Revelation

The Seven Churches of Asia

Some of the most straightforward prose in the Revelation comes in the letters to the seven churches. Nevertheless, "local knowledge" really helps to understand the details of what the churches were commended for and why they were centured (if they were).

Over the course of two class periods, you will be in the library compiling a profile of each of the seven churches. Your profile should be aimed at constructing a picture of the cities historically, geographically, socially, politically, economically, and cultically.

Your notes will become the basis of your in-class discussions as we approach this very important section of Revelation, so be as thorough as possible. Remember, your investigation should focus on these churches as they would have been in the first century, not modern day. We need to know as much as we can about their situation as John would have known them.

The Churches: (in order of appearance)

  • Ephesus

  • Smyrna

  • Pergamum

  • Thyatira

  • Sardis

  • Philadelphia

  • Laodicea


Online Resources

Google Books

The Seven Churches of Asia

Strong's Concordance

http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html


Bible Dictionary

http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/

Holman Bible Dictionary: http://www.studylight.org/dic/hbd/


Bible Encyclopaedia Online

ISBE http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/

http://bibleencyclopedia.com/

Condensed Biblical Encyclopedia http://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/condensed-biblical-encyclopedia/

Bible Web Encyclopedia: http://christiananswers.net/dictionary/home.html

Catholic Encyclopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc13/htm/TOC.htm

Bible Versions

http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-versions/


Bible Commentaries

http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/

IVP NT Commentaries: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/

http://www.studylight.org/com/

http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/index.htm#NT

http://www.bible-researcher.com/links20.html



Bible Maps and Atlases

Smith's Bible Atlas http://www.godweb.org/SmithBibleAtlas/index.htm

Bible Map.Org http://biblemap.org/whyBeta.html

Historic Jesus Maps: http://www.historicjesus.com/maps/index.html

Bible Atlas Online: http://tnp.theeggbeater.net/websites/maps/www.anova.org/sev/atlas/htm/index.html

Bible Atlas with Videos, etc. http://ancientsandals.com/