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EPISTLE TO SMYRNA
THIS Church stands highly honoured amongst those to which the epistles were written: for no fault was found in them, nor any ground of complaint so much as intimated to them. Our Lord’s address to them is altogether laudatory and encouraging. That we may enter into it more fully, let us consider,
I. His testimony respecting them—
In common with all the other Churches, he says to them, “I know thy works:” and then, in reference to their conduct, he gives his testimony,
1. In a way of direct affirmation—
[“I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty: but thou art rich.” Doubtless their sufferings had been great; for they had been reduced to the most abject “poverty,” and were utterly destitute of all the comforts of life. (To interpret this “poverty” as relating in any respect to poverty of spirit, is quite contrary to the whole scope of the passage: for poverty of spirit, so far from standing in opposition to true riches, is itself the truest riches.) But, in the midst of all their distress, our Lord, whose judgment is altogether according to truth, declared them to be “rich.” For, first, they possessed faith, as the principle of all their obedience, and as the root of all their other graces. And could they, when possessing so inestimable a gift, be called poor? No; they possessed that which was of more worth than the whole world. It was truly a “precious faith,” “more precious than gold,” yea, than much fine gold [Note: 2Pe_1:1 and 1Pe_1:7.]. Next, they enjoyed the favour of their God. “As believers in Christ, they could not but have peace with God [Note: Rom_5:1.].” Granting, then, that they had not a place where to lay their head, as far as it respected this world, could they be poor who were privileged to repose their souls in the bosom of their God? They poor, with all their sins forgiven, and their names recorded in the book of life! Abhorred be the thought! If they were even dying with hunger and thirst, they were truly rich. Further, they enjoyed peace in their own souls. Who can estimate to its full amount, the blessedness of having the testimony of our own conscience, that we are serving God aright? St. Paul himself reports it to have been to him a source of the sublimest joy [Note: 2Co_1:12.]: and to call a man poor when possessed of that, would be to betray an utter ignorance of “the true riches [Note: Luk_16:11.].” Moreover, in addition to all their present happiness, they were authorized to expect, in the eternal world, “a weight of glory” proportioned to their sufferings. How could their present “afflictions appear any other than light and momentary,” when they were the means of opening to their view such a prospect as this [Note: 2Co_4:17-18.]? What! poor with such “an inheritance—an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and never-fading, reserved for them in heaven; and they themselves reserved by God for it [Note: 1Pe_1:4-5.]!” No: they were “rich,” truly rich, unspeakably rich; rich in possession, and in reversion too.
2. In a way of most striking contrast—
[There were among them “some who said they were Jews, but were not; but rather were the synagogue of Satan.” Whether these were Jews zealous for the law of Moses, or Christians who confounded Judaism with Christianity, we do not certainly know. The unbelieving Jews were bitter persecutors; and were ever ready to accuse even our Lord himself of blasphemy, because he called himself the Son of God, and arrogated to himself a power to forgive sins [Note: Mat_9:3. Joh_10:36. Mat_26:65.]. St. Paul, previous to his conversion, may be taken as a sample of Jewish bigotry, and of the envenomed malice with which they persecuted the Church of God [Note: Act_9:1-2; Act_26:10-11.]. He thought indeed, at the time, that he was “doing God service [Note: Act_26:9. with Joh_16:2.]:” but when he came to have an insight into his true character, he saw that “He was the blasphemer; and not they, whom he so injuriously persecuted [Note: 1Ti_1:13.].” But it is more probable that the persons here spoken of were by profession Christians: for the terms “Jew” and “Israel” are often used as designating the people of God, even under the New-Testament dispensation [Note: Rom_2:29; Rom_9:6.]. If there were lewd idolatrous Balaamites and Nicolaitanes among the churches, we may well suppose that there were also Judaizing Christians, who blended the Law with the Gospel, and utterly subverted the Gospel of Christ. Such persons, even “if they had been angels from heaven, were to be held accursed,” as being, under a pretence of zeal for Moses, the most specious and successful agents of the devil [Note: Gal_1:7-9. 2Co_11:13-15.]. Now these persons “said they were Jews,” and valued themselves highly on their zeal; and were quite “rich” in their own estimation; whilst they held in utter contempt their poor suffering fellow-Christians, who endured so much tribulation for their adherence to Christ. But, however different was the outward aspect of these two parties, their real state was the very reverse of that which it appeared to be: these latter, in the midst of all their outward prosperity were poor; but the former, in the midst of all their poverty, were rich.
Thus did our Lord’s testimony exactly accord with what had been before declared by the Apostle Paul; who, “though poor, made many rich; and having nothing, yet possessed all things [Note: 2Co_6:10.].”]
