Chapter Three - The First Four Letters (2:1-29)

1. THE LETTER TO EPHESUS: CHURCH OF LOVELESS ORTHODOXY (2:1-7)

1.1. History of the Church of Ephesus

Paul spent more time there during his missionary tours than anywhere else. Paul visited the city while returning from Corinth to Jerusalem at the close of his second missionary journey about AD 52 (Acts 18:19-21). On his third missionary journey Paul returned to the city (Acts 19:1) and spent three years there (Acts 20:31). His farewell to the Ephesian elders is most touching (Acts 20:17-38). Later he wrote them a letter while a prisoner in Rome and visited them following his release. He left Timothy in charge of the church after this visit (1 Timothy 1:3).

A few years later (approximately AD 66) John the apostle arrived in the city and began a ministry there. John remained in the area until his exile to Patmos. About 40 years passed between the founding of the church and the writing of Revelation to this and the other churches of Asia.

EPHESUS

The remains of the Church of St. John

EPHESUS

The traditional site of the burial place of Apostle John

EPHESUS

The life of St. John as depicted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at the remains of the Church of St. John.

The prominence of this church is reflected in its being the possible recipient of as many as 8 New Testament books, including:

1. the gospel of John;

2. Ephesians;

3. 1 Timothy;

4. 2 Timothy

5. 1 John;

6. 2 John;

7. 3 John; and

8. Revelation.

Besides, Paul was ministering in Ephesus at the time he wrote 1 Corinthians.

In earlier years, Paul had warned the elders of the church in Ephesus of false teachers and their heretical doctrines (Acts 20:29-31), and the letters to Timothy show that the danger had already set in (1Timothy 1:3-11; 4:1-5; 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:16-19). Our letter to Ephesus shows that the chief accomplishment of this church had been the expose of "evil men" who called themselves "apostles," and the hatred of the "deeds of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:2, 3, 6). But in all their struggle to preserve orthodoxy of doctrine, the church had forgotten the words which Paul had written to them, "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). Like so many modern defenders of the faith, they had degenerated into cold orthodoxy. Because of this, the Lord Jesus condemned them (Revelation 2:4-6).

The stone carving of the goddess Nike

1.2. Christ the Righteous Judge (2:1)

Verse 2:1

The name "Ephesus" either means beloved or relaxation or desirable. The Lord Jesus commanded John to begin writing specifically to the messenger of the church in Ephesus.

The Lord who was holding the seven stars in His right hand, was walking among the seven churches. The seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches (1:20). As I have mentioned in the previous Section 2.3 of Chapter 2, the word angel  (Greek: ἄγγελος, transliteration: angeloi) means human messenger or representative of the church. We may think of the messenger of the church as one who read letters to the church and wrote letters for the church, perhaps also taking them himself. This means that all churches are responsible to Him and He has the right to tell them what to do. He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 2:25; 5:4).

1.3. Commendation of Doctrine and Diligence (2:2-3)

Verses 2:2-3

In Ephesus, the Lord Jesus found several good things:

1. Their "works." This meant that they served the Lord until they were tired (Hebrews 6:10).

2. Their "patience" in times of trouble while waiting for Christ to come (1:9).

3. They refused to let the "evildoers" stay in the church (Acts 20:29, 30; 1 Timothy 1:3-7, 20; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2:17).

4. There were even some men who had claimed "to be apostles." They judged these men according to the Word of God and found that they were liars.

5. They suffered for the sake of His name without becoming "weary."

1.4. Indictment for Lack of Love (2:4-5)

Verse 2:4

Everything they had done at first had been done because they loved the Lord with their whole heart (1 Thessalonians 1:3) but this love had cooled. They still served Him not only because they loved Him. Their love to Paul, the Lord's servant, had changed (2 Timothy 1:15). Love is important. God is love and most of all He wants our love (Jeremiah 2:2; 1 John 4:19). In this life we have three great lasting qualities - faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

Verse 2:5

They were on a high level on their love for the Lord but this love had faded. The Lord told them they could do something to change this. They could "repent" and go back to their "first works." The Lord wanted their reason for service to be their love for Him.

If the church at Ephesus refused to obey the Lord's command to repent and to return to their first love (2:4), then they would keep going backwards. There would be no progress in their Christian lives. More than that, the Lord would soon have to "remove their lampstand." It means that they would no longer be a light for the Gospel in a dark, heathen city. This would be very sad, for the Lord wants our lights to shine before men. Our lamps should not be placed under a bed or a basket (Mark 4:21).

1.5. Commendation of Hating the Enemies of Truth (2:6)

Verse 2:6

The Lord still looked for something to praise and He added another word of approval in this verse. Here He said the believers in Ephesus "hated the works of the Nicolaitans" and so did He. A mystery surrounds the identity of the Nicolaitans. There are three possible suggestions:

1. It resembled Balaam in teaching that it was permissible for God's people to engage in idolatry and immorality.

2. It was the forerunner of the clerical system in the church.

3. The followers of Nicolaus of Antioch who is said to have apostatized due to his false doctrine of Gnosticism.

1.5.1. Suggestion One: A sect who encouraged Christians to engage in idolatry and immorality

The first approach is to identify the Nicolaitans as a dangerously lax sect who encouraged Christians to engage in idolatry and immorality. It is considered as a licentious sect advocating complete freedom in Christian conduct including participation in heathen feasts and free sex. It seems rather clear from the letter to Pergamum (2:14-15) that the Nicolaitanes resembled Balaam in teaching that it was permissible for God's people to engage in idolatry and immorality. The teaching of Balaam was recorded in the Old Testament (Numbers 25:1, 2; 31:14-16). This point of view is not so convincing because there is no historical evidence to verify such proposition.

1.5.2. Suggestion Two: The forerunners of the clerical system in the church

A second way of explaining the Nicolaitans bases their identification on the etymology of the Greek word. The two components of "Nicolaitans" (Greek: Νικολαϊτῶν, transliteration: Nikolaitōn) are "victory" (Greek: νῖκος, transliteration: nikos) and "people" (Greek: λαός, transliteration: laos), resulting in the meaning "conqueror of the people." This idea is similar to the meaning of the Hebrew word בִּלְעָ֔ם for "Balaam" which means "swallowers of the people." The mystical interpretation of "the teaching of Balaam" in 2:14 is said to point to the "teaching of the Nicolaitans" in 2:15, providing support for this identification. This also accords with John's custom of using Hebrew and Greek counterparts to name the same object, e.g., Apollyon and Abaddon (Revelation 9:11).

