My witness, My faithful one.” Antipas’ outspokenness as a Christian, and his refusal to bow to the gods of Pergamum, brought on the wrath of the city. It may have been in a spontaneous riot or some planned event that the faithful believer was killed. The church held fast the name of Christ throughout the ordeal, not backing down on their open confession of Jesus Christ. They were bold Christians, willing to face loss for the sake of Christ. That is commendable in any age or situation.

2. Stumbling blocks
Yet while they boldly stood for Christ in the community, something seriously wrong threatened their existence. “The One who has the sharp two-edged sword,” that is, the One who exercises judgment, reproved them. The certainty of Christ’s displeasure is borne out by the way He is identified as Judge. As the provincial capitol, the proconsul in Pergamum had the power of life and death. But the designation of Christ turns the believers away from fearing the proconsul and heeding Christ [Kistemaker, 128]. While the church had plenty of outward activity identifying them as Christians, inwardly they compromised with the world. The Lord of the Church had judged them. Their indulgence in the world nullified, or at minimum muddled their testimony of Christ. “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.” I believe that this verse explains the nature of the problem group identified in the next verse as “some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” We’ve already caught a glimpse of them in 2:6, where the Ephesian believers would not let their teaching take root among them. But the Pergamum church tolerated the heresy of the Nicolaitans.

The reference to Balaam takes us back to Numbers 22-25, 31:8, 16. In brief, the Moabite king Balak sought to hire the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. Instead of cursing, the Lord constrained him to bless Israel. Since Balaam’s curses didn’t work against Israel, he instead offered counsel to King Balak. They were to entice the Israelite men into immoral relationships with the Moabite women through inviting them to the idolatrous feasts of their gods. “The people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab,” we are told (Num. 25:1). The Lord brought judgment against Israel and the wayward prophet Balaam, who was killed for his part in this compromise (Num. 31:8, 16).

The Nicolaitans did the same thing. In order to be accepted by the citizens of Pergamum, some began to teach that it was okay to offer sacrifices to the gods of Pergamum and to participate in their rituals and festivals. The Christians knew who the real God was anyway; this was only a pretend matter for the sake of accommodation, they likely taught. As was so common in that era, participation often involved ritual prostitution. The Nicolaitans taught that it was necessary and legitimate to engage in these things so that the Christians could be part of the community and thus be a witness to them.

Though we don’t have a group known as Nicolaitans today, their great grandchildren remain among us. One group growing in popularity today as a reaction to some perceived problems in the church is called “the Emergent Church” (distinguished from “the Emerging Church”). Though not monolithic in beliefs, some among them promote participation in the world that goes far beyond the teaching of Scripture, involving pluralism, doctrinal revisionism, and acceptance of lifestyles condemned in Scripture [cf. Justin Taylor, “An Emerging Church Primer,” www.9marks.org for an excellent summary of their beliefs and practice].

We see strains of the Nicolaitans in multiplied churches that allow unchristian behavior to go on among their membership without seeking to discipline wayward members. Immorality, unethical practices, lying, unfaithfulness, and all manner of compromise with the world take place without even a hint of addressing it. “Oh, we don’t to hurt anyone’s feelings,” churches demur. “We’re all sinners; we’re not to be judgmental,” they say. “We don’t want to lose them or their friends; the church is about adding not subtracting,” they explain. Yet to all of this the Lord of the Church stands in holy opposition. The corporate witness of the church, the singular testimony that a particular congregation portrays of the power of the gospel must be consistent with Christ’s purpose for His church. That’s why Jesus Christ instituted the practice of discipline in the church (Matthew 18). Together, we are to have such high regard for the church as the body of Christ that we refuse to tolerate the kind of behavior among our members that shame the gospel of Christ and reproach our Lord’s good name.

3. Repent or else
“The One who has the sharp two-edged sword” demands, “Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.” Jesus Christ calls the church to self-judgment to avert His judgment. “But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged,” Paul told the Corinthians (11:31). The implication is that we would not have to be judged and disciplined by Christ if we exercised the appropriate judgment that He calls for in His church.

Repentance is never an option. It demands that we turn from the sin and practices that trap us, realizing that to not turn is to face the certainty of judgment. In this case, repentance implied that the church must begin exercising discipline among their members. The repetitive call to overcome (v. 17) takes place through repentance and obedience. Here Christ calls the entire church to repentance for neglecting to address false teaching and unchristian lifestyles within the church.

The promise for faithfulness in doing this difficult work in the church is a new intimacy, enjoyment, and satisfaction with Christ, now and in eternity. “To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.” The hidden manna likely pointed to a present reality of fellowship with Christ found in the picture of a Jewish legend that upon the Messiah’s coming, the faithful would eat manna with Him that had been hidden in a secret cave [R. Mounce, NICNT: Revelation, 99]. The white stone may refer to the stones with names written on them of the Twelve Tribes worn in the breastplate of the high priest [Kistemaker, 134]. Both metaphors convey intimacy, fellowship, and the presence of Christ.

Conclusion
These two churches stand in sharp contrast. One faces persecution and remains faithful within and without. The other faces persecution and puts on a good outward front while decaying within by succumbing to false teaching and promotion of worldly lifestyles. It is a warning to any church, ours included, and that we cannot take lightly the responsibility that each of us has for the purity and faithfulness of the body of Christ. May the Lord enable us to remain faithful.

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