When John was recording his revelation, Smyrna had a reputation as the “Glory of Asia.” That was not always the case.
The Lydians destroyed Smyrna in 600 BC; for four hundred years there was no “city,” just scattered villages in the area, yet records show people still talked about Smyrna as a place. The city was restored in 290 BC. Some ancient writers compared the city with the mythical phoenix, a symbol of resurrection. Others literally recorded Smyrna as a city that was dead and yet lived.[1]
Smyrna was famous for (among other things) fantastic architecture and town planning. You can still walk on spectacular streets that ran from one end of the city to the other. The most famous was called the Golden Street.[2] Apollonius referred to a “crown of porticoes,” a circle of beautiful public buildings that ringed the summit of Mount Pagos.[3] Smyrna was often depicted on coins as a seated woman, with a crown patterned after the buildings on the mountain[4] and a necklace representing the Golden Street.[5]
Because Rome had helped them so much in coming back to life, Smyrna proved to be incredibly loyal. At one point, the citizens literally stripped down and shipped their clothes to a desperate Roman army. When their request to build a temple to the Roman Emperor Tiberius was granted, Smyrna became a notable “temple-warden” of the imperial cult.
By the time of Domitian, emperor worship was mandatory. Burning incense and saying “Caesar is Lord” earned a certificate such as this one: “We, the representatives of the Emperor, Serenos and Hermas, have seen you sacrificing.” Then, you could go worship any god you wanted. This also gave you a “mark” that opened up the economy for you. If you did not do this, you were a disloyal citizen at best and a traitorous outlaw at worst.[6]
The Jewish people had enjoyed a large degree of freedom under the Roman Rule during the 1stcentury. They were exempt from emperor worship in many cases and possessed the rights of citizenship in some cities. This wasn’t necessarily good for Judaism. There was infighting about how to live with integrity in a Roman world,[7] how to “be in Rome but not of Rome.” The Essenes at one point called the rest of their Jewish neighbors “the congregation of Satan.”[8]
Christians benefitted from having their roots in Judaism. The freedoms the Jews enjoyed were largely enjoyed by Christians in many areas of the empire. But in Smyrna, the Jewish population was nervous. The Judean war against Rome two decades earlier resulted in a special tax Jews everywhere in the empire had to pay. Many Jewish leaders were uncomfortable with Messianic movements like the movement that followed Jesus - messianic movements often ended with the Roman beast breathing down their neck.
In a time of “don’t ask, don’t tell” for private religious practice for the Jewish worshippers (and by default their Christian cousins), the Jewish leaders were telling even when Rome wasn’t asking.[9]The Romans even had a name for them: delatores, denouncers, who would get the prosecutorial ball rolling. And prosecute they did.[10]
So the church in Smyrna was facing a lot of hardship: locked out of the economy because they wouldn’t do emperor worship; hated by the Jews; on Rome’s radar. This brings us to the letter to Smyrna.
8 Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Smyrna. “These are the words of the First and the Last[11], the One who was dead and yet lived[12]:
9 “I know [your deeds and] the difficult ordeal you are enduring and your poverty,[13] although you are actually rich. I am aware of the blasphemy[14] preached by those who call themselves ‘Jews.’ But these people are not the Jews they pretend to be[15]; they are actually the congregation of Satan[16] (“a gathering of the Adversary”).
10 In the face of suffering, do not fear[17]. Watch; the devil will throw some of you into prison shortly so that you might be tested, and you will endure great affliction for 10 days.[18] Be faithful[19] throughout your life, until the day you die, and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.[20]
11 “Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches. The one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death will escape the second death.”
Whereas “overcoming” in Ephesus required the restoration of love, in Smyrna it demanded withstanding persecution and enduring faithfully through suffering. So, let’s talk about suffering.[21]
There were different types of suffering/trials/hardships for the church in Smyrna:
· Resisting temptation in general for the sake of Christ
· Enduring dismissal, derision, and contempt, for the sake of Christ
· Taking a financial or reputational hit for the sake of Christ
· Suffering emotional, relational, physical pain for the sake of Christ
· Dying for the sake of Christ
Christians won’t necessarily face all of these, but “in this world you will have trouble.”[22] There are a variety of ways Christians can and have responded when facing hardship and trials.[23]
1. Quit –Rome and Babylon would love to have your allegiance.[24]
2. Lie –You could lie with words (tell people you aren’t a Christian) or with your body (live as if Jesus has no say in your life) while clinging to the notion that all that matters is that you really are a follower of Jesus deep inside. “Whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33)
3. Fight – physically protect religious freedom with the sword. Peter tried this. Jesus was having none of it. “ ‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?’ … In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?’“ (Matthew 26:52-53; 55).
