by
Forerunner, "Bible Study," January 10, 2024

The church members in Pergamos stood under Christ's judgment. While He comm

An examination of the letters to the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 shows their author, Jesus Christ, usually commends each church for its good works but also includes some negative analysis and correction. The Head of the church finds good and bad mixed consistently throughout the whole church and warns all to overcome.

Whatever branch of God’s church we belong to, we must take a long, hard look at ourselves, lest we deceive ourselves into thinking we are better, more special, and more divinely favored above our sister churches than we really are. Some think there is one Philadelphia group—their group, of course—and six Laodicean ones. Christ, however, describes seven distinct attitudes and approaches, and none of them are perfect.

We can consider these letters as divine evaluations, judgments, critiques, and assessments of workers in God’s institution, the church. Jesus finds that some are pulling their weight while others are slacking off. Some are gung-ho overachievers, but others are lazy and distracted. Most are a mixed bag with some positive and negative traits. But they are all evaluated and allowed to keep their jobs while the Boss continues His evaluations. Some are praised, some are encouraged to improve, some are admonished to reform, and others are threatened with swift termination!

This study will concentrate on the third church, Pergamos. In its evaluation, the church in Pergamos is no exception to the rule: He compliments church members for holding fast to His name and not denying His faith while criticizing them for tolerating the “doctrine of Balaam” among them.

1. Christ describes Himself as "He who has the sharp two-edged sword." What does He mean by this? Revelation 2:12.

Comment: Jesus introduces this epistle’s theme: He stands over the church as its Judge. He sees sin among its members and threatens punishment. The image of a “sharp two-edged sword” derives from Revelation 1:16, where a two-edged sword comes from His mouth, a picture of judgment through words. It is also a carryover from prophecies like Isaiah 66:14-18, and the writer of Hebrews employs it in Hebrews 4:11-13. Those familiar with Scripture know this image is a terrifying threat of eternal punishment for unrepented sin. Immediately, the Pergamenes know that their Savior is deadly serious about the iniquities in their midst.

2. ​Jesus writes that Pergamos lies "where Satan's throne is" and "where Satan dwells." What could He mean? Revelation 2:13.

Comment: Pergamos was no more wicked than other cities of the day—consider Corinth and Ephesus, for example. True Christians dwell in Satan’s world, which his wicked spirit influences mightily (Ephesians 2:1-3). Jesus warns us generally that, “because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). Even so, some commentators say the governor of Pergamos, like Satan, heavily persecuted the church, overseeing the martyrdom of Antipas. The Devil was undoubtedly at work in Pergamos, known for its loyalty and fanaticism to the Roman emperor cult.

Satan, king of all the children of pride (Job 41:34), deceives the entire world and is the accuser or persecutor of the brethren (Revelation 12:9-10). The lesson for us may be that where criticism, put-down, and persecution of others are common, Satan spends a great deal of time, taking bizarre, twisted pleasure in accusation and negativity. Satan dwells where pride and self-exaltation are present, attitudes we must avoid diligently.

3. Our Savior notes that Pergamos experiences difficult circumstances—persecution, idolatrous and immoral people, and satanic influence. Does He take this into account? Revelation 2:14-16.

Comment: God knows all and sees all. He can read the intents of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13) and understands our frame (Psalm 103:13-17). The Pergamenes were faithful and held fast His name under trying circumstances and great temptations, but they also tolerated evil. He requires His people to put on the New Man (Ephesians 4:17-24; Colossians 3:5-17), becoming as much like His Son as possible, necessitating repentance and growth (II Peter 3:9, 14-18). To whom much is given, from him much is required (Luke 12:48).

4. Christ criticizes the Pergamenes for tolerating those who teach the doctrine of Balaam, the eating of things offered to idols, and sexual immorality. How do these criticisms apply to today's church? Revelation 2:14.

