The Church at Pergamum: Tolerating Sin

Revelation 2:12-17

WHAT KIND OF SIN DOES THE WORLD TOLERATE TODAY? GIVE EXAMPLES.

WHAT KIND OF SIN DOES THE CHURCH TOLERATE TODAY?

(12) “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. (13) I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. (14) But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. (15) So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (16) Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. (17) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’”

BACKGROUND

Pergamum was situated 50 miles north of Smyrna and was a three-tiered city, the top of which stood over 1,000 feet high on the top of hill. The top of the city was the base for its nobility and government. The middle part of the city contained sports fields for young people and temples frequented by the less educated. The lower part of the city contained a medical school, a temple, and a replica of the Pantheon of Rome. The city also had a large temple dedicated to Zeus, and some think that Jesus’ reference to Satan’s throne may be a reference to that temple. However, there was a complex of pagan cults in the city, including that of Zeus, Athena, Dionysus and Asclepius. “So popular was the cult of Asclepius in Pergamum that the serpent, the symbol of Asclepius, became one of the emblems of the city.”⁽¹⁾ It also had temples dedicated to Egyptian deities. 

Pergamum was the capital of Asia and the official Asian center of emperor worship. Under the ruler ship of Eumenes II (197–159 BC), the city reached a high status and its library contained over 200,000 volumes, rivaling the library at Alexandria. Pergamum popularized the use of goatskin sheets for writing, sometimes called pergamēnḗ, from which we get our word, parchment. 

“A Christian congregation in Pergamum was present since the mid-first century AD. This community was likely an outgrowth of the ministry of the Apostle Paul, who stayed in the nearby Ephesus for three years (Acts 20:11). Pergamum would have been on Paul’s route from Ephesus to Alexandria Troas.”⁽²⁾ 

Christians suffered persecution in Pergamum because they refused to worship the emperor, which was considered treasonous. Trade guilds also had patron deities, which Christian’s refused to honor. 

WHAT KIND OF AUTHORITY DOES THE CHURCH HAVE IN DEALING WITH SIN IN ITS MIDST? WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

EXAMINATION

(V.12) “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

The mention of the two-edged sword is representative of a sword that saves or a sword that condemns. In this case, it is a sword that condemns, as we will see.

Pergamum, as capital of Asia was endowed by Rome with the power of capital punishment. In other words, the power of the sword. Not all cities or nations in the empire had the authority of capital punishment. Remember at Jesus’ trial with Pilate the Jewish leaders complained they did not have the authority to put anyone to death. But Pergamum did have this power. 

So, when Jesus begins his letter to Pergamum he reveals that his pronouncements have just such deadly power. Consider what Jesus is saying here. He is saying that his word has greater authority than the political powers of Pergamum or Rome. For Christian’s to proclaim this might be considered treasonous. The apostle Paul did something similar in Romans 1:3-5. “…concerning his Son, who was descended from Davidaccording to the flesh…Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations.” Paul, here, is claiming a higher authority than Rome. Just as Jesus did in his letter to Pergamum. 

(V.13) “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.”

Jesus starts with a word of encouragement by saying, “I know where you dwell.” This is Jesus acknowledging that the church of Pergamum lives in a place difficult for them. They were surrounded by paganism that challenged their faithfulness to Christ. He is mindful of this.

In his letter to the church of Smyrna, the synagogue of Satan was Jewish. But here, the throne of Satan is pagan. 

The reference to Satan’s throne may refer to the fact that Pergamum was the capital of Asia and the leading place of pagan temples and sacrifice, and had a temple where Caesar was worshipped. In fact, Pergamum was the first city in Asia to have a temple dedicated to a Caesar. Ephesus was the commercial center of the region, but Pergamum was the political center of power. If Ephesus was New York, Pergamum would be Washington, DC.

(V.13) “Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

Just as he did with Ephesus, Jesus begins his address to the church at Pergamum with praise. He notes two things. They hold fast to his name and don’t deny him, even in the face of death. This means that they continue to call Christ Lord and hold fast to that profession even in the face of persecution. 

Some scholars believe that Antipas may have been the first Christian martyred by the Roman state in Asia. History records that Antipas was slowly roasted alive in a bronze bowl. In fact, Jesus paid Antipas a great honor when he called him, “My faithful witness.” The only other person in the Bible referred to as a “faithful witness” is Jesus himself in Revelation 1:5.

