Sermon Tone Analysis

Seven Churches

Seven Churches Congregations to whom John is instructed to write in Revelation 2–3; located in seven cities of western Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Although these seven churches were actual, historical churches in Asia Minor, they represent the types of churches that perennially exist throughout the church age.

What Christ says to these churches is relevant in all times.

At the start of John’s vision in Revelation, he is told to write letters to these churches—or, more precisely, to their angels (see below: “Angels of the Churches”).

The content of the letters is dictated by a metaphysical figure described as “one like a son of man” who died but now lives forever—the exalted Christ (Rev 1:13–18; compare Dan 7:13–14; Rev 1:1).

Together, the seven letters form an introduction to the apocalyptic prophecy that follows in Rev 4–22.

The letters encourage the churches to become or remain strong so that they can persevere through the coming tribulation.

Each letter concludes with a description of various eschatological blessings that will be given to “the one who conquers” (e.g., Rev 2:7.

In Revelation, there are seven spirits, angels, churches, seals, trumpets, bowls, beatitudes, and doxologies.

Because the number seven is a sign of perfection, the seven letters could represent Jesus’ perfect revelation to His people (Bauckham, Theology, 26–27).

Form and Content of the Letters

The seven letters share a similar structure (Osborne, Revelation, 105–6; Witherington, Revelation 2003: 91–93; Aune, Revelation 1–5, 119–24):

1. Introductory Address

a. “To the angel of the church in …”

b.

Command to “write” and christological attributes that refer to the speaker (introduced by the prophetic formula “the words of …”)

2. Letter Body

a. Strengths of the church (introduced by “I know …”)

b.

Weaknesses of the church (sometimes introduced by “but I have this against you”)

c.

A call to faithfulness (e.g., “remember,” “repent,” “be faithful,” “hold fast”)

3. Concluding Address

a. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”

b.

Promise of eschatalogical blessings for “the one who conquers”

(The order of the concluding elements is reversed in the last four letters.)

The body of each letter—presenting strengths, weaknesses, and calls to faithfulness—reflects a strong pastoral emphasis, indicating that the primary intention is to encourage the churches to remain in (or come back to) Christ.

Of the seven letters, only two are completely positive—those addressed to Smyrna and Philadelphia—while the letter to Laodicea is completely negative.

Church of Ephesus

At its height Ephesus was the most important city along the coast of Asia Minor.

Two hundred and thirty cities dotted the coast line of Asia Minor.

Many had ideal harbors, but Ephesus was the queen among these coast communities, with over 250,000 inhabitants.

The city had been founded to command one of the main highways of Asia Minor.

Its attraction was not only its natural harbor, but the rich, fertile land that covered the inland area.

Ephesus was, of course, a great commercial city.

Its natural harbor and strategic location on one of the main roads of the world made it such.

However, in the middle of the first century, the harbor had silted up so badly that trade had declined dramatically from the days of Ephesian glory.

There had been attempts to drag the silt out, but the efforts were half-hearted and finally abandoned.

The people’s hearts were just not in the effort.

Part of the reason for this attitude was the successful and profitable trade Ephesus enjoyed from its religious cult.

The great temple of Diana, or Artemis, was there.

Diana was the goddess who had a grotesque head and many breasts and focused upon the sensual pleasure of the flesh.

The worshipping pilgrims found their satisfaction in prostitution with a host of priestesses who plied the cult of the goddess.

A great trade of silversmiths had developed over the years, and tourist commercialism boomed year-round.

This accounts for the guild of silversmiths finding the crowds an easy mark for arousing opposition against Paul.

As the years went by, the great harbor silted up more and more, and the Ephesians depended more and more upon the trade that came from their religion and superstition.

The natural harbor of Smyrna, which lay close by, became a more suitable port and began to take away more and more of the commercial traffic of Ephesus.

As a result Ephesus became a dying city, living on its past reputation as a religious and philosophical center.

The great city of Ephesus had a disease, the disease of sensual unrighteousness, and the disease did its work: it corrupted the people.

The people, sensual and self-centered, lost their will and willingness to ply a commendable trade.

Thus, the disease of Ephesus proved mortal.

The “lampstand” of Ephesus crumbled, and the light of Ephesus died out.

The church in Ephesus had a small beginning.

When Paul visited Ephesus, he found only twelve believers in the city.

They had been won to the Lord by the immature but impressive preacher Apollos.

As a result they had been misinformed on the presence of the Holy Spirit; they seemed to lack a consciousness of the Spirit in the life of the believer and the awareness that He had already been sent into the world.

After Paul’s instruction to these twelve, he began to teach in the synagogue.

He taught for three months.

But the Jews were hardened and refused to believe.

They murmured against the message.

Therefore, Paul moved the church into the school of a philosopher, Tyrannus.

There he preached Christ for two whole years.

During this time it is said that the church was instrumental in sounding forth the Word throughout all Asia: “So all they which dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

The Lord worked special miracles by Paul in Ephesus and the church witnessed some amazing things.

From all evidence, the spectacular was necessary in order to get through to the people.

As always, God did everything He could to reach a people.

These experiences show the great love and movement of God toward man (see Ac. 19:11–20).

In viewing these accounts, we must keep the background of the city in mind.

Ephesus was a hot bed of Oriental magic and superstition.

The people were an emotional and sensual lot, easily moved to feelings.

They were a devoted people, an expressive people, a loving people, and equally a lovable people.

As Paul preached and God worked miracles, many believed and the church grew mightily.

The believers gave great evidence of changed lives by living for Christ right in the middle of an immoral and pagan society.

On one occasion, the church demonstrated its new found faith by building a great bonfire and setting aflame all of its pagan and magical literature.

Revelation 2:1–7 (ESV)

1 “To the angel of the church (pastor/elder) in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him (Thus says the Lord in O.T.) who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands (Christ).

2 “ ‘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.

3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.

4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 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.’

The general condition of life in Ephesus was that of a wealthy, cultured, corrupt city.

Just why Ephesus was selected as the first of the seven is not revealed.

It could have been that it was because Ephesus was the natural starting place on the continent for a circular message from the isle of Patmos.

If one grants that the book was written by John the son of Zebedee, he will find a likely suggestion in the tradition that John had been the chief leader of the Christian forces around Ephesus for a quarter of a century.

The history of the founding and early operation of this church is recorded in Acts 18–20.

Ephesus: The Lacking Church

The Expository Pulpit Series: Revelation Unveiling Christ and His Prophetic Program by Dr. Glen Spencer Jr.

The message to the Church of Ephesus—Beginning of the Church to A.D. 100.

Ephesus represents the Apostolic Church.

The word Ephesus means desirable.

It was the early church with all the zeal of its first love, burning for Christ.

This church started out with a great love for Christ and truth and a burning desire to see souls saved, but toward the end of the first century she left her first love and as a result began to cool off.

Our labor for Christ is to always to be based on our love for Him.

We serve Him because we love Him—not simply because we have to.