The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting (The Biblical Resource Series)

The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting The Biblical Resource Series Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2001. Pp. xxii + 338, Paperback, $29.00, ISBN 0802847145. Kenneth D. Litwak University of Bristol/Trinity College Bristol, England This book examines the possible local background of the imagery in the seven letters in Rev 2-3 in order to show the meaning of the imagery based on historical data, not conjecture. This edition has a new foreword by David Aune, who both introduces and critiques the book. Hemer states that he has great appreciation for Ramsey’s book on these letters and writes this work in part to provide a more solid foundation for some of Ramsey’s speculations. According to Hemer, his case depends upon assembling a mass of evidence to show the correspondences between the historical situation in each city mentioned in Rev 2-3 and the letter to the church in each respective city. Critics may disagree with him on one point or another, but as long as most of the correspondences are valid, his case stands intact. Hemer’s tone is that of caution. He stresses the need not to go beyond the data but rather to draw only inferences that can rest on solid evidence. Hemer begins by describing the types of evidence he is going to use and his overall aim. His basic thesis is that, while there may be images borrowed from the Scriptures of Israel, the primary source of the imagery in Revelation, especially in the seven letters, is the local situation of each church. Hemer seeks therefore to elucidate the Sitz im Leben of each church. Since the arguments in the book are all about details, my review will cover only some of the points for which Hemer argues. In the chapter on the letter to the church at Ephesus, Hemer argues for several elements of importance for reading the letter. [Full Review]