Notice the proximity of two mentions of Satan near the mention of Antipas. This may be a reference to the pagans of Pergamum instigating the persecution that brought about Antipas’ death. Clearly, Antipas is a warning and a model of what was to come for the Christian’s in Pergamum. 

Though Jesus praised them, there was still a problem, and it was a big one.

CAN YOU BE FAITHFUL TO THE LORD AND TOLERATE SIN AT THE SAME TIME? PERGAMUM HELD TO CHRIST’S NAME BUT TOLERATED SIN, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

(V.14) “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.”

In a previous lesson we noted that the Nicolaitans were a group of heretics who embraced temple prostitution and eating meat sacrificed to idols. You may remember that the apostle Paul addressed the issue of meat sacrificed to idols. Essentially, he said it was okay to eat it in I Corinthians 8 and 10 as long as you weren’t violating a brother’s conscience. If this is the case, why is eating meat sacrificed to idols condemned by Jesus in this passage? There are two different things going on. 

In I Corinthians 8 and 10 the sacrificial meat is being sold in shops or at a temple. One could buy the meat without taking part in the pagan rites. No sin was involved by the buyer. He wasn’t participating in the temple worship. Meat is just meat. It’s okay to eat as long as conscience is not violated. But in Revelation 2 participation in false temple worship and temple prostitution is implied, thus, sin is involved. 

So why is the sin of Balaam mentioned? 

You remember the story of Balaam from the book of Numbers 22-24. Balaam was contracted by the king of Moab, Balak, to curse Israel. But three times Balaam blessed Israel instead. Balak was furious with Balaam, so Balaam did something to get Israel to curse itself.  “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel” (Numbers 25:1-3). According to the account, “Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord” (Numbers 31:16). 

Balaam’s sin was worse because he set out to cause Israel to curse itself. He intentionally did something to get them to sin. The result was that the leaders of Israel were all hanged. This is what Jesus is accusing some of the church of Pergamum of doing. They were openly tempting believers to take part in pagan worship. Notice Jesus response to that in verse 16. “I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.” In other words, just as he judged Israel’s leaders in Numbers 25, so too he would judge these heretics of Pergamum. 

(V.15) “So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

Some of the believers were deceived and stumbled into the Nicolaitan heresy. Remember Jesus’ previous word about the Nicolaitans to the Ephesians. He hated their works (V.6). Jesus loved the Ephesians which is why he rebuked them for this. We can surmise here as well that Jesus loves the church at Pergamum, which is why he issued them such a dire warning. How serious was that warning? More so than Ephesus. As we will see in verse 16.

What is implied in this passage is that the church at Pergamum tolerated those who followed the teachings of the Nicolaitans and Balaam. This was different from Ephesus, which identified the false and tried to root it out. The Pergamum church tolerated it. Tolerating sin is always an affront to God. God desires that his church be pure and holy. Jesus endured great pain and sacrifice for us, so for us to tolerate sin is a great affront to him that dishonors his sacrifice on our behalf. We must never tolerate sin.

IF THE CHURCH TOLERATES SIN, WILL GOD JUDGE THE CHURCH? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

(V.16) “Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Notice that the whole church is called to repentance, probably because the church tolerated the Nicolaitans. Remember when Balaam rode his donkey to go see Balak. He was confronted on the road by the Angel of the Lord, likely Jesus himself, with a drawn sword. So too, in this passage, Jesus threatens this church with the sword. He threatens with a pronouncement of judgment. 

No other church has the distinction of Jesus saying he will go to war against them if they don’t repent. How’s that for spiritual warfare? Interestingly, Balaam himself was slain by the sword in judgment for his sin. 

WHAT KIND OF REWARDS CAN WE EXPECT FROM GOD IF WE DO AWAY WITH TOLERATED SIN IN OUR LIVES?

(V.17) “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”

There are three challenging things to our understanding of this passage:

• The hidden manna
• The white stone
• A new name

The hidden manna may be a reference to manna that was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant along with the tablets of the law and Aaron’s rod that budded. Manna was the bread from heaven that God provided miraculously each day for Israel in the wilderness. This stands in contrast to the meat of pagan sacrifices which the Pergamum church was tempted to eat. God will sustain his people whereas the sacrificial meat would be their downfall. Of course, Jesus referred to himself as “the bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:51). Jesus is hidden for a time, but someday will be revealed and we will see him.

