Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 2:13

"I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan`s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth." — Revelation 2:13 (ASV)

I know thy works. This is the uniform way of addressing the seven churches in these epistles. (See Barnes on Revelation 2:2).

And where thou dwellest. That is, I know all the temptations to which you are exposed, all the allurements to sin by which you are surrounded, all the excuses that might be made for what has occurred arising from those circumstances, and all that could be said in commendation of you for having been as faithful as you have been.

The meaning of the passage is that knowing where people live significantly helps us judge their character. It is much easier to be virtuous and pious in some circumstances than in others. To determine how much credit is due to a person for their virtues, it is necessary to understand how much they have been called to resist, how many temptations they have encountered, what easily-besetting sins they may have, or what allurements may have been presented to their mind to draw them from the path of virtue and religion.

Likewise, to judge correctly those who have embraced error or have been led into sin, it is necessary to understand what in their circumstances might have made error seem plausible and sin attractive. We must consider what in their life situation exposed them to these influences, and what arguments the learned, talented, and plausible advocates of error may have used to lead them astray.

We often judge harshly where the Saviour would be far less severe in his judgments; we often commend much where, in fact, there has been little to commend. It is possible to conceive that in the struggles against evil of those who have ultimately fallen, there may be more to commend than in cases where the path of virtue has been pursued merely as a result of circumstances, and where there has never been a conflict with temptation. The adjudications of the great day will do much to reverse the judgments of humankind.

Even where Satan's seat is. This refers to a place of exceptional wickedness, as if Satan lived there. Satan is, so to speak, enthroned there. The influence of Satan in producing persecution is what is particularly alluded to, as is clear from the immediate reference to the case of Antipas, the “faithful martyr.”

And thou holdest fast my name. They had professed the name of Christ; that is, they had professed to be His followers and had steadfastly adhered to Him and His cause in all the opposition made to Him. The name Christian, given in honour of Christ and indicating that they were His disciples, they had not been ashamed of or denied. It was this name that subjected the early Christians to reproach (see 1 Peter 4:14).

And hast not denied my faith. That is, you have not denied my religion. The great essential element in the Christian religion is faith, and this, since it is so important, often represents the whole of religion.

Even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr. Of Antipas, we know nothing more than is stated here. “In the Acta Sanctorum (Volume 2, pages 3-4) is a martyrology of Antipas from a Greek MS.; but it is full of fable and fiction, which a later age had added to the original story.” —Professor Stuart, on this passage.

Who was slain among you. It would seem from this that, although the persecution had raged there, only one person had been put to death. It would also appear that the persecution was of a local character, since Pergamos is described as “Satan's seat,” and the death of Antipas is mentioned in immediate connection with that fact. All the circumstances referred to would lead us to suppose that this was a popular outbreak, not a persecution carried on under government authority, and that Antipas was put to death in a popular excitement. So Stephen (Acts 7) was put to death, and so Paul at Lystra was stoned until it was supposed he was dead (Acts 14:19).

Where Satan dwelleth. The repetition of this idea—very much in John’s style—showed how intensely the mind was fixed on the thought, and how keenly aware the feelings were of Satan’s malice as exhibited at Pergamos.