Throw Out the Lifeline

Bible Study Lessons

BIBLE CLASS NOTES

by Bill Thornhill

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

Chapter Two

Some introductory material about the churches. A pattern is found in these letters. Caird in his commentary wrote:

The seven letters are written according to a common fourfold plan. First comes a recitation of the qualities of Christ, drawn for the most part from the description in the first chapter, and we can see that in many cases these qualities are chosen because of their peculiar relevance to the local situation. Next comes praise for the church’s good record, then censure for its deficiencies (except that in Laodicea there is nothing to praise, and in Smyrna and Philadelphia nothing to blame). Finally there are promises: four churches receive a general promise, but all the letters end with a promise to the Conqueror. Together the letters constitute a visitation of the churches to see whether they are in a fit state to face the coming crisis.

Some observations pertaining to the part of the world known to John as “Asia Minor” are appropriate. Today Asia Minor is the country of Turkey, an Islamic dominated nation with its capitol in Istanbul. The seven churches were located in the extreme western end, on or near the Aegean Sea.

The letter to Ephesus 2:1-7.

In the mid-sixties of the 1^st Century, Ephesus was a large city, founded about 1100 BC, with a population of approximately 300,000. Situated at the mouth of the Cayster River, she was a favored seaport city. As such she was a center of trade and culture in Asia Minor. She boasted an amphitheater seating more than 25,000 people, which still exists. She was known for beauty, broad streets, monumental buildings, and many heathen temples. The greatest of these temples was dedicated to the goddess Artemis, or Diana as the Romans called her. This temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Ephesus had a large Jewish element, with special and guaranteed privileges and it is believed that it also included citizenship. There was also a particular bitterness between Jew and Gentile, a factor of importance in understanding the environment of the future church. We do not know when Christianity arrived in Ephesus but it probably came around 50 AD as a result of the efforts of Aquila and Priscilla. We believe Paul first visited the city in 52 AD and established residence there, beginning a ministry lasting for some three years.

First Century historians insist the John lived in Ephesus, and the church flourished during his tenure. This may have been after Timothy moved to other works. The church there, despite all her advantages, did become troubled in leaving her first love. This epistle was dictated to compliment, encourage, and warn the Christians in Ephesus to prepare for events coming in the near future.

Christ identified himself by drawing on the description found in chapter one, when he said, To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands… Everything stated in the salutation has been discussed, so we will not belabor the matter.

Next, Jesus said, I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Christ began each letter by reassuring the churches he had full and perfect knowledge of their works. The word “works” is erga, meaning “any deed or action, or the product or process of a deed or action.” One of the “works” Christ knew was their “labor.” The word “labor” comes from kopon, referring to a strenuous work which makes one weary, toil. Not only had the labored for Christ, but they had done so under circumstances which called for patience or endurance.

The Lord’s commendation continued when he said they could not bear those who are evil. They had no toleration for evil in their midst. The word “evil” is from kakous, referring to those who are morally or ethically base, corrupt, or depraved. That this evil may have been of a spiritual nature, rather than just moral, is suggested by the language, And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars… This church was troubled with false teachers claiming to be apostles. This fit the profile of the Judaizing teachers. The saints in Ephesus had obviously withstood such work among them by “testing” those who claimed to be apostles.

The endurance and patience of these brethren is worthy of emulation (Phil. 3:17). On the words of praise, then Jesus rebuked them for having left their first love. Jesus had said in his Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:9-13) that the love of many would grow cold. The result of cooling love among them would be their abandoning Christ to “save their necks,” to use a cliché. The Lord gave an admonition so strong it borders on upbraiding. The word “fallen” often means “to come to a worse state.” Many have come to a worse state of life, morally, I n faith, and love for God. The very coming to such a state, along with the realization of where they had been, coupled with Godly sorrow, would cause them to repent, rethink their relationship to God, change their minds, and be restored to a fuller state of grace. He wanted them to do the first works.

