Seven Churches, Seven Messages, Revelation

Seven Churches, Seven Messages
Revelation Chapters 1–3
Part 1: Prologue

How might they might help us today in our Christian walk?
Maybe you think the book of
Revelation is a kind of sensa-
tionalist press report foretelling
details of real-live events that will
occur soon, in our day...
Maybe you think of it as a parable
about its own time, when
Christians were a minor Jewish
sect struggling to reconcile its
radical message with Jewish roots
& win Roman approval.

How might they might help us today in our Christian walk?
Maybe you think the book of
Revelation is a kind of sensa-
tionalist press report foretelling
details of real-live events that will
occur soon, in our day...
Try thinking of it as a parable
about its own time, when
Christians were a minor Jewish
sect struggling to reconcile its
radical message with Jewish roots
& win Roman approval.
This study is not so ambitious to tackle the entire book
but considers only chapters 1-3, the instructions that
the author, John of Patmos, gives to the churches
under his care in his neighborhood, in his own time.

 Singular, not plural, please!
 Properly, the revelation is not that of
the author, John, it is the revelation
from (or of) Jesus Christ
 Belongs to the genre of such works -
knowing its genre helps you bring the
appropriate “spirit” to the book
 It is typical of other “revelations”, e.g.
Daniel, and others less well-known
“Revelation” is a genre
 There are, e.g., 3 extant “revelations” of Peter and one of Paul
 The Shepherd of Hermas is a “revelation” account that made it
into some early complete Bibles
 Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost are in this genre.

The Roman World of the 1st century AD
The churches
of this study

The importance of Asia Minor to early Christianity
By the end of the 1st century, there were
many Christian communities (“churches”) in
Anatolia, the western half of modern-day
Turkey, of which the area on the coast con-
stituted the Roman province of Asia, not just
the seven of this study.
St. Paul was from Tarsus in south-central
Anatolia; his missionary journeys were mostly
in Anatolia. Traditions linking John the Apostle
to Anatolia were strong; the Johannine corpus
probably came from Ephesus ca. 90-110. The
best-guess date for Revelation is 96 AD.
The text of the book of Revelation records the location of its writing
as Patmos, an island about 30 miles off the Anatolian coast.

Evidence for early Christian witness in Asia Minor
 Anatolian churches were addressed by the Epistle of 1st Peter
 The NT mentions Pontus (Greek colony on the southeast shore of
the Black Sea) three times; its inhabitants were some of the first
converts to Christianity
 The first written reference of a Roman (pagan) to Christianity was
by Pliny, the Roman governor of Pontus in AD 110.
 Of the 7 letters of Ignatius of Antioch, 5 are to Anatolian cities &
the 6th is to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who reportedly knew St.
John personally and probably also knew John’s student Irenaeus.
 Many prominent 2nd century Christians were from this region,
including....
Papias of Hierapolis, Montanus, Marcion, and Melito of Sardis.

Evidence for early Christian witness in Asia Minor
 Anatolian churches were addressed by the Epistle of 1st Peter
 The NT mentions Pontus (Greek colony on the southeast shore of
the Black Sea) three times; its inhabitants were some of the first
converts to Christianity
 The first written reference of a Roman (pagan) to Christianity was
by Pliny, the Roman governor of Pontus in AD 110.
 Of the 7 letters of Ignatius of Antioch, 5 are to Anatolian cities &
the 6th is to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who reportedly knew St.
John personally and probably also knew John’s student Irenaeus.
 Many prominent 2nd century Christians were from this region,
including....
Papias of Hierapolis, Montanus, Marcion, and Melito of Sardis.
And, of course, the emperor Constantine
convoked the first Christian ecumenical
council in Nicaea in AD 325 just
across the Bosporus from Anatolia outside
Constantinople
And the first seven ecumenical Councils
were held either in Western Anatolia
or in Constantinople.

Asia Minor Churches/This Study
 Keep in mind that the Anatolian churches were important,
influential, and strong Christian witnesses, not failures….
 Not just at the time of the writing of Revelation but for over
500 more years thereafter
 Until they were marginalized by the rise of Islam
 They became less im-
portant starting in the
early 4th century, after
Christianity became a
recognized religion of
the Roman Empire...
 ...and the Imperial
capitals, Rome and
Constantinople, became
centers of Christian
authority.

Apokalypsis Jesou Christou
The revelation from (or of) Jesus Christ, which God gave him to
show his servants what must soon take place.
He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who
testifies to everything he saw—
that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy,
and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is
written in it, because the time is near.
Revelation 1:1-3 / The Prologue
Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ …..

Apokalypsis
1) laying bear, making naked, unveiling, revealing
2) a disclosure of truth, an instruction concerning previously
unknown matters, used of events in which hidden things,
states, or persons
are made visible to all.
3) manifestation, appearance.
“Apocalypse” means an unveiling
Ἀποκάλυψις…..
Today this strikes us as an
odd title as John’s book is, to
us, bizarre and opaque.
Why might this be?

An Aside (in my opinion)
For what it is worth (always happy to hear what you-all think)..
 Jesus of Nazareth is “revealed” in the Gospels to be Savior
and Lord
 Nothing of importance to our life in Christ is “hidden”
(mysteries and paradoxes of our faith are there, to be sure,
but remain mysteries for all time)
 The book (Revelation) does not provide some secret key to
grace or salvation or anything else we need for a life-giving
relationship with Our Lord
 This could be why it was the last book to make it into the
NT canon.
PS: This study will be just “touching the surface” of Revelation.
It is an exhaustively commented-on book!!

