The name Smyrna contains the notion of bitter. Smyrna means myrrh, which was used in the form of powder when embalming dead bodies.1 Life for the church in Smyrna was bitter, and many people died during the history of this church. One of the most famous was Polycarp. His death as a martyr is described in an early Christian document belonging to the ‘The Apostolic Fathers’ manuscripts from the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century.
According to Irenaeus, Polycarp probably had a close relationship with the Apostle John. He was the bishop of Smyrna, who was born around the year 80, and died the death of a martyr, at the stake, probably in the year 167. They could indeed have met and enjoyed each other’s company when John was old and Polycarp young. Whatever the case may be, the resurrected Lord says: ‘I have been dead and I have been raised back to life. Death is not the end. Whoever believes in Me has eternal life.’2 He says this specifically with a view to the mortal danger, the reality of persecution and suffering a martyr’s death. He wants us to know that He is the First and the Last, the beginning (and the principle) of Creation, who holds everything together by the Word of His power, and who will complete Creation and bring it to its glorious final goal. This is how He has revealed Himself to John,3 and He now refers back to this when He speaks to His persecuted Church: “I know your tribulations and afflictions.”4 Jesus knows exactly what kind of persecution and tribulations He is referring to. He knows about this from personal experience. Paul also says: ‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the Church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.’ He states that he is filling up in his flesh what is still lacking in Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the Church.5 The battle between light and darkness, such as Christ had to wage, is to be continued—unabated—in His children.
Jesus says: ‘I know precisely what kind of senseless and brutal hatred you are subjected to. They hated Me and they will hate you.’6 Nothing strange is happening here.7 There is nothing He does not know about the sufferings we sometimes are experiencing.
The Lord says, “Yes, you may be poor. Yes, your money and possessions will be often taken away from you as part of persecution. Yes, you will feel the heat of the day and the coldness of the night. But I will be your light and your strength. You are in fact immensely rich. An incredible eternal and everlasting inheritance is awaiting you. It will be the exact opposite in Laodicea which was, as we will hear:8 a church that claimed to be very rich, but in fact was spiritually very poor.
The plundering of property was a part of the persecution of Christians.9 But the worst thing they had to endure was slander, however. They were being falsely accused of all kinds of wrongdoings. Their accusers include ‘Jews’. The word ‘Jew’ means: ‘lover of God’. It refers to people who claim to be lovers of God but in fact are not. The word ‘synagogue’ means ‘public gathering’. I do not know of Christian persecutions and flogging or scourging (Matthew 10:17) having taken place in Jewish Synagogues. But persecutions and executions of true Christian believers and of Jews – even by official Christianity – were sometimes done publicly. In public meetings – ‘synagogues’ – like town-squares, in front of churches or town-halls. So persecution could come from religious people who claimed to be ‘lovers of God’, but in fact were not.
Jesus knew this from personal experience 10 as did the first Christians. Paul and Silas were accused of causing an uproar in the city and of turning the world upside down and defying Caesar’s decrees by saying that there was another King.11 You cannot defend yourself against false accusations and slander.
• Although the Greek word ‘blasphemia’ has gained the meaning of slandering God in our use of language, blasphemy as it appears in several places in the Bible simply means slander, gossip, slanderous little expressions, and false accusations of people.
• The word ‘Jew’ literally means: God lover. These ‘Jews’ or ‘Christians’ do not love God, however. Maybe they still do with their lips, maybe indeed with outward obedience to the Law, or adhering to official Christian doctrine, but not with their heart. Jesus spoke to Jewish spiritual leaders with very harsh words12 but He felt compassion for the multitudes ‘Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.’ Matthew 9:36, 14:14.
• A ‘synagogue’—public gathering, religious centre, gathering of people who stick to their rules, regulations and dogmas—is thus able to become a ‘synagogue of Satan’ if they do not truly love God. Just as Jerusalem, the city of God, is able to become Sodom.13 That danger is threatening Judaism as well as Christianity. Jesus warns us all for that danger. Outward religion can be the strongest opponent of true faith.
Bible References:
1.John 19:39–40 2.John 3:36; 10:28; 11:25–26; 17:2–3 and 1 John 5:13 3.Revelation 1:17 4.See also for this Greek word: Revelation 2:10, 22; 7:14 and also Matthew 24:9, 21, 29; Acts 14:22 and Colossians 1:24 5.Colossians 1:24; Galatians 6:17 6.John 15:18–19 7. 1 Peter 4:12–14 8.Revelation 3:17 9.Hebrews 10:32-35 10. Matthew 26:59–64 11.Acts 16:20–21 and 17:6–8 12.John 8:43-44; Matthew 23 13.Revelation 11:8; see also 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16
