The Letter to the Church at Sardis, continued

Revelation 3:1-6

Click on link to read the whole letter at once; I will cite them as I explain each.

When we are in danger, Christ urges us to take action before it’s too late vs 2

2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Wake up! — the word means literally, “be watchful.” This was especially meaningful to the church at Sardis since the town was captured in the 6th cent. B.C. because a soldier was seen by the enemy coming down a path, which was hidden from view, to retrieve his helmet which he had dropped from off the wall of the acropolis (pictured above as it looks down on the valley today; pictured below in etching from 1900s; WikiMedia commons; public domain).

We must be ever vigilant over our spiritual condition. Sardis couldn’t adopt Roman Empire dogma about the gods and the state and remain true to Christ. We can’t drift along with the current of our 21st Century culture, either. We cannot adopt Politically Correct dogma and hold to the Christian faith, too.

What remains means “to make stable.” A. T. Robertson says, “John was looking on the situation with delicate optimism as having passed the crisis.”

I have not not found your deeds complete — “Complete” describes a state in which completeness has not been achieved in the past and that state persists in the present time when John was writing. The “completeness” of works can be conceived of in one of two ways:

(1) quantity — “you do not have enough deeds to meet my expectations of you”
(2) quality — “your deeds are not of the right character to meet my expectations of you.”

Most likely it means the quality of works. No one can ever have enough works on his own to please God. I like what Bishop Handley Moule said about one’s performance as a Christian (I paraphrase.) We all desire to be holy, and we have aims; but we must also recognize we have limits; we end up with possibilities (see Moule below; emphasis mine).

As sinners saved by grace, we know we cannot perform perfect works even for God. We live with limited possibilities. Quality of works results from works done in the strength of the Holy Spirit according to our own gifts and calling. Judgment will be faithfulness according to opportunity.

Christ outlines the way back, so we can go forward vs. 3

3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Remember! means “keep constantly in mind.” It is not recollection of what accidentally slipped from memory. It is conscious effort to keep in mind!

What you have received describes their reception in the past of something which was still with them in the present when John was writing. What they had received was the Apostolic tradition. 

Repent is metanaô meaning “to change one’s mind” about this matter. Note figure below on the distinction between repentance and conversion. One must experience a change of mind before having a change of direction. Both are wrought in us by God’s Spirit.

Come like a thief is not a reference to the Second Coming, but a statement that Christ’s judgment would come on them when they were least expecting it. Surely this is a pun on Sardis’ past invasion after seeing a soldier sneak down a secret path and retrieve his helmet.

Christ notices the faithful and rewards them in the end vs. 4-5

4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Soiled clothes is also a pun on Sardis claim to be the first city to have discovered how to dye wool, “turkey red.” The garment trade was prosperous in Sardis. Those who wore soiled garments were removed from the public list of citizens. People with soiled garments were not permitted to approach the (pagan) gods in their temple.

Handkerchief or bandanna printed in Turkey Red, circa 1870–76. Made by Archibald Orr Ewing & Co., Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire. (Glasgow Museums)

According to Alan F. Johnson, soiled garments in Revelation are “a symbol of mingling with pagan life and thus defiling the purity of one’s relation to Christ.” Many in the Church of Sardis seem to have been concerned mostly with outward purity — of appearance — but to have neglected the inner purity necessary to have a relationship with Christ. Gordon Fee says “Sardis was living an illusion.” White is a symbol of purity and righteousness.

Christ will never blot his name out of the book of life. John uses the double negative (ou mê) to underline the statement — “I will by no means blot his name out… .” The background to this is the official registry list of citizens in Sardis. Criminals were blotted out from that registry.

Also, read Exodus 32:32-33 (click on link below to read these verses) Moses mentions God’s book, and this may be in John’s mind. This passage is intended to be an encouragement to those who are persevering, and should not be pressed to teach that a person can lose his salvation.

Sardis did not heed the warning. Below is an etching of the ruins of Sardis. The two columns were part of the pagan Temple of Cybele (the Great Mother) made circa 1885. They still stand today. 

6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

vs. 6 for the meaning of this verse see the posts on the Ephesian letter.

Notes

Beale, G. K. (2015). Revelation: A Shorter Commentary. Grand Rapids: MI Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Kindle Edition.

ESV. English Standard Version retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/

Fee, Gordon D. Revelation (New Covenant Commentary Series). Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Moule, H. C. G. (1888). Thoughts on Christian Sanctity. England, London: Seeley and Co. Accessed 27 July 2019 from https://archive.org/details/thoughtsonchrist00mouluoft/page/n6

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures In The New Testament, Vol VI. Accessed February 9, 2019 from https://archive.org/

© 2019 C. Richard Barbare All Rights Reserved

The Letter to the Church at Sardis

Revelation 3:1-6

Click on link to read the whole letter at once; I will cite them as I explain each.

The Historical Focus on the City of Sardis vs 1a

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis… .

It may be unnecessary to state, but a city does have an effect on the church in it for good or bad. “The attitude of the city had infected the church.” (See Beale, p. 78, below).

