Difference between revisions of "Philadelphia"

<p> In Lydia, on the lower slopes of Tmolus, 28 miles S.E. of Sardis; built by Attalus II, Philadelphus, king of Pergamus, who died. 138 B.C. Nearly destroyed by an earthquake in Tiberius' reign (Tacitus, Annals 2:47). The connection of its church with the Jews causes Christ's address to have Old [[Testament]] coloring and imagery (&nbsp;Revelation 3:7-18). It and Smyrna alone of the seven, the most afflicted, receive unmixed praise. To Smyrna the promise is, "the synagogue of Satan" should not prevail against her faithful ones; to Philadelphia, she should even win over some of "the synagogue of Satan," ''(The Jews Who [[Might]] Have Been The Church Of God, But By [[Opposition]] Had [[Become]] "The [[Synagogue]] Of Satan")'' to "fall on their faces and confess God is in her of a truth" (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 14:25). </p> <p> Her name expresses "brotherly love," in conflict with legal bondage. Her converts fall low before those whom once they persecuted (&nbsp;Psalms 84:10; &nbsp;Acts 16:29-33). The promise, "him that overcometh I will make a pillar," i.e. immovably firm, stands in contrast to Philadelphia often shaken by earthquakes. Curiously, a portion of a stone church wall topped with arches of brick remains; the building must have been magnificent, and dates from Theodosius. The region being of disintegrated lava was favourable to the vine; and the coins bear the head of Bacchus. This church had but" little strength," i.e. was small in numbers and poor in resources, of small account in men's eyes. </p> <p> The cost of repairing the often shaken city taxed heavily the citizens. [[Poverty]] tended to humility; conscious of weakness Philadelphia leant on Christ her strength (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:9); so she "kept His word," and when tested did "not deny His name." So "He who hath the key of David, He that openeth and no man shutteth," "set before" Philadelphia an open door which no man can shut. [[Faithful]] in keeping the word of Christ's patience ''(I.E. The Persevering [[Endurance]] Which He Requires)'' Philadelphia was kept, i.e. delivered, out of the hour of temptation. "Among the Greek churches of Asia Philadelphia is still erect, a column in a scene of ruins, a pleasing example that the paths of honour and safety may be sometimes the same." (Gibbon.) The Turks call it '''''Αllah Shehr''''' , "city of God"; or rather, "beautiful ( ''''''Alah''''' ) city." </p>

<p> '''Philadel'phia.''' Strictly, '''Philadelphi'a.''' ''(Brotherly Love).'' A town on the confines of Lydia and Phrygia Catacecaumene, 25 southeast of Sardis, and built by Attalus II, king of Pergamos, who died B.C. 138. It was situated on the lower slopes of Tmolus, and is still represented by a town called ''Allah-Shehr'' , ([[City Of God]] ). Its elevation is 952 feet above the sea. The original population of Philadelphia seems to have been Macedonian; but there was, as appears from &nbsp;Leviticus 3:9, a synagogue of Hellenizing Jews there, as well as a Christian church. (It was the seat of one of "the seven churches of Asia.") </p> <p> The locality was subject to constant earthquakes, which, in the time of Strabo, rendered even the town walls of Philadelphia unsafe. The expense of reparation was constant, and hence, perhaps, the poverty of the members of the church. &nbsp;Revelation 3:8. (The church was highly commended). &nbsp;Revelation 3:7-13. Even Gibbon bears the following well-known testimony to the truth of the prophecy, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee in the hour of temptation": "At a distance from the sea, forgotten by the (Greek) emperor encompassed, all sides by the Turks, her valiant citizens defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years. </p> <p> Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect, a column in a scene of ruins." "The modern town ( ''Allah-Shehr'' , [[City Of God]] ), although spacious, containing 3000 houses and 10,000 inhabitants, is badly built; the dwellings are mean and the streets filthy. The inhabitants are mostly Turks. A few ruins are found, including remains of a wall, and about twenty-five churches. In one place are four strong marble pillars, which once supported the dome of a church. One of the old mosques is believed, by the native Christians, to have been the church, in which assembled, the primitive [[Christians]] addressed, in the Apocalypse." Whitney's Bible Geography). </p>

