Rev 2:9.... and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Notice the term "synagogue of Satan" that it used to describe the Jews. It is taking a favorite term of the Jews and twisting it. The term was utilized when the Jews gathered and called themselves " the assembly of the Lord". The Jews were the major instigators of the persecution of the Christians. It is seen several times in the book of Acts alone. There were six main reasons for the slanders of the Christians at that time.:
1. The taking of the Sacrament- (this is my body, this is my blood) lead to stories of cannibalism.
2. Common meal was titled Agape, or Love Feast. This lead to stories of orgies.
3. The Christians did not worship an image. Many could not (and still do not) understand the worship of a god that you cannot see.
4. Families were split (and again still are today) with the belief of Christ and those in the family who do not.
5. The Christians told of the end of the world in flames, this is being incendiary.
6. And finally, they would not state "Cesar is Lord" so there was disloyalty politically.
The Christians were told not to fear and the suffering would continue. And it did, two centuries of Roman persecution, starting with Nero. There were many governors that put many Christians to death just because they were Christians. (This still happens today...look at China and Egypt). The last Roman "lord" to do this was Diocletian, he was the 10th. the early Christians believed he would be the last and was. Ironside in his Book, Lectures on Revelation puts it the best, "The testimony of the dying again and again led their very persecutors to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior because of the convincing power of the truth manifested in the martyrs. Satan's effort to destroy Christianity by persecution was in vain."
The crown of life is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Crowns were a sign of honor, victory, accomplishment .....a real winner! They were presented to not only athletes but to the man who faithfully performed the work of a magistrate.
Crown in the Greek has two words in discription. One diadema, meaning royal crown and two, Stephanos having a meaning to do with joy and victory. Stephanos associates with many meanings, all of them have something to do with riches to thought the word. It is not a royal crown we will be offered in the final victory.
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