February 23, 2025
Evening Service

The Apostle John, while exiled on the island of Patmos received a “revelation” of future events and Jesus specifically gave him this command:

Rev 1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

            Chapters 2 and 3 contain individual letters to each of these 7 churches.  There are three different ways in which many of the commentaries or scholars feel these letters can be viewed.  First, we can look at these as actual letters to these literal churches confronting real issues that are going on in this moment.  We are basing our study on this view as we research the history of each city and try to tie in how Jesus’ directive towards them applies to their situations. 

            A second view is to look at these letters as an overview of the conditions that each church may find themselves in if they face similar situations.  We are also in a way using this view as at end of our study, we are discussing what points from that letter we can use to apply to us right now as well.

            The third view is that these seven letters are describing the history of the church over the ages with each church representing the church as it moves forward into history.  For example, the first letter to Ephesus would represent the church from the first century.  The letter commends the church for her works and actions, but calls her out for losing the zeal of her first love of Christ or as they would call it “The Loveless Church.” 

Do any of your Bibles have that title above the beginning of chapter 2?  The second letter to Smyrna would represent the church from the first to the fourth century and is called “The Persecuted Church.”  Today’s church, Pergamos, would represent the church from the fourth to the fifth century as is called “The Compromising Church.”  This goes on and ends with the Laodicea Church representing the church in the last days being “The Lukewarm Church.”  This certainly is interesting to look at these with that perspective as they do seem to line up really well.

In each letter Jesus describes Himself in a different way.  To Ephesus He is the One “who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the golden lampstands.”  To Smyrna He is “the first and the last, who was dead, and came to life.”  He has finished each letter with a promise as well.  To he who overcomes he promised that He will give us to eat of the tree of life. Also to the overcomer He promises we will not be hurt by the second death.

             Let’s begin our study tonight of the third letter written to the church at Pergamos.  Pergamos was the most northern of the seven cities.  It was an important buffer state for Rome and had played a very important role in the Roman army’s great victory in the Battle of Magnesia centuries earlier.  The people there were all faithful to the Romans and ideology of the Roman way of life.  They were in essence a cultish society of Caesar worshippers believing they were part of something divine.  The meaning of the word Pergamos is high tower, only adding to their pride.  The city was a cultural center as well, being the home of the second grandest library behind the one in Alexandria.  Being surrounded by this culture brought a great pressure upon the church to compromise the message of Christ and when it did not persecution came upon them.  The letter is only 6 verses so let’s read it all and then break it down.    

 

Rev 2:12-17 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: (13)” I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. 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.  (14)  But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.  (15)  Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  (16)  Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.  (17)  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. 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."

            First we see Jesus describes Himself as “The One who has the sharp two-edged sword.”  The Hebrew writer wrote this:

 

Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (13)  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

            The sword is a symbol of judgement of not only ones works, but also their intents with nothing hidden from His sights.  The sword is drawn and sharp ready to bring judgment quickly.  In Revelation, chapter 19, Jesus appears as the rider upon the white horse and “out of His mouth goes a sharp sword that with it He should strike nations.”

            In verse 13 Jesus commends them, the church, for “holding fast to My Name and not denying My faith” despite being in such an evil culture (Satan’ throne).  Along many avenues the church stood strong against the culture and refused to compromise their faith even unto death.  According to Christian tradition, John had ordained Antipas as pastor here in Pergamos.  Antipas was then later burned to death on a pagan altar in AD 92.  Despite seeing their leader fall in such a dramatic way, the church stood strong. 

            However, in verse 14, Jesus tells them “I have a few things against you.”  First they allowed those who held the doctrine of Balaam to dwell there. Balaam was a man of God who allowed himself to be used for his own personal gain.  He was paid to try to persuade God to curse His own people.  There could have been those in the ministry there that were not in for the right reasons and were using the ministry to prosper themselves financially.  We have seen this resurface in our days with many television evangelists who seem to be ministering to God’s sheep are actually fleecing them.  They use their ministry as way to gain riches rather than to build the kingdom of God.

            Secondly in verse 15, the church here was guilty compromising to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  They falsely taught that those under grace, could practice idolatry and sexual sin as long as they sought forgiveness for it.  This went against what Paul spoke directly to in the letter to the Romans.

 

Rom 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  (2)  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

            He went on to explain that when we are baptized into Christ, we die out to ourselves to live for Christ.  We walk away from a life driven by fleshly desires and now focus on displaying our love for God by obeying His commands.

 The Nicolaitans felt they were above that level of spiritually and were allowed the liberty to choose what was good and acceptable themselves.  Many of these Nicolaitans were bishops and elders within the church and viewed themselves as even being above that level of scriptural authority, even to be able to speak as the voice of God.

 The theologian C.I. Schofield saw them as the beginning of the Catholic Church which eventually created unbiblical positions of authority even to the point of creating the position of Pope which is viewed as God on earth.  The Catholic church thrived as they taught it was okay to sin on Saturday as long as you paid your penance on Sunday.  I never had tied the Nicolaitans and Catholics together but it makes sense.  Jesus words of rebuke are for the church compromising their faith to things which Jesus says to them are things “which things I hate.”  Jesus does not want us to compromise our faith by tolerating the practice of sin inside of His church.

            Verse 16 is a call for action as Jesus calls the church to repent and stand up against this compromising of their faith or tolerance as they say today.  Here we see they would not be repenting of something they did, but something they did not do; stand up against false teaching.  Silence for the church is not an option when sin is abounding.  We must speak up even against great opposition as the church here would have faced.  That is what the church has faced recently as our culture is telling us to go sit in the corner and be quiet.  When we speak it is referred to as “hate speech” when we say that certain lifestyles are not allowed to be followed within the church.  They want us to become “tolerant of alternate lifestyles” allowing everyone to do their own thing.  The problem there is that there is only One Way to God and that is through Jesus Christ His Only Son.  Here Jesus is calling His church to do the right thing and call our sin for what it is.  Some will be offended.  Some will leave the church.  But we are bound to be uncompromising in areas where we have “thus sayeth the Lord.”  If not, He promises to come and deal with them Himself with the “Sword of My mouth.”

            He closes this short letter with the proclamation of “who has an ear, let him hear what eh Spirit says to the churches.”  I like to use my friend Mike Collins’ question here to explain this further.  He would say, “are you catching what I am pitching?”  Do you understand what the Spirit is telling us here?  If you do, then you will act upon it being a doer not a hearer only.

            He again closes with a promise. His promise to the church here is twofold.  First, is that He “will give us of the hidden manna to eat.”  Manna was the food given to the children of Israel to eat while they were in the wilderness.  It represents Christ Himself as we are able to partake of His body and blood at the communion table.  We are granted a specials relationship that we can enjoy with Him.  Secondly, we are to given a “white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”  This could have several meanings that all seem to apply.  A white stone was given to someone who was on trial and was acquitted to go free.  A white stone was given as a symbol of victory for an athletic event.  It was also given by a host to his guest to show that he is welcome.  We all have our own story with Jesus and only we truly know what all He has done for us.  A gift beyond value.  

 

Heavenly Father, empower us through the Spirit to stand boldly and to be uncompromising on what is Your Truth.  Help us to show true love to those around us by speaking only the Truth.