12 Then to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church)
in Pergamum write: These are the words of Him Who has and wields the
sharp two-edged sword:
·
Pergamum means a mixed
marriage. Pergamum was a divided city between Rome, Pontus, and Cappadocia. It
was briefly the Capital of Rome in Asia. It had around 200,000 residents, so it
was a pretty large city.
·
Sword represents
the power or authority to correct
·
Jesus Alone has
been given all judgment, John 5:22.
·
Jesus never changes,
Hebrews 13:8.
·
Jesus always
judges by Grace, Colossians 2:14.
13 I know where you live—a place where Satan sits
enthroned. [Yet] you are clinging to and holding fast My name, and you
did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful
one, who was killed (martyred) in your midst—where Satan dwells.
·
This is another
group of people who sit where there is a strong false message. The false
message is so strong that if you disagreed with it you were killed.
·
Pergamum was
located in modern day Turkey. The city was centrally located and used by the
Romans as an administrative point for their kingdom in Asia-Minor. The city was
a major cultural and political center. Pergamum had temples, libraries, and
medical facilities; it was a modern city and Jesus tells John to write that
satan was enthroned there. Consider our world today, satan’s primary tools to
deceive and steal from people are governments and culture. People today, just
as when this letter was written, look to the government and trust in government
instead of God and they look at culture and think that we are too sophisticated
for God. There were believers in Pergamum and they were empowered to hold to
Jesus even with all of the deceptive glory of satan at work. The truly called
and chosen in this church were never left or forsaken by Jesus, even when
people were being martyred.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: you
have some people there who are clinging to the teaching of Balaam, who taught
Balak to set a trap and a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, [to
entice them] to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols and to practice
lewdness [giving themselves up to sexual vice].
·
Pergamum is a mixed marriage and here we see Truth and lies trying to
coexist
·
A little leaven will leaven the whole lump of dough, 1 Corinthians 5:6.
·
Once again, the
chosen ones within the church would have read this letter of prophecy. Just as
true believers have been lead to do throughout history. These people have seen
killings and persecutions, they have seen worldliness being glorified, and they
still hold fast to Jesus; even though the church leadership is allowing false
teachings in. The church was probably trying to grow, they wanted to be
inclusive, and they allowed leaders in that were not called or chosen. It is
fine to have everyone come to church, but in Timothy and Titus we see what true
leadership should be. The true chosen ones are probably pointing these things
out, and this letter is actually Jesus telling these believers your right, even
though the leadership is blinded and the church is in disarray. Jesus is
telling His Bride that He has not left them or forsaken them!
·
Not many [of you]
should become teachers
(self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you
know that we [teachers] will be
judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other
people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation].
James 3:1
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