4. Accommodate – try to do Christian worship and empire worship at the same time: let’s call this serving or honoring two masters. That’s what empire worship was doing in Rome; this was one of the key problems facing the church at the time probably more than the others. The compromise that followed Constantine’s legalization of Christianity in the 300s was another. Since critique of nations and concern for accommodation are prominent in Revelation, let’s look at how this sneaks into our own history, which was profoundly influenced by the Enlightenment admiration of ancient Rome.[25]
The rotunda of the US Capitol building has a mural called The Apotheosis of Washington (1865). It depicts Washington as having ascended into the heavens and becoming exalted or glorified. He wears the colors of Roman emperors, with a rainbow arch at his feet, flanked by the goddesses of Victory and Liberty. There are six scenes around him, 5 of which have Roman gods/goddesses:
· Science, Minerva, surrounded by inventors.
· Marine,Neptune, with warships in the background.
· Commerce, Mercury, giving a bag of gold to a financier of the Revolutionary War.
· Mechanics, Vulcan, with cannons and steam engines.
· Agriculture,Ceres, with a mechanical reaper.
· War, Columbia, the personification of America, aka Lady Liberty.
It’s obviously not the same as 1st century Emperor worship, but there is no doubht that national values and admired leaders are viewed with an awe approaching reverence.[26] We still do it culturally (I’m thinking of the Messianic imagery associated with presidents Obama and Trump in recent years[27]). Francis Schaeffer warned us about this decdes ago:[28]
“The whole "Constantine mentality" from the fourth century up to our day was a mistake. Constantine, as the Roman Emperor, in 313 ended the persecution of Christians. Unfortunately, the support he gave to the church led by 381 to the enforcing of Christianity, by Theodosius I, as the official state religion. Making Christianity the official state religion opened the way for confusion up till our own day.
There have been times of very good government when this interrelationship of church and state has been present. But through the centuries it has caused great confusion between loyalty to the state and loyalty to Christ, between patriotism and being a Christian. We must not confuse the Kingdom of God with our country. To say it another way: "We should not wrap our Christianity in our national flag.”- Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto
Okay, the first 4 options aren’t good ones. The last two are options are viable options for Christians.
5. Change the law – demand justice within the rights the empire has given us. This is an option Paul used. He maxed out his rights as a Roman citizen to avoid some pretty nasty punishments.[29] He escaped dangerous situations when he could. Being faithful to Jesus doesn’t mean we have to be gluttons for punishment.
But it’s worth nothing that even as Paul claimed his rights, he was still beaten and jailed a lot and killed eventually. One hopes the law would be Christian-friendly; at some point, it won’t be. We can and should work within the system to promote justice and mercy for all. However, when the law turns against our faith, we don’t panic, and we don’t take up the sword to get it back. We knew this day would come.
6. Be patiently faithful even unto death. There are different outcomes to suffering: Smyrna would face greater suffering (2:10), the other persecuted church (Philadelphia) would not experience the same (3:10). James was executed but Peter was released (Acts 12:2 - 7). Some Christians experienced miraculous release from prison while others died (Hebrews 11:35). Some Christians in Afghanistan got out; others didn’t. Some pastors have hidden successfully; some haven’t.
Revelation reveals a sobering truth in stark terms: when we face persecution, we might suffer a lot, and even die. It’s no surprise that John, surrounded by persecution, expects us to have to endure this also. Fortunately, Revelation shows us how to overcome in the face of persecution: the image of the triumphant lion as a slain lamb:
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne…” (5:5-6)
We overcome not by matching hostility and violence and angry vitriol but by laying down our lives figuratively and literally. The path to the crown goes through the cross. “This do in remembrance of me.”[30]
For the Christian, there is always hope through the suffering we experience and reward on the other side of faithfulness. In fact, suffering plays such a vital role in our life in Christ that we are told multiple times that we ought to actually rejoice, because it’s a means by which God matures us.
