The book of Revelation begins with seven letters to seven churches in seven cities in the Roman province of Asia. You probably know this. The condition of each church and specific facts about each city are reflected in the content of each letter. This is likely not new to you either. What I aim to do this month is a thorough check of the background information commonly (or not so commonly) shared to explain these letters – and hopefully uncover additional information that makes them even more amazing than they already are.
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I will not deal with every detail in each letter; I am going to limit myself to extra-biblical historical background information that is reflected in the letters and therefore helps us to understand them (there is much more to say, for instance, on the Nicolaitans or the hidden manna than included here, but this would not be based on extra-biblical information). I will also leave out connections or information I regard as overly uncertain or speculative. I will be using Colin Hemer’s book, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting, as my primary source; all page numbers refer to this title unless indicated otherwise. It may be considered the modern classic on the subject, updating a book by W. M. Ramsay first published in 1904 and therefore a little outdated. Since Hemer’s book is not exactly brand-new either, I also consulted the excellent commentary by Gregory Beale (1999) to make sure I am getting this right. Feel free to take this text and use it any way you like, especially when teaching the book of Revelation!
Ephesus
The identity of Ephesus is not as sharply focused as that of the other cities. It was the largest and most cosmopolitan of the seven; within the Roman Empire, only Rome, Alexandria, and possibly Antioch in Syria were larger. It makes sense, therefore, that Ephesus has been called the “City of Change” (52). The most significant identity marker of Ephesus was the renowned Artemis temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. According to some reports, the original sanctuary had been a simple tree shrine dedicated to Artemis (44f). The date palm was one of the symbols for Artemis and appears on numerous coins (45f). It may be that the later temple included an enclosed garden with fruit trees (50f). The temple certainly functioned as an asylum where criminals could find refuge.
This would give added significance to the promise given to this church of access to the tree of life in the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7).
Smyrna
Suffering seems to have had a special association with the city of Smyrna. For one, the word myrrh (which in Greek also is smyrna) with its connotations of mourning and burial was often connected with the city’s name, even though the similarity is coincidental (58f; 64f).
Resurrection was another theme with a special link to Smyrna. While important in its early years, the city had lost its significance for a long time (roughly 600-290 BC). Its subsequent rise was sometimes interpreted as a resurrection and compared with the Phoenix rising from its ashes (60-63).
The letter suggests that the Jewish community in Smyrna was particularly strong in its opposition to Christianity. This finds confirmation at the formal execution of Polycarp of Smyrna by burning approximately 100 years later. Reportedly, the Jews of Smyrna gathered wood for the burning, even though it took place on a sabbath (67).
The ten days are often explained with Daniel 1:12 and 14. They may also reflect the duration of a festival or of an athletic or gladiatorial test in competition. The idea would then be that Christians in Smyrna facing martyrdom are competing and being tested in the arena of imprisonment and execution (68-70).
The victor’s crown was a common motif in the Roman province of Asia, but in Smyrna, it carried additional significance. The city itself, with its location on top of a hill, had been described as a crown (73). One practice unique to Smyrna was to award a crown as a sign of honour to a deceased person. This gives special weight to the phrase “crown of life” (Rev. 2:10), a contrast to a crown given at death that does nothing to mitigate that reality. In addition to this, there is evidence that earthly kings and emperors at times expected to be given a crown when visiting a city; Christ on his return will hand out rather than receive crowns (74f).
Yet another characteristic of Smyrna was its reputation of faithfulness to its allies, which adds meaning to the call to be faithful (Rev. 2:10; 70f).
Pergamum
Pergamum is the location “where Satan’s throne is” (Rev. 2:13). This has been explained in different ways (85f), most importantly:
- The city itself, seen from afar, looked like a throne.
- The city housed a famous throne-like altar dedicated to Zeus.
- Pergamum was renowned for its Asclepios temple. This god of healing was often portrayed as a serpent.
- The city was the earliest and most important centre for emperor worship in the east. It was also the seat of the Roman proconsul administrating the entire province, and therefore of Roman power.
