BEMA Episode Link: 177: Revelation — Pergamum and Satan’s Throne
Episode Length: 33:42
Published Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings explore the ancient city of Pergamum and hear the letter to their church in its original context.

Revelation — Pergamum and Satan’s Throne Presentation (PDF)

Discussion Video for BEMA 177

Transcript for BEMA 177

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 177: Revelation - Pergamum and Satan’s Throne - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 177 - Revelation: Pergamum and Satan’s Throne Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Revelation 2:12-17 - The letter to the church in Pergamum

This episode examines the third letter in Revelation addressed to the church in Pergamum, exploring how the city’s intense pagan culture and multiple temples created a deeply challenging environment for first-century believers. The hosts unpack the rich cultural context that would have been immediately obvious to the original audience, revealing how John’s letter directly addresses specific temptations and pressures unique to Pergamum. Through detailed archaeological and historical evidence, the episode demonstrates how understanding context transforms what appears to be vague apocalyptic imagery into precise, powerful communication.

Key Takeaways

  • Pergamum was Caesar Augustus’s capital in the province of Asia, making it a center of imperial worship and political power
  • The city hosted multiple “thrones” including temples to Caesar, Zeus, Dionysius, and housed the largest Asclepian in the ancient world
  • The phrase “where Satan has his throne” refers to the overwhelming pagan idolatry concentrated in Pergamum, not a single specific temple
  • Pergamum possessed the “potestas gladii” (power of the sword), giving the city authority to make decisions as if Caesar himself had made them
  • The Dionysian festival required participation in sexual immorality, idol meat consumption, and excessive drinking, with local law stating women couldn’t marry unless they lost their virginity during the festival
  • The white stone with a new name written on it directly references the Asclepian practice of inscribing names of healed patients on white stones
  • John’s double-edged sword imagery subverts the Roman “power of the sword” by asserting Christ’s superior authority
  • Every cultural reference John makes is simultaneously rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, creating layers of meaning for his Jewish audience
  • The teaching of Balaam reference connects to Numbers 25 and Jewish midrash about sexual immorality and idol worship
  • Revelation is not vague future prophecy but precise communication using apocalyptic literature conventions that the original audience immediately understood

Main Concepts & Theories

Apocalyptic Literature as Contextual Communication

The episode reinforces that Revelation belongs to the apocalyptic literary genre, pulling heavily from books like Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah. This genre was recognizable to first-century Jewish readers, who would have immediately understood John’s methodology. Rather than being mysterious predictions about the distant future, apocalyptic literature addressed present circumstances using symbolic language drawn from Scripture and cultural context. John deliberately chose this genre to signal how readers should interpret his message.

The Multiple Thrones of Pergamum

Pergamum’s identity centered on multiple “thrones” representing different forms of power and worship:

  1. Temple to Caesar Augustus: Sitting atop the acropolis, visible from miles out to sea, this temple featured an altar shaped like a throne, communicating both the rule and presence of the emperor-god
  2. Altar to Zeus: A massive structure 44 feet tall covered in gold leaf, now relocated to a museum in Berlin, but originally standing just hundreds of yards from Caesar’s temple
  3. Temple to Dionysius: As the neochorus (capital) of Dionysian worship, this temple initiated the Sacred Way and the annual festival of sexual immorality and excess
  4. The Asclepian Complex: While not a traditional throne, this hospital complex to Asclepius represented another form of divine authority in the realm of healing

Each throne came with requirements for worship, creating constant pressure on believers to compromise their faith through participation in pagan rituals.

Potestas Gladii - The Power of the Sword

The Romans granted Pergamum “potestas gladii” (the power of the sword), allowing the city to make legal decisions with the full authority of Caesar himself. This wasn’t merely symbolic; it meant real power of life and death resided in Pergamum’s courts. The double-edged Roman sword symbolized this imperial power. When Jesus introduces himself as “Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword,” he directly challenges and supersedes Rome’s authority. The sword of his mouth, his word, carries ultimate power over both the sword of Rome and the sword of Pergamum.

The Dionysian Festival and Total Depravity

The annual festival to Dionysius, god of wine and orgy, represented institutionalized sexual immorality and idolatry. The archaeological evidence reveals three-story storefronts along the Sacred Way designed specifically for this festival:

  • First floor: Wine vats for obtaining alcoholic beverages
  • Second floor: A “vomitorium” where overly intoxicated participants would purge
  • Third floor: Two tricliniums (horseshoe-shaped reclining tables) for consuming raw meat and wine

Local law required unmarried women to lose their virginity during the festival, demonstrating how deeply embedded pagan practice was in civic life. This wasn’t optional participation in a minor cultural event; it was legally mandated immorality woven into the fabric of society.

