BEMA Episode Link: 180: Revelation — Philadelphia and Their New Name
Episode Length: 15:01
Published Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings examine John’s apocalyptic letter to the church of Philadelphia and look for context, as well as Text spoken into that context.

Discussion Video for BEMA 180

BEMA 161: 1 Thessalonians — Parousia

Transcript for BEMA 180

Notes

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

BEMA Episode 180: Revelation - Philadelphia and Their New Name

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 180 - Revelation: Philadelphia and Their New Name Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Revelation 3:7-13 (The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia)

This episode examines John’s apocalyptic letter to the church of Philadelphia, demonstrating how understanding both historical context and Old Testament source material (remez) unlocks the profound meaning of what might otherwise seem like repetitive or abstract language. The discussion explores how Philadelphia’s unique history of earthquakes, name changes, economic hardship, and geographic significance as “the door to Asia Minor” provides the cultural framework for understanding John’s carefully crafted message.

Key Takeaways

  • Philadelphia’s repeated destruction by earthquakes (AD 17, AD 60) and subsequent rebuilding by Roman emperors led to multiple name changes: Philadelphia, Neo-Caesarea, and the rejected name Flavia
  • The city served as “the door to Asia Minor” - the geographic gateway between Asia and Asia Minor on the main highway
  • The Flavian dynasty was deeply despised, especially after ordering 75% of Philadelphia’s prized grapevines uprooted to grow grain that never flourished
  • John’s letter uses the “Text-to-context” approach: drawing from Old Testament passages (Isaiah 45, Isaiah 62, 2 Chronicles 3) to speak directly into Philadelphia’s cultural experiences
  • The concept of parousia (imperial visitation) was particularly relevant to Philadelphia, which had experienced multiple imperial visits for rebuilding after disasters
  • Understanding both cultural context and scriptural references (remez) reveals John’s literary genius rather than confusing repetition

Main Concepts & Theories

Text-to-Context Hermeneutic

The hosts introduce an explicit framework for reading Revelation that has been implicit throughout the series: examining both the cultural/historical context and the Old Testament textual sources (Text) that John draws from. This rabbinic method of thinking goes back to Session 3’s discussion of PaRDeS. Jews think in terms of Text constantly, and understanding this dual approach reveals the brilliant, layered writing in Revelation rather than confusion.

Parousia and Imperial Rebuilding

Building on Episode 161’s teaching about parousia, the hosts explain how Roman emperors would visit cities after disasters like earthquakes. Rome needed cities to be functional, so they would provide funding and resources for rebuilding. The emperor would then have a parousia (official visit/coming) to inspect the rebuilt city. Philadelphia experienced this pattern multiple times, making Jesus’s promise “I am coming soon” particularly meaningful in their cultural vocabulary.

The Grain Crisis and Economic Devastation

The Roman Empire faced a crippling grain shortage in the first century. While America’s essential resource is oil, Rome’s was grain. Revelation 6:6 references prices 500 times higher than normal - a phrase that matches exactly what archaeologists have found in Roman records from this period. The Flavian dynasty’s desperate attempt to increase grain production by forcing Philadelphia to uproot more than 75% of their renowned grapevines (replacing them with grain fields that never produced healthy grain) created deep economic hardship and intense hatred toward the Flavians.

Geographic Identity: The Door to Asia Minor

Philadelphia’s location on the border between Asia and Asia Minor, positioned on the main highway, earned it the designation as “the door to Asia Minor.” Travelers moving eastward passed through Philadelphia to enter Asia Minor; those moving westward entered the province of Asia. This geographic identity becomes central to understanding John’s message about open doors.

Multiple Name Changes and Identity Crisis

Philadelphia experienced repeated identity shifts through forced renaming:

  1. Original name: Philadelphia
  2. After AD 17 earthquake: Neo-Caesarea (to honor the rebuilding Caesar)
  3. After AD 60 earthquake: Attempted renaming to Flavia (rejected by residents who despised the Flavian dynasty)
  4. Result: Residents returned to calling it Philadelphia

This repeated renaming created a unique cultural context of identity instability and resistance to imposed names.

The Synagogue of Satan

The phrase “synagogue of Satan” (also mentioned in the Smyrna letter) refers to a group of Jews who rejected Gentile followers of the God of Israel, refusing to accept Gentiles as legitimate participants in the faith. Paul argued that such an exclusionary position meant they didn’t truly understand the mission and message of Judaism. This is strongly stated language addressing a real theological and social conflict in the early church.