John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and
who is to come, and from the seven spiritsbefore his throne,
and from Jesus Christ, who is:
 the faithful witness (martyr),
 the firstborn from the dead, and
 the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his
blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve
his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and
ever! Amen.
Revelation 1:4-6 / Greeting

Who is John?
The author of the book of Revelation identifies himself only as
"John“ (in verses 1 and 9), a common name in that part of the
world in those days (as it is in this part of the world today).
Refers to himself as servant, brother and “companion in suffering”
but, significantly, not as apostle, elder, or other church leader.
In verse 1:
… τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννῃ, {“to his servant Johanne”}
In verse 9:
Ἐγὼ Ἰωάννης, ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν {“I, Johannes, your brother”}
So, who is this John?

Elder John
 Justin Martyr was the first of many early literate Christians to
equate the author of Revelation with John, son of Zebedee,
apostle and author of the Gospel of John
 Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, noting the differences in
language and theological outlook between this work and the
Gospel, discounted this possibility and denounced Revelation
as heretical
 Papias thought there were two Johns, one the Evangelist and
the other an Elder, who wrote Revelation, a view endorsed by
Church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, who denied it merited
canonicity.

Elder John
 Justin Martyr was the first of many early literate Christians to
equate the author of Revelation with John, son of Zebedee,
apostle and author of the Gospel of John
 Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, noting the differences in
language and theological outlook between this work and the
Gospel, discounted this possibility and denounced Revelation
as heretical
 Papias thought there were two Johns, one the Evangelist and
the other an Elder, who wrote Revelation, a view endorsed by
Church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, who denied it merited
canonicity
Biblical scholars today agree that “the Elder”
was, probably, the writer of Revelation but
not the evangelist, also named John, who
wrote the Gospel bearing his name.
Nothing is known about “Elder” John except
that he was Jewish, educated, articulate, and
a passionate follower of Jesus.

Perhaps John knew the people
of these churches? Was,
perhaps, their spiritual advisor?
#7, in Revelation (& elsewhere:
Gen. 1-2, Ex. 23, Lev. 4, Mt. 18)
is the number of completion
&/or perfection;
The 7 churches, then, may
stand for all churches, in the
Body of Christ.
Why these seven churches?
This is supported by the fact that the
cities, when connected by a line drawn in
the order John lists them, form a rough
circle, a geometric symbol of holiness.

A special teaspoon, lady, see?
A special = Eph.Smyr.Perg. (coastal)
teaspoon = Thyr.Sard.Phil. (inland)
see ya? = Laodicea (inland)
Mnemonic

Revelation Greeting (cont’d)
Look, he is coming with the
clouds, and every eye will see
him, even those who pierced
him and all peoples on earth
will mourn because of him.
So shall it be! Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the
Omega,”* says the Lord God,
“who is, and who was, and
who is to come, the Almighty.”
In my vision… before me was one
like a son of man, coming with
the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of
Days and was led into his
presence.
He was given authority, glory and
sovereign power; all nations and
peoples of every language
worshiped him.
His dominion is an everlasting
dominion; it will not pass away.
His kingdom is one that will never
be destroyed. – Dan. 7:13-14
* cf. Rev. 22:13 where Jesus
says this about himself.

John presents Jesus as one whose death, resurrection and exalta-
tion is a done deal, one who is worthy of worship, who is given
great power and authority by God, but not God’s equal…
Revelation Greeting (comment)
...and who “is coming
with the clouds”
(probably a quote
from Daniel) to
heaven’s throne room
(not the earth?)...
...and all people with
be confronted with his
authority and majesty.

There are 19 explicit groups of seven in Revelation:
a. Churches (1:4, 11, 20) b. Spirits (1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6)
c. Candlesticks (1:12, 13, 20: 2:1) d. Stars (1:16, 20; 2:1; 3:1)
e. Lamps (4:5) f. Seals (5:1; 5:5)
g. Horns (5:6) h. Eyes (5:6)
i. Angels who stand before God (8:2, 6)
j. Trumpets (8:2, 6) k. Thunders (10:3, 4)
l. Thousand (seven thousand people killed) (11:13)
m. Heads (12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 9) n. Crowns (12:3)
o. Angels (15:1, 6, 7, 8; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9)
p. Plagues (15:1, 6, 8; 21:9) q. Vials (15:7; 17:1; 21:9)
r. Mountains (17:9) s. Kings (17:10, 11)
It is possible, then that the 7 churches of this study were symbols.
Seven is John’s favorite number

I, John, your brother and
companion in the suffering
and kingdom and patient
endurance that are ours in
Jesus, was on the island of
Patmos because of the
word of God and the
testimony of Jesus.
- Rev. 1:9-10
John hears a voice

On the Lord’s Day I was in the
Spirit, and I heard behind me a
loud voice like a trumpet,
which said:
(1) “Write on a scroll what
you see, and
(2) Send it to the seven
churches,
to Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
John gets a homework assignment