The latter explanation is most convincing. The first temple in Asia dedicated to a living emperor was approved by Augustus in 29 BC and built in Pergamum. It frequently appears on coins issued by the city (84). In the book of Revelation, it is the emperor cult that will soon bring persecution on the church and it is in Pergamum that the emperor cult had its strongest centre.
(Hemer finds an additional argument in verse 13. In between the two references to Satan stands the memory of Antipas, otherwise unknown, who was killed while being a faithful witness. Hemer argues that this must have been because of the emperor cult (86f), which if true would make it a persuasive argument in favour of this explanation. However, the exact circumstances of the execution of Antipas and the reason for it are unknown, so this is uncertain.)
I will not go into the details of the Nicolaitans, except to point out one thing. Eating food sacrificed to idols and practicing sexual immorality (Rev. 2:14) were both associated with various feasts and occasions that took place in the idolatrous temples in honour of a god. These were important social and business events. There was a cost to not participating and therefore pressure to do so anyway. Apparently, the Nicolaitans had developed a theological rationalization to make participation acceptable. The “hidden manna” promised to the conquerors in Revelation 2:17 stands in contrast to these idolatrous meals.
For the second part of the promise in verse 17, the white stone with a new name on it, many solutions have been proposed (96-99). Intended is probably a combination of allusions, first and foremost the stone as a token of admission or membership and a white pebble as a vote cast in a law case by a juror in favour of acquittal of the accused (96; as opposed to a black pebble as a vote for “guilty”). It is popular but because of its pagan and magical connotations unconvincing to understand the stone as a parallel to “a pagan amulet inscribed with the secret name of a pagan god” (99). Besides, the new name promised is presumably that of the individual receiving the stone, not a new name of God or Christ (different from Rev. 3:12, where the name explicitly is that of God, Jesus, and their city; see Is. 62:2 and 65:15 as parallels to Rev. 2:17; 102f): “The new name symbolizes the individual’s entry into a new life, status or personality” (102).
Thyatira
Hemer describes Thyatira as “the least known, least important and least remarkable of the cities” (106). One thing we do know is that Thyatira had an “unusually large number of influential trade-guilds” (107). These associations brought together workers of the same trade, usually under the patronage of a god. One way relationships within the guild were maintained was through meals in a temple. Commerce and religion went hand in hand. In Thyatira, it was the woman called Jezebel rather than the Nicolaitans who provided the excuse to participate (123).
Revelation 2:18 includes the Greek word translated “burnished bronze” in the ESV. This word does not appear anywhere else (except in reference to this passage). It is generally thought to be some kind of copper alloy. Hemer argues at great length that it may have been brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, produced in Thyatira by means of a special procedure (111-117). The rarity of the word suggests it was a local term. It may have been a technical term of the local bronze-working guild. Interesting, but unfortunately, this does not help us to understand its meaning or significance in the letter.
Sardis
The upper city of Sardis was located on top of a hill with steep and crumbly sides, about 500 m above the surrounding plain. It “held strategic position under a fortified, precipitous hill of white marble; the difficulty of capturing its acropolis became proverbial” (Harrill 2000:132). Reportedly, Alexander the Great was “greatly impressed by its immense strength” (133) Nevertheless, the city was captured by surprise twice in its history. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the Persian king Cyrus managed to enter the city by climbing up to an unguarded spot – unguarded because it was considered unassailable (132; this was in 546 BC; there is no evidence that the entire city was off guard and sound asleep at this time, as often claimed). In 214 BC, Antiochus III of Syria likewise took the city by exploiting an unguarded spot (133). The image of an intruder coming at an unexpected hour (Rev. 3:3) would have evoked painful memories in Sardis.
There are indications that there was a sizable and unusually well-integrated – and therefore comfortable if somewhat compromised – Jewish community in Sardis (136f). This may find its counterpart in comfortable but lifeless Christians: they did not provoke persecution, having “soiled their garments” (Rev. 3:4) through compromise and adjustment.
The white garments in Revelation 3:4f may be related to the local textile industry:
Sardis enjoyed a prosperous economy. The textile industry there was the most important in Asia and perhaps its most ancient center. Sardian carpets, finely wrought, covered the palace floors of Persian kings, and its purple couch covers were known in Athens as early as 400 B.C. Ancient tradition, albeit apocryphal, claimed that Sardian artisans invented the dyeing process. (Harrill 2000:132)
More importantly, Romans would sometimes wear white garments on holidays and especially at victory parades (the so-called triumphs). Hemer (147) points out that Sardis had experienced its share of shameful defeat, but there were those who would walk with Christ in his final triumph.
