Reading the New Testament Letters and Revelation

HOW TO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS

1. Understand the historical situation or occasion of the

letter.

Why was it being written and who was written to and who was writing it?   

2. Understand the Structure of the Letter.

• Name of the writer
• Name of the recipient
• Greeting
• Prayer wish or thanksgiving
• Body of the Letter
• Final farewell and greeting

3. Move from Culture to Culture Thoughtfully.

What is the principle behind this teaching or exhortation and how does this apply to me or my situation? 

4. Read the Letters as a Relationship Adventure

Don’t let what you already know or have read make you miss something new or even something you had forgotten.  Let is speak to you every time in a fresh new way that will lead to a change in our minds or our actions. 

THREE FORMS OF LITERATURE IN REVELATION

1. Letter

It’s a “personal” letter (communication) sent to the 7 churches in Asia Minor and there is an occasion for it to be written.

2. Prophecy

It means to foretell the future and equally to speak forth God’s Word in the present, a world that usually had as its content coming judgment or salvation. Another way to say it is both the prediction of God’s plans for the future and proclamation of God’s truth for the present. 

3. Apocalyptic

God’s revelation to a well-known person in which Gods’ promises to intervene in the course of history and to overthrow evil empires, setting up His kingdom.  So it’s heaven breaking into Earth in some significant way.  It looked exclusively forward to the time when God would bring a violent radical end to history, and end that would mean the triumph of good and the final judgment of God.  It usually involves dreams and vision and the language is very cryptic and symbolic. 

GUIDELINES FOR READING REVELATION

1. Pray for insight
2. Ready with humility
3. Read in light of the original audience
4. Study the use of symbols
5. Read in light of the Old Testament
6. Don’t try to find a historical chronology
7. Understand how relevant Revelation is for today.