The complimentary nature of the letter resumed as Jesus said, But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate. Despite the fact these saints had their problems with a cooling love; they were still dedicated to doctrinal purity. Who were the Nicolaitans? Schaff wrote the following:

The Nicolaitans are mentioned as a licentious sect in the Apocalypse (2:6, 15). They claimed as their founder Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch and one of the seven deacons of the congregation of Jerusalem (Acts 6:5). He is supposed to have apostatized from the true faith, and taught the dangerous principle that the flesh must be abused, that is at least as understood by his disciples, one must make the whole round of sensuality, to become its perfect master… They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, where they are represented as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Based on the Lord’s description of their “deed” the Nicolaitans were evidently Christians who believed it was acceptable to eat meat offered to idols, which would be an act of worship to the idols, in opposition to the teaching of Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:13-20; 8:9-10; 10:28.

Christ, in his complimentary close, gave an admonition and a promise, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. When Jesus admonished those who had ears to hear, he simply said, in figuratively language, of course, that those who had the ability to perceive and understand what had been said to them should take heed and respond appropriately. The word “churches” appears in the plural. This possibly suggests two things, first, there may have been a plurality of churches in each city, and secondly, all the churches listed, and others besides, were to read these messages. There would be advice and counsel in each letter applicable to the hearts of saints in other assemblies as well.

Lastly, Christ, through the Spirit said, To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of live, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. Essentially, three things of importance arise from these words. They are: (1) overcoming, (2) the Tree of Life, and (3) the Paradise of God.

The word “overcomes” is from the dative of the present active articular participle of the Greek word nikonti. It refers to a continuous overcoming, a continuous gaining of victory. It is not a one time action. Io get some idea of just what these Christians overcame, one need only read the history of the incredible pain and death inflicted during the first Roman persecution under Nero. If these saints dept on overcoming, they would receive certain gifts from Jesus.

The first reward promised by the Lord is described; I will give him to ear from the tree of Life… A reference to what Adam and Eve lost when they sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden. God intended man to have eternal life. Finally, Jesus gave the location of the tree of life from which those who kept on overcoming would eat. He said it is in the midst of the Paradise of God. “Paradise” is a Persian word found only three times in the Bible, in Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; and Revelation 2:7. According to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, it is the abiding place of God, and home of those redeemed by Jesus. It also refers to the home of the Old Testament saints taken “captive” by Christ when he ascended (Ephesians 4:7-10). Jesus promised those who continually overcame, restoration of the original fellowship with God.

The Letter to the Church at Smyrna 2:8-11

The letter to the church in Smyrna is somewhat shorter than the one sent to Ephesus. Some historical facts regarding Smyrna. The first city of Smyrna was situated on a steep hill overhanging on the north, an extreme recess of a gulf on the Aegean Sea. The original city built on the side of a mountain was established about 1000 BC. The city was thought to be militarily impregnable but King Alyattes of Lydia captured and destroyed the city about 600 BC. It was greatly reduced in importance for 300 years until Alexander the Great reestablished the city in his early reign. The city was relocated about 2 miles to the Aegean Sea and became an important seaport like Ephesus some twenty-five miles to the south. Smyrna was fiercely loyal to the Romans. She became a center of fanatical emperor worship and one of the cities where the emperor cult, along with many Jews, sought to eradicate the Christians. In Smyrna, Polycarp suffered martyrdom at the hands of the Roman emperor cult. Persecutions were very severe during the latter part of the reign of Nero Caesar. From the tone of the letter about to be discussed, this persecution had already begun. We know nothing of the establishment of the church in this city but likely during Paul’s stay in Ephesus as per Acts 19. This would indicate the church to be established between 52 – 55 AD, if not earlier.

There was a close relationship between the Jews, both in and out of Palestine, and the Romans that is often overlooked in our study of the New Testament. Because this relationship was so close, politically and economically, great favors were granted to the Jews, and when direct favors were not granted, the government would turn its head, allowing the Jews to persecute the Christians severely.

The city of Smyrna, now called Izmir, exists in Turkey today. It is considered one of the finest cities in that country.

Christ opened the letter commanding John to write to the angel of the church in Smyrna. He continued his dictation saying this letter was spoken by the First and the Last, who was dead, and come to life. Since Smyrna prided herself as the “first City” of Asia, first in beauty, literature, loyalty to Rome, the Lord’s words seem to take on additional meaning when he referred to himself as the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life. Jesus seemed to be saying whatever greatness Smyrna may have in her own sight, his greatness is above all. In every area of life the Savior was greater than Smyrna.

