The letter to the church in Smyrna
Do you know Smyrna? You should, because you will find a blameless church there, but it may not be the right one for you.
Smyrna is one of two churches that received no rebuke from Jesus. So what is the secret there?
Historical background
Smyrna was located about 70 km north of Ephesus in a bay with an excellent harbor. This was the reason for the wealth of the city and made it an economically important city.
In the year 20, a temple was built in honor of the emperor, making it one of the leading cities in the worship of the emperor.
Little is known about the origin of the church, perhaps it was found by Paul when he founded the church in Ephesus.
Jesus view
Jesus approaches the church as the risen one who has conquered death. This is a vision the church needs as it is attacked from all sides:
- They have to fight financially, probably because they don’t join the Gildes.
- There are some Jews who slander the Church and they are probably also the reason why they go to jail (the devil will put some of you in jail, Jews are a synagogue of Satan).
The reference to 10 days is a link to the story of Daniel, who ate only vegetables so as not to defile himself with an unclean food from the king’s table.
The perspective
Jesus promises: When they endure they will not be harmed by the second death. Jesus overcame by going through death into resurrection and seeming to be week, so he will reign with them. This is a paradox. How should this work?
The more we are unable to do anything, the more Jesus can work. But there is a danger of being so overwhelmed by despair that we give up. We don’t have to solve the situation, but we have to endure with him.