Revelation: Seven LettersLetters 1–4 (2:1–29)

General Outline

General Outline

Revelation of J/Christ

(1:1–8)

PrologueJesus/John

Revelation of J/Christ(22:6–21)

EpilogueJesus/John

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

“In view, therefore of the close relation of the letters with the opening and closing visions of the Revelation, it seems right to assume that the prophecy as a whole provides the context in which the letters are to be understood.”

—Beasley-Murray

I. Literary AnalysisA. Form and content: prophetic judgment oracle

Prophetic opening: introductory formulaProphetic content: judgment exhortations

B. StructureUniform: seven-fold divisionExegetical significance: interpret as literary unit

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

1. Address “To the angel of the church in . . . write”2. Identification “Thus says” with literary allusions3. Account “I know your works” (or minor variations)4. Assessment “But I” 1st per. assessment, and variations5. Exhortation “Remember” etc. imperative mood verb6. Promise “He who conquers” (or “To him who”)7. Call “He who has an ear, let him hear . . .”

II. Literary FramingA. Ties to opening Inaugural Vision (1:9–20)

Identification: uses Son of Man featuresfeatures tailored to each churchletters acutalize Son of Man’s judgment

God’s sovereignty: through reigning LordB. Ties to closing Epilogue (22:6–12)

“Coming soon”: message repeated (22:7)“Reward”: for faithfulness repeated (22:12)

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Inaugural Vision1:9–20

Seven Letters2–3

Epilogue22:6–12

Opening/Closing Ties

II. Literary FramingC. Thematic unity

Epistolary frame: hermeneutical key to bookInclusio: surrounding Judgment Cycle (6–20)Target: the persecuted church in the world

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Inaugural Vision

(1:9–20)

Seven Letters(2–3)

Ending Epilogue22:6–12

Judgment Cycle(6–20)

III. Literary Refrain: Verbatim CallA. “He who has an ear, let him hear”

prophetic injunctionjudgment crisis

B. “what the Spirit says”Spirit of prophecyeschatological realities

C. “to the churches”each letter heard by all (cf. blessing in 1:3)actualized in real time in worship = “soon” (1:4)seven-fold repetition = message for church

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

IV. FootnotesA. Historicist Interpretations= periodization of history

seven letters = seven church periodschurch characteristics = period characteristicscritique: ignores unitary structure of letters

B. Presence/absence of church terminologyword “church” missing from Judgment Cycle

church absent from Judgment Cycle?proof of “rapture” of the church at 4:1?proof chs. 4–22 = 7 year “Great Tribulation”?

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

IV. FootnotesB. Presence/absence of church terminology

critiqueargument from silence: word “God” never used for the one sitting on heaven’s throne, so God not sitting on heaven’s throne?begs the question of original meaningleaves no way for original readers to “keep” the prophecy

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Seven Churches

Seven Letters

1. Address 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

2. Identification 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

3. Account 2–3 9 13 19 1 8 15

4. Assessment 4 10 14–15 20–23 2 9–10 16–18

5. Exhortation 5–6 10 16 24–25 3–4 11 19–20

6. Promise 7b 11b 17b 26–28 5 12 21

7. Call 7a 11a 17a 29 6 13 22

Rev. 2 Rev. 3Perg

amum

Ephesus

Symrna

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelp

hia

Laodice

a

1

1

2–3

4

5–6

7b

7a

I. Address (2:1)A. Greatest city of Asia MinorB. Greatest church of Asia Minor

II. Identification (2:1)A. Holds seven stars in right handB. Walks among the lampstands

III. Account (2:2–3)A. Enduring patientlyB. Exposing false prophets

Letters: Ephesus (2:1–7)

IV. Assessment (2:4)A. Abandoned first loveB. Meaning? One another? Christ? Witness?

V. Exhortation (2:5–6)A. Remember, repentB. Caution: remove your lampstandC. Encouragement: resisting the Nicolaitans

echoes with Pauline materialEphesians, false teachers (Acts 20:28–32)1 Tim. 1:3–11; 4:1–8; 6:2–7; 2 Tim. 3:1–17

identity unkown

Letters: Ephesus (2:1–7)

Letters: Ephesus (2:1–7)

Ignatius, Eph. 9:1:“I have heard of certain persons from elsewhere passing through, whose doctrine was bad. These you did not permit to sow their seed among you; you stopped your ears, so as not to receive the seed sown by them.”

