John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against thee ,.... The members of this church before their open separation from the apostasy; who still continued in the communion of the corrupt church of Rome, though they remonstrated against the errors and evil practices that crept in; and so were a stumbling block, and a snare to others to join in their idolatry and superstition: because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:13
I know thy works ,.... Both good and bad, and which in that pure part of this church, which opposed the growing corruptions of antichrist, were for the most part good, And where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is . Pergamos was a city very much given to idolatry, here Satan reigned while it was Pagan, and so was a fit emblem of the idolatrous church of Rome. Pausanias says F1 L. 1. sive Attica, p. 8. , the country the Pergamenes inhabited was sacred to the Cabiri, the... read more