My dear readers,

Jesus – The Sharp Two-Edged Sword

Pliny, the Roman writer, called Pergamos “by far the most distinguished city in Asia.” [cited by Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977), 95.] By the time John wrote Revelation, Pergamos had already been Asia’s capital city for almost 250 years (since 133 B.C. when its last king bequeathed his kingdom to Rome).

Pergamos was an impressive city in her days of glory. It had the perspective of a royal city with her grandiose vantage points over her surrounding region. It literally dominated and gave her inhabitants a sense of security and dignity. The city also had a huge library (200,000 handwritten volumes), second only to that of the one in the major city of Alexandria, Egypt. So well-known was the city’s library that legend has it that the Pergamums were the ones who invented vellum (leather parchments) for the writing of books. With her “looks”, Pergamos was also a city of culture and learning. The physician Galen, second only in prominence to Hippocrates, was born and studied in Pergamos. The city regarded herself as the defender of Greek culture in Asia Minor. Singapore today is not unlike Pergamos of old that boasted of her educational prowess. The people were well educated and prided themselves in their ability to think and reason for themselves.

Pergamos was also an important centre of worship where temples dedicated to Athena, Asklepios, Dionysos, and Zeus were built. On top of the worship of these four gods was the worship of the emperor. Pergamos became one of the most dangerous cities in the vast Roman Empire for Christians to live in because of the worship of the emperor. It was a grand public affair. 

Jesus Christ introduced Himself as a “twoedged sword”. It refers to the Word of God itself. Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The sharpness of the sword emphasizes the potency and power of the Word of God.

Revelation 19:11-15, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." The Word of God edifies and convicts.

The Word of God can strengthen Christ’s disciples. Revelation 2:13: “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”“Satan’s seat” – The many temples dedicated to idolatrous worship as well as emperor-worship made the city a place which was known as Satan’s Headquarters. The Christians in Pergamos held their own when it came to succumbing to this power of Satan. They “continue to hold fast” (present tense) to the name of Jesus Christ and did not deny His name. They were loyal to Christ in separating themselves from such kind of worship. They did not deviate from the truths of God’s Word in terms of worshipping other gods or wrong gods. They were faithful to the truth of God taught in the Bible. No amount of satanic opposition was able to move them. They remained steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD. One of their own was named Antipas. He was killed probably for not bowing to the worship of the emperor. They were courageous Christians as they were not moved by the fear of death. When one of their own was martyred, they held on to their faith, even preparing to die for Christ if necessary.

The Word of God also convicts, for not all of them were faithful and courageous. Revelation 2:14, "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication."

There were in the midst of the church of Pergamos some who held fast (same word as used in verse 13) to the doctrine of Balaam. They were holding fast to God’s Word and testimony of Christ, BUT at the same time they held on fast to the doctrine of Balaam. This syncretistic form of devotion and worship is common today too! It is like a kind of schizophrenic behaviour of some, holding on to the notion that if they please God in some areas then they can indulge in sin in others. They deceive themselves into rationalizing that God will not mind. They give worship to God with the right hand and commit sin with their left!

The sin of Balaam in OT times resulted in the death of 24,000 Israelites (Num 25:9), including many of the leaders of Israel (Num 25:4-5). Balaam taught Balak the king of Moab to send “loose” Moabite women into the camp of Israel and caused the men of Israel to sin. Then the LORD would punish Israel. In the course of their sexual immorality, Israel was called by the daughters of Moab to sacrifice to their gods. The Israelites ate food offered to idols and bowed themselves to these idols. The sins they committed were idolatry and sexual immorality (Num 25). 2 Peter 2:15-16: "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet."

What some of the Pergamums did was that they hyphenated Christ with the worship of pagan gods. They thought that it was all right to do so. What made it worse was that these people were tolerated in the church. The church also tolerated those who held to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, like what happened in the church in Ephesus. The deeds of the Nicolaitans probably involved sensual temptations leading to sexual immorality and eating things sacrificed to idols (Rev 2:14) without regard for the offense of such behaviour (cf. Rom 14:1-15:3)—all in the name of Christian liberty.

The problem was one of religious compromise. The Pergamos church was strong among others who were not of their own. But when one of their own compromised, they were lax and did not take the necessary steps to “clean” house. Separation based upon respect of persons is a mockery in the sight of God. When Christians handle sin, they must handle it the way that God would handle sin. Remember how God dealt with Moses, David, Saul, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Balaam, Peter, etc. when they sinned? God is no respecter of persons when it comes to judging sin.

Deuteronomy 1:17: "Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: …" This is one of the hallmarks of a godly leader. He is able to make objective judgments and deal with sin regardless of who the person is or what he may have done for the church. Just as Christ came as the double-edged sword, so must all His faithful disciples be.