Revelation Chapter 2:12-29/Commentary

Revelation Chapter 2:12-29

2:12 “Pergamum”: This city was known by both the names Pergamum and Pergamos, but Pergamum was far more common. “If Ephesus was the ‘New York City’ of Asia, Pergamum was its ‘Washington D.C.’. The city was noted for many things. It had the second largest library in the world containing 200,000 volumes, exceeded only by the library of Alexandria, Egypt” (Gregg p. 68). It was the oldest city in Asia and had been the capital for some 400 years when John wrote. The city was built on a large conical hill overlooking a broad and fertile valley about thirty miles north of Smyrna, and fifteen miles inland from the ocean.

The city had given its name to “parchment” (pergamena), a writing material made from the skins of various animals.

2:12 “The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this”: While the Roman government in Pergamum has the power to use the sword, these Christians must remember that the last word is still with Jesus Christ, who carries a sword far more powerful than any physical weapon. “The sword, recognized by the Romans as the symbol of authority and judgment, belongs to Christ and not to Rome” (Hailey p. 130). The final authority rests with Christ (Matthew 28:18; John 19:10-11).

2:13 “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is”: Jesus knows all about the oppressive conditions for Christians in this city. Many believe that Pergamum is called “Satan’s throne” because it was a center for idolatrous worship and a center for the worship of the Roman emperor as God. “Pergamos had become the citadel of Satan’s activity, Satan’s cause was held in honor in Pergamos thus he had established himself as a king on his throne in this city” (Harkrider p. 35). “Caesar worship was organized with a provincial center and an administration like that of a diocese. The point here is that Pergamum was the center of that worship for the province of Asia” (Barclay p. 111).

2:13 “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”

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“Christian life is not escape, but conquest. It may be that we often feel it would be very much easier to be a Christian in some other place and in some other circumstances, amongst people who are more sympathetic and in a circle where it is easier; but the duty of the Christian is not to run away. The Christians at Pergamum proved that it was perfectly possible to be a Christian under (difficult) circumstances” (Barclay pp. 112-113). Notice that the faith we profess is Jesus’ “faith”, to deny what the Bible teaches is to accuse God of being dishonest or ignorant. “My faith would be the sum of doctrine which He revealed, ‘the faith once for all delivered’ (Jude 3; Colossians 1:22)” (Hailey p. 130). Of Antipas we know nothing more than what is said of him in the above passage, which speaks volumes about faithfulness. Some kind of persecution in the past had claimed the life of this man. We get our English word “martyr” from the Greek word behind the term “witness” (martus).

2:14 “But I have a few things against you”: Resisting persecution still does not give Christians the right to slack off in other areas. In spite of the faithfulness of these Christians and all the good they had done, Jesus rebukes them for straying in one area. We can never believe about ourselves or any other Christian that past faithfulness gives us immunity from rebuke if we or they stray.

Jesus does not say, “Well, I will just overlook some of their shortcomings because of all the good they have already done”.

2:14 “Because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam”: The congregation had slacked off in the area of church discipline and was allowing false doctrine and practices to go without any opposition. Note, this only affected “some” of the members, but “some” is too many (1 Corinthians 5:6).

2:14 “The teaching of Balaam”: This is further defined in the next statement.

2:14 “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” For all practical purposes this is the doctrine of compromise. God had prevented Balaam from cursing Israel, for which Balak was willing to make Balaam a very rich man (Numbers 23,24). Yet Balaam devised a plan by which he could "get around" the limitations and restrictions God placed upon him and deliver what Balak was eager to pay for handsomely, that is, a way to bring a curse upon the Israelites. Balaam advised Balak that the Israelites would become accursed in the sight of their God, if they participated in idolatry (2:14; See Numbers 25; 31:116.) “Thus by his advice Balaam set a trap before the children of Israel, causing many to perish” (Hailey p. 131). Carefully note that when one reads the account of Balaam and Balak in Numbers 22-24, Balaam did believe in God and obeyed God up to a point, yet he also loved money (2 Peter 2:15 “who loved the wages of unrighteousness”). “To eat things sacrificed to idols” in this context probably means not merely to eat the meat of some animal that was offered at some time

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in a sacrifice but to actually participate in the idolatrous worship. “To commit acts of immorality” was often part of the idolatrous worship.