“We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer we develop endurance, which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love.” (Romans 5:3-5)
“But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.” (1 Peter 4:13)
If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. (I Peter 2:20-23)
We will be granted opportunities to share in Christ’s glory by fellowshipping in his suffering. We will be granted an opportunity to prove our faithfulness through testing. We have been given the gift of being allowed to suffer with Christ so that we can live with Christ. There’s no need to seek out or sprint toward pain, but let’s not waste the opportunity to suffer well when God allows it to become a part of our life. A crown of life awaits.
* * * * *
Let’s #practicerighteousness. I want to offer a practical way for us to patiently and faithfully endure in a way that shows the peace and the hope we have in Christ. We are not being asked to physically die in the United States, but there others ways in which trials test our faith. We can prepare now with what’s in front of us.
I often see anger and fear sometimes verging on panic when THIS LAW or THIS PERSON or THIS MOVEMENT is apparently going to destroy the church. Nothing has had the power to do that for 2,000 years and counting. Dragons and beasts are nothing compared to God’s power and majesty. God is still sovereign. God will be with His people and supply what they need and hand the faithful a crown of life in the end. It may well make our life hard – but we were warned. “Taking up our cross” is a thing.
I’m not suggesting we should be apathetic or lazy or even fatalistic. Christians aren’t called to any of those either. I think we can be really engaged in thoughtful and careful ways in all these areas as we name the darkness and light the candle of gospel hope. In fact, part of suffering for the sake of Christ is probably the relentlessly bold (and grace-filled, and loving) promotion of the message and the values of the Kingdom in the face of opposition.
I’m talking about what orients and grounds us and makes us righteously different in the midst of life in a hard and sometimes cruel world. God has granted us the opportunity to patiently endure in the midst of hardship so that we can share in His glory and obtain the crown in the end. We have not yet been called to shed our blood, but we have been called to lay down our lives in different ways honor of the Lamb who conquers by being slain.
I will end with some thoughts from Vaneetha Risner, who speaks with some authority on experiencing suffering:[31]
Watching believers suffer and die well changes a world that lives to avoid suffering. There’s nothing unusual about Christians who are happy in prosperity. That’s natural. Even expected. But joy in suffering is supernatural. The world takes notice. Like Moses and the burning bush, they step aside to see why we are not destroyed (Exodus 3:2–3).[32]
A few of us may end up giving our lives for the gospel. Some of us may proclaim Christ through indescribable and extraordinary suffering. But all of us can show the surpassing worth of Christ to others through our mundane, often daily, trials. People want to see how we respond to our challenging children. Our chronic pain. Our difficult boss. Our financial struggles. Our ailing parents. Our unwanted singleness.
The situations that we wish were most different are likely the places that others are watching us most closely. They are each, therefore, a precious opportunity to share how Christ meets us in our suffering.
Don’t waste your suffering. It is far too valuable. God is using it in a thousand ways you will never see or know, but one way is to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12). Tell people about the hope in you, how God has met you, why your faith has made a difference in your trials. It is the most powerful witness you have.
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[1] The Letters To The Seven Churches, by William Ramsey
[2] Hmmm. I think that image might show up later in Revelation?
[3] Halley’s Bible Handbook Notes
[4] Apollonius said, “Though it is the most beautiful of all cities under the sun…yet it is a greater charm to wear a crown of men than a crown of porticoes and pictures and gold beyond the standard of mankind.” 2nd century orator Aelius Aristides said that since Smyrna has been restored after the disastrous earthquakes in her history, “Spring’s gates…are opened by crowns.”
[5] The Letters To The Seven Churches, by William Ramsey
[6] William Barclay notes this was a political act in the eyes of Rome more than a religious act. That might have been a handy excuse: “Rome doesn’t see this as religious; why should I?” Or it might have been very tempting to find a friendly official to bribe so that you had a certificate without having to burn the incense.