John is here establishing his credentials
as a prophet using familiar symbols:
 On the Lord’s Day (not just any day
or time)
 Ecstatic - (standard for a prophet)
 Summoned by a voice like a trumpet
(frequently connected to apocalyptic
events)
 Given a commission to write (not a
new command for a prophet- see
Hab. 2:2, Isa. 8:1, 30:8, & Jer. 36:2)
The Voice

I turned around
to see the voice
that was speaking
to me.
And when I turned
I saw seven golden
lampstands, and
among the lamp-
stands was some-
one like a son of
man….
- Rev. 1:12-16
The Vision

….dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden
sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool,
as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
Someone like a son of man…
His feet were like bronze
glowing in a furnace, and his
voice was like the sound of
rushing waters.
In his right hand he held
seven stars, and coming out
of his mouth was a sharp,
double-edged sword.
His face was like the sun
shining in all its brilliance.

How do you describe an ecstatic vision?
The Nature of Visions
1. Indescribable
(ineffable)
2. Episodic, transient
(occasional, cannot
return to it)
3. Given to recipient
(can’t be conjured)
4. Numinous but
content-rich
(experience, not
information)

Son of man (?)
Lampstands (?)
Long robe (?)
Golden sash (?)
White hair (?)
Eyes like blazing fire (?)
Feet like glowing bronze (?)
Voice like rushing waters (?)
Right hand- seven stars (?)
Mouth - sharp sword (?)
Face like the sun shining (?)
What do you think the symbols mean?

While I was debating and discussing these things
in my heart, I saw before me a great white chair
made of snow-white wool and there came an
elderly woman in a shining garment with a book
in her hands… - Shepherd of Hermas 2:2
Imagery popular in later works
After I had prayed in
my house and sat down
on my bed, there came
a man glorious in
appearance, dressed
like a shepherd, with a
white skin wrapped around him and with a
bag on his shoulders and a staff in his hand.
- Hermas 25:1

When I saw him, I fell at his
feet as though dead.
Then he placed his right hand
on me and said:
“Do not be afraid. I am the
the First and the Last. I am
the Living One; I was dead,
and now look, I am alive for
ever and ever, and I hold the
keys of death and Hades (see next slide).
Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now
and what will take place later.
- Rev. 1:17-19
The Assignment Repeated

I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am
alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death
and Hades. - Rev. 1:18
Authority Over Death
καὶ ὁ ζῶν, καὶ ἐγενόμην νεκρὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶν εἰμι
εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ
θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ἅδου.
“Hades” is more like a doctor’s waiting room than a place of
punishment or torment (modern image of hell); you die, you go to
Hades to await the final judgment. It is a place with a door God
and unlock and let a person out to go to heaven. John tells us that
the Christ is not dead and therefore is not stuck in Hades; rather,
He now has the keys and therefore can go in and out at will.

The Messages: Style and Pattern
 John’s messages to the churches are not epistles; they are so
brief they might be telegrams
 Despite being set up as part of an ecstatic vision, they are not
“ethereal” in tone or full of imagery; they are down-to-earth
 Each follows a common pattern:
1. “To the messenger of the church…”
2. “These are the words”… the speaker (Christ) refers indirectly to
himself using an exalted title given earlier in John’s vision
3. “I know your deeds” – sets out good things that he knows
about the church, a sort of spiritual “atta boy”
4. “But” – then the “ah, heck” = a challenge or reproach
5. A promise given (“I will”/“I will never”) to those who are
faithful

Use your ears
 Although the letters differ in length in accord with the needs of
each community, all conclude with an appeal to hold fast and
to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
 All seven churches receive this admonition: "He who has an
ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches"
 Sometimes this comes
before the promise,
sometimes after.
 Each church is promised
that everyone who
conquers will be rewarded
by Christ.

The mystery of the 7 stars that you saw in my right hand and of
the 7 golden lampstands is this: The 7 stars are the angels of the
7 churches, and the 7 lampstands are the 7 churches. - Rev. 1:20
The “cover letter” does not have a standard closing, not even an
“Amen”, further indication of the author’s idiosyncratic style.
End of the “cover letter”

End
“Seven Church,
Seven Messages”
Part 1

Part 2: Ephesus & Smyrna

Message #1: Ephesus
To the messenger (angel) of the church in Ephesus write: these
are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand
and walks among the seven golden lampstands. - Rev. 2:1
Library of Celsus at Ephesus

Capital of the Roman Province of Asia

 Leading Mediterranean port city
 Retained status as a free Greek city under Roman rule
 Famous Temple of Artemis, ancient Anatolian fertility goddess
 Sided with Anthony in rivalry with the city of Pergamon which
sided with Octavian (Augustus) during their conflict, decided
for the latter in 31 BC at Actium
 For this reason, the city was not honored with a Roman cult
temple – Pergamon was so favored instead
 Things changed in 89 AD when Emperor Domitian (r. 81-96)
allowed the building of a cult temple and a spacious state agora
 Revelation presupposes the existence of such a cult in Ephesus,
hence one of the reasons the book was written (evidence it
was composed by an Elder of Ephesus)
Ephesus: Capital of Asia

In the Golden Age of Ephesus
Right: Upper city showing the state agora and temple of Domitian
Left: Commercial agora and theater; warehouses servicing the harbor.