“Whether or not they were conscious of it, certain ones in the church at Pergamum were setting a trap that eventually would ensnare the entire church if not corrected. Compromise is always a death-trap to saints in Christ” (Hailey pp.

131-132).

Hendriksen reminds us that abstaining from the idol feasts did have serious consequences in that culture. Refusing to partake of idol-meats, and especially refusal to attend the heathen feasts, meant withdrawal from a great part of the whole social life of that time. “For one thing, the trades had their tulelary deities which would be worshipped at the feasts. Refusal to join in these feasts often meant that a man would lose his job, his trade; he would become an outcast” (p.

67).

2:15 “So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans”: In contrast to the church in Ephesus who hated and opposed the Nicolaitans, this congregation was compromising with this group. Note that only “some” of the members were compromising however the entire congregation is called upon to fix this problem.

The false teachers in this region may have taught that one could attend such idolatrous feasts and even join in, offer incense to the idols, and even commit religious fornication, provided that one remember that an idol was nothing.

Others may have reasoned, “How can you defeat Satan unless you have become thoroughly acquainted with him?” (Hendriksen p. 67).

2:16 “Therefore, repent”: The entire congregation is addressed.

2:16 “Or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them”: “Those yielding to the seductive teachings of Balaam must repent of the sin itself, while the church must repent of its lax attitude toward the compromising spirit and take a firm stand against it” (Hailey pp. 132-133). “Them”: God’s wrath is directed against the false teachers, but if the church does not do something, the entire congregation will also suffer the same fate (1 John 9-11).

2:16 “With the word of My mouth”: “What form this judgment will take is not specified” (Gregg p. 69). “The judgment was complete, for neither the Nicolaitans nor the Balaamites left documents or institutions behind” (Hailey p.

133).

2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna”:

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2:17 “The hidden manna”: While on earth Jesus claimed that He was the true manna (John 6:33-35, 50-59). As God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna and provided for all their needs (Exodus 16:12-35), in like manner God will supply for all the spiritual needs of the faithful in the New Covenant. “What manna was to the Israelites, Jesus was to the Christians, and more. The brothers were sustained by an invisible source—hidden manna. The Christians could not partake of the heathen feasts but they could feed on something better.

An idolatrous feast is no substitute for a heavenly feast” (McGuiggan pp. 56-57).

There is also something definitely future about this hidden manna, which seems to indicate fellowship with God in eternity (compare with Matthew 8:11-12). The lesson to these Christians is that giving up going to the heathen feasts was not a sacrifice but rather they were simply trading earthly food for heavenly food.

Secondly, the person who kept himself pure would be allowed by God to commune with Jesus as His table (see 1 Corinthians 10:14-22).

2:17 “And I will give him a white stone”: “In one view, it is a token of vindication or acquittal, referring to the practice of a judge handing an accused criminal either a black stone signifying condemnation or a white stone indicating acquittal. The message then would be that, though Christians may stand condemned in the Roman courts (or among their peers), they will be justified at the bar of eternal justice” (Gregg p. 69). Compare with Acts 26:10, where Paul says, “I gave my vote (literally, my pebble in voting) against them”). Another view is that the white stone was given to athletes in the games when they completed their contests, which were then traded in for an actual prize.

2:17 “And a new name written on the stone”: Some believe that this refers to the practice in the ancient world of such a stone being a sort of pass for admission to various events or feasts, that is the faithful Christian is given the right to enter the heavenly city. “Then there were the white stone that friends shared with each other which guaranteed a warm reception anytime an any place they met” (McGuiggan p. 57). Of course, a new name signifies a new status.

Abram becomes Abraham, Jacob becomes Israel, and Simon becomes Peter.

“The permanence of this new relationship is preserved by his name being engraved on stone” (Hailey p. 134). In many cases names were changed to indicate a change in circumstances of status of the one re-named. The Christian who has overcome has a change in status and obviously a change in his environment (heavenly verses earthly).

