BEMA Episode Link: 178: Revelation — Thyatira and Her Jezebel
Episode Length: 27:28
Published Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings consider the idea that John has been deliberately drawing off of apocalyptic prophets while speaking directly into culture, and we add one more layer to our hermeneutical toolbox as it relates to the book of Revelation.

Discussion Video for BEMA 178

Transcript for BEMA 178

Notes

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

BEMA Episode 178: Revelation - Thyatira and Their Jezebel - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 178 - Revelation: Thyatira and Their Jezebel Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Revelation 2:18-29 (Letter to Thyatira)

This episode provides an in-depth examination of the letter to Thyatira, demonstrating John’s sophisticated dual-layer approach to writing Revelation. The teaching reveals how John simultaneously addresses the immediate cultural context of first-century Thyatira while drawing from Old Testament texts to create profound theological commentary. The hosts unpack both the blue-collar, guild-centered culture of Thyatira and the intricate biblical references John weaves together, showing how cultural relevance and scriptural depth are achieved in the same sentences.

Key Takeaways

  • Every line of the letter to Thyatira references both the immediate cultural context of the city and Old Testament scripture simultaneously
  • Thyatira was a small, blue-collar, industrial city dominated by labor guilds, making it uniquely vulnerable to the temptations of guild feasts involving idolatry and sexual immorality
  • John’s reference to “Jezebel” connects to both a local prophetess named Sambathe and the biblical Jezebel who led Israel into Asherah worship
  • The letter demonstrates John’s “Text to Context” methodology - using biblical quotations that already teach to the cultural context at hand
  • Understanding Revelation requires asking two questions: “What’s the culture?” and “What’s the Text?”
  • The connection between Solomon’s poor choices, Phoenician relations, and the eventual marriage of Ahab to Jezebel provides crucial background for understanding John’s textual references
  • Modern attempts to read Revelation as future prediction miss the objective historical realities John was addressing in the first century

Main Concepts & Theories

Thyatira’s Cultural Context

The Blue-Collar City

  • Population: 25,000-30,000 (smallest of the seven church cities)
  • Founded: Around 300 BC by Seleucus I (or 250 BC by Eumenes I) as a military outpost
  • Character: Hardworking, unsophisticated, industrial - contrasted sharply with sophisticated cities like Smyrna
  • Main road location made it a hub for trade and commerce

The Guild System

  • Thyatira had one of the longest guild registries ever discovered despite being the smallest of the seven cities
  • Guilds included: leather workers, woodworkers, weavers, bakers, tailors, dyers, candlemakers, cobblers, potters, bronze smiths, blacksmiths, slave merchants, dyers of purple cloth, and stone cutters
  • Guilds functioned as a cross between labor unions and college fraternities, providing economic security and social belonging
  • Guild feasts were steeped in pagan rituals, idolatry, and sexual immorality, creating acute pressure on believers to participate

Burnished Bronze Industry

  • Leading specialty: burnished bronze (Greek: kalkalabanos)
  • This bronze was used to create the closest thing to mirrors in the ancient world
  • The bronze smith guild was extensive and well-known throughout the region

Religious Practices

  • Chief god: Tyrimnos (an obscure son of Zeus)
  • Possible reasons for worship: blue-collar identification with an underdog deity, or honoring Domitian’s deceased infant son
  • Presence of Sambathe: a Jewish prophetess operating a sybil shrine (minor league oracle)
  • Sambathe was a proponent of the Roman labor system and guild participation
  • Her practice involved pagan witchcraft, directly violating Levitical law
John’s Dual-Layer Hermeneutic

Cultural References in the Letter

  1. “Son of God” - only reference in all seven letters, connecting to:
    • Tyrimnos (son of Zeus)
    • Deceased son of Domitian
  2. “Feet like burnished bronze” - Thyatira’s main export (kalkalabanos)
  3. “Service and perseverance” - blue-collar, hardworking character
  4. “That woman Jezebel” - reference to the sybil oracle Sambathe
  5. “Sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols” - guild feast temptations
  6. “Bed of suffering” (kline) - the guild couch where immorality occurred
  7. “Strike her children dead” - possible reference to Domitian’s dead child
  8. “Satan’s so-called deep secrets” - oracles claiming to channel Apollo and access the underworld
  9. “Iron scepter” and “pottery” - blacksmith and potter guilds
  10. “Morning star” - held by Domitian’s son on coins

