Revelation 2:10

Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

and ye shall have tribulation ten days: meaning it may be the ten persecutions under the Roman emperors; the "first" was under Nero, in the year 64 or 66; the "second" was under Domitian, about the year 93; the "third" was under Trojan, in the year 104; the "fourth" was under Hadrian, in the year 125; the "fifth" was under Marcus Antoninus, in the year 151; the "sixth" was under Septimius Severus, in the year 197; the "seventh" was under Maximinus, in the years 235, 236, 237; the "eighth" was under Decius, in the year 250; the "ninth" was under Valerianus, in the year 257; and the "tenth" was under Dioclesian, in the year 303. Austin (o) reckons the ten persecutions thus: the first by Nero, the second by Domitian, the third by Trojan, the fourth by Antoninus, the fifth by Severus, the sixth by Maximus, the seventh by Decius, the eighth by Valerianus, the ninth by Aurelianus, the tenth by Dioclesian and Maximianus. Others, inasmuch as Nero's persecution was before this vision, reckon the ten persecutions thus: Domitian, Trojan, M. Antoninus, Verus and Lucius, Severus, Maximinus, Decius, Valerianus, Aurelianus, Dioclesianus, Licinius: the Dioclesian persecution lasted ten years almost throughout: and some think that this last persecution, which held ten years, is here particularly meant, and not without some good reason; since it is usual in prophetic writings, and in this book of the Revelation, to put days for years; so that these ten days may be the ten years the last persecution held, and at which time the period of this church state ended, and that of Pergamos took place,

First Christ counsels them not to be afraid of what they are about to suffer. Christ by telling them beforehand is indicating that, as the all-knowing God, it is part of his plan and under his control.

Jesus tells his disciples that in world they will have tribulation, but to take courage; he has overcome the world, cf. 3:21, 5:5. In Luke 12:4 Jesus warns us not to fear man who can kill the body but do no more, we should fear God who, when the body is dead, can cast us into hell. 1 Pet 3:13-18 tells us not to be afraid if we suffer for doing right, we have the example of Jesus who died for doing right but he was raised again (cf. 1 Pet 2:19-25, Isa 51:7-8).

Revelation 2: 8

Revelation 2: 8

Revelation 2: 8 These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

…the First and the Last

These words are from Jesus. He emphasizes His eternality, especially in relation to eternal life. He try to mention “I am the begging of your life and I am the end of your life”. That means He is one and only God in our life, there is no other God. It reflects the first commandment to us. 

…who died and came to life again.

Satan brought Death into this world trough sin, we can know that by reading the verse

            Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”.

Jesus Christ wants to overcome this death. So He came into this world He died and resurrected again, because of that He overcame the sin and death. He set us free from sin and He gave the life to us.

Heb-2:14,15 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery”--that is, the devil.

This only here St. John mentioned “who died and came to life again”.

Introduction to Smyrna

Introduction to Smyrna

Smyrna was a port city with a good harbor about thirty-five miles northwest of Ephesus. The seven cities formed a natural postal route from Ephesus up the coast to Smyrna and Pergamum, and from there inland by the imperial road to Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Smyrna is third city of Turkey and the largest in Asia Minor until overtaken by the recent growth of Ankara.

The meaning of the name Smyrna, myrrh or bitter, “Smyrna means ‘bitter,’ certainly an appropriate description for the lot of Christians who lived there.Smyrna had also a long history of loyalty to Rome, having dedicated a temple to the goddess Roma as early as 195 B.C.

Christianity in Smyrna

Smyrna was probably reached as a result of Paul's ministry in Ephesus. From the below verse we can able to understand preached Gospel in Smyrna city also.

“Acts 19:10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”

Secondly the congregation at Smyrna had a pastor or bishop named Polycarp. Ignatius of Antioch wrote letters, which still exist, to both Polycarp and his congregation. Polycarp himself wrote a letter to the Philippian Christians in Macedonia and (according to an account in the Martyrdom of Polycarp) was martyred in Smyrna in the year 156. Nowhere were the words be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life, more aptly fulfilled than in the life and death of Polycarp.