Dr. C.I. Scofield says that the word Nicolaitans has symbolic meaning and it refers to the earliest form of notion of clergy which later divided an equal brotherhood into priests and laity. This view sees the Nicolaitans as the forerunners of the clerical system in the church superimposed upon the laity and robbing them of spiritual freedom. This is something the Lord hates. In Peter's days some elders tried to rule over the church for their own benefit (1 Peter 5:1-4). The Lord gave gifts to the church in order to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. The Lord hated the works of the Nicolaitans and so did the Ephesians. It was against the order the Lord had set up for His church, as Paul had written to this church years earlier (Ephesians 4:11, 12). This point of view is persuasive as it coincides with the development of the church history.

1.5.3. Suggestion Three: A sect of the followers of Nicolaus of Antioch

Nicolaus of Antioch who is one of the seven original deacons, is a Jewish proselyte (Acts 6:5). The explanation that takes the Nicolaitans to be composed of followers of Nicolaus of Antioch has strong support in the early church. In addition to Irenaeus, there are also the testimonies of Tertullian, Hippolytus, Dorotheus of Tyre, Jerome, Augustine, and Eusebius. They all say this was a sect of licentious Gnostics. Hippolytus adds that Nicolaus was the forerunner of Hymenaeus and Philetus who are condemned in 2 Timothy 2:17. Eusebius adds that after the sect was censured by John in the Apocalypse, it disappeared in a very short time.

What is "Gnosticism"? The Gnostics claimed to have information superior to that of the apostles. Some of the Gnostics denied the true humanity of Christ. They taught that Christ was a divine influence that came out from God and rested upon the man, Jesus, at His baptism. They further taught that the Christ left Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. Matthew 26:36), just before His crucifixion. The result was that Jesus died, but the Christ did not die, according to them.

These problems were threatening the church at Colosse (Colossians 1:7-23). All the errors which existed in the Apostolic Age are still with us today. Gnosticism has reappeared in Christian Science and Jehovah's witnesses. Of the three possible explanations for the origin of the Nicolaitan sect, this suggestion is the most persuasive due to the testimony of the early church fathers. (For more details in Gnosticism, please refer to A.T. Robertson, Paul and the Intellectuals, Nashville, Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention 1928).

1.6. The Invitation and Promise (2:7)

Verse 2:7

In each letter there is a command to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to all the churches; what Christ says the Spirit says. The incentive to heed the moral lessons of the message is centered in the promise to "the overcomers." Who are the overcomers?

"Overcomers" is best understood as a general designation applicable to all genuine believers. In general, an overcomer in the New Testament is one who believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God (1 John 5:5). His faith enables him to overcome the world with all its temptations and allurements (1 John 5:4). Our battle is with wicked spirits in heavenly places but we are able to stand with God's armour on (Ephesians 6:11-17). Thus, an overcomer  in Ephesus might be one who shows the genuineness of his faith in Christ by repenting when he has backslidden from his first love. This does not imply that they are saved by overcoming but that their overcoming proves the reality of their salvation. The only way men are saved is by grace through faith in Christ.

The Lord's promise here is to give to the believers the privilege of eating the fruit of "the tree of life" in God's great garden in heaven. This tree of life was in the garden of Eden and Adam was not allowed to eat its fruit, because he had sinned and had to die (Genesis 2:9; 3:22). Now it is God's will that we should live forever (John 10:10). Eating the fruit of the tree of life is a picture of living forever (22:2, 14).

The noun "paradise" (Greek: παράδεισος, transliteration: paradeisos) is derived from a Persian noun describing a pleasure garden and park with wild animals built for Persians rulers. The tree of life is in Paradise. The dying thief went straight to Paradise (Luke 23:43) and Paul was there for a short time (2 Corinthians 12:4). It is a name for the abode of God, a permanent home of the redeemed with Christ. The beauty and satisfaction of such a future "paradise" furnish ample incentive for those in this church to overcome by heeding the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. THE LETTER TO SMYRNA: CHURCH OF MARTYRDOM (2:8-11)

2.1. History of the Church of Smyrna

The founding of the Christian church in Smyrna is a mystery. Perhaps it came during Paul's three-year stay in nearby Ephesus. Whatever its origin, it is safe to say that nowhere was life more dangerous for a Christian. Under the tyranny of Domitian (AD 81-96) emperor worship was made compulsory for every Roman citizen. Each year every citizen had to burn incense on Caesar's altar, after which he was issued a certificate. To be without a certificate, was to risk the death penalty. If anyone refused to confess "Caesar is Lord" along with his burning of incense, he was considered disloyal and became the object of persecution by the local and imperial governments.

About a half-century after John's time, Polycarp, a famous early church father who died about AD 155, assumed the office of bishop in the church in Smyrna. He was burned alive at the age of 86 in Smyrna. The martyrdom of Polycarp was not an isolated case, mass executions of Christians happened on numbers of occasions. Joining hands with the Romans to persecute Christians was a very large Jewish community in Smyrna. The Jews incited the local governor to attack them.

2.2. Christ the Eternal One (2:8)

Verse 2:8

The name "Smyrna" either means bitterness or "myrrh." Bitterness is certainly an appropriate description for the lot of the Christians who lived there. They experienced severe persecution and all the hardships that accompany it. "Myrrh" is a resinous ointment, i.e., a sweet perfume, used in embalming dead bodies. This word is found in the New Testament in the birth, death, and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:11; Mark 15:23; John 19:39-40). This "embalming" idea suggested by "Smyrna" increases the name's appropriateness to the church situation in light of the martyrdom for which these Christians were apparently destined.

"Myrrh" was included in the holy anointing oil used in the Tabernacle worship in the Old Testament (Exodus 30:23). It was also a common perfume and is mentioned as used by the bridegroom in the Song of Solomon 3:6-11. The fragrance of Christ as the bridegroom is thus represented by the myrrh. So, myrrh speaks of the sorrow which the Smyrna church would have, but their faithfulness to Christ would be like a sweet smell to God (cf. Exodus 30:7-8; Revelation 5:8).

