Keys of Truth: Book of Revelation (Chapter 2)

Chapter summary:

Christ now dictates letters to the seven Asian churches concerning "what is now" (1:19). Each letter is addressed to the "angel," or "messenger" (pastor) of the Church. Each message identifies Jesus in a special way, reveals an intimate knowledge of the Church addressed, pinpoints the Church's most serious flaw, and then conveys a command intended to correct the problem or warn the Church. The letter closes with a promise of reward to the victor who responds obediently. Significantly, each promise is eschatological—and alludes to some element found in Revelation 21-22.

The believer’s personal application: Each of us can be commended in some respect—yet each of us also have areas in which we need to grow.

TEXTUAL INSIGHT

"To the angel" (2:1):

The word angel means "messenger" and is used of human as well as angelic agents.

“Ephesus: letting go of first love” (2:4):

Most see this as the initial love of the Ephesians for each other (Ephesians 1:15). It's all too easy to be both traditional and active—and unloving. But without an intense and vital love any Church will soon also be without light (v. 5).

“Smyrna: persecuted yet faithful” (2:8-11):

This city of 200,000 was renowned for its wealth and contribution to the sciences and medicine. It was also a center of emperor worship, having been granted the right in A.D. 23 to build the first temple honoring Tiberius. Each citizen was obligated to burn incense to the "god" Caesar annually and was then issued a certificate of compliance. Christians refused to burn incense and say "Caesar is Lord," and as a result, suffered intensely.

“Christ as First and Last” (2:8):

This designation reminds the persecuted church that Christ is Sovereign, the Creator, and also Lord of history.

“A crown of life for the faithful” (2:10):

Garlands of perishable flowers were worn by those worshiping pagan gods and goddesses. Those who persevere in their worship of Christ are given a very different crown—a crown of endless life!

“Pergamum: moral compromise” (2:12-17):

Pergamum was a center of emperor worship, but also of Zeus: truly "Satan's throne."

“Jesus' sharp sword” (2:12):

Pergamum was one of a very few cities with the right to impose capital punishment, symbolized by a sword. The church is reminded that Jesus bears a sword too and has a much greater power.

“Moral compromise” (2:14):

Balaam advised King Balak to compromise God's people by drawing Israel into idolatry by enticing them sexually. A similar thing is happening in Pergamum, many suggest through the enticement of temple priestesses who practiced prostitution as part of religious rites.

"I will soon come" (2:16). This is not a reference to the Second Coming, but to divine discipline of those Christians who refuse to repent.

“Thyatira: doctrinal defection” (2:18-29):

This inland city was a center of trade in textiles and leather. The Church there is criticized for tolerating a woman, symbolically named Jezebel, who promoted false teaching and also immorality.

“Fire and bronze” (2:18):

These aspects of the glorified Christ, only here named, the Son of God in Revelation, are associated in both Testaments with judgment.

“Refusing to repent” (2:21-23):

The accusation is addressed to "Jezebel" rather than the church. This self-appointed prophetess is apparently a believer, destined to be severely disciplined by sickness ("cast her on a bed of suffering") and by the death of her "children" (followers).

The characteristics of and admonitions to the Churches

“Ephesus, the Steadfast” (2:1-7):

The Church: works hard, perseveres, rejects the wicked, and endures, but left its first love.

Jesus’ description: He walks among the seven lamps (and is in heaven).

Jesus’ admonition to the Church: return to its first love.

“Smyrna, the Persecuted” (2:8-11):

The Church: suffers, is in poverty, and endures persecution.

Jesus’ description: He, who died, is alive again.

Jesus’ admonition to the Church: remain faithful.

“Pergamum, the Morally Compromising” (2:12-17):

The Church: remains true, is faithful to death, but tolerates immorality

Jesus’ description: He holds a sharp, double-edged sword.

Jesus’ admonition to the Church: repent of their evil ways.

“Thyatira, the Doctrinally Compromising” (2:18-29):

The Church: does more than at first, but tolerates immorality, false doctrine.

Jesus’ description: Eyes of fire, feet of bronze.

Jesus’ admonition to the Church: hold to the truth.

Keys of Truth: Book of Revelation (Chapter 1)

Chapter summary:
John introduces his book as a revelation given to him by Jesus and pronounces a special blessing on those who read, hear, and take to heart "the words of this prophecy" (1:1-3). The book is sent to the seven Asian churches with which John has special ties (vv. 4-5a) and is dedicated to Jesus as coming Saviour (vv. 5b-8).

John now tells his story. While exiled to Patmos, by the Roman emperor Domitian (A.D. 81-96), John was praying one Sunday, when a voice instructed him to write what he was about to see (vv. 9-11). John turned and was given a vision of Jesus in His full glory, so awesome that John fell to the ground, stunned (vv. 12-17). Jesus lifted him up, identified Himself, and told John to write (vv. 18-20).