Old Testament Textual References

  1. Daniel 10 - “Eyes like blazing fire, feet like burnished bronze”
    • Context: Daniel’s vision and call to perseverance through persecution
    • Application: Thyatira needed to persevere through guild-related persecution
  2. 1 & 2 Kings - “That woman Jezebel”
    • Historical Jezebel: Phoenician high priestess of Asherah married to King Ahab
    • Led Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry through Asherah worship
    • Her death: thrown from a window
    • Her children: all struck dead
    • Perfect parallel to Sambathe leading believers into guild-related immorality
  3. Jeremiah 17 - “Searches hearts and minds”
    • Opening verses reference Asherah poles and altars
    • Direct connection to Jezebel’s introduction of Asherah worship
    • Links sexual immorality and idolatry to the current situation
  4. Psalm 2 - “Rule with an iron scepter, dash to pieces like pottery”
    • Written by David about Solomon: “Today I have called you my son”
    • Only letter to reference “Son of God” quotes the “Son of God” Psalm
    • Links to Solomon’s role in starting Phoenician relations
  5. Numbers 24-25 - “Morning star”
    • Balaam’s last oracle (Numbers 24)
    • Midrash connects Balaam to provoking sexual immorality (Numbers 25)
    • Perfect reference for warning against sexual immorality and idolatry
The Solomon-Jezebel Connection

Historical Chain of Events:

  1. Solomon builds the temple but outsources bronze smith and stone cutter work to Phoenicians
  2. Solomon makes arrangements with Hiram, king of Phoenicia, trading 20 Galilean towns for skilled labor
  3. This arrangement establishes Phoenician-Israelite relations
  4. Later generations maintain these relationships through political treaties
  5. King Ahab marries Jezebel, high priestess of Asherah, cementing the alliance
  6. Jezebel introduces widespread Asherah worship (fertility goddess, sexual promiscuity, shrine prostitutes)
  7. This leads to rampant idolatry and sexual immorality in Israel

Rabbinical Teaching:

  • Many rabbis trace Israel’s idolatry problems back to Solomon’s choice to use foreign workers
  • Solomon’s poor decision created the relationship that later generations tried to maintain
  • The same occupations Solomon outsourced (bronze smiths, stone cutters) were prominent in Thyatira’s guild system
John’s Sophisticated Layering Technique

The Stunning Achievement:

  • John references culture and Text simultaneously in the same words
  • Not half-and-half, but fully both at once
  • Biblical quotations are chosen from stories that already teach to the cultural context
  • Example: The Jezebel reference simultaneously points to:
    • Sambathe (cultural reality)
    • Biblical Jezebel (textual reference)
    • Both led people into sexual immorality and idolatry
    • Both were connected to prophetic/oracle activities

The Textual Chain:

  1. Psalm 2 (Solomon) →
  2. Jezebel (result of Solomon’s choices) →
  3. Jeremiah 17 (Asherah worship introduced by Jezebel) →
  4. Back to Solomon reference at letter’s end

John creates a complex web of interconnected references that reinforce the central message while operating on multiple levels simultaneously.

Examples & Applications

The Guild Pressure Cooker

In Thyatira, believers faced extraordinary pressure to participate in guild activities. Unlike modern labor unions that might have social events, ancient guilds combined economic necessity with religious obligation. To refuse participation meant:

  • Economic marginalization (losing work opportunities)
  • Social isolation (exclusion from the brotherhood)
  • Family hardship (inability to provide)

The temptation was acute because guild feasts involved:

  1. Eating food sacrificed to idols (religious compromise)
  2. Sexual immorality with shrine prostitutes (moral compromise)
  3. Both presented as normal business networking

This wasn’t theoretical - it was the daily reality of making a living in Thyatira.

The Sambathe Phenomenon

Sambathe represents a troubling accommodation: a Jewish woman practicing witchcraft and encouraging participation in pagan guild activities. This likely involved:

  • Claiming special revelation or prophetic authority
  • Teaching that participation in guild activities was acceptable
  • Possibly arguing that economic survival justified compromise
  • Using her position as a sybil oracle to gain influence

Her presence in the church shows how cultural pressure can lead to syncretism - blending pagan practices with faith in ways that violate core commitments.

Modern Parallels

While we don’t face guild feasts, similar pressures exist:

  • Professional networking events that compromise values
  • Business practices that require ethical flexibility
  • Social acceptance requiring moral compromise
  • Economic advancement through questionable means
  • Charismatic leaders teaching accommodation to cultural norms

The principle remains: economic and social pressure can tempt believers to compromise on sexual morality and spiritual fidelity.

