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Revelation 2

Chapter 2 in 30 seconds

Jesus writes report cards to four churches. Ephesus works hard but lost its first love. Smyrna is poor and persecuted but rich in His eyes. Pergamum lives where Satan has his throne. Thyatira lets a false prophetess called Jezebel lead people into idol feasts. To each one: whoever overcomes wins.

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In this chapterThe Big QuestionWhat Polycarp's Church Wrote · after verse 29 The Big QuestionWhat Polycarp's Church Wrote · after verse 29 The Big QuestionWhat Polycarp's Church Wrote · after verse 29 The Big QuestionWhat Polycarp's Church Wrote · after verse 29 The Big QuestionWhat It Tells Us · after verse 29

To the Church in Ephesus// Acts 19:8–12; Ephesians 1:1–2

¹“To the 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[NOTE]SEVEN CHURCHES. Real cities on a mail route, in the order a messenger would travel. See The Seven Churches pages.

²I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles. ³Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name.

⁴But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. ⁵Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

REV 2:4[NOTABLE]A busy church with the right beliefs can still lose its love for Jesus.
REV 2:5[PROPHECY]To Ephesus → HISTORY: Ephesus's harbor filled with mud, and by the 1400s the city lay empty.MEDIUM

⁶But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

REV 2:6[NOTE]NICOLAITANS. A group whose teaching led to idol feasts and sexual sin, 2:15. Irenaeus says they followed Nicolaus of Antioch, Acts 6:5, but that link is uncertain.

⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

REV 2:7[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← GEN 2:9

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.

⁹I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.

REV 2:9[NOTE]SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. In Smyrna some who said they were Jews were slandering the church, and Jesus says they are not true Jews. Jesus and John were Jews themselves. This was a local fight in the first century, never a license to hate Jewish people.

¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

REV 2:10[PROPHECY]To Smyrna → HISTORY: Polycarp of Smyrna was killed for his faith about AD 155. Recorded in the Martyrdom of Polycarp.MEDIUM
REV 2:10[NOTE]CROWN OF LIFE. About AD 155 Smyrna's bishop Polycarp was burned alive rather than deny Jesus. See What Polycarp's Church Wrote.

¹¹He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.

To the Church in Pergamum

¹²To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.

¹³I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits, yet you hold fast to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of My faithful witness Antipas, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.

REV 2:13[DEMONIC]Pergamum is where Satan's throne sits
REV 2:13[NOTE]SATAN'S THRONE. Maybe the great altar of Zeus, the temple to the emperor, or the healing god Asclepius, whose sign was a snake. See The Seven Churches pages.

¹⁴But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.

REV 2:14[DEMONIC]Some in Pergamum follow Balaam's teaching to eat food sacrificed to idols

¹⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.

REV 2:17[FULFILLS]A jar of manna was kept before Yahweh for later generations ← EX 16:33MEDIUM
REV 2:17[NOTE]MANNA AND A WHITE STONE. Hidden manna recalls the jar of manna kept in the ark, Exodus 16:33. A white stone was used as a vote of not guilty or a ticket to a feast.

To the Church in Thyatira// Acts 16:11–15

¹⁸To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.

¹⁹I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latest deeds are greater than your first.

²⁰But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ²¹Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.

REV 2:20[DEMONIC]Jezebel leads believers to eat food sacrificed to idols
REV 2:20[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← 1KI 16:31
REV 2:20[NOTE]JEZEBEL. Probably a nickname for a real woman, after Ahab's wife who led Israel to Baal, 1 Kings 16:31.

²²Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds. ²³Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

REV 2:23[HEART]Jesus says He searches minds and hearts and repays each one for their deeds.
REV 2:23[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← JER 17:10

²⁴But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan: I will place no further burden upon you ²⁵than to hold fast to what you have until I come. ²⁶And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations. ²⁷He will rule them with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery—just as I have received authority from My Father. ²⁸And I will give him the morning star.

