Revelation 1 - Fleming Don Bridgeway Bible - Commentary
Revelation 1
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).
A vision of Christ (1:9-20)
One Sunday, the day of the Lord’s victorious resurrection, John received this revelation in a series of visions. He knew of the sufferings of Christians, because he himself was imprisoned on account of his Christian faith. He carried a message for persecuted believers that he was to send to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. The order in which the churches are listed is probably the order in which they were visited by the person who delivered the letters. From these churches the message would no doubt spread to the smaller churches round about (9-11).
The first vision that John sees is of the Lord of the church, Jesus Christ, walking among the churches (symbolized by lampstands; see v. 20). His appearance displays the greatness, majesty, wisdom and authority of God (12-15). He holds the churches (symbolized this time by stars; see v. 20) in the protective care of his right hand. At the same time he has the sword of authority to act against any in those churches who oppose his will (16).
John was so overcome with this vision that he collapsed. But Christ strengthened him, pointing out that he should be encouraged, not afraid, for Christ has authority even over death. Persecuted believers need not fear that death will separate them from him (17-18).
The revelations that John is about to receive will concern both his time and the future. The seven angels to whom he must address his letters are symbolic representatives of seven churches. This emphasizes that although John has a message for Christians in general, he has a specific message for each of the seven churches (19-20).
