It Starts Small

Thyatira is located southeast of Pergamum, approximately 25 miles. The city was founded by Seleueus Nicator who was a general to Alexander the Great. This city was on the plains with no natural fortifications. Think of the United States and one of its many forts located on the prairie. This city was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Many coins have been found in the ancient ruins and they depict a horseman bearing a double-bladed battle-ax. This indicated it was a calvary post.

Refounded by Seleucus I Nicator approximately three centuries before the time of Christ, the small city became a commercial center for the economy of the area. Situated on a lesser road between Pergamos and Sardis, residents of the city became wealthy and, like people of other nearby cities, built temples to pagan gods.

Many commentators have given different meanings to it’s name:

-sweet savor of labor

-sacrifice of contrition

-weakness made strong

-never weary of sacrifice.

When the letter was written to this church, it was a very important manufacturing city. The city was the complete opposite of Pergamum. It was filled with mostly poor laborers. The workmen belong to guilds or labor unions as we would call them today. the two leading industries were the manufacturing of instruments of brass, bronze and other metals and the dying of cloth. In particular the dying of purple cloth.

Thyatira was specially noted for the trade guilds which were probably more completely organized there than in any other ancient city. Every artisan belonged to a guild, and every guild, which was an incorporated organization, possessed property in its own name, made contracts for great constructions, and wielded a wide influence.

There have been several inscriptions found mentioning the dyers and their guilds. The agents of these guilds traveled far to sell Thyatira cloth. Large quantities of purple and scarlet cloth are still shipped from Thyatira to Smyrna. While Paul was in Philippi, it is written that he met a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from Thyatira.

¹² and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. ¹⁴ A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.

Acts 16:12-14

It has been believed that the church in Thyatira owes its origination to Lydia after she returned home.

The guilds were closely connected with the Asiatic religion of the place. Pagan feasts, with which immoral practices were associated, were held, and therefore the nature of the guilds was such that they were opposed to Christianity.

Located in modern Turkey, the name of this city is now Akhisar. Although little can be seen of the ancient ruins, inscriptions have been found relating to various guilds, including bakers, leather workers, garment makers, dyers, potters and slave dealers.