The Asclepian - Ancient Healthcare and Pagan Worship

The Asclepian in Pergamum functioned as the premier medical facility in the ancient world, rivaled only by the one in Corinth. This presented believers with an impossible dilemma: could they access necessary medical care if it required offering incense to Asclepius? The complex featured:

  • Registration and payment systems similar to modern health insurance
  • Ritual cleansing pools before entry
  • An incense altar requiring worship of Asclepius to access treatment
  • A gateway inscribed “Death may not enter here”
  • Educational facilities including a library and theater presenting the myth of Asclepius
  • Diagnostic centers accessed through acoustic tunnels designed to replicate “the voice of Asclepius like rushing water”
  • White stone monuments inscribed with names and testimonies of those healed

The white stone imagery in Revelation directly subverts this practice, offering believers healing and a new name from the true God rather than from Asclepius.

The Teaching of Balaam

The reference to Balaam connects to Numbers 22-25 and to Jewish midrashic tradition. While the biblical text doesn’t explicitly state Balaam advised Balak to use sexual temptation, Jewish tradition consistently taught this, and New Testament authors (in Jude, 2 Peter, and here in Revelation) reference it without hesitation. The teaching of Balaam represents the compromise position: “You can serve God and still participate in pagan culture. You can have both.”

In Pergamum’s context, this meant some believers argued they could participate in the Dionysian festival, eat idol meat, engage in the sexual practices, and still maintain their faith in Jesus. John categorically rejects this position.

The Dual Source Methodology

John employs a sophisticated dual-source approach in writing Revelation:

  1. Cultural Context: He references specific, recognizable elements of local pagan practice that his audience encounters daily
  2. Textual Foundation: Every cultural reference simultaneously connects to the Hebrew Scriptures through remez (hint/allusion)

This creates multiple layers of meaning. A Jewish believer in Pergamum hearing “the teaching of Balaam” would immediately recall the entire narrative from Numbers, understanding the warnings about sexual immorality leading to idol worship leading to God’s judgment. Simultaneously, they would recognize how perfectly this describes their current situation in Pergamum.

This dual methodology elevates John’s work beyond mere clever writing. He’s not just addressing their situation; he’s showing them that their situation is addressed in Torah, that God has already spoken to this exact issue, and that they have scriptural guidance for navigating their cultural pressures.

Examples & Applications

The Asclepian Symbol in Modern Medicine

The symbol of Asclepius, a staff with two snakes winding around it, remains the standard medical symbol today. It appears on ambulances, health insurance cards (Blue Cross/Blue Shield), and in medical offices. Orthopedic surgeons receive a staff with two snakes upon graduation. This demonstrates how deeply embedded Greco-Roman pagan imagery remains in contemporary Western culture, often without our awareness. While not condemning modern medical practice, this connection illustrates how cultural elements persist across millennia, often losing their original religious significance but maintaining their symbolic power.

Insurance Systems and the Asclepian

The Pergamum Asclepian operated with a payment system remarkably similar to modern health insurance. Patients could pay upfront for treatment or make monthly payments to maintain access to the facility. They registered with the institution, which kept records of their enrollment. This parallel helps modern readers understand how sophisticated and appealing the Asclepian would have been, making the dilemma for believers more acute. Choosing to avoid the best medical care available because it required pagan worship represented a significant sacrifice, not merely a minor inconvenience.

The Triclinium and Greco-Roman Dining

Understanding the triclinium, the horseshoe-shaped reclining table, helps interpret numerous New Testament passages. When Jesus reclines at table, when the beloved disciple leans on Jesus’ chest at the Last Supper, when discussions of seating arrangements occur, these all take place around tricliniums. The physical arrangement fostered specific kinds of conversation and intimacy. Without experiencing how people actually positioned themselves around these tables, modern readers miss spatial dynamics in the biblical narrative.

The Sacred Way as Cultural Pathway

The Sacred Way in Pergamum stretched from the Dionysian temple on the acropolis down through the city to the Asclepian at the bottom. This wasn’t merely a road; it was a ritual pathway lined with 17 additional temples to various gods. Walking from one end to the other meant traveling through layer upon layer of pagan worship. For believers trying to navigate daily life, even basic travel through their city required constant engagement with idolatry.

Corporate Pressure and Individual Faithfulness

The example of Antipas, mentioned as a faithful witness put to death in Pergamum, demonstrates that standing firm in this environment could be fatal. The letter acknowledges both corporate faithfulness (“you remain true to my name”) and individual martyrdom. This balance addresses a practical reality: not everyone in the church had compromised, but some had. The teaching of Balaam had found traction among “some” in the congregation, not all. This mirrors modern church contexts where believers face cultural pressures unequally and respond with varying levels of compromise.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Comparative Study of the Seven Cities

Each of the seven churches in Revelation received letters addressing their specific cultural contexts. A comparative study examining how different cities presented different challenges would illuminate how location shaped early Christian experience. Why was Ephesus’s challenge different from Pergamum’s? How did Smyrna’s poverty contrast with Laodicea’s wealth? What can we learn about contextualization and cultural engagement from these varied approaches?

