The City of Smyrna

 

By Dale J. Babinsky     Another of the important cities of Asia Minor is the city of Smyrna. Smyrna sat on the western coast of Asia, about sixty miles north of Ephesus, and is the modern day city of Izmir, currently in the country of Turkey. It appears that Smyrna was inhabited some 3,000 years prior to the birth of Christ. The city flourished for a time until it was destroyed by the ancient Lydians from Sardis sometime in the 7th century BC. The city lay in ruins until 334 BC, when it was rebuilt in an area further south of its original location by Alexander the Great through the Seleucids.     The citizens of Smyrna, perhaps seeing the hand writing on the wall, gave allegiance to the upstart Roman Empire in 195 BC. This allowed the city to flourish once again economically. As part of their allegiance to Rome, a temple was built to honor Rome as a deity. Later, another temple would be built in AD 26 in which the Roman Emperor would be honored. The city would become the center of Emperor worship that would plague the early church later towards the end of the first century during the reign of Domitian. Near the city is Mt. Pagos, and the citadel that sits at the top of the mountain was known as the crown of Smyrna. Ancient Smyrna was the birthplace of Homer, and was also important as the place of death of Polycarp in AD 155.     Very little is said or known about Smyrna from a Biblical perspective aside from the mention of the church there within the book of Revelation. It is interesting that Christ identifies Himself as He who was dead, but now lives to the church in Smyrna. This may be a play on words due to the fact that Smyrna was dead for some 300 years before it was rebuilt under Alexander.     It is also noted in Revelation that there is a synagogue of Satan in Smyrna, which may be a reference to the temple for the emperor cult of Rome. The church of Smyrna was one of only two churches that did not receive any condemnation by Christ in the Revelation. Although they are suffering persecution and poverty, Christ denotes how they are actually rich because of their obedience to Him. They were to have more tribulation for a time period, but were encouraged to remain faithful unto death in order to receive the crown of life. This may also be a play on words referring to the citadel known in Smyrna as the crown.

- Dale J. Babinsky preaches for the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/