The Seven Churches of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira

This remarkable expression, "The Seven Churches," must arrest the attention of every reader. At the first glance one might gather that only those Seven Churches existed in the Province Asia, and that the Revelation had been composed at an early date when there were no more Churches than the Seven. But that is impossible. There never was a time when those Seven Churches existed, and no others. (The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, W.M. Ramsey, 1904)

 It is important to see this connection between the vision of the Son of Man and the seven letters, as without it the most immediate point of referral to what is written in the letters is lost.  The vision is then seen as some sort of inaugural vision, standing on its own, and the letters also remain somewhat of an enigma, whose presence in the overall structure and message of the book becomes almost impossible to decipher.  Tying them together, I believe, helps one to explain the other.  (The Apocalypse:  A Perennial Revelation of Jesus Christ by Eugenio Corsini, p. 81) 

[The "Prophetic" Interpretation of the Letters]  Reduced to its essentials, this method of interpreting the letters sees in them a prefiguring of various epochs in the history of the Church.  It still has adherents, but it was particularly popular among the Fathers, and was continued to Bede the Venerable (7th to 8th Century) and then among various medieval and more recent commentators.  (The Apocalypse: The Perennial Revelation of Jesus Christ by Eugenio Corsini, p. 103)

He addressed some words to Peter on the subject of penance and absolution, and afterward spoke to them all about the end of the world and of the signs that would precede it. A man enlightened by God would have visions on that subject. By these words, Jesus referred to John's revelations, and He Himself made use of several similar illustrations. He spoke, for instance, of those that would be marked with the sign on their forehead, and said that the fountain of living water which flowed from Calvary's mount would at the end of the world appear to be almost entirely poisoned, though all the good waters would finally be gathered into the Valley of Jehoshaphat. (from the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich)

Just as eschatology is a certain kind of thinking about God's providence, so for our purposes in understanding Revelation, apocalyptic may be thought of as a certain kind of thinking about eschatology. Apocalyptic thought, as represented in Revelation, affirms that God is guiding history to a final goal which God himself will bring about in the near future, in a particular way that is already revealed. (From Revelation, M. Eugene Boring, p. 38)

He {Jesus} spoke for some time to John alone {at the last supper}. Of this I remember only that Jesus told him that his life would be longer than that of the others, and that He said something about seven churches, something about crowns and angels and similar significant symbols by which, as well as I know, He designated certain epochs. The other Apostles felt slightly jealous at this special communication to John. (From the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich)

Seven. God acts in a mode of sevens. Seven days of work at the light event. Seven Sacraments. Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some take numerology WAY to far, but understanding how God acts, I would imagine the significance of seven is in the concept 3:1:3. Three Persons who thoroughly exist as One God.  Three Forms which are thoroughly One Form.  One God, who is Three distinct personal identities, each wholly God . . . each wholly in the other. They take the names Father, Son, Spirit.  Jesus is the Son of the Father.  The Father eternally generates the Son and so it was significant that he died at the age of 33.

Seven, we are told is God's way of communicating perfection, completion, and a fulfillment.  With the Seven Churches of Asia we are given a prophetic itinerary of Jesus' plan of perfecting his Church on Earth.

The Seven Churches of Asia

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, like that of a trumpet, saying, “What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven Churches, which are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamus, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” (Revelation 1:10-11)

The Seven Churches of Asia, whom Jesus addresses in the Book of Revelation refer to multiple successive generations of the New Testament Church (specifically Roman Catholic Church, but also to all Christians and all men of good will, including the Muslims and the Jews).  Asia, land of the rising sun, figuratively refers to the Earth in contradistinction to Heaven, and the Church of Heaven. Each successive multiple generations of the New Testament Church of the Earth corresponds to seven ages which God conceives, foresees and applies from Heaven.  Each Church includes multiple generations of Christians: from several in Ephesus to many in Sardis.  Each successive set of generations is a figured using a city as a model in what was known as Asia Minor. Jesus chose the cities as prophetic models and he chose these with powerful clarity and foresight.

