12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the [111]sharp sword with two edges;
12. _And to the angel of the church in Pergamos._ See Notes on ch. i. 20. ¶ _These things saith he which hath the sharp sword_, &c. See Notes on ch. i. 16. Comp. He. iv. 12; Ec. xii. 11; Is. xlix. 2. Professor Stuart suggests that when the Saviour, as represented in the vision, “uttered words, as they proceeded from his mouth, the halitus which accompanied them assumed, in the view of John, the form of an igneous two-edged sword.” It is more probable, however, that the words which proceeded from his mouth did not assume anything like a form or substance, but John means to represent them _as if_ they were a sharp sword. His words cut and penetrate deep, and it was easy to picture him as having a sword proceeding from his mouth; that is, his words were as piercing as a sharp sword. As he was about to reprove the church at Pergamos, there was a propriety in referring to this power of the Saviour. Reproof cuts deep; and this is the idea represented here.
13 I[112] know thy works, and where thou dwellest, _even_ where Satan’s seat _is_: and thou holdest fast my name, and [113]hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas _was_ my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
