Big Idea: Jesus encourages his church to endure suffering faithfully, knowing that he can bring life out of death.

Understanding the Text

The message to the church in Smyrna is the second in the series of seven messages in Revelation 2–3. Among the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2–3, only Smyrna and Philadelphia receive all praise or encouragement without any blame or accusation related to a sin. Interestingly, the message to Smyrna contains fewer Old Testament allusions than any of the other messages.

Historical and Cultural Background

Smyrna (modern Izmir) was a harbor city located about forty miles northwest of Ephesus and the second stop for a messenger traveling the counterclockwise loop to visit the seven churches. Smyrna maintained strong ties to Rome as the first cit…