part 10: Pergamum: The Compromising Church
Puzzled About Revelation, may 6 2021
“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write...”
Introduction
So far, we have looked at: (1) Ephesus: The Loveless Church (2:1-7), and (2) Smyrna: The Persecuted Church (2:8-11). This week, we will study Pergamum: The Compromising Church (Rev. 2:12-17)
5-fold pattern: Christ, Commendation, Criticism, Instruction, Promise
Call to hear: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22).
PERGAMUM: THE COMPROMISING CHURCH (Rev. 2:12-17)
2:12a: To the angel of the church inPergamos (Pergamum, Pergamon) write…
John was instructed to write to the angel (messenger, pastor) of the CHURCH. In those days, churches were city-wide assemblies; there were NO DENOMINATIONS.
Christ
2:12b: These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
Q: Why was this depiction of Christ important for this church? What was the significance of the symbolism?
Pergamum means citadel in Greek. The city was built on top of a mountain fortress as a military outpost of the Roman Empire in the province of Asia (Turkey).
The city was also the seat of the Roman Proconsul in Asia Minor, who (symbolically) wielded the SWORD = GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY (See Rom. 13:1-7). (Authority of Caesar)
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God…
4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
Jesus Christ is the One who wields the double-edged sword—the Word of God—He is the One in control and sovereign over every human government & ruler! (The sword proceeds from the mouth of Christ.)
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
We are called to "render unto Caesar the things which belong to Caesar, but above that we are to render unto God the things that belong to God—our hearts, minds, and bodies in worship! (Matthew 22:21 ESV)
o Rom. 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Commendation
2:13: I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to My name. You did not renounce your faith in Me, not even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
“The Seat of Satan”:
o Where Satan has his throne…your city, where Satan lives: In the Greek, the word for “throne” was used for the master’s chair in the home. The fact that Jesus used this word to describe this place means that Satan felt at home there—it was his territory, he was the master of the house!
o Jesus understands the challenges for the church in remaining faithful to Him in such a dark, wicked place!
“Antipas, My Faithful Witness”:
o Antipas means “against everything” in Greek. He was Bishop of Pergamum.
Christians were called “atheists” in Roman society because they were against the pagan practices, idolatry& emperor worship, and had no visible “gods”. It was this stand for Christ and His truth that brought such severe persecution on the believers there.
o My faithful witness (martyr)
History shows that Antipas was singled out by the priests of Asclepius (Greek god of healing) because the prayers of Antipas were driving away the demon-spirits. He was martyred on the altar of Zeus by being roasted alive inside a bronze bull—a “whole burnt offering” (Greek: holokauston).
The Altar of Zeus
Over 1800 years later, Adolf Hitler and the Nazis murdered over 6 million Jews in the ovens and gas chambers during the Holocaust (“whole burnt offering”). Incredibly, Hitler gave many of his rallies in Nuremberg on a reconstructed altar of Zeus (“seat of Satan”), which he had constructed according to the pattern of the original in Pergamos (now in the Pergamos Museum in Berlin).
This “altar” is set to be returned to Turkey in 2023, the very location where the final Antichrist will arise from and invade the land of Israel, setting up the “abomination that causes desolation” on the holy place in Jerusalem and initiating the “final holocaust” against the Jews who have been returned to the land… could the “seat of Satan” play a role in this?
Criticism
2:14-15: Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
The church was being led astray from apostolic teaching by false teachers:
The Teaching of Balaam—Idolatry & Sexual Immorality:
o Balaam was an enigmatic figure in the Old testament, found in Numbers 22-25. He was hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites as they were wandering in the wilderness. When Balaam could not curse those whom God had blessed, he used more subtle means to seduce the Israelite men into idolatry and sexual immorality with Moabite women.
NT teaching on idolatry: See Acts 15:19-21,28-29; 1 Cor. 8:1-13; 10:14-21.
NT teaching on sexual immorality: See 1 Cor. 6:9-20.
The Teaching of the Nicolaitans—Grace is a Licence to Sin:
o The followers of Nikolaos of Antioch taught that a person could indulge the flesh in sensual pleasure and sin without defiling their spirit, a form of dualism that sees the physical and spiritual as separate.
o Nikolaos = to conquer the people. NT teaching on freedom to sin: See Romans 6.
Q: Why did some of the church compromise the truth of Christ?
Political & cultural expedience, comfort—Consider Moses’ example (Heb. 11:24-26)
To avoid persecution (See Gal. 6:12)
Correction / Instruction
2:16: Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
The Bible speaks of the Day of the Lord’s judgment as the Day He comes to fight with the “sword” of His mouth (See 2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19:15). This suggests that the church of Pergamum is prophetic of the last days church, and these sins will be a temptation for the church prior to the return of Christ to judge.
Promise
2:17: Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
Promise #1—Hidden Manna: This calls to mind the faithful provision of God for His people while they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, as well as His personal presence with them. For those who overcome the cultural sins of idolatry, God promises His provision and table fellowship.
Promise #2—White Stone:In the Greek culture of the Roman Empire, a white stone would be given in a court-of-law when a verdict of innocence was given, as opposed to a black stone for a guilty verdict. A white stone would also be given as a token of invitation to a feast. For those who remain pure and overcome sin and sexual temptation, God promises a new name & identity.
Conclusion
The church in Pergamum was made up of both faithful witnesses and compromisers—those who claimed devotion to Christ while living just like the culture around them. The Gospel calls us out of the world (ekklesia—called out ones) to be different, alien, foreign.
“He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
