Hold to the Truth: Pergamum
Notes
Transcript
I love the city life but I love small town living.
New York City… the city that never sleeps.
Las Vegas is another city that has everything you could ever want in a city. Plus… What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
We went there on a family vacation when the kids were younger. It was fun to visit but I would never want to live there.
We took a trip to Washington DC and it was an impressive place with so many monuments, government buildings, museums… so much to see. I loved visiting our nation’s capitol and it seems like a nice place to live. However, I can see how the power that that city represents can make those who live in Washington crazy… because politicians are crazy.
We have been digging in the letters to the Seven churches in Revelation. The Seven Church in Asia Minor.
The Seven Churches Jesus saw as in need of encouragement, warning, criticism.
We started with Ephesus… the Loveless Church
Then we went into Smyrna… the persecuted church.
Today, in Pergamum, we see a little bit of persecution and a little bit of compromise.
What’s so significant about Pergamum?
Why Pergamum?
If Ephesus was the New York City of Asia, Pergamum was its Washington, the Roman imperial power had its seat of government. There also was built the earliest temple for the state-sponsored worship of the Emperor.
Pergamum was a city that thrived on knowledge and education. The center of Greek culture and education, boasted a 200,000-volume library second only to the famous library in Alexandria in Egypt.
Pergamum was dedicated to Emperor worship.
It also had a multitude of other heathen temples. This city worshipped many different idols, from the different Roman gods to the different emperors and had many different temples that were dedicated to worshipping whatever they desired and preferred.
We see Idolatry was intrenched in the Pergamium culture.
The proconsul of Pergamum had been granted the rare power known as “the right of the sword,” meaning that they had the authority from Rome, to perform executions.
This city had more power and more authority then most of the other cities. This city also sought to be very inclusive to many ideas, values and beliefs that were contrary to the Kingdom of God so the church was undergoing a great deal of pressure to compromise.
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 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.
14 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. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
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.
Pray
We see in this letter to the church in Pergamum, that they had many challenges both outside and within the church. But, Jesus starts off presenting a characteristic of HIMSELF that is unique and specific to this church. Jesus then presents some Compliments, some Criticisms, with a Command, and then a word of Commitment with a promise from Jesus for those who hear, obey, and overcome to the end.
Jesus’s Unique Characteristic
Jesus’s Unique Characteristic
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
Even though this city had the “Power of the Sword” the power to execute. Jesus reminded the church that Jesus still holds the sword, the sharp double edged Sword. The double edged sword is a weapon that cannot be beaten in combat… and Jesus holds it!
Just as the sword was a symbol of Rome’s authority and judgment, Jesus’ sharp, double-edged sword represents God’s ultimate authority and judgment. Only Christ has ultimate power over life and death.
It is the sword of judgment in two senses,
Discerning the truth (Heb. 4:12)
Punishing the evil (Rom. 13:4),
Also, HE will use it even against those in the church who will not repent (verse 16).
We must always yield to Jesus first before any other authority because Jesus still holds the power of the sword.
Even if persecution from other authorities becomes a reality. Never compromise Jesus… the gospel… Jesus is, and always be the only way, the truth and the life.
Rest in… be comforted by the fact that Jesus holds the sword. We have nothing to fear.
Jesus’s Compliment
Jesus’s Compliment
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 verb live (katoikeis) means that the Christians were not simply passing through Pergamum. It was their home and they had to face their difficulties to the end.
Even though they lived in the city where Satan has his throne with all the pagan worship, the emperor worship, there were still many who remained true to serving Jesus. Despite the pressure to compromise… to give up… to waver on the Truth. Jesus said not even in the days of Antipas who was known for being a faithful witness who was martyred in Pergamum. Even though people were dying for there faith, many would still remain faithful.
Despite that sad reality, many in the church did not give up and did not give in even in the face of persecution.
Because Revelation mentions only the martyrdom of Antipas, probably few Christians had already been martyred when Revelation was being written. If the churches of Asia were like many of us, they may have been hoping and praying that Antipas would prove the final martyr.
However, Revelation warns that suffering is coming; the gospel always involves suffering. Stay faithful, hold on to the truth, even when it’s hard… through suffering… hardship… and pain. Like Antipas, Stay faithful.
Jesus’s Criticism
Jesus’s Criticism
14 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. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Hold to the teachings of Balaam: Balaam was a “Prophet for Hire” motivated by greed and was willing to compromise to further his own plans.
Balaam was unable to curse the Israelites because God blessed them but apparently he had a role in enticing God’s people to sin, bringing God’s judgement on those who indulged in sexual immorality with the Moabite women. Numbers 25.
As a religious “prophet,” “Balaam” probably sanctified the values of the culture by providing theological justifications for them, such as, “Since an idol is really nothing, my worshiping it does no harm” 1 Corinthians 8:4.
Like Balaam, we can sanctify worldly values by attributing them to God.
When we value what the world does instead of valuing the kingdom, we forfeit our role as witnesses for Christ’s kingdom in this world. Too much of Western Christianity has become indistinguishable from our culture because we are just like them.
If we affirm what the world affirms, or, more often, live as the world does, to what then do we invite them in conversion that differs from what they already experience?
We need to make sure that we are influencing the world with the kingdom’s values, not embracing the world’s values where they conflict with those of the kingdom.
Jesus’s Command
Jesus’s Command
16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
It was not easy to be a Christian in Pergamum. Believers experienced great pressure to compromise or leave the faith.
One of the most difficult forms of this temptation may have been its challenge to the Christians’ livelihood by denying their ability to participate in trade guilds. Trade guilds involved meals honoring a patron deity at their meetings which were prevalent in the city. On the theological level, compromise with the imperial cult to save one’s life and compromise with the pagan activities of trade guilds to save one’s livelihood are all of one piece; they represent accommodation to the world at the expense of one’s total devotion to God’s standards.
For Christians in Pergamum, to “overcome” means to continue steadfast in the face of opposition, but especially to stand against teachings of compromise with the world and to do their best to purge such teachings from their ranks.
Jesus was reminding the church that the same sword of protection will become a sword of judgement if you continue to compromise these things that Jesus holds near and dear.
Hold to the truth no matter what happens because for those who overcome they will receive the blessing that only God can give.
Jesus’s Commitment
Jesus’s Commitment
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.
Hidden Manna: John soon learns that the heavenly ark will be revealed, but for him the manna probably symbolizes especially the new exodus and God’s promise of eternal sustenance without labor. This promised manna contrasts the idolatrous food for which Balaam’s followers seem prepared to compromise their future reward.
Jesus is saying that it’s hidden for a reason. It’s the narrow way, for those who seek Jesus faithfully God will be their miraculous provider.
White Stone with a new name written on it: In ancient courtrooms, jurors voted for acquittal with a white stone and for conviction with a black one. Here a capital case is probably in view, and Jesus will overturn the verdict of the Pergamum Christians’ persecutors at the final judgment when he declares both life and the second death.
In Israel’s own history, a change of name was often associated with a promise.
The new name may represent a new description of a person’s identity, but in the context of Revelation more likely the hidden name of God and the Lamb, which they will bear forever.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
TAKE AWAY:
Hold on to the truth that only Jesus possess without compromise.
What is our distinction from the world?
Do we assimilate with the world or are we firmly established in God’s Kingdom?
We follow Jesus because we love Jesus, we love people enough not to dilute the truth.