The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 90

and, more than this, be shall have a "crown " and a "wreath of life." A crown standa for the most elevated distinction, the highest honour. This distinction James calla "a crown of life;" Paul, "a crown of glory;" Peter, '' a crown of righteousneilB," What iB the crown of life? Pwf«t moral manhootL-D. T. Verlt 12-17.-~ words of <Jhrist to the congregation at Pergamos. "And t.o the angel of the Church in Pergamos," etc. "Few, if any, parts of the world present greater attractions than Pergamos to the student of nature, history, or art. It is, aBBOCiated. with memorable names and wonderful exploits. It is the native land of Homer, the oldest of the world's poets, and of Herodotus, the father of history, and " three of the seven wise men here began their life, Among the wonders of the world it boasted it.a Temple at Ephesus, its Mausoleum in Garia, and its Colossus at Rhodes. The :finest work of art, the celebrated Venus, is attributed to this people." Pergamos is not the least attractive spot in this important district of the globe. It is about three days' journey from Smyrna, on the banks of Caicus, in the province of Mysia, a little river famed in classic st.ory. It stands under the modem name of Bergama. Though it baa fallen from its original grandeur, it has not become a desolation, or an abode for wild beasts. In the passage before us we have the record of the language whfoh Christ, from the deep silence of eternity, addressed to a congregation of his professed disciples there. In looking into this. language we discover (1) a tone of authority ; (2) a dis- crimiflatwn. of character; (3) a rejormati" demand; and (4) a promise of bkssedness. Here we have- I. A TONE 01!' AUTHORITY. "These thinga saith he which •h:1.th the sharp sword with two edges." A sword is an emblem of authority ; a " two-edged one" may express authority as well as terrible force. In ver. 16 of eh. i. it is· said, "Out of bis mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.'' It is a moral, not a material sword-the sword of tfflth; t1. sword that inflicts no wounds upon existence, but upon the errors and wrongs of existence. Two remarks are suggested. 1. Ohriat's troth is authoritative. The swotd· is an emblem of authority. In every utterance of his we have it. "Thus saith the Lord." It comes, not for mere study or speculation, but with a bindipg force. It is not merely to be studied, but obeyed. 2. Ohrist's truth is mighty. It is a "two-edged sword." It cuts in all directions, outs to the central roots of error. What battles it bas fought! what victories it has won! It destroys all wrong thoughts, all corrupt passions, all wicked resolves. "It brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." II. -.A ·»IBORIMINATION OP CHARACTER, "I know thy works." The passage suggests: 1. That Christ '8 fally acquainted with circumatances under whioA aU moral character is /O'r'TIIM,. Christ describes exactly the moral position in which the Churoh lived. "And where thou dwellest, even -where Satan's seat is." "Satan's seat" was there. It was the metropolis of a heathen divinity-lEsculapius, the god of healing. "In his honour a living serpent was kept and fed in the temple, while the serpent-worship was so marked a characteristic of the place, that we find this reptile engraved on many of its coins. Again, the practice of the priests of ...Esculapillll consisted muoh in charms and incantations, and crowds resorted to bis temple, where lying miracles of healing were vaunted to be performed, which were doubtless UBed by Satan to obstruct and counterfeit the work of the apostles and the gospel" (Rev. H. B. Tristram, LL.D., F.R.S.). Here, too, we are told that in this city wes held tht "doctrine of Balaam, who taught Bala.c to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat thinis sacrified unto idols, and to commit· fornication." Also the "doctrine of the Nicola.itanes." The people holding these doctrines taught the people to eat tbw.~ sacrificed to idols, and t.o commit fornication. "The eating of idol meats would, in snch a city as Pergamos, be as great a stumbling-block as caste at the present ?ay in India.. To refuse to partake of things off'ered to idola was not only to renounce idolatry, it was more; it was to abstain from almost every publio and private festivity, ~ withdraw, in great measure, from the social life of the place." Here, too, we are mf?rmed, Antipas, Christ's faithful martyr, was slain. Such was the Satanic 1108ne in 1!h1ch the dillciples of Christ lived and wrought in Pergamos. Here they formed their c.niuaeter and accomplished whatever good they did. Here is one of the million proofl that 111an'1 moral cbaracter ta twt necessarily /orme<l by ~ drcumstanca, however u:r.r 'f'HJiJ ·.iRBVEIJ.!TlON, 01/': S'l\1 10ml ,TIU!l DMNE; [cm. n.17 29.