Passage: Revelation 2:8-11

The Big Idea

Smyrna means “myrrh,” a resin whose fragrance is only released when it’s crushed or burned. This church was being crushed: poor, slandered, imprisoned and martyred. Yet Jesus had no correction for them at all. To a suffering church He reveals Himself as the One who died and came back to life, and He tells them not to fear. For a Christian, suffering isn’t the enemy. It’s a narrow way that leads to life, and it releases the beautiful fragrance of Christ.

Are You Being Crushed?

Are you suffering? Broken? Being crushed?

Here’s something true for every Christian: the more you suffer, the more you lose interest in other things, and the more you focus on Jesus and trust Him from the depths of your heart.

Suffering isn’t the enemy for a Christian. It’s a way. A narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:14). It’s a way of life.

The City of Myrrh (Revelation 2:8)

Smyrna was a large, wealthy port city about 35 miles north of Ephesus, often called one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

It overlooked a harbor, and much of the region’s trade flowed through it.
It had been destroyed and later rebuilt as one of the first planned cities of the ancient world. People called it the city that came back to life.
It was a center of idol worship and of worship of the Roman emperors.

The name Smyrna is the Greek word for myrrh, a resin that bleeds from a tree when its bark is pierced. Myrrh had four main uses:

Medicine, to dull pain. Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh on the cross (Mark 15:23).
Perfume, more costly than gold. Esther soaked in oil of myrrh for six months before meeting the king (Esther 2:12). It’s good to soak in God’s will. It makes you a fragrance for the King.
Burial. Myrrh was used to prepare Jesus’ body (John 19:39).
Incense, burned in worship.

Notice: the fragrance only comes out when myrrh is crushed or burned. This church was being crushed and burned, and Jesus loved the fragrance.

A Revelation of Jesus

Jesus introduces Himself as “the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life.”

The First and the Last is God’s own title. In Isaiah, the LORD says He is the First and the Last, and besides Him there is no God (Isaiah 44:6). Jesus is claiming to be God. “I’m everything you need, the beginning and the end.” Not one more ruler in a line of emperors.
Who was dead and came to life. “Your city came back to life? That’s what I’m like.” He suffered. He drank the cup of judgment we deserved, because He loved us. And now He’s alive. Death is no problem for Him.

This is the part of His description Jesus chose for this suffering church, because it’s exactly what they needed.

An Encouragement (Revelation 2:9)

Jesus says He knows their works, their tribulation and their poverty, but they are rich.

The word for tribulation (thlipsis) means pressure or crushing, the same idea as crushing myrrh.
The word for poverty means extreme poverty. Not just poor, but destitute, in one of the richest cities around. When someone in Smyrna turned to Jesus, they often lost everything.
But you are rich. Jesus sees differently than we do. Their faith was like gold refined in the fire, and the more they suffered, the richer they became (1 Peter 1:6-7).

The writer of Hebrews describes believers who joyfully accepted the seizure of their property, because they knew they had a better and lasting possession in heaven (Hebrews 10:34). That’s real freedom: not even being crushed when your stuff is taken.

Do we think like Jesus about our troubles?
In the fire, do we remember that He is giving us riches that will never fade in the millions of years to come?
We’re so short-sighted when all we want is for the suffering to stop.

Riches aren’t sinful. But Jesus warned how hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom (Mark 10:23-25). We easily trust our riches more than Christ, and worry about losing them if we really follow Him. This church was free from worldly concerns because it had been stripped of worldly possessions.

Opposition from the synagogue

Jesus also knows the slander of “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

In Smyrna, some in the local synagogue joined in stirring up opposition against the Christians. Early accounts of Polycarp’s martyrdom describe this.
Jesus says that belonging to God isn’t about outward identity. Paul wrote that a true Jew is one inwardly, whose heart has been changed by the Spirit, and whose praise comes from God, not people (Romans 2:28-29).
Outward religion without a heart surrendered to God’s Son ends up on the wrong side. That’s Satan’s whole approach: “I don’t need You, God. I’m fine on my own.”

