Revelation 1:4

John. See on v. 1. The fact that the writer feels no need of further identifying himself is evidence that he was well known to the church “in Asia.” It testifies also to the authenticity of the letter, for any other writer than the one whom the believers “in Asia” would recognize as “John” might be expected to lay claim to authority and position. The simplicity with which the writer refers to himself comports with the self-effacing procedure followed by the writer of the Gospel of John (see Vol. V, p. 891).

To the seven churches. From this point to the close of ch. 3 the Revelation is framed somewhat in the form of an ancient letter, or rather, a series of letters. This epistolatory section is introductory to the remainder of the book, which is characterized by a succession of dramatic visions. For comment on the use of the number “seven” in the Revelation, and on the seven churches, see on ch. 1:11.

Asia. That is, the Roman province of Asia, a region some 300 mi. from east to west and 260 mi. from north to south, in the western part of what is now known as Asia Minor, in the present republic of Turkey (see The Journeys of Paul). In Hellenistic times this area had developed into the important kingdom of Pergamum, a leading center of Hellenistic culture. Concerning the circumstances under which Pergamum became the Roman province of Asia see Vol. V, p. 35. In NT times Asia remained an important center of Graeco-Roman culture. Paul spent many months there (see Acts 18:19–21; 19:1, 10), and the success of his labors in the area is attested by three of his epistles to Christians living there (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon). His first epistle to Timothy, who was then in charge of the church at Ephesus, and perhaps of the churches throughout the province, testifies to a well-established Christian community there. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, and it is probable that the members of these churches in the Roman province of Asia were mostly Gentiles.

After the removal of the parent Christian congregation from Jerusalem, shortly before A.D. 70, Asia seems to have taken on increased significance as a Christian center. This was doubtless due to the presence and leadership of the apostle John. According to tradition he resided at Ephesus and traveled about in the surrounding area, “here to appoint bishops, there to set in order whole Churches, there to ordain such as were marked out by the Spirit” (Clement of Alexandria Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? xlii; ANF, vol. 2, p. 603). Such an intimate connection between the apostle and the churches of Asia seems to be reflected here.

Grace … peace. See on Rom. 1:7; 2 Cor. 1:2. It has been suggested that this greeting came about from a combination of the ordinary Greek salutation chairein, “greeting!” (as in James 1:1), and the Hebrew greeting shalom, in its Greek equivalent, eirēnē, “peace.” Chairein is probably related to the more religious term here used, charis, “grace.” The two words “grace” and “peace” appear commonly in the salutations of the early Christian epistles, and together apparently constituted a characteristic form of greeting in the apostolic church (see Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 3; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2; 2 John 3).

Him which is. Gr. ho ōn, “the being [One],” an expression apparently taken from the LXX of Ex. 3:14, where it is used to translate the divine name I AM. Like the Hebrew, this expression implies the eternal, timeless self-existence of God. The Greek reads literally, “from He who is,” a phrase no more grammatical in Greek than in English. This, however, is not evidence of John’s ignorance of grammar; his refusal to inflect the words representing the Divine Being was probably a subtle means of emphasizing the utter unchangeableness of God. From the context of vs. 4, 5 it is clear that this phrase refers to the Father.

Which was. God has existed from all eternity (Ps. 90:2).

Which is to come. Or, “the coming [One].” The series—“which is,” “which was,” “which is to come”—indicates that the last clause is a substitute for the future tense of the verb, and is equivalent to saying, “which will be.” It has been proposed that the clause also refers to the second coming of Christ. This interpretation, while verbally possible, does not accord with the context, which shows that this was hardly in the mind of the writer.

The reference here to the Father sets forth His eternity and states that the same One who now continually exists has always existed and will always exist. God’s personal existence transcends time, but a timeless eternity can be expressed in human words only by finite, temporal terms such as John employs here.

Seven Spirits. Concerning the significance of the number “seven” in the Revelation see on v. 11. Elsewhere in the book these seven Spirits are portrayed as seven lamps of fire (ch. 4:5) and the seven eyes of the Lamb (ch. 5:6). The association here of the “seven Spirits” with the Father and with Christ, as equally the source of the Christian’s grace and peace, implies that they represent the Holy Spirit. The designation “seven” is probably a symbolic expression of His perfection, and may also imply the variety of the gifts by which He works through man (see 1 Cor. 12:4–11; cf. Rev. 3:1).

Before his throne. That is, before the throne of “him which is, and which was, and which is to come.” The position perhaps implies readiness for instant service. See on ch. 4:2–5.