Here we find the letters to the seven churches and thus to the complete (symbolism of the number 7) church. This is the second half of the vision of Christ.

Instead of continuing to mark new paragraphs with "I heard" or "I saw," now a new section begins with: "To the angel of the church in ... write..." This emphasizes that this vision that is seen and heard is to be written down. Next John points to the parts of the vision of Christ. Ephesus: "The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands" (Rev 2:1). Smyrna: "The words of the First and the Last, who died and came to life" (Rev 2:8). Pergamum: The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword" (Rev 2:12). Thyatira: "The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze" (Rev 2:18). Sardis: "The words of Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars" (Rev 3:1). Philadelphia: "The words of the Holy One, the True One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens" (Rev 3:7). Laodicea: "The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation" (Rev 3:14).

The allusions to the vision of Christ opening each are relevant to the circumstances of each particular church. First, Jesus walks among the golden lampstands (Rev 2:1) and can "come to you and remove your lampstand from its place" (Rev 2:5). Second, Jesus is "the First and the Last, who died and came to life" (Rev 2:8) and the people need to "be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev 2:10). Third, Jesus' words are "the sharp two-edged sword" (Rev 2:12) and if they do not repent "I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth" (Rev 2:16). Fourth, Jesus "has eyes like a flame of fire" (Rev 2:18) and "I am He who searches mind and heart" (Rev 2:23). And etc.

After mentioning something about the vision of Christ, usually then Christ gives the strengths of that church, but either way the paragraph begins "I know [often: "your works"]." Ephesus: "I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary" (Rev 2:2-3). Smyrna: "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation" (Rev 2:9-10). Pergamum: ""I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells" (Rev 2:13). Thyatira: "I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first" (Rev 2:19). Sardis: "I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive" (Rev 3:1). Philadelphia: "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name... (Rev 3:8-11). Laodicea: "I know your works" (Rev 3:15).

Virtues that are praised include "patient endurance" (Ephesus: Rev 2:2; Thyatira: Rev 2:19, Philadelphia: Rev 3:10), not denying Jesus and holding fast to His name (Pergamum: Rev 2:13, Philadelphia: Rev 3:8), love and faith and service (Thyatira: Rev 2:19), keeping the word of Christ (Philadelphia 3:8, 10), as well as not growing weary (Ephesus: Rev 2:3) and testing false apostles and kicking them out (Ephesus: Rev 2:2) and even hating the works of the Nicolaitan heretics (Rev 2:6).

Many also include vices like abandoning your first love (Ephesus: Rev 2:4, "But I have this against you..."), being a stumbling block so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality and holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans (Pergamum: Rev 2:14, "But I have a few things against you..."), tolerating a false prophetess who seduces them to practice sexual immorality and eat foods sacrificed to idols (Thyatira: Rev 2:20, "But I have this against you..."), Sardis does not have complete works (Rev 3:9), and Laodicea does not see their need for God (Rev 3:17). Some of the churches are weak where others are strong and vice versa. For example, Smyrna is enduring poverty ("but you are rich," Rev 2:9), but Laodicea says they are rich not realizing that they are poor (Rev 3:17). Pergamum and Thyatira are not dealing with heresy but Ephesus is (contrast especially apparent on the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:6, 2:15). Two of the letters also mention the "synagogue of Satan" -- those who claim to be Jews but are not followers of Christ and are persecuting the church (Rev 2:9 and 3:9).

Some have a promise or threat: "If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent" (Ephesus, Rev 2:5). "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Smyrna, Rev 2:10). "If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth" (Pergamum, Rev 2:16). The great tribulation is the threat for those who hold to false teaching in Thyatira (Rev 2:22). Sardis, "If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you" (Rev 3:3). Philadelphia, "Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown" (Rev 3:10-11). Laodicea: "If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Rev 3:20). Of course, a threat implies a promise and a promise implies a threat.

Then each one concludes in a similar way. Ephesus: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God" (Rev 2:7). Smyrna: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death" (Rev 2:11). Pergamum: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it (Rev 2:17). Tyatira: "To the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev 2:26-29). Sardis: "The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev 3:5-6). Philadelphia: "The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev 3:12-13). And Laodicea: "The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev 3:21-22). Each one emphasizes us as kings.

