The area of Old Smyrna near Bayraklı across the bay from the present Izmir was inhabited during the first half of the third millennium B.C. Strabo says that the settlers were Leleges, but for that period of time he is not reliable. Hittite remains in the area show that they were there at an early date. Apparently the Aeolian Greeks occupied the site of Old Smyrna around 1100 B.C. coming from islands in the Aegean. Before the Aeolians arrived, legends are our only source of information about Smyrna. Strabo, reporting one of these, tells us that the cities of both Smyrna and Ephesus were founded by the Amazons. One derivative gives “Smyrna” as the name of a certain Amazon. It would be outrageous to suggest that the Amazons of legend were the Hittites of history wearing kilts!
Herodotus reports how the Ionian Greeks, the people who built up a great civilization in central western Turkey, came to the shores of Anatolia. He says that certain lonians, perhaps driven out of Greece by Dorian invaders from the north, had settled in Colophon, an ancient city some 35 kilometers south of Smyrna. It was famous for its squadrons of dogs used in battle and for its cavalry. However the Colophonians expelled the refugee lonians who thereupon fled to the Aeolian city of Smyrna. Then, while the Aeolians were attending a festival, the lonians took over the city. This change from one branch of Greeks to another took place about 800 B.C. and is attested by shards found during recent excavations. According to legend, around that time the blind epic poet, Homer, was born and lived in this area.
About 600 B.C. Alyattes, the father of Croesus of Sardis, conquered and destroyed Smyrna. For nearly three hundred years, all through the classical Greek period, Smyrna remained a mere village or group of several small villages. Then it was awakened to glory and prosperity by Alexander the Great. The story goes that Alexander, soon after he came to the throne of Macedonia, defeated the Persians at Granicus about forty-five kilometers south of the Dardanelles. Pausing in Smyrna on his way to fresh victories at Sardis, Miletus, and Halicarnassus (Bodrum), he was out hunting on Mt. Pagus (Kadifekalesi) and slept near the sanctuary of the goddess Nemesis. She appeared to him in a dream and told him to move the people of Smyrna across the bay to the land below the hill which would make an excellent fortified citadel. The people checked with the local oracle, that of Apollo at Claros, and the answer came back.
“Three and four times happy shall those men be hereafter/ Who shall dwell on Pagus beyond the sacred Meles.” This was unusually clear advice from an oracle, so the people moved without hesitation and the village that had its right shoulder to the bay became a city facing front on and electing its own magistrates both as part of the Kingdom of Pergamum and as part of the Roman province of Asia.
Being one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities of the world, İzmir has had many disasters: devastating earthquakes in 178 A.D. after which Marcus Aurelius ordered the city rebuilt, and again in 1688 and 1778; complete or partial destruction by Lydians, Arabs, Byzantines, Genoese, Turks, Crusaders, Tamerlane, Venetians, and Greeks. In spite of all this and more, Izmir has flourished continuously from Hellenistic times to the present.
Unfortunately there are few remains of the Hellenistic city. Mt. Pagus is there with its 160 meters of height, but what Is left of its encircling crown of walls is the work of the Byzantine inhabitants. In the old stadium on the west side of Mt. Pagus we could discern seats in 1940, but now it is thickly covered with houses although its bowl shape remains. The ancient agora or marketplace, once surrounded by colonnades, still contains a row of columns set over a substructure of interesting architectural design. In the northwest corner of the agora are beautiful Roman statues of Poseidon and Demeter, both found there when It was excavated in 1932-1941.
Early members of the Christian church in Smyrna included Polycarp who was bishop there from 115 to 156 A.D. Several contemporary accounts of him have been preserved along with some of his writing. There is a letter of his to the Philippians in which he says, “…the love of money is the root of all evil. Knowing therefore that as we brought nothing into this world, so neither may we carry anything out; let us arm ourselves with the armor of righteousness.””
Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch, wrote to Polycarp, “Having known that thy mind towards God, is fixed as it were upon an immoveable rock; I exceedingly give thanks, that I have been thought worthy to behold thy blessed face, in which I may always rejoice in God.. The times demand thee, as the pilots the winds; and he that is tossed in a tempest, the haven where he would be; that thou mayest attain unto God.””
