Apocalipse 2
Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 2
Morris - It was to the Ephesians, in fact, that Paul had written as he closed his epistle: “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Ephesians 6:24, ED: SEE PAUL'S PRAYER IN Eph 6:23). A “first love” (or “chief love,” or “best love”) is a sincere love. Do we love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, or have we lost our first love? That is the great question. (Borrow The Revelation Record) Adrian Rogers - I want you to take a spiritual journey in your mind through your spiritual pilgrimage. And, I want to ask you this question—are you ready for it? Was there ever a time in your life—are you listening?—was there ever a time in your life when you loved the Lord Jesus more than you do at this moment? Was there? If there was, you, my friend, are a backslider. Was there ever a time when you loved Jesus more? Jesus says, "Remember." Do you remember those first days? Oh, dear friend, if you don't love Him now with that burning, glowing enthusiasm, you need to remember what it used to be.....If you don't love the Lord Jesus, it's because there's sin in your life. And, you need to repent of it; you need to get on your face before Him and say, "God, I deplore this sin. I turn from it." “The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled.” -- John Stott A T Robertson on your first love.- “Thy love the first.” This early love, proof of the new life in Christ (1 John 3:13-18+), had cooled off in spite of their doctrinal purity. They had remained orthodox, but had become unloving." (Aka, orthodoxy without orthopraxy!) “There is no use trying to do church work without love. A doctor, a lawyer, may do good work without love, but God’s work cannot be done without love.” -- D L Moody D A Carson writes of the church at Ephesus - "Yet I hold this against you," Jesus says: "you I have forsaken your first love" (Rev 2:4). This devastating charge is the more horrible for the fact that the recipient of the love is not specified. We do not read, "you have forsaken your first love for God," or "you have forsaken your first love for fellow believers," but simply, "you have forsaken your first love." The love the church gives out, whether to God or to man, has dwindled and withered (ED: cf Mk 12:30,31). Its efficient good works and sensible discernment are gigantic; its love is dwarfish.(From article The Church that Does All Things Right) Paul spared no words in addressing the danger of doing without loving this way... If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. (1Co 13:1-3+). Then Paul reminded the church in Corinth "But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13) Swindoll writes "Over and over again the New Testament emphasizes the primary place of love in the Christian faith. In fact, 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us the golden virtue is love—beating out the silver and bronze winners, faith and hope, every time. “The greatest of these is love.” (See Insights on Revelation) Love (26)(agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love and Biblically refers to a love that God is (1Jn 4:8,16), that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) and that God enables in His children (see fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22+). Agape love does not depend on the world’s criteria for love, such as attractiveness, emotions, or sentimentality. Believers can easily fall into the trap of blindly following the world’s demand that a lover feel positive toward the beloved. This is not agape love, but is a love based on impulse. Impulsive love characterizes the spouse who announces to the other spouse that they are planning to divorce their mate. Why? They reason “I can’t help it. I fell in love with another person!” Christians must understand that this type of impulsive love is completely contrary to God’s decisive love, which is decisive because He is in control and has a purpose in mind. Agape is a love that impels one to sacrifice one’s self for the benefit of the object loved...(it) speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in the object loved, an apprehension of its preciousness. There are many reasons a proper understanding of the truth of God's word (and of the world's lie) is critical and one of the foremost is Jesus' declaration that "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love (agape) for one another." (John 13:35). Agape may involve emotion, but it must always involve action. Agape is unrestricted, unrestrained, and unconditional. Agape love is the virtue that surpasses all others and in fact is the prerequisite for all the others. Jesus when asked "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” replied ”‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment." (Mt 22:36, 37, 38)
Apocalipse 2
Morris - The intent of the passage is obviously to prepare the church for intense suffering and yet to assure them it would be very brief and ephemeral in contrast to the endless ages of glory beyond it. (The Revelation Record - BORROW ) John
Apocalipse 2
Morris - “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,” and a patient endurance of unjust persecution has always been one of the church’s most potent tools of evangelism. (The Revelation Record - BORROW) Vance Havner - “The saints at Smyrna had not been given a pep-talk on ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People.’ They had no testimony on ‘How Faith Made Me Mayor of Smyrna.’ They were not promised deliverance from tribulation, poverty and reviling. In fact, the worst was yet to come.” A T Robertson on Be faithful - “Keep on becoming faithful” (present middle imperative of ginomai), “keep on proving faithful unto death” (Heb. 12:4) as the martyrs have done (Jesus most of all). Lehman Strauss - Christ was not telling His suffering saints to “keep a stiff upper lip” or to “keep your chin up” or “keep smiling” or “grin and bear it.” What He told them was to depend on Him, to be convinced of Him, to let Him be their strength and courage. He knew they would fail if they merely tried to bear up in their own strength. He wanted them to live within the limit of the great assurance that He became dead and is alive. (Borrow The Book of the Revelation: Outlined Studies) William Newell published his commentary on the Revelation in 1935 before World War 2 began and he wrote these "prophetic" words " It is our profound conviction that not only in Russia and Germany but in other countries there are terrible days of trial directly ahead for the Church of God (ED: THIS PROVED TRUE FOR GENUINE BELIEVERS LIKE DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, AND