The order of "He who has an ear" and "The one who conquers" switches with the church in the middle. It is also worth noting that the second church and the second-to-last church are the ones that Christ does not say something is wrong. These things suggest that the churches are in a chiastic order. G. K. Beale suggests this is the case because the healthy churches are not only a minority but are surrounded by unhealthy ones. It appears though that John has done other things to make sure we do not read too much into the chiasm, like the only two times it does not say "I know your works" but instead "I know your tribulation" and "I know where you dwell" is for the second and third cities. The three in the middle have connections between them. For example Pergamum and Thyatira both have similar problems with sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols and Thyatira and Sardis both have members who have not been stained by the sins mentioned.

These letters are full of allusions to later parts of Revelation and the rest of Scripture. Just a few examples of the latter: Rev 2:2 and 1 John 4:1; the tree of life and paradise of God (Rev 2:7) refer to the Garden of Eden in Genesis; Balaam and Balak (Rev 2:14) are from Numbers; manna is an obvious reference, but that it is "hidden manna" is probably an allusion to John 4:32; Jezebel is a reference to the Baal prophetess who seduced Ahab away from YHWH to serve idols in the OT Book of Kings; Rev 2:27 is paraphrasing Psalm 2:9; like many other places the thief in the night is a common teaching (Rev 3:3, 1 Thess 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, Matt 24:43 / Luke 12:39, also Rev 16:15); and others (both more obvious and thus easy to gloss over like references to King David and those that are more obscure).

I look forward to continue to see more things in these seven letters.

Labels: idolatry, seven, sex, vision, writing

In my post, "The Scriptures: A Written Conversation" I noted the chiastic structure of the Writings (the third section of the OT canon) highlights Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) as the central book. I said, "This ending to the central book of the chiasm of the Writings is fitting. It is similar to ending the New Testament with the Book of Revelation given how Revelation ends warning about adding or subtracting from it. The effect of Ecclesiastes 12:12 is to say, the Writings are now complete until prophecy resumes, beware of adding to or subtracting from them."

Sailhamer notes in The Meaning of the Pentateuch that Scripture distinguishes between "writing in a book" and "making a book." Writing usually has more to do with copying. Making a book has to do with the composition of written works. His point is that making a book is much more complicated than simply taking dictation or copying.

He further argues that "many" can be an adjective "many books" or an adverb "constantly." Thus the verse may refer to either making an "endless number of books" or to how "the process of making a book is endless." He concludes it is the latter because of the warning about adding any more "wise sayings" (Ecclesiastes 12:11). So Sailhamer says, "in Ecclesiastes it aims at cutting short the process of making a book. The problem is not making more books, but deciding whether and when to end this one" (267). The composition of a book can involve several editions and revisions and such, and the author means to cut that process short rather than let it continue indefinitely.

I want to argue that the deeper problem is deciding whether and when to end the composition of the Hebrew Scriptures. Because of the placement of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew canon, I want to suggest that it is aiming to end the process of making the Scriptures. In other words, for the rest of this time when prophecy has ceased, there should be no more books added to the Book and there should be no more revisions (no more editions of Biblical books, no more editing of Biblical books, and the like). The composition of the Hebrew Scriptures was complete.

It is fitting then that the apostles did not publish their own edition of the Hebrew Scriptures. The apostles viewed the Hebrew Scriptures as a finished product. To be sure they and others close to them made new compositions and some of those are collectively a new composition we now call the New Testament. But early Christians did not write their own versions of the OT Torah, Prophets, and Writings. This is an important observation because various groups in Judaism did this very thing -- they continued to edit and revise the Hebrew Bible for some time.

Labels: composition, ecclesiastes, hebrew scriptures, qoheleth, sailhamer, writing, writings

This post is mostly just an effort to show off a newly learned word - abecedarian. What it means is the elementary things - the ABC's , or if you will, the ABCD's. You can see this just looking at the word: A,Be,Ce,Dar-ian.

