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Rev_2:9. τ . θλὶψιν . Altogether general.[1040] To this, affliction, imprisonment, and death (Rev_2:10), disgrace and need, belong. If it be possible for the ΠΤΩΧΕΊΑ to be connected with the ΘΛῖΨΙς , and to originate from the fact that Christians were despoiled of their property,[1041] yet, also,[1042] that on account of their poverty the Christians were utterly helpless when their Jewish enemies possibly supported their calumnious charges before the heathen rulers with money;[1043] yet this inner connection of ΘΛῖΨΙς , ΠΤΩΧΕΊΑ , and ΒΛΑΣΦΗΜΊΑ is in no way indicated, and the simple admission is sufficient, that, besides the troubles occasioned by Jews and heathen, the Church was under the burden of poverty. To this it is immediately added parenthetically, in a consolatory antithesis: ἈΛΛᾺ ΠΛΟΎΣΙΟς ΕἸ , viz., in spiritual goods or in God.[1044] To endeavor to find here an allusion to the name Polycarp[1045] (rich in fruit), is arbitrary. In what the ΒΛΑΣΦΗΜΊΑ which Christians had to suffer consisted, can only be conjectured with any certainty if the ΛΈΓΟΝΤΕς ʼΙΟΥΔΑΊΟΥς ΕἾΝΑΙ ἙΑΥΤΟΎς ,[1046] from whom they went forth,[1047] are regarded not as Christians[1048] but as actual Jews; which the wording and the historical relations, as they were still at the time of the apologists, support. The carnal pride of the Jews, and their godless zeal for the law,[1049] were already, at the time of Paul, the cause of their unbelief, and hostility to Christians which they published in false and calumnious charges, among which was the one brought of old,[1050] viz., of exciting seditions, which generally had the greater weight with the heathen,[1051] as this occurred at a time in which the Roman rulers, because of the war in Judaea, had to be doubly watchful and suspicious in all places.[1052] Even the martyrdom of Polycarp occurred with the essential participation of the Jews.[1053]
As, to the proud claim of those who boasted of the theocratic name of Jews, the judgment is added that they are not,[1054] so also what is positively said concerning their true nature, ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ σατανᾶ , contains a sharp opposition to the claim of being the συναγωγὴ κυρίου [1055] which essentially concurs with the former boast. But they are rather the synagogue of Satan, because they do the antichristian works of Satan,[1056] to which also belongs the βλασφημεῖν with its lies and hatred.[1057] The expression συναγωγή , which in the N. T. only once in James[1058] designates the Christian congregational assembly,—yet even there is combined not with τοῦ θεοῦ , etc., but with ὑμῶν ,—has in itself a significative antithesis to the true ἐκκλησία τ . θεοῦ or τ . κυρίου . We can scarcely suppose that John could have changed the expression ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ , which was a fixed designation for the Christian Church, as it is used even of the O. T. people of God, into ἐκκλησία τοῦ σατανᾶ .[1059] There is an allusion of similar severity in Hosea,[1060] when he writes áÌÅéú àÈåÆï instead of áÌÅéúÎàÅì .
[1040] Cf. Rev_1:9.
[1041] Heb_10:34. Primas, Beda, C. a Lap., Tirni, De Wette.
[1042] Hengstenb.
[1043] Cf. Jam_2:5 sqq. Hengstenb.
[1044] Cf. Rev_3:18; Mat_6:20; Luk_12:21; 1Co_1:5; 2Co_6:10.
[1045] Hengstenb.
[1046] Cf. on Rev_2:2.
[1047] ἐκ . Winer, p. 344.
[1048] Vitr., etc.
[1049] Cf. Rom_2:28; Mat_3:9; Joh_8:33; 2Co_11:22; Php_3:4 sqq.
[1050] Luk_23:2.
[1051] Cf. Act_17:6 sqq.
[1052] Against Hengstenb.
[1053] Martyr., c. 12, 13.
[1054] Cf. Rev_3:9.
[1055] Num_16:3; Num_20:4; Num_31:16.
[1056] Cf. Rev_2:10.
[1057] Joh_8:41 sqq.
[1058] Rev_2:2.
[1059] Cf. Trench, Synonymes of the N. T., § 3.
[1060] Hos_4:15.