<p> City of Lydia, in the west of Asia Minor. It was founded by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamos. It has been more or less destroyed by earthquakes several times, but is still an important town, with ancient ruins, called <i> Alla </i> <i> Shehr. </i> &nbsp;Revelation 1:11; &nbsp;Revelation 3:7 . </p> <p> The assembly in this city was one of the "seven churches in Asia" to which the addresses in the Revelation were sent. The address to Philadelphia shows that the church there was characterised by little strength, but by <i> faithfulness. </i> If the seven addresses be viewed historically, this one comes after those representing [[Popery]] and Protestantism, intimating that when all hope of restoring the church is over, there may still be found a company keeping Christ's word and not denying His name. See [[Revelation]] </p>

<p> [[Philadelphia]] ( ''Fĭl'A-Dĕl'Fi-A'' ), ''Brotherly Love.'' &nbsp;Revelation 3:7. A city on the borders of Lydia and Phrygia, about 25 miles southeast of Sardis. It was built by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamos, who died b.c. 138. Philadelphia is mentioned in the New Testament as the seat of one of the seven churches. &nbsp;Revelation 1:11; &nbsp;Revelation 3:7-13. The church at this place was highly commended, and it is noticeable that the city has survived all the vicissitudes of earthquakes and wars until the present day. </p>

<p> [strictly Philadelphi'a] ( '''''Φιλαδέλφεια''''' '', [[Brotherly]] Love),'' one of the.seven cities of Asia Minor to which the admonitions in the Apocalypse were addressed (&nbsp;Revelation 1:11; &nbsp;Revelation 2:7). The town stood about twenty-five miles south-east from Sardis, in N. lat. 320 28', E. long. 280 30', in the plain of Hermus, about midway between the river of that name and the termination of Mount Tmolus. It was the second in Lydia (Ptolemy, 5:2; Pliny, ''Hist. Nat.'' 5:30), and was built by king Attalus Philadelphus from whom it took its name. In B.C. 133 the place passed, with the dominion in which it lay, to the Romans. The soil was extremely favorable to the growth of vines, celebrated by [[Virgil]] ''(Georg.'' 2:98) for the soundness of the wine they produced; and in all probability Philadelphia was built by Attalus as a mart for the great wine-producing region, extending for 500 stadia in length by 400 in breadth. Its coins have on them the head of [[Bacchus]] or a female Bacchant. [[Strabo]] compares the soil with that in the neighborhood of Catana, in Sicily; and modern travellers describe the appearance of the country as resembling a billowy sea of disintegrated lava, with here and there vast trap-dikes protruding. </p> <p> The original population of Philadelphia seems to have been Macedonian, and the national character to have been retained even in the time of Pliny. There was, however, as appears from &nbsp;Revelation 3:9, a synagogue of Hellenizing Jews there, as well as a Christian Church-a circumstance to be expected when we recollect that [[Antiochus]] the Great introduced into Phrygia 2000 families of Jews, removing them from [[Babylon]] and Mesopotamia, for the purpose of counteracting the seditious temper of the Phrygians; and that he gave them lands and provisions, and exempted them from taxes (Josephus, Ant. 12:3, 4). The locality continued to 'be subject to constant earthquakes, which in the time of Strabo (13:628) rendered even the town-walls of Philadelphia unsafe; but its inhabitants held pertinaciously to the spot, perhaps from the profit which naturally accrued to them from their city being the staple of the great wine-district. But the expense of reparation was constant, and hence perhaps the poverty of the members of the Christian Church ( '''''Οιδα''''' . . . '''''Ὅτι''''' '''''Μικρὰν''''' '''''Ἔχεις''''' '''''Δύναμιν''''' '','' &nbsp;Revelation 3:8), who no doubt were a portion of the urban popullation, and heavily taxed for public purposes, as well as subject to private loss by the destruction of their own property. Philadelphia was not of sufficient importance in the Roman times to have law-courts of its own, but belonged to a jurisdiction of which Sardis was the centre. It continued to be a place of importance and of strength down to the Byzantine age; and of all the towns in Asia Minor it withstood the Turks the longest. It was taken by Bajazet I in A.D. 1392. [[Furious]] at the resistance which he had met with, Bajazet put to death the defenders of the city, and many of the inhabitants besides (see G. Pachym. page 290; Mich. Due. page 70; Chalcond. page 33). </p>