2:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;”
Introduction to Pergamos
Although it is beyond the scope of this work to get a full history of the city of Pergamos, something of its nature must be reviewed in order for the disciple to grasp a clear understanding of the church there, and the particulars of this letter. So we will beg the reader’s patience as a few basic facts are presented, as a means of laying a foundation for what will be said later on.
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write;” ～ Pergamos (Grk: Pergamo, Strong’s #G4010), also called Pergamum is the modern day city of Bergama in western Turkey. This city is situated about 15 miles inland from the Aegean Sea. The name means fortified, tower, a castle, and is taken from a cone shaped hill which rises 1000 feet above the surrounding valley, upon which the ancient city was built. The city was located between two rivers: the Caius River was to the south and east, and the Selinus ran to the west. As the city grew and expanded from the citadel, it reached the Salinus River and beyond, so that the river was said to run through the city.
Pergamos is a city with a very rich past by the time John writes to them. It has seen a Greek, Hellenistic, and now a Roman citizenry. The Christians, to whom John is writing, are a product of the collective of this history.
The city is of ancient origin, and is found to have issued coins as early as the fifth century B.C. Xenophon and the remnants of his 10,000 (actually 12,000) occupied Pergamos as a prominent town of Mysia; this, after his legendary retreat from Persia. (The Cetuis River [modern Bakir Cay] formed the boundary between Mysia and Lydia.) The greatness of the city began in its Hellenistic period, with the successors of Alexander the Great. Asia Minor fell under the realm of Lysimachus, the king of Thrace, who placed Pergamos along with 9,000 talents of gold, under the care of one Phileterus. During a war Phileterus revolted against his king, Lysimachus. When Lysimachus was killed, Phileterus held both Pergamos and the 9,000 talents of gold. He built his city into an independent kingdom which became a dynasty.
Three things seem to have marked Pergamos’ development, and was her life’s blood. These three driving forces were the Galatians military threat, the city’s friendship with Rome, and the cultural interest of her kings.
In 278 B.C. Asia Minor was invaded by the Galatians—Celtic tribes who had been invited from Europe to participate in a Bithynian civil war. These warlike Celts created havoc among the Hellenistic states. Phileterus and the Pergamenians were the first to defeat the Galatae (Galatians) in battle. However, Eumenes I, who was Phileterus’ nephew and successor, preferred to pay the Galatians ransom (263-241 B.C.). The successor of Eumenes I, Attalus I (241-197), won a major military victory over the Celts. This was followed by Eumenes II (196-159) with another such victory that established Pergamos’ position against the tribes from Europe.
During the reign of Eumenes II the cultural drive of Pergamos reached a zenith in the building of a library in Pergamos that was second only to the library of Alexandria, Egypt in size.
With the reign of Attalus I the city state of Pergamos began a period of Roman influence. King Attalus I supported Rome against Macedon, and his successor Eumenes II sided with Rome against Antiochus III of Syria. After Attalus III bequeathed his kingdom to Rome in 133 B.C. a civil war issued in which Pergamenians were prevailed upon to rise up and slay all Romans in the city (88 B.C.). This done, the city fell under heavy punitive action from that quarter. The civil war broke out only after the treasures accumulated by the Attalusic dynasty had been sent to Rome. Later, the magnificent library was sent to Alexandria, by Anthony, as a gift to Cleopatra. Finally, Pergamos was restored to its place as a Roman city by Julius Caesar.
Under Augustus, a cult to Roma and Augustus was established in the city. Later a temple to Trajan was built on the citadel, and one for Caracalla on the theater terrace, making Pergamos “Thrice Temple Warden” of the emperor cult, and the center of emperor worship in Asia.
Pergamos is accredited with the invention and manufacturing of parchment, which takes its name from the city. Even in our modern time, the same city (now called Bergama) is famous for making bergamot rugs. Aside from its cult of Roma, Pergamos was celebrated for the temple of Aesculapius, the Roman god of medicine, known to the Greeks as Asklepios—Homer called him, the “peerless physician.”
According to Greek lore, Asklepios was the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis. Coronis, daughter of Phlegyas, King of the Lapiths, was one of Apollo's lovers. While Apollo was away, Coronis, already pregnant with Asclepius, fell in love with Ischys, son of Elatus. Apollo sent his sister, Artemis, to kill Coronis because he could not bring himself to do so. Afterward Apollo, feeling dejected, only regained his presence of mind when Coronis' body was aflame on a funeral pyre. Upon a sign from Apollo, Hermes cut the unborn child out of her womb and gave it to the centaur Chiron to raise. Chiron taught the child the art of healing. It is noted that the great second century intellectual and physician Galen was born and worked in Pergamos (A.D. 160).
“... he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;” ～ The One who moves and has His being in the midst of the seven golden lampstands chooses to identify Himself to the church at Pergamos as “he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.” This is very likely a reference to His ability to bring punishment upon them through the preaching of the Word of God. (The “two edged sword” was discussed in the treating of 1:16. See there for further information.) Pergamos, which had such a long military history, would understand the reference to the sword. Also, a reference is seen here to the martyrs who had been killed by the sword; their executioners are being put on notice that their Lord, also, has a sword—two edged—twice as punitive!
Apostolically Speaking,
☩ Jerry L Hayes
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