[7] Both Jews and Christians struggled with this. Should they continue to participate in social activities that have a pagan (non-Jewish, non-Christian) religious character? This would include most activities: watching or participating in athletic and rhetorical contests; buying and eating meat in the precincts of pagan temples; and frequenting trade guilds, clubs, and events in private homes, each with their meetings, drinking parties, and banquets. Should they acknowledge the sovereignty of the emperor when asked to do so at a public event in the precincts of his temple, or at another of the many events in his honor? (From “Reading Revelation Responsibly” in Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand: Essays On The Book Of Revelation. Edited by Shane J. Wood.
[8] NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
[9] To them, Christians distorted the Law; the worship of Jesus as Messiah was blasphemy.
[10] IVP New Testament Commentary Series
[11] Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12
[12] Many commentators see a comparison to Smyrna’s history here.
[13] Likely because they refused to participate in idolatrous trade guilds.
[14] “Blasphemy "switches" right for wrong (wrong for right), i.e. calls what God disapproves, "right." (HELPS Word Studies)
[15] “Jews by national descent, but not spiritually of "the true circumcision." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
[16] John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
[17] Beale notes that in Isaiah 41 and 44, this is also an encouragement to the Jews.
[18] See Daniel 1:12-15, where Daniel and his friends were tested for 10 days.
“The number is likely a symbol and not a 10 day time period. The number 10 represents a complete period of testing. Even though you are exiles in a different culture, you will be revealed to be the children of God.” (Shane Wood) Ramsey notes that it could be a literal reference to the time awaiting punishment: “In the Roman world, prison was usually… a prelude to trial and execution; hence the words "Be faithful, even to the point of death." The State would not burden itself with the custody of criminals, except as a preliminary stage to their trial, or in the interval between trial and execution. Fine, exile, and death constituted the usual range of penalties.” From Adam Clarke’s Commentary: “Think of the expression as implying frequency and abundance, as it does in other parts of Scripture.” Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:41; Numbers 14:22; Nehemiah 4:12; Job 19:3.
[19] “The expression ‘be faithful,’ again, would inevitably remind Smyrnaean readers of the history of their city, which had been the faithful friend and ally of Rome for centuries.
To Cicero it was ‘the most faithful of our allies’. (William Ramsey)
[20] The promise to Ephesus was “the tree of life” (v. 7). To Smyrna, it is the “crown of life” (v. 10).
[21] A large amount of the suffering in Revelation is born by followers of the Lamb. In his vision of heaven, John sees martyrs who had conquered the Beast through death. Tertullian famously said in his second century letter to Rome, “The more often we are mown down by you, the more number we grow. The blood of Christians is seed.”
[22] John 16:33
[23] This list is from (drum roll….) Shane J. Wood!
[24] Christian journalist Malcolm Muggeridge once wrote, “If God is dead [or if God is not worshipped], somebody is going to have to take his place. It will be megalomania or erotomania, the drive for power or the drive for pleasure, the clenched first or the phallus, Hitler or Hugh Hefner.” That’s Rome and Babylon.
[25] Read this informative Senior Thesis from a Liberty University student. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=honors. Francis Schaeffer’s How Should We Then Live opens with a Rome/United States comparison.
[26] Read this senior thesis from a student at Liberty University on this influence.https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=honors
[27] Biden doesn’t seem to be inspiring those comparisons. The only example I found was a magazine (Jacobin) that used Christian iconography to satirize the American tendency to have religious devotion for our leaders.
[28] This requires several myths.
a. a “myth of righteousness” that sets values of the Empire on par with the values of the Kingdom (in which both are seen as part of the euangelion, the good news of God’s plan for the world).
b.a “myth of greatness” as defined by the standards of Babylon and Rome: financial, political, and/or military strength as the markers of success.
c. a “myth of innocence” that sees the power, prosperity, and peace of the (apparently) righteous and great Empire as achieved by and sustained by thoroughly righteous means and people.
d. a “myth of worthiness” that demands an appreciation of and allegiance to the state as a profoundly moral responsibility for Christians.
[29] Acts 22:22-23:11
[30] Luke 22:8-20
[31] https://www.vaneetha.com/about
[32] Vaneetha Risner, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-only-suffering-can-say