MANY OTHERS). It is our proper portion—all the day (of grace) long are we to be killed, counted as sheep for slaughter. Therefore, remember the exhortation of Peter (who at the first, fled and denied, but later was crucified for his Lord): “Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind,” or “thought,” “intent,” “resolution” (1 Peter 4:1), that is, with the same “expectation,” when necessary." (Revelation 2) Even in times of peril and persecution Christians can enjoy the wonderful promises of Heaven. CHRIST'S GIFT: THE CROWN OF LIFE And I will give you the crown (stephanos) of life (zoe) - NET = " I will give you the crown that is life itself." (Rev 2:10NET)" Smyrna was the site of an annual athletic competition at which time crown (stephanos) were awarded to those who ran and won (cf 1Cor 9:24-27+). Ramsey adds that "The words of Apollonius show that “the crown of Smyrna” was a familiar phrase with the Smyrnaeans; and there can be no doubt that the phrase arose from the appearance of the hill Pagos, with the stately public buildings on its rounded top and the city spreading out down its rounded sloping sides." Is this a literal crown? While I personally think (opinion time) it could be literal, it seems that most commentators take it as a figurative crown, in this case signifying the "crown that is life." Who receives the crown? In context the one who remains faithful. John writes "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” (Rev 5:10+). We will reign with the King of kings, who wears a crown (diadema). Will we wear a crown (stephanos)? We will have to wait for that great day to answer the question. Revelation 20:4-6+ Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed (THIS STATEMENT IS A PARENTHETICAL COMMENT BY JOHN). This is the first resurrection. (SEE RESOURCES BELOW ON FIRST AND SECOND RESURRECTION) 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. Comment - Beloved, believers will participate in the Kingdom and will reign with Christ for 1000 years. One could read Rev 20:5 and think that the rest of the dead who did not come to life until after the 1000 years are the ones in the first resurrection. The key is to let context guide the interpretation. What does Rev 20:6 say about the first resurrection? The second death has no power and they will reign for 1000 years. Those described in the first part of verse 5 are said to not come to life (or be resurrected) until AFTER the 1000 years. In other words the first resurrection even though it follows their description cannot apply to them but must apply to those in the following verse. Revelation 1:6+ and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father–to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 5:10+ “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Comment - Note Matthew Henry's misleading comment: "Here is an account of the reign of the saints, for the same space of time as Satan is bound. Those who suffer with Christ, shall reign with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom..." Henry clearly has spiritualized the 1000 years. Wrong...they will reign with Christ on earth for 1000 years." 🙏 THOUGHT - ALL true believers WILL ABSOLUTELY remain faithful, not because of their faith per se but because the faithfulness of God Who will not let go of them! In other words Their cry is “Once saved, always saved.” However, the caveat is that the person is genuinely saved, and not just a professor of Christ! In this latter case to tell them "Once saved, always saved" is a grave mistake for they may never see their need to repent and believe! Paul underscores the assurance that genuine believers will remain faithful until death writing "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge (DOWN PAYMENT) of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory." (Eph 1:13-14+). In other words the indwelling Spirit is God's guarantee of our final redemption (GLORIFICATION). See discussion of Perseverance of the Saints . Note the striking contrast between temporal death and eternal life. The One Who Himself had died and come back to life is imminently qualified to carry out this promise. John Stott - Life as your victor’s crown (Rev 2:10)—an earlier translation renders this “crown of life”—is the same as the tree of life (v. 7), but the metaphor has changed. Heaven is now no longer a pleasure garden, with eternal life as a tree bearing delicious fruit, but the winning post at the end of a race, with eternal life as the victor’s wreath or garland. Smyrna was famous for its arena and its games. So the Smyrna church will not have found it difficult to imagine the Christian life as a race or contest. It required diligent training, energy, and strong exertion. The pace would be fast and the going hard. There would be sweat and pain. But at the end stood the one who is the First and the Last, the supreme Victor; and in his hand was the victor’s crown which every conqueror would receive. The message of the letter to the church of Smyrna is as searching for us as it was for them: if we are true, we shall suffer. But let us be faithful and not fear. Jesus Christ, the First and the Last, who died and lives again, knows our trials, controls our destiny, and will invest us at the end of the race with the crown of life. (What Christ thinks of the church : Revelation 1-3 expounded) Related Resources: What are the five heavenly crowns that believers can receive in Heaven? | GotQuestions.org John
Apocalipse 2
Morris says "The Church Infiltrated." And to the angel (aggelos) of the church (ekklesia) in Pergamum write (grapho) - See "JESUS' PATTERN TO ALL HIS CHURCHES." Pergamum means citadel and also gives us our name for parchment (animal skins used for writing - See Backgrounds of Early Christianity). The modern city of Bergama (60,000 population) is the site of Pergamum which was the capital of the Roman province of Asia for almost 250 years. It is built on a cone shaped hill about 1000 feet above the surrounding valley. A little compromise destroys the entire organism. PERGAMOS MEANS ''MARRIED''! It comes from the same root word from which we get such words as MONOGAMY & BIGAMY. Tommy Nelson says "Pergamum means ''thoroughly married'' and many believe it has the picture of bigamy." We MUST NOT TOLERATE AS A CHURCH IMMORALITY. Tommy Nelson has called down a few men and announced their name to the girls and declared that they were not to date them. If he did it again and he was gone! A little compromise destroys the entire organism. Of all the churches in Revelation, this church scares Tommy Nelson more than any other because the job of the shepherd is to protect the sheep. He can teach the doctrine. That's not the danger. The danger is that the church becomes so complacent that it can have in his midst adulterers and the result is that the church compromises. Look at those little areas that we begin to acquiesce to, to give in, to subtlely compromise: the bride of Christ and yet whoring with the world, all the while saying I'm O.K. you're O.K. to bring it in. Christ says I have a DOUBLE EDGED SWORD- I CAN CONVERT YOU OR I CAN TAKE YOUR CHURCH OUT. He does not say WAIT UNTIL IT GETS TOTALLY CORRUPTED BUT DEAL WITH IT NOW. Warren
