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In these verses is contained the third epistle, which St. John by direction had written and sent to the church of Pergamos, in which (as in the former) we have,
1. A description of Christ, as having a sharp two-edged sword in his mouth; denoting the word of God, and that piercing power which accompanies it to conquer the lusts and corruptions of men.
As also, 2. A commendation of what was good and excelling in that church, I know thy works; that is, with a knowledge of intelligence and observation, as also with a knowledge of approbation and acceptation. I know thee to be good in bad places, and in the worst of times, though thou dwellest where Satan's seat is, that is, where Satan bears sway by idolatry and persecution: yet dost thou hold fast my name, that is, the doctrine of the gospel preached in my name, and by which I am made known to the world as a man is by his name; and hast not denied my faith, but openly professed it in a time of persecution, even then when blood and slaughter attended the professors and profession of it, namely, when Antipas was slain, (who probably was a bishop, or some minister in Pergamos, of extraordinary piety; for upon such the storm of persecution generally falls;) who died a faithful witness to the truth of my gospel; even then and there, I say, hadst thou the courage to profess my name, and bear witness to the truth.
Mark here, What an honourable mention Christ makes of the services and sufferings of his people; nothing we either do or suffer for Christ, but it is recorded, and shall be remembered to our commendation and honour in this life, and to our consolation and happiness in the next.
Yet note farther, The holy impartiality of our blessed Lord; at the same time when he commends this church for what was commendable and praiseworthy, he reproves her for what was faulty and blameworthy, Rev_2:14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, and the Nicolaitans; that is, the doctrine of the impure Gnostics, who teach men now to eat things offered to idols, and to commit fornication, even as Balaam of old directed Balak to ensnare the Israelites, by committing fornication with the Moabitish women, and to eat of what they sacrificed unto idols then.
Here observe, That it was not the being of those heretics and heresies among them that Christ blames them for, but the tolerating of these in their communion, who made light both of adultery and idolatry. They ought to have executed church discipline upon them, and denounced the church censures against them, as had been done by the church of Ephesus before them, that Christ might have said of them, as he did of those, Rev_2:6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Observe next, The counsel which Christ gives this church, Repent; that is, be humbled for this thy connivance at and tolerating of this wicked sect and damnable doctrine, and amend, or verily I will come quickly upon thee and them in a way of judgment; and fight against them with a two-edged sword, that is, with my holy word, convince, wound, and condemn them, &c. The want of zeal and severity against sin and incorrigible sinners, is very displeasing to Christ, and provokes him to anger greatly.
Observe lastly, The conclusion and close of this epistolary letter, which is partly exhortatory, He that hath ears, let him hear, and with his mind ponder and consider what the Spirit saith, by way of counsel and caution, unto the churches; and partly consolatory, To him that overcometh will I give, &c.
Mark, he doth not say, to every one that fighteth; no, not to every one that conquereth in one, two, or more particular acts of resistance; but to him that perseveringly conquers, and finally overcomes both tempter and temptations, both persecutors and persecutions, both false teachers and false doctrines, to them will I give the hidden manna, laid up, not in the earthly tabernacle, but the heavenly sanctuary; by which understand Christ himself, and the joys and consolations of the Holy Spirit, which are hidden from the world, and the peculiar portion of such as sincerely believe in him, and cheerfully suffer for him.
It is added, I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name; that is, absolution and pardon of sin, together with the privilege of adoption; it being a custom anciently, to give a white stone in token of absolution, and a black stone as a sign of condemnation, on which stones were written the names of the innocent and guilty; accordingly this new name signifies God's pardoned and adopted ones; the sweetness and comfort of which privilege no man knows, but he that is possessed of it: the happiness of God's sons both here and hereafter cannot be expressed; only they that are so, know what it is to be so: and whereas Christ says, I will give the hidden manna, I will give the white stone and the new name, to them that overcome; surely it affords a good argument to convince and prove his divinity; who but a God can pardon sin, and sanctify and save sinners?