Sardis was one of the most powerful cities of the ancient world around the 6th century B.C. It was 30 miles SW of Thyatira. It was the Persian capital in the West after Cyrus defeated the legendary King Croesus.

Sardis and its wealth became mythical in the ancient world much like Croesus. For instance, “he is as rich as Croesus,” is still a proverb in the modern world. By N.T. times, Sardis was in decay, living on the residue of its former reputation, and not on the reality of its actual condition.

When I first came to county in which I live someone told me that “after the Civil War, the people lived on cow peas and past recollections.” Sardis lived on its past recollections. It had no accomplishments in the present.

The inner city had an 800 ft. high acropolis which was virtually impregnable. It was only captured twice, once by Cyrus, in the 6th cent. B.C., and once by Antiochus, in the 4th cent. B.C. The city also possessed a necropolis (a cemetery), called the “cemetery of a thousand hills,” about 7 miles outside of the town. It was visible from the acropolis. Wm. Ramsay referred to Sardis as “the city of death.” (See Robertson below).

It passed under the control of the Romans in 133 B.C. It was a center for the worship of Cybele — “the great mother of the gods” (pictured left/above) — who was often also identified with Diana. Her cult rivaled Christianity for a while.

Sardis was also a city of great wealth gold and silver coins were first struck there and corpses were discovered with jewels still on them in their tombs.

The letter to this church is the most critical of the seven sent to the seven churches. Sardis was a city of peace. But, not the peace won through battle, but “the peace of the man whose dreams are dead and whose mind is asleep, the peace of lethargy
and evasion.” (See Barclay below). “The mere absence of war is not peace.” (J.F.K.)

Christ knows our present condition vs 1b

3:1b The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Sardis Necropolis pictured below, 5 miles from the ancient city (public domain).

Christ’s character that addresses this church’s spiritual condition:

(1) he has the Holy Spirit
(2) he has the seven stars

The vision of the Risen Christ in Chapter One does not state he holds the seven spirits. It states he holds the seven stars. John sees a close relationship between the Risen Christ, his church, and the Holy Spirit. Sardis needs a fresh touch of the warm hand of God by the Holy Spirit. they aren’t dead yet, but they are getting colder by the minute.They are at death’s door. (see Fee, p. 46, below)

I know your deeds — could be either:

(1) the church’s past deeds; or
(2) the church’s present deeds.

You have a reputation … but you are.  Sardis was “the church with a lifeless profession.” It had so accommodated itself to the paganism around it that it had almost lost the conscious presence of the living Christ. This letter gives us a picture of nominal Christianity.

A pastor-friend once related to me am example of nominal Christianity. He said a pulpit committee was interviewing a potential candidate for their church. They asked him his views on several areas of his beliefs. He was vague at best. In desperation, they pinned him where he couldn’t but give them a specific answer. He replied to them, “Just tell me what the church believes. I can preach it any way they want.” He didn’t get the call.

Christ isn’t vague about what he has revealed in his Word! He stands between his church and the Holy Spirit who inspired his Word. If we want Christ, we must have his life-giving Spirit at work in our church. 

More on Sardis next week.

Notes

Barclay, W. (1976). Accessed February 9, 2019 from https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/revelation-3.html

Beale, G. K. (2015). Revelation: A Shorter Commentary. Grand Rapids: MI Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Kindle Edition.

ESV. English Standard Version retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/

Fee, Gordon D. Revelation (New Covenant Commentary Series). Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures In The New Testament, Vol VI. Accessed February 9, 2019 from https://archive.org/

© 2019 C. Richard Barbare All Rights Reserved

The letter to the Church at Thyatira (continued) picture above is 19th-century painting of Jezebel by John Liston Byam Shaw.

Revelation 2:18-29

(Click on this link to open the passage in a new window if you wish to read it now. I will cite the verses as I explain their meaning.)

Christ judges those who corrupt His Church vs. 22-23

22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,

I will cast her on a bed [of suffering] — There is a pun here. Christ said that he would cast her into bed (klinê). She had drawn many into her bed of immorality. The bed she would end up in would be a bed of sickness and suffering.

Those who participate in her teaching, commit adultery. Many take this in a spiritual sense. It can be taken literally, as well. Her heretical teaching involved recommending people commit immorality with temple prostitutes for their advancement in the trade guilds. Prostitutes would have been a part of the trade guild meetings. 

23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Gustave Doré Death on the Pale Horse (1865) above

I will strike her children dead means literally, “I will kill her children with death.” This is perhaps a Hebrew idiom meaning “strike someone with plague or pestilence.” Cf. Rev. 6:8 for the same idiom.

24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.

Jezebel’s teaching included what purported to be “Satan’s so-called deep secrets” — this phrase is taken as a quotation from Jezebel’s teachings. One committed sin — by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing immorality with temple prostitutes. Some have suggested she taught this would help them in their spiritual warfare with the Devil. 

This is compromise with Satan and sin in order to get along in society. The false teaching changes, certainly, but the compromise is still the same. If we are in step with society around us, we will get benefits from our peers. But if we compromise, we will forfeit our relationship with God. I John 2 makes this clear — 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

Christianity has always been a sub-culture within the dominant pagan culture all around the church.