We now live at the twilight of the fifth Church. Jesus named our Church: Sardis. We are Sardis. The journey of Sardis has been difficult to say the least, and this has been God's will. Now, Sardis is dying, so to speak.  The new Church and age which name is Philadelphia is dawning.  We will live in the darkness and tribulation between the twilight of Sardis and the dawn of Philadelphia. Some who remain from Sardis will be renewed, and by the grace of Jesus and Mary, help inaugurate Philadelphia. Philadelphia will enjoy a generation of profound peace, consolation, clarity and of course brotherly love! . . . ushered in by Jesus and Mary.

All Roads Lead to Rome

It is not clear why these seven were chosen to represent the whole church, though they are connected by being located on the main Roman road at intervals of about thirty or forty miles. ---(M. Eugene Boring, Revelation, p. 87)

That all seven cities chosen by Jesus to prophetically model the Church, were all connected by a main Roman road is of great significance. This signifies that the whole Church on Earth, passing from generation to generation is unified, connected, and continued without fail by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.  The Angel of each Church serves as a moniker, a collective noun, for every single Pope who led for the duration of each respective Church.  I will reiterate this as the interpretation goes on.    

The Golden Lamp-Stands and Stars

And in the midst of the seven golden lampstands was one resembling the Son of man,. . .the mystery of the seven stars, which you have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the Angels of the seven Churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven Churches.

In the first chapter of Revelation, each Church is compared to a golden lamp-stand figuring it's precious presence on Earth.  Perhaps we could imply that each contains oil that burns, figuring the concept of a temporal scalar quantity.  Each illuminates for a time.   The stars which Jesus makes equivalent to the Angels figuratively refer to the set of Popes as if one, who reigned during a Church.

Ephesus:  Church of the First Age

To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write . . .

The word origin of 'Ephesus' is unknown. But it has been suggested to be derived from a Greek variation meaning “to launch” or “let go”*.  Perhaps this indicates Jesus leaving the Church when he ascended to the Father in Heaven, and then sending the Spirit to guide its journey.  Holzhauser calls the age of Ephesus, by the Latin status seminationes meaning seed-time. The first Christians planted the seeds!

Not long after Jesus ascended to Heaven, there was a Christian colony in Ephesus, an ancient city in modern day Turkey. Some of the Jews who converted to Christianity removed from the Holy Land to Ephesus because they were safer there. It was a peaceful place.  They were less open to persecution and martyrdom.  Some of the Apostles chosen by Jesus visited Ephesus. At times, Saint Paul visited and stirred up Ephesus to faith in Jesus.  His disciple Timothy was a first century bishop of Ephesus.  Against all odds Christianity had great success in Ephesus.

Meryem ana or Meryem Ana Evi, "Mother Mary's House"

  

Mary, Mother of God, and Immaculate Virgin removed from Jerusalem with the Apostle John, to a house on a mount (translated Mount Nightingale from the Turkish).  This house is a few hours (by walk) away from the city limits of the ancient ruins of Ephesus. This house exists to this day.  It is a Catholic and Muslim shrine.  It was visited by Saint John Paul II.  Recently it was miraculously preserved from a fire.  Near Ephesus Mary died, was raised from the dead and taken up into Heaven from that hill about 13 years after Jesus went to the Father.  Here is a list of quotes taken from Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich's work recording her extraordinary visions:

Thomas and Matthew were dispatched to Ephesus, in order to prepare the country where at a future day Jesus' Mother and many of those that believed in Him were to dwell. They wondered greatly at the fact of Mary's going to live there. 

Three years after the Crucifixion all the Apostles met in Jerusalem, after which Peter and John left the city and Mary accompanied the latter to Ephesus. 

Then it was that the Blessed Virgin, who until that time had dwelt in the small house near the Cenacle (house where Jesus had the Last Supper) and in Bethania, allowed herself to be conducted by John to the region of Ephesus, where the Christians had already made settlements.
He [Saint James the Greater] sailed first to Ephesus in order to visit Mary, and thence to Spain. Shortly before his death, he visited Mary and John a second time in their home at Ephesus. 

I did not see James present at the death of the Blessed Virgin in Ephesus. 

The Blessed Virgins dwelling was not in Ephesus itself, but from three to four hours distant. It stood on a height upon which several Christians from Judea, among them some of the holy women related to her, had taken up their abode. 

