Revelation 2:18-29 The Church at Thyatira Chavurah Shalom Friday 11/18/16 Our text begins, as each of the letters, with a statement of the author of the letter: Thus says The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze. The word "burnished" basically means that which is highly pol- ished, and shiny. We might say "reflective," and thus radiating the brilliance of the light shining out from Him. Thyatira (modern Ahisar) was located about thirty-five miles inland, between Pergamon and Sardis in northern Lydia, or Mysia (Strabo 13.4). According to le- gend, Thyatira was first established as a shrine to the sun god Tyrimnus and named Pelopia. ... Lydia of Thyatira, who lived in Philippi, was Paul’s first Christian convert in Europe (Acts 16:14–15, 40) and sold purple goods as a trade she had probably learned in Thyatira, which was particularly known for its dye- ing process and had a strong guild of dyers (Magie, Roman Rule 1:48; 2:812 n. 80)....One of the significant characteristics of Thyatira was the prominence of various trade guilds, including associations of clothiers, bakers, tanners, potters, linen workers, wool merchants, slave traders, shoemakers, dyers, and copper smiths (Magie, Roman Rule 1:48; 2:812 n. 78; A. H. M. Jones, Cities, 83; Hemer, BurH 11 [1975] 110).--David E. Aune, Word Biblical Commentary, p. 201. Some commentators suggest a specific contrast of "Son of God" with Zeus's son Apollo, a patron deity of Thyatira, with whom the deified emperors were linked. Apollo's link with Helios, the sun god, also would amplify the contrast with Yeshua's fiery features here, though these would be relevant to any readers fa- miliar with the biblical prophets. The feet like bronze may have been intentional for a city where metal-working was a prominent industry.--Craig Keener, Revela- tion in The NIV Application Commentary, p. 133. The phrase "Son of God" is not found elsewhere in the Book of Revelation. How- ever, the description of the "Son of God" matches what is found at Revelation 1:14-15. This title is used of Yeshua throughout the Apostolic Writings however, and is a common phrase for true believers. The concept of "as a flame of fire," connected with "bronze," may echo the furnace into which the Three Hebrew Chil- dren were thrown, Daniel 3:24-25. The literal Aramaic there says, the Fourth ap- We have already made reference to Daniel in .לְבַר־אֱלָהִין ",pears like "a Son of God - 1 - connection with Revelation 2:10. Just as the Son of God protected Shadrach, Me- shach and Abednego from the fiery furnace, so this Son of God will protect the faithful in Thyatira. The concept of the "feet like burnished brass," can be connect- ed with Daniel 10:6. So then our picture is connected with the depiction of Yeshua in the book of Daniel. Jewish and Christian interpretive tradition have understood the Son of Man title in Daniel 7 to be identical with the Son of God in Daniel 3, so that they are inter- changeable. This interpretive tradition is used here to provide the link with Psalm 2:8-9, which will be cited explicitly at the conclusion of the letter, v. 26-27. Jewish tradition also made a connection with the Daniel 7 Son of Man and Psalm 2 Son of God. This combination emphasizes the theme of judgment, since that is the primary function of the Son of God in Psalm 2:9-12. Beale also relates the work of Hemer, another scholar who relates the word for brass with the local guild, and a unique product associtaed with Thyatira, and likely a trade term. The local patron god of the industry is identified as Apollo Tyrimnaeus. The point then is that Messiah is meant as a polemic against this god, as well as a polemic against the mixture of local and imperial religion, since this god also appears on imperial coins and coins from Thyatira, with the coins from Thyatira depicting the god together with the Roman emperor. This point may be corrobrated further from coins memorializing the deifiction of Domit- ian's son, who died in AD 83, which portray the child sitting on a globe sur- rounded by seven stars. So John polemically identifies John as the "Son of God" in this letter.