Jesus continued by telling the suffering church in Smyrna, I know your works … As has been noted, this expression is used in all seven letters. The word “know” is oida, and means “full and perfect knowledge.” Hence, Jesus knew these churches to the fullest extent. Christ also knew other things about her. He said, I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich) … In addition to her works, Christ knew the “tribulation” suffered by this church. The word “tribulation” is from thlipsin, meaning to suffer severely, or with great hardship. If this suffering was not from the Romans, then it must refer to the long course of suffering which they endured from the Jews.

Our Lord said he knew their “poverty.” These Christians, unlike those in Laodicea, were extremely poor in material wealth. The word “poverty” comes from ptoceian, referring to such a state of poverty one is reduced to begging. It is possible one of the reasons these believers experienced so much physical poverty was their good were confiscated by those who persecuted them. Yet Jesus added, somewhat parenthetically, but you are rich. They were rich in spiritual blessings because of their works and the tribulation they suffered. The word “rich,” plousios, means to be very wealthy, to live in opulence, to abound in wealth, being distinguished due to wealth. What a contrast between the physical and the spiritual conditions of these Christians.

In the compliments paid to this community of believers, Jesus said, and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Smyrna had a large settlement of Hellenistic Jews. The word “blasphemy” (blasphemian) denotes speaking evil (slanderously) of someone, but here we believe it is used as metonymy. The Jews were doing a great deal more than just slandering Christians. In 1 Peter 3:13-17, and 4:4, Cephas said the dispersed Christians to whom he wrote had great evil spoken against them. In Smyrna, there was open persecution of God’s people in every way possible. Jesus said the people doing the persecuting claimed to be Jews, the chosen people of God. They were Jews physically but they were no longer the chosen people of God. The true Jews, he spiritual Jews, in Smyrna were the ones of the New Jerusalem, or as Paul put it, …the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all (Galatians 4:26). That Christians were, and are, the true Jews in God’s sight is easily seen by consulting 1 Peter 2:9 and Romans 2:28. The Jews thought they were doing the will of God in persecuting the church; however, they were in reality doing the work of Satan who was attempting to stop the development of the Kingdom of Christ.

The Lord said, Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. There was yet future suffering for these saints. The coming persecution was not from the Jews only, but also the Romans at the behest of Nero. The Lord continued, Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison… Our Lord twice mentioned the persecution suffered, and to be suffered as the work of Satan – the devil. We are inclined to the notion the “devil” of whom he spoke was Nero.

While in prison the saints would have tribulation ten days. Jesus said it would last ten days. There are a great many views on the meaning of the tribulation destined to last only ten days. Foy Wallace, Jr. believed the ten days represented ten persecuting Roman emperors from Nero to Diocletian, who vowed he would eradicate the very name Christian from the Roman Empire. Some have suggested the saints would be imprisoned, suffer for a brief period and be set free. Others insist the “ten days” should be understood in terms of a brief stay in prison, since “ten” is a factor of a “thousand,” which is considered an indefinite period of time in this book. However, another view which I believe is the correct view is that the periods of imprisonment would be short; they would not languish in prison indefinitely. Notwithstanding, their imprisonment would end in martyrdom. This can be seen from the encouragement the Lord gave when he said, Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Jesus told them to be faithful, even if they were put to death, and he would give them the crown of life. They would be sorely tested, tempted to renounce Christ, when thrown into prison to await martyrdom. The Romans had many horrific ways to martyr the saints. Imagine being impaled, dipped in oil, or tar, and then made a human torch. Such things were done while they were alive.

The “crown of life” promised by our Lord is mentioned several times in the New Testament. James in 1:12 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:25, as well as 2 Timothy 4:8, referred to this crown. The crown was not a diadem, the crown worn by a monarch, but the stefanos; the crown of victory given to a winning athlete. It is used in the New Testament as a metaphor for everlasting life. “Be faithful until death” is in the present middle imperative, meaning the Lord wanted them to “keep on proving to be faithful to him even as they approached and experienced death.”