The Lord Jesus described Himself as the "first and the last, who died and came to life" (1:17, 18). This was a remarkable description of Christ for those who might be killed for their faith. The Christians of Smyrna might face death or trials and the Lord told them that He too had done so and He had risen again. He is the eternal God who Himself had overcome death. So would they.

2.3. Commendation of Faithfulness in Trial (2:9)

Verse 2:9

The Lord Jesus knew they were having great "tribulation and poverty." He assures them that He knows of their oppression by their enemies and its resulting tribulation. Their extreme poverty is explained by the fact that they had been robbed of their goods in the process of their persecution. Besides, the Lord Jesus Himself had become poor (2 Corinthians 8:9), therefore He knows what it is like.

With a contrasting parenthetical remark, the Lord Jesus notes the prosperity of His addresses in Smyrna. While poor in a material sense, they were spiritually rich before God (Matthew 6:20; 2 Corinthians 8:9; James 2:5; Hebrews 10:34).

The noun "slander" is a direct reference to false charges against Christians. False charges could easily have resulted in imprisonment or death penalty for the faithful Christians in Smyrna.

Jews persecuted the early Christians and stirred up the Gentiles to do the same (Act 13:50; 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13; 18:2; 20:3; 21:11; 23:12; 25:2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 15). Symrna must have been converted Jews. Otherwise, the opposition of the rest of the Jewish community would not have been so strong.

In verse 2 there were those who said they were apostles and were liars. Now we have those who said they were "Jews but were not." These professing Jews were physical descendants of Abraham or proselytes to Judaism (Philippians 3:3; Romans 2:28, 29). The New Testament often denies the title to those of the Abrahamic lineage physically but not spiritually (Matthew 3:9; 2 Corinthians 11:22; Philippians 3:4-10). Like the Jews of John 8:31-47 who claimed to be descendants of Abraham, these were instead children of the devil.

They are the "synagogue of Satan." They assembled and planned their assault on the church, putting themselves at the disposal of the devil to carry out his will. They may have claimed to be the assembly of the Lord (Numbers 16:3, 9; 20:4; 31:16), but in God's eyes these people were not true Jews but were servants of Satan.

2.4. The Exhortation (2:10)

Verse 2:10

The Lord Jesus had nothing bad to say about the church in Smyrna, but He told them not to be afraid of the trouble which they would soon have to face. Christ predicted that the devil, working through his servants, the Jews and the Romans, would succeed in putting some of them into "prison." Satan's purpose in bringing these hardships was to try the "faith" of the whole body of believers by casting some of their number into prison to see if they would give up and go back to the Jewish or heathen religion. Satan hoped to bring them to renounce their "faith" in Christ by promoting conditions of physical suffering.

2.4.1. Why the God permits Christian suffering?

The problem of human suffering raised in the message to the church at Smyrna has occupied the minds of men through the centuries. Why the godly should suffer as in the case of the Smyrna church. Why the God permits the suffering? The answer to this question is the sovereignty of God. An explanation is given in Scripture for varied aspects of Christian suffering:

1. It may be disciplinary as indicated in God's dealings with the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:30-32; Hebrews 12:3-13);

2. It may be preventative as illustrated in Paul's thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7);

3. The experience of suffering is educative otherwise the child of God may remain unlearned (Romans 5:3-5; Hebrews 5:8); and

4. Through suffering can often bear a better testimony for Christ (Acts 9:16).

The experience of the church at Smyrna was designed by an infinitely wise and loving God for their good as well as for the better testimony of the gospel.

2.4.2. Interpretations of the ten days of tribulation

Different interpretations of the "ten days of tribulation" are listed below:

1. It refers to the symbolic meaning of the ten specific periods of persecution under the Roman emperors during the 1st to the 3rd century, assuming that the seven churches correspond to church history as a whole. They are Nero (AD 54), Domitian (AD 81), Trajan (AD 98), Adrian (AD 117), Septimus Severus (AD 193), Maximin (AD 235), Decius (AD 249), Valerian (AD 254), Aurelian (AD 270) and Diocletian (AD 284).

2. The ten days are literal and refer to an unknown persecution within a definite period of time during the generation to which this message was addressed. Such limited periods of persecution are well known in biblical history (Genesis 7:4; 40:12, 13, 20; Numbers 14:33; Esther 3:13; Ezekiel 4:1-8; Matthew 12:40). No reason to interpret the ten days as symbolic. This is the most natural understanding of the expression in epistolary literature such as this.

They would have terrible trouble, but it would not last forever, God would limit the time. They should be ready to die for Christ. He promised to give the faithful ones "a crown of life." Christ had already given them the gift of eternal life as all true believers have received this (John 17:3). But God will also give us wonderful rewards if we serve Christ. Other crowns are recorded in 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4.

2.5. The Promise to the overcomers (2:11)

Verse 2:11

"The one who overcomes" might lose his physical life for Christ's sake but he would not be hurt by "the second death." The second death is the lake of fire (20:14; 21:8), and no believer will ever go there. Unbelievers are given over to this destiny at the Great White Throne judgment (20:11-15). This is more than physical death; this is eternal death. The idea behind the second death is recorded in (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29). It is not annihilation, but conscious eternal punishment (Revelation 20:10; 21:8).

Believers who have died will be raised from death at "the rapture of the church" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; Revelation 12:5) and they will not be hurt by the second death (20:6). Here the Lord gives this special promise to His faithful martyrs.

3. THE LETTER TO PERGAMUM: CHURCH OF INDISCRIMINATE TOLERATION (2:12-17)

3.1. History of the Church of Pergamum

Pergamum was a wealthy city with many temples devoted to idol worship and full of statues, altars, and sacred groves. It was an important religious centre where the pagan cults of Athena, Asklepios, Dionysos and Zeus were prominent. One of the prominent buildings was the magnificent temple of Asklepios, a pagan god whose idol was in the form of a wreathed serpent, the symbol of medicine. Asklepios was often referred to as "savior." It might be this fact that caused the Lord to refer to Pergamum as the place of Satan's throne (2:13).

PERGAMUM

The symbol of medicine was in the form of a wreathed serpent

On the other hand, the reference may be to the enormous altar of Zeus which dominated the city and which could be seen for miles. This altar was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Despite the city's idol worship, it was the first in Asia to have a temple devoted to the worship of the Roman emperor, Julius Caesar, on 29 BC. A second temple for emperor worship was added during the reign of Trajan.