The locality was very retired and seldom visited by anyone, for no highway ran through it. The people of Ephesus did not trouble themselves about the little colony, and so they lived as if forgotten. The soil was fruitful, and the settlers owned some gardens and orchards. The only animals I saw in this place were wild goats.  Before John brought the Blessed Virgin to this settlement, he had built for her a dwelling of stone very similar to her own at Nazareth. 

At the prayer of the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles received, through angels, an admonition to repair to her at Ephesus [to be present at her death].

Forgive my long list of quotes from the works of Blessed Anne. The point is in spite of the fact that Jesus uses figures, it is fairly easy to understand why Jesus prophetically names the first Church Ephesus.  Holzhauser has the age of Ephesus marked from the time of Jesus' public ministry to the martyrdom's of Saints Peter and Paul under Nero. However note that the Sacred Script does not make any clear temporal distinctions. One can imagine some overlap between successive Churches where one springs up in the midst of the other. 

One can draw out this figurative interpretation from the encouragements and criticisms Jesus imparts to the Church of Ephesus. The Christians of this Church had to suffer hardships, a few martyrdom's, migrations, etc. with patience. They had to test fraudulent upstarts who called themselves apostles. They were known for their first fire of charity from the event of Pentecost, which Jesus says they lost in a mild criticism. And they hated the works of the Nicolaitians. The Nicolaitians were an early heretical sect who taught and practiced sexual sins as well as eating food dedicated to idols. They took their name after the deacon Nicolas who was among the first seven Deacons. Nicolas was not a member of the sect. No doubt they used his name to bolster their teachings.

Perhaps we could compare Ephesus with the Old Testament Church beginning with Adam and extending through Noah and to Abraham.  This would include Job.

The Angel who the Apostle John is addressed to write to, figuratively refers to a Pope or to each successive Pope who belong to the Church which is Divinely conceived as spanning multiple generations.  Think of it as a collective noun.

Smyrna:  Church of the Second Age

To the Angel of the Church of Smyrna write . . .

Smyrna is a morph on the ancient Greek name for myrrh. The ancient port city was located on the West coast of modern Turkey. It's chief export was none other than myrrh. Holzhauser names the time of Smyrna status irrigationis: irrigation-time. This was the time of the public persecutions of Christians by the Roman Emperors up to the reign of Constantine. 

If you read Jesus' address to Smyrna carefully you will notice that he is clearly encouraging those who would at that time have suffered under the elite of the Roman Empire. The name Smyrna itself could be a morph on the word myrrh, which was used in anointing dead bodies. Myrrh was also exported from the ports of literal ancient Smyrna. Thus its prophetic significance in Revelation. Think of this name as an affectionate one coming from the lips of Jesus, for he associated this Church closely with himself. He was gifted and anointed with myrrh and was put to death like many of this time. Ancient Smyrna is a prophetic model for the nascent Church of the Roman Empire.

Although the Roman persecution was more or less constant, historians tend to divide into ten major persecutions, coinciding with the reign of ten emperors out of the 50 or so between Nero and Constantine. These emperors are listed as

Nero (54-68 AD)
Domitian (81-96)
Trajan (98-117)
Marcus Aurelius (161-180)
Septimius Severus (193-211)
Maximinus (235-238)
Decius (249-251)
Valerian (253-260)
Aurelian (270-275)
Diocletian (284-305)

These ten reigns coinciding with major persecutions are prophesied by Jesus in his address to Smyrna:

Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself. (Revelation 2:10)

In context of Sacred Scripture, sometimes the word 'day' is used figuratively to relate an undefined time. Its left to the reader to figure this out. In this context ten days figuratively, even prophetically, represents the time of the reigns of ten Emperors under which there were great persecutions, other then what Christians had to commonly deal with when the Church was first growing. When you see the Roman Martyrology or read the commentaries in your Liturgical text an Emperor will usually be referenced under which the Saint was killed. For example Saints Peter and Paul were martyred under Nero. In Revelation (2:9-10), Jesus prophetically acknowledges their tribulation and encourages them to endure. With their blood, the Roman Martyrs irrigated the seeds planted by Ephesus. Through the inspiration of the Roman Martyrs the Church of Myrrh grew, and eventually rose to prominence; assisting to change the Roman Empire. The change into Pergamus comes with the favor of Constantine, the edict of Milan, etc. (below). Pergamus is the Church of the third age.  Assuming Faith, this interpretation stands to critical thinking.

