“And to the angel of the church of Pergamus write: These things, saith he, that hath the sharp two edged sword: I know where thou dwellest, where the seat of Satan is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith. Even in those days when Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have against thee a few things: because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat, and to commit fornication: so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaites. In like manner do penance: if not, I will come to thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: To him that overcometh, I will give the hidden manna, and will give him a white counter, and in the counter, a new name written, which no man knoweth, but he that receciveth it.”
Pergamus was a hub of pagan idolatry, with a massive shrine to “Zeus the Savior,” “All the gods of the Gentiles are devils” (Psalm 95:5), and the community itself was the most ardent center of emperor worship in the region. The sword of truth, judgment, and love comes from Jesus’ mouth for the people of Pergamus, who were living in difficult circumstances: “Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11). When Jesus addresses that they live “where Satan’s throne is,” this is in reference to the shrine of Zeus, who was considered the king of the gods in Greek culture, and so his “throne,” or the place where he is most worshipped had a looming present in the Christian community. Now, even amidst persecution and under the shadow of this massive altar, the Christian people still loved, holding fast to their Beloved even through societal pressures: “The keepers that go about the city found me: they struck me: and wounded me: the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me” (Canticle 5:7). This they did even through the martyrdom of one Antipas, who could be their bishop, or represent Christ in His people being led to their deaths, their testament to love having no equal: “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13); “Love is strong as death” (Canticle 8:6). Now, when Jesus teaches against the doctrine of Balaam, this is in reference to the Old Testament figure that undermined the Israelites by having Moabite prostitutes convince them to fornicate and commit idolatry: “And Israel at that time abode in Settim, and the people committed fornication with the daughters of Moab, who called them to their sacrifices. And they ate of them, and adored their gods. And Israel was initiated to Beelphegor” (Numbers 25:1-3); “Are not these they, that deceived the children of Israel by the counsel of Balaam, and made you transgress against the Lord by the sin of Phogor, for which also the people was punished?” (Numbers 31:16). This is to show that He sees the permission of what the Jerusalem Council had forbidden: “That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication” (Acts 15:29), which were permitted as a poor attempt to be merciful and not leave anyone one encounters feeling unloved. Thus they put a stumblingblock before the other Christians, leading them into sin under the flag of mercy. This is a lesson, Theophila, not to let love of neighbor ever defile your own soul, for you are to love your neighbor as yourself, and to sin is to hate yourself. All of this was done by the Nicolaites, who carried a loose way of living and dangerous attitude to idolatry and sexual immorality, both of which are contrary to true love: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy” (1 John 5:3), for Jesus’ commandments are to teach His people how to love. Jesus hates this doctrine, because from His throne on high He watches His poor children making a mess of their souls because of it, doing what is not worth Christian dignity: “Clothe thyself with beauty, and set thyself up on high, and be glorious, and put on goodly garments” (Job 40:5). While the community in Pergamus was staying faithful by word, by deed some were denying Him by deed: “Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips glorify me, but their heart is far from me, and they have feared me with the commandment and doctrines of men” (Isaias 29:13), loving with a love of passion rather than of truth: “And for them do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:19). Jesus then calls them to repentance, letting His message trickle through those who were loving well to reach those that were not: “If, when I say to the wicked, ‘Thou shalt surely die:’ thou declare it not to him, nor speak to him, that he may be converted from his wicked way, and live: the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand” (Ezechiel 3:18). To continue to permit this stain would be met with the sword of truth that would show that what they were doing defiled the image of true love and pierce their conscience, or worse, be their judgment at the end of their lives, just as Balaam met his end by the sword: “Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword” (Numbers 31:8). To have a heart listens to the Spirit, the direction and words of the Beloved: “The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice” (John 3:8), and act in accordance through all the trials and difficulties seen in any relationship, is to emerge victorious: “Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24), and this will come with a threefold reward. The first is that of Christ Himself, for the greatest gift a lover can give is themselves: “I to my beloved, and my beloved to me” (Canticle 6:2), and this is seen in the hidden manna of the Eucharist: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48); “This is my body, which is given for you” (Luke 22:19). The “white counter” is in reference to the ancient practice of giving white stones to those admitted to invitation-only feasts or assemblies. The counter, or stone, itself is your purity: “Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8), which, when you are washed in the sacraments and act for love alone, you will attain, and then be welcomed with rejoicing to the banquet: “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the marriage” (Matthew 22:3). The new name is your new identity as a child of the Father: “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11), a spouse, friend, brother, coheir, ah, a beloved! of Jesus: “Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse” (Canticle 4:9), and a temple of the Holy Spirit: “Or know you not, that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Thus, you receive the gifts of the Beloved Himself, the newness of yourself: “For we are buried together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), and the joys of a relationship that is pure love, to love and be loved, and this is all one truly needs.