Remez: Hidden Sermons Through Scripture References

John employs the rabbinic technique of remez - alluding to Old Testament passages to invoke their full context and meaning. Rather than explicitly quoting, John uses key phrases that would trigger Jewish readers to recall entire passages, creating layered meanings:

Isaiah 45 (Cyrus Passage):

  • God opening doors that cannot be shut
  • God using a Gentile (Cyrus) to save and redeem His people
  • God summoning someone by name and bestowing a title of honor
  • Directly addresses the “synagogue of Satan” issue: Gentiles have been part of God’s redemptive work throughout history

Isaiah 62:

  • Being called by a new name that the Lord bestows
  • References to crown, vindication, glory
  • Themes of marriage and divine delight
  • Multiple naming references linking to Philadelphia’s name changes

2 Chronicles 3 (Solomon’s Temple Pillars):

  • Two pillars erected in front of the temple (Jachin and Boaz)
  • The peculiar detail that these pillars were given names
  • The pillars framed the doorway to the temple (north and south, creating a west-to-east entrance)
  • Connects to both the naming theme and the doorway theme

Examples & Applications

Cultural Context Makes Confusing Text Clear

The phrase “I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God… I will write on them my new name” mentions names three times. Without cultural context, this seems needlessly repetitive. But Philadelphia had three different names for their city and experienced unprecedented chaos surrounding naming. The repetition becomes precise and meaningful.

Open and Shut Doors

“What he opens, no one can shut, and what he shuts, no one can open… See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut” speaks directly to a city known as “the door to Asia Minor.” The imagery isn’t abstract - it’s geographic, economic, and strategic. God is affirming their identity and role as a gateway.

Pillars in the Temple

The promise “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it” addresses a community repeatedly shaken by earthquakes and forced to flee their city. The promise of permanence and stability as a named pillar (like Jachin and Boaz) offers hope of an unshakeable identity and place.

Economic Reversal

To a city that lost 75% of its economic base (wine production) under imperial decree, the promise of vindication and divine favor carries profound economic and social implications. The crown imagery from Isaiah 62 speaks to restoration of honor and worth.

Multiple Parousia Experience

Philadelphia’s repeated experiences with imperial parousia (visits after disaster and rebuilding) provides a familiar framework for understanding Jesus’s promise “I am coming soon.” They know what it means for a powerful figure to come inspect, validate, and celebrate what has been built.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  1. The relationship between the seven churches and their geographic sequence - why this particular order for the letters?
  2. Deeper study of the Flavian dynasty’s reign and why they were so universally despised
  3. The economic structure of wine production vs. grain production in Asia Minor during the first century
  4. The full context of PaRDeS and rabbinic hermeneutical methods applied to other New Testament writings
  5. The archaeological evidence for the grain crisis and price inflation mentioned in Revelation 6:6
  6. The role of Gentile inclusion in early Christian-Jewish conflicts and how this theme appears throughout Revelation
  7. Detailed study of Jachin and Boaz - what their names mean and their significance in temple theology
  8. How the concept of “new names” functions throughout Scripture (Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, etc.)
  9. The geographic and economic significance of Asia Minor trade routes in the Roman period
  10. Comparative analysis of all seven letters in Revelation to identify patterns in John’s use of remez

Comprehension Questions

  1. How did Philadelphia’s history of earthquakes and imperial rebuilding create the cultural context for understanding John’s promise “I am coming soon” (parousia)?

  2. Explain the “Text-to-context” hermeneutic and how John uses Old Testament passages (remez) to create layered meaning in his letter to Philadelphia.

  3. Why did the residents of Philadelphia reject the name “Flavia” and how does this historical detail illuminate John’s threefold promise about writing new names?

  4. What is the “synagogue of Satan” referring to, and how does John’s reference to Isaiah 45 (the Cyrus passage) address this theological conflict?

  5. How do the two named pillars from Solomon’s temple (Jachin and Boaz) connect to both the naming theme and the doorway theme in Philadelphia’s letter?

Summary

BEMA Episode 180 demonstrates that the letter to Philadelphia, which might seem repetitive or abstract on first reading, is actually a masterwork of contextual and textual integration. John writes to a community that has experienced repeated devastation by earthquakes, multiple forced name changes, economic destruction through the uprooting of their vineyards, and the unique identity as “the door to Asia Minor.” Every seemingly odd phrase in the letter speaks directly to these experiences.

The threefold naming promise addresses their three city names. The open door imagery speaks to their geographic identity. The pillar promise offers permanence to those repeatedly shaken from their homes. The parousia language resonates with their multiple experiences of imperial visits. And throughout, John weaves in Old Testament passages through remez that both affirm their experience and point to deeper theological truths: God has always worked through unlikely people (including Gentiles like Cyrus), God gives new names that reflect new identities, and God creates permanent places of honor for His people.

The episode reinforces that studying Revelation requires bringing the Old Testament as the essential interpretive key. The literary genius of Revelation emerges when readers understand both the cultural context of the original audience and the scriptural texts John is invoking. This dual awareness - context and Text - transforms confusing passages into profound, pastorally sensitive, and theologically rich communication.

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