The Nicolaitans

Both Ephesus and Pergamum receive mention of the Nicolaitans, but the full identity and teaching of this group remains somewhat mysterious. Further research into early church traditions about the Nicolaitans, possible connections to Nicolas in Acts 6, and how their teaching might have manifested differently in different cities would provide valuable insight into early church conflicts.

Remez and New Testament Interpretation

The concept of remez, where a small textual hint points to an entire scriptural passage or narrative, deserves deeper study. How consistently do New Testament authors employ this technique? What are the rules or conventions governing its use? How can modern readers become more skilled at recognizing remez in Scripture? This hermeneutical approach could unlock layers of meaning throughout the New Testament.

Medical Ethics and Religious Compromise

The Asclepian presents an ancient version of modern questions about medical ethics and religious conviction. When medical care requires practices that conflict with faith commitments, how do believers navigate these tensions? Historical study of how early Christians made these decisions could inform contemporary bioethics discussions, particularly around issues like mandatory treatments, conscientious objection, and religious accommodation in healthcare.

The Theater as Propaganda Tool

Both the Dionysian theater and the theater in the Asclepian complex served as venues for presenting mythological narratives that reinforced pagan worldviews. Understanding how ancient cities used dramatic performance to shape culture and communicate values could illuminate how believers today might engage with or resist cultural narratives presented through modern media and entertainment.

Archaeological Methodology and Biblical Studies

The episode references German and Harvard archaeological teams working at Pergamum. Investigation into how archaeological discoveries inform biblical interpretation, what methods archaeologists use to date and identify ancient structures, and how physical evidence corroborates or challenges textual evidence would strengthen understanding of how we know what we know about biblical contexts.

The Voice Like Rushing Waters

John describes Jesus’ voice as “like the sound of rushing waters” in Revelation 1, which the Asclepian deliberately mimicked in their diagnostic tunnel. Tracing this imagery through Scripture (Ezekiel’s visions, the sound at Pentecost, etc.) and understanding how John subverts pagan imitation of divine imagery would reveal more about John’s sophisticated theological method.

Imperial Cult Development

Pergamum’s role as an early center of Caesar worship raises questions about how the imperial cult developed, spread, and functioned. Why did some cities become neochorus cities? How did emperor worship integrate with or conflict with traditional Roman polytheism? What pressures did this place on Jews and Christians who refused participation?

Comprehension Questions

  1. What does “potestas gladii” mean, and how does the double-edged sword imagery in Revelation 2:12 subvert Roman authority in Pergamum? Explain how this would have resonated with the original audience.

  2. Describe the three-floor structure of the storefronts along the Sacred Way in Pergamum. What does this architectural design reveal about the nature of Dionysian worship, and why would this create particular challenges for believers living in the city?

  3. The Asclepian in Pergamum presented believers with a significant dilemma. What was required to access medical treatment, and why would this create tension for followers of Jesus? How does the “white stone with a new name” imagery address this cultural reality?

  4. Explain John’s dual-source methodology in writing Revelation. How does he simultaneously reference cultural context and Hebrew Scripture? Provide an example from the letter to Pergamum.

  5. What is the significance of the phrase “where Satan has his throne” in the context of Pergamum? Is John referring to a specific temple or making a broader statement about the city? Support your answer with evidence from the episode.

Summary

BEMA Episode 177 transforms the letter to Pergamum from mysterious apocalyptic writing into precise, contextual communication. Pergamum wasn’t just another city; it was the capital of Caesar Augustus in Asia, possessing unique political authority through the “potestas gladii” and hosting an unprecedented concentration of pagan worship. The city’s acropolis featured temples to Caesar, Zeus, and Dionysius, while the Sacred Way connected this religious center to the world’s largest Asclepian at the base of the city.

Living as a believer in Pergamum meant navigating constant pressure to compromise. The annual Dionysian festival wasn’t optional cultural participation but legally mandated sexual immorality. Accessing medical care required offering incense to Asclepius. Simply traveling through the city meant walking past 17 temples lining the Sacred Way. In this environment, the teaching of Balaam found traction among some believers who argued for accommodation with pagan culture.

John’s letter addresses these specific pressures with surgical precision. The double-edged sword imagery subverts Roman authority. The white stone promise reclaims the Asclepian practice for God’s healing. The warning against Balaam’s teaching connects their current temptation to Israel’s historical failure. Remarkably, John accomplishes all this while simultaneously grounding every reference in Hebrew Scripture, using remez to teach entire sermons through brief allusions.

Understanding context doesn’t just clarify Revelation; it reveals the genius of John’s methodology. He’s not writing vague predictions about distant futures but powerful, multilayered communication that addresses immediate circumstances while connecting them to God’s ongoing story. For modern readers, this approach models how to engage culture faithfully, refusing compromise while offering hope and healing through Christ’s ultimate authority.

Study notes based on BEMA Podcast Episode 177, hosted by Marty Solomon and Brent Billings. For more information, visit bemadiscipleship.com

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