Apocalipse 2
Morris - Aesculapius (whence our word ‘scalpel’ - [ED: NOT ACCORDING TO ETYMOLOGY ONLINE]) being worshiped, commonly under the sign of a coiled snake on a pole (note Numbers 21:8-9+). Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” 9 And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. (Nu 21:8-9+ - see Jn 3:15+) Second, the emblem of Asclepios was the serpent, which still appears on the cap badge of the Royal Army Medical Corps (pix). See Serpent on Coin on Right Side Many of the coins of Pergamum have Asclepios’ serpent as part of their design. It might well be that Jews or Christians would regard a religion which took the serpent as its emblem as a satanic cult. Again, this explanation seems unlikely. As has been pointed out, the Christians would regard the place where people went to be healed—and often were—with sympathy rather than with indignation. The worship of Asclepios surely would not give adequate grounds for calling Pergamum Satan’s seat. It seems, then, that we must look elsewhere for the explanation of this phrase. (Lawson adds - Worshipers would come into the temple of Asclepias to be healed. Snakes roamed wild throughout the temple. Worshipers were encouraged to lay down on the floor and allows these snakes to crawl over their body. Healing power was believed to be in the touch of these vipers. - Final Call - page 114). (R L Thomas adds "The shrine of Asklepios, who was noted as a “god of healing,” attracted people from all over the world. Feeding a living serpent in the temple was the manner of practicing this worship. The sick spent the night in the darkness of the temple where nonpoisonous snakes were allowed to roam. If a person was touched by one of these snakes (i.e., by the god himself), he was cured of his illness." - See Revelation Exegetical Commentary) (3) Pergamum was the administrative centre of Asia. That meant that it was the centre of Caesar-worship for the province. We have already described Caesar-worship and the dire dilemma in which it placed Christians (pp. 17–22). It was organized with a provincial centre and an administration like that of a presbytery or diocese. The point here is that Pergamum was the centre of that worship for the province of Asia. Undoubtedly, that is why Pergamum was Satan’s seat; it was the place where people were required on pain of death to take the name of Lord and give it to Caesar instead of to Christ; and to a Christian there could be nothing more satanic than that. (Barclay) Artist Depiction of Temple of Athena Swindoll - Built only a couple miles inland from the ancient location of the historical city of Troy, Pergamum became one of the great cities of Asia Minor. By the first century AD, it was the official center of the imperial cult, having built its first great temple in 29 BC in honor of the goddess Roma and the emperor Augustus. Besides being a major center for the worship of the gods Athena, Dionysus, and Asklepios, Pergamum’s acropolis was crowned by a forty-foot tall altar to Zeus, to which Christ may have referred when He spoke of “Satan’s throne” in Revelation 2:13. Though Pergamum had once been known for its immense library, which held nearly 200,000 volumes, in John’s day the city became famous for its medicine. Galen, one of the founders of ancient medicine, had lived in Pergamum. The city also boasted a large gymnasium as well as a grand theater. (See Insights on Revelation) Walter Kaiser - see page 708 in Hard Sayings of the Bible - Rev 2:13 Where Does Satan Live? This verse seems a little strange, for it mentions that Satan had his “throne” in the city of Pergamum in Asia Minor. We are accustomed to thinking about Satan as traveling everywhere in the world (Job 1:7; 2:2); is there really a locality in which Satan himself lives? Does he have an actual throne? And is it visible? Should this affect our own decisions on our place of residence? How did the church in Pergamum experience what John is writing about? On the one hand, it is clear that Satan, as a finite being, must have a localized existence. Unlike God, he is not omnipresent, so he must be somewhere (and not be everywhere) at any given point in time. But Satan is also a spiritual being, probably the one identified in Ephesians 2:2 as the “ruler of the kingdom of the air.” This means that he does not appear to be physically localized in our material sense, but rather lives in the spiritual world (or heavenlies) through which he has access to the physical world. Although we do not fully understand the relationship of the spiritual to the physical, we would be surprised to discover that Satan had limited himself to a specific physical locality by setting up his throne in a given city. Indeed, what we find elsewhere in Revelation is that when he rules on earth he does so through a human being whom he controls (see Rev 13:2). On the other hand, Pergamum is a place known to us from history. It was an independent city until 133 B.C., when its last king willed it to Rome. It thereafter became the capital city of Roman Asia, the seat of the proconsul who as the senatorial governor of the province had an almost unlimited power for the period of his office. By 29 B.C. the city had become the center of the imperial cult with a temple erected to “the divine Augustus and the goddess Roma.” The city also had a great temple to Zeus Soter (Savior Zeus), and its citizens worshiped the serpent god Asclepius, who was the god of healing. This history gives a rich background for identifying the city with Satan. (BORROW Light from the ancient east By: Adolf Deissmann) Any of the images we have mentioned would have served Satan well. Asclepius as a serpent (found on the coat of arms of the city and used as a symbol of medicine today) would remind one of Satan as the serpent and dragon in Revelation. The altar of Zeus was said to have been thronelike, the temple dominating the city. He was, after all, the king of the Greek gods. But the central image in this passage appears to have been that of Roman rule. The key to this identification is the reference to Antipas, a