Also notice how, in this section, Jesus describes himself as he who died and yet now lives.  He also promises the crown of life, and that those who prevail will not undergo the second death (casting of the resurrected unjust, into Hell at Last Judgment). The resurrection themes are meant to encourage those who would be martyred.  Jesus will permanently anoint their bodies at the Resurrection, with gifts more lavish than myrrh.

Perhaps we could roughly compare Smyrna with the Old Testament Church beginning with Abraham and extending through the Jews slavery under the Egyptians.

Pergamon:  Church of the Third Age

To the Angel of the Church of Pergamon write . . .

In the Greek Pergamon comes from purgos.  Purgos refers to a tower, citadel, fortified structure.  The ancient city of Pergamon was built on a promontory overlooking a river.  Holzhauser calls the age of Pergamon:  status illuminationes, meaning:  state of light, or state of illumination.  The Church had some councils and clarified her teachings in this era.  For Holzhauser, Pergamon extended through the generations from Constantine to Charlemagne. Pergamon was given the freedom to worship in public and she built up like the ancient city-tower.  Following Constantine's favor, public worship was permitted in the Empire. Catholic Churches and later the first Monasteries were built by Pergamon.  Christian culture and custom was cultivated. Many families of the Empire openly became Catholic.  There were many ascetics.  And it is also neat to note that during this epoch and slavery suddenly vanished not only from Europe but also in India and China.  Slavery, as we will see returns in Sardis, although the idea was so appalling to the Europeans that the elite were forced to practice it in colonies.**

Pergamon had the likes as Saint Benedict who inspired a wise, learned and robust community of monks across Italy and Europe. Their motto was work and pray.  Women religious communities were established.  Pergamon also had some Church Fathers and Doctors, in the East and West.  Of course Christianity continued to flourish in the East through Asia Minor. Christian Byzantium (Constantinople) was founded in this time.  The practice of Christianity extended into the Frankish and Germanic kingdoms. And eventually there would arise some saintly Christian kings in the Church of Thyatira.

I know where you dwell, where the seat of Satan is, and that you hold to my name and have not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.

Antipas whom Jesus mentions in this letter.  Antipas does not necessarily have to literally refer to a person by that name. It could serve as a figurative reference to a Church Father who was martyred at some location even prior to Constantine.  In Greek, "Antipas" literally means "like a father."  So I suspect Jesus is referencing a famous Church Father or several Fathers who were martyred at some point.  The dwelling place where the seat of Satan is located doesn't have to reference any specific location or city, but rather in general the entire Earth.  God in his profound plan, has permitted some of the fallen angels as well as the one called Satan to dwell on Earth for a time and exercise some limited power.  So Jesus is making the point that where the Church dwells is a still a place where the enemy is present and exerts some power and influence.  Jesus in his own way also offers some additional criticisms toward heresies that were practiced in this epoch. 


Perhaps we can compare Pergamon to the Old Testament Church who were freed from the reign of Pharoah and entered the Holy Land.  From there, Judges rose up and this led into the Kingdom of David.


Additional Insight into the First Three Churches Taken Together

Also, each of the cities named had a Roman law court, a location where Christians had been or could be charged with memebership in the Christian sect, which was suspected of being subversive; and at least the first three churches addressed were sites of temples dedicated to Caesar (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum). (M. Eugene Boring, Revelation, p. 87)

Again, Jesus chose the specific names and cities with perfect clarity and foresight. The cities of the first three Churches, i.e. Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamon are models representing the successive generations of Christians from the time from the ascension of Jesus to about the time of Charlemagne. Ephesus is from the Ascension to the martyrdoms of Saints Peter and Paul. Smyrna is from the martyrdoms of Peter and Paul to Constantine. Pergamon is from Constantine to Charlemagne. Of course within these generations the Roman Empire lasted up until the time of Pergamon. The last Roman Emperor or Caesar, so to speak, was Romulus Augustus in the second half of the 5th century. Beyond that there is no more Caesar just as there are no temples in the citys of the remining Churches (Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea).

