If Church stages unlocked the answer in understanding the Seven Letters, then Pergamos and Thyatira would be successive stages after Smyrna, the supposed historical stage of persecution. But such presents a contradiction of periods, because Antipas was martyred in Pergamos’ letter, not Smyrna’s letter.

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos

write; These things saith he which hath the

sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works,

and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s

seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast

not denied my faith, even in those days wherein

Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain

among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a

few things against thee, because thou hast there

them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who

the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed

unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast

thou also them that hold the doctrine of the

Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else

I will come unto thee quickly, and I will fight

against them with the sword of my mouth. He

that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit

saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh

will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will

give him a white stone, and in the stone a new

name written, which no man knoweth saving he

The Bible informs us that Christ’s Word is the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17); a sword sharper than all two-edged swords, exposing the intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). So then, it is no great mystery that Pergamos’s Salutation instantly enunciates her need for the Word of God. This is further exemplified by Christ’s warning, “Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and I will fight . . . them with the sword of my mouth.”

Many in Pergamos will perfectly well know the meaning of Christ’s Quick Coming in That Day. Then, God’s two-edged Word will effortlessly cut away all excessive and erroneous beliefs, principally, by true eschatology coming to fruition right before their eyes. In effect, Pergamos, who has largely neglected God’s Word, is at risk of being left behind with the foolish.

Permeating the historical city of Pergamos were many Greek gods and idols, and these were very much a part of the setting that most Christians tolerated. Today, the city of Pergamos doesn’t exist, being a scene of desolation. For this reason, historical Pergamos never suffered a confrontation with Christ’s Sword upon His coming, yet wide-eyed, many will in spiritual Pergamos. If not, Christ will fight a desolate ancient habitat upon His return, the former place of Pergamos’s location. But this is hardly the case. End-time Pergamos exists.

The historical Church at Pergamum held fast to the name of Christ in holding to the deity of Christ, though they were under the jurisdiction and influence of Rome in afflicting times. Moreover, for not denying the power of faith Christ complimented them. Pergamos means “elevation,” or to elevate. Unbecomingly, Pergamos eventually ennobled herself by becoming one with Rome. Soon after the persecution of the Church ceased in 312 AD, Pergamos became a leading center for the new Christian State upon the conversion of the Roman Emperor, Constantine. After Constantine’s conversion to Christianity, the Roman Church eventually became elevated to a force acknowledged by the entire world, controlling the greater part of Europe. Fittingly, it’s the self-elevation of the Church in history, and futuristically, that this letter confronts.

Although the Church of Pergamum was far from being corrupt with evil doctrine in her early days, certain teachings of impropriety were slithering in among the faithful. The outcome was that the Church at Pergamum bared her all, showing her lack of esteem for God’s Word by becoming a center for the Christian state of Rome.

The mention of Antipas’s faithfulness served as a reminder that historical Pergamos was to keep her faith pure. Preventively, Pergamos was to avoid irreparable hindsight by looking back with foresight (“even in those days”). She was to see the witness of Antipas’s martyrdom and not deny her faith. Above all, Pergamos was to keep her distance from becoming one with Rome, the persecutor and historical enemy of the Christian Faith. Antipas, like all other martyred Christians of that era, died by the hands of Rome. More specifically, Antipas died by order of the supreme magistery at Pergamos.

When Constantine united Rome with the Church, the succession of bishops became interrupted by, and united with, Roman ideology, which, by God’s standard, was a continuation of Ancient Rome’s rule. In view of this, the letter to Pergamos addresses the future ruling system within the Roman Catholic Church, or its coming papal emperorship; it is a Jezebel (Rev. 2:20).

By no means is the Catholic Church to be understood as a Jezebel, nor her cardinals and priests at large. For only those unregenerate future leaders, who through the apostasy of believing a lie, will be the Jezebel of the Tribulation. (See Thyatira for more on Jezebel.)

But I have a few things against thee, because

thou hast there them that hold the doctrine

of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling

block before the children of Israel, to eat things

sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

The short of Balaam’s Doctrine is the teaching of salvation for sale, or religion for hire. Shamelessly, there are those within the ministry who possess untold monies while always pleading for more. Some preach salvation and the need for love gifts, all in the same breath. Still others employ Old Testament vows in the raising of exorbitant monies. It is no puzzlement, then, that the secular media has rightfully capitalized on the illicit conduct within the Body of Christ.