Christian martyr. Given that the proconsul did have the power to put people to death, this probably indicates official persecution (although it may have been localized). Where else but at the center of imperial rule would the church be more likely to come into direct conflict with Rome? Imperial rule was not separated from imperial cult. While educated people did not take the cult seriously—they looked on it as a patriotic ceremony, much as pledging allegiance to the flag is seen in the U.S.A. today—the church saw in it a clash between the call of Christians to worship God alone and the demand of the state to have one’s ultimate allegiance. What is more, the state always kept a watchful eye on unsanctioned societies. The growth of the Christian community and its influence in the lower classes, especially among slaves (who had been known to revolt in Rome itself), was threatening. Here was a group who called Jesus, not Caesar, Lord, a group that could not be controlled. The clash was inevitable. Antipas had been martyred. And in the aftermath of his martyrdom the church must have lived in fear, for they were located in the very seat of Roman power and could hardly escape the notice of Rome. This throne of Caesar, then, is the throne of Satan. Satan is not identified with Rome totally; he is independent of all of his tools. But in Revelation 13 it is Roman rulers through whom Satan works, and Roman power is in this sense the throne of Satan. It is the means through which Satan rules and controls that area, in this case Asia Minor. It is therefore also the means through which he persecutes the church of God. The relevance of this passage to Christians today is obvious. While there may not be any recent martyrs in some Christian localities, many, if not most, Christians live under governments that claim absolute allegiance (“My country, right or wrong”). John reminds us that all such claims fly in the face of absolute obedience to Christ. They are satanic in origin. To the extent that the country decides to enforce its claim, either ceremonially or in action, a clash with a faithful church is inevitable. The closer one is to the center of government, the more certain the clash and the more inescapable the consequences. As Satan’s throne appears behind whatever the architectural façade of our capital may be, the Christian will be forced to decide whom he or she serves. John lets us know that the decision is difficult, but he is encouraging us to be faithful, even if it means following in the footsteps of Antipas. (An encouragement in this direction is found in John White’s excellent Magnificent obsession : the joy of Christian commitment = BORROW (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1990).) A secondary application is also probable. Paul speaks eight times of “principalities and powers,” which are part of the demonic hierarchy of Satan’s kingdom (see Eph 6:12). Some such forces are on occasion identified with a particular people or land (see Dan 10:13). Thus, some demonic spirits appear to be localized, an idea that is confirmed by the experience of many Christian workers.3 This means that some areas may be more directly under the control of such powerful beings than are others, or that the being that controls a given area may himself be more powerful than the one controlling another area. Paul lists various articles of armor with which Christians are armed for battle with such beings (Eph 6:13–18). He does not mention direct prayer against them (such as “binding them” or “casting them out”), but rather exemplary Christian faith and conduct, such as the conduct that probably got Antipas in trouble and the faith that sustained him through his martyrdom. (This does not imply that Christians are never called upon to pray directly against such beings, but that such activity is not their normal occupation; it should be engaged in only at the direct command of God.) If this analysis is accurate, then some Christians should recognize that they live in very difficult territory. Such a recognition is not a call to move, but an acknowledgment that the situation they face is tougher than normal and therefore the virtues they must arm themselves with are more than normal. At the same time, this verse reminds us that Christ is in total control of these powers. Even our martyrdom is under his control. Although our area of the battle may be tough, there is no danger of losing. The important thing is that we, like the believers in Pergamum, hold out and remain faithful, even in the face of death itself. ILLUSTRATION - The classic story during Roman days of a group of wrestlers who were Christians. They would wrestle for Caesar. There 40 of them and they would stand before Caesar and say ''We are 40 wrestlers, wrestling for thee oh king and to thee belongs the glory and to thee the victor's crown. And as the persecutions began to intensify, these men because of there high positions were ordered to recant their faith in Christ and they opted not to and so were marched out to a great pond in the dead of winter. In the middle of this frozen pond they were stripped down, made to sit on the ice and the centurion built fires all around the lake. As these men began to go into hypothermia, they knew that if they would just recant they could come and sit by the fires, if they denied their faith. As the tale goes they began to cry out "We are 40 wrestlers wrestling for Thee, Oh Christ. And to Thee belongs the glory and to Thee the Victor's crown.'' As the hours passed their voices became a bit weaker and weaker. And that centurion sat watching them as they slowly but surely approached death's door. Their bodies became motionless until at dusk you could see one body begin to crawl from the circle of wrestlers and to lay by the fires. And you heard this weak voice from the group ''39 wrestlers wrestling for Thee Oh Christ, to Thee belongs the glory and to Thee the Victor's crown.'' And as that centurion watched the unchanging, unflinching, uncompromising devotion to a King in the light of death as the tale goes, the centurion stripped off his clothes and walked in the middle of the ice and set down and the cry arose with the strong voice of the centurion ''We 40 wrestlers, wrestling for Thee Oh Christ, to Thee belongs the glory, to Thee the Victor's crown.'' This story was held forth as to the act of nobility as to what a true Christian is: HE IS SOMEONE WHO WILL HOLD TO WHAT HE BELIEVES, TO WHAT IS RIGHT, TO WHAT IS TRUE, AND TO WHAT IS GOOD, WHO HAS DELIVERED HIS BODY A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD AND HE IS NOT A PERSON WHO LIVES IN A FOG BUT WHO SAYS THIS IS TRUE, THIS IS