--G.K. Beale, The Book of Revelation, in The New Internatio- nal Greek Testament Commentary, p. 259. As always, Yeshua begins with their good points, and speaks of the works of a per- severing witness, where their present works are greater than those at their begin- ning. Their works are described as deeds of love, faith, service and endurance. Such heaping up of adjectives suggests a strong, continuing witness that does not fail. This is a contrast to the church at Ephesus who had left their first love. How- ever, He has somewhat against them, for they have allowed the ongoing teaching of false doctrine. Yeshua relegates this false teacher to one like Jezebel. A woman played a prominent role in the floundering of the church at Thyatira. This church was failing due to the teaching and practices of woman. She is re- ferred to as "the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess." Thus she was a - 2 - primary speaker, teacher, preacher at that church. At Ephesus some falsely claimed to be apostles, some in Smyrna and Philadelphia falsely claimed to be Jews, and here Jezebel falsely claims to be a prophetess, and to offer "deep secrets," v. 24. She is a deceiver who misleads God's servants. The original Jezebel was not a prophetess, but she sponsored 850 false prophets, 1 Kings 18:19; and sought to destroy the true prophets of God, 1 Kings 18:13; 19:2. The main words that come to mind are corruption, compromise, and assimilation. These are the same words we can associate with our leadership of our country of late, or at least a large portion of them. This was especially true of the leadership with Ahab and Jezebel. Jezebel was accused of "harlotries and sorceries" in 2 Kings 9:22. The main harlotry was adultery against God, and the worship of Ba'al and Ashtoreth. This was virtually identical to the false teaching of Bil'am and the Nicolaitans, although they involved other deities. The main issue was still corrup- tion, compromise, and assimilation into the surrounding pagan culture. We have the same words as used previously, "to fornicate and to eat meat sacrificed to idols." This same kind of activity is dealt with This confronting of the church's tolerating this woman to teach false doctrine so long is to tell them that there work is not comprehensive. On the one hand, this woman's presence and teaching has apparently not dissuaded the majority. Howev- er, allowing false teaching to continue would be to allow deceptive doctrine to con- tinue to devour the weak among them. That Yeshua has given her time to repent, and she has not wanted to repent, itself suggests some kind of confrontation earlier that is not recorded for us. Whether this confrontation came from John or some other leader at this particular church is not made known to us. We read later of the unrepentant of the world even after judgment begins, Revelation 9:20-21. We also come later to the description of the Great Whore Babylon, who is described in much the same way: Revelation 17:1-2; 18:1-3; 19:1-2. This Jezebel is part and parcel of the world system so des- ignated later in our book. Just as she, so many will reject the warnings of the righteous. Yeshua is going to judge this woman Jezebel with sickness, the understanding of being "thrown into bed." This is seen as a measure for measure judgment, the connection of bed with immorality is now connected with sickness, for this is a - 3 - judgment from Yeshua. There were those being misled which our Lord Yeshua will throw into "great tribulation." We are left to speculate both the sickness and the great tribulation, though some speculate a similar "sickness." However, her loyal followers Yeshua will "kill with death." This is also expressed at Revelation 6:8. This reflects a Greek translation of a Hebrew expression for Divine Judgment with a plague or pestilence, Numbers 14:36-38. Thus the Septuagint translates similar to what we find here in Revelation. The result of this judgment, seeing as all 7 churches will be reading the whole let- ter, is that all the churches will then know that Yeshua searches the minds and the hearts of all people, and "I will give to each person of you according to your works." This is a common Hebrew expression, repeated daily in the morning prayers in the Siddur. This is also found at Psalm 7:8-11; Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10; 20:12. When the books are opened, all will be judged by their works, recorded in the books. This is understood to be at least part of the picture of "the one with eyes like a flame of fire." His knowledge and His eyes pierce deep, and He knows what is in the heart and mind of man, and knows the outcome of the intents and purposes of his heart. This is also a part of that same prayer in the Siddur. Thus, a very common Hebrew expression. There is this expression "the deep things of Satan." This is brought up with the phrase "as they say." Then we are faced with the possibility that these false teach- ers actually indicated they had special knowledge through Satan.