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| Mt. Pagus today |
‘I know your tribulation and your poverty
(but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are
not, but a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to
suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you
will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until
death, and I will give you the crown of life. ‘ --Rev. 2:9-10
After leaving Ephesus, our next stop is the Smyrna (modern
day Izmir Turkey). The name of the city
means “sweet smelling aroma” or city of Myrhh.
Myrhh is an incense that comes from the sap of a shrub where the wood
must be repeatedly wounded to extract it.
The church of Smyrna was a suffering church but through their
persecution they would be rewarded by Christ.
Thirty years prior to this letter Jerusalem had been destroyed by the
Roman Empire and Smyrna proved to be a popular enclave for the more rich and
influential Jews who fleeing this war.
Within 80 years the Jewish community of Smyrna conspired against the church there which
resulted in one of the most famous martyrdoms in the early Christian era,
namely that of St. Polycarp. Polycarp was burned at the stake at the
stadium above the city on Mt. Pagos.
Before and during the Christian era this stadium was the site of Olympic
games where the winners in those days received a crown instead of a medal. Surrounding the stadium was a ring of
buildings and homes that would have looked at a distance like a victor’s crown. A written account of his death was taken down
and circulated around the Christian world and Polycarp’s testimony became a
source of inspiration to all who have suffered for their steadfast faith in
Jesus for nearly 1850 years. A
fascinating detail in the letter to Smyrna is the suggestion that their
suffering and tribulation will last 10 days.
There was no known 10 day persecution in Smyrna, but if this were taken
to encompass the Roman persecutions that touched Asia Minor, there were exactly
10 of them before the Emperor Constantine made Christianity a legal religion. The point for all Christians to remember is
that Christ patiently suffered at the hands of evil men and in so doing
purchased our redemption and eternal life.
Those who are his disciples can expect to follow in his steps of
suffering too. Even as the sweet
smelling Myrrh is extracted by the repeated wounding of a tree, so the repeated
wounding of the church is a sweet smelling aroma of worship unto Christ. Jesus doesn’t tell his suffering church to
repent, just hang on and the victory will be won.
With you on the journey,
Chris
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