The times were tempestuous ones for Polycarp. Towards the end of his life he went to Rome to talk with Bishop Anicetus about the controversy over the date of Easter. The meeting did not produce more than a harmonious agreement to differ, and Polycarp returned to Smyrna. Shortly thereafter in 156 persecution of the Christians began in Smyrna. During a festival and games there at which the proconsul, Statius Quadratus presided, eleven Christians, mostly from Philadelphia, were brought to be put to death in the stadium. Polycarp went into hiding on a farm on the outskirts of the city but he was betrayed, arrested, and brought back on the demands of the crowd. Statius Quadratus tried to make him deny his Christian faith, but he refused saying, “Eighty and six years I have served Him and He has done me no ill; how then can I blaspheme my King who hath served me?” The crowd shouted for him to be thrown to the lions, but the proconsul told them that the games were over. They angrily refused to release Polycarp or postpone his death and were satisfied only after they had succeeded in burning him at the stake.
Besides his example of martyrdom, Polycarp was important to the early church as a preserver of the purity of the Gospel. He was not a creative or deep thinker, but he was an accurate transmitter of the first traditions of Christianity. The shouts of the enraged crowd, as reported by Eusebius are perhaps the highest tribute to him: “This is the teacher of Asia; this is the destroyer of our gods; this is the father of the Christians.”
The letter to Smyrna in Revelation was probably written about sixty years before Polycarp’s martyrdom. “These are the words of the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life again” (Rev. 2:8). In each of the letters the One speaking is characterized by some otherworldly quality. Poverty, slanders, and suffering were the common fate of most early congregations. The group in Smyrna was no exception to this (Rev. 2:9), but John told them not to be afraid of suffering for he promised that it would not last long: “Only be faithful till death, and I will give you the crown of life… He who is victorious cannot be harmed by the second death” (Rev. 2:10-11).
Smyrna,
Letter to the Church at Smyrna (which means “sweet smelling,” like myrrh)
History
Smyrna was situated 60 kilometers north of Ephesus at the present-day port of Izmir, which today is Turkey’s second largest city with one of the most important harbors in the region.
Smyrna housed the shrine to the goddess Nemesis and was one of the last cities to fall to Islam.
Acts 19:10 suggests that the church in Smyrna may have been established by Paul on his third missionary journey.
Historical Application
The letter to Smyrna contains no admonishment, and as the name implies, the sacrifice which Christians were called upon to make in this time period served to draw people to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 2:14-15).
To this church, many of whose members would actually suffer death by persecution, Jesus introduced Himself as “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive” (Revelation 2:8). Then the words of the coming peril were given, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days” (Revelation 2:10).
Prophetic Application
These words were fulfilled, for during this period, the most vicious persecutions occurred against the Christians. In 107 AD, Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch in Syria and a friend of John the apostle, was thrown to the lions and eaten alive in the amphitheatre of Rome.
In 155 AD, Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna and a close friend of Ignatius, was killed by the sword, his body burned at the stake in Smyrna.
It was through the witness of Christian martyrs that Tertullian of Carthage, in Africa, was converted to Christianity at the age of 30, and thereafter became a defender of the Christian faith. Read Tertullian’s work
This period of persecution came to its climax under Diocletian, who, in 303 AD, launched a vicious, empire-wide effort for the complete annihilation of Christianity. Although he died in 305 AD, the persecution continued until it was finally brought to an end in 313 AD by the decree of toleration issued by Emperor Constantine.
The Diocletian persecution lasted ten years. The ten-day tribulation predicted for this church (verse 10) coincides with this ten-year period when the day-year principle of Biblical prophecy is applied. Persecution cleansed the Church by forcing Christians to consider whether they were truly willing to follow Christ in all circumstances.
In the ancient city of Smyrna, the most expensive homes were on the mountainsides that rose above the bay. This gave it the name “Crown City.” We can appreciate the appropriateness of the promise, “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life…He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” (Revelation 2:10-11).
Smyrna was the second city to receive a letter from the apostle John in the book of Revelation. Acts 19:10 suggests that the church there was founded during Paul’s third missionary journey. Due to the fact that the port city of Izmir houses the second largest population in Turkey today, the site of ancient Smyrna has been little excavated. Excepting the agora, theater, and sections of the Roman aqueduct, little remains of the ancient city.
