And to the angel of the church of Pergamus write: These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword:
και τω αγγελω της εν περγαμω εκκλησιας γραψον ταδε λεγει ο εχων την ρομφαιαν την διστομον την οξειαν
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The city to which He addresses this word, praising the faithful for steadfast endurance of temptations, was idolatrous. By the two-edged sword He means either the teaching of the Gospel, which circumcises men's hearts and separates believers from the impious, or else the condemnation that cuts off the impious from the Church.
Pergamum may be translated as dividing their horns. The reference is to Him who at the judgment will separate the virtue of the faithful from the impiety of the Nicolaitans, so that the horns of sinners may be broken and the horns of the righteous exalted.
The time of the Pergamene Church is the time when the world recognized her, the world in which Satan establishes his throne. It is the time of the transition from open persecutions to an attempt to use the Church for the imperial state's interests.
It is the time of the Ecumenical Councils. The dogmatic truths forged and sharpened in this age are figuratively called here a two-edged sword.
Who is the faithful witness Antipas? Tertullian, a well-known apologist of that time, relates that during the persecution under Emperor Domitian, a pious Christian named Antipas was thrown into a heated bronze bull.
He was burned for confessing the Lord Jesus.
"To the angel of the Church of Pergamum." It is not known who was bishop of the Church of Pergamum at this time.
Some think that the bishop was Carpus (2 Tim 4:13), whose death together with Polycarp is mentioned by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl. 4:15).
Among the bishops of Pergamum, the Apostolic Constitutions first mention Gaius, ordained by John. Antipas, who is also considered the first bishop of Pergamum, accepted martyrdom around the year 93.
Pergamum was once the capital of Mysia in Asia Minor. It was situated on the river Caicus, 120 stadia from the sea and nine miles north of Smyrna.
Today it is Bergama, a half-ruined Turkish locality where only a few Christians live. There the cult of the emperor especially flourished.
One of the kings of Pergamum was known for his enormous library, consisting of two hundred volumes, and for his labors for the good of the people.
According to tradition, the king of Pergamum invented parchment, named after the city.
In antiquity this city was one of the largest cities of the Roman province of Asia, the western part of present-day Turkey. It rivaled Ephesus and Smyrna in the multitude of its temples.
Among them, the temple of Asclepius, the god of healing, who was born there, was especially famous. The priests of this god, who presented themselves as the exclusive enemies of all diseases, formed an extensive scientific and religious society.
They combined the service of Asclepius with knowledge of medicine, and drew many admirers by their wonders, extraordinary healings, and prophecies. In addition, the city was a center of the cults of Zeus, Athena, and Dionysus.
Christianity, spread and confirmed by miracles, had to meet there the strongest resistance from the devil, who armed the priests against the preachers of the Gospel.
What did the Lord command to be written to the angel of the Church of Pergamum? Rev 2:12-17. The Lord sees the difficult position of the Church of Pergamum, situated where the throne of Satan himself is. He also looks with favor on the firmness of the Christians of Pergamum, who did not betray their faith even in the persecution that slew "the faithful witness of the Lord, Antipas."
Yet it is not good that within the community of Pergamum, which bears the high name of Christian, there are still certain members not alien to the Nicolaitan heresy. This heresy sanctions the fornications into which the Israelites were led by Balaam.
For this reason the Lord calls the Pergamenes to repentance. Otherwise He will come and fight against the lawless with the sword of His mouth. To those who overcome He promises the hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name written upon it.
"I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is" (Rev 2:13). What should be understood by this throne of Satan? Clearly this name here denotes one of the chief representative places of idolatry and pagan impiety. One could say that Satan had, as it were, established his dwelling there.
From historical accounts it is known that Pergamum was renowned for many pagan temples. Among them the most famous was the temple of Asclepius, the god of the medical art. Along with many medical superstitions, the priests of Asclepius possessed scientific medical knowledge. By this they drew many idolaters to Pergamum.
These priests, together with the pagans of Pergamum under their influence, both natives and those flocking there from many other cities, could only be fierce opponents of Christianity. Probably at their instigation the hieromartyr Antipas was killed. Not without reason he is considered bishop of Pergamum.
"To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, 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" (Rev 2:17). What is the hidden manna?
It is that true bread from heaven by which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself names Himself (Jn 6:32). The manna kept in the Mosaic tabernacle served as its type (Ex 15:31, 32).
The heavenly sanctuary now conceals our Savior from our sight. Yet the unwaning day of the Kingdom of Heaven will one day come. Then we shall partake more truly of this heavenly bread and this hidden manna. That is, we shall be in living communion with Christ the Savior.
This is the reward promised to all in the person of the victors of Pergamum over sensual desires. By these desires the Nicolaitans there enticed and drew men into their company.
What is the white stone and the wondrous name upon it? The metaphor of the white stone has its basis in an ancient custom. Victors in public games and contests were given tablets of white stone. They later presented these to receive the rewards awarded them.
In the mouth of the holy seer John, the white stone symbolically signifies the purity and innocence of Christians. For this they will obtain an immeasurable and endless reward in the age to come.
The mysterious name written on the white stone is the name of children and heirs of God. So lofty a blessedness is joined to this name in the future that no one can yet comprehend it. Even now we have the right to be called children of God (Jn 1:12), but "it has not yet appeared what we shall be" (1 Jn 3:2).
To the Church in Pergamum, a city of the Mysian province in Asia Minor and the seat of the supreme court of the Asian provinces, the Lord addresses Himself as the One who has the two-edged sword.
By this He shows that He is the sure defender of the Church situated in so dangerous a city. At the same time, by recalling His sword sharpened on both sides, He reminds Christians that another edge of the sword remains for them too, if they depart from the rules of Christian life.
The Lord praises the Church of Pergamum for firmness of faith. He praises it for preserving the faith in those grievous days when pagan judges followed Satan's suggestions. Thus they made the throne of justice into Satan's throne, and killed Antipas, the faithful confessor of Christ.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 18 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS