Bishop's Epistle: Revelation 2:18, Commentary; The Church of Thyatira

2:18 “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;”

Introduction

Of ancient Thyatira we know next to nothing. Our first introduction to the city is its re-founding by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great’s successors and among his most famous commanders (312–280 BC). Seleucus established the city as a military outpost, and settled it with Macedonian soldiers. The city (modern Akhisar) was located on the road connecting Pergamos and Sardis, approximately midway between the two, on the south bank of the Lycus River—the major city of the Lycus Valley. Pergamos is to the NW while Sardis lays to the S-SW. The city was never very large, but was known for its many trade guilds. Inscriptions dating to the period show the presence of numerous trade guilds, including coppersmiths, tanners, leatherworkers, dyers, mill workers, and linen workers. Each guild would come with its individual patron god, along with the feasts and social occasions that would have created the social fabric of the region. All of this would have been a serious challenge to the disciples of Christ living and working in Thyatira. The major deity worshiped in the city was Tyrimnos, who was identified with Apollo—the sun god, and Boreitene—a goddess identified with Artemis. Artemis, you will remember is Diana of the Ephesians (Acts 19:24ff).

There was, most likely, a Jewish settlement at Thyatira. The story of Lydia in Acts 16:13-15 would support such an hypothesis. When Paul, Silas and Timothy were in Philippi and sought the place of prayer on the Sabbath, they “went out of the city by a river side” (it was customary for Jews outside of Judea, and out of reach of the temple or synagogue, to pray by running water) to the Jewish place of prayer. There, among the women who had come to pray, was Lydia, who was a seller of purple. She was from Thyatira, as was the purple cloth she sold. Lydia was a worshiper of God; meaning, a Gentile who, like Cornelius (Acts 10:2), believed in the true God, and followed the moral teaching of Scripture. It is most probable that Lydia had contact with Jews from her home that would have prompted her to seek out the Jewish women of Philippi. The “purple” of the cloth, or garment, she was selling was most likely the Royal purple or “Turkey Red” made with madder root used by the guild of dyers at Thyatira.

Just how the church of Thyatira was first established, we are not told. A clue may be given in Acts 19:9-10, for Luke writes that Paul “separated the disciples” from the synagogue, and taught “daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” It seems that this early window of opportunity for Thyatira’s Christian introduction is very likely, because by the time of the Lord’s letter to them, they already had a history of Christian service which included works “more than the first” (v19).

“These things saith the Son of God.” ～ Here, in our Lord’s introduction, Jesus identifies Himself as “the Son of God.” Although John’s Gospel records Jesus referencing Himself as the Son of God four times in the third person (John 3:16; 5:25; 9:35; 11:4), only one other time in the entire Bible does Christ call Himself “the Son of God” in the first person, and that, too, in the same Gospel (John 10:36). There, this self-titling was in response to the Jews who were about to stone Him. The Jews told Him,

“For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” (John 10:33)

And, here, in the Apocalypse, the title “Son of God” is employed by Christ in response to the Thyatiran’s worship of Tyrimnos (Apollo) as the sun god. To the Christians of Thyatira, who were surrounded by those who worshiped the sun god, Jesus declares Himself to be the Son of God. This seems to be the plausible reason for Christ’s use of the title “Son of God,” which He used only one other time in reference to Himself in the first person.

Apostolically Speaking,

☩ Jerry L. Hayes

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