THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION - SMYRNA

FAITHFULNESS IN THE FACE OF SUFFERING - REVELATION 2:8-11

The next church addressed by Jesus is the church in Smyrna, meaning “bitter”, which fitted well the experience of its members in suffering for their faith.  It is one of two churches that is not rebuked and only commended, the other being Philadelphia.  Smyrna was a significant city in Roman times located on the coast with a temple erected in honor of Emperor Tiberius.  During Domitian’s reign, offering to the emperor was compulsory with a certificate of proof issued.  Not to possess this certificate was punishable by death, which faithful Christians would face.  It had a large Jewish community with considerable influence on governmental affairs, which informed against Christians.  Polycarp was martyred as the bishop of Smyrna in AD 166 at the instigation of Jewish leaders accompanied by Gentiles.  He was a disciple of John, the writer of the book of Revelation, and possibly made a bishop by him.  This church has a history of faithfulness despite opposition.

Jesus is presented as “the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Revelation 2:8), which emphasizes His eternality (cf. Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12) and yet willing to embrace mortality for humanity, suffering in substitutionary death.  He knew persecution, which He endured and conquered, being raised from the grave.  This description is so relevant to this church, which is suffering under severe persecution.  Jesus knows their circumstances of “tribulation”, “poverty” and “slander” (Revelation 2:9).  They were experiencing external pressure from enemies of the cross, resulting in the loss of material provisions with the additional pain of misrepresentation from the Jewish community.  Jesus redefines their situation of poverty by affirming the opposite in their possession of spiritual riches.  He also redefines the Jews as belonging to Satan and not to God, which means they are not true Jews.

In response to severe persecution, which included satanically motivated imprisonment, the Christians in Smyrna are exhorted not to fear, literally “stop fearing” (Revelation 2:10).  They were already suffering persecution and things were going to get worse.  This trial will test them but has a specific duration of "ten days", which are best understood literally, but may lead to death as expressed by “be faithful unto death”.  Their encouragement to face this intensified suffering is the promise of “the crown of life”.  This crown referred to the reward given to winning athletes at the Greek games, some of which were held in Smyrna and famously so.  It communicates the certainty of eternal life as a counter to the probability of physical death.  Death is their doorway to heaven and the experience of eternal life.

As for the previous message to Ephesus, the readers are exhorted to listen to this message from Jesus as those with ears to hear (Revelation 2:11).  Again, Jesus issues a promise to the “one who conquers”, which refers to all believers but emphasizes their victorious standing in salvation.  The promise matches the previous encouragement of eternal life using the opposite expression, “not be hurt by the second death”, which describes eternal death in the lake of fire (cf. Revelation 20:11-15).  Believers will not suffer God’s judgement for sin, rather experience God’s blessing of eternal life.

Most believers in Western nations cannot identify with the church in Smyrna because suffering for their faith is rarely, if ever experienced.  Nevertheless, we would do well to prepare for that possibility and this church helps us to do so.  Our focus should be heavenward, considering the reward of faith, eternal life, as an antidote to fear of suffering.  We are conquerors in the end, even if our lives are cut short because of persecution.  Jesus is our life, “the first and the last, who died and came to life” (Revelation 2:8) and He will bring us home (John 14:1-3).