PERGAMUM

The remains of the temple of Trajan

Compared to all the surrounding cities, Caesar-worship was the most intense here. In other cities a Christian might be in danger on only one day a year when a pinch of incense had to be burned in worship of the emperor. In Pergamum, Christians were in danger every day of the year for the same reason. Antipas (his name means "against all") had been martyred for his confession of the Lord Jesus. He was the first Asian to die for resisting the worship of Roman emperor.

3.2. Christ the Judge of Compromise (2:12)

Verse 2:12

The name "Pergamum" either means high tower or thoroughly married. This letter presents the Lord as the One who has the sharp two-edged sword (1:16). The term "sharp two-edged sword" may have the following meanings:

1. This is the sword of judgment with which He will judge evil-doers in the assembly and also defeat His enemies in battle (2:16; 19:15, 21). It indicates a higher authority for Christ than that bestowed by the Roman Empire. It denotes Christ's ultimate conquest of all the world powers, not Rome.

2. It may also refer to the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Its representation as a double-edged sword indicates on the one hand the sword as the Word of God which separates the ones who receive the message of grace from condemnation with the world. On the other hand, the same Word of God is the means of condemnation for those who refuse the message of grace. The Word of God is at once the instrument of salvation and the instrument of death.

3.3. Commendation for Holding Fast (2:13)

Verse 2:13

Works are good if they are the result of faith, and the Lord knows if we have faith and love and also if we are looking for Him. The church of Pergamum was in a wicked city where most of the people worshipped idols.

3.3.1. The location of the Satan's throne

The Lord said "Satan's throne" was there and Satan lived there. There are several locations of the Satan's throne have been suggested by Bible scholars:

1. It is the seat of worship of Asklepios whose image portrayed the god holding a serpent, an image that would remind Christians of Satan (Genesis 3:1-15; Revelation 12:9; 20:2). This interpretation perhaps goes too far in identifying Pergamum as the leading place in the fulfillment of later prophecies of the Apocalypse (12:9; 20:2).

2. This refers to the future "the day of the Lord." The throne of Satan connects somehow with Revelation 13:2, a throne and great authority to the beast out of the sea will be given by the great read dragon of Revelation 12. The throne of beast mentioned in Revelation 16:10 will be at Pergamum. The martyrdom prominent in this letter will characterize that future time (6:9-10; 13:10; 20:4). However, martyrdom has also been characteristic of the past.

3. The city was a leader in this form of Caesar worship, which was new to the province of Asia. Emperor worship is viewed as an agency of Satan's power. Probably Antipas, the city's Christian martyr (2:13), was the victim of Rome, because only the government had the power of issuing death penalty. John's personal circumstances (i.e., exile to Patmos) probably made him believe that Rome was the most recent and strongest agent of Satan because of its demands for absolute allegiance to the state and because in her was embodied the epitome of all paganism and worldliness. This new Caesar-worship was the greatest threat to the existence of the church in this city. This suggestion offers a satisfactory explanation of Pergamum' preeminence in being the location of the throne of Satan.

3.3.2. The identity of Antipas

As a symbol of the faithfulness of these Christians in Pergamum, one of the early martyrs is here named as "Antipas." Nothing certain is known about this man except what this passage tells, but tradition suggests that he was burned to death in a bronze bull during the reign of Domitian. His name means "against all" which symbolizes that he may have stood alone against the forces of evil and was faithful even unto death.

3.3.3. The meaning of holding fast my name

Still the believers "held fast to the name of Christ," even when one of them (i.e., Antipas) died rather than give up his faith in the Lord. What it means to hold fast Christ's name? There are two possible meanings:

1. It may speak of doctrinal conformity, that is the revelation by which Christ made Himself known.

2. It may refer to personal loyalty to Christ as Lord with a consequent refusal to submit to the worship of Caesar, that is faithfulness to Christ in spite of adverse pressures. Personal faithfulness is more in keeping with the message because it speaks of Antipas' faithfulness to Christ under duress.

In the trial of Polycarp in this city a few years later, the test of his loyalty was whether he would curse Christ. In later contexts of the Apocalypse, holding fast to Christ's name is manifested in not receiving the mark of the beast (13:15-17).

3.4. Rebuke for Compromise of the Doctrine of Balaam (2:14)

Verse 2:14

But the Christians in Pergamum allowed false teachers who strongly held two wrong doctrines: the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

3.4.1. The story of Balaam in the Old Testament

The meaning of the Hebrew word בִּלְעָ֔ם for "Balaam" is swallowers of the people. Balaam persistently refused the request of Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel (Numbers 23:9, 10, 19-24; 24:5-9, 16-24). But he wanted money so badly that he taught king Balak how to make the people of Israel sin. He advised Balak that Israel would forfeit God's protection if he could induce them to intermarry with the heathen and compromise in idolatrous worship (Numbers 31:16).

Balaam taught Balak how to put "a stumbling block" into the path of Israel. Metaphorically these words referred to anything over which a person might stumble into sin. The women of Moab were deliberately thrown in the way of unsuspecting people of Israel for the purpose of causing their downfall (Numbers 25:1-2). The Israelites committed sin with the women of Moab and ate food which had been sacrificed to idols (Numbers 25:1, 2). Thus, there was a plague among the congregation. Moses was angry with the children of Israel (Numbers 31:15-18). This tragic incident at Peor made a deep impression on subsequent generations of Israelites.

3.4.2. The problems in the church of Pergamum

As an alleged prophet of God, Balaam betrayed his calling. Two other New Testament passages refer to the example of Balaam (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11). Two lessons can be learned from the negative example of Balaam:

1. Balaam sold his gift for profit, his sin of greed is the primary sin to be avoided. False teachers today love money (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11), and they lead people into sin and false religion to get more money for themselves.

2. These Balaamites at Pergamum taught others to relax their principles the way Balaam did. They advocated that it was legitimate for Christians to participate in idolatrous feasts and sexual immorality which were so characteristic of the pagan surroundings in Asia Minor. This wrong practice has also been rebuked by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 6:15-18; 10:19-28). False cults today teach their followers to practice idolatrous worship and sexual immorality.  This literal interpretation is more preferable.