Reconstruction model of the state agora (center) and
the Temple of Domitian (rear)

Domination by Domitian
 Like Nero some 20 years before him, Domitian was autocratic
and (reputedly) so cruel that his own court officials killed him
 Domitian's memory was condemned to oblivion by the Senate,
while authors such as Tacitus, Pliny the Younger and Suetonius
published histories blasting him as a cruel and paranoid tyrant,
a view that modern historians have since tempered

Statue of Domitian found at Ephesus; likely the “image of the
beast” (13:14-17) that people are made to worship, referred
to as the 8th beast “that was and is” (17:9-11)

 Earliest version (found in the Sibylline Oracles) claims that Nero did
not die but fled to Parthia (beyond the eastern edge of the empire)
 Result or cause of 3 revolts by pretenders posing as Nero; the first,
whose face was similar to that of Nero, appeared the year following
his death during the reign of Vitellius
 A second appeared during the reign of Titus and the third twenty
years after Nero's death during the reign of Domitian
Nero Redivivus
 Popular belief during the last part
of the 1st century, common as
late as the 5th century, that the
dead Emperor Nero would return
 Jews, especially, hated Nero since
he ruled during the 1st Jewish
War when the Temple was razed

Who are these beasts?
Then I saw a second beast…It exercised all authority…And it
performed great signs… it deceived the inhabitants of the earth.
It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was
wounded by the sword and yet lived…. the image could speak and
cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and
slave, to receive a mark on
their right hands or on their
foreheads…
- Rev. 13:11-17

Hail Caesars
Name Reign Dates Death Reign
Length (yrs)
1. Augustus 27 BC-14 AD Natural 40
2. Tiberius 14-37 Natural 22
3. Caligula 37-41 Assassin’d 3
4. Claudius 41-54 Poisoned 14
5. Nero 54-68 Suicide 14
Glaba 68-69 Assassin’d 7 mo.
Otho 69 Suicide 3 mo.
Vitellius 69 Assassin’d 8 mo.
6. Vespasian 69-79 Natural 10
7. Titus 79-81 Fever 2
8. Domitian 81-96 Assassin’d 15
Rev. was
written from
point of
view of
someone
living in this
time period

Beast is Domitian who is Nero returned
The beast… once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of
the abyss and go to its destruction... The inhabitants of the
earth… will be astonished when they see the beast, because it
once was, now is not, and yet will come…
…seven kings.
Five have fallen (Augustus-Tiberius-Caligula-Claudius-Nero),
one is (Vespasian), the other has not yet come; but when he
does come, he must remain for only a little while (Titus).
The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king
(Domitian=Nero).
He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
- Rev. 17:8-12

One of the themes of Revelation
If you worship the Emperor Domitian (Nero) in any way
(the blasphemous and evil incarnation of Nero who in evil mimic
of the Christ, “once was, now is not, and yet will come”),
For example, offer a libation to, sacrifice to, pay homage to, or
refer to him by his self-proclaimed title “Lord and God”,
THEN GOD WILL PUNISH YOU
“Babylon” (Rome) will fall and you will fall with it!
Can we apply this to our world today? Who/what is the
(analogous) re-incarnation of Nero today? Obvious or
insidious? Will God really punish them/us? How?

Message #1
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.#
I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people,* that you have
tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found
them false. (who is claiming to be an apostle? Why?)
You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,
and have not grown weary. (what hardships?)
#We remember your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by
love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord… - 1Thes. 1:3
*Consistent with the commendation given the Ephesian church in the
letter of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, written only a few years later.
Extra credit: Read from Ignatius Letter to the Ephesians 9:1
- Rev. 2:2-3

Admonition & Threat
But I hold this against you:
You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Consider how far you have fallen! Fallen?
Repent and do the things you did at first.
If you do not repent,
I will come to you and remove your
lampstand from its place. Meaning?
- Rev. 2:4-5
The circumstances or events that prompt this admonition are
not known. What do you think of the harsh tone? What do you
think the threat means? Why a threat at all?

Hate these people!
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices
of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Who - Rev. 2:6-7
The identity of the Nicolatians is not known. Clearly it is
some group who’s teaching and, particularly, who’s
“practices” John opposed stridently.
What might arose such antipathy in the Elder?
Is the any group that Methodists or Lutherans or Catholics
or Baptists or Presbyterians, etc. should hate these days?
- Rev. 2:6

Message #1: Concluding Promise
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from
the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. - Rev. 2:7
What do you think of this promise and the reward?*
What is the “take home lesson”
from the message to the church
of Ephesus? What applies to us
today?
*Martial metaphor in which victors might be
Christian martyrs who after death go to an
Eden where they can eat and live forever.

The Ephesian church grew in importance
 Ephesus was still a center of Christianity in the 5th century
 It was critical “neutral ground” at the First Council of
Ephesus in AD 431 for a showdown between Nestorius,
Patriarch of Constantinople and Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria
 This, the 3rd Ecumenical Council, was convened by Emperor
Theodosius, was meant to attain consensus (through Godly
discourse of bishops who represented all of Christendom) on
a weighty matter, namely, the two natures of Christ
 Nestorius taught that Jesus had distinct natures, human and
divine. The former shared in human sin, the latter did not.

