“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write…” (Rev. 2:12 NIV)
Pergamos, also called Pergamum in some translations, meant “Citadel”. It is now known by its modern name, Bergama. It is located about 15 miles inland and is situated on a hill about 1000 feet above the surrounding valley of Caicus. Pergamos was the capital of the region, and is also known for a library that was found to rival the one in Alexandrea. In fact, parchment was invented in Pergamos.*
In His address to the church in Pergamos, the attribute of Himself that Jesus emphasizes is the sharp, double-edged sword: “These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.” (Rev. 2:12 NIV).
Interestingly, a two-edged sword is described as proceeding from the mouth of Jesus in Rev. 2:16, representing divine judgement.* In using this symbolism, Jesus is reminding the church here that it is He who brings about divine judgement!
The commendations of the church in Pergamos are sweet:
1. “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne …” (Rev. 2:13a NIV)
Pergamos was known for its worship of Asclepius and Zeus. The former was represented by a symbol of a twisted serpent, and this symbol could be found throughout Pergamenian culture, even on their coins. On a crag above the city once stood a thronelike altar to Zeus. The altar was decorated with monsters with snake-like tails and can now be found in a museum in Berlin. In this town, Zeus was celebrated as “Zeus the Savior”.
2. “Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.” (Rev. 2:13b NIV)
In His address to this church, Jesus recognizes that the life of the Pergamos Christian wasn’t simple. To live so close to paganism breeds persecution. Antipas, the first to be martyred in Asia, was, according to tradition, slowly roasted to death in a bronze kettle during the reign of Domitian (A.D. 81-96)*. Yet despite the evil influences and despite the persecution, the church did not renounce their faith, and for this they are highly commended.
Nevertheless, God has something against them: “You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” (Rev. 2:14,15 NIV)
Balaam was the prophet in the Old Testament employed by Balak of the Moabites to curse Israel. When Balaam was only able to speak the words God of blessing to Israel, he later enticed Israel to commit sexual immorality with the people of Moab, and to eat food sacrificed to idols (See Num. 22-25), thus compromising God’s holy law. The Nicolaitans taught that it was okay to compromise your beliefs, for you are forgiven anyway**. Thus, these references would indicate that the Christians of Pergamos were compromising.
So what were they to do?
They were to repent by standing against these compromises, against this mixing of paganism with Christianity, against this watering down of the Gospel with heathenism. And if they didn’t, they would feel the “sword of my mouth” (Rev. 2:16 NIV)—Divine judgement against them!
Then comes the beautiful promise: “To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” (Rev. 2:17 NIV)
The hidden manna likely refers back to John 6:49 NIV*: “Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from Heaven, which a man may eat and not die…This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” We also know from archaeology and history that certain kinds of stones were used as tokens for various purposes. In the context of a Messianic banquet, the white stone was probably for the purpose of admission. Finally, we know that when an ancient king named someone, he was claiming dominion or ownership over that individual (See Dan 1:7 NIV; Gen 1:5;17:5,15.)*
So Jesus is saying that those who overcome the sin of compromise will receive of Christ’s body, Salvation. They will gain legal entrance to the Banquet hall of the King, and God Himself will claim dominion over them.
What a beautiful promise!
So what does this mean for us?
Are we not, also, surrounded by sin? Doesn’t the fruit of evil grow rampant around each of us? Have we allowed compromise to creep into our worship? Maybe it doesn’t look the same as in the church of Pergamos, but when we move even a fraction of an inch from the convictions God has given us, we compromise!
Friends, this letter is an appeal to the church of today to do away with compromise! For if we don’t, we incite God’s divine judgement! But if we do, our reward is fellowship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Join us next week for Studies on the Seven Churches of Revelation, Part 5: To the Church in Thyatira.
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
* Taken from commentary given in The Archaeological Study Bible, New International Version, Copyright ©
2005 by the Zondervan Corporation, pages 4, 2047, 2049.
** Taken from commentary given in The Archaeological Study Bible, New International Version, Copywright ©
2005 by the Zondervan Corporation, pages 2047
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