Revelation 2:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At that time the great Apostle, Saint John the Theologian, was exiled to the island of Patmos. He was this pillar of the Church, foundation of Christian truth, and preacher of the pre-eternal Godhead of the Only-begotten Son of God. On Patmos, in a revelation, the Lord appeared to him among the seven lampstands. He commanded him to write to the seven Angels, that is, to the bishops of the seven churches of Asia Minor, and to strengthen the companies of the martyrs.

At the same time the Lord also remembered the hierarch Antipas, about whom the present account is set forth. The Lord said to His disciple, "I know thy works, and that thou dwellest where the throne of Satan is. Thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days when My faithful witness Antipas was killed among you, where Satan dwells." For Saint Antipas was bishop of the Church of Pergamum.

From these words of John's Revelation it is evident what kind of faithful witness of Christ Antipas was. It is also evident what kind of inhabitants were in the city of Pergamum, which was the dwelling of Satan. Among them Saint Antipas was like light amid darkness, like a rose among thorns, like gold in mire, or better, in a fiery furnace. For it is written, "He tried them as gold in the furnace" (Wis 3:6).

There the law of nature was not observed, and there was no discernment. Each avenged himself, the strong injured the weak, and he was considered courageous, good, and righteous who beat or killed Christians. When the unbelievers so oppressed and troubled the Christian community, blessed Antipas, a man unshaken in faith and constant in virtue, was not troubled in the least. As though he had exchanged human nature for angelic nature, he stood firmly and fearlessly against the enemies.

Despising the threats of the tormentors, he often went out among the people. In their midst he shone like the dawn, and by the light of the pure and right faith he drove away the darkness of idolatrous delusion. Therefore the demons, whom the Greeks regarded as gods, all fled from there. Not one of them dared remain in the city of Pergamum, where Saint Antipas lived.

The demons appeared to their priests in dreams and said that they no longer tasted their sacrifices or smelled the sacrificial incense, because the leader of the Christians was driving them away. Then the Greeks became enraged and rushed upon Antipas. They seized him and dragged him to the place where they customarily offered their unclean sacrifices.

The governor said to him, "Are you that Antipas who does not himself fulfill the imperial commands and teaches others the same? Do you so hinder our sacrifices that you allow none of the gods to be filled with the fat of the offerings? Because of you the gods have abandoned our city. There is danger that some misfortune may befall it, since they will no longer wish to guard it. It is enough for you to persist in Christian sorcery. Now repent and submit to our laws, so that the gods who possess this fair city may not cease to care for us and protect us. But if you refuse to do this, and do not renounce your faith, and despise our worship, then by Roman law you will undergo fitting punishment."

Saint Antipas answered this: "Know one thing, governor: I am a Christian, and I have no desire at all to obey the senseless and impious command of the emperor. Yet since a proper answer should be given to your questions, listen to me. If your gods, whom you call lords of the whole universe, have been driven away, as they themselves say, by a mortal man, and if those whom you regard as your defenders and intercessors seek your help, then from this you can easily know your delusion. If they cannot punish the insult done to them, and acknowledge themselves defeated by one man, how can they deliver the whole human race from misfortune, or even one city? Taking this into account, you ought at least now to depart from your destructive delusion and believe in Christ, who came down from heaven to save the human race. This Christ will truly come at the consummation of the ages as Judge of all, and will repay each according to his deeds, either torment or honor."

After this prudent answer, the governor again began to speak to Saint Antipas: "You obey new laws and statutes invented by yourselves, and have despised the ancient worship that we received from our forefathers from the beginning. It has come down to us from them by inheritance. It is not good to depart from the customs of our ancestors. The old is better than the new, more reliable, and worthy of greater praise when confirmed by ancient time. Therefore you also must change your belief and not follow a Man who appeared in recent times, disturbed human life by certain magical arts, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate. Submit, then, to the imperial commands, and you will live with us without trouble. We will help you in everything and love you with filial love. Your old age is worthy that we should love and honor you as a father."

To this Saint Antipas answered: "Even if you presented me with countless arguments, I shall not be so foolish and senseless as to change my faith after reaching deep old age and drawing near to death. Nor will I, for the sake of this miserable and dishonorable life, depart from the firm confession of faith. Therefore do not entice my mind, which is constantly trained in the reading of the divine books. In the beginning none of your gods existed. They appeared later and did no good. No benefit came to us from them. But as they themselves were vile and worthless, so they became for others the causes of an evil and lustful life. If ancient evil institutions must be preserved, then one should also imitate Cain the fratricide. Why do you not follow those who wanted to ascend to heaven and were not ashamed of incest with their sisters, for which they were destroyed by the flood? If you too imitate their lawless deeds because of their antiquity, then you will be punished not by water, but by eternal fire and the sleepless worm, unless you repent."

After these words the impious men seized the holy man and dragged him to the temple of Artemis, where there was a bronze bull. Having heated the bull, they cast the holy martyr into it. But he made the sign of the Cross and prayed to God, crying out: "O God, who hast revealed to us the mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ, hidden from the ages, through whom Thou hast disclosed to us the unfathomable depths of Thy counsel, I thank Thee for all Thy benefits. Thou savest us who hope in Thee, and hast counted me worthy of the honor, at this hour, to be enrolled among the holy martyrs who have suffered for Thy holy name. Receive my spirit, which now departs from this life. Grant me to find grace with Thee and with Thine Only-begotten Son. And make not only me, but also those who will live after me, partakers of Thy mercy, that Thy holy name may be glorified by all unto the ages. Amen."

With these and like words Saint Antipas prayed for a long time while being tormented in the heated bull. Then, after he had prayed also for the whole world, he surrendered his spirit into the hands of God, as though falling asleep in a sweet sleep. He ascended to heaven, adorned with the glorious crown of martyrdom.

Pious men took his holy relics and buried them with honor in that same city of Pergamum. Myrrh flowed from them, healing every human illness, to the glory of Christ our God, who is glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit unto the ages. Amen.

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).