2:17 “Which no one knows but he who receives it”: Compare with Revelation 19:12-13. McGuiggan believes that this expression means that the trial or experience exclusively belonged to the person who overcame. We may know what a person has endured, but there is a huge difference between hearing about a trial and experiencing that trial oneself. This new name can be the

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character of the person who overcomes, which character cannot be shared with anyone else.

Side note: Among historicists and some futurists, Pergamum is seen as representing the imperial church after Constantine (313-606 A.D.). Rome being the center of Christendom in 313 is interpreted as “Satan’s throne”, “Antipas” is viewed not as an individual, but as those who are anti papas, that is those who were opposed to the popes.

Thyatira “The longest of the seven letters is written to the least important of the seven cities. Pliny dismisses Thyatira as an unimportant town” (Barclay p. 125).

2:18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write”: The first person that Paul converted in Philippi was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira (Acts 16:14). The purple cloth she sold was a major product of this city, yet the city was known for little else. Lacking any natural fortifications, a Roman garrison was generally stationed here to protect the road to Pergamum, the capital some forty miles to the SE. 2:18 “The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this” Thyatira was a trading city, thus in it were found all sorts of trade guilds or trade unions. Yet guild had its own god or guardian deity and in this city if one wished to get ahead of make a living, one must belong to a union and ones very membership implies that one worships the god of that union. One would be expected to attend the union meetings, to eat the food sacrificed to the idol and to participate in the immoral practices that were so often a part of idolatry.

2:18 “Eyes like a flame of fire”: “They must stand for the awful penetration of that gaze which strips and disguises away and sees into a man’s inmost heart.

The brazen feet must stand for the inflexible, immovable strength and power of the Risen Christ. A message which begins like that will certainly be no soothing tranquilizer” (Barclay p. 128).

2:18 “His feet are like burnished bronze”: To each congregation, Jesus speaks their language and reveals Himself in terms that they understand. This being a union town, they understood burnished bronze. “The trade guilds worshiped the god who worked in bronze. There you have the furnace. Here you have the fire and the bronze. Isn’t Jesus speaking their language! The tracks He leaves as He tramples them into the earth are tracks of burning”

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(McGuiggan p. 58). None of the gods worshipped in Thyatira are the Son of God —only Jesus is the Son of God. This opening is a warning to the Christians in this city who were compromising and arguing, “but a man must make a living!” Imagine a soldier walking away from the battle for freedom arguing, “but a man must live!”?

2:19 “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance”: While Ephesus had left its first love, this congregation had not.

“Love motivates action in ministering (John 14:23-24), whereas faith is the basis of patience, that is, steadfast endurance under all testing, temptation, and opposition” (Hailey p. 136).

2:19 “And that your deeds of late are greater than at first”: They were also improving and making progress, they were becoming more loving, having greater faith, serving more, and being even more patient (1 Thess. 4:10). They were abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). “If a stranger went into it, he would be impressed with its abounding energy and its generous liberality and its apparent steadfastness” (Barclay p. 129).

2:20 “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel”: The phrase, “the woman” means that this was a specific woman in this city. The name “Jezebel” reminds us of the Jezebel mentioned in the Old Testament who had a tremendous evil influence over Israel as well as her husband Ahab (1 Kings 21:25). In the context, this name might be figurative, like the term “Balaam” in 2:14.

2:20 “Tolerate”: “This was Jesus’ criticism of those who stood aloof from her teaching, but said nothing. Not only must one have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but he must reprove them (Ephesians 5:11)” (Hailey p. 138).

2:20 “Who calls herself a prophetess”: The false claim to be a prophet or prophetess is certainly nothing new. Jezebel was not a new problem for this congregation, rather the congregation had tolerated her teaching for some time (2:21 “I gave her time”).

2:20 “She teaches and leads My bond-servants astray”: She is making converts, just as the Jezebel of old lead God’s people astray.

2:20 “So that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols”: Evidently, Jezebel was teaching Christians that they did not have to refrain from either the idolatrous feasts or what was done there, this message found itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3ff). Hendriksen speculates that Jezebel argued “that in order to conquer Satan, you must know him. You will never be able to conquer sin unless you have become thoroughly acquainted with it by

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experience. In brief, a Christian should learn to know ‘the deep things of Satan’.

