“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze:
I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality. Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.
But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come. To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!
Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”
Revelation 2:18-29
Thyatira (modern day Akhisar in Western Turkey) was located 50 kilometres southeast from Pergamum on the banks of the Lycus River. It sat on a flat river plain between the regions of Lydia and Mysia, surrounded by gentle river slopes. There were no promontories or high points and therefore no natural defences. It was founded as a military post by the Attalids from Pergamum to protect the route through to the east and south. It was not famous, just a place you went through to get to more important places. The town developed into a city and became prosperous during the reign of Vespasian (69-79 AD) when it was developed into a trading centre. Initially there were trades related to clothing, weavers, wool, linen, cloth, tanners, dyers and robe makers. Soon other traders came adding:- pottery, copper, brass and bronze, along with leather work and flax. The addition of extra craftsmen brought with it a series of related trades which were then formed into a network of guilds. Thyatira grew to have the richest concentration of guilds in Asia minor centred around the clothing industry. Very soon it was tightly controlled and linked to local deities of which some were adopted as the patron gods of the various trades. One given particular honour was Tyrimnus by the dyers guild. There was a shrine outside the city (sibyl) dedicated to Sambethe. Some commentators link this shrine to Jezebel but without proof.
As a result the dyers in town achieved notoriety and led the city in importance. The dyeing trade became the city’s flagstaff business along with fine bronze. Many wealthy royalty came to Thyatira seeking purple garments. The purple dye was extracted from the murex shells which was the only colour fast (long lasting) dye in antiquity. The red dye was extracted from the madder root. The city expanded more with bakers and slave traders and the more disreputable side of life. Of course, with the availability of slaves and disreputables, the guilds grew even stronger with temple prostitutes and guild girls. Guilds based their activities on syncretistic practices of idol worship, food sacrificed to idols and the orgies and other sexual activity which became part of belonging to a guild. That presented a challenge to the growing Christian church of how to maintain purity in the midst of the dirty business world. For a guild owner or worker to be a committed member of the guild required an accomodation to activities which went on there. If you sought fame and fortune from a guild you had to enter into guild life freely. Which forced Christians to compromise the instruction of God and Christ in order to participate. If you can imagine it; the guilds were a combination of a trade union, the chamber of commerce and a Freemason lodge, complete with secret ceremonies and other hidden things.
Now you are getting the sense of what life was like in Thyatira? Let’s consider the example of Lydia a moment. Luke introduced us to Lydia in Acts 16:14-15.
One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Acts 16:14-15
This passage and what follows gives us an insight into life back then. Lydia was Paul’s first convert in the city of Phillipi in Macedonia. We know from the text that she came from Thyatira and was a merchant of expensive purple cloth. You now know some very important things about her. She had moved to Phillipi from Thyatira. Why? She was a dealer, a trader in purple cloth, and her primary source was back in Thyatira. You can now put together a number of background facts in this story for yourself. To be a merchant in purple cloth she would had to have the cloth dyed in Thyatira and then taken it to Philippi herself, or at least shipped there. That would have necessitated Lydia making several trips back and forth to her birthplace to bring more purple cloth. To have stayed in business she would have had to have satisfied the Dyers Guild of her participation with them in the local cultural practices. So how did she manage to adjust the requirements of being part of the Dyers Guild with her beliefs as a Christian?
One thought which struck me was perhaps we find her in Philippi because it was easier for her to operate from Philippi than it was to be based in Thyatira. Yet there were guilds in most cities across the Roman Empire, just as there had been in the times when the Greeks ruled the region. Note the things which happened in Ephesus during Paul’s time; do you remember? If you don’t, look it up. (Acts 19:21-41) That gives you good background to what was happening in Thyatira but it also gives you an insight to both sides of the issue. I wonder whether it was easier for Lydia to be on the road as a supplier of purple cloth. Or had she moved from Thyatira to Philippi to avoid the pressure of the guilds to sin (especially the Dyers Guild) and thus was freer to be a Christian in Philippi than Thyatira?
But there is another side to this account. That’s the fact that Lydia was a woman merchant and not necessarily a dyer as such. The dye industry was a hard one for a woman to work in if she was a dyer by trade which she wasn’t; she was a merchant or trader in purple cloth. There was another difference, the distinction between men and women in a particular industry. It was likely easier for women in the industry when it came to the feasting and especially the revelry. They brought the slave girls and the temple prostitutes in for the men to indulge in sexual activity rather than the women. However it is fair to say free women did practice sexual deviancy as well. It wasn’t just that it was aimed more toward the men than the women. But there were temple prostitutes who were men as well as women. (see Gem 416 ) Enough said.
Tertullian is reported to have come to Thyatira in the Second Century to preach among those who were members of guilds. Most would have never thought that what they were doing was wrong according to Christian teaching. Involvement in guilds was just part of doing business. Surely it was fine and nothing to worry about. Tetullian is reported to have told those in Thyatira such behaviour was not alright, to which some replied, “But we must live , we have got to make a living”. To which Tertullian is reported to have said, “Why must you live?” His view was more focused on doing the will of God resulting in a strong pure Church. The members of the church of Thyatira it seems were troubled by what this early Church Father was saying. They didn’t see they were facing a Threat from Within and Threat from Without. Do you see what they faced? We will move on to that in the next Gem as we unpack what Jesus told John to write to them. Did you spot the two-pronged attack? Do you see it now?
What is fascinating about this letter and the church situation is that this church was the least significant of the seven churches addressed here in Revelation yet the introduction to the letter is the longest of the seven. Why is that do you think? Is it as some commentators have suggested that Jesus treats those whom others reject with greater dignity? Or do you detect another reason? Give it some thought before we address the issue. I think you will come across some other puzzling elements of this letter too. They too can wait until we get to them.
At least now you have the salient points of background to the letter highlighted for you. We will deal with the key points of what Jesus told John to write when we get to them.
Emulate the ermine which prizes the purity of its coat more than its life. They spread tar around the ermine’s burrow to snare it. The animal will not enter its burrow for fear of soiling its pure white fur.
Ian
Tertullian told the Christians in Thyatira “Why must you live?” [i.e. It’s better to lose your life for the sake of your purity.]
Tertullian
The purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation; that away, men are but gilded loam or painted clay.
William Shakespeare
You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.
John MacArthur
Christianity is a lifestyle and being a Christian is more than a label.
Joyce Meyer