Tuesday, September 25, 2018

The Persecuted Church-Revelation 2:8-11


Last week we took a look at Jesus’ message to a church that was preoccupied with good things to the neglect of what was most important. This week we are going to be reading Jesus’ second letter to another church in Asia Minor that was dealing with another issue—persecution. That is right, the church of Smyrna found in Revelation 2:8-11 might best be described as the persecuted church. In his message to this congregation, Jesus follows a similar pattern to what was found in the message to the church in Ephesus with two omissions—there is no word of condemnation nor are there any real words of correction. Other than that, a similar structure is shared by this letter and many of the other messages to the other churches found in Revelation 2-3. Ultimately, in this correspondence we learn how important hope is in the midst of struggle—a message the church in Smyrna could have used and a message that becomes more applicable with every passing day in our increasingly post-Christian context.



1. COMMISSION-2:8a

As with all of the other letters to the churches, Jesus addresses the message “to the angel of the church.” The angel that he writes to second is over the church in Smyrna—a city some 35-40 miles northwest of Ephesus (the destination of the first letter). This major seaport city was situated on the gulf of the Aegean Sea and was claimed as the home of the great poet Homer. Noted for its beauty, some of its coins read “First of Asia in beauty and size”—something with which neighboring rivals Ephesus and Pergamum took issue (Wilson, ZIBBC, 263). The beauty of the city is attested to in its name “Smyrna” which identifies a perfume whose aroma that was released by crushing the resin of a small thorn bush. Also present in this region was the practice of emperor worship.  In fact, as early as 25 A.D. a temple was built there to the Roman Emperor (Hindson, Revelation, 35).

2. CHARACTER-2:8b

Again, in keeping with the organization of the other letters, the speaker or character bringing the message is introduced via an element of the description of Jesus provided to John in chapter 1. “The first and the last” is borrowed from 1:17 and once again identifies Christ as present and active both at the beginning of all things and at the end of all things. He is, in other words, bigger than time itself. “Who was dead and has come to life” (taken from 1:18) once again references Jesus’ entire ministry of redemption (death and resurrection). Taken together with the first description in verse 8, all three fundamentals of the gospel are present—deity, death, and resurrection of Christ. That Jesus would identify himself in this way to this church is important for, as we will soon see, the promise of resurrected life after death, would provide this particular church with the hope they required in the midst of their difficult circumstances. Because Jesus overcame the grave, his people can overcome whatever adversity they face, fully assured of a most glorious future.

We must pay special attention to how Jesus describes himself to each of these churches. If you will remember, to Ephesus he described himself as the omnipotent one (holding the stars in his hand) walking among the seven golden lampstands. Later in that message he threatens to replace the church’s lampstand if they don’t repent and the descriptions of his character mentioned to this body of believers demonstrate that he has both the power and access to do it. In this message, he appeals to his ministry of overcoming trials and overwhelming death with resurrected life in an effort to encourage this church and identify with their plight.

3. COMMENDATION-2:9

Identifying with this church in their struggle is revisited as the commendation is given in verse 9—“I know your tribulation.” Jesus understood and was intimately aware of the very real struggles this church faced in Smyrna. Not only were pagan emperor worshipers persecuting Christians, evidence suggests that the Jewish population in Smyrna was particularly anti-Christian. This rendered ministry especially difficult in this particular context.

The brand of persecution thrust on these Christians led to significant economic hardship. Jesus doesn’t just know their tribulation, he also knows their subsequent poverty (“and your poverty”) (2:9b). Believers had apparently lost their jobs or their businesses after suffering boycotts (Wilson, ZIBBC, 263). This is not unlike what was witnessed in Nazi Germany when Jewish businesses suffered the same plight. In fact, economic discrimination is well known in many parts of the world even today where Christians comprise a minority. It is one brand of persecution that the forces of evil have tried against the people of God for millennia.

However, Jesus, in an encouraging aside, corrects the record.  Though the church members may be outwardly impoverished, Christ sees something totally different when he observes what matters most—the heart—(but you are rich). Perhaps Jesus’ comment betrays the same sentiment shared in Matthew 5 when Jesus says “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3, 10). Though the world would look upon the church at Smyrna and see a poverty-stricken minority group with no one to blame but themselves for stubbornly clinging to their religion, Jesus sees heirs and heiresses of the Kingdom of God.