Smyrna sat 35 miles north of Ephesus, built near the ruins of an ancient Greek colony destroyed in the 7th century BC. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, rebuilt Smyrna as a new Hellenistic city in the 3rd century BC. The city was later established as a Roman commercial center with a port on the Aegean Sea. Scholars believe the city grew to about 100,000 by the time of the apostles Paul and John.
The Church At Smyrna
Our Lord’s second epistle to the seven churches of Asia is addressed to the church at Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11). Of all the letters this one contains the most continuous and unbroken tone of praise for the recipients, for our Lord is in thorough sympathy with the congregation He is addressing.
Smyrna Izmir TurkeyIn all probability the church at Smyrna was founded by Paul during his third evangelistic journey (53-56 a.d.). This would seem a safe conclusion from Acts 19:10, where we read that “all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
Smyrna is now known by it’s Turkish name, Izmir, and has a population of three million people, making it Turkey’s third largest city and second largest seaport.
Smyrna gained prominence in the 9th century B.C. and thrived before Lydians from Sardis destroyed the town in 600 B.C. In 334 B.C. Alexander the Great conquered Smyrna and refounded it atop Mt. Pagus, now called Kadifekale.
As early as 195 B.C. Smyrna foresaw the rising power of Rome and built a temple for pagan Roman worship. In 23 B.C. Smyrna was given the honor of building a temple to the Emperor Tiberius because of its years of faithfulness to Rome. Thus, the city became a center for the cult of emperor worship — a fanatical religion that later, under such emperors as Nero (ruled A.D. 54-68) and Domitian (ruled A.D. 81-96), brought on severe persecution for the early church. Polycarp was martyred in the stadium at Smyrna in 155 A.D.
Introduction To The Letter
This letter comes from Jesus Christ, “the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life” (Rev. 2:8). Christ was aware of the great affliction being suffered by the saints at Smyrna. He represents Himself to them as the One who was dead and came alive to give them strength in the knowledge of His sovereignty over death and life (cf. Rev. 1:17-18). This sublime language repeats the eternity of the One who addressed the church — One whom death itself could not vanquish. The risen Christ experienced the worst that life could do to Him — He died in the agony of the cross (Gal. 3:13), so no matter what happened to the Christians of Smyrna, Jesus Christ had already been through it. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are…” (Heb. 4:15).
Christ conquered the worst that life can do — He triumphed over pain and death and He offers us the way to victorious living. This letter was intended for the benefit of the Smyrna Christians to encourage them to be faithful unto death, or martyrdom, with no fear of the consequences.
What The Church At Smyrna Experienced
There was “tribulation,” which indicated affliction and physical violence at the hands of Jewish and heathen persecutors and oppressors. The apostle Paul said, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
To the pure eyes of Christ only two churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, needed no rebuke. These same two, and only these, were warned to expect persecution.
The brethren at Smyrna were to endure poverty and a lack of physical necessities. The Greek word for “poverty” (ptocheian) “is used of the ‘poverty’ which Christ voluntarily experienced on our behalf, 2 Cor. 8:9; of the destitute condition of saints in Judea, 2 Cor. 8:2; of the condition of the church in Smyrna, Rev. 2:9, where the word is used in a general sense” (W. E. Vine).
You can picture the pagan world ridiculing them for their claim of worshipping the Creator of all things while their God would not bless them with affluence — but their poverty is a part of their tribulation.
In spite of physical poverty the Lord said, “but you are rich” (Rev. 2:9). How much better it is to be poor in the eyes of the world, but rich before Christ (cf. Acts 4:13). The church at Laodicea was rich in its own esteem, but poor in the sight of Christ (Rev. 3:17). Men of the world looked at the saints in Smyrna and saw nothing but poverty, but He who sees not as man sees, saw the true riches they had (cf. 2 Cor. 4:16 — 5:1). Their treasure was in heaven (Matt. 6:19-20).
They were also going to endure the blasphemy, slander and misrepresentation of the Jews who reviled, railed, and showed contempt against the Christians in Smyrna. The Jews considered themselves as the “synagogue of God,” but were actually the “synagogue of Satan.” Judaism was a legal religion and, by offering prayers to the emperor, they escaped the fate of the Christians.
