Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 2

Christ’s promise to the Christians at Pergamum

Revelation 2:17

Christ’s letter to Pergamum’s church ends in the same manner as the rest of the 7 letters in Revelation. First, Christ urges everyone to listen and to obey. He reminds them that this message comes in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then he makes a promise to those people who overcome. These are the people who continue to trust Christ through their troubles. They overcome because of his death for them, and because of their trust in Christ.

The promises in Christ’s letter to Pergamum seem particularly difficult to understand. However, all the promises in the 7 letters refer to the New Jerusalem (chapters 21 and 22). Therefore, these promises must also refer to the New Jerusalem. Also, as in the other letters, they probably refer to the problems in this particular church. Christ is promising gifts that deal with the problems in each church.

Manna was the bread that God provided for Israel’s people in the desert (Exodus 16:11-36). That contrasts well with the meat that people were eating because of their selfish desires in Revelation 2:14. In Matthew 4:4, Christ compares bread with the word of God. It was God’s word that would deal with the problems in Pergamum’s church.

In the ancient world, people found many different uses for small stones of various colours. So, there are many possible explanations of the white stone here. In the New Jerusalem, there are names on the precious stones at the base of the city walls (21:14). However, in Revelation 2:17, the word for ‘stone’ means a small stone that a person can carry with him. The description here for the stones also seems very personal. It is a private gift to each person who overcomes. Perhaps, therefore, it is evidence of a person’s right to be a citizen of that city.

Next part: Christ’s letter to Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-19)

 

Please use the links at the top of the page to find our other articles in this series. You can download all our articles if you go to the download page for our free 700+ page course book.

 

© 2016, Keith Simons.