Written by Roger D. Campbell
In the first century, the city of Pergamos was home to a huge library which is thought to have been the second-largest one in the world at that time. Pergamos also was well-known for developing parchment. Made from animal skins, parchment was durable material on which writing was done.
The church of the living God was in Pergamos, too. Its value to the community far exceeded that of parchment and a library. In the Bible, the sole reference to the Lord’s body in Pergamos is Jesus’ letter to it, which is recorded in Revelation 2:12-17. What lessons can we learn from the church there?
The opening words of the Christ’s letter to them are: “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, These things says He who has the sharp two edged sword: I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells” (2:12,13).
The church in Pergamos had some commendable traits. Jesus said they held fast His name. His “name” would stand for His person and everything associated with Him. It would include His Deity, authority, and Lordship. When we “hold fast our confession” (Hebrews 4:14), that is the same as holding fast the Lord’s name.
Jesus also observed that the brethren there had not denied His faith. We know that our Lord does not want any of His followers to be ashamed of Him or His word (Mark 8:38). Jesus’ “faith” is what the Bible calls “the faith” (Acts 6:7), the “one faith” (Ephesians 4:5), which is the gospel system of faith. The saints in Pergamos had persevered after Antipas had been martyred. He was a man who died for the faith, and the brethren responded by keeping their commitment to the Lord. When bad things happen to good people, we must not waver in our devotion to our great God.
Satan had success in Pergamos. Jesus spoke about the devil’s throne (2:13) and his dwelling place (2:13), both ideas pointing to the foothold that Satan had, not only in the city, but within the church. Satan wants to destroy as many humans as possible, but it is possible for us to resist him and send him fleeing (James 4:7). Yes, in a world that lies under the sway of the devil (1 John 5:19), it is possible for God’s servants to shine forth as light amidst the darkness.
The Pergamos church was plagued by the doctrine of Balaam. Jesus told them, “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit
sexual immorality” (2:14). Some good traits of Balaam are set forth in Numbers 22-24, but his downfall was his love for the wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:15).
What does it mean that Balaam cast a stumbling block before the Israelites? He showed the king of Moab how to cause Israel to sin. A “stumbling block” was “the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick; a trap, snare” [Thayer, no. 4625 via e
Sword]. The fleshly appeal that Balaam recommended was to use fornication and idolatry to trip up the Israelites. It worked. Sadly, some in the church in Pergamos were setting a death trap for others with the false teaching that sexual immorality and idolatry are acceptable to God. They are not! When God’s people compromise with the world, no one wins in God’s sight . . . No one!
Jesus also said that some in the Pergamos church held the doctrine of Nicolaitans (2:15). Whatever that unidentified teaching was, Jesus said He hated it (2:15). If the Lord hates it, so should His followers. Rather than despise it, some of the church members were tolerating it, even supporting it. Brethren, our Lord cares about what we teach and what we tolerate! Tolerating error is false love. Tolerating error can allow the whole lump to be leavened (Galatians 5:9). Rather than embrace the unfruitful works of darkness, we must oppose and expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
In view of the church’s misguided support of the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, the Christ told them, “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” (2:16). Read it again: “Repent, or else!” Time could not resolve or cover up the sin in the church. Only acknowledging (1 John 1:9) and turning away from their error could remedy the situation. By saying that He would fight against them, Jesus showed that, yes, it is possible for Him to turn against His people when they turn against Him (2 Chronicles 15:2).
Despite its issues, there still was hope for the congregation in Pergamos. For those who continued to overcome, Jesus would bless them. He would give them manna, a white stone, and a new name (2:18). Victory could be theirs if they would hold fast to Him and hear what the Spirit said to the church through this letter (2:18). It makes sense for us to study and learn from our Lord’s past messages to His churches.