Many of us readily denounce the secular media for pointing fingers, but biblically, there is to be no ground given to the world for creditable criticism. Frankly, our lives are to be as an open book, conducted in complete truthfulness that we may “walk honestly toward them that are without . . .” (1 Thess. 4:12). Thus, all of our activities are to be aboveboard, not just in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men, which includes the secular media (2 Cor. 8:21).

Balaam’s Doctrine in part also deemed that it wasn’t necessary to take God at His literal Word, since Balaam himself failed to do so. Now the Scripture speaks of the “error of Balaam” as running after greed while simulating the work of the Lord (Jude V. 11). Suffice it to say, then, that Balaam loved the “wages of unrighteousness” (2 Pet. 2:15; Num. 22:7). Intensifying matters, Balaam had hoped for God to change His mind and curse Israel through him, so that he could collect a reward (Num. 22:13-19).

Balac, the heathen king of Moab, flaunted an open disregard for the Lord and His truthful Word. This he learned from Balaam. Also, it was Balaam who taught Balac to set a stumbling block or trap for Israel in his double role as prophet and charlatan. Resulting that the children of Israel committed whoredom with the Gentile daughters of Moab, which eventually caused the worship of other gods in Israel (Num. 31:16; 25:1- 5). Today, spiritual fornication can be avoided by esteeming God’s Word.

All of this isn’t to say that some in historical Pergamos didn’t over extend liberty in their lascivious indulgence of idolatrous foods, which, at times, led not only to the worship of idols, but also to ritualistic fornication. Otherwise, Christ wouldn’t have rebuked them in this regard. Overall, historical Pergamos didn’t involve themselves in ill-licensed liberty: “and thou holdest fast my name, and has not denied my faith.” Still, Pergamos received a rebuke as a whole because many sat idly by, while declining to speak out against indecorous practices: “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam . . .”

According to Pergamos’s letter, anyone who holds the truth and knowingly practices silence is just as guilty as those who teach and practice falsely. Thus, passiveness is unthinkable; false doctrine must be confronted. Otherwise, spiritual fornication takes place just by saying nothing. Which is to have the final say, Tradition? Or the Word of God? In answering this, we must consider the fact that the early Church Fathers in their many quotes attested to the accuracy of the four Gospels, and to the letters of the New Testament. In addition to that historical fact, all the New Testament letters further establish the verity of the four Gospels by contextual agreement. Furthermore, the New Testament fragments of textual extant copies more than dwarf all other ancient secular works, thus also establishing the validity of the New Testament.

Germane to these truths, end-time Pergamos must answer to the Word of God; never is the Bible to be secondary to any segment of the Church. All said, God’s Word must be reverenced far above every tradition, if not, the fruit of Balaam’s Doctrine appallingly supplants it. Incidentally, any food sacrificed to an idol interferes with “faith which worketh by love,” not to mention the Spirit of the Law (Rom. 7:6). In Pergamos’s letter, the issue is the authority of God’s Word versus unnecessary traditional works; works that are really foods sacrificed to idols.

Christ alone is our propitiation, or perfect atonement for sin. He is the only Mediator of the New Covenant. Decidedly, St. Jude can’t intercede, nor can Mary the Blessed, but Christ can and does if we so entreat Him: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

Speaking of Mary, according to the Bible, Mary is the mother of Christ’s humanity, not His divinity. Thus, the teaching of Mariolatry, which assumes that Mary is the Mother of the Church who dispenses grace, is a belief antithetic to the Bible. God alone is the dispenser. Even by Jesus’s own word, Mary didn’t hold sole eminence in motherhood: “And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it” (Luke 8:21).

Moreover, Mary, like all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), was a sinner in need of a Savior. And this is why Mary rejoiced in her spirit over “God my savior” (Luke 1:47) long before she intellectually understood these things (Luke 2:19). Now Mary died as all sinners do, suffering the wages of sin in physical death (Rom. 6:23). So then, Mary also awaits the Resurrection of the Just to reclaim her sleeping body, even though her spirit is alive and in Heaven (1 Thess. 4:14).

