To best understand the letter to Smyrna, we need to understand this city’s close relationship to Rome and the Empire. Compared to the others, Smyrna and Rome are the most closely aligned for good reason. Two hundred years before Christ, Rome was at war with Hannibal and the Carthaginians. That brutal winter, a battered Roman army received food, shelter, clothing, and medical aid from Smyrna. When word reached Rome of their kindness, Smyrna was rewarded. Over time, Smyrna became a miniaturized version of Rome with beautifully paved streets, Roman temples, baths, gyms, a stadium, and a large library that held collections from around the Empire. As Rome and Smyrna were so closely aligned, Smyrna hung on every word of Caesar. This included orders that targeted Christians.
Visiting Smyrna today, high up in the mountain crevices is the ancient tomb of Polycarp – Bishop of Smyrna. His name came up a few weeks ago. When John was released from his banishment on Patmos. John returned to Ephesus. In addition to writing the Gospel, his letters and Revelation, John took on disciples – one of whom was Polycarp. Mere decades after John’s death, Marcus Aurelius targets Christians with severe persecution. Christians who refused to recant their belief in Jesus Christ were punished – some faced the lions in Smyrna’s stadium. Bishop Polycarp was in his eighties when this persecution broke out. He went into hiding until a Jewish raiding party forced two servant boys bringing him supplies to reveal his hiding place. Placed under arrest, but understanding his popularity, putting an 86 year old man before the lions would have aroused much anger throughout the empire. Facing his accusers, Polycarp was given multiple chances to recant his faith. He refused. Church Historian Eusebius reveals his response based on eye witness testimony - “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me wrong, and how can I now blaspheme my king who has saved me?” Ultimately he was burned alive – dying faithfully rather than deny his Lord. This story too is crucial to understanding this text because the Smyrna letter – the shortest of all the letters – prophesied this persecution was coming.
It’s no wonder the Smyrna church held a pledge in common that Jesus cites in verse ten - “to be faithful unto death.” You did not hear words anything close to that with installation this morning. Nor does it appear in the forms for baptisms and professions of faith we’ll be reading next month - but it is real all the same for Christians of every age – to be faithful unto death. Between Smyrna’s relationship with Rome and the persecution that lay ahead, we have some good historical context in place to tackle this text.
Observe how the two-fold Christ title addresses their future persecution: “Verse 8: To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.”
The first Christ title we have is THE FIRST AND THE LAST. Remember that Rome with the cooperation of the Smyrna Jews both denied that Jesus Christ is God. For Christ to identify himself as the first and the last asserts his claim to be God. Meanwhile Caesar was proclaiming himself to be the First and Last. Who is right? Turning to Isaiah 44:6 the answer is crystal clear – There we read, “This is what the Lord says – Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” By adopting this very same title, Christ’s deity is exemplified above Caesar or any other Roman God.
Then the second Christ-title. WHO DIED AND CAME TO LIFE AGAIN –This comes directly from the Gospels with multiple witnesses who saw his appearances. To know the experience of persecution is one thing – but to suffer and die for the one who died and came to life again -whose victory surpassed the power of death would have indeed come as great encouragement.
While Christian brothers and sisters in other lands today face such persecutions, for the most part, we have been spared. The fourth of July this week is a celebration of our freedoms and nation including the freedom of religion. On the one hand we CAN be grateful we do not experience persecution with a CAPITAL P. But the tide can turn as we face a barely detectable small letter p persecution. Pressures to deny God’s principals and adopt a redefined morality, threats against tax exemptions, challenges to educate children in Christian formation without undue interference from the state, to the Michigan House passing a preposterous bill criminalizing improper pronoun usage when deemed a threat to one’s safety and security. Such issues might seem disconnected from us, but each one represents systematic steps to turn the tide against Christianity in this country.
Rather than take this church in Smyrna to task for doing something wrong, Christ levels no complaint against them. Instead, listen how Christ relates to them personally in Verse 9, “I know your afflictions and your poverty, yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.”
Remember – these harsh words are not John’s words. They come from Christ. When Christ tells them he knows their troubles – it’s not limited to head knowledge… When Christ says I KNOW, it is perfect empathy on Christ’s part. It is like saying I relate or church I am already acquainted with your experiences because I too was rejected, suffered, and died. From here two afflictions are mentioned – poverty and slander.