Philadelphia
In AD 17, Sardis and Philadelphia were hit by an earthquake called “the greatest disaster in human memory” by Pliny the Elder, a Roman author (134). The area continued to be prone to earthquakes. The emperor was generous with aid. In response, the city changed its name to Neocaesarea, to honour of the emperor (157). Later, under Vespasian, it added his family name “Flavia” to the name of its city (157f). This may explain the new name of Revelation 3:12.
However, in AD 92 Domitian ordered half the vineyards in the provinces to be cut down. This hit Philadelphia hard because its region depended on wine production more than any other in Asia Minor (158). Presumably, the addition to Philadelphia’s name fell into disuse. Different from the Flavian emperors, Christ is “true” or faithful (Rev. 3:7; 161).
As the church, so the city likewise was one of “little power” (Rev. 3:8).
Hemer points out that games were important in Philadelphia, and therefore crowns were an apt symbol to use in exhortation (Rev. 3:11; 165). The image of a pillar permanently placed in God’s temple fits a location plagued by frequent earthquakes, rendering buildings anything but permanent (Rev. 3:12).
Laodicea
Laodicea was located at an important crossroads, not far from Colossae and Hierapolis. The city was destroyed by a severe earthquake in AD 60. Different from Philadelphia, it declined aid from the emperor and financed its own rebuilding in a spirit of proud independence (193-195). This is one of the indications of how wealthy the city was (see also 191f).
Laodicea functioned as a banking centre (191). There was a well-known medical school where a standard medical text on eye conditions was written (198). It is often claimed that it produced an important eye salve, which is possible but not certain (196-199). The city was also known for its textile industry, especially for its black high-quality wool (199f).
Much has been written about this church being lukewarm (Rev. 3:15f). This is often understood as a lack of spiritual zeal, but in that case, it is hard to see why not only hot but also cold would be better (verse 15). The background certainly lies in the local circumstances. Nearby Hierapolis had hot springs with medicinal effects; Hemer calls it a health centre (188). Colossae, higher up in the valley, enjoyed the pleasure of cool and pure water, being strategically located at a clean stream with clear water, a rarity in the area. But Laodicea did not have its own natural water supply; water was brought by means of an aqueduct. Its citizens had to make do with lukewarm water. Water in the area generally had and still has today poor taste, so this would probably also have been true for Laodicea (188-190).
Hemer therefore argues that the church was censured for “its ineffectiveness rather than its half-heartedness, for the barrenness of its works rather than its spiritual temperature” (187). In other words, the church, like its water, was good for nothing.
Revelation 3:17f describes the church as poor, blind, and naked, and lists corresponding offers of gold, white garments, and eye salve. The advice “to buy” (Rev. 3:18) these things fits well with the commercial nature of the city: With implied sarcasm, the items offered point to the pillars of the Laodicean economy as presented above. It shows that the church was as self-sufficient and independent (“I need nothing,” Rev. 3:17) as the city in which it lived (195).
In the year 40 BC, Asia was invaded by the Parthians, but Zeno and his son Polemo of Laodicea refused to surrender. As a reward for this victory, Polemo was elevated to royal status. Some of his descendants also were kings. The family continued to be influential in Laodicea (205f). This adds depth to the promise of Christ to the one who conquers: “I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev. 3:21).
In Closing
If you are teaching the book of Revelation, feel free to take this information and turn it into a handout!
Attribution
Map: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seven_churches_of_asia.svg, Public Domain
References
Standard Bible Society (2001), The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Standard Bible Society)
Gregory K. Beale (1999), The Book of Revelation. The New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans)
J. A. Harrill (2000), “Asia Minor”. In Craig A. Evans & Stanley E. Porter (eds), Dictionary of New Testament Background: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship (electronic ed.) (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)
Colin J. Hemer (1986), The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting. Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 11 (Sheffield, UK: JSOT Press)