啓示錄 2:12-28章 Revelations 2:12-28
- 馬克牧師
- Jul 3
- 12 min read
各位平安，這一講我們繼續來分享《啟示錄》第二章的下半段經文。
接下來，我們看到約翰寫信給的是別迦摩教會。
這一次，耶穌的自我介紹是：「那有兩刃利劍的說。」接著祂說：「我知道你的居所，就是有撒但座位之處。」哇，這開場聽起來就很強烈，對吧？
那我們先來認識一下別迦摩這個地方。今天的別迦摩，就是現在土耳其西部的一座城市，叫做 Bergama，它位於士每拿北邊，大概100公里左右。
別迦摩不像以弗所那樣是靠商業發展起來的城市，它比較特別，是以文化、學術著稱。這裡曾經擁有當時世界上最頂尖的圖書館之一，規模僅次於埃及的亞歷山大圖書館。
這座圖書館裡收藏了大量的書籍，都是寫在羊皮紙上。英文裡的 parchment（羊皮紙）這個字，其實就是從別迦摩（Pergamon）這個地名演變來的。因為，這種紙就是他們發明的。
說到這裡，有個蠻有趣的歷史故事可以分享：大約在公元前三世紀的時候，別迦摩的國王歐曼尼斯二世（Eumenes II）想要把自己的圖書館發展成當時全世界最大的藏書中心。他還試著從埃及亞歷山大圖書館「挖角」，想請那裡的館長，拜占庭的阿里斯多芬尼（Aristophanes of Byzantium）跳槽來他這邊工作。
結果這件事被當時的埃及法老知道了，他非常不爽，不只把自己的圖書館員關起來，還下令禁止把紙莎草紙（就是當時主要的書寫材料）運到別迦摩。
別迦摩人也不是省油的燈，他們反而激發了創意，用動物皮製作出一種新的書寫材料，也就是後來我們熟知的羊皮紙（parchment）。這種紙更耐久、更高級，還逐漸取代了紙莎草紙。
所以你如果玩過一些 RPG 遊戲，看到那種古老的羊皮捲，那就是從這裡來的！別迦摩不只是文化重鎮，也在書寫歷史上留下很深的印記。
那到底什麼是「撒但的座位」呢？
當時在別迦摩，有一個非常重要的宗教信仰中心——其中最著名的一位神就是希臘神話中的醫神，名字叫做阿斯克勒庇俄斯（Asclepius）。你也許沒聽過這個名字，但你肯定看過他的象徵：就是那根上面纏著一條蛇的杖。這個符號至今仍被許多醫療機構和衛生單位採用，作為醫療的標誌。如果你去看看衛生部的標誌，最上面的那根纏著蛇的杖就是了。
在希臘傳說裡，阿斯克勒庇俄斯是宙斯的兒子，所以在別迦摩，他不只是醫神，也是被高度尊崇的神明。當時的宙斯神廟就在那裡，非常巨大、氣勢磅礡。而敬拜阿斯克勒庇俄斯的神廟，甚至某種程度上就像今天的醫院，很多人會專程來這裡求醫治。
神廟裡的「療癒」工作，有些是由祭司操作，有些則是專業的醫師負責處理。但重點是：這個醫神的象徵是一條蛇，這就讓人聯想到聖經中常見的蛇形象——就是撒但。撒但在創世記裡就是以蛇的形象出現的。所以對當時的基督徒來說，在這個城裡敬拜「蛇神」，而且這個信仰還支配了整個城市文化，很自然地就會被約翰稱為「撒但的座位」。
更別說，在這樣的背景下，基督徒往往會因為不參與這些宗教活動而被排擠、逼迫，所以他們真的活在撒但勢力掌控的城市當中。
那耶穌為什麼自稱是「那有兩刃利劍的」呢？這也非常有意思。
原來，在當時的羅馬政治體系中，總督分成兩種：有些總督是「沒有佩劍權」的，也就是說他們只能做行政，不能審判處決。但別迦摩的總督是「有佩劍權」的，意思是他有權力審判、甚至執行死刑。
所以，當耶穌說祂是「那有兩刃利劍的」，一方面是在提醒信徒：真正有生殺大權的，不是羅馬總督，而是祂——主耶穌。
另一方面，我們也可以聯想到《希伯來書》4:12-13裡說的：「神的道是活潑的，是有功效的，比一切兩刃的劍更鋒利。」這把「兩刃的劍」也代表神的話語，是能刺入人心、辨明真假的。
所以這裡有雙重意思：
權柄上的宣告：耶穌才是生死的主宰，不是羅馬政府。
屬靈上的提醒：耶穌的話語比任何權力更有力量，能分辨真假，能刺透靈魂。
接下來，約翰在寫給別迦摩教會的信中，提到了一個很重要的提醒——他說，這裡「有人服從了巴蘭的教訓」。
對於猶太人來說，提到巴蘭這個名字，大家都會立刻聯想到一件事：錯誤的教導。《民數記》31章16節講得很清楚，那些婦女是按照巴蘭的計謀，引誘以色列人去敬拜偶像、行淫亂的事，結果導致耶和華的百姓遭遇瘟疫，差點被毀滅。
所以「巴蘭的教訓」在猶太人心中，就是一個超負面的例子，是典型的「假先知」害人走偏。
而這段話為什麼那麼重呢？因為相較之下，以弗所教會是痛恨尼哥拉黨的異端，但別迦摩教會卻有「有人服從了巴蘭的教訓」，意思是：有人已經被這些錯誤教導帶偏了，甚至還在教會裡影響其他人。
那巴蘭的錯在哪？其實主要就是兩件事：吃祭過偶像的食物，行淫亂的事
