by Chuck Ness
The second church John writes to, is Situated at the head of the Gulf of Izmir where the Hermus River flows into the Agean Sea. Smyrna ,the persecuted church, is the only church that remains to this day. The city had worshiped Rome as a spiritual power since about 195 BC, explaining Smyrna’s historical pride in its Caesar Cult. A fact that was not overlooked by Rome, as the Emperor Tiberius granted them the right to build a temple to him in 26 AD.
Resembling a diadem, many beautiful and majestic public buildings formed a circle around the summit of Mt. Pagos that the locals called the “Crown of Porticoes”. Thus we have the reference in (Rev 2:10) to a crown of life for those who are faithful unto death.
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."
Smyrna was famous for science and medicine and was a wealthy city, but the church itself suffered in abject poverty because its professing members would not renounce Christ in order to get work from the local trade unions. Smyrna means myrrh, like myrrh Smyrna was to be crushed to release its fragrance, thus its Saints were to be persecuted, becoming a sweet aroma to the Lord.
Recognizing their spiritual commitment to Him, Christ encouraged them to persevere in the face of trials and tribulations that will last for ten days. As a result of persecutions, many Saints from this church would be martyred for their faith. The most famous of these would be Polycarp, a disciple of John who was martyred by fire in 155 AD.
Those who lean toward a literal interpretation often consider the ten days as representing ten waves of persecutions the Christians suffered in the first three centuries until Constantine became Emperor and legalized Christianity. Between five and seven million Christians were martyred in this period.
Like all Christians throughout history, Christ tells the Smyrna Christians to hold fast to their faith and stay true to Him and the second death will have no effect on them. To the allegorist, Smyrna represents the church age from the time the Temple was destroyed by Titus until Constantine became Emperor, 70 AD to 313 AD.
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