SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

CHURCH AT PERGAMOS: CHURCH THAT TOLERATED

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THE TEXT

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things

says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: I know your works,

and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold

fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which

Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where

Satan dwells.”REVELATION 2:12,13

THE TEXT

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there

those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a

stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things

sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I

hate.”REVELATION 2:14,15

THE TEXT

“Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them

with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To

him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone,

and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”REVELATION

2:16,17

BACKGROUND

• Located 30 miles north of Smyrna• Royal City of Asia• Capital city of Kingdom of Mysia,

after death of Alexander the Great• Parchment developed in Pergamos• Center of Caesar worship• Official capital of Asia Minor• Pliny the governor called it the most

illustrious city in Asia

parchment,untanned skins of animals, especially of the sheep, calf, and goat, prepared for use as a writing material. The name is a corruption of Pergamum, the ancient city of Asia Minor where preparation of parchment suitable for use on both sides was achieved in the 2nd cent. B.C. Parchment, which is more durable than papyrus and susceptible of being folded into book form, very gradually superseded papyrus. . .The skins were soaked in water, treated with lime to loosen the hair, scraped, washed, stretched, and dried, and then rubbed with chalk and pumice stone. . .Parchment is still used for certain documents and diplomas, for book bindings and lampshades, and for the heads of drums, tambourines, and banjos.

(www.encyclopedia.com)

BACKGROUND

• Pergamos (modern-day Bergama) was the first site for temple to the Caesar-cult dedicated to Augustus, 29 B.C.

• Library of over 200,000 volumes• Ultimately, the library was moved to

Egypt to be presented to Cleopatra

PERGAMUM’S PAGANISM

• Eumenes II actively promoted of the worship of Zeus and the other Olympian gods in Pergamum. He built up the great temple complex and library for which the city

became famous. This was a major religious center during the Hellenistic period, and second only to

Alexandria as a center of learning. 

                                  

Reconstruction of the great altar

PERGAMUM’S PAGANISM

Aesculapium • The god of healing,

Aesculapius received worship in cultic centers around the Greek and Roman world.  This large complex at Pergamum was originally constructed in the 4th century B.C. and became an official center in the the 3rd c.  

In the 2nd c. A.D., Hadrian (76-138; Rom. Emp. 117-138) further developed the center and it was added to the list of "wonders of the world."

Courtesy of www.bibleplaces.com

Temple of Trajan

Courtesy of www.holylandphotos.org

Pergamum’s Paganism

Courtesy www.bibleplaces.com

THE AUTHOR

• Revelation 2:12-17• Author Described:• “He who has sharp two-

edged sword.”• Ephesians 6:17• Hebrews 4:12

GOD’S POWER

• Quick & powerful— Romans 1:16

• Sharp and piercing— cuts to the heart!

• Discerner of thoughts and intents—Hebrews 4:12

• Gets to man’s inner person!

COMMENDATIONS

• “I know thy works.”

• Take notes and inventory of all of our works!– Matthew 6:8

“Therefore do not be like them. For your

Father knows the things you have need of

before you ask Him.”

DWELLING PLACE

• “Where Satan’s Seat is.”

• All places have the devil to contend with

• Emperor worship and paganism– 1 Peter 5:8– 1 Corinthians

10:10-13

“Be sober, be vigilant;

because your adversary the

devil walks about like a roaring lion,

seeking whom he may

devour.”

COMMENDATIONS

• “Holding Fast to His name.”

• Refused to compromise their faith

• No excuses for failure—stay committed– Acts 5:29– Matthew 10:32,33

“But Peter and the other apostles

answered and said: We ought

to obey God rather than

men.”

COMMENDATIONS

• “Have not denied the faith.”

• Antipas, faithful martyr

• Not wavered• Steadfast– Jude 3

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to

write to you concerning our

common salvation, I found it necessary

to write to you exhorting you to

contend earnestly for the faith which

was once for all delivered to the

saints.”

COMMENDATIONS

• “Have not denied the faith.”

