To the Church of Smyrna
“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” (Revelation 2:8-11).
Smyrna was a great, rich, and prosperous city on the western coast of Asia Minor, now known as Izmir, Turkey. It was famed for its institutions of learning regarding medicine and science.[1] During the Apostle John’s day, Smyrna held a devoted commitment to Rome, making it quite challenging for Christians to practice their faith openly. Also, there was an immense Jewish population who were unfriendly to Christians and had a disdain for their teachings, resulting in many Christians to experience persecution and martyrdom.[2] One such recorded martyr recorded by Christian historians was Polycarp, a Greek bishop in Smyrna.
Polycarp was recorded by religious historians as having been a devout follower of the Apostle John. Not to be confused with the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which is included in the canonized version of the Bible, Polycarp wrote a separate Epistle to the Philippians refuting gnostic teachings and other heretical sects who taught against salvation through Jesus Christ alone and the incarnation of Christ and His resurrection. He also supported the Apostle Paul and his writings within the early church.[3] However, according to historians, Polycarp’s teachings in Smyrna were not accepted by the Romans and many Jewish sects. Therefore, there were a couple of unsuccessful attempts to execute him, with one being in a theater of lions, a burning at the stake, and finally, a successful fatal blow with a dagger by a Roman soldier.[4] He was just one of many Christians who were persecuted for their faith.
Once again, John had been told to write to one of the seven churches. This time, it was to the angel of the church in Smyrna, but this Word was given to the entire church. Nonetheless, we want to note that it was important for the church's angel (pastor, leader) to give the Word of the Lord as it had been given to him, for these were words of encouragement and warnings that the church needed to heed then and now. The Bible says: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Jesus told John that He was the first and last—the one who was dead and is now alive. When one thinks of being first, what comes to mind? The Oxford Dictionary defines the term first as preceding all others in status, rank, importance, or excellence and coming before all others in time or order.[5] Therefore, when Jesus says He is the First, this means that He precedes all other gods, mortals, earthly and heavenly beings, for He is God and God alone. The Bible says: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (Hebrews 1:1-4). Jesus is still speaking to us through His word, and as we read the book of Revelation, we become more knowledgeable about who He is and what He expects from His chosen people.
Jesus also spoke of himself as being the last. What does it mean for Jesus to be the last? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term last as being to continue in existence or action as long as or longer than; after all others and being the only remaining, just to name a few. Therefore, as it pertains to Jesus being the last, He continues to exist without an end. He remains after all others because He is the One who has the final say at the end of all things, for unlike earthly kings and rulers, Jesus’ reign will never cease.
Prior to Jesus’ birth, the angel Gabriel had this to say to Mary regarding the endless longevity of Jesus’ sovereignty: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:31-33). As we have seen throughout history, kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, governors, and others have sat on their thrones and have departed this life. Yet, Jesus is the only one to have no beginning or end, be born through a woman, and die at the hands of man, only to be raised again to sit on His throne forever. This revelation should encourage all believers to fight the good fight because we have a King who reigns, and no one will ever be able to overthrow Him.
The Apostle John wrote that God knew the weaknesses and the lack that many encountered, but they were still considered rich in His eyes. Jesus’ encouragement for the Smyrna church runs contrary to the ideology of many modern-day churches that lead many believers to feel spiritually oppressed and in a deficit when they hear such messages that one lacks faith if they do not have material possessions. However, this erroneous teaching is far from the message Jesus taught. Jesus said: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Jesus was not saying that it is wrong to have nice things, but He did not want you to be consumed by the things of this world where you lose your soul.
Jesus spoke through John’s writings about fake Jews who were actually of the synagogue of Satan. This rebuke has various interpretations by Christian scholars, but let’s allow Scripture to define itself in what this text means. The Bible says: “A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God” (Romans 2:28-29). Many people claimed to know God but failed to live according to His standards. This is seen throughout Israel’s history, for which the Lord punished them because of their wayward behavior. They thought that it was good enough to carry the title of Jew or God’s people without having a change of heart. Yet, the Lord had this to say through the Prophet Joel: “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13). It was not good enough for God’s people to have lip service while their hearts were far from Him. Therefore, Jesus considered then to be from the synagogue of Satan, for he is the father of lies.
Many claimed to have been followers of Christ but were not during that time and even today. There are those who think they can compromise with the world and still be in alignment with God. Yet, Jesus was so clear about His disdain for such hypocrisy that He called the Pharisees out for it. Jesus said: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). There are many in the church today who have the look of a Christian, talk like a Christian, and are in various ministries, but their heart is far from what Christ desires. Therefore, if you do not have the heart of Christ, then you have the heart of the devil, and he is the father of deception. So, how do we prevent falling into hypocrisy?
The Bible says: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do” (James 1:22-25). Thus, we fail to fall into hypocrisy by taking to heart what the Word says through active and faithful implementation. While we cannot live God’s laws perfectly within our own might, we must rely on Jesus to help us be submissive to His will, just as He was obedient to the Father.
Finally, the church was to grow through much persecution, as we see many in other countries today. This persecution was not limited to the Roman authorities but also came from the religious Jewish authorities. The early Christians were sometimes thrown into dens of hungry lions, crucifixions, beheadings, stonings, and more. However, God told them to remain faithful, and they would receive a crown in Heaven. “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs” (Matthew 5:10). Do you believe that you would stand for Christ despite the threat of death and/or torture?
[1] Got Questions Editorial Staff, "What Was Jesus’ Message to the Church in Smyrna in Revelation?," GotQuestions.org, last modified 2025, https://www.gotquestions.org/church-in-Smyrna.html.
[2] TransBalkan Tours Editorial Staff, "History of Ancient Smyrna," Ephesus Travel Guide, last modified 2025, https://www.ephesustravelguide.com/blog/smyrna.
[3] Britannica Editorial Staff, "St. Polycarp," Encyclopedia Britannica, last modified February 21, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Polycarp#ref289844.
[4] J. B. Lightfoot, Stephen Tomkins, and Dan Graves, "Polycarp’s Martyrdom | Christian History Institute," Christian History Institute, last modified 2025, https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/polycarp/.
[5] Oxford English Dictionary Editorial Staff, "Google Search," Oxford English Dictionary, last modified 2025, https://www.oed.com/dictionary/first_adj?tab=meaning_and_use#4246203.
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