The Lord concluded his letter with an admonition and a promise. His admonition was, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. This divine advice will be read seven times in these letters. The promise of the Lord was, He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. The word “overcome” is from Nikon the verb form of which is nikaw, meaning to “conquer, vanquish, or subdue.” The saints of Smyrna who overcame, subjugating persecution, imprisonment, tribulation and death through faith were true conquerors, and more than conquerors, through the One whom they had so deep loved. (Romans 8:35-37). Jesus said they would not be hurt by the second death. This sentence in the original contains a strong double negative, which is the language of the New Testament suggests an absolute impossibility. If they overcame it was not possible for them to be harmed by the second death. In addition to its being mentioned here, the “second death” is found in three other places in the Revelation. In 20:6 I is said those who have part in the first resurrection cannot come under the power of the second death. In 20:14 it is said, Death and Hades will be cast into the lake of fire, and this is the second death. In 21:8, it is said the “second death” is a lake burning with fire and brimstone in which the wicked will have their part. The Lord was saying those in Smyrna, and by implication everywhere else, would not be harmed by the punishment to come upon the wicked. The wicked, spoken of in these verses, are those persons who rejected Christ and persecuted his people; those persecuting Christians without pretense were the Romans and the Jews. Foy Wallace, Jr. had an observation and his conclusion was … (1) Overcoming the persecutions equaled exemption from the second death; (2) Part in the first resurrection equaled exemption from the second death; (3) These two things being equal to the same thing were equal to each other. Therefore, the result of overcoming the persecution was pictured as the first resurrection of the apocalypse, and was prerequisite to the living and reigning with Christ in the triumphant state of victory that is described,

The letter to the Church at Pergamos 2:12-17

If one were to travel almost directly north from Smyrna to the province called Mysia, he would arrive at a huge granite hill on the top of which would be found the citadel of Pergamum, later called Pergamos. This chivalric city was located some fifteen miles inland from the Aegean Sea. The citadel rose about a thousand feet above the plain of the Caicus River. We have no written history of this city before about the 5^th Century BC; it is claimed dates back to the time when men first began to gather into villages and towns. At the time of its first recorded history, the city was under Persian rule. The Persians introduced the Pergamene people to the Asklepios cult, a religion from Epidaurus known for its practice of medicine. Doctors still use the symbol of this ancient cult of medicine, two serpents entwined around a winged staff. The temple in which the god Aesculapius was worshipped was called “hospital.” The city came eventually to be ruled by Alexander the Great, and for about twenty years after his death it ruler was Heracles, the reputed son of Alexander the Great by a Persian princess named Barsine. Eventually, it came under the Seleucid kings, and then it came back under Greek control until it became a Roman city. When it became a Roman city, it was made a “royal city” and served as capitol of Mysia for about two hundred years.

Like Ephesus and Smyrna, Pergamos was a city of great riches, opulence, and beauty with wide streets and beautiful buildings. In 29 BC a temple was erected and dedicated to the Roman Emperor Augustus (Octavian) recognizing him as a god. This led to the development of a strong emperor cult in Pergamos. Pergamos also had a large Jewish population. The emperor cult and the Jews persecuted Christianity severely. Hence, in the Revelation, Pergamos is the epicenter of emperor worship, the place where Satan’s throne is.

Christianity probably came to Pergamos during the time Paul was in Ephesus. The Lord directed John to write to the angel of the church at Pergamos. He identified himself in the following words: These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword. This message came from Christ. The Lord continued, I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. They worked and Christ had full knowledge of what they had done and where they were dwelling. The saints knew the hardships inflicted by their enemies both pagan and Jewish on them. Some of Foy Wallace, Jr’s comments:

The stronghold of Satan consisted in the pagan and Jewish oppositions, which were combined in Pergamos into deadly threats against the church. The Pergamos church had been weakened by the heathen surroundings of Mysia, Apollos, Venus, Bacchus, and Aesculapius. The figure Satan’s seat, denotes the wickedness of these idolatrous temples and the nuptials of these gods. The name Pergamos meant the “place of nuptials.” It was a fitting figure for Satan’s seat.

There is a sense in which Satan is a god. Paul called him the god of this age in 2 Corinthians 4:4. As the God of our universe has a throne room from which he rules, so Satan the god of this age had a place from which he ruled in the affairs of men. This place was Pergamos!

