Pergamum was located on a hill and was easy to defend. It had a huge library of around 200,000 volumes and was second only to that of Alexandria. Legend says that Pergamum tried to bring the librarian from the Alexandrian library to Pergamum and the Egyptian ruler did not allow it to happen and immediately refused the export of papyrus to Pergamum, so they developed parchment. Although parchment had been known for almost 1,000 years in Egypt, it was its use here that caused it’s use to be widespread.
If you can find a way, I recommend watching Lesson 3, Where Satan Lives, from Ray Vander Laan’s That The World May Know series, Volume 5, The Early Churches. This lesson done on site at the ruins of Pergamum provide a lot of background into the city and culture at that time. You can read a good summary at: https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/where-satan-lives-article.
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to My name. You did not renounce your faith in Me, not even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
The sword is sharp and double-edged. It is not dull. Being double-edged, it hurts and heals. It cuts and cures.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:12-13
The sword of Christ has absolute authority, decisive discernment; His Word is a weapon of life and death. Pergamum had the rare authority of Rome to exercise capital punishment. The symbol of this authority was the sword (Johnson, Revelation, 1983, 47). This reference by Jesus is so the church at Pergamum would be reminded Who has the real power over life and death and it is Jesus that has that power.
This church is commended for its faithfulness. It exists where Satan has a throne and where he lives. Yet, it is faithful. “Christians could follow Him [Jesus] if they wanted, but society expected that they would not let their Christian convictions get in the way of their public duty to obey the government. Privatized faith is fine. Faith displayed in the public square is not welcomed.” (Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, Daniel L. Akin.) However, even in the dark days of the martyrdom of Antipas, they remained faithful. Tradition says that he was roasted inside a brass bull. Notice that he is described as “my faithful witness” which is the same description used for Jesus in chapter one. Jesus was a faithful witness for His Father in death and Antipas was a faithful witness for Jesus in his death.
In The Global War on Christians, John Allen notes that “80% of all acts of religious discrimination in the world today are directed against Christians” (Allen, Global War, 33) and that “90% of all people killed on the basis of religious beliefs in the world are Christians.”
Are we willing to stand against the world? In order to stand, we have to allow the sWord of God to reach into our innermost being and remove what is unnecessary and heal what is missing, The hardest fight in the church today seems to be a willingness to believe the Bible. Are we willing to be a church that believes the Word of God above every other influence? Will we believe it so deeply that we will not be swayed even when subjected to societal pressure, rejection, or being outcast?
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