The Ephesian church grew in importance
 Ephesus was still a center of Christianity in the 5th century
 It was critical “neutral ground” at the First Council of Ephesus
in 431 for a showdown between Nestorius, Patriarch of
Constantinople and Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria
 This, the 3rd Ecumenical Council, was convened by Emperor
Theodosius, and was meant to attain consensus (through Godly
discourse of bishops who represented all of Christendom) on a
weighty matter, namely, the two natures of Christ
 Nestorius taught that Jesus had distinct natures, human and
divine (e.g. the former shared in human sin, the latter did not)
 Proceedings were conducted in a heated atmosphere
of recriminations and severe tensions between
followers of each side
 Cyril won the day as the Council confirmed the
Nicene Creed, condemned the teachings of Nestorius,
and removed from his see (position as Bishop)
 This precipitated schism; churches supportive of
Nestorius, especially in the east, split from the rest of
Christendom.

Message #2: “Dear Smyrna”
Remaining columns of the western stoa of the agora at Smyrna
To the
messenger
of the church
in Smyrna
write: These
are the words
of him who is
the First and
the Last, who
died and came
to life again.
- Rev. 2:8

 Founded before written records, possibly as early as 700 BC;
now Izmir, Turkey
 Its position at the mouth of the River Hermus, at the head of an
arm of the sea that reached far inland, allowed trading ships
into the heart of Lydia
 On an essential trade route between western Anatolia and the
Aegean Sea coastal towns
 In NT times, already grown into a major Mediterranean seaport
of the Roman province of Asia
 Roughly midway between rivals Ephesus (later capital of Asia, to
the south) and Pergamon (earlier capital of Asia, to the north)
 All three vied for Rome’s attention, investment, and protection.
Smyrna: Bustling Port City of Asia

 The Christian church, later large enough to have its own Bishop,
existed in Smyrna from the 1st century AD, probably originating in
the considerable Jewish colony there.
 Ignatius of Antioch visited
Smyrna and later wrote
letters to its bishop,
Polycarp (martyr, 153 AD)
 Irenaeus of Lyon, who
heard Polycarp as a boy,
was probably a native of
Smyrna
Smyrna: Center of Early Christianity

Encouragement for Smyrna
I know afflictions and
your… your poverty—
(But… you are rich!)
I know the slander of
about… those who say
they are Jews
and are not,
But… are a syna-
gogue of Satan.
Not known what these
“afflictions” were; possibly
persecution, evidenced by the
later martyrdom of Polycarp,
more likely rejection by fellow
Jews, a group here labelled “a
synagogue of Satan” [Σατανᾶ].
John being a bit fierce? Why?
Roman collaborators?
Statement implies a formerly
close connection, points to the
inevitable separation of these
faith communities.
This letter is an exception to
the message pattern in that
it has no “reproach” line
Rev. 2:9

Letter of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, to the Smyrnaeans
Ch. 1. I observed that you are established in an unshakable faith…
Ch. 4. Now I am advising you of these things, dear friends, knowing
that you are of the same mind. But I am guarding you in advance
against wild beasts in human form- people whom you must not only
not welcome but if possible not even meet. Nevertheless, pray for
them, that somehow they might repent.
Ch. 8. Flee from divisions as the beginning of evil…
Ch. 9. May all things, therefore, be yours in abundance in grace for
you are worthy.
Ch. 10. …my chains, which you did not despise, nor were you
ashamed of them. Nor will the perfect hope, Jesus Christ, be
ashamed of you.

Prediction and Promise
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.
I tell you, the devil [διάβολος ] will put some of you
in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution
for ten days.
Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give
you life as your victor’s crown.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.
The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by
the second death.*
4. Challenge
5. Promise
6. Admonition
7. Closing
*“second death” = reference to casting into a lake of fire, Rev. 20:14
Rev. 2:10-11

End
“Seven Church,
Seven Messages”
Part 2

Part 3: Pergamon, Thyratira & Sardis

To Review: Pattern of the Messages
No. In Brief Standard Phrase
1 ADDRESS To the messenger of the church in
{city}
2 AUTHORITY These are the words
3 COMMENDATION I know your deeds
4 REPROACH But…
5 PROMISE I will / I will never
6 "He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says
to the churches”
7 CLOSING Everyone who is faithful/conquers
will be rewarded

Message #3: to Pergamon
Remaining columns of the
Temple of Trajan near
modern-day Bergama, Turkey
To the messenger of the
church in Pergamon
write:
These are the words of
him who has the sharp,
double-edged sword.
-Rev. 2:12

 Greek city in Aeolis, currently located 16 miles from the
Aegean Sea on a promontory north of the river Caicus
 Roman oversight began in 133 BC; it became an important
center of Roman governance, trade, and learning, growing
to a population of 200,000 in the 2nd century AD
 Probably for this patronage and growth, it also became an
important center of Christianity
 Because it was a center of Roman power and prestige, it was
a favored location of state-sanctioned worship and,
therefore, numerous temples, notably one to Augustus
(29 BC) and one to Zeus.
Pergamon: Capital of Roman Asia

Message #3: Opening
I know where you live, where
Satan has his throne. - Rev. 2:12
Reconstruction of the façade of the
Pergamon Temple of Zeus in Berlin

Pergamon church is true
…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, the city where
Satan lives.
- Rev. 2:12
The harsh label “Satan”
applied twice to Pergamon
tells us of the author’s
extreme dislike of Rome, the
ruling power.
Some persecution likely
occurred there around that
time; at least one case of
martyrdom.
Antipas might have been the
local bishop at the time, but
this is not known.