In our discussion of the church at Smyrna, we observed the complicity between Jews and Romans in the persecutions of the early Christians. Saints in Smyrna and Pergamos had similar experiences. Those who hold the late date for the book usually overlook this very important element in the formula for persecution. They need to remember Satan was not a part of the demonology of the Gentiles, either Greek or Roman. On the other hand, he is very much a part of Hebrew demonology.

Chilton commented, …The foremost enemy of the Church, throughout the New Testament, is apostate Judaism, whose representatives were continually haling Christians before the Roman magistrate… As St. John will reveal in Chapters 12-13, Satan is the moving force behind the Jewish/Roman attempt to destroy the Church.

The Lord proceeded saying, And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. When the Lord said these brethren held fast to his name, he meant they clung with tenacity to the Person the name represented. He used the word “hold” (krateis) in the present tense, meaning they kept on holding, were still holding to the faith of Christ. Even in times of extreme stress, as when Antipas was martyred for his faith, they clung to their Savior. Regarding Antipas, we know nothing more than what is revealed here.

After these beautiful words of commendation, Jesus, in verse 14 said, But I have a few things against you… Jesus had only a few things against these saints, but they were important. The first of these was she tolerated some in her midst who held the doctrine of Balaam. The primary thing to be observed is, the name of this doctrine was Jewish in its origin. It involved certain kinds of immorality as did the activities of the Israelites with the Moabites. The doctrine of Balaam held by some Pergamene brethren allowed them to eat food sacrificed to idols. We understand this to man they did more than merely eat food sold in the shambles previously sacrificed to idols to satisfy hunger, but they ate those foods as acts of devotion to idols worshiped in Pergamos. Peter mentioned the false teachers who held this view in 2 Peter 2:1-22 and Jude in verses 3-19 of his book. These saints were evidently taught by the Judaizers they could go into the temples and eat in honor of the gods with impunity. Jesus did not agree!

In the latter part of verse 14, Jesus said this doctrine of Balaam urged Christians to commit sexual immorality. The Greek word porneusai is usually translated “fornication.” Its original meaning was much broader than what we today mean by fornication. It meant to engage in any kind of “filthy” or immoral sexual behavior, including any sexual act outside of marriage. Christians were told by those deceiving them since the gods into whose temples they were going were not gods at all, they were not sinning when they went in to eat or to commit fornication. This seems to have been a part of the doctrine of Balaam, an evil Christ wanted expunged from his church.

In verse 15, Jesus said, Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate. The word “thus” in this sentence is very interesting because it introduces a logical conclusion. It seems that Jesus was saying those who observed the doctrine of the Balaam held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. In other words, Jesus was not listing two different doctrines held by some Pergamene Christians but one doctrine known by two names. One thing keeping us from adopting this view without reservation is the use of the word “also” in this sentence. It is translated from kai, often used as a conjunction. If kai is being used as an explanatory conjunction, indicating additional information is being given, there is no problem with the interpretation we have given above. Hence, Jesus was speaking of one group of heretics among the Pergamene brethren, first described with regard to what they were teaching, and then as who they were.

Not only were they reprimanded for tolerating this doctrine, but in verse 16, they were commanded in no uncertain terms to, Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight them with the sword of My mouth. This command is simple, short, and to the point. The weapon to be used against them was the sword of his mouth. They would be reproved and rebuked by the preaching of the Gospel. The implication of this language is, with the sword of the mouth the sinful ones would be cut off from the salvation in Christ Jesus.

Jesus concluded in verse 17 urging the disciples to hear and heed what the Spirit said to them. Then he made two promises to those who overcame, those who would obey the teachings of the Spirit, overcoming their faults as well as overcoming the uncertainties of the future. The first promise was, To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. Obviously a reference to the manna with which God sustained Israel in their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Thus, the giving of manna must symbolize the care and providence of God for his people. Jesus said, “you overcome and I will take very good care of you. Jesus called this hidden manna. This is possibly a reference to the pot of manna hidden in the Ark of the Covenant under the Mercy Seat. If these disciples would subdue the evil in their midst and overcome whatever else they needed to conquer in the future, he would care for them providentially as God cared for Israel in the wilderness.

