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The letter to Smyrna: Faithful unto death

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lettersAccording to Jesus, the church in Smyrna was about to undergo persecution. We might expect that he would them tell them that God would protect them from all harm, that their enemies would be destroyed. Instead, he tells them that they will be thrown in prison, though only for a short amount of time.

As we saw not long ago in another series on this site, suffering is a normal part of Christian life. Christians shouldn’t seek it, but they shouldn’t shrink from it either. We follow in the steps of the suffering servant and should expect no better than what he received.

Then Jesus issues a famous charge to the Christians in Smyrna: “Be faithful unto death.” In Letters From The Lamb, I discuss the meaning of this phrase:

“Be faithful unto death,” Jesus tells them. This phrase is often looked on as an injunction to live a godly life until one dies of old age. While that is certainly expected of all Christians, the meaning is different here. “Be faithful unto death” means “be faithful even if it means giving your life.” Be faithful right up to the moment when the sword touches your neck, faithful up to the moment when the flames consume your body. As Christians we are called to follow Jesus’ example and renounce all claims to the preserving of our physical lives. The words of Jesus call us to full discipleship: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35) Today we may talk about “bearing a cross” as putting up with something inconvenient or uncomfortable, saying “that’s just my cross to bear.” But in Jesus’ day, carrying a cross meant that one had become a “dead man walking.” A man carrying his cross was on the way to his death. “Give up your life,” Jesus says, “And you’ll save it. Try to save it, and you’ll lose it.” God’s priority is to save our souls first, our physical lives second.

(Letters From The Lamb, pp. 69-70)

Faithful unto death. Jesus came to free us from the slavery of the fear of death; like suffering, we don’t seek death, but we don’t run from it, either. Our goal is to be faithful, even if it costs us our lives.

The letter to Smyrna: Rich poor church

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lettersJesus has no criticism for the church in Smyrna. He says they have suffered and live in poverty… but they’re rich. This is yet another of the paradoxes presented in Revelation. The church that everyone thinks is alive is actually dead. The church that seems weak is strong. This church, with its difficult life and lack of material goods, is actually rich.

In Letters From The Lamb I wrote:

The Smyrnaean Christians were poor materially, but they were rich in the ways that mattered. It’s even possible that the poverty of the Smyrna church stemmed from the persecution they had received. The writer of the book of Hebrews speaks to this: “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10:32-34) Either through mob violence and looting or official seizures of property, it was quite possible that the Christians had become poor by standing up for their faith.

(Letters From The Lamb, p. 68)

“Blessed are you poor,” Jesus said during his ministry. Later James would write that God had chosen the poor to be rich in faith. Apparently the Christians in Smyrna were a good example of that.