See Hebrews 13 —

12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

The issue is who we trying to please. If we please Christ, we displease the surrounding pagan culture. Christ makes up for our loss with the world — Matthew 19 makes this clear. 

27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you… 29 …everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Faithfulness is rewarded by Christ vs. 25-26

25 Only hold fast what you have until I come.
26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations… .

God will give his people authority over the nations — God’s people will share from heaven in his rule over the nations as his kingdom is manifested on the earth.

“The new element in the New Testament is not eschatology, but what I call the tension between the decisive ‘already fulfilled’ and the ‘not yet completed,’ between present and future. The whole theology of the New Testament, including Jesus’ preaching, is qualified by this tension.” (Oscar Cullmann, quoted by Nally, see below). See also the chart that illustrates this tension.

This chart comes from a SlideShare® website.

A WWII Analogy helps us understand

D-Day is past; V-Day is in the future. Meanwhile, we who follow Christ live “between the times.” We know that Christ is Victor and Deliverer now, but we also know that there is more to come. This fits in with the definition of “eschatology” and a proper understanding of “the last days.” The biblical notion of eschatology embraces both an “inaugurated” emphasis (we are already in the Kingdom and enjoy blessings as disciples of Jesus) and a “future” accent (we await future events like the final coming, the resurrection, the Final Judgment, the new heaven and new earth, and so forth). (see Nally below).

27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

In the phrase He will rule them “rule” is poimaino — “to shepherd.” This is a quotation from Psalm 2. God will fulfill it where Christ’s kingdom is manifested on this earth.

28 And I will give him the morning star.

The morning star refers to Numbers 24:17 where Christ is called the star out of Jacob.
(Link to verse)

29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

For verse 29, see the post on the Ephesian letter earlier.

We move into Chapter 3 next time.

Notes

Mounce, R. H. (1979). The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament series). Grand Repids, MI: Eerdmans.

Nally, J. R. (2019). “The Already and the Not Yet,” III Millennium website. Accessed February 3, 2019 from http://reformedanswers.org/answer.asp/file/43089

© 2019 C. Richard Barbare All Rights Reserved

The letter to the Church at Thyatira

Revelation 2:18-29
(Click on this link to open the passage in a new window if you wish to read it now. I will cite the verses as I explain its meaning.)

Historical focus on the city of Thyatira vs. 18a

18 And to…the church in Thyatira… .

Thyatira was a manufacturing and marketing center. It also was the home of many professional trade guilds with all of their pagan practices. It was noted for its purple dye (known as “Turkey Red,” today). It was the home of Lydia (Acts 16:14ff), Paul’s first European convert in Philippi where she lived. It is both the longest letter of the seven churches and is addressed to the church we know the least about.

Christ commends us for the good we do as Christians vs. 19

19 I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

The Risen Christ commends the church since their latter works exceed the first. This is the opposite from the church at Ephesus. They were doing less at the last than at first. The Thyatirans were doing more at last than at first.

We began well; but will we end well?

We as believers should aim to finish well. Our Archbishop once said to the congregation at Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity, “Will you be filled with the Holy Spirit at the end like you are now?”

Dr. Robertson McQuilken (pictured right; 1926-2016) wrote a poem that has been special to me since I heard him read it once. “Let me get home before dark.”

I give you a few lines.

It’s sundown, Lord.

The shadows of my life stretch back
into the dimness of the years long spent.
I fear not death, for that grim foe betrays himself at last,
thrusting me forever into life:

Life with You, unsoiled and free.
But I do fear.
I fear the Dark Spectre may come too soon
— or do I mean, too late?
That I should end before I finish or
finish, but not well.
That I should stain Your honor, shame Your name,
grieve Your loving heart.

Few, they tell me, finish well . . .
Lord, let me get home before dark.

Click on this link if you wish to read it in its entirety.

Christ disciplines his faithful children when they err vs. 20

20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Here again we meet with Jezebel “a clever woman with a gift of speech, who professed to interpret God’s will, offered prosperity at the price of compromise with heathendom.” (Blaiklock quoted in Mounce; p. 86, see below)

The background to this is probably I Kings 16:29 ff; II Kings 9:30 ff. This woman in Thyatira was most likely a prominent woman in the Church who, like Jezebel in the OT (pictured left), was leading God’s people astray by teaching them to compromise with the world around them to get ahead. The compromise was probably connected in some way to the trade guilds. Her “teaching” was probably limited to influence through informal conversation, rather than public teaching.

Jezebel is described as one who calls herself a prophetess. She was supposedly gifted by the Holy Spirit to receive special revelation from God for his people. She was wrong about her gifts.

Christ’s long suffering has limits vs. 21

21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

Her teaching encouraged people to participate in the sexual immorality which was a part of the “worship” in the pagan temples. This included food sacrificed to idols in the pagan banquets held at temples.

More next time on Thyatira.

Notes

Mounce, R. H. (1979). The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament series). Grand Repids, MI: Eerdmans.

Nally, J. R. (2019). “The Already and the Not Yet,” III Millennium website. Accessed February 3, 2019 from http://reformedanswers.org/answer.asp/file/43089

© 2019 C. Richard Barbare All Rights Reserved