這些事情和尼哥拉黨的教導很像。他們也主張一種「信了耶穌就可以隨便活」的錯誤自由主義，鼓勵信徒妥協、放縱自己。所以約翰這裡不是只說表面的行為，他是在提醒：這種教導本質上和巴蘭是一樣的，都是假先知、引人偏離真理。
你看，短短幾句經文，約翰不只用了當地的文化背景，還帶進舊約的歷史和象徵，讓人一聽就明白 —— 這不是小事，是關係到整個教會存亡的大事。
接著，耶穌說：「我要用我口中的劍攻擊他們。」這就呼應了前面提到的「兩刃的利劍」，也就是神的話語。這把劍不只是防衛，更是審判，是對付錯誤教導的利器。
而寫給得勝者的應許也非常有意思。他說：「我要把那隱藏的嗎哪賜給他。」這就又讓我們回到舊約，以色列人在曠野四十年，就是靠嗎哪活下來的。嗎哪代表的是從天上來的供應，是神親自餵養、供應的靈糧。
所以，對猶太人來說，這句話有很深的意義——耶穌在說：「只要你堅持到底、不被錯誤教導帶走，我會親自餵養你，我會成為你真正的供應。」
你看，約翰寫這封信不只是有內容、有提醒，他連用字、結構、舊約連結都非常用心。真的是一位非常有神學底蘊，也很有文筆的僕人。
接下來，我們來看耶穌寫給推雅推喇教會的信。
首先，耶穌的自我介紹是：「那眼目如火焰、腳像光明銅的神之子說。」你會發現，這個描述跟其他幾封信比起來，語氣是特別強烈的。這是一種威嚴的形象，就像一位審判者站在那裡，眼睛像火焰，可以看透人心，看透一切虛假。祂的腳像光明銅，代表堅固、有力，不會被動搖，也預示著祂要帶來公義的審判。
當我們看到這樣的開場，就知道，這封信接下來要說的話，不會是輕鬆的稱讚，可能會有比較嚴厲的提醒。
那麼，推雅推喇是一個什麼樣的城市呢？
推雅推喇這個城市，當時並不是特別重要的政治或宗教中心，而是個製造業發達的城市。我們可以把它想像成一個類似今天的工業城市，聚集了很多技術工人與商人。這裡有很多所謂的「行會」，你可以把它想成古代版的工會，像是染布業、金工、銅匠、陶瓷等等各行各業的組織。
《使徒行傳》中提到一位賣紫色布匹的婦人——呂底亞，她就是來自推雅推喇。紫色布在當時是很高級的商品，所以她應該是相當有地位、有資源的商人。
不過，問題也就出在這些「行會」上。
這些古代的行會，不只是職業團體而已，也是社交上的重要組織，甚至類似於幫派，它們經常會舉辦異教的祭典、宴會，甚至包含淫亂的活動與拜偶像的儀式。對基督徒來說，這非常衝突。你不參加吧，就可能失去工作，被排擠；但你參加了，又會妥協信仰。這讓推雅推喇的信徒陷入兩難：到底要忠於主，還是保住飯碗？
說實話，這跟我們今天的處境其實很像。比方說，在某些行業裡，初一十五要拜拜，公司同事會拉你一起參加民間信仰的活動，或是飯局、應酬場合大家都會「走個過場」，甚至會說這是「職場文化」「大家都這樣」。有些基督徒可能會覺得：「不參加好像不合群，這樣怎麼建立人脈？怎麼升遷？會不會斷了合作機會？」
所以，就有不少人會「不得已」地妥協了，跟著去、跟著做，心裡不舒服，卻也說服自己「只是做做樣子而已」。久而久之，信仰的立場就模糊了，身份也模糊了。
這正是推雅推喇教會面對的問題。
耶穌責備他們的一件大事，就是——他們容讓那自稱是女先知的耶洗別，在教會中引導人行淫亂、吃祭偶像之物。
你還記得我們之前講到的巴蘭，他是一個代表假先知、帶人偏離神的人；而這裡的「耶洗別」，就是另一種代表 —— 壞女人、壞皇后的象徵人物。
她的事蹟記載在《列王紀上》16–21章。耶洗別是北國以色列亞哈王的妻子，是巴力的狂熱信徒，一個心狠手辣的女人。她不但帶頭推動拜偶像，還殺害耶和華的先知，迫害真信仰，把整個國家帶進靈性墮落。
約翰在啟示錄裡引用這個名字，不一定是說那位女教導者真的叫耶洗別，而是她的影響力、行為模式、屬靈狀態，就像古代那位耶洗別一樣。她包裝得很「屬靈」，說：「沒關係啦，這只是文化」、「這只是社會習慣」，其實背後是鼓勵妥協，鼓勵信徒去做與神心意相違背的事。
耶穌說得很直接：「我曾給她悔改的機會，她卻不肯悔改。」所以祂接著說：「我要使她病倒，她那些與她行淫的人也要同受災難。」
但與此同時，耶穌也對那些沒有跟從她教導，仍然持守信仰的信徒，給出一句溫柔又堅定的鼓勵：「你們要持守我所吩咐的，直到我來。」
然後，祂給得勝者一個非常榮耀的應許：「我要賜給他權柄制伏列國，並賜他晨星。」
這裡的「晨星」，在聖經裡常常象徵耶穌自己。也就是說，這些忠心到底、沒有妥協的信徒，將會與主一同掌權、一同得著基督，一同進入榮耀。
啓示錄對於每一個教會的教訓的文字，都有相當深厚的當時背景以及當地文化，而其實這些的教訓對於今天的教會一樣適用，因為我們同樣也經歷著各種社會的壓力和文化，這些假先知和錯誤教導的事情，到今天都依然存在。當我們深入去了解啟示錄文字背後的意義的時候，你就會知道這本書其實極有內涵，值得研究。
這一講分享啟示錄第二章，我們下一講繼續講啟示錄第三章，關於另外三間教會的教訓，感謝各位的聆聽，願上帝祝福各位。
