DIAGNOSIS OF THE SMRYNA CHURCH

The Diagnosis of the Church and its Condition

"I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

 

Five things are called to the attention of the reader, everyone of them good. Not one word of disapproval is leveled against this congregation.

This was a Progressive Church

"I know thy works" (erga).

But this does not appear in the better Greek text, and the R.V. of 1901 has left it out. Probably the reason for this lies in the fact that this was a persecuted church and it could go ahead with work as did the Ephesian church.

This was a Persecuted Church

"And tribulation" (thlipsis).

This is really an amazing statement. This is more than saying, "I know thy trials." It is more than persecution. It is pressure that presses in from all sides until there is no room for movement. They could not go forward, nor backward, nor to either side.

When it seemed that there might be relief in one direc­tion, their haters conjured up something else to bring pressure upon them. This pressure was such that it must eventuate in death for them. There is just so much that the human frame can endure. And finally it forced blood from them in death.

This was a Poverty Stricken Church "And thy poverty."

This means that these people were reduced to paupery or beggary. They had suffered the loss of possessions, home, trade, social position, even community life. Property was confiscated by the public treasury, informers being paid huge sums out of the estates thus taken over. Businesses were boycotted, trade interrupted, social position forfeited.

This was a Church that was Rich Spiritually

"But thou art rich."

These people were rich in faith toward God (James 2:5). They were rich toward God for they laid up their treasure for Him (Luke 12:21). They were suffering with him and would eventually be glorified with him as joint heirs (Rom. 8:17). Belonging to Christ as they did, the whole world was theirs (1 Cor. 3:21). They were the type, though poor, which were making others rich (2 Cor. 6:10).
5  "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"
21  "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."17  "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
21  "Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;"
10  "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

This was a Slandered Church

"And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

This is the thing that the apostle Paul faced time and again in his ministry. Jews constantly dogged his steps, stirring up the people against Christians. The charges were false, slanderous, and blasphemous. Blasphemy is intended to injure but affirming untruth about God or the things of God.

Though these attacks came from assemblies of Jews, they were not actually real Jews (Rom. 2:28-29). They were members of the Synagogue of Satan. And it is Satan's purpose to stamp out all who serve Christ and especially the message they bear which crowns Christ the Lord of life.
"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:" "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."