The Seven Churches in Asia (5): Pergamos: A Church Strong in Persecution but Weak in Discipline (Revelation 2:12-17) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Commendation
II. The Criticism
III. The Calling
James Durham on Revelation 2:14-15:
From which we may gather, 1. That the Church is invested with a Power and Authority for cutting off of corrupt Members.
2. That it is a most horrible fault where there is defect in this. Our Lord Jesus quarrelleth the want [lack] of this in
Pergamos, where He commendeth much honesty: and He commendeth it in Ephesus, where there wanted [lacked] not inward defects: because there is nothing that more occasioneth the Name of Christ to be reproached, his Ordinances to be despised, His people to be offended and stumbled, than the suffering of corrupt Members that are tainted with Errors to continue in the Church. Therefore much of the Churches' commendations or reproofs in these Epistles is founded on this, as it is rightly, or, partially exercised ...
4. There is diversity of tempers in Church-officers, and diversity of conditions in Churches, even where there may be real honesty in both: Ephesus had much coldness within, and yet much zeal against those Nicolaitans: Pergamos again, is much commended for their zeal and constancy in suffering; and yet reproved for want [lack] of zeal against these corrupt Members.
5. Men may be very straight and tender in the work of God, and bold in reference to suffering; and yet faint and be defective in the prosecuting of Church censures against erroneous men
(A Commentary on the Book of the Revelation, pp. 196-197).