Peace to you all. Today, we continue our study of the second half of Revelation chapter 2. We now come to the letter John wrote to the church in Pergamum.
This time, Jesus introduces Himself as “the one who has the sharp double-edged sword.” Then He says, “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne.” Wow, that’s a powerful opening, right?
First, let’s get to know Pergamum. Today, it's known as Bergama, a city in western Turkey, about 100 kilometers north of Smyrna. Unlike Ephesus, which was a commercial hub, Pergamum was known for its culture and scholarship. It housed one of the most renowned libraries of the ancient world, second only to the Library of Alexandria in Egypt.
This library contained a vast collection of books written on parchment. In fact, the English word “parchment” comes from “Pergamon” because this is where the material was invented.
There’s an interesting bit of history here: Around the 3rd century BC, King Eumenes II of Pergamum wanted to make his library the greatest in the world. He even tried to “headhunt” Aristophanes of Byzantium, the director of the Library of Alexandria. When the Egyptian Pharaoh found out, he was furious. He jailed his own librarian and banned the export of papyrus to Pergamum.
But the people of Pergamum got creative—they developed a new writing material made from animal skin, which became known as parchment. It was more durable and eventually replaced papyrus. So if you’ve ever played RPG games and seen ancient scrolls made of parchment—that's where it originated.
Pergamum wasn't just a cultural center—it left a major mark in writing history.
Now, what does “Satan’s throne” mean?
In Pergamum, one of the most prominent religious centers was the temple of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing. You might not know his name, but you've definitely seen his symbol: a rod with a serpent wrapped around it. This symbol is still used today in many medical logos.