GOOD, THIS IS RIGHT AND THIS IS HOLY AND I WILL HOLD TO THAT UNTIL I DIE! Robert E. Lee said that the greatest word in the English language is ''DUTY''. Related Resources: Wikipedia - Pergamon Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Pergamum Holman Bible Dictionary Pergamum Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Pergamum Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Pergamus Pergamum 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Pergamum International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Pergamos; Pergamum American Tract Society Pergamos Easton's Bible Dictionary Pergamos Fausset Bible Dictionary Pergamos Holman Bible Dictionary Pergamos Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Pergamos McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Pergamos The Nuttall Encyclopedia Pergamos Pergamos Revelation 2:13 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and 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, where Satan dwells. NET Revelation 2:13 'I know where you live– where Satan's throne is. Yet you continue to cling to my name and you have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives. NLT Revelation 2:13 "I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan's city. ESV Revelation 2:13 "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. NIV Revelation 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, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives. GNT Revelation 2:13 Οἶδα ποῦ κατοικεῖς, ὅπου ὁ θρόνος τοῦ Σατανᾶ, καὶ κρατεῖς τὸ ὄνομά μου καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσω τὴν πίστιν μου καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἀντιπᾶς ὁ μάρτυς μου ὁ πιστός μου, ὃς ἀπεκτάνθη παρ᾽ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ Σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ. KJV Revelation 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. ASV Revelation 2:13 I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth. CSB Revelation 2:13 I know where you live-- where Satan's throne is! And you are holding on to My name and did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness who was killed among you, where Satan lives. NKJ Revelation 2:13 "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. NRS Revelation 2:13 "I know where you are living, where Satan's throne is. Yet you are holding fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan lives. YLT Revelation 2:13 I have known thy works, and where thou dost dwell -- where the throne of the Adversary is -- and thou dost hold fast my name, and thou didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was put to death beside you, where the Adversary doth dwell. NAB Revelation 2:13 "I know that you live where Satan's throne is, and yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives. NJB Revelation 2:13 I know where you live, in the place where Satan is enthroned, and that you still hold firmly to my name, and did not disown your faith in me even when my faithful witness, Antipas, was killed among you, where Satan lives. GWN Revelation 2:13 I know where you live. Satan's throne is there. You hold on to my name and have not denied your belief in me, even in the days of Antipas. He was my faithful witness who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives. BBE Revelation 2:13 I have knowledge that your living-place is where Satan has his seat: and you are true to my name, and were not turned away from your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my true witness, who was put to death among you, where Satan has his place. know: Rev 2:2,9 Satan's: Rev 2:9,10,24 Rev 3:9 you hold fast : Rev 2:25 Rev 3:3,11 1Th 5:21 2Ti 1:13 Heb 3:6 10:23 My name: Rev 3:8 Mt 24:9 Lu 21:17 Ac 9:14 Jas 2:7 did not deny: Mt 10:33 1Ti 5:8 2Ti 2:12 Jude 1:3,4 was: Ac 22:20 Revelation 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Revelation 2:9;‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:24 ‘But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them–I place no other burden on you. Revelation 3:9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie–I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Revelation 2:25 ‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. Revelation 3:11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Psalms 138:2-3 I will bow down toward Thy holy temple, And give thanks to Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth; For Thou hast magnified Thy word according to all Thy name. 3 On the day I called Thou didst answer me; Thou didst make me bold with strength in my soul. Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Matthew 1:21-23+ “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” Philippians 2:9-11+ Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the Name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Acts 4:12+ “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” Matthew 10:32-33+ “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Throne of Zeus in Berlin Throne of Zeus on Acropolis of Pergamum CHRIST'S COMMENDATION FOR CLINGING TO HIM I know (eido) - Speaks of Christ's omniscience. How did John describe Jesus' vision? "His eyes were like a flame of fire." (Rev 1:14) Know is the verb eido which is used in the introductions to each of the 7 churches (Rev 2:2, 2:9, 13, 19; Rev 3:1, 8, 15) "speaks of absolute, beyond the peradventure (chance) of a doubt knowledge, a knowledge that is self-evident...a positive knowledge...to know absolutely and finally...to know absolutely...a sure knowledge, a positive knowledge...an absolute acquaintance with something." (Wuest) The use of this verb (eido) indicates that Jesus is intimately acquainted with every aspect of this church. He has perfect knowledge of this church. Nothing is hidden from Him. Notice that before He corrects, He commends, which is a good pattern for all of us in authority! Someone has said this verb for know "emphasizes better the absolute clearness of mental vision which photographs all the facts of life as they pass" The NET rendering has - 'I know where you live– where Satan's throne is. Yet (term of contrast) you continue to cling to My Name...." NET Note - “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior. Where you dwell (katoikeo) - Where you dwell means where you have your settled residence and speaks of permanence. Jesus says I know the satanic, pagan environment where you have settled (see this unusual word of "dwell" = katoikeo). Christ has them right where He wants them, for in such darkness the true Gospel light shines forth all the more brightly. One recalls Paul's words in Phil 2:14-15+ "Do (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) all things without grumbling or disputing; so that (term of purpose - What purpose?) you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world." 