Revelation 2:9

Revelation 2:9

Revelation 2:9 "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander  of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan

1.   I know your Tribulation

1.1.                      Two type of Troubles

   According to 1 peter 2:20: because for our deed we will face troubles

   According to 1 peter 2:19 because for gospel shake we face troubles   

Troubles are 7 types in Roman 8:35 St. Paul mentioned that.

1.      Tribulation

2.     Distress

3.     Persecution

4.     Famine

5.     Nakedness

6.     Danger

7.     Sward

Troubles come to us through 7 ways, in Roman 8:38, St. Paul mentioned that

1.     Life of death

2.     Angels

3.     Rulers

4.     Present thing or things to come

5.     Power

6.     Height or depth

7.     Anything else in creation

2.   …and your poverty

2.1.                     Poverty Meaning

“Greek has two words for poor: penia means having nothing superfluous (the state of being poor), ptocheia means abject (terrible) poverty, destitution. 

Generally poverty/poor means only we thing in our mind Money. Not only poor in money we can tell poor in love, poor in spiritual, poor in education, poor in health , poor in knowledge etc.,

      How to bring out from a person from poverty? Through helping him/her based on their needs

Here Smyrna not poor in money, we can’t tell it was poor in spiritual because so many people were gave their life for the sake of Gospel. So they were not poor in spiritual.

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

From these words we can understand there were very rich in spiritual. So in which we there were poor.

1.   Poor in in numbers. – there were very very  less in number. The Christian community was very small that time.

2.   Poor in support – that time no ruler of kingsm, even though publics they are not supported the Christians. Instead of supporting they enjoyed in their sufferings.

slander^[1] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

3.   …you are rich

Generally  people they are measuring the richness based on their money, their dress ,their way of talking, their family background and their community etc., But they are fail to understand that, what is in their heart ? The very good example from the bible is the conversion between prophet Samuel and God about king David. Prophet Samuel saw the outer image of King David, but God saw the heart of David.

Here also the Smyrna church may be poor in numbers, may be poor in supports but it was rich in faith

              James 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

and it was rich in sacrifices

1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like (Jesus Christ) living stones are being built up as a spiritual house (body), to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Our body also constructed like by Jesus Christ for offer spiritual sacrifice. This Smyrna people offer their own body as a spiritual sacrifices

4.   …the slander

Slander means “false spoken statement intended to damage the good opinion people have of subject; the legal offence of making this kind of statement”

5.   …who say that they are Jews and are not

    This church of martyrdom faced its most intense opposition from those who at one time were closest to God.

        Here Jesus mentioning that by name they are Jews but there were not really Jews. For example we are telling namely Christians. By birth they born in Christian family, they name also kept some saints name or gospel related name, but they don’t know about the gospel, they called themselves as a Christian. These kinds of people are not really Christian. In the same way here Jews by birth they are Jew. They do the all the formalities based on Jews community

5.1 They do the circumcision.

But  St. Paul said in

Romans 2:28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.

Romans 2:29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

5.2 And they will tell I am the descendent of Abraham

     5.1.1 John the Baptist vs Pharisees and Sadducees

Such Jews relied upon their physical decent from Abraham, but denied him as     father by their actions. John the Baptist warned the Pharisees and Sadducees, in

Matthew. 3:9“and do not think to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones”

    5.1.2 Jesus vs Pharisees and Sadducees

1. Jesus always fight with Pharisees and Sadducees statements

2. In peek stage this Pharisees only crucified Jesus on cross

Who this Pharisees and Sadducees?  These also belong to Jews community only. But they are not real Jews always try to find the fault on others and they will do slandering others. They try to spoil the reputation of real Christians

So St. Paul told doesn’t believe the orthodox thing, he said, worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

6.   …but are a synagogue of Satan

st. Paul warning that beware of such kind of Jews were evil workers in 

Philippians 3.2 : Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. ;

            That’s why here Jesus Christ also told about the Jews who slandering others, those are not belongs to me but those are belong to Satan. They worship the Satan, and they are synagogue of Satan.