Not only does Jesus commend this church for enduring persecution and subsequent poverty, he also acknowledges their ability to endure blasphemy-“and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (2:9c). Certain Jews in both Smyrna and Philadelphia (see 3:9) are called a synagogue of Satan. While Satan will receive a more robust introduction in Revelation 12:9, here Christ recognizes the father of lies in his description of this corrosive group in this region. It is woefully unfortunate that some of Christianity’s worst enemies in the first century were hateful Jews. It was the rulers of the synagogues in various Roman cities who often persecuted Paul (see Acts 13:50; 14:2, 19) and Jews were even responsible for Paul’s imprisonment in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27ff). In John’s gospel the Jews are often singled out as vehement enemies of Jesus (John 2:18; 5:18; 10:31). All of these references do not implicate every Jew everywhere, but it does convict those members of Jewish authority structures, particularly in Jerusalem and in other prominent cities like Smyrna, who actively opposed and antagonized Christians in the latter part of the first century. In fact, in keeping with what Paul says about real and spiritual Jews in Romans, these “Jews” that Jesus identifies in Revelation 2:9 are “not” Jews in the truest sense of the word.

Romans 2:29-“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”

Persecution, poverty, and blasphemy surrounded the church in Smyrna rendering it an especially difficult place to do ministry. Though I’m sure the church would have loved for these observations to be followed up with a promise of relief, an ominous call follows this commendation in verse 10.
4. CONDEMNATION-NONE

5. CORRECTION-NONE

6. CALL-2:10

The first element of Jesus’ call upon this church is to fear not—“Do not fear what you are about to suffer” (2:10a). Jesus does not dance around the fact that soon, the persecution will ratchet up even more and he wants the church to be prepared. In spite of the pressure that is to come, Jesus calls for the church to fear not—Lit. “do not be fearing.” Suffering was coming. The word is emphatic as it describes acute physical and/or psychological distress. In spite of this, the believers of Smyrna are encouraged to hang tough.

Is it better or worse to know exactly what to expect when what is coming is going to be uncomfortable? At several of Audrey’s routine doctor’s appointments we as parents debated amongst ourselves whether or not we should tell Audrey that she would be getting a shot. Is entering into it blind better than suffering the anguish of it weighing heavy on your mind for days leading up to the appointment? More often than not, we would tell her ahead of time with the hopes that she would be prepared and not caught off guard. Jesus does the same with this church.

Jesus doesn’t give the church a choice in the matter of knowing or remaining ignorant to what is about to transpire. He tells them exactly how this persecution will occur as verse 10 continues—“Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days” (2:10b). “Fear not!” is followed by “look out!” as Jesus reveals what this church can expect around the corner. Authorities that are inspired by the devil himself are going to throw several of the church members into prison and while there, they will be “tested.” 
Interestingly this word “tested” means “to endeavor or attempt to cause someone to sin.” Often if Satan can’t get someone to sin on their own turf, he will displace them and increase the pressure to make people more susceptible to fall, give in, or give up.  Jesus predicts that while the church has endured a lot already and remained strong, some of them are going to see much worse and will be tempted to throw in the towel. Though the prediction made is bleak, there is a silver lining. The test will only last “ten days.” This is perhaps a figurative reference to Daniel 1:12-15 where the fames vision-interpreter and his three Hebrews friends refused to eat the defiled Babylonian food and were tested for ten days.  When this 10-day assessment was over, the four were vindicated and blessed for their resolve. Jesus seems to indicate that vindication and blessing also await those who will be tested in Smyrna in special ways. 

This is why Jesus ends his call with a third charge—be faithful!. Fear not! Look out! Be faithful! “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (2:10c). For those who would die in the persecution, a crown of life is promised. This “victor’s crown” or wreath was already an established eschatological symbol in the early church.

2 Tim. 4:8-“In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

This Paul shares at the very end of his life while awaiting his execution.

1 Peter 5:4-“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

This Peter says before, as church history tells us, he was crucified for the cause of Christ, most believe, upside down.

Interestingly, even this promised crown would have spoken to this church in special ways given their unique context—specifically Smyrna’s topography. The acropolis Mount Pagus which loomed over the city, was described by ancient writers as its crown. Jesus suggests here that the victor’s crown given in glory to those who would give everything for the cause of Christ would dwarf even this impressive local landmark (Aune, Revelation, 1:171-75).