Undoubtedly intermarriage with the heathen and spiritual compromise were real issues in Pergamum. It would be difficult for Christians in this city to have any kind of social contact with the outside world without becoming involved with the worship of idols or in the matter of intermarriage with non-Christians. Yet some in Pergamum who professed to be Christians had yielded to religious cultural pressure, and the church had not pronounced against them.

Today false teachers or professing Christians advocate that it is legitimate for Christians to intermarriage with non-Christians. This wrong practice has been rebuked by the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). Genuine Christians love the Word of God and they feel happy to obey it.

3.5. Rebuke for Compromise of the Doctrine of Nicolaitans (2:15)

Verse 2:15

The adverbs "so" and "also" serve to relate them to the Nicolaitan influence in Ephesus (Revelation 2:6). This makes the sense of the verse, "so" (in like manner with the Ephesian church) you "also" (as well as the Ephesian church). Others in Pergamum also held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which the Lord Jesus hated (2:6).

There are two suggestions relating to the group of Balaam and the group of Nicolaitans:

1. The two groups are the same and their teaching is similar. A major weakness to interpret the two groups the same is that it would destroy the historical illustration by which the present sect is described. Another problem is that John could have made it much plainer that they are the same if this were true.

2. The two groups are not the same but their teaching is similar. This is the most probable suggestion.

The deeds of the Nicolaitans are mentioned in the letter to Ephesus. The deeds have now become a doctrine. What was at first tolerated as an unscriptural practice is now accepted as an unscriptural principle.

3.6. Warning to Repent (2:16)

Verse 2:16

The Lord's only command to Pergamum was "repent", to change their mind about these evil things and to do what was right, reject these false teachers. He is "coming to you soon to make war against them." The Lord's "coming soon" can be understood in the following ways:

1. A special coming in the form of some pestilence or physical calamity could have taken place a short time later in punishment of this church (compare 1 Corinthians 11:30-32).

2. It may refer to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to make war with the evil-doers.

Being tolerant of the Nicolaitans makes the whole church as guilty as those who hold false doctrine. Unwillingness to repent shows that a person is not a genuine believer. This is an urgent call from the Lord Jesus to the church at Pergamum to demonstrate its genuineness by repenting of its tolerance toward the false doctrines of Balaam and Nicolaitans.

What if they refused to obey? The Lord Jesus would quickly come to them and fight against the false teachers by "the sword of His mouth." The "sword" mentioned here representing the divine judgment (i.e., slaying the wicked) corresponding to that given in Revelation 19:15. In the Old Testament, the angel of the Lord opposed Balaam, the false prophet, with the sword (Numbers 22:23).

3.7. Invitation and Promise (2:17)

Verse 2:17

The Lord Jesus also told the other churches, including Ephesus, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea, to repent. He did not find anything bad at Smyrna or Philadelphia so there was no need to repent. Three things were promised to the overcomers in Pergamum:

1. He would be able to eat the "hidden manna";

2. He would be given a "white stone"; and

3. This stone also has a "new name" which no one else can know except the Lord Jesus and the one who receives it.

3.7.1. The hidden manna

The overcomers kept himself from idolatry, immorality and infidelity. He refused to eat things sacrificed to idols. The Lord Jesus will reward the overcomers with the "hidden manna." There are several suggested meanings for "hidden manna":

1. The future reward, i.e., when the Lord Jesus Christ come back, He will reward His faithful Christians;

2. The fellowship with Christ, i.e., the close relationship between Christ and His saints;

3. The present spiritual food of the saints, i.e., the understanding of deeper spiritual truth; and

4. The future heritage of spiritual food of the saints in heaven, i.e., the pot of manna in the true Ark of the Covenant in the heavenly location.

According to the Old Testament, the manna was food poured down from heaven in miraculous provision for the children of Israel throughout their wilderness journey replacing the onions and garlic of Egypt (Exodus 16:13-31). A pot of that manna was hidden by Moses in the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies of the tabernacle (Exodus 16:32-34).

According to the second view, to eat the hidden manna is to express in a symbolic way that the overcomers may feast upon Christ in the hidden place (i.e., fellowship with Christ). The wicked would prefer the luxurious banquet of the world. The saint of God would prefer to be alone with the Lord enjoying spiritual food.

In the old days, some of the Jews did not think the manna was good enough (Numbers 11:6). God has given us His Word for our present spiritual food in this world (Matthew 4:4), but many do not think it is enough, they also accept the false teaching of men. So, the Lord promises the overcomers to have the ability to understand the deeper spiritual truths which are hidden from others.

According to the fourth view, tradition taught that Jeremiah hid the ark before the destruction of Jerusalem, and it will not be recovered until Israel is restored in the future (2 Maccabees 2:4-8). The heavenly location of the true ark of which the earthly ark is a picture (Hebrews 8:5; 9:24; Revelation 11:19). The manna within that ark is the proper and heavenly food of God's people in contrast to the unhallowed food offered to idols. The other three suggestions may be incorporated with this identification. The symbolism of future reward, the fellowship with Christ, and the present satisfaction of the saints with this spiritual food as a fore-taste of future fullness are all in the background of "the hidden manna."

3.7.2. The white stone

The overcomers would also get a "white stone." There are three possible interpretations regarding the identity of the "white stone":

1. In courts of law being given a white stone is thought to represent acquittal in contrast to a black stone which would indicate condemnation. As the overcomers are genuine believers, there will not be condemned by the God.

2. In Roman Empire, the ticket for admission to entertainments was in the form of white stone with one's name written on it.

3. It was a custom to reward victors at games with such a token enabling them to gain admission to a special feast. This practice coincides with the victor's participation in the feast of 3:20 & 19:9. The "hidden manna" suggests a reference to the Lord's feast, then the "white stone" would serve as the overcomers' admission ticket to this great future feast. This is the most satisfactory interpretation of the "white stone."

3.7.3. The new name

In the Old Testament the high priest had the names of the 12 tribes of Israel inscribed upon the stones carried upon his breast, symbolic of the fact that whenever he appeared before God, he was a mediator representing the entire 12 tribes of Israel (Exodus 28:21).