Thyatira:  Church of the Fourth Age

To the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write . . .

The word origin of Thyatira is said to be unknown.  It was suggested by a Stephanus, a grammarian of Byzantium, that this city was renamed by its king hundreds of years prior to Christ.  He was at war when he got word his wife had given birth to a daughter and so Stephanus says he renamed his city after an older Lydian name meaning daughter.  If I wanted to get intellectually adventurous I would connect this name with France, often called the "eldest daughter of the Church."  France sort of lead Thyatira although of course the Church was vibrant across Europe.

Holzhauser calls the era of Thyatira:  status pacificus meaning state of peace.  For him Thyatira commences with the re-establishment of the Western Empire under Charlemagne, and terminates with Emporer Charles V and Pope Leo X.

Thyatira is the Church of Christendom, where ideally Jesus was considered the King, and reigns.  This Church is of Catholic civilization as they say.  It was a very different Church (and world) than we live in.  Thyatira had the likes of Saints Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Louis IX of France, many saintly Christian kings, mystics, prophets, prophetesses, etc.

In Thyatira there was a proliferation of exceptionally talented Christian architects, artisans, artists, and so on as is evidenced by the Cathedrals that were built, the various artifacts as well as the historical records.  There were the Medieval guilds which enabled those of various talents and skills to work together in some common goal that would glorify God. Generations of families would dedicate their lives to building the Cathedrals.  Individuals would dedicate their lives to some work of art with great desire in honor of Jesus.

This above is prophetically foreshadowed in what was literal Thyatira, the ancient city.  Literal Thyatira had more guilds than any other city in Asia Minor.  Inscriptions include:  wool-workers, linen-workers, makers of outer garments, dyers, leather-workers, tanners, potters, bakers, and bronze-smiths.  So it would seem that Jesus chooses the name Thyatira with great prophetic purpose. They were like inspired bees working together in this vision of Christendom!!!  

In prophetic Thyatira, universities rose up.  Many of Thyatira produced and/or practiced works of philosophy, sciences, theology, sacred music, etc.  So much wonderful literature appeared and is studied to this day.

The Old Testament parallel of Thyatira is the Kingdom of David and the beginning of the reign of Solomon when the Temple was built, many of the Psalms were composed, the Twelve Tribes flourished, etc.

In Revelation, Jesus praises Thyatira for "your works, and your faith and charity, and your ministry and patient endurance, and that your more recent works are greater than the earlier ones."  Notice that Jesus seems to imply the development to the High Medieval Church. Clearly looking back, there was a great output and development of works done in grace of Christ Jesus by the Medieval Church, Thyatira, from Charlemagne, until she faded and changed into the Church of Sardis around the time of the Emperor Charles V and Pope Leo X.  This was the first half of the 16th century. Thus, assuming Faith it stands to reason that Thyatira refers to the successive generations of Catholic Christians from Charlemagne to the dawn of the Protestant revolution, colonial era, and so on.

But Jesus also has criticisms of Thyatira.  These are a bit enigmatic to me.  I'm not sure who Jezebel refers to or perhaps she refers to a group of people, for example a sect of heretics or perhaps a growing influence of the world on the Church which culminated in the Renaissance and subsequent succession of Sardis.

From Thyatira, Sardis, the Church of the fifth age, springs forth. Sardis is a real piece of work as one can imagine. Trouble has plagued her from the day she was born.  Saints and mystics of Thyatira and of Pergamon, spoke of the troubles of Sardis and that one day a Great Monarch and Angelic Pope would arise to help save her and change her.  So I will break this work here.  In the next article I will work an in depth interpretation of Revelation chapter three in regards to Sardis, and then we will proceed to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea which basically brings us to Last Judgment.

*  p. 439, The Apocalypse of St. John: a commentary on the Greek text, James Joseph Louis Ratton

** For more on this see David Graeber's Debt:  The First Five Thousand Years.