The letter to the church in Pergamon
This church is about to fail and, although it seems to be because of Balaam, he is not really the problem.
The church in Pergamon
The historical background
Pergamon was an important city four centuries before the Book of Revelation was written. The city was built on a rock about 20 km from the sea.
For a long time, the city was the seat of the Attides, who were a leading power in the area. The last ruler made this city a gift to the Roman Emperor. In 29 B.C. a temple was built in honor of the Emperor, and shortly afterwards another temple was built for another Emperor. So, this city was certainly in the good books of the Emperors and didn’t want to lose this important privileged position.
There were also many other temples in Pergamon - dedicated to Zeus, Athena, Dionysis and Asclepius.
Jesus’ view
Jesus knows that this church has a hard life, and he approaches them with a very sharp sword to separate (godly teachings from falsehoods).
Jesus calls this place: “where the Satan dwells and has his throne”. He is probably referring to all the temples in Pergamon. The church was doing well. They endured and did not renounce His name — which shows how hard it was to live there — even to the point of martyrdom. Their situation is comparable to Smyrna, or worse.
But there is one thing that breaks them: Balaam and the Nikolaitans - or is it some other problem?
The problem
The story of Balaam shows the failure of an in consistent leadership. There is probably a similar problem with the Nicolaitans.
There is no strong commitment from the leadership regarding false doctrine. An examination of the promise that Jesus offers indicates that they lack faith and keep searching for comforting teachings, which probably has led them to compromising their faith.
And since every doctrine has an effect on our actions, these teaching also have an effect on their behavior and witness. Perhaps the false teaching encourages the joint dinners dedicated to idols.
The solution
The faithful will receive hidden manna. God provides the supernatural, so we must trust Him even when things seem hopeless.
They will receive a white stone with a new name. A white stone can have two meanings:
- It was used in court to vote, A white stone would indicate innocence (e.g., from being accused of attending meals dedicated to idols) and would enable them to attend the marriage supper of the Lamb.
- It was used as a pass for entry (perhaps to the marriage supper of the Lamb).
A new name is usually associated with a new identity, and knowing the new name indicates an intimate relationship between these people and God.
God offers the church a new beginning if the church wants it. But if they decide not to take it, Jesus will fight against them.