part 11: Thyatira: The Corrupt Church
Puzzled About Revelation, may 13 2021
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write...”
Introduction
So far, we have looked at: (1) Ephesus: The Loveless Church (2:1-7), (2) Smyrna: The Persecuted Church (2:8-11), and (3) Pergamum: The Compromising Church (2:12-17).
This week, we will study Thyatira: The Corrupt Church (Rev. 2:18-29):
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).
I. THYATIRA: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
Small Church, Big Message: Thyatira was a smaller city located 70km further inland in the fertile Lycus River valley in Asia Minor (Turkey). Little is known of its history beyond the fact that it once belonged to the kingdom of Pergamum, and few archaeological remains have been found. Yet the message to Thyatira is the longest of the seven messages.
Trade Guilds: Thyatira was also home to many trade guilds for dye, wool, pottery, and bronze; anyone who wanted to work, buy, or sell needed to belong to these trade guilds and participate in their pagan feasts and idol ceremonies.
Lydia: According to Acts 16:14, Thyatira was the home of Lydia, a "dealer in purple cloth" and a "worshiper of God" whom Paul encountered at Philippi in Macedonia. The reference suggests the city's significance in connection with the dye industry, and perhaps also the relative freedom and mobility of at least some of its women in pursuing careers.
See https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Rev/Message-Thyatira
II. THYATIRA: THE CORRUPT CHURCH (Rev. 2:18-29)
Introduction
2:18a: To the angel of the church in Thyatira write…
John was instructed by Jesus to write to the angel (messenger, pastor) of the CHURCH. In those days, churches were city-wide assemblies; there were NO DENOMINATIONS.
Christ
2:18b: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Q: Why was this depiction of Christ important for this church? What was the significance of the symbolism?
Son of God: This is the only NT letter where Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of God”. It denotes His DIVINE NATURE & AUTHORITY to rule over the nations (See Ps. 2).
Eyes like blazing fire: This refers to Jesus’ omniscience (all-seeing, all-knowing) and piercing, all-consuming judgment.
o Heb. 4:13: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Feet like burnished bronze: Fire & bronze denotes the place of judgment; in the OT, the altar and its utensils where the sacrifices for sin were made were constructed out of bronze (See Ex. 27:2; 30:18). This symbolism represents Jesus going forth to judge His people as He walks among them (See Rev. 1:15; 2:1).
o This is amazing symbolism for Jesus to use in a city where Caesar was worshipped as God in the flesh and where the fires of the bronze guilds burned hot! Jesus revealed Himself to this corrupted church as One ready to CONFRONT & JUDGE SIN!
Commendation
2:19: I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Love & faith: These are two highly commendable qualities for any church to possess!
Service: The Greek word (#1355 diakonia) is where we get the term “Deacon” from. It refers to practical helps or a ministry of some service.
Perseverance: A stick-with-it-ness that is highly commendable in Jesus’ eyes! These believers were willing to endure challenges for the faith.
Criticism
2:20: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
The Teaching of Jezebel—Idolatry & Sexual Immorality:
o The church was being led astray from apostolic teaching by false teachers, in particular a woman named “Jezebel”, who called herself a prophetess.
o Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab and a violent, wicked woman. She tried to have the true prophets of the LORD killed, including the prophet Elijah. She also had Naboth murdered to steal his field (See 1 Kgs. 18-19, 21; 2 Kgs. 9).
o Her name means “without a husband” or “unexalted,” suggesting one who refuses to submit to the Lord’s authority or the authority of the Scriptures.
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. 6:12-20.
“ I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Correction
2:21-23a: I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. (CORRECTION #1)
“Jezebel” was given time to REPENT but refused - she would be cast on a “bed of suffering”.
Those who committed “spiritual adultery” with her were to REPENT or face similar suffering.
Her “children” (i.e. spiritual offspring, those who followed her teaching) would be STRUCK DEAD! Jesus takes false teaching very seriously!
2:23b: Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Church discipline would awaken a reverent fear in the churches leading to holy living (See Acts 5:1-11 – Ananias & Sapphira).
We are SAVED by GRACE through FAITH, but true saving FAITH produces GOOD WORKS (Eph. 2:8-10). We will be JUDGED by our WORKS, for faith WITHOUT WORKS is DEAD (James 2:17,26).
2:24-25:24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.(CORRECTION #2)
Those who remained true to the Lord and contended for the true Gospel were not given any other “burden” except to HOLD ON to what they had (i.e. Jesus’ teaching, apostolic teaching) until Jesus’ coming. This carries with it eschatological implications for the last days church to be doctrinally pure to the end.
Promise
2:26-28:26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.
To HOLD FAST also includes obedience to Jesus’ commands and will. Those who are overcomers to the end will receive TWO PROMISES:
Promise #1—Authority to Rule: Jesus, quoting from Psalm 2:9 (a messianic psalm), promises to share His authority to rule the nations with overcomers!
Promise #2—The Morning Star:Jesus’ glorious appearing is likened in Scripture to the rising of the morning star that heralds a new day dawning (See 2 Peter 1:19; Rev. 22:16). Those who overcome the darkness of this present evil age have a bright hope and future to look forward to in the messianic age to come!
Conclusion
2:29: Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Jesus loves His bride, the Church, and is continually PURIFYING her. Here are some lessons we can learn from this letter to the Church in Thyatira:
1. The seriousness of false teaching.
2. The seriousness of sin.
3. The importance of repentance.
4. The importance of perseverance.
5. The glorious and blessed hope of ruling and reigning with Jesus!
“He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
