The church at Pergamum did not deny the name of Christ, but they compromised with the world and adopted worldly ways. How do you think the church of Pergamum compares with the typical church in the US today?

2. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and
the things which are, and the things which will
take place after this.
Chapter 1 The Past
Chapters 2-3 The Present
Chapters 4-22 The Future

3. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.”
(2:7, 11,17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)
Why these seven churches?
How are these letters to be understood?
1) Historically
2) Diagnostically
3) Personally
4) Prophetically

4. 12 “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.

5. 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.

6. 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.” ’

7. THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Name:
Commiphora myrrha
”thoroughly married”

8. Pliny the Elder

9. Geographically:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM

10. Historically:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
"History marked
it out as the royal
city, and not less
clearly has nature
done so."
Sir Wm. Ramsay

11. Historically:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
• Archeological evidence dates this city
back to 3100 BC.
• 241-133 BC -- the Royal capital of Asia.
• Capital of the Roman province of Asia
Minor.
• First city in Asia to build a temple to
Caesar and it became the capital of the
cult of Caesar worship.

12. THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
• 2nd largest library in the world at that time
(200,000 volumes).
• The production of paper parchment seems
to have originated here.
Culturally:

13. The theatre and the high Byzantine tower at its top
The theatre of Pergamum is incredibly steep and it was initially designed during
the reign of the kings of Pergamum. It was enlarged by the Romans so that with
its 80 rows of seats it could accommodate an audience of 10,000. In order to
facilitate the access of the public a long colonnaded street (its path is still visible)
led to the lowest section of the theatre.
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Culturally:

14. Culturally:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Pergamos was sort of
a marriage of
a pagan cathedral city,
a university town, and
a royal residence.
"Chief Temple-keeper of Asia."

15. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple of Asclepius
Asclepius Soter
(the ‘savior’ or ‘healer’)
(Via Tecta means covered street)

16. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple of Asclepius

17. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM

18. Temple to Telesphorus
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Religiously:

19. (left) underground access; (center) circular gallery inside the temple;
(right) a pillar with a bath tub
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Religiously: Temple to Telesphorus:

20. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple to Dionysus

21. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple to Trajan

22. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple to Athena

23. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple to Athena
A scale model of
the Sanctuary of
Temple to Athena
in the Pergamum
Museum, Berlin.

24. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple to Zeus

25. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
Temple to Zeus
The site of the Altar to Zeus

26. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
• “given to idolatry more than all Asia”
• "thoroughly married" to the political religion
of Emperor Worship.
• Temples were dedicated to Augustus: “Caesar
is Lord”

27. Religiously:
THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
• The first temple of the imperial cult was built
in Pergamum (29 B.C.) in honor of Rome and
Augustus. The city boasted a religious
supremacy in western Asia.
• The title of the high priest was “Chief Bridge
Builder” = the one who spans the gap
between mortals and Satan and his hosts.
(Latin, “Pontifex Maximus”)
• Julius Caesar was elected Pontifex Maximus
and when he became Emperor

28. Luke 4:6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority
I will give You, and their glory; for this has been
delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

29. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places.

30. Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the
kingdom of Persia withstood me
twenty-one days; and behold, Michael,
one of the chief princes, came to help
me, for I had been left alone there with
the kings of Persia.

31. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for
pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of
Christ,

32. THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged
sword:
A. Sovereign Judge
1. "has" – present tense
2. "the sharp sword”
• Rev. 1:16; Isa. 11:4 – judgment
• Symbol of Roman Proconsul

33. THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged
sword:
A. Sovereign Judge
3. "the sharp two-edged sword”
• Dual purpose of a sword (Rom. 13:3-5)
• Instrument of life (2 Cor. 2:14-17)
• Instrument of death (Psa. 2:1-8; Rev.
19:15)

34. THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST
Revelation 19:15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword,
that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will
rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress
of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

35. THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST
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.
B. Omniscient Lord

36. THE COMMENDATION:
13a “I know your works…
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
A. Their Profession:
1. “works" [ἔργον (érgon)] performance,
labor and the fruit of labor.

37. THE COMMENDATION:
13a “I know your works, and where you dwell, where
Satan’s throne is.
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
B. Their Predicament:
1. "where you dwell" = permanently
reside
2. "where Satan's throne is" – Pergamum
was the seat of Satan's authority,
influence and oppressive evil.

38. Antiochus IV Epiphanes
168 BC
offered a pig on its altar, erected an altar to Jupiter

39. Emperor Hadrian
117-138 AD

40. • The Zeus Altar was the main center of Zeus
worship throughout the Mediterranean.
• Excavation and its relocation started in 1871.
• It was rebuilt in 1889 and now stands in the
Pergamum Museum in Berlin.

41. • The Zeppelin Tribune was modeled on the
Zeus Altar and used by Hitler in Nurnberg for
his rallies.
• After the end of World War II, the Soviets took
the Altar to Leningrad in 1948 and later
returned it in 1958.

43. ὁλοκαύτωµα (holokautóma)Burnt Offering =
Holocaust

45. THE COMMENDATION:
13b “…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.
C. Their Perseverance:
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
1. “you hold fast My name” (cp. I Jn. 4:1-4; 5:1)
2. “have not denied My faith”

46. THE COMMENDATION:
9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty
D. Their Persecution:
• “Antipas, My faithful martyr
...was slain among you,”
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
Antipas, disciple of
the apostle John
• “where Satan dwells”

47. THE CONDEMDATION:
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.
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
• Balaam = “glutton”
• Son of Beor = “burner up,” “destroyer” (Num. 22:2)
• Taught intermarriage (Num. 31:15-16)

48. THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
15 Thus you also have those who hold the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
THE CONDEMDATION:
• Nikao = “victor,” “conquer”
• Laity = “people”

49. THE COMMAND:
16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will
fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM
A. "Repent"- tense implies intense urgency
B. "or else..."
1. "I will come unto thee quickly”
2. "I will fight against them with the
sword of My mouth"

50. THE COMFORT:
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.” ’
victory is possible
1 John 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world,
but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM

51. THE COMFORT:
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.”
victory is possible
THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM

53. The Church at Thyatira

54. 941-729-6600
941-981-5387
http://faithbiblechurchefc.com
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