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. – Revelation 2:13

Today's Scripture Reading (July 12, 2024): Revelation 2

The original Pergamum was a center for idolatry.  It was a place where Satan indeed seemed to live.  Pergamum contained many distractions for the Christian believer and taught that there were many ways to God. All of this contrasts Jesus' words as he gathered his disciples together on the night he was betrayed. Thomas asked the question as the disciples gathered around him that night. Jesus, how can we know the way when we don't know where you are going? Jesus's answer was clear; "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus says that the church in the city of Pergamum had remained faithful to Jesus's teaching. Amid the religious diversity, they heard the truth of Jesus's words and followed him.

Some have speculated that each of these churches in Revelation corresponds to an age or an era in church history. For the church of the Age of Pergamum, that age might have been during the time following the reign of Constantine. At that time, the church faced some unique trials. Pergamum means 'elevation' or 'marriage.' During the Christian Roman Era that Emperor Constantine instituted, the church was instantly elevated and experienced a marriage to the state. It was not a good thing.  Many scholars question whether the conversion experience of Constantine was real or a matter of convenience. Experts wonder whether Constantine really saw a blazing "symbol of Christ" in the sky, heard God's voice telling him to go and conquer in this sign, and believed in Jesus Christ for his salvation, or whether he saw the writing on the wall and knew that, despite persecution, the church of Jesus Christ was growing strong, and like some contemporary politicians of our day, took the name of Jesus Christ as the way to consolidate needed political power so he could rule Rome as a single emperor. Those who believe the latter would tell you that Constantine's life never measured up to that of a Christian. If he was trying to live as a Christian, he had an inferior idea of what a Christian was like.

Constantine elevated the Christian Church and declared himself to be its protector. Still, he also held on to the title of Pontifex Maximus, literally protector of all the Roman pagan religions. A coin cast from Constantine's reign can be found in the British Museum, which sums up life in the Early Roman Christian Empire.  On one side of the coin are found symbols of the Christian Church.  On the reverse side are symbols of the other early pagan religions.

Despite where they lived, Jesus commends the church of Pergamum. Notwithstanding all the distractions, they held that Jesus was the Son of the Living God, existed as God himself, and was the only way to the Father. Amid all the pagan religions that talked about beings that are half God and half man, the age of Pergamum was able to come up with a statement of faith that once and for all stated that Jesus was very God and very man.     

Sometimes, in our era, we forget that we are not the first to face religious diversity.  And yet Jesus's words speak truth to us as well. We hold that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. We, too, believe that he is very God and very man.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 3