bliss; then "the Paradise o (continued)
'JJie Epistle to the Cliurch at Smyrna. REVELATION II. The Epistle to the Church at Perganun, not be hurt Greek, " shall not by any means (or popslbly) be hurts" the second death—" the lake of fire. ' "The death in life of the lost, as contrasted with tl>e life in death of the saved." [Trench.] The phrase "the second death" is peculiar to the Apocalypse. What matter about the first death, which sooner or later must pass over us, main bliss of Paradise is, that It is the Paradise of Ood; God Himself dwelling there (ch. 21. 3). 8. S»nj-rn«—in ionla, a little to the nortli of Ephesus. Polycakp, martyred in 168 A. r>., eighty-six years after his conversion, was bishop, and probably "the angel of the Clinrch in Smyrna ' meant here. The allusions to persecutions and
If we escape the second death f " It seems that they who die that death shall be hurt by it; whereas, if it were annihilation, and so a conclusion of their torments, it would be no way hurtful, but highly benetloial to them. But the living torments are the second death." [Bishop Peakson.] "The life of the damned is death." [Augustine.] Smyrna (meaning myrrh) yielded its sweet perfume in being bruised even to death. Myrrh was used in embalmingdead bodies (John 19. 39); was an ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30. "23); a perfume of the hea venly Bridegroom (Psalm 45. 8), and of the bride (Song of Solomon 3. 6). "Atfliction, like it, is bitter for the time being, but salutary; preserving the elect from corruption, and seasoning them for immortality, and gives scope for the exercise of the fragrantly-breathing Christian virtues.' [ViTRiNGA.] Polycarp's noble words to his heathen judges who wished him to recant, are well known: "Fourscore and six years have I served the li Ord, and He never wronged me, how then can 1 blaspheme ray King and Saviour?" Smyrna's faithfulness is rewarded by its candlestick not having been removed out of it-s place (v. 5); Christianity has never wholly left it; whence the Turks call it "Infidel Smyrna." VA. Trench prefers writing Pergamus, or rather, Pergamum, on the river Caicus. It was capital of Attains the Second's kingdom, which was bequeathed by him to the Romans, b. c. 13.?. Famous for its library, founded by Eumenes (197-159), and destroyed by Caliph Omar. Parchment, i. e., Pergamena charta, was here discovered for book purposes. Also, famous for the magnificent temple of Esculapius, the healing god. [Tacitus, Annals, 3.63.] he whleh hath the sharp sword with two edges—Appropriate to His address having a twofold beaming, a searching power so as to convict and convert some (y. 13, 17), and -to convict and condemn to punishment others (v. 14-10, especially u faltlifulness nnto death accord with this view. Ignatius {Martyrium Ignatii, 3), on his way to martyrdom in Pvome, wrote to Poi/YCARP, then (108 a. d.) bishop of Smyrna; if nis bishopric commenced ten or twelve years earlier, the dates will harmonize. Tertullian, Frcescriptione Hcere-
32, and iRENiEUS, who had talked with Polycarp in youth, tell us Polycarp was consecrated bishop of Smyrna by St. John, tlie First . . . tlie L.a»t . . . was dead . . . ts alive—Ttie attributes of Christ most calculated to comfort the Church of Smyrna under its persecutions; resumed from ch. 1. 17, 18. As death was to Him but the gate to life eternal, so it is to be to them (v. 10, 11). 9. tUy worlts, and—Omitted in two oldest MSS.. Vulgate, and Coptic. Supported by one oldest MS. trlbnlat Jon— owing to persecution, poverty—owing to " the spoiling of their goods." but thou art ricli—in grace. Contrast Laodicea, rich in the world's eyes and her own, poor before God. "There are both poor rich-men, and ricli poor-men In God's sight." [Trench 1 blaspliemy of tliem—blasphemous calumny of thee on the part of (or arising from) them, &c. say they ore Jews, and are not—Jews by national descent, but not spiritually of " the true circumcision." The Jews blaspheme Christ as "the hanged one."' As elsewhere, so at Smyrna they bitterly opposed Christianity; and at Polycarp's martyrdom tliey joined theheathens in clamouring for his being cast totlielions; and when there was an obstacle ta tliis, lor his being burnt alive; and with their own hands they carried logs for the pile, synagogue of Satan—Only once is tlie terra "synagogue" in the New Testament used of tlie Christian assembly, and that by tlie apostle wlio longest maintained tJie union of tlie Church and Jewish Synagogue. As the Jews more and more opposed Christianity, and it more and more rooted itself in the Gentile world, the term "synagogue" was left altogether to the forraer,and Christians appropriated exclusively the honourable term "Cliurch;" contrast an earlier time, when the Jewish tlieocracy is called "the Churcli in the wi Ulenicss." Cf. Numbers 16. 3; 20. 4, "congregation of the Lord." Even in James 2. 2 it is "your (not the Lord's) assembly." The
16; cf. also Note, ch. 1. 16). 13. 1 know thy worlts—Two oldest MSS. omit this clause; one oldest MS retains it. Satan's seat—rather as the Greek is translated all through Revelation, "throne." Satan, in impious mimicry of God's heavenly throne, sets up his earthly throne (ch. 4.