• Antipas, faithful martyr

• Not wavered• Steadfast– Ephesians

4:14

“That we should no longer be

children, tossed to and fro and

carried about with every wind of

doctrine, by the trickery of men, in

the cunning craftiness of

deceitful plotting.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “I have a few things against you.”

• Balaam and Balak

• Some held to false doctrine

• Committed harlotry with Moab– Numbers 22-24

“Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse

them for me; perhaps I shall be able to

overpower them and drive them out.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “I have a few things against you.”

• Balaam and Balak

• Some held to false doctrine

• Committed harlotry with Moab– Numbers 22-24

“And God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them;

you shall not curse the people,

for they are blessed.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “I have a few things against you.”

• Balaam and Balak

• Some held to false doctrine

• Committed harlotry with Moab– Numbers 22-24

“If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the

word of the LORD, to do good or bad

of my own will. What the LORD

says, that I must speak'.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “Danger of ungodly counsel.”

• Sexual immorality bring God’s wrath

• Pagan ceremony of heathen religion

• Guilty of teaching it?• Harboring ones who

did!– 2 John 9,10

“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the

doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who

abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father

and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does

not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your

house nor greet him.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “Error cannot be tolerated!”

• Compromising our faith with sin always proves unprofitable.– Ephesians 5:11

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful

works of darkness, but rather expose

them.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “Error cannot be tolerated!”

• Compromising our faith with sin always proves unprofitable.– Romans 16:17

“Now I urge you, brethren, note

those who cause divisions and

offenses, contrary to the doctrine

which you learned, and avoid them.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “Doctrine of Nicolaitans!”

• Lord hated the teaching.

• Hate the teaching—not the teacher– 1 John 4:1

“Beloved, do not believe every

spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets

have gone out into the world.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “Doctrine of Nicolaitans!”

• Lord hated the teaching.

• Hate the teaching—not the teacher– Romans 1:32

“Who, knowing the righteous

judgment of God, that those who practice such

things are deserving of

death, not only do the same but also approve of those

who practice them.”

WORDS OF CONDEMNATION

• “Doctrine of Nicolaitans!”

• Lord hated the teaching.

• Hate the teaching—not the teacher– 1 Timothy 4:1-3

“…in latter times some will depart

from the faith, giving heed to deceiving

spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking

lies in hypocrisy, having their own

conscience seared with a hot iron.”

THE WARNING

• “Repent quickly!”

• Lord come quickly fight with the sword of His mouth.– Acts 17:30

“Truly, these times of

ignorance God overlooked, but now commands

all men everywhere to

repent.”

THE WARNING

• “Repent quickly!”

• Lord come quickly fight with the sword of His mouth.– 2 Corinthians

7:9-10

“Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your

sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that

you might suffer loss from us in nothing.”

THE CONSOLATION

• “Hidden manna to eat.”

• Bread of life.• Truth hidden to

those who are “blind.”– Exodus 16

“…Behold, I will rain bread from heaven

for you. And the people shall go out

and gather a certain quota every day, that

I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or

not.”

THE CONSOLATION

• “Hidden manna to eat.”

• Bread of life.• Truth hidden to

those who are “blind.”– John 6:32,33

“…Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did

not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread

from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the

world.”

WHITE STONE

• “New name written.”

• No one knows it but those who receive it

• New status— new relationship

• Only for the faithful--overcome-Revelation 6:11

“Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said

to them that they should rest a little while longer, until

both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was

completed.”

WHITE STONE

• “New name written.”

• No one knows it but those who receive it

• New status— new relationship

• Only for the faithful--overcome-Revelation 19:8

“And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and

bright, for the fine linen is the

righteous acts of the saints.”

NEW NAME

“It may be in some way the means by which God will receive those

who gain the victory. Since it cannot be known by others, it is useless to ask what it is. It is our business to overcome, the white stone and the new name we can leave to God to make plain in his

own time.”Hinds, John T. A Commentary on the Book of

Revelation. Nashville, Tenn.: Gospel Advocate, p. 46.