VI. Call (2:7a)A. Notice the 3/4 sequence for reversed placementB. Formulaic: same in all letters

Jesus traditions (Mt. 13:9–17; Mk. 4:9; Lk. 8:8)based on OT (cf. Isa. 6:9–10)

VII. Promise (2:7b)A. “conquering” theme = eschatological contextB. “tree of life” image

source: Persian ideas on Paradise of Goddeveloped in Jewish thoughtsymbolic of future life in kingdom

Letters: Ephesus (2:1–7)

Seven Letters

1. Address 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

2. Identification 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

3. Account 2–3 9 13 19 1 8 15

4. Assessment 4 10 14–15 20–23 2 9–10 16–18

5. Exhortation 5–6 10 16 24–25 3–4 11 19–20

6. Promise 7b 11b 17b 26–28 5 12 21

7. Call 7a 11a 17a 29 6 13 22

Rev. 2 Rev. 3Perg

amum

Ephesus

Symrna

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelp

hia

Laodice

a

8

8

9

10

10

11b

11a

I. Address (2:8)A. Empire culture

long loyalty to Romestrong emperor sympathies

B. Large Jewish populationC. Long church persecution (cf. Life of Polycarp)

II. Identification (2:8)A. “first and the last” (from 1:17; cf. 1:8)B. “who died and came to life” (from 1:19; cf. 1:5)

Letters: Smyrna (2:8–11)

III. Account (2:9)A. “I know your tribulation” = poverty, slanderB. Jewish opposition, false Jewish identityC. “Synagogue of Satan” = ironic title

IV. Assessment (2:10)A. More tribulation: “devil . . . throw you into prison”B. “ten days” = brief period

V. Exhortation (2:10)A. “Be faithful unto death” (no rapture here!)B. “crown of life” = resurrection

Letters: Smyrna (2:8–11)

VI. Call (2:11a)A. Notice the 3/4 sequence for reversed placementB. Call section universalizes all seven messages

VII. Promise (2:11b)A. “conquering” theme = eschatological contextB. “not hurt by the second death” = unclear

Jewish tradition (forfeit kingdom by dying outside promised land)philosophical irony (dying to this life only to die also in the life hereafter)

Letters: Smyrna (2:8–11)

Seven Letters

1. Address 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

2. Identification 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

3. Account 2–3 9 13 19 1 8 15

4. Assessment 4 10 14–15 20–23 2 9–10 16–18

5. Exhortation 5–6 10 16 24–25 3–4 11 19–20

6. Promise 7b 11b 17b 26–28 5 12 21

7. Call 7a 11a 17a 29 6 13 22

Rev. 2 Rev. 3Perg

amum

Ephesus

Symrna

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelp

hia

Laodice

a

12

12

13

14–15

16

17b

17a

I. Address (2:12)A. Willed to Rome by Attalus III (133 B.C.)B. Capital of Asian provinceC. Center of imperial cult

II. Identification (2:12)A. “sharp, two-edged sword”B. power of gospel versus Rome’s propaganda

Letters: Pergamum (2:12–17)

III. Account (2:13)A. “I know where you dwell” = where he standsB. “Satan’s throne” = emperor worshipC. “hold fast my Name” = “did not deny my faith”D. “Antipas” = “my faithful witness” (cf. 1:5)

only named believer besides John in Revelationotherwise unknown Christianparadigmatic of persecuted believer’s walk

described like Jesus (“faithful witness,” 1:5)singled out for paradigm value

Letters: Pergamum (2:12–17)

IV. Assessment (2:14–15)A. “teaching of Balaam” (cf. Num. 22–24)B. food sacrificed to idols, immoralityC. teaching of the Nicolaitans (cf. Ephesus, 2:5–6)

V. Exhortation (2:16)A. “Repent, else I will come to you soon”B. “war . . . with the sword of my mouth”

allusion to Inaugural Visionwar of words

Letters: Pergamum (2:12–17)

VI. Call (2:17a)A. Notice the 3/4 sequence for reversed placementB. Call section universalizes all seven messages

VII. Promise (2:17b)A. “conquering” theme = eschatological contextB. “hidden manna”

wilderness theme of Balaam (ties Assessment)deliberate contrast to idol food

C. “white stone,” “new name” = many suggstions

Letters: Pergamum (2:12–17)

Seven Letters

1. Address 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

2. Identification 1 8 12 18 1 7 14

3. Account 2–3 9 13 19 1 8 15

4. Assessment 4 10 14–15 20–23 2 9–10 16–18

5. Exhortation 5–6 10 16 24–25 3–4 11 19–20

6. Promise 7b 11b 17b 26–28 5 12 21

7. Call 7a 11a 17a 29 6 13 22

Rev. 2 Rev. 3Perg

amum

Ephesus

Symrna

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelp

hia

Laodice

a

18

18

19

20–23

24–25

26–28

29

I. Address (2:18)A. Smudge on the map—but longest letter!

What is literary significance?Perhaps a chiastic arrangement of letters?