Comment: The original doctrine of Balaam was a ruse inspired by Satan to keep God’s people from entering the Promised Land (Numbers 25:1-3; 31:8). The parallel to false teachers under Satan’s inspiration using deceit to keep God’s people from entering the Kingdom of God is clear. Balaam used sex to distract, entice, and entrap the Israelites into worshipping other gods. Evidently, false teachers in Pergamos, in a spirit of covetousness (II Peter 2:14-16; Jude 11), argued that believers could have closer relationships with pagan culture, institutions, and religion than was proper.

No one in today’s greater church of God overtly teaches worshipping idols of wood or stone and eating meat offered to them, as occurred among the early churches. Nor does anyone openly teach sexual immorality as a personal or religious practice, as occurred in the Temple of Diana at Ephesus. However, anything that comes between us and devotion to God, including self-worship, is an idol (Exodus 20:3-5), and any concourse with this world that diverts our attention from Him is spiritual fornication.

In the Bible, the word porneia, translated as “sexual immorality,” carries both literal and metaphorical senses: both physical sexual relations outside of marriage and spiritual communion with other gods (Isaiah 57:7-8; Hosea 4:12-14; Romans 1:18-32; Colossians 3:5). Here, the emphasis leans toward spiritual fornication—that is, unfaithfulness toward Christ. Sadly, faith in Christ had, to this point, been one of the Pergamenes’ strengths.

We, too, often tolerate spiritual idolatry and fornication in ourselves and others, giving Christ plenty of fodder for His criticism. Paul found that even he had to slay the insidious idol of self daily with God’s help (I Corinthians 15:31-34; Romans 8:35-39).

5. Some in Pergamos also held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, as in Ephesus. What about it does Christ hate so much? Revelation 2:6, 15-16.

Comment: Though no one seems to know conclusively who the Nicolaitans were, an examination of Ephesians, written by Paul to “the church at Ephesus,” may give some critical clues (see Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-22, 30-31). A frequent companion of idolatry is illicit, sensual pleasures. If we place anything ahead of God, it is generally for personal pleasure and self-fulfillment, centering on the works of the flesh, vanity, pride, power, and social standing. These Paul decries in Ephesians (for more detail, see “The Seven Churches (Part Three): Ephesus”).

As a belief and practice influenced by Gnosticism, Nicolaitanism seems to have been a disregard of sinful, physical behaviors because its practitioners deemed them to have no value in true spirituality. If Nicolaitans believed that the physical means nothing and only the spirit is essential, the central problem in Pergamos was the tolerance of fleshly sins, which they did not realize would lead to not-as-obvious spiritual sins. A modern parallel is the teaching that a person only has to believe in Jesus in his heart, so it does not matter what he does bodily. Depending on the “believer’s” personality, this perverse belief can lead to either extreme, asceticism (self-denial) or licentiousness (self-indulgence).

No wonder Christ calls on the church in Pergamos to repent! Interestingly, “the Angel of the LORD” threatened Balaam “with His drawn sword in His hand” if he continued to oppose Israel (Numbers 22:23, 31). When he failed to heed the warning, he was indeed “killed by the sword” (Numbers 31:8). We should read Christ’s “repent” as a sharp, urgent command because of His hatred for these disloyalties and self-indulgent practices. He will not countenance evil. If we do and fail to repent of it, the Judge will punish us “with the sword of [His] mouth.”

6. To those Pergamenes who repent, Christ will allow them to eat of the hidden manna and give them a white stone engraved with a new name known only to themselves. Does this set them apart as special? Revelation 2:17.

Comment: The manna that fed Israel was spread on the ground for all to see and gather (Exodus 16:4, 35). Hidden manna, symbolizing God’s Word, is concealed from the rest of the world; it is exclusive insight from God through His Spirit that feeds the soul and sustains spiritual life. In ancient times, judges would give a white stone to one under judgment to signify absolution from guilt, while a black stone was given to the condemned. A white stone, then, signifies innocence through divine forgiveness and grace to enter God’s Kingdom. Finally, the new name reflects the holy character built by the repentant overcomer (see also Revelation 3:12). Though special and wonderful, these gifts are available to every true child of God.