REV 2:24[DEMONIC]The so called deep things of Satan taught at Thyatira
REV 2:27[FULFILLS]'The rod of Your strength out of Zion' ← PS 110:2
REV 2:27[QUOTES]Direct ← PS 2:9

²⁹He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Big Question

What Polycarp's Church Wrote

Faithful unto Death in Smyrna

The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9 to 16 · Revelation 2:8 to 11

WHY THIS IS HERE: Jesus tells Smyrna: Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life, 2:10. About sixty years later the church at Smyrna watched its old bishop do exactly that, and wrote a letter about it to other churches.
WHO POLYCARP WAS: Polycarp was bishop of Smyrna. Irenaeus says he was taught by the apostles and appointed by them, and that as a boy he heard Polycarp talk about John. He died about AD 155 to 160, at 86 or older.
WHAT THEY WROTE: Here is the whole account of his trial and death, chapters 9 to 16, in the translation by J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, 1891. Words in [square brackets] are Lightfoot's. The genius of Caesar means the emperor's guardian spirit; to swear by it was an act of worship.
THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP 9 TO 16: But as Polycarp entered into the stadium, a voice came to him from heaven; ‘Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.’ And no one saw the speaker, but those of our people who were present heard the voice. And at length, when he was brought up, there was a great tumult, for they heard that Polycarp had been apprehended. When then he was brought before him, the proconsul enquired whether he were the man. And on his confessing that he was, he tried to persuade him to a denial saying, ‘Have respect to thine age,’ and other things in accordance therewith, as it is their wont to say; ‘Swear by the genius of Cæsar; repent and say, Away with the atheists.’ Then Polycarp with solemn countenance looked upon the whole multitude of lawless heathen that were in the stadium, and waved his hand to them; and groaning and looking up to heaven he said, ‘Away with the atheists.’ But when the magistrate pressed him hard and said, ‘Swear the oath, and I will release thee; revile the Christ,’ Polycarp said, ‘Fourscore and six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’

The Big Question

What Polycarp's Church Wrote

Continued

The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9 to 16

THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP 9 TO 16, CONTINUED: But on his persisting again and saying, ‘Swear by the genius of Cæsar,’ he answered, ‘If thou supposest vainly that I will swear by the genius of Cæsar, as thou sayest, and feignest that thou art ignorant who I am, hear thou plainly, I am a Christian. But if thou wouldest learn the doctrine of Christianity, assign a day and give me a hearing.’ The proconsul said; ‘Prevail upon the people.’ But Polycarp said; ‘As for thyself, I should have held thee worthy of discourse; for we have been taught to render, as is meet, to princes and authorities appointed by God such honour as does us no harm; but as for these, I do not hold them worthy, that I should defend myself before them.’ Whereupon the proconsul said; ‘I have wild beasts here and I will throw thee to them, except thou repent.’ But he said, ‘Call for them: for the repentance from better to worse is a change not permitted to us; but it is a noble thing to change from untowardness to righteousness.’ Then he said to him again, ‘I will cause thee to be consumed by fire, if thou despisest the wild beasts, unless thou repent.’ But Polycarp said; ‘Thou threatenest that fire which burneth for a season and after a little while is quenched: for thou art ignorant of the fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why delayest thou? Come, do what thou wilt.’ Saying these things and more besides, he was inspired with courage and joy, and his countenance was filled with grace, so that not only did it not drop in dismay at the things which were said to him, but on the contrary the proconsul was astounded and sent his own herald to proclaim three times in the midst of the stadium, ‘Polycarp hath confessed himself to be a Christian.’ When this was proclaimed by the herald, the whole multitude both of Gentiles and of Jews who dwelt in Smyrna cried out with ungovernable wrath and with a loud shout, ‘This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the puller down of our gods, who teacheth numbers not to sacrifice nor worship.’ Saying these things, they shouted aloud and asked the Asiarch Philip to let a lion loose upon Polycarp.