Unwilling to compromise their own worship of the one true God, the church in Smyrna was filled with faithful believers who didn’t participate in the pagan practice of emperor worship. Particularly, their devotion to Christ prohibited them to burn incense at Caesar’s bust. However, they would pay dearly for their faithfulness to the Lord. In the middle of the second century (around 156 A.D.) the elderly disciple of the apostle John, Polycarp, who served as the bishop of the church for forty years was burned at the stake for his faith in Jesus. “Swear by the genius of Caesar and I will release you. Revile Christ!” the proconsul demanded of Polycarp. “For 86 years I have served him and he has done me no wrong” Polycarp replied.  “How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me? I am a Christian!” Condemned as “the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of the gods,” Polycarp died with calm dignity and unflinching courage.

History reveals that many Christians were martyred in Smyrna over the next several centuries along with Polycarp (Keener, IVP BBC, 733). Those who sacrificed it all in this region proved Jesus’ prediction and demonstrated the kind of courage and faithfulness He hoped to see in the midst of oppression.

7. CHALLENGE-2:11

As with the other letters there is a challenge at the end that applies to more that just the immediate recipients—“He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death” (2:11). As with Ephesus and the other letters yet to be read, the challenge comes with a promise reserved for those who are overcomers (nikaw) (where the popular clothing company came up with  the word Nike). This verb is often used to identify victors or winners of some kind of competition. Here, in the competition between good and evil, those who in Christ win against the forces of evil are promised a glorious prize. In the letter to Ephesus the prize was paradise and the tree of life. In this letter to the church of Smyrna the prize is avoiding the second death. Second death? What in the world is this?

The second death, introduced here, is explained much later in Revelation 20 (not unlike how the tree of life introduced in Revelation 2 resurfaces in chapter 22). This is what Revelation 20 says about the second death.

Revelation 20:4-6-“Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”

This passage along with several others later in the book of Revelation teaches that there is going to be two resurrections—a resurrection of the saved and a resurrection of the lost. The resurrection of the saved will take place before a millennial reign of Christ. These will be raised (soul and body reunited into a final glorious form) to eternal life. The resurrection of the lost will take place after the millennium and these will be judged at the Great white throne and suffer a second death at which point they will be separated from God forever in a very real hell. This second death will have no affect on those who are saved and overcome in Christ.

What a glorious hope this would have been to the struggling church of Smyrna (who, according to this letter, could initially expect things to get far worse). While they would have struggles in this world under all kinds of threats, in the world to come no threat would ever harm them.

So What?

It is this same hope that we must cling to today when/if we suffer persecution for the cause of Christ. Though many of us have probably never felt the same kind of pressure and oppression the church of Smyrna did, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ do experience grave persecution. According to a 2017 report by Franklin Graham, “The persecution of Christians is not just happening in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and other hotbeds of extremist ideology. It may come as a surprise that some of our neighbors and allies are on the list of perpetrators. For example, did you know that not only is Mexico among the top 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution, but 23 Christians were recently killed by drug cartels there, specifically because of their faith? And just a couple of years ago, local authorities in Chiapas drove more than 150 Protestants from their community, effectively stealing their land and leaving them without food. Also consider the Christian refugees across Europe, including 88% of those surveyed in German shelters, who have experienced religiously motivated persecution — 32% of whom have received death threats. In the United Kingdom, some Christian converts from Islam are even under armed police protection because of death threats, according to Barnabas Aid. In Egypt, the problem is not the result of terrorists alone. Coptic Christians, the largest Christian community in the Middle East, are subject to government-enacted blasphemy laws, bureaucratic roadblocks to erecting churches, and routine rejection from well-deserved advancement in careers and even sports. Some countries use anti-terrorism laws to broaden police powers which, in turn, have brought about the persecution of Christians. Some countries have used blasphemy laws.” (USA Today, 2017).

Friends these realities we observe third party are nearer to us than we probably realize. We must encourage our brothers and sisters any way that we can by reminding them that while many will see trouble and tribulation in this world, there is real hope in a glorious future beyond what we see around us. We must also drill these truths into our own brains so that whenever we may face the sting of persecution, we too can lean on the resurrection hope and power of Jesus to see us through, even if it costs us everything. Only Jesus offers the hope that brings perseverance and the crown of victory!

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