Pergamonian Idol?
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.
You also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
- Rev. 2:14-15
Some church members,
only recently turned
away from pagan
practices may have
returned to eating
sacrificial meat and
indulging in ritual
temple prostitution.
Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab... sent messengers to Balaam the son of
Beor.... to call him, saying, “Behold, people have come out of Egypt. They
cover the face of the earth, and are dwelling opposite me. Come now,
curse this people! - Num. 22: 5-7 see also Deut. 23:4

Repent therefore! Otherwise…
I will soon come to you and will fight against them
(heretical Christians) with the sword of my mouth.
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.
Challenge, Promise and Closing
4. Challenge
5. Promise
6. Admonition
7. Closing
Images are obscure. “Victorious” probably means being martyred,
“manna”, the food the Israelites lived on in the desert, refers to
being provisioned by God Himself (but why “hidden”)? The “white
stone” is anybody’s guess. Likely John’s readers knew the code?
Rev. 2:16-17

Message #4: to Thyatira
To the messenger
of the church in
Thyatira write:
These are the
words of the Son
of God, whose
eyes are like
blazing fire and
whose feet are
like burnished
bronze.
- Rev. 2:18
Scant archaeological remains of the ancient city are
preserved in a fenced off park in downtown Akhisar.

 Located in the far west of modern-day Turkey, south of
Istanbul, almost due east of Athens, ~ 50 miles from the coast
 Junction of roads to Sardis, Smyrna, and Pergamon.
 People lived there for thousands of years, but the small town
was given a boast and renamed by King Seleucus I Nicator in
290 BC when he stationed soldiers there to defend the roads
 Famous for its cloth dyeing industry; center of indigo trade
 More guilds than any other city in the Roman province of Asia,
including wool- and linen-workers, makers of clothing, tanners
and leather-workers, potters, slave-dealers, and bronze-smiths
 Curiously the Archbishop of Thyateira (currently Gregorios
Theocharous) resides in London and has pastoral responsibility
for the Greek Orthodox Church in the UK
Thyatira: inland city of industry

Lydia: the first European Christian was Thyatiran
On the Sabbath we went outside the
city gate to the river, where we
expected to find a place of prayer.
We sat down and began to speak to
the women who had gathered there.
One of those listening was a woman
from the city of Thyatira named
Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth.
She was a worshiper of God. The Lord
opened her heart to respond to Paul’s
message.
- Acts 16: 13-14

Thyatira: little good, mostly bad
…the words of the Son of God (only
use in the Book of Rev. why here?)….
I know your deeds, your love and faith,
your service and perseverance, and
that you are now doing more than you
did at first.
Nevertheless, I have this against you:
You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who
calls herself a prophet.
By her teaching she misleads my
servants into sexual immorality and
the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
- Rev. 2:19-20
 Christ, in these chapters,
is clearly divine in some
way.
 Commendation is brief
and general
 Who is “Jezebel”?
 Implied “she” is in the
church and charismatic (?)
 Symbol of all that leads
astray into immorality
(was wife of King Ahab)
 Same issue as in the city
of Smyrna

God has always denounced idol-worship
Then the Lord said.. “There is a conspiracy among the people
of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. They have returned
to the sins of their ancestors… They have followed other gods
to serve them.
Israel and Judah have broken the covenant I made with their
ancestors…. The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem
will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense,
but {these gods} will not help them when disaster strikes.
You, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns; and the
altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god
Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.…I will not listen
when they call to me in the time of their distress…. Can
consecrated meat avert your punishment?”
- Jer. 11:9-16

Promise to punish
I have given her time to repent of
her immorality, but she is unwilling.
So I will cast her on a bed of suf-
fering, and I will make those who
commit adultery with her suffer
intensely, unless they repent of her
ways.
I will strike her children dead.
Then all the churches will know that
I am he who searches hearts and
minds...
I will repay each of you according to
your deeds. - Rev. 2:21-23
 Meaning “given time
to repent”?
 Meaning “cast on bed
of suffering”?
 Meaning “strike her
children dead”?
 Why so harsh ?; stress
on “works” not “grace”
 Shrill tone, exagger-
ated language not
unusual for apocalyptic
writings

Hold On, Thyatira!
Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira,
to you who do not hold to her teaching
and have not learned Satan’s so-called
deep secrets,
I will not impose any other burden on
you, except to hold on to what you have
until I come.
- Rev. 2:24-25
“Deep secrets”
appears to be a
promise that the
disciples of “Jezebel”
will become specially
powerful.
Our Christian call is to
shine! The Good
News is no secret and
we need only “hold
on” in Christ to “rule”.

Hold On, Thyatira!
To the victorious one who does my will to the end, I will give author-
ity over the nations. That one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter,
will dash them to pieces like pottery’, just as I have received author-
ity from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star.
Whoever has ears, let them hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.
- Rev. 2:26-29
Quotation is from
Ps.2:8-9 I will make
the nations your
inheritance, the ends
of the earth your
possession. You will
break them with a rod
of iron; you will dash
them to pieces like
pottery.