Other traditional works that find no Scriptural merit are the repetitious prayers of the Rosary, the celibacy of the priesthood, and the teaching of Purgatory. In itself, the practice of routine prayer seems innocent, but identical repetitions also reveal a lack of trust in the Lord, not to mention the absence of a heartfelt dialogue. As conscientious Catholics well know, the practice of clerical celibacy has wreaked havoc in this Church, causing multiple sorrows and public scorn. For this reason, untold numbers of responsible Catholics are fed up with this unbiblical doctrine. Now if a cleric so chooses, he can freely embrace celibacy, but not by a specific directive or command from Scripture. Thus, it remains that marriage is “honorable in all.”

The Doctrine of Purgatory is an unneeded work introduced in the sixth century, supplying a middle ground in which one can make amends for their sins. Contrary to the literal existence of Purgatory is the fact that Christ gave Himself for us (1 Tim. 2:6), redeeming us from all iniquity in this lifetime (Titus 2:12-14), not the next. If this isn’t so, our faith in Christ is in vain!

Unacceptable as it may seem to hardcore Catholic traditionalists, biblical salvation includes one’s automatic and complete acceptance by Christ the moment they believe (John 5:24, 6:47; Rom. 3:21-22). This, then, shows that salvation isn’t for vending, as the proponents of the Doctrine of Purgatory suggest by their many internal “Balaam abuses” (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

Catholics aren’t the only ones guilty of traditional works. Protestants are also. Legalistic tithing doesn’t justify anyone, but many rigorously stumble in this area. Eternal security is a false sense of security; often, this doctrine destroys the need to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Likewise, the at-once Rapture Doctrine and Second Coming Only Theology diffuses the spiritual focus of many.

Some branches of the Pentecostal Church teach that unless a person speaks in tongues, they remain unsaved. And here looms another aberrant doctrine, which impairs the faith of others. First, as with water baptism, Romans 10:13 also conflicts with the idea that speaking in tongues is mandatory for salvation. Of course, calling on the name of the Lord Jesus can’t be equated to the gift of tongues. Second, the Lord chooses the type of gift that He bestows upon the believer, not denominations. In establishing this view, Paul penned: are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? (1 Cor. 12:29-30)

Although Paul’s rhetorical questions don’t warrant an answer, it’s to our benefit to see the answer: Are all apostles? Of course not. Are all prophets? Of course not. Are all teachers? Of course not. Are all workers of miracles? Of course not. Have all the gifts of healing? Of course not. Do all speak with tongues? Of course not. Do all interpret? Of course not. Paul concluded his “gifts passage” with the following: “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). The more excellent way is the introduction to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter of the Bible, which details the importance of Christ’s agape love in the Christian, the true power of God! Indeed, the gifts of the Spirit are never to substitute the fruit of the Spirit, especially as our evidence for salvation.

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. (Rev. 2:15)

The Nicolaitanes were adherents to a flourishing Gnostic teaching, reasoning that it was their souls which had to be perfect, not their bodies. In turn, this gave them groundless license for all sorts of fornication. To the Catholic Church’s credit, this practice ceased. “Nicolas” means “ruler,” or “conqueror of the people.” The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes in the above, correlate to the deeds of the Nicolaitanes found in Revelation 2:6. To refresh our memories, it was by knowing “the truth” of the Scripture that Ephesus confronted certain self-proclaimed leaders, who, calling themselves apostles, wanted to exercise undue authority over them. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes which I also hate” (Rev. 2:6).

In Ephesus’s letter, the deeds of the Nicolaitanes stemmed from a doctrine falsely granting spiritual authority over them. As demonstrated repeatedly in this work, “the truth,” also meaning “love,” is the opposite of a lie. So Ephesus, in knowing the truth, found certain Apostles to be “liars” in their deeds of bearing false authority over them.

Our Advocate with the Father is none other than the man Christ Jesus (1 John 2:1), not another go-between such as a priest or minister. In light of this, Christians can approach the holiest part of Heaven with great boldness, just by simple faith in a resurrected Christ who shed His blood for them (Heb. 10:19-22). By the way, if it’s acceptable to petition Christ with our requests (Matt. 7:7), then it’s also acceptable to entreat Him directly for the forgiveness of sin: “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:15). Indeed, we are to cast all of our care upon Him, including the weights of our conscience (Psa. 62:8), for He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7).