The first is poverty. As the richest city of Asia Minor – Smyrna was an economic powerhouse Rich in trade, business, and quality of life, Smyrna was the land of Promise. So what would cause Christians to be in poverty? Perhaps they were at a disadvantage and kept from full economic participation. Others suggest that property and possessions were taken from Christians. Meanwhile, Judaism remained a recognized religion. They remained exempt from loyalty oaths the Christians had to take.
The second affliction they faced is slander. Today we reduce slander to insults and namecalling – but in Rome and Smyrna it held legal status as Christians were turned in and presented to the Roman authorities. And of interest to us who know the accusations against Christ, the word Christ uses for slander is none other than blaspheme. Christ was charged with blasphemy against God. But now Christ is charging the Jews with blasphemy against his believers. Make no mistake, this is a serious charge – Christ is never mistaken.
Similar to when Christ accused the religious leaders of Israel of being spawns of the devil, he returns to these same picture that the Smyrna Jews are a synagogue of Satan – Meanwhile the Christians in Smyrna – many of them Gentiles – can rightfully declare themselves as Children of Abraham and heirs to God’s promises. The impact of Christ’s declaration can not be underestimated.
Today the synagogue of Satan does not reside in the Jewish people who do not yet know Christ. As far as we are concerned, the Gospel message can result in their recognizing God’s calling on their lives. Yet the synagogue of Satan still exists today wherever the Prince of this World is permitted for the time being to stir opposition against believers of Jesus Christ. Ours may not be a capital P persecution but this is not fable. That’s why Christ’s next words are so important.
Verse 10 “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you; the devil will put some of you in prison to evaluate you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.”
The verse opens with Christ’s command - “Do not be afraid.” The Christ titles and Christ’s knowledge of their affliction for the basis for this command. To worship Jesus Christ who is the first and the last… who is God… who died and came to life again… and who knows first-hand the experiences of affliction promotes perseverance over fear of what is to come!
Christ names the source of the trouble – It’s not the local Jews or even the Roman authorities – The devil is the primary aggressor Christ names. His role however will be limited and will not go on forever. Our text says 10 days – Several possibilities - the ten days could be literal. Given Revelation’s symbolism I am more inclined to lean towards the ten symbolizing a short period of time. The ten days could also be figurative for an important Old Testament story. We covered Daniel 1 over the Memorial Day weekend – There Daniel convinced the kings servants to test him and his friends for ten days on water and vegetables rather than eat the profaned food from the kings’s table.
The second command Christ gives the church is to be faithful – even to the point of death – their future church slogan. and Christ promises them two rewards.
The first is the crown of life. We recognize this as eternal life. Unclear to us, there is a rich context behind this. Smyrna was well known to birth Olympic champtions. On winning one of the games - an Olympic athlete’s received the crown in the form of a head wreath made of greeneries and flowery stems. Well known in that day - the very coinage of Smyrna emblazoned on the back had the Crown of Life – the athletes reward. Christ making use of these cultural references would have connected in ways the difference in time is lost on us.
Paralleling this crown of life that we also cherish and have within our grasp because of all that Christ has accomplished comes a second promise. Two weeks ago, we covered this briefly. The Jesus Christ in Revelation is the very same Jesus Christ in the Gospels. They are the same. But in Revelation as time wanes, there is indeed a camera lens shift from the Gospels that tilts more heavily toward final judgement. We are warned in Revelation 22 not to altar this text in any way – What Christ speaks to in this second promise is a topic we tend to avoid – THE SECOND DEATH. The very opposite of eternal life – it is a terrible eternal death for those whose names are not written in the book of life who rejecting Christ’s Lordship deny him. Our passion for the lost propels us on mission.
But notice the outcome of those who receive the crown of life - verse 11: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches – notice that plural – it’s not limited just to Smyrna but all the churches and for us today: He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. The crown of life and the avoidance of harm by the second death is not limited to the churches back in time. As a foretelling we are also included in this promise – all believers – past, present and future.
We cannot predict the future of what we might face. There are also troubles and afflictions unrelated to persecution that we struggle with. But the crown of life and avoidance of the desolation of the second death is at the core of Christ’s promises to us. What awaits us is ultimately not death but resurrection. a precious gift.
One more last little known fact of the church in Smyrna – according to Eusebius and other historians -- the symbol that ultimately came to be used for for the church in Smyrna was not the cross like we have today– but the phoenix – a bird out of mythology with extraordinary power to resist death and come back to life again and again. While the phoenix would have made an interesting universal emblem for the Christian church, it is the cross and the empty tomb we hold before us along with this letter to the Church of Smyrna.
Hold fast to what we have – without compromise – cooperate and persevere with the Spirit given us.