This stone has a "new name" which no one else can know except the Lord and the one who receives it. This shows that God knows us each one, we will never be lost in the crowd. There will be many overcomers in heaven but the Lord will know each one and call him by his own special name. The "new name" is the recipient's own name, a new one, reflecting his status as belonging to Christ (compare Genesis 32:28; Isaiah 62:2; 65:15). The "new name" denotes the overcomer's new state in the time of the consummation. A secret name suggested invulnerability.

3.8. The parallel in the history of the church at Pergamum

The parallel in the history of the church to the temptation and failure foreshadowed at Pergamum is 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.

Near the end of the 4th century, it 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. The history of the three centuries which followed is a record of increasing corruption of the church, and an attempt to combine Christian theology with pagan philosophy. As a result, the church soon lost its hope of the imminent return of Christ, and basic bible doctrine was replaced by a complicated church organization which invented human creeds. 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.

4. THE LETTER TO THYATIRA: CHURCH OF COMPROMISE (2:18-29)

4.1. History of the Church of Thyatira

As there is no record in Scripture of any evangelistic effort in the city of Thyatira, it may be possible that the church at Thyatira was founded through the testimony of a woman. Paul's first convert in Europe was a woman from Asia Minor, from Thyatira (Acts 16:14-15). Thyatira was famous for the manufacture of purple cloth. Lydia, living in Philippi, was engaged in selling this cloth. Could it be that after her conversion she hurried home to Thyatira with the great news? Or did she perhaps make converts of the dye salesmen who called on her? Or might she have written long letters home telling of the coming of Paul, of the demon-possessed girl, of the jailor, and of her own wholehearted conversion to Christ? We cannot say. But at least there is a possibility that the testimony of Lydia might have played a part in the founding of the church at Thyatira.

One thing is sure, a woman played a prominent part in the foundering of the church at Thyatira. This church made shipwreck over, including:

1. the preaching;

2. the precepts; and

3. the practices of a woman.

Some Bible translation versions render the phrase "that woman Jezebel" as "your woman (i.e., wife) Jezebel" (Revelation 2:20). If this translation is correct, then the inference would be that this woman was the wife of the presiding elder or pastor at Thyatira.

4.2. Christ the Holy One (2:18)

Verse 2:18

The name "Thyatira" means "perpetual sacrifice." Christ is introduced as "the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished bronze." In 1:14-15 a similar description is given where Christ is pictured as the righteous Judge who, knowing all things, can stamp out every evil. Here, of Christ is called the "Son of God" in contrast to the designation in 1:13 where He is called the "Son of Man." His title here is in keeping with the character of the judgment pronounced upon the church. Their diversion from the true worship of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God was so serious that it called for a reiteration of His deity.

The description of "eyes like a flame of fire" speaks of burning indignation and purifying judgment. There was more than enough in this church to make the Lord's eyes blaze with indignation. When we remember that the church at Thyatira may also represent the church in history between the age of Constantine and the dawning of the Reformation we do not wonder at His wrath.

In a similar way, His feet are declared to be like "burnished bronze" which is a symbol of judgment. There was a lot to judge in this church. Judgment must begin in the house of God.

4.3. Commendation of Love, Faith and Service (2:19)

Verse 2:19

The prominent works of the church at Thyatira are fully aware by the omniscient Christ, therefore He commends the church in a remarkable way.

"Love and faith" are motive forces for Christian activity, and "service and patient endurance" are the results that flow from these motive forces. In other words, love is demonstrated in service to others and faith is shown through endurance of hardship imposed through persecution. Neither of the previous churches is commended for love as Thyatira is. Unlike Ephesus (2:4), Thyatira still has love. This love is doubtless directed toward God and man. Thyatira is distinguished among all seven churches as being the only one commended for both love and service. Faithfulness is an unwavering devotion in following Christ. It is also the quality necessary to withstand the pressure being brought against the faithful remnant of the church (2:25) and to produce a steadfast endurance under trial.

"Service" is a ministry to the needs of others (Acts 11:29; 1 Corinthians 16:15). This is voluntary service as compared with that rendered by the slave, whose obligation was to render service to his master. Such voluntary service involved the supplying of food to the needy. Such acts in Thyatira appear to have been of the kind indicated in Romans 15:25, 31; 1 Corinthians 16:15; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1; Hebrews 6:10.

The "patient endurance" of this church resulting from the strong faith of its members also receives commendation. To withstand such pressure without wavering is expected of all followers of Christ (Matthew 16:24-26).

The "latter works" of this church were more in number or in quality, perhaps both, than their earlier ones. As time progressed, their works had grown. This highly commendable state of affairs was the opposite of what had happened in Ephesus (compare Revelation 2:5; Matthew 12:45; 2 Peter 2:20). In spite of these most commendable features, the church at Thyatira was guilty of terrible sin, and with this fact Christ deals beginning in verse 20.

4.4. Indictment for Spiritual Wickedness (2:20)

Verse 2:20

4.4.1. The problems in the church of Thyatira

The Lord Jesus had something against the believers at Thyatira, and this time it was very serious. Their guilt was greater than that of their neighbors in Ephesus and Pergamum. The Ephesians hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, yet the Thyatirans not only had their own problem among them, but also permitted it to remain. They tolerated a woman called "Jezebel" to teach and to lead the church to "practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols." The Bible said that women should learn in silence and not teach in the church (1 Timothy 2:11; 1 Corinthians 14:34), but this woman called herself a "prophetess," as if she had been sent by God.

4.4.2. The story of Jezebel

God called her "Jezebel." This was the name of the pagan wife of king Ahab (1 Kings 16:31). She was a wicked woman who with 450 false prophets tried to make the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to worship the god Baal (1 Kings 18:19). She was responsible for the killing of Naboth and possession of his vineyard for her husband (1 Kings 21:1-16). She had also killed practically all the prophets of the Lord and attempted to kill the Prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:2). She used witchcraft and stirred up her husband, King Ahab, to engage in immoralities and magical practices (1 Kings 21:25; 2 Kings 9:22). So evil was Jezebel's character that she is singled out by Elijah for a special prophecy that she would come to a sudden dead and that her body would be eaten by dogs (1 Kings 21:23). This prophecy fulfilled in 2 Kings 9:33-35. She is therefore a symbol of immorality and idolatry.