When a priest delegates the cases of parishioners to Christ, he places himself in a hazardous position in usurping the workings of a believer’s faith. Now many brothers participate in the Confessional, but they should sincerely question that practice. Simply, Christ hates the “faith robbing” Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which includes Protestant’s who proclaim and teach the "true church rhetoric."

Paul wrote, “And God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then the gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:28). Intriguingly, Paul didn’t list pastors and bishops, however, pastors and bishops are more than likely included in his list. Why? Because the word “apostle” in the Greek means “one who is sent.” So then, answering the call of God, pastors and bishops are sent. They are apostles, but not in the finest sense of the word.

Vitally supporting this view is the fact that there were more than twelve apostles. Matthias replaced Judas, making him the twelfth (Acts 1:26). Later, Paul and Barnabas are noted as apostles, and irrefutably, they make fourteen (Acts 14:14). Some have even numbered Timothy, Silas, Junias, Andronicus, and Epaphroditus as apostles (Rom. 16:7; Phil. 2:25; 1 Thess. 2:6).

The word “bishop” means “overseer” in the Greek, and it is interchangeable with the word “elder.” An elder or bishop performed the same duties as a pastor. As it was, elders fed the flock of God (Acts 20:28). Being God-sent, John the Baptist came in the Spirit and power of Elijah. Nevertheless, we know that John the Baptist wasn’t Elijah (John 1:21), even though Jesus characterized him as such (Matt. 11:14). Now the Baptist didn’t possess Elijah’s power, but he did have a faith that works by love message, which in all reality is to come in the Spirit of Elijah, the power of God: “He that hath two coats, let him give to him that has none” (Luke 3:11); and, “. . . Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Speaking of Elijah, the account of the faithful widow at Zarephath, a small Mediterranean town, should command our full attention (1 Kings 17:9-16). There, by faith, the widow gave the last of her meal in making a cake for Elijah. By that kind act of faith, she took care of Elijah’s need before her son’s, which in turn multiplied the meal and oil in her house for the duration of the drought. Beyond doubt, her obedience was a strong account of faith that works by love in the Old Testament.

In the analogy of John the Baptist being Elijah, pastors and elders can all come in the Spirit and power of the apostles, but they’re not foundational. Despite the fact that there were more than twelve apostles, God has limited the number of the original apostles in the Church by its given foundation (Eph. 2:20), and by the requirement of that office (Acts 1:19-26). Nevertheless, the gift of Apostleship is still in full force. Irrefutably, it is one of the gifts of the Spirit.

Paul appointed Titus to ordain elders in every city (Titus 1:5). This, then, gives us the understanding that each local group of elders was primarily to oversee as the governing body (1 Pet. 5:2), while defending wholesome doctrine (Titus 1:6-9). Also, a single church could have several bishops or elders (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1).

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Rev. 2:16)

On the threshold of the Gospel, Peter labored among the Jews at Jerusalem, while Paul was sent to establish multiple churches among the Gentiles. If Peter were the head of the Apostles, then subordinate Apostles would have been under him. But there is no biblical record of this kind of subordination. As aforementioned, it was Paul who picked Titus to ordain elders in every city, not Peter. The irony? Paul wasn’t one of the twelve!

Moreover, when the Apostles cast lots to pick Matthias for the replacement of Judas, it wasn’t Peter who made that decision, but all the Disciples (Acts 1:26). Here, again, Peter didn’t effect any special authority in picking Matthias. The Church wasn’t built upon Peter alone, but Christ and all the Apostles and Prophets; combined, these are the biblical foundation of the Church. As a matter of fact, in these, that is, the Apostles and the Prophets, lie the revelation of Jesus Christ Himself, the true foundation (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20). Here, then, is a clear Scriptural confirmation that Peter wasn’t the Supreme Father in the building of the Church. Actually, it was Paul, not Peter, who cared for all the churches (2 Cor. 11:28; Gal. 2:7-8)!