B. Trade guilds prominentinvolves patron godsmonthly feasts, sacrifices, debauchery

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

II. Identification (2:18)A. “Son of God”

only occurrence of title in Revelationenhances “one like a son of man” ref. (1:13)perhaps opposes pagan and Roman ideascontra local guild deity, Apollo Tyrimnaeuscontra emperial progaganda: “Son of Zeus”

B. “eyes like a flame of fire . . . feet like burnished b.”Inaugural Vision allusions“burnished bronze”: term = unique trade guild product, whose god was Apollo Tyrimnaeus

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

III. Account (2:19)A. “I know your works” = where he standsB. “love, faith, service, endurance” = witnessC. “latter works exceed the first,” contra Ephesus

IV. Assessment (2:20–23)A. “Jezebel”: personal name, or symbolic?B. OT background story

Sidonian wife of king Ahabinstalled Baal worship, but confronted by Elijahname synonymous with personal wickedness

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

IV. Assessment (2:20–23)C. “practice immorality”

problem of trade guilds“fornication” = eating food sacrificed to idolscf. “Nicolaitans” (Ephesus, 2:6; Pergamum, 2:15)

D. “false prophet”becomes major theme of Judgment Cycledramatically brings home point for ThyatiransJezebel’s judgment anticipates Babylon (Rev. 18)

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

II. Literary FramingC. Thematic unity

Epistolary frame: hermeneutical key to bookInclusio: surrounding Judgment Cycle (6–20)Target: the persecuted church in the world

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Inaugural Vision

(1:9–20)

Seven Letters(2–3)

Ending Epilogue22:6–12

Judgment Cycle(6–20)

“Jezebel” “Babylon”

IV. Assessment (2:20–23)E. “I am he who searches the mind and heart”

emphasizes interior reality of faithfits identification of “eyes like a flame of fire”

V. Exhortation (2:24–25)A. “hold fast”

preserving apostolic teaching and witnessnot learned “the deep things of Satan”

at a minimum: Jezebel’s errant teachingphrasing ambiguous, lost in original context

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

V. Exhortation (2:24–25)B. “until I come”

inaugurated or futurist eschatology?OT background: Psalm 2 (royal enthronement)

enthronement psalm became messianicmessianic kingdom of “Son of God”ties into indentification element of title as “Son of God”

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

VI. Promise (2:26–28)A. Now begins normal sequence for placementB. “conquering” theme = eschatological contextC. Ironic fulfillment: witness is killedD. Paradigm is Christ (“firstborn of the dead,” 1:5)E. Pattern: all promises to overcomers in the letters

are described in Revelation’s final vision.

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

II. Literary FramingC. Thematic unity

Epistolary frame: hermeneutical key to bookInclusio: surrounding Judgment Cycle (6–20)Target: the persecuted church in the world

Letters 1–4 (2:1–29)

Inaugural Vision

(1:9–20)

Seven Letters(2–3)

Ending Epilogue22:6–12

Judgment Cycle(6–20)

“overcomers” “visions of victory”

VI. Promise (2:26–28)A. Now begins normal sequence for placementB. “conquering” theme = eschatological context

ironic fulfillment: witness is killedparadigm is Christ (“firstborn of the dead,” 1:5)pattern: all promises to overcomers in the letters are described in Revelation’s final vision

C. “keeps my works to the end”“works” = faithful witnessrefusal of Jezebel’s cultural compromise

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

VI. Promise (2:26–28)D. Reward: combines Jewish and Roman traditions

Jewish tradition = messianicpower over nations, rod of iron (Psalm 2)cf. “rising star” of Num. 24:14–20

Roman tradition = militaristic“morning star” = Venus

generals owed their loyalty to Venustemples to Venus (Sulla, Pompey, Caesar)legions carried her sign on their standards

title claimed by Jesus in 22:16

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)

VII. Call (2:29)A. Now in its normal sequence (promise, then call)

Letters 1–3: Call, then PromiseLetters 4–7: Promise, then Call

B. Call section universalizes all seven messages

Letters: Thyatira (2:18–29)