4.4.3. The applications of the name Jezebel

To whom the name Jezebel applies here is problematic. There are several suggestions:

1. She was a church leader and her real name was Jezebel. However, it is not a good suggestion as no one is willing to use the name of a wicked woman.

2. Jezebel was a symbolical name for the wife of the presiding elder or pastor at Thyatira. Some Bible translation versions render the phrase "that woman Jezebel" as "your woman" or "your wife." The presiding elder tolerated his wife to teach evil doctrines, in the same way as Ahab allowed Jezebel to teach and persecute.

3. Jezebel was a symbolical name for an influential woman in the church of Thyatira. She was like the wife of Ahab and claimed to be a prophetess, seeking to mislead the people. The claim to be a prophetess must be referred to an individual rather than a group of people. She may have attained her dominance in the church partially through the example of another woman, Lydia (Acts 16:14), who may have been the first one to bring the gospel to this city. The two women shared the same characteristics of leadership, but they were totally different in character from one another. This is the most probable suggestion.

In the New Testament, some females possessed the gift of prophecy. A prophetess, Anna, whose prophetic gift enabled her to recognize the Lord Jesus when His parents presented Him in the Temple shortly after His birth (Luke 2:36-39). The daughters of Philip engaged in prophesying (Acts 21:8-9). In the 1st century church, a prophet was an inspired messenger of God who ranked high, just behind the apostles, in the capability of edifying the church (1 Corinthians 12:28). But the early church also had false prophets just as the Balaam and Jezebel in the Old Testament. Jezebel's alleged special revelations from God qualified her as an authoritative teacher and leader in the church of Thyatira. The critical problem being that she was leading people astray.

4.5. The Stubbornness of the Heresy (2:21)

Verse 2:21

The Lord Jesus warned Jezebel and "gave her time to repent." She still does not desire "to repent of her sexual immorality." She will continue her present course of action. Her refusal to repent pertains specifically to her "sexual immorality." "Sexual immorality" can be understood in a figurative sense to refer to corrupt doctrines she taught and religious infidelity she generated. Religious infidelity is often spoken of in the Old Testament under the figure of harlotry (e.g., Jeremiah 3:6; Ezekiel 23:19; Hosea 9:1). Similarly, participation in the pagan feast involved professing Christians in the worship of other pagan gods.

Yet, the literal sense of the verb "sexual immorality" (Greek: πορνεία, transliteration: porneia) must refer to literal sexual sins. It may be possible that the feasts dedicated to pagan gods would accompany with sexual abuse activities. Due to the above reasons, the Thyatira Jezebel must have been guilty of practicing and promoting sexual immorality also.

4.6. The Suppression of the Heresy (2:22-23)

Verse 2:22

Because she refused to repent, the Lord was going to give her a "sickbed" in place of her "adultery bed." God also warned those who followed her teaching and /or "committed adultery" with her would be thrown into a bed of "great tribulation" unless they forsook her and escaped from her deeds. The judgment of a "sickbed" must be something of a devastating nature because of the "great tribulation" that parallels it later in the verse. There are several possibilities regarding the meanings of "bed":

1. It refers to Sheol. The use of bed to refer to future pestilence and death and even eternal perdition, Isaiah 14:11 supports this possibility.

2. It refers to illness. The symbol may be intended to contrast a sickbed with a bed of adultery. The bed was a common way of referring to illness in Scripture (Exodus 21:18; Psalms 41:3; Matthew 9:2; Mark 7:30). Adultery is mentioned in the next clause, making the bed a powerful symbol for sickness as a natural contrast to such sinful activity. She is punished in the same place where she sinned.

3. It refers to the period of future "Great Tribulation" that comes in conjunction with Christ's second advent. This meaning is the most probable one, because the woman and her following would then have the same destiny. As noted above, the bed sometimes refers to pestilence and death and even of eternal perdition. If future "Great Tribulation" eventually leads to perdition, then the figurative meaning of hell is applicable here also. Furthermore, the word of encouragement to the faithful at Thyatira is based on the note of the Lord's future coming (2:25), making it probable that the word of warning to the unfaithful is looking to the same future coming (compare 2:5, 16). The warning to the followers of Jezebel is that of being thrust into the "Great Tribulation" period of the last days.

Verse 2:23

And the Lord Jesus "will strike her children with disease." The possible meanings of "her children" are as follows:

1. These were the actual children of Jezebel, probably born through her adulterous activities. In the Old Testament, death was the fate of children born to Ahab (2 Kings 10:7), and a comparison with Ahab's wife underlies much of this message (2:20). According to Jewish belief, a parent's sin was implicated upon his family (Daniel 6:24). This is the kind of judgment seen in the smiting of the child of David and Bathsheba also (2 Samuel 12:14).

2. Jezebel’s children were not her biological but her spiritual children. Jezebel undoubtedly was not the false prophetess’s real name, but like the infamous wife of King Ahab, she was Satan’s agent to corrupt God’s people. Therefore, the Lord branded her with the symbolic name Jezebel. These people had embraced the evil doctrines of their spiritual mother and are properly referred to as her spiritual offspring. This is the most probable meaning.

And all the churches will know that "I am the one who searches mind and hearts." Christ's divine judgment on the children of Jezebel will become a matter of public knowledge among the seven churches. Judgment is not only disciplinary; it is exemplary (1 Timothy 5:20). There are lessons to be learned from God's actions in judgment that have a salutary effect on those who see it.

The immediate reference to "all the churches" refers to these seven churches in the Asia Minor, but in the broader purpose of the book of Revelation "all the churches" represents the church universal of all times.

The Lord Jesus is one who "searches the reins and hearts" (Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10; 20:12; Psalms 7:9; Proverbs 24:12). Christ has demonstrated such omniscience in His appraisal of Jezebel and her followers. They cannot hide their evil from Him.

Finally, the Lord Jesus is perfect in judgment. He "will give to each of you according to your works." In Scripture, judgment is always according to works (Romans 2:6; Revelation 20:12-13). The Lord who perfectly knows all that we do, the underlying motives and causes of our actions, their ultimate outcome, is the only one able to give perfect divine judgment (1 Samuel 2:3; Daniel 5:27; Matthew 15:19; 1 Corinthians 4:5).