To verify this line of thinking further, “the rock” meticulously symbolizes the deity of Jesus Christ, and all the Apostles and Prophets, who, compositely, testify of the same. Our Lord said:

In Matthew’s above passage, the Greek denotes that the “rock” is a feminine, collective rock. The same Rock that Jesus Christ, who likened His own personage as a mother hen that wished to gather up her chicks (Matt. 23:37). So then, we know precisely what principle Christ used to build the Church by Peter’s answer: “Thou art the Christ, the living Son of God.” Consequently, in the sense of a foundation, the meaning of a feminine, collective rock, can only denote all of the Apostles and Prophets who testified of this very truth; that is, that Christ is God Almighty in human flesh. Indeed, the God of Israel anointed the very God of Israel in human flesh (Psa. 45:7). Thus, the Church was built upon the principle of Christ being deity in human flesh, and all of the Apostles and Prophets who dually testified of the same, not just the Apostle Peter.

Some Catholic scholars would be quick to argue that Jesus spoke the above text in the Aramaic (the spoken Aramaic here doesn’t show gender), and not the Greek. That may be true, nevertheless, all New Testament Scripture, which God Himself chose to have written in the Greek, was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16). Respectively, Matthew’s Greek passage stands in testimony that it is Christ’s deity in human flesh who is the Chief Cornerstone, or the pre-eminent Rock on whom the Church was built (Psa. 18:2; 28:1, 8). Speaking of which, Peter is also that Rock in the sense that he and all the Apostles and Prophets were joined collectively to that Rock as one, making the foundation of the Church.

The hidden manna typifies Christ as our High Priest by alluding to the manna found in the Holy of Holies (Heb. 9:4), in which only the High Priest had access. Factually, this illustrates the Royal Priesthood, or everyday Christians (1 Pet. 2:9), as being robbed of their priestly rights by the ordeal of Catholic Priests dominating the Confessional. Simply, the everyday Christian has every “prayerful right,” by the Grace of Christ, to enter the Holy of Holies and commune with God Himself. So this truth, combined with the truth that Christ literally walks as our High Priest in judgment on the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10, 2:1), shows us that end-time Pergamos is to repent of these practices and prepare for Christ’s Quick Coming beforehand.

All who stand before the Lord will confront Him face to face without representation from a priest, or for that matter, a denomination. Consequently, without Christ’s justification, all are hopeless in obtaining the Bread of Life, which manna He is. To elaborate further, our adulation should not be shown to any person, statue, angel, saint, or organization, but to Jesus Christ. He alone, and the manner of His initial appearing, is the hidden manna of this passage.

Much of the Body of Christ is unaware of the Bridegroom Return of our Lord. For this “Manna Coming” is likened unto His word (Deut. 8:3), or the manna that has been hidden. Nevertheless, many will partake of it. Indeed, as mysteriously as the manna appeared to Israel in the midst of the night, before the morning (Num. 11:9), so shall Christ for the prepared.

Christ’s promise to the repentant, including the Protestants who also partake of this message, is His gift of a white stone of exoneration at His coming. In ancient times, a white stone commonly had two usages. One usage typified acquittal. The other usage was a “tessera” (ticket), which granted admittance to food and lodging. By all means, then, those who repent in Pergamos will eat the hidden manna, gaining entrance into the Marriage Feast with their white stone of acquittal as their ticket. And no man on Earth will know the name on that stone, save the person receiving it in Heaven.

1 The two edges of the sword are the Law and the Gospel; or the Old and New Testaments.

2 Without those who serve Him, Satan lacks a seat of authority. So it was when Rome united with the Church that Satan fully gained His seat. Today, Satan’s seat of authority has place in every false doctrine taught, no matter the denomination.

3 Ahab was the seventh king of Israel.

4 The implementing of the Inquisitions by the Roman Church.

5 Note: Balaam’s Doctrine holds closely to that of Jezebel’s in Thyatira’s letter: “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (Rev. 2:20).

6 Balaam failed to speak out against the wicked desires of Balac.

7 An examination of textual transmission; copy to copy.

8 An examination of whether or not the prophecies have come true.

9 An examination of the odds.

10 After receiving eternal life by simple faith (John 5:24, 6:47), Christians often seek a water baptism and sometimes a Spirit baptism. Thus doing, they are only being acquiescent to their initial deposit of faith by outward

obedience.

11 A reference to all the congregations of San Diego.

12 Greek: Petros, or rock-man, but not the “feminine rock” used in this verse.

13 Again, Pergamos was a center for the Christian State of Rome.

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