To the messenger
of the church in
Sardis write:
These are the
words of him who
holds the seven
spirits of God and
the seven stars.
-Rev. 3:1
Message #5: To Sardis

 Located well inland in western Anatolia, Sardis was the capital
of the ancient kingdom of Lydia
 One of the important cities of the Persian Empire, then the
seat of a proconsul under the Roman Empire
 Importance was due to its location on an important highway
from the interior to the Aegean Sea and its command of the
wide fertile plain of the Hermus River
 Destroyed by an earthquake in AD 17 (reign of the Emperor
Tiberius) but was rebuilt by the Romans
 Was one of the important (think bustling & prosperous) cities
of western Asia Minor until the later Byzantine period
 After NT times, the Christian community thrived; was home to
the influential Christian bishop and writer, Melito (d. 180 AD).
Sardis: a long history of influence

The stream Pactolus which flowed through the market-place "carried
golden sands“, gold dust out of Mount Tmolus. During the reign of
King Croesus that the metallurgists of Sardis discovered the secret of
separating gold from silver, an economic revolution, for until then
only unrefined nuggets were used as currency even though their
purity was suspect.
Sardis could then mint
nearly pure silver and
gold coins, the value
of which was trusted
throughout the known
world. This technology
made Sardis rich and Croesus’ name synonymous with wealth itself.
Sardis, then, is the place where modern currency was invented.
“Rich as Croesus”
Lydian coin (Persian)

Ceremonial court of the bath-gymnasium complex
at the site of ancient Sardis (dated to 211 AD)

A part of the complex consisted of a synagogue. This
provides evidence for the continued presence of Jewish
communities in Asia Minor and their integration
into
Roman
life.

Sardis is (mostly) dead
I KNOW your deeds-- you have a rep-
utation of being alive,
BUT you are dead. Wake up!
Strengthen what remains and is about
to die, for I have found your deeds
unfinished in the sight of my God.
Remember, therefore, what you have
received and heard; hold it fast, and
repent.
IF you do not wake up, I will come like
a thief, and you will not know at what
time I will come to you.
- Rev. 3: 1-3
Sardis receives no com-
mendation – it has a
good “rep” (among the
other churches?) but
the reality is otherwise,
according to the vision.
We do not know what
the “unfinished deeds”
are but again we hear
the command, “hold
fast!” – possibly, again,
refusal to worship the
Emperor.

Promise: white garments, book of life
They will walk with me, dressed in
white, for they are worthy.
The one who is victorious will, like
them, be dressed in white.
I will never blot out the name of
that person from the book of life,
but will acknowledge that name
before my Father and his angels.
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The adjective “victorious” and the symbol of the “white garment”
are linked to martyrs (see e.g. Rev. 19:14). “They will walk..” is then
a euphemism for being executed for refusing Emperor worship.

End
“Seven Church,
Seven Messages”
Part 3

Part 4: Philadelphia & Laodecia

2:5 (Ephesus) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do
the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and
remove your lampstand from its place.
2:16 (Pergamon) Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to
you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
2:22 (Thyatira) So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will
make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless
they repent of her ways.
3:3 (Sardis) Remember, therefore, what you have received and
heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come
like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
3:19 (Laodicea) Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be
earnest and repent.
Last time: most churches must repent

Message #6: Philadelphia
Roman theater
(only surviving remains of ancient Philadelphia)

Message #6: Philadelphia
To the messenger
of the church in
Philadelphia write:
These are the
words of him who
is holy and true,
who holds the key
of David. What he
opens no one can
shut, and what he
shuts no one can
open.
- Rev. 3:7

 Greek city located 65 miles due east inland from Smyrna
 Established in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of Pergamon who
named the city for his loyal and beloved brother, later his
successor, Attalus II
 His son, Attalus III, had no heir and so bequeathed his kingdom
including the city to the Romans when he died (133 BC).
 In AD 17, the city suffered badly in the same earthquake that
destroyed Sardis and Emperor Tiberius helped them rebuild by
granting tax relief- in gratitude the city granted him honors
 Other Emperors granted favors – e.g. Caracalla housed there
an imperial cult (coins were imprinted with his image and the
word Neokoron, “caretaker of the temple”)
Philadelphia: Capital of Roman Asia

Jesus is the True Messiah
To… Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him
who is holy and true, who
holds the key of David.
What he opens no one can
shut, and what he shuts no
one can open. - Rev. 3:7
• Titles “holy and true” usually
reserved for God;
• “….the key of David” (not as in
prologue: “death and Hades”)
• Emphasis is on Jesus as Messiah
• Rest of the verse is a quote from
Is. 22:21-22 (below)
In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe
him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your
authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem
and to the people of Judah.I will place on his shoulder the key to the
house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no
one can open. See Lk. 3:30-31 for Eliakim as ancestor of Jesus

You have an open door
I know your deeds.
See, I have placed before you an
open door that no one can shut.
I know that you have little strength,
yet you have kept my word and
have not denied my name.
- Rev. 3:8
“You have little strength” is the only
criticism the vision has for this church;
Philadelphia, then, shares with
Smyrna the distinction of receiving
nothing but praise from Jesus.