The white stone may be a reference to two things. First, white and black stones were used in court to pronounce someone acquitted (the white stone), or condemned (the black stone). You and I have been acquitted by Christ. We receive the white stone.

Secondly, a white stone was used like a ticket for admission to public festivals and events. Since the context of this passage is about false temple worship, where a white stone might be presented, this is likely the best interpretation of the white stone’s use. Jesus is again using something within their culture to make his point. In this case the white stone was like a proof of citizenship. So too, we have a proof of citizenship in heaven through Jesus, who is our rock. Only those who have Christ gain access to heaven. 

“The allusion in 2:17 to ‘a white stone, and in the stone a new name written,’ may be an allusion to a practice of keeping secret a new name taken at baptism in a place where it was dangerous to be known as a Christian.”⁽³⁾

INTERPRETATION

What is Jesus’ big idea for this passage? If you tolerate sin, Jesus won’t tolerate you. Jesus’ statement that he will make war against those who don’t repent should terrify us. Remember what the writer to the Hebrews said. 

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26-31).

Tempting others to compromise their holiness, like Balaam, like the Nicolaitans, is a serious offense in the eyes of the Lord. Tolerating that kind of sin brings him great displeasure and he must deal with it, with us, if we are to live under his blessing.

I once tolerated the sin of drunkenness in my ministry. In Mongolia, while packing up our TV equipment in secret to avoid a bad situation, I had one of our staff give a bottle of Vodka to a security guard so he would get drunk and pass out so we could do our work in secret. It was a terrible witness to our non believing staff and I became ashamed of what I had done. I had to repent. After that, I did not tolerate drunkenness among our staff. 

Notice the progression in this passage: 

1. Authority
2. Acknowledgement
3. Accusation
4. Adjudication 
5. Acceptance 

Authority. Jesus begins the passage by noting his authority, saying he has the sharp two-edged sword. Jesus has the authority to command obedience from our lives. If we are not living in obedience then we are not living for him.

Acknowledgement. Jesus acknowledges their hard situation, referring to persecution and the condition they live under. Things are difficult for the Pergamum church. His acknowledgement shows he understands and sympathizes with their situation.

Accusation. Jesus levels a charge against them of tolerating sin in their midst. It’s not that they just have sin, it’s that they tolerate it and have done nothing about it. And it is gross sin, the kind that offends him deeply. 

Adjudication. Jesus threatens judgment against the church if they do not repent. They must not simply repent of immorality and false temple worship. The rest of the congregation must repent of tolerating sin or their repentance will not be complete.

Acceptance. At the last, those who repent and continue in holy living will be rewarded by Christ. They will enjoy the benefits of the Christian life and have his approval. 

These five steps are also what we go through when we become aware of sin in our lives that needs repentance. Especially if we are tolerating sin. We must do away with sin if we want to enjoy the benefits that Christ brings us. 

APPLICATION

1. Do a spiritual inventory of your life. Do you have any sin you are tolerating? Look at your entertainment choices, your relationships, and how you spend your time. Can you say with confidence that Jesus takes pleasure in your daily life?
2. Examine your spiritual life. Are you focused on the basics? Do you have regular times of prayer, Bible reading, Bible study, and trying to be a good witness to those around you? Keeping the basics helps us establish a firm foundation for how we spend our time and energy. 
3. Keep repentance as a regular habit. Keeping an attitude of repentance helps ensure that we are pursuing Christ in holiness. The scripture says that without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Whatever sin you’ve tolerated, bring that to the Lord in confession and repentance to be fully restored. 
4. Live in expectation. Truly desiring to live for Christ brings expectation of wanting to be with him and having him as the priority relationship in our lives. You can tell a lot about your spiritual life by whether or not you desire to be with the Lord daily. If you have no desire to spend time with Christ in prayer or study then something is wrong spiritually. Attending to these things will help you identify what keeps you from him, what needs strengthening in your life, and what sin you might be tolerating that needs to be excised from your life. 

1. Tõniste, Külli. 2016. “Pergamum.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
2. Tõniste, Külli. 2016. “Pergamum.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. 
3. Hastings, James, John A. Selbie, John C. Lambert, and Shailer Mathews. 1909. In Dictionary of the Bible, 701. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.