Nothing is accidental in this book, so it is worth noting these phrases: “The synagogue of Satan” is mentioned in Smyrna (Rev. 2:9), representing the Jewish antagonism to the church. “Satan’s throne” was in Pergamos (Rev. 2:13), representing the heathen. “The depths of Satan” were found in Thyatira (Rev. 2:24), representing the heretical.
We sometimes assume the early Christians were persecuted because of the truth for which they stood and the morality they preached — this would have interfered with the passions of men. While this is true, it does not tell the whole story, for Satan is behind all of the persecution we might suffer. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Satan accuses the brethren (Rev. 12:9-10), sifts us as wheat (Luke 22:31), and oppresses us by physical suffering (Acts 10:38).
They were also going to be imprisoned. The Jews turned Christians over to the Romans because they would not confess Caesar as Lord, and many would be cast into prison. Prison was thought of by the writer as a prelude to execution, and was understood in that sense by his readers. Oftentimes prison would do what torture could not. Those who had endured torture were returned to prison to see what hunger and thirst, cold, darkness and chains would do. Little by little their courage and steadfastness could wear down.
Death or martyrdom would be a likely occurrence. Smyrna was the very center of Roman religion in Asia Minor. As early as 195 B.C. a temple to Dea Roma (“Rome the goddess”) had been built in Smyrna. In 25 A.D. many cities of Asia Minor vied with one another for the honor of building the temple to Tiberius — the honor was granted to Smyrna because of its worship of Rome.
When Christians refused to burn incense to the emperor of Rome as god, they were accused of treason and sentenced to die. Polycarp, an elder of the church at Smyrna, was martyred for this very crime.
Polycarp suffered much for Christ’s sake as Eusebius, the church historian, tells us. The Roman Proconsul commanded him to swear allegiance to Caesar, saying, “Swear, and I will set thee at liberty; reproach Christ.” How courageous was Polycarp’s reply: “Eighty and six years have I now served Christ, and he has never done me the least wrong; how, then, can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” Further efforts to make him deny his Lord failed, and Polycarp was condemned to be burned at the stake.
When the day came for him to be burned alive, those responsible for the burning wanted to nail him to the stake, but Polycarp protested saying: “Let me alone as I am: for He who has given me strength to endure the fire, will also enable me, without your securing me by nails to stand without moving in the pile.”
He was then not nailed to the stake but only tied to it with his hands behind his back. The Jews joined with the heathens in crying out for his death. He died on Saturday, February 23rd, 155 A.D. Crowds of Jews broke the Sabbath law by carrying wood for his fire.
Be Faithful Until Death
In view of the harsh treatment the church was undergoing, Jesus comforts them by saying, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
The great Captain of our salvation never conceals what those who faithfully live for Him will have to bear for His name’s sake. Christ says of Paul, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16).
“About to suffer” indicates that the church was just entering into a long period of Roman persecution, which was introduced by Domitian and would extend to the days of Constantine (313 a.d.). The reason not to be afraid is that Jesus is eternal and victorious over death (Rev. 2:8), and He is all-knowing (Rev. 2:9) and He is rewarding (Rev. 2:10-11).
The length of our faithfulness is to extend “until death.” Faithful at home and abroad. Faithful in prosperity and adversity. Faithful through the whole course of our lives. The church is not advised to curry favor with the world by compromise. The ugly truth is that Christians tend to avoid suffering by compromising with the world. Sadly, many Christians do not seem to challenge and rebuke unbelievers by their integrity, purity and love and as a result the world sees nothing in their life to hate. The world hardly notices the church in many areas (Acts 17:2-6; 28:22).
To Him Who Overcomes
For the Sadducees, the Epicureans and the Buddhists, death introduces us into nothingness — it is the end of all things. For the faithful child of God it is the beginning (cf. John 14:1-3). We can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13).
The Lord offers not the royal crown (Gr. diadema) but the victor’s crown (Gr. stephanos). Many had striven in the games and received a victor’s crown — these crowns were made of leaves that died. Our crown lasts because it is made of life.
Our “crown” is spoken of in many New Testament passages. “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” (1 Cor. 9:25). “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thes. 2:19). “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:8). “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12). “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Pet. 5:4). The word “of” in each of these phrases means, “which consists of.” The Lord is offering us a crown “which consists of” life, glory and righteousness.
There is nothing in life or death, in time or eternity that can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:38-39). Knowing that Christ loves us regardless of earthly circumstances, cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).