B. Salutation (1:4-8)
B. SALUTATION (1:4-8)
The book of Revelation is cast into the form of a letter. Some have felt that this is artificial, but there is no real reason for doubt. It is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor, and, while clearly it was meant from the beginning for a wider circle, it is equally clear that it was meant as a serious communication to these churches. For the usual epistolary form in the first century see the note on 1 Thessalonians 1:1 (TNTC).
4. The address is To the seven churches in the province of Asia, the western part of what we call Asia Minor. We do not know on what principle the seven were selected. There were certainly more than seven churches in the region by the time this book was written (Acts 20:5ff.; Col. 1:2; 4:13). John may have had a special relationship with these seven. Again, if the seven named in verse 11 were visited in order, one would traverse a rough circle. This is a figure of completeness, and seven (a number of which John is fond) is the number of perfection. For one so fond of symbolism this can scarcely be without significance.
In the greeting, grace and peace (see the note on 1 Thes. 1:1) are said to be from him who is, and who was, and who is to come (cf. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5). This most unusual expression clearly refers to God the Father. The Greek is not grammatical (apo is followed by nominatives, and 
n is preceded by an article), but it is an arresting way of stressing the changelessness and the eternity of God. The whole expression seems intended as a title. It is a name which expresses something of the character of God. Barclay comments: ‘In the terrible days in which he was writing John stayed his heart on the changelessness of God, and used the defiance of grammar to underline his faith.’
n is preceded by an article), but it is an arresting way of stressing the changelessness and the eternity of God. The whole expression seems intended as a title. It is a name which expresses something of the character of God. Barclay comments: ‘In the terrible days in which he was writing John stayed his heart on the changelessness of God, and used the defiance of grammar to underline his faith.’The seven spirits might conceivably refer to a group of angelic beings. But coming between references to the Father and the Son it is more probable that this is an unusual way of designating the Holy Spirit (‘the sevenfold Spirit’, mg.). John never uses the expression ‘the Holy Spirit’ in this book, but he uses the word ’Spirit’ in a variety of ways; ‘the Spirit’ is found in 2:7,17, etc., so he clearly knows of the Holy Spirit. Seven spirits recurs in 3:1; 4:5; 5:6. On the whole it seems most probable that we should see seven as signifying perfection or the like, and the whole expression as pointing to the Holy Spirit. The number may derive from Isaiah 11:2-3, and be meant to remind us of the seven modes of operation of the Spirit.
5. The third source of grace and peace is Jesus Christ, mentioned for the third time in the prologue (and not again throughout the book; John prefers simply ‘Jesus’). He is the faithful witness (cf. 3:14; Ps. 89:37). John put emphasis on witness in verse 2 and this hammers his point home. He leaves us in no doubt that what he reports is well attested. He goes on to speak of Jesus as the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth (cf. Ps. 89:29). Jesus is a figure of majesty. But he is also revered for what he has done for sinners and John goes off into a doxology. He begins with Christ’s love and goes on to his redeeming activity. Freed is more literally ‘loosed’; Christ has redeemed us from our sins and he did it at the cost of his own blood.
6. He has made us a kingdom. The kingdom of God was the main topic in the teaching of Jesus and we find here that it is those who are Christ’s who constitute the kingdom. It is not like earthly kingdoms, a realm with known boundaries, population, etc. It consists of those who have been loosed from their sins through Christ and who now live to do his service. The order is important. First comes the reference to his redeeming work and only then that to the kingdom. As a result of what Christ has done for them, believers become other than they were. They are made into the very kingdom of God. In apposition with ‘kingdom’ is the further expression, priests to serve his God and Father. The kingdom consists of priests. Notice that it is ordinary Christians who are called priests, not some privileged hierarchy. Now a priest speaks to God on behalf of men and to men on behalf of God. Believers are assigned this responsible task by their God. They are to pray to God for the world and they are to witness to the world of what God has done. In God’s name they are to speak the message of reconciliation to the world (2 Cor. 5:20). There may also be the thought that priests offer sacrifice, for Christ’s people make the sacrifice of themselves (Rom. 12:1). Notice that God is characterized by his relationship to Christ (his Father), rather than to us (not ’our Father’). To Christ, who has done so much for us, is ascribed glory and power for ever and ever! There are many such expressions of praise in Revelation. John delights in his Lord, and loves to bring this out in doxologies and songs.
7. After the doxology comes a piece of eager looking forward to the coming of the Lord (cf. 22:20). John thinks of him as coming with the clouds, a description which recalls what is said of ‘one like a son of man’ (Dn. 7:13). Clouds are often mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with divine activity (e.g. Nu. 11:25; Ps. 104:3; Is. 19:1), and we are to think here of a scene of divine majesty as the Lord Jesus returns to earth in triumph. This triumph will be open for all to see, and it is this reversal of things at the first coming on which John seizes. In language reminiscent of Zechariah 12:10 he depicts the manifestation of the Lord to his foes, who will be disconcerted at this unexpected reversal of roles.
John’s So shall it be! Amen (which combines the Greek and Hebrew forms of assent in a vigorous expression of approval) causes difficulty to some, coming as it does after all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. It is felt that this enthusiastic approval is rather less than Christian (and similar expressions recur throughout the book). But John is not being vindictive. When Christians suffer persecution the name of their God is reviled and their cause is despised. But this is not final. John records in vivid symbol the overthrow of the wicked and the vindication of God and of good. And this he does not as a mildly interested spectator. He is whole-heartedly committed to the cause of God and he is eager that that cause be seen to prosper. So he does not simply record that the wicked will in fact be overthrown. Their overthrow means the triumph of good and the vindication of Christians who had suffered so much. John exults in it.
8.
The Lord is most often used in the New Testament of Jesus, a usage found in Revelation (11:8; 22:20; etc.). But in this book it more often refers to the Father, as here. Revelation is concerned with the problems of power and this verse gives expression early in the book to the conviction that God is sovereign. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (cf. 21:6; 22:13); God was before all things and he outlasts all things. His eternity is brought out also in who is, and who was, and who is to come (see on v.4). Nine times in this book God is called the Almighty (and once in all the rest of the New Testament). None can resist the power of God. The word denotes not so much the exercise of naked power as the all-embracing sovereignty that God exercises.