Reading guide

Reading guide for Revelation

Chapter 2

As you read chapter 2 this week, I would encourage you to look at the churches that are mentioned.  According to Warren Carter, each of the churches were receiving both a specific and general letter.  Chapter 2 focuses on 4 of the 7 churches.  Because of the general aspects of the letter, what is said could apply to every church that reads the letter.

Each letter begins with a message to the angel, talks about the church, that John is writing to the church either to encourage or to criticize.  He commends and rebukes (except in two churches), exhorts and offers the promise.

As you are reading, the churches are Ephesus (Paul’s Ephesians), Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira.  What are the concerns that John has for each church?  During our discussion next week we will go into more depth about these churches.  We will also look at whether the concerns John had are still concerns of the churches today.