According to Greek mythology, Asclepius was the son of Zeus and highly revered. His temple in Pergamum functioned much like a hospital—people traveled from afar to seek healing there. Some treatments were performed by priests, others by professional doctors. But the key point is: the serpent was his symbol. And in the Bible, the serpent is often associated with Satan—remember Genesis?
So to early Christians, a city devoted to serpent worship naturally felt like a place ruled by Satan. Add to that the persecution they faced for not participating in these rituals, and it’s easy to see why John called it "Satan’s throne."
Why does Jesus call Himself “the one with the double-edged sword”? It’s symbolic.
In Roman politics, some governors had what was called “the right of the sword”—they could sentence people to death. Pergamum’s governor had that power. So when Jesus says He holds the sword, He’s reminding believers: ultimate authority over life and death doesn’t lie with Rome, but with Him.
This also ties into Hebrews 4:12–13, which describes God’s word as sharper than any double-edged sword—able to pierce the soul and discern truth. So this image speaks both of divine authority and the power of God’s word.
John then warns that some in the church are following “the teaching of Balaam.” To the Jewish audience, Balaam is synonymous with false teaching. Numbers 31:16 explains how Balaam advised women to seduce Israelite men into idolatry and sexual immorality, leading to a devastating plague.
So when John mentions Balaam’s teaching, he’s pointing to serious compromise—some in the church had already been misled and were influencing others.
Balaam’s key issues were:
Eating food sacrificed to idols
Sexual immorality
These teachings were similar to those of the Nicolaitans, who promoted a twisted version of Christian freedom: “Since we believe in Jesus, anything goes.” It encouraged compromise and self-indulgence.
Jesus then says, “I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” That’s a callback to the sword imagery—it’s God’s word, used not just to defend, but to judge and correct.
To the faithful, Jesus promises “the hidden manna.” Just like the Israelites were sustained by manna in the wilderness, Jesus offers spiritual nourishment to those who remain faithful. It’s a powerful reminder that if you stay true and resist false teaching, He Himself will sustain you.
John’s letter is theologically rich, deeply thoughtful, and beautifully written. He weaves together local culture, Old Testament references, and powerful metaphors to get his message across.
Now, let’s move on to the letter to the church in Thyatira.
Jesus introduces Himself as “the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” Compared to the other letters, this introduction is intense. It presents Him as a divine judge—eyes that see through pretense, and feet that are strong and unshakable.
Thyatira wasn’t a major political or religious center. It was more like an industrial town, known for its skilled trades. Think of it as an ancient version of a manufacturing city, with various trade guilds—like dye-makers, metalworkers, potters, etc.
Acts mentions Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, who was from Thyatira. That means she was likely a successful businesswoman.
But here’s the issue: these trade guilds often held pagan feasts and rituals that included idol worship and sexual immorality. For Christians, this posed a dilemma: participate and keep your job, or abstain and risk exclusion. It was a real test of faith and compromise.
This sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Even today, Christians in the workplace may feel pressure to conform to social norms or cultural practices that conflict with their beliefs.
In Thyatira, Jesus confronts this issue head-on. He condemns the church for tolerating a woman called “Jezebel,” who calls herself a prophetess and leads others into immorality and idolatry. This likely wasn’t her real name, but a symbolic reference.
In 1 Kings 16–21, Jezebel was a queen married to King Ahab of Israel—a zealous idol worshiper who murdered God’s prophets and led the nation into spiritual decay.
Here in Revelation, “Jezebel” represents a similar influence—someone in the church who sounds spiritual but is actually promoting compromise. She probably said things like, “It’s just culture” or “This is how society works,” encouraging believers to do things contrary to God’s will.
Jesus says clearly: “I gave her time to repent, but she was unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly.”
But He also comforts those who stayed faithful: “Hold on to what you have until I come.” And He promises a great reward to the overcomers: “I will give authority over the nations… and the morning star.”
In Scripture, the “morning star” often symbolizes Jesus Himself. So He’s saying: if you stay faithful, you’ll share in His reign, His presence, and His glory.
Each of these letters in Revelation is packed with cultural and historical context, but their messages remain incredibly relevant today. We still face pressures to compromise. False teachings still exist. And Revelation continues to call us to hold fast to the truth.
That wraps up Revelation chapter 2. In the next session, we’ll dive into chapter 3 and explore the lessons from the next three churches. Thanks for listening, and may God bless you all.
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