“Letters” to the Seven Churches?

Should they be reclassified?

In the first chapter of Revelation, John addresses “the seven churches that are in [the Roman province of] Asia.” In Revelation 2–3 we have the text of seven different messages, commonly called letters, to each of these churches in western Asia Minor. But are they really letters?

Clearly not. Normal Greek letters begin with the name of the author in the nominative case (the superscription), followed by the name of the recipient in the dative (the adscription) and the word chairein (“greetings”). Sometimes this is followed by an optional note of thanks or a blessing.

Acts 15:23 preserves an example of this basic style, although it is somewhat more complicated because it is a letter from one group to another group. It begins:

“The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting.”

Paul’s letters also follow this format, although with certain exceptional features. His normal opening consists of the author(s), the recipient(s), the greeting (“Grace and peace to you from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ”) and finally a prayer of thanksgiving (a proem). This style for opening a letter can be relatively simple as in Philemon 1–6, or more elaborate as in 1 Corinthians 1:1–9 and Romans 1:1–10.