2.  Style / Genre (Also sprach Zarathustra)  The number 7  A popular view challenged

3. EphesusApostolic age SmyrnaThe persecuted church up to AD 313 (Conversion of Constantine) Pergamum313-500 (the compromised church) Thyatira500-Reformation (rise of the papacy) SardisReformation PhiladelphiaThe growing missionary church LaodiceaThe liberal churches today

5.  Administrative province of Asia (Minor)  Population ~ 200,000  6 imperial temples: Roma & Julius Caesar (1); Augustus (2); Domitian (1); Hadrian (2)

6.  Doctrinal purity  Patient endurance  Hate the works of the Nicolaitans

7.  Who were the Nicolaitans?  Pergamum: Rev 2 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

8.  Eat food offered to idols  Sexual immorality

9. Thyatira: Rev 2 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 

10.  5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

11.  Heresy: heterodoxy vs heteropraxy

12.  Rivals Ephesus  Population ~ 100,000  Science, medicine, fine wine, beautiful buildings, wealth  Temple of Ascelpius

13.  Synagogue of Satan  The 18 Blessings and the Birkat Ha-Minim  The delatores  The 10-day tribulation

14.  The temple and altar to Zeus (230 BC) for victory over the Celts  First imperial cult temple  The parchments and library  27 BC became a senatorial province

15.  Satan’s throne  Note death of Antipas

16.  The Nicolaitan / Balaam Issue  New name on white stone

17.  Jezebel (the deep things of Satan)  Prophecy and threat of punishment

18.  Former capital of the Seleucid Kingdom  Temple dedicated to Augustus  Josephus: large and prosperous Jewish community in 1 st century. Discovered a huge Synagogue (3 rd -7 th century) seating 1,000 people.

19.  Dead church with good reputation  Hope for those who stay true

20.  Earthquake in AD 17. Tiberius exempted city from taxes for 5 years.  Depend on viticulture

21.  Synagogue of Satan  Those who dwell on the earth | earth dwellers  Adumbration of the new Jerusalem / heaven earth

22.  Large Jewish community  Damaged in earthquake of AD 17 (under Tiberius), but recovered quickly, prosperous. Destroyed by another earthquake in AD 60 (under Nero) but refused imperial assistance because of their own wealth.  Christian community there connected to Colossae (Col 2:1; 4:13, 15, 16[x2]) Paul’s letter to Laodicea did not survive.

23.  Luke warm  Rev 3:20