Writing probably sometime between 85 and 95 AD, the apostle John penned at least eight “pastoral” epistles (3 John; Rev. 2:1-7; 8-11; 12-17; 18-29; 3:1-6; 7-13; 14-22).[1] Both from a canonical standpoint (they either constitute [3 John] or are found [Rev. 2-3] in the final two books of the Scripture in its present canonical order) or a chronological standpoint, these epistles comprise the pinnacle of God’s revelation that is specifically directed to those whom He has appointed to lead His churches (3 John 1, 9; Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14).

Because of the many disputes about the exact nature of the book of Revelation and about how it should be interpreted and applied, not a few pastors, teachers, and other church leaders have been dismissive at least to some extent of the theological value of John’s final seven epistles to these church leaders. Such an interpretive stance is a serious mistake and deprives them and their people of a wealth of theological and practical revelation, as demonstrated by the following brief survey of some theological insights provided by these epistles:

Theology Proper and Christology

Jesus profoundly emphasizes to the churches that the Father is still His God (3:12). He also stresses repeatedly that He is God’s judicial agent (e.g. 3:2 and 5). Both of these truths have received insufficient attention in contemporary theological thought, especially in works that are directed to pastors and their congregations.

Pneumatology

Jesus ends every epistle with a directive to heed what the Spirit is saying to the churches (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). These statements underscore the personality of the Spirit and His supervisory role over all the churches. Pastors must instruct their people diligently about these truths.

Angelology

Jesus speaks explicitly about the devil/Satan to three of the pastors (2:9, 10; 13 [2x]; 24) and warns of his work of persecuting them (2:10). Pastors who make light of the reality of possible direct satanic attack on them and their churches thus do not have a correct viewpoint about the Christian life.

Soteriology

Jesus reveals that the salvation of believers will only be complete when He will confess before His Father and before His angels that they have overcome (3:5). Pastors must challenge their people regularly about such aspects of the ultimate salvation of believers and what is necessary for receiving it.

Ecclesiology

Jesus confronts two of the seven pastors about their tolerating false teachers within their own churches (2:14; 20-23). Because the latter specifies that the pernicious influence of a false teacher was promoting fornication and the eating of things sacrificed unto idols among believers, it is clear that Jesus wants his leaders to be concerned not just with false teaching about “the gospel,” but also with false teaching that misleads believers about their morality and their exercise of Christian “liberty.”

Eschatology

Jesus sets forth a profound promise of international authority that He will give to those who overcome (2:26-27). Even more profoundly, He declares that He will grant to overcomers to sit with Him on His throne (3:21)! Lack of pastoral emphasis on such truths deprives believers of crucial God-intended motivators for them to overcome. Pastors must emphasize eschatological truths to their people, even as Christ does in each of these letters.

Based on this sampling of the vital theological and practical value of the final seven Johannine “pastoral” epistles, we should all be diligent to profit fully from them!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In God’s final revelation that is specifically directed to His churches (the book of Revelation), we learn at least four distinctive aspects about the pastor of a church in relation to Christ.

1. He is a special representative of Christ

John wrote “to the seven churches which are in Asia” (Rev. 1:4). He informed them that the glorified Christ declared to him: “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (1:20).

This statement compared with Paul’s teaching many years prior that ministers are “the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 8:23) reveals that because a pastor is one of the stars who are the glory of Christ, he must be one who furnishes people with a right opinion of the unique excellence of Christ. He is thus a special representative of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20-21).

2. He has a special relationship with Christ

In his description of the glorified Christ, John writes that “He had in His right hand seven stars” (1:16). He later reports that Christ Himself spoke of that same fact three times (1:20; 2:1; cf. 3:1).

Although every believer is in Christ’s hand (John 10:28), these four statements suggest that the pastor, the “angel” of a church, is in some special sense in Christ’s right hand. He, therefore, has a special relationship to Christ.

3. He has a special responsibility to Christ

The glorified Christ directed John to write letters to the pastors of seven literal churches in Asia Minor in the first century (Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). In those letters, He confronts those pastors in pointed ways about their relationship to Him and their service to Him (e.g., “for my name’s sake hast labored” [2:3]). He demands faithfulness of them (e.g., 2:10, 25) and warns of dire consequences for them and their churches if they fail Him (e.g., 2:5, 16; 3:3).

4. He has a special reward from Christ

The glorified Christ speaks of a crown belonging to the pastor: “Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (3:11; cf. 1 Cor. 3:5-17 and Peter’s instruction to elders: “When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not way” [1 Pet. 5:4]). In view of this special reward, the pastor must persevere in his faithful service to Christ.

Because of these special characteristics of pastors in relation to Christ, we need to continually be mindful that we honor Christ by honoring these who are His special servants whom He has graciously gifted us with (Eph. 4:11ff.). Let us, therefore, diligently honor Christ by honoring our pastors!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.