The Big Question

What Polycarp's Church Wrote

Continued

The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9 to 16

THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP 9 TO 16, CONTINUED: But he said that it was not lawful for him, since he had brought the sports to a close. Then they thought fit to shout out with one accord that Polycarp should be burned alive. For it must needs be that the matter of the vision should be fulfilled, which was shown him concerning his pillow, when he saw it on fire while praying, and turning round he said prophetically to the faithful who were with him, ‘I must needs be burned alive.’ These things then happened with so great speed, quicker than words could tell, the crowds forthwith collecting from the workshops and baths timber and faggots, and the Jews more especially assisting in this with zeal, as is their wont. But when the pile was made ready, divesting himself of all his upper garments and loosing his girdle, he endeavoured also to take off his shoes, though not in the habit of doing this before, because all the faithful at all times vied eagerly who should soonest touch his flesh. For he had been treated with all honour for his holy life even before his gray hairs came. Forthwith then the instruments that were prepared for the pile were placed about him; and as they were going likewise to nail him to the stake, he said; ‘Leave me as I am; for He that hath granted me to endure the fire will grant me also to remain at the pile unmoved, even without the security which ye seek from the nails.’ So they did not nail him, but tied him. Then he, placing his hands behind him and being bound to the stake, like a noble ram out of a great flock for an offering, a burnt sacrifice made ready and acceptable to God, looking up to heaven said; ‘O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers and of all creation and of the whole race of the righteous, who live in Thy presence; I bless Thee for that Thou hast granted me this day and hour, that I might receive a portion amongst the number of martyrs in the cup of [Thy] Christ unto resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and of body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit.

The Big Question

What Polycarp's Church Wrote

Continued

The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9 to 16

THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP 9 TO 16, CONTINUED: May I be received among these in Thy presence this day, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as Thou didst prepare and reveal it beforehand, and hast accomplished it, Thou that art the faithful and true God. For this cause, yea and for all things, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal and heavenly High-priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, through whom with Him and the Holy Spirit be glory both now [and ever] and for the ages to come. Amen.’ When he had offered up the Amen and finished his prayer, the firemen lighted the fire. And, a mighty flame flashing forth, we to whom it was given to see, saw a marvel, yea and we were preserved that we might relate to the rest what happened. The fire, making the appearance of a vault, like the sail of a vessel filled by the wind, made a wall round about the body of the martyr; and it was there in the midst, not like flesh burning, but like [a loaf in the oven or like] gold and silver refined in a furnace. For we perceived such a fragrant smell, as if it were the wafted odour of frankincense or some other precious spice. So at length the lawless men, seeing that his body could not be consumed by the fire, ordered an executioner to go up to him and stab him with a dagger. And when he had done this, there came forth [a dove and] a quantity of blood, so that it extinguished the fire; and all the multitude marvelled that there should be so great a difference between the unbelievers and the elect. In the number of these was this man, the glorious martyr Polycarp, who was found an apostolic and prophetic teacher in our own time, a bishop of the holy Church which is in Smyrna. For every word which he uttered from his mouth was accomplished and will be accomplished.

The Big Question

What It Tells Us

The Crown of Life

Revelation 2:8 to 11 · 1 Peter 4:14 · Romans 12:1

THE OLDEST ACCOUNT: This letter is the oldest Christian account of a martyr outside the New Testament, written by eyewitnesses within a year or so of his death.
AWAY WITH THE ATHEISTS: Romans called Christians atheists because they would not worship the gods. Polycarp turned the words around and pointed at the crowd.
EIGHTY SIX YEARS: Fourscore and six means 86. Many take it as the years since he was baptized, so he may have been a Christian from childhood.
SMYRNA'S JEWS: The letter says Jews in Smyrna joined the crowd, like the slander Jesus mentions in 2:9. That was one city's conflict, not a picture of all Jewish people.
WHAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE: The voice from heaven, the fire like a sail and the dove are reported as wonders. Lightfoot and many others think the dove came into the text later by a copying mistake.
WHY IT MATTERS: Smyrna's church was poor and persecuted but faithful, 2:9 to 10. Jesus did not promise them escape. He promised them the crown of life, and they believed Him.

Revelation 2

To the Church in Ephesus// Acts 19:8–12; Ephesians 1:1–2

To the Church in Smyrna

To the Church in Pergamum

To the Church in Thyatira// Acts 16:11–15

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