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What do we know about the city of Pergamum?
- 55 miles north of Smyrna and 25 miles inland
- Full of temples, altars, theatres, and art
- Capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor
- An intellectual center known for their medical and rhetorical studies
- Home to the worship of Asclepius/Asklepios, the god of doctors, medicine and healing
- Famous for its university with a library of about 200,000 volumes[1]
- Wealthy like Smyrna and Ephesus
Revelation 2:12-17 ESV
To the Church in Pergamum
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.’
In verse 12, Jesus describes Himself as the one “who has the sharp two-edged sword.” What do these verses say about the sword?
Ephesians 6:17
. . . and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. . .
Hebrews 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
The “sharp double-edged sword” [2] was a symbol of Roman justice, so isn’t it great that Jesus opens this letter by saying, “I am the double-edged sword!”
In all of the letters in Revelation, Jesus encourages the churches that He is the final word and the one in control, not the worldly empires that appear to have all the power. May this encourage us today knowing God is still the final word and the one in control of all things in our culture and time as well.
[1] Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 936). Victor Books.
[2] Osborne, G. R. (2002). Revelation (p. 140). Baker Academic.