Part 3 Prologue

Epistolary Address Initial Vision

The Seven Churches © 2009 George E. Blanford Jr.

John claims to present a revelation from God (1.1) that will be attested by Christ (22.6)

The revelation is about “what must happen soon”

He wants to prepare his listeners for a crisis and he is willing to provoke it

It is a pastoral letter to the churches of the Roman province of Asia in the tradition of Paul

He intends that it be read in the Eucharistic assembly

He contends that the end is near and, in the sense that we all have a relatively short life span, our earthly end is near

Blessed is the one who reads aloud, and blessed are they who hear the words of this prophecy and heed what is written there, for the time of crisis is near (1.3)

Blessed are the dead who henceforth die in the Lord (14.13)

Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his garments by him, so that he does not walk naked and his shame be seen (16.15)

Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb (19.9)

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection (20.6)

Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book (22.7)

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so as to have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates (22.14)

Form of a Greek letter Sender—John Receiver—Seven Churches Greeting

In his letters, Paul changed the traditional Hellenistic greeting to a blessing

Blessing—from God, the seven spirits (of the churches), and Jesus Christ

Formed as a liturgical discourse with a response that is a doxology

Body Prophecy Apocalyptic

Conclusion

Presider Grace to you, and peace from him who is, who was, and who is to come and from the seven spirits before his throne; and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and ruler of the kings of the earth.

Assembly To him who loves us and has loosed us from our sins with his blood and has made us a royal house of priests to his God and Father— to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Presider Behold: he will come with the clouds, and every eye will see him even those who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will wail because of him.

Assembly So be it. Amen.

Presider I am the Alpha and the Omega —says the Lord God— who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

Asia was a Roman province on the west side of modern Turkey

Pergamum was the former capital of the region. Ephesus was the capital when

John wrote

The number seven is symbolic

We know from St. Paul that there were also churches at Troas, Hierapolis and

Colossae

The seven churches all the churches of Asia the universal Church

In the vision, John is given his mission. It is investiture to a prophetic mission to the 7 churches (e.g. Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1; Ezekiel 1-3)

John’s vision is like that of Daniel (Daniel 10.5-6) Daniel saw God in human form

John saw Jesus dressed the same way as Daniel saw God—John is not afraid to use God language for Jesus

Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473-1531)

John reacts like Daniel (Dan 10.8-9) The words to alleviate John’s

fear are those of Jesus (Mark 6.50, Matt 28.10)

Symbols are explained Seven stars = angels of the

churches Implies that angels have a role as

guardians as well as messengers

Seven lamp stands = the churches of Asia

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

They are prophetic not apocalyptic, but they are linked to the apocalyptic writings that follow

Structure of the messages “To the angel of . . .” the church

“These are the words of . . .” title

The speaker is Christ

Titles are mostly linked to the preceding vision and are relevant to the locale

“I know . . .”

Outline of virtues and faults

Praise or blame

Final recommendation

Concluding phrases alternate

“You have ears—so listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.” Precedes in (1), (2), and (3)

“To the Victor . . .” Precedes in (4), (5), (6) and (7)

Russian, 16th century

Content of the messages Judgment based on precise knowledge

External

Spiritual

Receive praise, blame or both usually with qualifications In a definite progression

Ephesus (1) receives censure and commendation

Smyrna (2), Thyatira (4) and Philadelphia (6) are praised

Philadelphia receives the warmest praise

Pergamum (3), Sardis (5), and Laodicea (7) are censured

Laodicea receives the worst censure

Messages are crucial to understanding Revelation

John is speaking directly to real Christian communities

He gives words of encouragement to those who need hope and to those who falter

No Christian community is perfect

We should not only take comfort in the words to the Philadelphians

We should be warned in the words to the Laodiceans

Ephesus—a seaport on the river Cayster Capital and most wealthy, populous city in Asia Famed for its temple of Artemis (Diana)

A place of asylum or refuge A center for imperial cult after Augustus

Titles of the speaker imply that he knows them well because he walks among them

Praise Toil in rejecting false teachers—the Nicolaitans Patient endurance in labors and trials

Blame Lost their fervor—did orthodoxy outweigh orthopraxis?