🙏 THOUGHT - It is becoming more and more difficult to be a Christ follower in America for we have become a very post-Christian nation and our government has begun to remove as many influences of Christianity as possible under the guise of the non-Biblical idea of separation of church and state. Today, profession of loyalty to Christ can cost you your job, your chance for a promotion, etc, etc. As the moral darkness continues to fall on America, the light of Christ in believers will become more and more obvious. But for believers, who like those at Pergamum, choose to compromise with the godless world system ruled by Satan, their salt (Mt 5:13+) and light (Mt 5:14-16+) will dwindle and their power to influence the society for good will be greatly dissipated (Php 2:14,15+). So let me ask you, when was the last time it cost you to stand for Christ, in essence saying "Christ is Lord?" Or has your profession of Christ ever cost you? If you say never, then you seriously need to read and heed Paul's admonition in 2Co 13:5+. While R L Thomas discusses seven options for the meaning of Satan's throne (see Revelation Exegetical Commentary), R C H Lenski offers what seems to be as the most literal interpretation writing "Once more, “I know” (see Rev 2:2). Here the Lord knows “where thou art dwelling,” namely, “where the throne of Satan is,” and in the last clause, “where Satan is dwelling.” Both statements refer to the pagan city Pergamum as being a citadel (ED: PERGAMUM MEANS CITADEL) of Satan himself where he had established himself as a king on his throne." (See Interpretation of St. John's Revelation) Lehman Strauss notes that Christ's desire is "that we remain in the world but not of the world (John 17:14-16; cf Ro 12:2; Jas 4:4; 1Jn 2:15-17). In no place did the Christians have a more difficult time than in Pergamos, the center of paganism in that day. In Smyrna it is a "synagogue of Satan" (Rev 2:9); in Pergamos it is the throne of Satan, his base of operations." (Borrow The Book of the Revelation: Outlined Studies) Charles Swindoll on why use this unusual verb for dwell (katoikeo) - Even though Pergamum was characterized as the seat of Satan’s authority, the church didn’t try to escape the extreme pressures. Instead, the congregation chose to endure the hardship of their environment. Let me illustrate this with a modern analogy. While everybody else was moving to the suburbs, the Christians in Pergamum were committed to remaining in the inner city. They decided to stay put in the midst of the noise, the violence, the corruption, and the temptations, to shine as a light in the darkness of the city. (See Insights on Revelation) Where Satan's (satanas) throne (thronos) is - What a reputation for a city! The home of Satan's throne! Woe! Throne speaks of authority and power. And throughout the Revelation God's throne in heaven (Rev 4:2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10+) and Satan's throne on earth are set against one another. Note the phrase below "where Satan dwells," which would support the interpretation that he was actually in "residence" in Pergamum. After all it was a major center for the worship of Dionysus, Zeus, Asklepios whose traditional image portrayed the god holding a serpent (cf Rev 12:9+, Rev 20:2+) and other pagan gods as well as a major center of emperor worship. As an aside I examined multiple available pictures of the friezes on the sides of the "Throne of Zeus" in Berlin and many of them had large serpents in the background, one apparently even about to sink his fangs into the human-like figure. "On every hand, the serpent was visible because of the prominence of this cult." (Thomas) The phrase "where Satan dwells," raises the question Is Satan / the devil omnipresent? The short answer is NO (see Job 1:7 where Satan answers God's question where did he come from = “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”, cf where he "prowls around" in 1 Pe 5:8+) 🙏 THOUGHT - What would their Christian life be like - comfort or conflict? Was this an easy place to live? Do you sense an escalation in the spiritual battle in America in recent years? We do well to learn from our Lord's commendation and correction of our fellow believers in Pergamum. Grant Osborne writes "Pergamum is Satan’s hometown, and Satan is the true source of the church’s troubles." (Pdf - Revelation Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) Spurgeon on Satan's throne - We cannot at this distance of time exactly tell what it was; but the Lord regarded it as the citadel of Satan. There are places in the world at this day where sin has so much the upper hand, or where error and unbelief reign so supreme, that the devil would seem to have there taken up his residence, and to have made it his capital city. (From his sermon Holding Fast the Faith or listen to well done the audio version) Henry Morris has in interesting note - Alexander Hislop, in his famous book Two Babylons, gave much documentation to show that Pergamos had inherited the religious mantle of ancient Babylon when Babylon fell in the days of Belshazzar. The priests, who had kept the secrets of the ancient mystery religious centered at Babylon ever since the days of Nimrod, were forced to migrate at that time, transferring what amounted to the headquarters of Satan’s religious system away from Babylon north and west to Pergamos. J
Apocalipse 2
Morris - The meaning of Balaam (Hebrew meaning “not of the people”) is similar to that of the Nicolaitanes (Greek meaning “conquering the people”). (Nicolaitans) Walvoord applies the plight of Pergamum to the history of the church - The parallel in the history of the church to the temptation and failure foreshadowed at Pergamos is all too evident to students of church history. With the so-called conversion of Constantine the Emperor, the time of persecution which the church had previously endured was replaced by a period in which the church was favored by the government. The edicts of persecution which had characterized the previous administration were repealed and Christians were allowed to worship according to the dictates of their conscience. Near the end of the fourth century, Theodosius actually proscribed paganism. Under these circumstances it soon became popular to be a Christian, and the conscience of the church was quickly blurred. It became increasingly difficult to maintain a clear distinction between the church and the world and to preserve the purity of biblical