So what are the elementary things of the faith? If we are doing the elementary things of the faith then we will be able to begin to do some of the more mature things of the faith. Someone once said that the reading, writing and arithmetic of the Christian faith is Scripture reading (~reading), prayer (~writing), and fellowship (~arithmetic). If we are not doing these basics how can we ever grow in maturity in faith?

The church got off to a great start in this regard. The account of Pentecost tells us "So those who received his [Peter's] word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls and they devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:41-42, ESV modified). These three thousand souls were not just added to a church roll, they devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching (reading) and fellowship (arithmetic), to the breaking of bread and the prayers (writing). So the church from the beginning had a sound foundation of reading, writing and arithmetic - Scripture study, prayer and fellowship. Therefore, one of the oaths taken at baptism is a promise to devote yourself to the reading, writing, and arithmetic of the church.

But this was not universally the case among the New Testament churches. Paul tells the Corinthians, "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" (1 Cor 3:1-3, ESV). The problem here was the arithmetic - fellowship. The problem was not church growth numerically. The problem was that there were fractures in its existing fellowship because they were not getting along with one another. This was also causing problems in the breaking of bread (1 Cor 11).

In all of this it is important to note that the reading, writing, and arithmetic is public. To be sure, Bibles were not available as easily as they are today so to hear the Scriptures you had to hear them in worship. But hearing Scripture and praying publicly was not just for convenience - there are very deep theological reasons for these three cohering together. But today most people have forgotten that the abecedarian things of the faith are done together during Worship on the Lord's Day. Many are content to read and study Scripture on their own, often people who have never stepped foot in a church will protest that they pray often (even daily or more), and they do not see the need at all for fellowship. This is a sad state of affairs. Many in such a situation have not been born again - they are not infants in the faith. This is worse than the Corinthians, who at least gathered together even if they were not ready for solid food due to their bickering.

It is also worth noting that reading, writing, and arithmetic on the Lord's Day should be accompanied by reading, writing and arithmetic on the next six days of the week. In fact, Acts went on to say, "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people" (2:46-47a, ESV).

We can also discuss under the category of "reading" an elementary doctrine of Christ. For example, the author of Hebrews tells us, "Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instructions about washings [perhaps baptisms], the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits" (6:1-3, ESV). Perhaps this is why Christians have such a hard time with the book of Hebrews as it gets beyond the basics. Some would be content to have a simple evangelistic message every Lord's Day and never go on to maturity in our doctrine of Christ. Thus beyond Hebrews 11, using the chapter to discuss the foundation of repentance and faith, the rest of Hebrews largely goes untouched in preaching. Actually the larger problem is one of biblical literacy. One can begin to understand the complex doctrine of Christ presented in Hebrews only if one has a firm foundation of biblical literacy when it comes to the Old Testament. Thus in most churches preachers know they cannot move beyond the elementary doctrine of Christ until they teach their congregations the basics of how to read the Old Testament in light of Christ.

Let us build upon the elementary practices and doctrine of the Christian faith. This is one of the goals of this blog. I want to get beyond the basics. We can agree with all true churches about repentance from dead works and faith in Christ, the resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment, and a great many other doctrines. The Apostle's and Nicene Creeds are good for a summary of what all Christians believe with regard to basic doctrine. The most basic of which is that the Triune God is the true and living God. But if we are going to go on to maturity in our doctrine then we must not only defend the abecedarian things, but also wrestle with the claims of Romanists, Anabaptists, Pentecostals, and dispensationalists, and others. If Presbyterians fail to offer reasons for being Reformed rather than adhering to these or other teachings, then why not join those churches? While they are my brothers and sisters in Christ, I profoundly disagree with those I may agree with on the abecedarian things.

But to bring this discussion around - coming to conclusions subject to further reformation according to Scripture on these mature issues requires reading, writing, and arithmetic on the Lord's Day. Someone once said that the ABC's of Christianity are Admit you're a sinner, Believe in Christ, and Confess it to all with thanksgiving to God. This is only a beginning. Let's build on it.

Labels: abecedarian, arithmetic, faith, pentecost, reading, writing