Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Pergamum and Thyatira

Matthew James Elliott

Here we are again with two more of the churches from the book of Revelation, and these two churches are nothing compared to the two churches I shared about in last month's post, Smyrna and Philadelphia. In truth, there are some similarities, but when it comes down to it, Pergamum and Thyatira had their own struggles, and they were significant enough to be noted in the vision given to the Apostle John. 

By stepping into the history of these two churches, we are going to dig into some troubling details about how the early believers often faced political terror and even financial ruin because of their faith. The story's background involves false rituals and forced circumstances that oppose the very idea of spiritual freedom. That only hits the surface of how deep the story goes with these two. 

The struggles they faced were important.

The outcome of the struggle was powerful.

~ Pergamum ~

Acropolis in Pergamum by Friedrich Thierch – 1882.

In Revelation 2:12-17, John is given a letter for the church in Pergamum. It encourages them because of their faithfulness. The one who has a sharp, double-edged sword speaks to them and says, “You did not refuse to tell about your faith in me even when your leaders were killed before you.” This is a direct correlation to the fact that Pergamum was the seat of imperial authority. It was the capital of Roman Asia and a political power with massive stone monuments dedicated to gods like Zeus (the king of the gods) and Asclepius (the serpent god of healing). 

Long before John received the Revelation, Pergamum was already Asia's first city to receive permission to build temples like the Altar of Zeus and the Asclepion. The Altar of Zeus was a massive, chair-shaped stone altar that overlooked the city, and the Asclepion was a medical center famous throughout the world at that time. In 29 BC, the Romans built the first Imperial Cult Temple in this city.  Needless to say, when Jesus said, “This is where Satan lives,” you can guess who he was talking about. 

Pergamon was an aristocratic city dominated by the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. When it came to standing up for their beliefs, one man stood out to me, and his name was Antipas. Scripture indicates he was the man killed for his faith, but a local legend about him being sealed inside a bronze bull and burned alive particularly struck me. Talk about scary, right?

Despite the brutality of this death, there is some good news: later in the letter, Jesus promises, “I will give hidden manna to everyone who stands firm and a white stone with a new name engraved upon it .” This is a promise of restoration. Instead of bowing to Rome, Jesus promised believers something much more powerful than Rome. 

~ Thyatira ~

Unlike Pergamum, Thyatira was a practical, working-class city that existed in the valleys of Asia along the major trade routes. Similar to how things were in Smyrna, trade guilds were the main attraction. In many historical accounts that I found regarding this city, it is a common belief that this city had a monopoly on trade guilds. Do you remember the story of Lydia in Acts 16? Well, she was from this city.

Ruins of Thyatira - Wikipedia

Thyatira had more active trade unions than almost any other city in ancient Asia. People knew the city for its clothing and dyes, potters and bakers, and, to throw things back to Pergamum for a quick reflection, bronze-smiths. Here is something to think about: Thyatira would have supplied the bronze that Antipas may have been sealed inside before he was martyred. It's incredible to think how connected the cities these 7 churches were in actually are, isn’t it? 

In Revelation 2:18-29, which is the longest letter of the seven, by the way, at 12 verses, we learn a great deal about the city. It was a city filled with false teachings, just like Pergamum, but the difference here was that this is by far the worst warning and the most encouraging promise. Basically, Jesus states that judgment will be cast and many will suffer greatly because of it, but those who stand firm in my teaching will have the ultimate victory. 

The church gave in to the teachings of a woman whom Jesus called a Jezebel.  Her influence likely combined the pagan practices with guild expectations, making compromise feel unavoidable. If you know your Old Testament history, Jezebel was one of the worst villains in biblical history. The entire city was controlled by these false teachers and the requirements of the guilds. If you weren't someone who followed these two groups, you had no chance of a life free from suffering.

The deep secrets hidden by these two groups left the city haunted by fear and led to compromise to save themselves from it. 

~ Bringing the History Home ~

Both of these churches teach us two powerful messages. From Pergamum, we learn that intimidation does not define our future. From Thyatira, we are reminded that even in the midst of overwhelming odds, we do not have to compromise our beliefs or deny who we truly are. In the vision given to John, Jesus acknowledges both the struggles these two churches endured and the hope they would have if they chose to let go. 

In whatever we face, standing up for what we claim to believe does not have to lead us into fear or compromise; it can give us courage we can live out in our daily lives. In our faithfulness, we are promised a “white stone and given a new name,” but we are also promised the “ultimate victory” in those same struggles that have held us down in life. I encourage you to look into the deeper meaning behind these letters. Who knows, you may even learn something for yourself.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is married and has three wonderful children who bring him immense joy and inspiration. One of his favorite things to do with them is to share stories they can someday learn from. When writing a story, he aspires to minister to others with love, equip them with encouragement, and use the gift God has given him as a writer to help readers experience God in a real and meaningful way.

Find Matthew on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

If you're curious about The Hope of Inheritance or any of my books, you can keep up with me on REAMStories or Facebook. The Hope of Inheritance was selected as the book of the month for my Biblical Fiction Facebook Authors Group, so keep your eyes on my Facebook for some fun things this month. You can also read Mysteries in Ephesus, Season 2 of The Ephesus Pages on REAM Right Now!

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In the aftermath of the Great Fire of 64 AD, Rome lies in ruins. Emperor Nero and his ruthless Prefect of the City, Lysias, unleash a wave of persecution that threatens the very existence of the early church.

Nathaniel, a seasoned scribe and longtime companion of Luke, records the journeys that will shape the future of the faith as it was taught by those who walked with Christ. They are known as The Founders.

From the destruction of Colossae to the tribulations in Ephesus… From the Council of Corinth to the shattered streets of Rome… Nathaniel and his brother Zadok witness courage, betrayal, and the final days of two of the greatest founders — Peter and Paul.

Four men are chosen.

Their message will change everything.

Hope will rise again.