Big Idea: Jesus commends his church for persevering in faithfulness in spite of persecution but warns them not to compromise with an idolatrous and immoral culture.

Understanding the Text

The message to the church in Pergamum is the third in the series of messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3. Jesus commends the church at Pergamum for enduring persecution in a very idolatrous and immoral environment but faults it for compromising with false teaching that promotes the ungodly lifestyle of the prevailing culture. Understanding the local setting plays an especially important role in interpreting and communicating this passage.1

Historical and Cultural Background

Pergamum was located about seventy miles north of Smyrna. The upper city rested on a massive granite hill that ros…