Bible Commentaries

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1:1-20 JOHN'S INTRODUCTION

Greetings to the seven churches (1:1-8)

Jesus Christ received this revelation from God and passed it on to John by a series of visions that an angel interpreted for him. John, in turn, was to pass this revelation on to God's persecuted people in Asia Minor, for it concerned events about to take place that would affect them. All who took notice of the book would be blessed, both the person who read it to the church and those who listened as he read it (1:1-3).

The writer greets his readers in the name of the Trinity - the eternal God, the ever-present Spirit and the faithful Son. This Son was a faithful witness through his sufferings and is still Lord of the kings of the earth. These include the Roman Emperor, their persecutor. Christians may share Christ's sufferings, but they also share his victory. Through him they have been cleansed from their sins and given the privilege of worshipping and serving him as a kingdom of priests (4-6). Christ's enemies thought they had conquered him, but he will return to conquer them, for he is almighty. Nothing existed before him and nothing will exist after him (7-8).

2:1-3:22 LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES

Apart from occasional minor variations, the seven letters follow the same pattern. They begin with a greeting from the risen Christ (whose titles are mostly taken from the vision described in 1:12-16), followed in turn by a statement of praise and/or criticism concerning the current state of the church, a warning, an instruction and a promise. Although each church received the particular message for itself, it would also hear the messages for the other churches if the whole book was read in each church. Therefore, there is a note of warning for all to take heed: 'Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.'