Reading Strategy for Revelation

The Two-Question Approach:

  1. “What’s the culture?” - Research the historical, archaeological, and social context
  2. “What’s the Text?” - Identify Old Testament quotations and allusions

Practical Steps:

  • Use resources like the Orthodox Jewish Bible to identify potential textual connections
  • Study the historical context of each city addressed
  • Look for how biblical references already speak to cultural situations
  • Avoid reading modern newspapers into ancient texts
  • Focus on what objective historical study reveals

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Historical Studies
  • Deep dive into Thyatira’s archaeological evidence (coins, guild registry, inscriptions)
  • Comparative study of guild systems across the seven cities
  • Research on burnished bronze production and trade in the Roman Empire
  • Investigation of sybil shrines and minor oracles in Asia Minor
  • Study of Domitian’s reign and the cult of his deceased son
Biblical Connections
  • Comprehensive study of Jezebel’s story in 1 & 2 Kings
  • Examination of Asherah worship practices and their connection to guild activities
  • Analysis of Solomon’s foreign alliances and their long-term consequences
  • Study of Balaam’s oracles and the Midrashic tradition connecting him to sexual immorality
  • Gezerah shavah connections between Psalm 2 and Psalm 118
  • Daniel’s apocalyptic visions and their relevance to persecution contexts
Theological Themes
  • The nature of prophetic authority and how to discern false prophets
  • Economic pressure and faithfulness - when does livelihood compromise become sin?
  • The relationship between sexual morality and idolatry in biblical thought
  • God’s patience and judgment - “I have given her time to repent”
  • Corporate responsibility - addressing a community tolerating sin
Hermeneutical Development
  • John’s methodology as a model for applying Scripture to contemporary contexts
  • The role of midrash and Jewish interpretive methods in New Testament writing
  • Apocalyptic literature as cultural commentary rather than future prediction
  • Multi-layered textual meaning in biblical interpretation
  • The relationship between authorial intent and divine inspiration
Application Questions
  • How do modern economic systems create pressure similar to ancient guilds?
  • What forms does “Jezebel” teaching take in contemporary church contexts?
  • How can churches discern between legitimate cultural engagement and compromise?
  • What does perseverance look like when economic survival is at stake?
  • How should church communities address leaders who teach accommodation to cultural norms?

Comprehension Questions

  1. Cultural Analysis: Describe Thyatira’s demographic and economic character. How did the prominence of guilds create unique spiritual challenges for believers in this city? Include specific examples of how guild membership conflicted with following Jesus.

  2. Textual Connections: Trace the historical chain from Solomon’s decision to use Phoenician workers through to Ahab’s marriage to Jezebel. How does understanding this background illuminate John’s choice of biblical references in the letter to Thyatira?

  3. Dual-Layer Hermeneutic: Explain what it means that John writes with both cultural relevance and scriptural depth “simultaneously in the same words.” Provide at least three specific examples from the letter showing how a single phrase references both immediate culture and Old Testament text.

  4. The Jezebel Problem: Compare and contrast the biblical Jezebel with Sambathe of Thyatira. What parallels make “Jezebel” a fitting name for the prophetess in Thyatira? What specific sins were both promoting?

  5. Application to Modern Reading: Why do the hosts argue that trying to match Revelation to modern newspaper headlines misses John’s intended message? What approach do they recommend instead, and what two questions should readers ask?

Summary

Episode 178 demonstrates the remarkable sophistication of John’s writing in Revelation through an in-depth analysis of the letter to Thyatira. The small, blue-collar city was dominated by labor guilds that created intense pressure on believers to participate in activities involving sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols. A Jewish prophetess named Sambathe was apparently teaching that such participation was acceptable, leading John to invoke the name “Jezebel.”

The episode’s breakthrough insight is recognizing that John simultaneously addresses cultural context and weaves together Old Testament references in the same sentences. References to burnished bronze speak to Thyatira’s main export while quoting Daniel’s apocalyptic vision. The Jezebel reference points to both Sambathe and the biblical character who led Israel into Asherah worship. The chain of textual references - from Psalm 2’s Solomon, through Jezebel, to Jeremiah 17’s Asherah poles - creates a sophisticated theological commentary on how Solomon’s poor choices in using Phoenician workers eventually led to the Jezebel problem.

This methodology reveals that reading Revelation as primarily about future events misses the stunning way John uses biblical text to speak directly into first-century cultural contexts. The proper approach asks two questions of every passage: “What’s the culture?” and “What’s the Text?” Understanding how these layers work together shows the “complex brilliance” of Revelation’s composition - so sophisticated that, as one teacher says, “It’s almost like the author had help.” The episode challenges listeners to abandon newspaper-matching interpretive methods in favor of careful historical and textual study that reveals the message objective scholarship places right before our eyes.

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