Verse 12 - Jesus introduces Himself as having a two-edged sword. The significance of that will be plainly understood later in this letter.
Verse 13 - Jesus first tells the congregation that He knows that one of the greatest challenges they must deal with is dwelling where they do - Pergamum - the location of Satan's throne.
Pergamum was the seat of Roman government in Asia. It was called 'the Rome of the East'. It played host to many false cults, the more prominent being those of Zeus, Dionysos, Asklepios (the serpent-god of healing which was referred to as 'saviour'), and - most importantly - Caesar worship. Pergamum boasted magnificient temples to the Caesars. Of all of the seven churches or congregations of Asia, Pergamum was the one most liable to clash with the Imperial cult.
Being the seat of the Roman government and Imperial Cult in Asia, it is said here that Pergamum was the throne of Satan. Satan inspired the Roman government to be a real 'adversary' to the Church and Cause of Christ. Just as the Jewish synagogue is described, in 2:9, as the synagogue of Satan because Satan had inspired the Jews to fight hard against the Church, so the seat of Roman government is called the throne of Satan because Imperial Rome had become a powerful 'adversary' of the Church.
This is especially true at the time of the writing of this Letter (AD 66), because Nero was on the throne. In AD 64, Nero had set the city of Rome on fire. The truth that Nero had set the fire leaked-out and the anger of Roman citizens exploded. Nero publicly denied his guilt and proclaimed that the Christians were the arsonists and that this was only one demonstration of how dangerous the Christians are to Society. Nero issued an edict that, throughout the Empire, all Christians who did not deny their Faith in Christ Jesus and perform sacrifices in keeping with the Imperial Cult should be executed.
During this Neronian persecution, the members of this congregation held fast the Name of Christ by proudly calling themselves Christians and did not deny the Faith or religion of Christ. One of the members of the Pergamum congregation who was actually arrested and did not comply with Nero's edict was Antipas. We know nothing more about Antipas except that he was Christ's "witness" and Christ's "faithful one."
The word the KJV renders 'martyr' should be rendered 'witness'. The Greek word used did not take-on the meaning of 'martyr' until the Third Century. Antipas acted as a witness, testifying to those in Pergamum the reality that Christ Jesus is the only Savior, the only King of kings and Lord of lords, and the ultimate Judge of Mankind.
He was Christ's 'faithful one' in that he remained a faithful witness even til the Roman authorities killed him for his Faith.
We do not face persecution, today, in the United States to the extent that the Pergamum Christians did. Yet, if we openly 'witness' for Christ in our daily lives, we will face resistence and maltreatment. 2 Timothy 3:12, "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." If we do not notice others treating us differently, in a negative way, as we interact with them...we need to seriously examine how diligently we are witnessing for Christ and what effort we are applying ourselves in living godly according to the demands of Scripture.
Antipas would not be the only member of the Pergamum congregation to lose their lives for Christ's sake. History informs us that, at least, four others would face martyrdom before Nero's reign came to an end - Agathonice, Attalus, Carpus, Polybus.
Jesus praised the Pergamum brethren for their courage and faithfulness of maintaining their commitment to Christ in the environment of severe persecution. However, Jesus saw a serious threat to the congregation, a cancer that could destroy them if they did not remove it – spiritual and moral compromise.
Verses 14-15 Jesus says that some of those who were teaching in the congregation taught the 'teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.' This story of Balaam and Balak, found in Numbers 22-24; 31:16, sure applied to the situation in Pergamum. Balak was the king of the Moabites. He had witnessed the way that the Israelites had conquered their pagan enemies on their way to the 'promised land'. Balak understood that he and his army were no military match with Israel. Thus, he hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites and make them defeatable. Balaam was warned by God not to comply with the request to curse God's people but, rather, was told to bless Israel. Thus, he blessed rather than cursed the Israelites. Balak was furious with Balaam. So, Balaam told Balak that it is impossible to defeat Israel by force or curses; rather, the way to defeat the Israelites is to seduce them to his pagan religion and lifestyle. In other words, if you can't defeat God's people outwardly, destroy them from within by enticing them to ignore the commandments of God.
You see, by standing-up for Jesus against the Roman government, the Pergamum congregation showed that they could not be defeated by outside force. To Satan's great disappointment...with all of its power, Rome (and Nero, specifically) could not break the Faith and Will of the Church. In fact, Rome's brutal force actually strengthened the Church and made it grow in numbers.
So, Satan decided to weaken and even destroy the Church by providing false teachers whose teachings enticed the Christians to ignore the commandments of Christ Jesus as did Balaam in his time. The false teachers, the Nicolaitans, said that the Christians could blend-in with the pagan culture insofar as participating in pagan rituals and illicit sex. Both being forms of idolatry.
The doctrine of the Nicolaitans is thriving in Christendom today. Today, we have those who boldly teach that, through the sacrifice of Christ, Christians are “freed from the law”. Many assert that the believer can live as they please as long as the 'leading of the Spirit' guides them in their way. Not the 'leading of the Spirit' delivered thru the instructions of the Word, but that 'leading of the Spirit' that occurs when the Spirit speaks directly to the heart and guides them by telling them each step to take throughout their day. Our modern-day Nicolaitans condone performing the rituals of pagan holidays (making them seem acceptable by putting a nominal Christian spin on them), condoning cultural standards of sexuality (including the wearing of immodest clothing which have the purpose of enticement), condoning divorce and remarriage which is adultery, and condoning cultural standards in ethics.
Compromise in the areas of sanctification and holiness are always more destructive to a congregation than the threat of execution by a tyrannical secular government for living a godly life.
Verse 16 – If the leaders of the congregation do not do their duty to eliminate this problem by making these false teachers repent of this corrupt view of the Gospel, Jesus will make war against them with the sword of His mouth. How might Jesus battle them? Maybe with the unadulterated preaching of the Word by a visiting evangelist? Maybe excommunicating the unrepentant according to the precepts of the Bible. No matter how Jesus will make His war, I have absolutely no doubt who will win that battle!
Verse 17 – There are three rewards mentioned, here, that will be given to the one who overcomes in this life:
HIDDEN MANNA The Jews believed that the Ark of the Covenant was hidden by King Josiah when Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians. Thus, the manna within the ark was hidden. Some think that this 'hidden manna' is what Jesus is referring to. That could be, but I personally believe that this is not referring to the manna that fell from the sky to feed the Israelites in the desert. It is the spiritual manna that grants eternal life. John 6::32-35, 51, “Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.' Then they said to Him, 'Lord, always give us this bread.' Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'...I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.'”
WHITE ROCK In the Roman Empire, those who won at the public games – like the Olympics – were given a white stone called a 'tesserae'. On the stone were inscribed the victor's name and hometown. This stone entitled them to live at the public expense for the rest of their lives. They enjoyed all the privileges of the Kingdom. Here, when we have successfully run the great spiritual race, we are promised a 'tesserae' which will make us entitled to all the privileges of the Heavenly Kingdom of God.
A NEW NAME In stead of having our ordinary name being inscribed upon our 'tesserae' stone, it will be inscribed with a new name...which no one knows but he who receives it. This sounds mysterious but it really isn't. It means that the name can only be fully owned and known by the one to whom it is given. Let me give you an example of the use of this language in Revelation 19:12 - “His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.” However, that name is revealed in verse 13 - “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called 'The Word of God'.”
It isn't that the name will only be known by that individual but, rather, it is a name that is exclusive to Him. So, in our passage, the name given to the one who overcame was his unique possession, unknown/unshared by others outside of their realm; in other words, they're Christians, members of God's one and only Heavenly kingdom.