Suited to this state was,
II. The encouragement he gave them—
They had already suffered much; and were about to suffer more for their Saviour’s sake. And, as we observed in our last discourse, our blessed Lord sought, in this epistle, to arm them against their impending trials, and to strengthen them for their future conflicts. For this end, he assures them,
1. That their trials were all limited—
[Satan is the great adversary of Christ and his Church. Men are his instruments and agents (willing agents, no doubt): and in all they do, they do it as instigated by him: for it is “he who worketh in all the children of disobedience.” But in all that he attempts, he is restrained by our adorable Lord, who suffers him to proceed only to such an extent as shall eventually subserve the welfare of those whom he is seeking to destroy. Satan would have cast, not some of that Church, but all; not into prison only, but into hell; not for ten days only, but for ever; not that they might he tried, but that they might perish. But, as in the case of Job, whom he could not touch, either in his person or his property, till he had obtained leave from God [Note: Job_1:12; Job_2:6.]; so in their case he was under the controul of an almighty power; and, in fact, “could have no power at all against the Church, except it were given him from above.”
Now this was most encouraging: for, whether we suppose the “ten days” to be of a longer or shorter duration, it was most consolatory to know, that the objects, the measure, the duration, and effect of Satan—s malice were all limited by the Saviour himself, who would “not suffer one of his little ones to perish [Note: Mat_18:14.],” or the weakest of his people to be ever “plucked out of his hands [Note: Joh_10:28.].” Being assured that they should “have no temptation without a way to escape [Note: 1Co_10:13.],” and that “all which they might suffer should work together for their good [Note: Rom_8:28.],” they had no occasion for fear, but might confidently “commit themselves to the hands of an all-powerful and faithful God [Note: 1Pe_4:19.].”]
2. That their sufferings should be rewarded—
[All he required of them was, “to be faithful unto death.” They must be “ready to meet either imprisonment or death [Note: Act_20:24; Act_21:13.],” as the occasion might require; desirous only “that the Lord Jesus should be magnified in them, whether by life or death [Note: Php_1:20.].” Nor should they think much of this sacrifice; since he pledged himself to them that “he would give them a crown of life,” a reward far beyond their services; for their bliss should infinitely exceed all that they could suffer, and their honour infinitely surpass all the dishonour which they could by any means be called to endure. Could they survey such a prize as this, and not contend for it? Would they ever repent of their labours, when they should possess this recompence? Would they not even lothe themselves, that they should ever have contemplated, for a moment, the pains of martyrdom with any other thought than that of gratitude to God, who counts them worthy of so high an honour as that of laying down their lives for him [Note: Php_1:29.]? Such, then, was the encouragement given to the Church at that time: and such may every believing soul now take to himself; assured that, “if he suffer with Christ, he shall, to all eternity, reign with him [Note: 2Ti_2:12.].”]
To bring this whole subject home to your own bosoms, I entreat you, brethren—
1. To form a correct estimate of earthly things—
[A carnal man, who should have seen the condition of the Rich Man in all his splendour, and of Lazarus in all his penury, would have formed a very different estimate of their respective states from that which our Lord has taught us to form in a view of the Church at Smyrna. But I must say, that Lazarus was the rich man, whilst the man rolling in his wealth was poor. But suppose, from being as wealthy as Dives, you are reduced, by persecutors, to the state of Lazarus; shall I then call you “rich?” Yes, in all your poverty, I will say, “Thou art rich.” Let me state a case that shall illustrate this. Suppose that all you possessed in the world was a bag of copper coin; and that an enemy should come and rob you of it by handfuls; but that for every handful of copper that your enemy should take from you, a friend should put into your pocket a handful of gold: would you, when not a single piece of copper money was left you, account yourself much impoverished? or would you wonder at your friend, if he should say, ‘I know thy poverty; but thou art rich?’ Know then, that if, in proportion as you are injured by man, the blessings both of grace and glory are multiplied to you by God, you are not impoverished, but enriched. And therefore I say with confidence, “Fear nothing that can come unto you.” Let Satan do his worst: he is under restraint, as Laban and Esau were, when they meditated the destruction of Jacob [Note: Gen_31:24; Gen_31:29; Gen_32:11-12; Gen_33:1; Gen_33:4.]. You well know how a miller acts, when a flood menaces the destruction of his mill. He suffers to come upon his mill only so much of the water as shall subserve his purposes, and he turns off the rest by another sluice. So will God act towards you: “The wrath of man shall praise him; and the remainder of wrath shall he restrain [Note: Psa_76:10.].”]
2. To have your minds altogether set on things above—
[To be “rich towards God [Note: Luk_12:21.],” “rich in faith [Note: Jam_2:5.],” and “rich in good works [Note: 1Ti_6:18.],” and to be daily “laying up treasure in heaven [Note: Luk_12:33.],” this is the proper object of a Christian. In this way you will obtain durable riches [Note: Pro_8:18.], and “a sure reward [Note: Pro_11:18.].” In this pursuit no human being shall ever fail. Mark, I pray you, the change of person in the promise which our Lord makes to the Church of Smyrna. In announcing their impending trials, he says to them, “Ye shall have tribulation ten days:” but in the promise he makes, he speaks individually to every soul among them: “Be thou faithful unto death; and I will give thee a crown of life.” Every one may take; to himself this encouraging declaration; and assure himself, that “no weapon formed against him shall ever prosper [Note: Isa_54:17.].” Only let a man continue sowing to the Spirit, and he shall assuredly, in due season, “reap everlasting life [Note: Gal_6:8.].”]