Sardis is the fifth of the seven churches addressed by Jesus through the Apostle John, while John was on the Island of Patmos. In summary, Jesus’ assessment of the church there was, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:2).
Archaeologists have uncovered and identified many structures and other items of interest at Sardis, including a Byzantine chapel in the southeast corner of the temple of Artemis.
Dr. Mark Wilson writes, “The inner western chapel dates to the 4C [4th century AD] and is one of the earliest preserved churches in western Asia Minor; the larger, outer apse dates to the 6C” (Biblical Turkey, A Guide to the cJewish and Christain sites of Asia Minor, p. 291).
The temple of Artemis, whose partial ruins are in view here, would have been in use when those Christians of the 1st century AD at Sardis received the letter (Rev. 3:1-6). It’s hard to overemphasize how pervasive idolatry was in the biblical world!
We have previously posted several articles on Sardis: click here here here and here.
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Posted by Leon Mauldin 
leonmauldin.blog 