Text: Revelation 2:8-11
Each of these seven letters is addressed to the angel of. The Greek word can refer either to a literal angel or a messenger. In this context it surely means “messenger.” Angels are never leaders in the church. The letters are most likely addressed to key elders in these seven churches. Smyrna was about 60Km north of Ephesus. Like Ephesus it too was a port city but whereas Ephesus today is a heap of ruins, Smyrna is still populated. It is now called Izmir and is Turkey’s third largest city.
TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA
There are two churches in Revelation 2&3 about which Jesus has nothing bad to say. Those two are Smyrna and Philadelphia. If Ephesus was the loveless church, then Smyrna was the suffering church. Her most famous Christian was Polycarp who was martyred in 155AD. He refused to burn incense to Caesar. He addressed his persecutors with these famous words. Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King and my Saviour, who hath saved me?”
- CHRIST COMMENDS THE CHURCH – in vrs 9 Christ says, I know your afflictions and your poverty. These sufferings were not over. In vrs 10 he says, do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer . . . you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death. What was the reason for the suffering of believers in Smyrna? When Augustus died (AD 14) the Roman senate took a vote that he be deified. Many of the cities of Asia Minor competed with one another for the privilege of building the first temple to honour the new emperor Tiberius. Smyrna was the city that won the bid – even beating Ephesus to the prize. They took emperor worship very seriously. The Romans only made one exception – the Jews. They quickly discovered that Jews were fiercely monotheistic and would not budge. So long as Christians were viewed as being a sect of Judaism, they too were not required to burn incense to Caesar and declare “Caesar is Lord.” As Christians became more and more numerous the easiest way for Jews to oppose them was inform the Romans that they were not Jews. Apparently, the Jews in Smyrna did this. Christ has some harsh words for the synagogue in Smyrna. Firstly, he says that although they claimed to be Jews they were not. Secondly, he labels their assemblies as a synagogue of Satan. Strong words. According to the NT who are true Jews spiritually speaking? In Romans 2:28, 29 Paul says, a man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Spiritually speaking, true Jews are not those who can trace their family tree back to Abraham. They are those who possess Abraham’s faith. Is this not what Galatians 3:26 says? If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. The synagogue in Smyrna claimed to be an assembly of God but in rejecting Christ they were in actual fact a synagogue of Satan.
- CHRIST COMFORTS THE CHURCH – In vrs 10 Christ warns the church of future suffering, I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. In a book loaded with symbolic numbers we should perhaps view these ten days not as a literal ten days but a set period. An eleventh day would come when the suffering will end. Meanwhile they needed to be faithful, even to the point of death. Christ gives them two comforting promises. Firstly, faithfulness will be rewarded with a crown of life. Behind the harbour of Smyrna, Mount Pagus rose 500 feet above the skyline. The acropolis of Mount Pagus which was filled with pagan shrines was called “the crown of Smyrna.” The risen Christ is promising a far better crown for overcomers. Secondly, Christ promises overcomers that they will not be hurt at all by the second death. The first death of course is our physical death. Some Smyrnan believers would die martyrs deaths. But no Christian endures the second death. The Greek word for overcome (victorious) is nike. The Greek goddess nike was the goddess of victory. Many years ago, I came across a T-shirt with this slogan. “Born once die twice. Born twice die once.” Christians only need die once.