The second promise is: And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. We notice the color of the “stone,” is white. White is the color called the “livery of heaven” as far as the Apocalypse is concerned. In this great book, we find associated with “heaven,” white robes, white clouds, white horses, and white thrones. It is a color that symbolizes purity and righteousness. On the stone a “new” name was written. “New” is used almost as frequently in Revelation as white. The book deals with a new heaven and a new earth, in which is found the new Jerusalem; where the inhabitants wear a new name, and sing a new song where all things are made new. There are vast amounts of discussion regarding this “stone” in the dozens of commentaries. The word “stone” is from psephon, a small smooth pebble. Several commentators seem to regard this stone as the sign of acquittal which was cast down by a judge at the end of a trial. We do not see how that symbol of vindication could be used in this instance since those who received the white stone were disciples of Christ and already cleansed of all sin. The reference in the first promise to the hidden manna is of Jewish origin. It appears the second of receiving the white stone with the mysterious name would hearken to a Jewish background rather than to a Gentile one. A white stone figuring prominently in Judaism was what we would call a “white onyx” or the sardonyx stone. The white stone mentioned in this text, perhaps represents the white sardonyx stones worn on the shoulders and breastplate of the ancient High Priest. These were engraved with the names of the twelve patriarchs of Israel in the order of their birth. The receiving of this stone from the Savior meant the recipient was accepted by Christ as one of his honored priests, known for his righteousness and purity.

The Lord continued, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. Arguments go on almost interminably about what the new name was and in what sense it was known only to the ones receiving it. We present what we believe to be the best explanation. The first is to look at the word “new.” It comes form kainon which most emphatically does not mean “new” in the sense of something known for the first time. It means new to ones who possess it; better, or of higher excellence. This “new” name is not difficult to understand; it is an excellent one!

Secondly, let us look at the word “knows.” It comes from the Greek oiden, meaning to know, or to know how. We also find this word means “to regard with favor.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:12, where the word is translated “recognize,” (“know,’ KJV) Paul used the word to mean “to regard with favor those who labor among you,” which is exactly the way it is being used here in Revelation 2:17. This new name is the one promised through Isaiah (56:1-6; 62:1-2). It was given in Antioch of Syria and is the name Christian. Some would object to interpreting the new name as being “Christian” because they believe Jesus used the future tense in the promise. The original language “I will give,” comes from the Greek word doso which is first person, singular, future, active, indicative. This does not indicate an action beginning at some time in the future, but speaks of an action continuing in the future. A decent paraphrase of the promise would be, “And I will keep on giving him a white stone, and on the stone a name of superior excellence which no one regards with favor except him who keeps on receiving it.”

The white stone represents eternal purity of character and life. The name received, and for which the saint shows the highest regard, is Christian. Jesus promised the Pergamene Christians his loving, constant, and providential care and recognition. Neither Jews nor Romans had any regard whatsoever for the name Christian, but those who willingly laid down their lives for that name did, and they would wear it forever!

The Letter to the Church at Thyatira 2:18-29

In this the fourth of the seven letters Jesus addressed to Thyatira. The longest, and in the eyes of many students, the most difficult of the seven letters was written to the least remarkable of all the cities. This fact brings the conclusion the letters were not written to the churches because of the importance of the cities where they were located, but to churches having particular needs demanding our Lord’s attention.

Of the founding of this city we know nothing, but it is known as a Seleucid colony after the death of Alexander the Great. Historically, this is the most obscure of the seven cities. Thyatira, located some forty miles southeast of Pergamos, seems to have been ruled by the Pergamenes from about 260 BC. Thyatira was, from a military standpoint, the least defensible of the cities. It was situated on almost level ground near the center of a broad valley bordered by gentle rolling hills. It was in the valley of the Lycus, a northern tributary of the Hermus River. Thyatira was important in two or three area. Archaeologists have uncovered strong evidence that there existed in this ancient city strong trade guilds or what we call labor unions. A membership in these trade guilds was necessary to conduct business in the city. We have no record as how the Jews in the city handled this problem, since each of the trade guilds was dedicated to a different heathen deity. There were Hellenistic Jews who did not mind compromising their faith to conduct business. The Christians who attempted to conduct business would find themselves having to defend against the worship of heathen deities, but they would also find it necessary to defend themselves against the Jews who hated the followers of Jesus Christ.