This is a warning about religious hearts that reject Jesus, not a license to look down on Jewish people. Jesus and the apostles were Jewish, and Paul longed for his people to be saved (Romans 10:1).

Do Not Fear (Revelation 2:10)

Jesus tells them not to fear what they are about to suffer. The devil would throw some of them into prison to test them, and they would have tribulation for ten days. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Many see this letter as a picture of the persecuted church, from the late first century until the early 300s.
Church historians traditionally count ten major waves of Roman persecution, from Nero through Diocletian. Many teachers see the “ten days” as pointing to these.
Following Jesus often cost believers their lives. And yet this was one of the greatest periods of growth in all of church history.

Polycarp

Polycarp was the pastor in Smyrna, a disciple of the apostle John. Around AD 155, during a public festival, the crowd demanded his arrest. The authorities urged the old man to simply swear by Caesar and save himself. His answer has echoed through history: “Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

When they threatened him with fire, he told them they threatened a fire that burns for an hour and then goes out, but they didn’t know the fire of the coming judgment. He was bound to the stake and died faithful.

Faithful until death

Faith is worth more than life itself. Would you trust Jesus even facing death?
Corrie ten Boom once remembered asking her father how she could ever be brave enough to die for Jesus. He reminded her that he gave her a train ticket right when she needed to board, not weeks before. God gives dying grace when it’s time to die. He will be faithful to you there.

You’ll never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.

That’s why we need the crushing, the pain and the trials. They crack us open, so the beauty Jesus is planting inside us can come out for the world to see and for the Father to enjoy, like the fragrance of myrrh (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The crown of life

Greek had two words for crown. One was a royal crown. The other, used here, was the stephanos, the victory wreath given to a winning athlete. Jesus is saying, “You’re My winners.” This is a race, and you are winning by faith. You were willing to suffer and be broken for Me, and I will never forget it.

His gift for faith is life: never-ending, perfect, eternal life. “I will give.” It’s His promise.

Most of us aren’t facing lions. But we can still be broken. We can still trust God and follow Him when it hurts. We’re so quick to run away from suffering. This church shows us how to run toward it, for Jesus’ sake.

A Motivation (Revelation 2:11)

The one who overcomes won’t be hurt by the second death.

The second death is the lake of fire, final separation from God (Revelation 20:14; 21:8). Satan could threaten their bodies, but he couldn’t touch their eternity.
We overcome by staying close to Jesus, the ultimate Overcomer. He said that in this world we will have tribulation, but take heart; He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Jesus’ answer to pain is the only answer that truly satisfies the soul: “Abide in Me, and I will make it all worth it.”

The more you hurt now, the more you’ll be blessed later.
The more you suffer now, the more you’ll be comforted (2 Corinthians 4:17).
The way up is down. To increase, we must decrease. It’s an upside-down kingdom.

Jesus didn’t need to bring a single word of correction to this church.

Grace Takeaway

If you’re suffering, don’t fear; God is working it for blessing. If you’re broken, don’t fear; others are being blessed by the fragrance of Christ coming out of you. If you’re being crushed, don’t fear; the Father delights in the beautiful Spirit He’s placed in you. The One who speaks to you was dead and is alive. He has already been through the crushing for you, and He will carry you through yours.

For Discussion

What was myrrh used for in ancient times? What does it picture in this letter?
What are some ways people suffer in our day? Do these troubles have different causes?
Why does God allow the devil to harm His church?
This study suggests that suffering is something to run toward for Christ’s sake, not away from. Where might that apply in your life? What do you need in order to do it?
Dig deeper: the second death.
– Revelation 21:8. What is the first death? What is the second death?
– Mark 16:15-16. Who escapes condemnation? How does this speak to you when you feel condemned?
– Revelation 21:8; 22:15. What characterizes those who are lost? What do they love? What are we called to love?
– Mark 9:45-48. How long does the second death last?

← Ephesus: Coming Home to Your First Love | All Revelation notes | Pergamos: Cheating on Jesus →

Smyrna: Suffering as a Way of Life