Jexvs, who might have been "the Church of God," had now, by their opposition and unbelief, become the synagogue of Satan. So "the throne of Satan" (u. 13) repre-
2). Esculapius was worshipped there under the serpent form; and Satan, tlie old serpent, as the Instigator (cf. v.
10) of fanatical devotees of Esculapius, and, through them, of the supreme magistracy at Pergamos, persecuted one of the Lord's people (Ant I pas) even to death. Thus, this address is an anticipatory preface to ch. 12. 1- lieuts the heathens' opposition to Christianity; "the depths of Satan" {v. 21), the opposition of heretics. lO. none—The oldest MSS. read, "Pear not those things," Ac. "The Captain of our salvation never keeps back what those wlio faithfully witness for Him may have to bear
17; Note, "throne . . . the dragon, Satan . . . w-ar with her seed," 5. 9, 17. even l» those days—Two ohiest MSB. omit "even;" two retain it. wherein—Two oldest MSS. omit this (then translate, "in the days of Antlpas, my faithful witness," or " martyr"); two retain It. Two oldest MSS. read, " My witness, my faithful one ;" two read as HMglish for His name's sake; never entices recruits by the promise tlu y shall find all things easy and pleasant there." [Trench.] devil — "the accuser." He acted, througli Jewish accxisers, against Christ and His people. The (^on-
Vei-sion. Antlpas is another form for Antlpater. Simeon Msitaphrastks has a palpably legendary story, unknown to the early Fathers, that Antlpas, in Doinltlan's reign, was shut up in a red-hot brazen bull, and ended liln flicl. of the latter was not with mere flesh and blood, but wltli the rulers of the darkness of this world, tried— with temptation by " the devil." The sauKi event Is often tool ha temptation from the devil, and a trial from God God ullting and winnowing tlie man to separate his chalf life in thanktigivlngs and prayers. Hengstknhbrq malces the name, like other apocalyptic names, symbolifrom his wheat, tlie devil sifting him In the hope tliat nothing but chafT will be found in him [Trkncii]. ten d«y«—Hot the Um persecutions from Nero to Diocletian. Lyra explains ten years on the year-day principle. The cal, meaning one standing out "against ail" for Christ's sake. 14. few—in comparison of tlie many tokens of thy faithfulness, hold the doctrine of Ilalaam—" the teaching of Ualanm," iriz., that which he " tauglit Balak." Cf. " the counsel of Balaam," Numbers 31. 16. Jialak is dative in the Greek, whence Bbnokl translates, "taught (the Moabltes) for (i. to please) Balak." But though In Numbers It Is not expressly said he taught Jialak, yet there is nothing said InconHisteiit with his having done so ; and Johkhhus, Antiquities, 4. 6. 6, says he did so. Th* dative is a Hebraism for the accusative, children— Wree*, " sons of Israel." stumbling-block— ;i7., that part of a t rap on which the bait was laid, and which, when touched, caused the trap to close on Its prey; then any entanifl iJiorlnetiS of the duration of the persecution Is evidently made the ground of consolation. The time of trial shall b(! short, the duration of your Joy shall be for ever. Cf. the use of "ton dnys" for a short time. Genesis 21.50; Kumbcis 11. 19. Ten is tlie number of the world-powers hostile to the tJliurcli ; cf. tlie ten horns of the beast.ch. 13.
1. unto deatli—BO a« even to endure death for my sake. roroM'n of life—James 1. 12; 2 Timothy i. S, "crown of rlj;lileou KiieHS ;" 1 Peter 6. -4, "crown of glory." The crown
Is the f/<iir/««</, the mark of a conqtieror, or of one rejoiring, or at iifeoMt , but <liadem is the mark of u king. 11. nhall
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