doctrine. Though some benefit was secured by the successful defense of biblical truth by the Council of Nicea in a.d. 325 as opposed to the defection from the faith by Arius and his followers, the history of the three centuries which followed is a record of increasing corruption of the church, departure from biblical doctrine, and an attempt to combine Christian theology with pagan philosophy. (ED: LITTLE WONDER THIS TIME WAS REFERRED TO AS THE "DARK AGES.") As a result the church soon lost its hope of the early return of Christ, and biblical simplicity was replaced by a complicated church organization which substituted human creeds and worship of Mary, the mother of our Lord, for true biblical doctrine. The church committed the same sin of which Israel was guilty in the Old Testament, namely, the worship of idols and union with the heathen world. The solemn warning of Christ given to the church at Ephesus was forgotten. (ED: AS WAS THE SOLEMN WARNING TO THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM!) (Revelation 2: The Letters To Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, And Thyatira) QUESTION - Who was Constantine the Great? ANSWER - Constantine the Great (AD 280—337) was one of Rome’s most powerful and successful emperors and the first to self-identify as a Christian. He is known for his economic, political, and military achievements, as well as his religious reforms. Medieval writers praised him as the ideal ruler, against whom all kings were measured. Over time, his reign was viewed with waning enthusiasm. Historians also began to debate how committed Constantine was to Christianity or how devoutly he actually followed it. Constantine was influential in Christian history for his personal faith, religious politics, issuing the Edict of Milan, and calling the Council of Nicea. Constantine was the son of a Roman official and his Christian concubine. This placed him in line to succeed the throne of the Western Roman Empire. At age 31, he prepared to attack his chief rival with an army outnumbered 4-to-1. Before the battle, Constantine claimed to have seen a vision of Jesus, with a specific symbol, telling him, “By this sign, conquer.” Constantine ordered his troops to mark their shields with this symbol, the Chi-Rho, then a symbol commonly representing Christianity. The Chi-Rho combines the first two letters in the Greek word for “Christ” and resembles a capital P with an X drawn through the spine. Constantine’s forces routed the enemy, and he became emperor. The Chi-Rho symbol would be part of Constantine’s personal signature for the rest of his life. As emperor, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which declared Roman citizens free to worship whatever gods they chose. The Edict of Milan ended longstanding persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. At that time, Constantine did not (yet) claim to be a Christian himself, nor did he advocate for an official state religion. Based on his continued use of certain pagan symbols, scholars believe Constantine’s early religion was generally theistic, rather than specifically Christian. His boldness in using Christian language grew during his reign. After assuming control of the entire Roman Empire, he built lavish churches and came to openly espouse Christianity. During Constantine’s reign, controversy arose over the teachings of Arius, who denied the full divinity of Jesus. Constantine called a meeting of Christian bishops, the Council of Nicea, to settle the dispute. Contrary to popular myth, this meeting did not discuss the canon of the Bible, nor was Constantine influential in the council’s decisions. Emperors saw themselves as responsible for promoting “correct” forms of worship; Constantine’s interest was not to declare orthodoxy but to let the bishops determine it so that he could enforce it. Further, Constantine was not known for his philosophical ability and found himself lost in deeper discussions of theology. Rather, he acted as the council’s mediator and host, roles at which he excelled. Constantine’s Christian faith has frequently been critiqued, if not questioned outright. On one hand, he made great strides in securing political and social rights for Christians and initiating general humanitarian reforms. He poured time and money into building churches and publicly supporting Christianity. Particularly toward the end of his reign, Constantine vocally professed faith in Christ and credited his success to God. He was baptized shortly before his death, according to the common practice of his time. On the other hand, Constantine continued many pagan practices, including veneration of the sun. His interest in Christian orthodoxy was motivated primarily by a desire to maintain social order. There are also reasons to suspect that Constantine was as ruthless toward rivals as prior emperors had been. One of his sons, a brother-in-law, and his second wife were executed for reasons still unknown. He freely blended pagan practices with Christian beliefs, leading scholars to suggest his public adoption of Christianity might have been a savvy political move, linking him to a rising social force in the Roman Empire. Ultimately, whether Constantine was a committed Christian, a shrewd, Christian-friendly politician, or something in between is an open question. Without doubt, he ended centuries of persecution and greatly enhanced the social standing of Christianity. He committed resources to churches and Christian education, and his leadership helped to clarify important Christian doctrines. However, Constantine’s actions resulted in some negative complications. Free from persecution, the church naturally attracted more false converts. The melding of Christian themes with secular politics set a pattern that contributed to later disasters such as the Inquisition and the Crusades. Constantine’s blending of pagan, building-and-priest-centered worship with Christianity also contributed to the rise of Roman Catholicism. Constantine’s legacy is complex and not wholly understood, but he stands as one of the dominant figures in Christian history. Without doubt, his influence helped transform Christianity from a persecuted minority into the eventual state religion of the Roman Empire and the most widespread faith in history. GotQuestions.org Related Resources: Did Constantine decide what books belonged in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org What is the Donation of Constantine? | GotQuestions.org Did Constantine change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? | GotQuestions.org What is the meaning of the Chi-Rho symbol? | GotQuestions.org What occurred at the Council of