Digital Logos Edition
In this collection, Sam Storms draws upon 38 years of experience as a professor, a pastor, and an author to provide accessible and insightful commentaries, as well as general Bible reading tips. For every book of the Bible covered here, he includes detailed introductions, personal commentaries, and suggestions for further reading; for Psalms, Corinthians, and Revelations, he also includes guides for daily devotions and meditations. Through this series of hundreds of articles, Storms helps readers get more out of the Bible by giving interpretive clues and discussing controversial issues such as divorce and remarriage, infant deaths, the power of demons, and more. This volume contains an introduction to the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches and commentaries on each individual letter.
“There seems to be a deliberate contrast drawn between Smyrna and Laodicea. Smyrna suffered from material poverty (ptocheia) but was regarded by Jesus as spiritually wealthy (plousios). Laodicea, on the other hand, was materially wealthy (plousios) but spiritually poor (ptocheia). Thus, despite their banks, they were beggars! Despite their famous eye-salve, they were blind! Despite their prosperous clothing factories, they were naked!” (Revelation 3:14–17)
“He not only ‘has’ the stars, he ‘holds’ (lit., grasps) them. He not only ‘stands’ in the midst of the lampstands, he ‘walks’ among them! Our Lord patrols the churches with an intense and ever present awareness of all thoughts, deeds, and activities. Thus it is no surprise that each letter begins with the ominous, ‘I know your deeds’ (2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15).” (Revelation 2:1)
“now at Sardis we learn of the importance of reality, genuineness, authenticity, a life-style that matches profession.” (Revelation 3:1–2b)
“a female member of the church who was promoting destructive heresies and leading many into moral compromise” (Revelation 2:20)
“(‘to capture the acropolis of Sardis’ had become proverbial for ‘doing the impossible’).” (Revelation 3:1–6)