Promise to the victor: The right to eat from the tree of life that stands in Paradise

Smyrna (Izmir)—at the head of a splendid harbor 35 miles north of Ephesus The first city was destroyed ~600 BCE and rebuilt ~ 300 BCE Had a temple to Tiberius (i.e., a center of imperial cult) Had a large Jewish population

Titles of the speaker state that he was dead and has come back to life Praise

Tribulation—Jews denounce Christians as members of an illicit cult Made worse by Christians claiming to be the true Israel John accuses the Jews to be working for Satan Do not fear because persecution will not last or, if you are killed, you will be rewarded in

heaven

Material poverty; spiritual riches

Promise to the victor: He will not be harmed by the second death (20.6, 20.14, 21.8)

Pergamum—former capital of Asia ~40 miles north of Smyrna A religious center with old temples dedicated to Zeus and Asclepius and new

ones to Rome and Augustus—it was the focus of imperial cult in the province Nevertheless the Church held up against this Satan worship

Titles of the speaker imply that his only weapon is the sword of the mouth—the word

Blame—for harboring the Nicolaitans A teacher of false doctrine is seducing the Church as Balaam advised

Moabite women to seduce Israel (Num 31.16, Num 25.1-3) Eating meat sacrificed to idols and emperor worship

Promise to the victor: He will be given hidden manna to replace the meat there was a Jewish expectation of manna returning during the last

days White stone: Other than white stands for victory, the meaning of the

white stone is unknown A new name: perhaps symbolizes the new life in Christ

Thyatira—a trade center for metalwork and wool dyeing ~40 miles southeast of Pergamum These workers had to belong to trade guilds which were pagan associations with pagan

rituals

Titles of the speaker are related to metal working Praise

for love, faithfulness, service and endurance These are encouraged to remain faithful

Blame for those who tolerate a prophetess (a Nicolaitan) who allows them to belong to the trade

guilds John says they must not take this risk

Promise to the victor: Authority over the nations The victor will rule with an iron rod (metalwork) smashing the pottery of the wool dyers The morning star is probably a symbol of Christ himself

Sardis—a commercial city ~30 miles southeast of Thyatira with a shrine to Cybele Had a citadel that had never fallen to assault, but the city had been

taken twice by stealth Suffered a catastrophic earthquake in 17 CE with many deaths

Titles of the speaker state that he is the only one who can restore life to the dead by giving the Spirit

Blame Most are spiritually dead and need to wake up Christ will come by stealth unless they repent

Promise to the victor: He will be robed in white—never have his name struck from the Book of Life

Philadelphia—a prosperous town ~30 miles southeast of Sardis Also severely struck by the earthquake of 17 CE Revelation is the only record of hostile Jews there at this time, but

Ignatius of Antioch reports them R110 CE

Title of the speaker refers to Isaiah 22.22 where Christ = David The door reference may relate to the closing of the synagogue door to

Christians

Praise Their endurance is so good that they will effectively convert Jews by

an “open door” to evangelization (1 Cor 16.9, 2 Cor 2.12, Col 4.3) They will be kept safe through the great tribulation that will come

Promise to the victor: He will be a pillar of the temple in the New Jerusalem

Laodicea—a major commercial city ~40 miles southeast of Philadelphia An opulent city that needed no imperial help to rebuild after a

disastrous earthquake in 60 CE Banking center, manufacturer of clothing and carpets from glossy

black wool, and seat of a medical school that created an eye salve

Title of the speaker uses God language Blame

Lukewarm Wretched in spiritual goods—poor (banking), blind (eye salve), naked

(wool clothing) They should “buy” from him faith which is refined gold (banking)( 1

Pet 1.7), white garments (vs. black wool), sacramental anointing (to cure their spiritual blindness)

He turns in love to enter into the human heart by knocking on the door

Those who hear him will open the door

He chastises and rebukes those he loves and seeks their repentance

Promise to the victor: He will be granted a seat next to the Son of Man on the throne who is next to his Father

Holman Hunt (1827-1910)

The assessments and verdicts are those of the Son of Man Filtered through the mind and words of John

Was he too intolerant?

How far can a Christian community stray from a strict reading of Jesus’ teachings? Have we watered down his teachings? Prophets see to the heart of things

They give words of comfort, but their words are never comfortable Perhaps there is no compromise

Our world of faith is not much different than that of the saints of 1st century Asia They suffered from human frailty They lived their faith life in an unsympathetic world All live in a world of tribulation, but Christ has overcome the world