Opposition from the synagogue
I will make those who are of the
synagogue of Satan, who claim to
be Jews though they are not but
are liars - I will make them come
and fall down at your feet and
acknowledge that I have loved you.
Since you have kept my command
to endure patiently, I will also keep
you from the hour of trial that is
going to come on the whole world
to test the inhabitants of the earth.
- Rev. 3:9-10

Opposition from the synagogue
I will make those who are of the
synagogue of Satan, who claim to
be Jews though they are not but
are liars - I will make them come
and fall down at your feet and
acknowledge that I have loved you.
Since you have kept my command
to endure patiently, I will also keep
you from the hour of trial that is
going to come on the whole world
to test the inhabitants of the earth.
- Rev. 3:9-10
“Synagogue of Satan” was said of
the church at Smyrna (Rev. 2:9).
That Christians now are the true
spiritual descendants of Abraham
and the new chosen people of
God became a standard Christian
apologetic refrain in the 2nd
century.
This proclamation took on an
unfortunate anti-Semitic tone on
the lips of non-Jews.
Note that the “hour of trial” is to
come in the lifetime of the
hearers of the message

Pillars of faith
I am coming soon.
Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my
God. Never again will they leave it.
I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city
of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of
heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.
Whoever has ears let them hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. - Rev. 3:11-13
Earthquakes may lie behind the reference to making the church
a “pillar” as permanency would have been very important to
the residents. Reference to a temple of “my” God is curious;
also inconsistent with 21:22; repeated “my” God could just be
the Elder’s own voice.

Only two pillars and foundation stones remain
of the 7th century church of St. John in
ancient Philadelphia

Amen, Laodicea
To the messenger of the church in Laodicea write: These are the
words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of
God’s creation.
- Rev. 3:14
 “Amen” – an unusual
title; why used?
 “Ruler of God’s
creation” – another
example of John’s
free rendering of the
status of Jesus;
 Sometimes God’s
equal, but often like
God’s Prime Minister.

Laodicea
 Founded by Antiochus II Theos (ruled 261-253 BC) who named
it in honor of his wife Laodice
 Under the earlier Roman emperors it benefited from its
position on a trade route, flourishing as a commercial center
and an extensive trade in black wool, minting its own coins,
and supporting the arts, literature, and medical studies
 On the major road 100 miles east of Ephesus, 11 miles west of
Colossae, 6 miles south of Hierapolis – Did Paul preach there?
 Christian church there since time of Paul - - Col. 4:12-16 (below)
Epaphras… sends greetings…. I vouch for him that he is working hard
for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis... Give my greetings
to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the
church in her house. After this letter has been read to you, see that it
is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read
the letter from Laodicea.

Lukewarm
I know your deeds,
that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm,
neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Ψυχρὸς (psychros) = cold
Ζεστός (zestos) = hot
Χλιαρὸς (chliaros) = tepid
- Rev. 3:15-16

Some scholars suggest this metaphor referred to water run to the
city via aqueduct (known from archeological excavations) from hot
mineral springs 5 miles to the south. The water would have become
lukewarm by the time it got to the city, in contrast to the hot
springs at nearby Hierapolis and the cool water of nearby Colossae.
The Pont du Gard aqueduct in France
carried water to Nimes in Roman times
Taken this way, the
metaphor does not
mean that "hot" is
good and "cold" is
bad, but that both
hot and cold water
are good and useful;
it is lukewarm water
that is of no use.
Were they being chastised for lack of zeal?

Rich financially, poor spiritually
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a
thing.’ But you do not realize that you are
wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
I counsel you to buy from me:
…gold refined in the fire,
(poor) - so you can become rich;
…and white clothes to wear,
(naked) - so you can cover your
shameful nakedness;
…and salve to put on your eyes,
(blind) - so you can see.
- Rev. 3:17-18
There were not likely to be
many rich Christians in this
small city of the interior,
but even relative wealth is
anathema to the Elder.
They should be pursuing
spiritual riches especially
trials of faith, persecution
for serving in Jesus name,
and even martyrdom.

I rebuke you because I love you
Those whom I love I rebuke and
discipline.
So be earnest and repent.
Here I am!
I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and
eat with that person, and they
with me.
- Rev. 3:18-20
My son, do not
despise the Lord’s
discipline and do not
resent his rebuke
because the Lord
disciplines those he
loves as a father
disciplines the son
he delights in.
- Prov. 3:11-12

Famous “open the door” verse
 Door in the message to the
Philadelphian church was “an
open door that no one can shut”
 Here the door is one that we keep
closed; we have to open it so that
Jesus may come in
 “Eat with me” implies fellowship,
and intimacy, the banquet having
apocalyptic overtones
 Alternative interpretation is
simply that Jesus is very near, as
near as the front door, and that
his arrival is soon, even now.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right
to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious
and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.” - Rev. 3:21-22

Conclusion of the beginning
So ends the opening chapters of a book full of imagery,
with a majestic image – Jesus shares the throne of God
Himself. And those who conquer – not just those of
Laodicea - shares the throne with Jesus.

Conclusion of the beginning
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things,
when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have
followed me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of
Israel. Everyone who
left houses or brothers
or sisters or father or
mother or wife or
children or fields for
my sake will receive
100 times as much and
will inherit eternal life.
- Mt. 19:28-29

End of the study
“Seven Church,
Seven Messages”

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