The believer’s personal application: The gentle, loving, and merciful Jesus is also our glorious God.

TEXTUAL INSIGHT

"The revelation of Jesus" (1:1):
Here Jesus is the one who discloses "what must soon take place"—and in the process reveals something of His own glory.

“Blessing” (1:3):
The "one who reads" and "those who hear" refer to a public reading of the book in church. Because this is "prophecy," in the sense of divine revelation, it merits immediate acceptance as Scripture. Because the revelation comes directly from the risen Jesus, it is of utmost importance.

"The seven churches" (1:4):
All seven were in the Roman province of Asia, now Asia Minor. They are listed in 1:11, and a message directed to each is found in Revelation 2 and 3.

"Firstborn from the dead" (1:5a):
Christ's resurrection is the pledge that we too will be raised. He was not only the first; He is the one who has supreme authority over the vast family of faith destined to follow Him.

“Doxology to Christ” (1:5b-6):
Here is some of the most powerful praise found in the Bible, celebrating Christ's love, the forgiveness won for us by His blood, and the exalted position to which He has raised us.

“John's exile” (1:9):
Tradition agrees that as an old man John was exiled during the reign of Domitian and that he wrote Revelation from Patmos, an island off the coast of Asia Minor. The book was probably written in the mid A.D. 90s.

“The vision of Jesus” (1:12-15):
Each element in the seven-element description of the glorified Christ has symbolic significance. The head and hair reflect Daniel 7:9 and symbolize wisdom and judgment. The eyes of blazing fire reflect Daniel 10:6 and may indicate a penetrating gaze or perhaps the fierceness of the judgment to come. The feet of glowing metal reflect a common Old Testament symbol of God's glory, found in Ezekiel 1:13, 27; 8:2; Daniel 10:6. The voice like rushing waters is a familiar metaphor in Jewish writings for the power of God's voice, repeated in Revelation 14:2 and 19:6.
The doubled-edged sword may reflect Isaiah 11:4, which is again a portrait of final judgment. Anyone who has heard a thundering waterfall can sense why. Overall, John's language serves to express the awesomeness of the glorified Christ's appearance and the unity of this book with Old Testament prophetic books that describe history's end.

"First and the Last" (1:17):
This title used also in Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12 affirms Jesus as Lord of Creation and Master of history.

"The keys of death and Hades" (1:18):
Keys were a symbol of authority. Jesus has full control over every realm.

“The key to interpreting Revelation” (1:19):
Many understand this verse to provide the key to understanding Revelation. "What you have seen" is John's vision of Jesus, found in chapter 1. "What is now" is reflected in the letters Christ dictates, to be sent to the seven Asia Minor churches, found in chapters 2-3. And, "what will take place later" is a vision of history's end, correlated with the Old Testament prophet's vision of that time, found in chapters 4-21.

Keys of Truth: Jude

Some things are so important, they must be repeated. Jude reissues the warning about false teachers in the church that was found in Second Peter 2.

Author: Jude, the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3).

Date of writing:
The date of the letter is closely tied to its relationship with Second Peter as discussed below. If written after Second Peter, a date of about B.C. 68 seems likely.

Theme:
“Judgment on apostates” (v. 4):
Certain people who denied Christ and turned grace into licentiousness had entered the fellowship of Christians. Presumably, these people denied the uniqueness or saving power of Jesus and understood the concept of grace as meaning "anything goes."

 Purpose:
Jude wanted to show that such heterodox teachers were condemned and to warn Christians from joining in their evil.

Outline of Jude:
1) The need to contend for the faith (vv. 1-4)
2) The description of the apostates (vv. 5-16)
3) The exhortation to believers (vv. 17-23)
4) The benediction (vv. 24-25)

Overview of Jude
Having originally intended to write about salvation, Jude is moved to ask the believers to contend for the faith. Evil people, denying Christ and perverting grace, have crept into the church. But God will judge these evil doers, just as he judged the people who sinned in the wilderness, the angels who joined in Satan's rebellion, and the sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is characteristic of such people to reject authority. They will perish like Korah (Numbers 16). Meanwhile, they are a danger to all. Enoch had such in view when he predicted the Lord's coming in wrath. Believers should keep themselves far from such people. Jude ends with a benediction.

Theological Highlights:
“Concerning salvation”: In his benediction, Jude affirms the power of God to keep believers until they stand in His presence, thus affirming the permanence of salvation.

Key Verse:
Jude 3: "...contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

Message of Jude:
Jude warns us to be vigilant and not seduced by false teachers among us, especially those who turn grace into an excuse for sin.