One of the major trade items of Thyatira was “purple.” Purple was a dye extracted from the madder root which flourished in great abundance around the city. There were several pagan deities worshiped in Thyatira. Tyrimnos, god of the sun, known to the Greeks as Apollo, was one of the main deities. They also worshipped the goddess Sambethe a supposed prophetess.

Regarding the time of the arrival of Christianity in Thyatira we know nothing. We know Lydia who was converted by Paul in the city of Philippi was a native of this city. Whether she brought the faith to the city, we do not know. The city still exists and bears the name Akhisar, with Islam being the dominant religion.

In verse 18 John received the command to write to the angel of the church at Thyatira. The person sending the letter is identified but the identification is different from the others. He identified himself as the “Son of God.” This is the only time this title is applied to Jesus in the Revelation. It was a name given to the Messiah by Yahweh in such prophetic passages as Psalm 2:7. God is called the Father of Christ five times in the Apocalypse (1:6; 2:27; 3:5, 21; 14:1). The description of Christ as One who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass is taken from 1:14-15. These figures were discussed earlier so we will not repeat that here.

In verse 19, Jesus began his comments to the church at Thyatira with his very familiar, I know your works. Jesus said their works consisted of love, service, faith and …patience. The love of which the Lord spoke was agapen, the same pure, unselfish, benevolent, caring love God has for man. This love caused these brethren to render service, as it always does. Next Christ complimented their faith. The “faith” Christ admired was that which caused them to be faithful in their service to, and endurance for him.

His praise for the church at Thyatira became even greater when he said, as for your works, the last are more than the first. Unlike Ephesus, the love of this church had not grown cold, but had continued to grow in fervor. However, there is a “nevertheless” to be dealt with in this letter. The high praise given by the Lord is followed by severe censure. Jesus said in verse 29, Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. There was a woman in the congregation who was causing trouble. They allowed this woman to overthrow their goodness with her evil influence. There is no doubt the woman was a real person claiming to have the gift of prophecy. What she claimed to be and what she was were two different things. Next, we must consider Jesus called “that woman” “Jezebel.” The name is used to symbolize her wickedness. The symbolic name used here, like Balaam is Jewish indicating this supposed prophetess probably belonged to the group of Christians known as Judaizers. We can think of no good reason why this woman would be called by a Jewish name unless she was in some way connected to a Jewish faction in the church at Thyatira. The Jezebel of Thyatira, no doubt, taught the Christians they could belong to the guilds dedicated to the various heathen gods. The woman was as dishonest as anyone could be and she convinced fellow Christians to enter into a sinful lifestyle while claiming to be faithful followers of the Messiah.

The woman obviously had been warned about her teaching and activities previously, because Jesus said, And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. We cannot be sure who gave the warning, but she had been warned. It is hard to tell here if the Lord is referring to her teaching as “sexual immorality,” or if he is referring to her lifestyle. We believe she probably practiced what she preached. The woman willingly lay in the bed of adultery, and now Christ will cast her into a bed of sickness and death. He said, Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. The bed of adultery often becomes the sickbed, or the bed of death. The sickbed into which Jezebel and her followers would be cast is described as “great tribulation.” The tense on the verb “cast” here is literally, “I am casting.” The punishment had already begun in that the forces who would do the punishing were already on the move. The punishment was not something off in the dim future, but the process had already begun. Death here refers to both physical and spiritual death.

In the 23^rd verse the Lord continued the description of this woman’s punishment saying, I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. We are presented with still another problem, and this one deals with the “children” of Jezebel. Many take the position “children” refers to those who were her followers. The renowned Beckwith took the position that “children” was to be taken literally and that the woman’s children were to be smitten with death to add to her punishment. Part of the punishment of this evil woman would be to see her children, literally female offspring, destroyed before she suffered the terrible fate coming on her during her horrible tribulation. When the punishment came on the church at Thyatira these things would not be hidden under a bushel, and all the churches would know of the evil and punishment suffered by Jezebel and her disciples. Furthermore, Christ affirmed, in verse 23, And I will give to each one of you according to your works. The judgment of God is always just because it is based on man’s lifestyles. As man lives so is he rewarded or punished as the case might be.