By all means attend the guild-feasts and commit fornication and still remain a Christian; nay rather, become a better Christian” (pp. 71-72). This is the same as the modern liberal philosophy that we need to compromise with the world to win it for Christ.

2:21 “I gave her time to repent”: God is even merciful to false teachers.

2:21 “She does not want to repent of her immorality”: Repentance is a choice. Jezebel was not just teaching doctrines that lead people to immorality but she practiced it herself. Doctrinal looseness and moral looseness often go hand in hand.

2:22 “Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation”: “In contrast to the luxurious couch of sin on which she had led others to share in her wicked teachings and practice, she would be cast into a bed of pain and affliction” (Hailey pp. 138-139). People do reap what they have sown (Galatians 6:7-8). This “bed of sickness” may be literal sickness, sickness due to their sins, or may be a figurative expression for a bed of pain. “This tribulation may be a direct judgment from God or some disaster resulting from political, social, or economic upheaval” (Gregg p. 71).

2:22 “Unless they repent of her deeds”: However, there is still a chance to repent. Notice the word “deeds”. In order to be forgiven a person must stop the deeds that are sinful! One cannot remain in any sin and be forgiven at the same time.

2:23 “And I will kill her children with pestilence”: Her children in this context are probably her followers, those who were completely under the influence of their teaching. This may be a reference to casting both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28).

2:23 “And all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds” “Even as God’s destruction on Egypt became an occasion of fear to the surrounding nations (Exodus 9:16) in Moses’ day, the downfall of this corrupt movement in the church will be a wake up call for the morally lax in all the churches who hear about it” (Gregg p. 72). Whatever specific earthly form this judgment will take—it will catch people’s attention. Compare with what happened in Acts 5:1-11. When people see the outcome of Jezebel and her followers members in other congregations will know that Jesus sees everything and nothing escapes His notice.

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2:23 “Who searches the minds and hearts”: “His penetrating eyes see the hidden motive that makes people follow Jezebel, namely, unwillingness to suffer persecution for the sake of Christ” (Hendriksen p. 72). Jezebel and her followers may have argued that they were trying to win the world for Christ and convert people, but Jesus sees the real motive.

2:24 “But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching”: Not everyone in this congregation was fooled by Jezebel—but they were tolerating her!

2:24 “Who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them”: “Instead of seeking for the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10), these heretics looked for the deep things of Satan” (Hailey p. 140). “Apparently, the sect taught that in order to know and meet Satanic doctrine and life one should know by experience what they are, for the experience would not affect the spirit but only the flesh” (p. 140). Among false teachers “deep” things were another word for supposedly “profound” things. There seems to have been an elitist attitude among Jezebel and her followers, who looked down upon faithful Christians as ignorant.

2:24 “I place no other burden on you”: Jesus knows the responsibility He has placed upon these Christians for remaining morally pure.

2:25 “Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come”: They already have the truth necessarily to oppose Jezebel (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

2:26 “He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds”: The deeds that Jesus had commanded (Ephesians 2:10).

2:26 “Until the end”: “There is no place to slow down, digress, or give up in the service of Christ” (Hailey p. 141).

2:26 “To him I will give authority over the nations”: Jesus presently has authority over all the nations (Psalm 2; 110:1-4), and faithful Christians share in this reign. Christians are presently reigning with Christ (Ephesians 2:6; Revelation 5:9-10).

2:27 “And He shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father” Premillennialists argue that this verse will not be fulfilled until some supposed millennial reign of Christ upon the earth, yet Jesus speaks of having this power now, “as I also have received authority from My Father”. Jesus is presently exercising this authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-23). Jerusalem persecuted His Son and His people and He destroyed that city. Rome persecuted Christians and He destroyed the Roman Empire. “The smiths in

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Thyatira would quickly grasp the ‘iron’ allusion. And the potters would grasp quickly the ‘shivers’ or broken pieces of pottery” (McGuiggan p. 60).

2:28 “And I will give him the morning star”: “As the morning star rules the heavens, so believers will rule with Christ; they will share in His royal splendor and dominion. The star is always the symbol of royalty, being linked with the scepter (Numbers 24:17; Matthew 2:2) (Hendriksen p. 73). Jesus calls Himself the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16).

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