Nicea? | GotQuestions.org What was the Edict of Milan? | GotQuestions.org What is the origin of the Roman Catholic Church? | GotQuestions.org Revelation 2:16 'Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. NET Revelation 2:16 Therefore, repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people with the sword of my mouth. NLT Revelation 2:16 Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. ESV Revelation 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. NIV Revelation 2:16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. GNT Revelation 2:16 μετανόησον οὖν· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺ καὶ πολεμήσω μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ στόματός μου. KJV Revelation 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. ASV Revelation 2:16 Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. CSB Revelation 2:16 Therefore repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of My mouth. NKJ Revelation 2:16 `Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. NRS Revelation 2:16 Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with the sword of my mouth. YLT Revelation 2:16 'Reform! and if not, I come to thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. NAB Revelation 2:16 Therefore, repent. Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth. NJB Revelation 2:16 So repent, or I shall soon come to you and attack these people with the sword out of my mouth. GWN Revelation 2:16 So return to me and change the way you think and act, or I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword from my mouth. BBE Revelation 2:16 See, then, that you have a change of heart; or I will come to you quickly, and will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. Therefore repent: Rev 2:5,21,22 3:19 16:9 Ac 17:30,31 else I am coming to you quickly: Rev 2:5 will make war against them with the sword of My mouth Rev 2:12 1:16 Rev 19:15,21 Isa 11:4 Isa 49:2 Eph 6:17 2Th 2:8 Revelation 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Revelation 2:6+ ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. RADICAL SPIRITUAL "SURGERY" Therefore - Term of conclusion. Based on the facts, Jesus comes to the conclusion that this church needed to repent. R L Thomas adds that THEREFORE "shows repentance to be the logical outcome of the Lord’s hatred of the grave evils in their midst. The church allowed some to continue in its fellowship who held to the teaching of Balaam and that of the Nicolaitans (ED: TOLERATED, COMPROMISED). They had not purged themselves of such as had the church in Ephesus (cf. Rev 2:6). They were guilty of unjustified tolerance." (See Revelation Exegetical Commentary) 🙏 THOUGHT - If there are false teachings in your church and you compromise (because they are popular, wealthy, etc), you had better "LOOK OUT" because Christ the "Warrior" is coming with a sharp sword in His mouth! I know of a conservative, evangelical church that tolerated some very unusual teaching regarding prayer (Was it truly "false?" Probably. At the very least it was not Biblical!) The church was warned by some members in the body who had spiritual discernment. What happened? The questionable teaching was not questioned because the perpetrators were related to leaders in the church! Instead, the church chose the "Pergamum path" and it was not long after that there was a major exodus of godly believers from that body! It was not a classic split because the believers did not leave and found a new church, but simply went to other established churches. The leadership's compromise had serious consequences! So if someone in your church who is Biblically mature (and not a regular rabble rouser) comes to you with concerns about someone's teaching, whether in home fellowships, Sunday School class, etc, then you had better call a meeting of the elders, pray and gather the facts, and if the teaching is false, you need to remove that teacher from your body immediately because it is like a cancer (or leaven) which will spread and corrupt many in the body! And you will be held responsible if you fail to take Spirit led, prayed over, Biblically backed action! Grant Osborne -The church’s tolerance of the false teaching resulted in the extreme danger of bringing God’s wrath down upon them. While the Ephesians had forgotten how to love, the Pergamum church had neglected to tell the truth. However, the solution is the same: repent, change the dangerous direction the church has been going, and get right with God. To fail to take a strong stance against the heretics would constitute sin and invite divine judgment. (Pdf - Revelation Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) Repent (see above on metanoeo in aorist imperative = calling for urgent response and dependence on the Holy Spirit to obey!) - Five of the seven churches are commanded to repent. Jesus uses metanoeo which calls for them to immediately change their mind with respect to sin (which is what the teaching of Balaam and Nicolaitans was!) Who is Christ calling to repent? He is addressing the believers at Pergamum and calling on them to repent of their compromise with the false teachings! Or else I am coming to you quickly - Quickly speaks of His coming as imminent (about to occur at any time). This is not primarily a reference to the Second Coming. Who is to you? That is the church at Pergamum. What is the picture? Swift. Decisive. (Recall it is not a dull sword but a sharp sword - Rev 2:12!) The verb I am coming (so-called "futuristic present") signifies He is already on His way and His arrival is imminent. William Newell notes "This “coming,” like that of Rev 2:5, is not our Lord’s Second Advent, but His entering personally and that quickly, upon their affairs judicially: affairs which otherwise would continue unchanged under the ever-present, although grieved and vexed, Spirit." (Revelation 2)
Apocalipse 2
Morris - The pagan mystery religions surrounding the churches did indeed instruct their own “adepts” in many of the deepest secrets of the great satanic conspiracy against God, and the same has been—and still is—true in the various occult religions of the world. Satan is a bitter enemy of any true church and accomplishes a victory whenever he can corrupt a church in any degree. But his most satisfying triumphs are when he introduces his own “deep things” into the church instead of the deep things of God. This he had done so successfully at Thyatira. (The Revelation Record - BORROW) Whatever the deep things of Satan were, they were undoubtedly the antithesis of God's truth Paul described in 1Co 2:10+ writing "For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God."