In the 24^th verse we come to an encouraging promise. The Lord said, Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine who not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. The expressions seem to form a parallelism. Those who had not been deluded by Jezebel were the ones who had not known the depths of Satan. The word “burden” (baros) refers to further admonition or teaching on these matters. Since the faithful in Thyatira were complying by resisting the teaching of Jezebel, Christ would make no greater demands on them. They were doing what was right in the sight of God. This view is in harmony with the ending of the letter.

In the 25^th verse, however, Jesus did remind them to continue in their faithfulness to him when he said, But hold fast what you have till I come. There are three words to catch our attention in this verse. The first two are “hold fast.” These English words come from a single Greek word kratesate. This verb is in the second person, plural, aorist, active, imperative, meaning they were to be observant and keep on holding fast to the will of Christ. They were to do in the future what they had done in the past; render faithful service to Christ. The word “come” is from exo. According to Perschbacher it comes from the verb exos and means to roar, to sound, to make a great noise. Hence, Jesus was not referring to a final coming and the end of the universe as we know it, but he was telling them to be faithful until they heard the sound, the great roar of his coming. We take this to refer to the roar of armies surrounding a military objective. Jesus urged the faithful disciples to remain faithful until they heard his lion’s roar of victory. This they would hear when the destruction of Jerusalem was accomplished. It would mean Christ was victorious and the persecution they had endured would soon end.

In verses 26 and 27, the Lord said, And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessels shall be broken to pieces – as I also have received from My father. The earlier part of the verse is very easily understood when one renders it literally as in the text. The overcoming was a process in which they found themselves at the time the Lord spoke these words. The word “end” is from telous, meaning they were to be faithful until something was brought to its completion, was accomplished, or fully developed. The possibility exists the Lord was referring to their martyrdom. That certainly would be a completion or a full accomplishment as far as their lives on earth were concerned. However, it is much more likely the Lord is referring to the complete accomplishment of the goals and plans of God in destroying the nation that rejected his Son, and spent the better part of forty years in an attempt to destroy the spiritual body of Christ. When the plan of God had been brought to full fruition, Jesus would give to the overcoming ones “power over nations.”

The word “power” in this context might best be rendered “authority” since it comes from the word exousian. It is the some word used in Matthew 28:18-20, when Jesus said, All authority in heaven and earth is given to me… In addition to “power” the word also means, liberty, authority, ability, license, (permission) dominion, right, and privilege. This means that the gospel would be preached to the Gentiles and they would be submissive to it. The result would be that the Gospel would rule in the hearts of men. The word ethnon, here rendered “nations,” refers to Gentiles, but should not be limited to them. The Lord then quoted Psalm 2:9, which referred to the power God gave the Messiah to rule in the hearts of men. The “rod of iron” suggests no cruelty, but merely refers to the fact the rod by which the stubborn and rebellious wills of men would be broken was itself unbreakable.

It is also evident the rod cited in this passage is the shepherd’s rod, a staff used for protection and well being of the sheep. In fact, in verse 27, the word “rule” in our version comes from poimanei, bespeaking the act of “shepherding.” The Master continued with a figure of speech by which the old nature of rebellious man is utterly destroyed by the Gospel as a clay pot is destroyed when dropped or thrown on the pavement. One who is truly converted renders himself a slave to Christ and gives his body a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). It is the complete change taking place in the hearts of men through the persuasive power of the Gospel.

The Lord said he himself was commissioned as the Messiah to deliver the souls of men to be reconciled to God, so his overcoming servant at Thyatira would participate in the Messianic mission. Wallace wrote … In Revelation 2:26 it refers to the impact of the gospel on the pagan world through the victory of the church emerging from persecution.

In verse 28, Jesus concluded his sentence by saying, and I will give him the morning star. This promise is based on the Old Testament’s saying, that in the Messianic Kingdom the righteous would shine as the stars (Daniel 12:3). This being the case, it must refer to the glory given to the ones victorious over the persecutions and tribulations to be suffered in their near future. The morning star, which is our sun, is the brightest of all the stars in our heavens. In chapter 22:16, Jesus is referred to as the “morning star.” In Malachi 4:2, Jesus is called the sun of righteousness…with healing in his wings. We lean toward the idea Jesus meant he would give them the glory he himself enjoyed with the Father of lights.

The Lord concluded this letter with the same word used to conclude all; He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. These words admonish the recipients to give attention to, to heed, and obey the things found in the letter.