Pergamum has another name, Pergamos, as found in the Authorized version. The first mention name is more common, and we will use it here.
Pergamum comes form the word Peramos and has two meanings. One "marriage" and is applicable to this time when the church was "married" to the world. Church and State were unified by Constanine and his successors.
The second meaning was "elevation". Also applicable at this time when the church had a position of power.
How did this happen with Rome's worship of the Emperors? Constantine had a vision of a cross of fire and heard a voice. The message was, "In this sign, conquer." The translation given him was, that the cross is of the Christian religion and that our God was calling him personally. In addition, if he obeyed the voice of God, he would be able to defeat Maxentius and be Emperor....of the World! So, he accepted, called for Christian bishops and started learning the Christian way. He defeated Maxentius and did become Emperor...of the world. (That was the title.) One of his first decrees as Emperor was to liberate Christians.
Location:
Pergamum was out in the middle of nowhere. It was not on any of the great roads, and yet was the capitol city of the Seleucid kingdom and remained that until 133 B.C. Not only was it away from everything, it was built on a rather large, tall hill. While this city was not a trade city, it was a cultural city surpassing Ephesus and Smyrna. Most famous for its 200,000+ parchment rolls library.
Pergamam was a great religious center having two sites of note. One was the great alter of Zeus, the other was was to honor Asclepios, the "Pergamum god". The latter may be the one which is being called Satan's seat in the letter to the church. We will discuss that in our later blog.
Blessings on all
Calabash
Awesome. This goes into learning about a city which is integral to the 12th Imam
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