4.7. Exhortation to the Faithful Remnant (2:24-25)

Verse 2:24

In Thyatira there were some believers "who did not hold this teaching." We may call these people the remnant. In Elijah's time there was a remnant in Israel who would not worship Baal (1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4, 5). In Thyatira the remnant rejected the teaching of the false prophetess and did not go down as far as the others in "the deep things of Satan." The Lord Jesus spoke of the synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9), the throne of Satan (2:13) and here of the depths of Satan (2:24).

There are two possible meanings of "the deep things of Satan":

1. Tradition reveals that a number of heretical sects boasted of their knowledge of "the deep things" which are matters that are hidden and beyond man's scrutiny. If man is to know them, he must have supernatural help. This would correspond with Jezebel's claim to be a prophetess (2:20), whereby she professed to introduce her followers to "the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10; Romans 11:33).

2. It is better to view this as an actual fanatical group which held that a Christian could not sin (compare 1 John 1:10; 3:9). They were similar to the group in Corinth who shared in idolatrous feasts and prided themselves in their knowledge in proving the harmlessness of such participation. On this ground Jezebel encouraged her followers to participate as fully as possible in the pagan society. They could well boast about knowing the deep things of Satan, because Satan's knowledge told them that such things were harmless (1 Corinthians 8:1-4) or because they were so sure of their sinlessness (1 John 1:10; 3:9) that they felt themselves to be immune. The heretics rejoiced in their freedom to explore the sphere of Satan's rule.

For those who have maintained purity from the defilement of Jezebel and her doctrine, the Lord Jesus promised not to put any other "burden" on them. The "burden" upon the remnant is that of resisting the pressure of Jezebel and her group. Choosing to abstain from her evil practices doubtless resulted in ridicule. All the faithful remnant must endure is the social pressure resulting from their stand against adultery and eating meat sacrificed to idols.

Verse 2:25

In light of the pressure upon the faithful remnant (i.e., genuine Christians), the Lord Jesus urged them to "hold fast" to what they already have and to await the second coming of the Lord. The nearness of the Lord's coming is held up as an incentive to stand true in the face of pressure to compromise right standards of behavior.

4.8. The Invitation and Promise (2:26-29)

Verse 2:26

People in Thyatira were busy with their good works, but some of their deeds were very evil. True believers could overcome by "keeping" on with the Lord's words, not those of the false prophetess. The Lord Jesus promised two things to the overcomers:

1. will give him authority over the nations (Revelation 2:26); and

2. will give him the morning star (2:28).

The overcomers (i.e., genuine Christians) would have "authority over the nations" with Christ in His Kingdom. They will share the Messiah's (i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ) victory over His enemies (Psalms 2:8, 9). This promise is the first definitive reference in Revelation to the coming Millennial kingdom, which will be established when Christ returns to earth (Revelation 12:5; 19:15; 20:4-6).

Verse 2:27

The "broken in pieces" of the "earthen pots" indicates a rule of destruction. The overcomers will join Christ in destroying the nations who oppose Him. The "rod of iron" is a shepherd's oaken club, capped with iron and capable of inflicting severe punishment. The "rod of iron" symbolizes a royal scepter with which a rigorous rule is achieved.

Vessels of a potter are made of clay that has been cooked until brittle. Such material when struck with a sharp blow shatter into hundreds of pieces, a graphic picture of the collapse of the Lord's enemies at their future confrontation with Him and also the complete victory of the Lord Jesus.

The source of the Lord Jesus' "authority" comes from His "Father" (Psalms 2:7-8). The Lord Jesus will bestow the "authority" on His followers.

Verse 2:28

The second promise to the overcomers is "the morning star." There are two proposals to the meaning of "the morning star":

1. It is a symbol of Christ. The morning star is seen early before the day comes. Just as the morning star appears in the sky before the sun rises, Christ will appear as the morning star to "rapture the church" to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) before He appears as Sun of Righteousness to reign over the earth (Malachi 4:2).

2. It is a symbol of the faithful. A preferable understanding of the morning star is the promise that in the Messianic kingdom (i.e., Millennial kingdom), the righteous will shine as stars. The future privileges of the faithful are likened to the stars (Daniel 12:3).

This second promise to the overcomers reinforces the first. It presents in symbolic form the role of the overcomers as ruling with the Messiah following the putting down of His enemies at His second advent.

Verse 2:29

The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The letter to the church at Thyatira closes with the familiar invitation to individual "who has an ear, let him hear" (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17). In the first three letters we have the promise to the overcomers after the command to hear what the Spirit says. In this letter and the last three, this command comes after the promise. This may indicate that from this point, only those overcomers are expected to have an ear to hear "what the Spirit says to the churches." That is to say, the Word of Christ is therefore addressed to any who want to hear, who find themselves in similar need of this exhortation.

4.9. The parallel in the history of the church at Thyatira

The message to the church in Thyatira seems to foreshadow that period of church history known as the Middle Ages preceding the Protestant Reformation. In that period the church became corrupt as it sought to combine Christianity with pagan philosophy and heathen religious rites so that much of the ritual of the church of that period is directly traceable to comparable ceremonies in heathen religions.

The church first acquired its taste for temporal power in the days of Constantine the Great. On the eve of a crucial battle which was to make him master of the world, Constantine saw in a vision a fiery cross bearing the words in hoc signo vinces (in this sign conquer). He took the cross as his symbol, won the battle, and imposed Christianity as state religion on the empire of the world. Since then, a segment of the church has hungered for secular power.

When Constantine became a professing Christian, the pagan religions were transferred bodily into the church. Pagan temples became Christian churches, pagan gods became Christian saints, pagan festivals became Christian feasts (e.g., Christmas on 25th December), pagan customs became the customs of the church.

Along with this, the church experienced spiritual depravity, and idols in the form of religious statues were introduced. Not only gross immorality but spiritual fornication resulted, much as was true in the church of Thyatira. The participation in idol worship and eating of things offered to idols also foreshadows the departure from scriptural doctrine of the finished sacrifice of Christ. In the Middle Ages the false teaching of the "continual sacrifice" of Christ (i.e., the meaning of Thyatira) was advocated, transforming the observance of the Lord's Supper into "continual sacrifice" to Satan.

Nowadays, all the above mentioned false teachings are still existing in some of the Roman Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Liberal Protestant Churches, and False Cults. The Lord Jesus Christ gave them time to repent, but they do not want to repent.

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