Revelation 2.8-11.
2.8
10
In 600 BC, the Lydians destroyed Smyrna and left it desolate. It stayed that way for three centuries. In 290 BC, developers decided to rebuild the city, nearly 3 km south of its original site, and it grew into a major cultural center of Asia Minor. Jesus compared Himself to it by calling Himself one “who became a dead man and lived.” (v9)
Smyrna was the first city in Asia Minor to construct a temple of Roma—which was either the city of Rome personified, and worshiped like a god; or Rome’s patron goddess. Either way, the temple was constructed in 193 BC, and Asians were encouraged to go there and demonstrate their loyalty to Rome by praying to its god, as well as to the genius—the guardian god, or daemon—of its rulers. Those who didn’t were called “atheists,” and were considered disloyal. Even if the reason they wouldn’t worship was because they were monotheists with a jealous God (like the Jews, who were legally protected from being persecuted for it) they were still viewed with suspicion and distrust, much like those who hassle Jehovah’s Witnesses who won’t say the Pledge of Allegiance.
By the time of Revelation, emperors had added a few idols to the temple of Roma: the emperors Augustus, Tiberius, and Claudius; Augustus’ wife Livia, the poet Livy, and the genius of the Roman Senate. In the Roman religion, if people prayed to you, the other gods would make you a god, and the Senate decreed that people could indeed pray to these people. There was no separation of church and state back then; your patriotic duty was religious duties.
So this was the way in which the early Christians were persecuted. The Jews were legally protected, but once the emperor Domitian decided that Christians weren’t Jews, it meant the Christians weren’t protected—and had to worship Roma. Had to. Otherwise they put a sword through you—unless you weren’t a citizen, in which case they’d do worse: torture, burning, the arena, or the cross.
So this was the “suffering” Jesus referred to. “Your begging despite your wealth” (v9) is usually translated “You’re begging—but you’re rich!” and interpreted to mean that even though the Smyrnans were poor monetarily, but rich spiritually. Supposedly this would be comforting to them. But if you’ve ever been poor, you know it definitely wouldn’t be. We live in an era where “poor” people own cars and TV sets. They lived in an era where poor people owned only the clothes they wore. When you’re that kind of desperate, knowing that you have a full, meaningful spiritual life does not make you feel better about your aching stomach, your starving children, and the temptation of turning to slavery, prostitution, or suicide to end your suffering. (In the Roman Empire, there was no stigma against any of those things like there is today. Those were considered legitimate ways out.)
No, what’s far more likely was that the Christians were not poor—but their money did them no good. Merchants wouldn’t take it. Customers wouldn’t visit them. Nobody wants to do business with a “traitor.” Either the Smyrnans were zealous patriots themselves and would crucify Christian traitors personally if given the chance, or they’re sympathetic but spineless—they realize these Christians are good people, but the law’s the law, and if they truly believe Jesus forgives them everything, then what’s wrong with burning a pinch of incense and going through the motions? Just to get the Romans off their back. Were their principles really worth all this suffering? Seems they’re the zealots.
So Jesus is not telling them, “You’re begging—but you’re rich!” in order to offer a nice happy thought. He’s describing their suffering, because He knows their suffering: “begging despite your wealth.”
Jesus also refers to the “slanders by those who say they’re themselves Jews—but aren’t; they’re a synagogue of Satan.” (v9) The word for slander is βλασφημία/blasfimía, or blasphemy; but blasphemy implies they’ve slandered God, and really they could slander anyone. In this case they had slandered God. Some Christians, in order to get out of worshiping Roma, claimed to be Jews. Some of them ethnically were Jews, and followed the Law just like the rest of the Jews, so it was an easy thing for them to say, “I’m a Jew” when asked their religion. But when pressed, they’d add, “Not a Christian”—thus denying their relationship with Jesus. They weren’t standing up for Him when it really counted. When their lives were at stake, they loved their lives more than they loved their Lord. “Synagogue of Satan” is strong language, but they needed to hear it; if they knew Jesus was this displeased with them, maybe they’d repent and stop doing that.
The other reference to the devil indicates its involvement in the Christians’ persecution. Is this the devil or a devil “about to throw some of your church into prison”? (v10) Many would automatically say it’s the devil, ’cause there’s a “the” in the text, but the Greek words we translate “the” don’t mean quite the same thing. Maybe it was the devil. Either way, it was doing as Satan had done with Job: It was testing the church to see whether they’d really follow God through thick and thin, or whether they’d fold under serious suffering. (I’m not sure so many of us assume the events of Job don’t happen anymore.) In any case, the devil was fairly successful: Look, Satan even a synagogue’s worth of people.
Jesus calls Himself “the First and the Last, who became a dead man and lived.” (v8) Jesus conquered death. Christians aren’t supposed to fear death anymore: “Never fear it!” (v10) That death has no hold on us. And neither does the second death. “The winner,” or the victor—the one who doesn’t sin so as to preserve their temporary life at the risk of their eternal life—“will definitely not be harmed by the second death.” (v10) Those who rejected Jesus, at the one time it really counted, may have a saving relationship with Him, may be someone whom Jesus could claim as His before His Father in heaven. (Mt 10.32-33) But if your relationship with Jesus is real, and faithful, you don’t do that. You don’t betray your friends. Yeah, God can still save you, just like He saved Peter; God forgives all. Still, betrayal is not the fruit of a solid relationship with God. It’s the fruit of hypocrisy.
Do we truly trust Jesus in the face of death? Or will the threat of it expose how little of our relationship with Him is real? Is it really just lip service and cold formality? Do we actually trust Him to make us and our loved ones alive forever? Or do we reject Him when loved ones die, since He wasn’t the magic genie we demanded that He be?
These tests have eternal consequences. More important than saying the sinner’s prayer is the ability to hold fast to Jesus no matter what. There may not be a second chance to get it right. We have to determine now where our loyalties stand, and keep them there when it counts.
Rv 2.8: Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σμύρνῃ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· and to the angel of the (of Smýrna) church, you [continually] write: Τάδε λέγει ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ὃς ἐγένετο νεκρὸς καὶ ἔζησεν· this says the first and the final, who became [a] dead man and [who] lived: 2.9: οἶδά σου τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν πτωχείαν, ἀλλὰ πλούσιος εἶ, I know of you, the trouble and the beggary, but rich you are, καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκ τῶν λεγόντων Ἰουδαίους εἶναι ἑαυτοὺς καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ σατανᾶ. and the blasphemy out of the [ones] saying Jews [or, Judeans] being [or, to be] of themselves, and not they are, but synagogue of the Satan. 2.10: μηδὲν φοβοῦ ἃ μέλλεις πάσχειν. never you fear! what you are about to suffer. ἰδοὺ μέλλει βάλλειν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴν ἵνα πειρασθῆτε καὶ ἕξετε θλῖψιν ἡμερῶν δέκα. you look! it is about to throw (the devil) out of you all into prison so that you all may be tested and you all will have trouble of days ten. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου, καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς. you become! faithful until death, and I will give to you the crown of the life.
2.11: Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. the [one] having ear, he hears! what the spirit says to the churches. Ὁ νικῶν οὐ μὴ ἀδικηθῇ ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου. the [one] winning not-not may be harmed out of the death, the second.
