Revelation 1:4a - Grace to you and Peace!

by Jon Buck

“John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace.” - Revelation 1:4a

In the greeting of Rev 1:4, John writes to the seven churches and opens with a message from God of “Grace to you and Peace.” The seven churches were in Asia, which included Ephesus and those surrounding it. John lived in Ephesus after Paul’s martyrdom in Rome (about 67 AD), and he spent about 30 years overseeing the churches in that general area. John was the last known surviving apostle and was exiled on the small, barren island of Patmos, where Romans often banished criminals. He was exiled “on account of the word of God the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 1:9) indicating he was persecuted for his faith in Christ.  John was on the island when he received the extraordinary visions of the end times, and he wrote about them in a letter to circulate to his seven churches who were also suffering persecution under the reign of Domitian. Both Nero and Domitian demanded emperor worship, and Christians were martyred for not complying. As a result, some of the churches were struggling in spiritual decline.

John opens his greeting immediately with comforting words to the suffering believers that God sends His grace and peace to them. Grace is favor that is undeserved yet poured out from God’s heart of love and kindness. John knew the believers in the seven churches were struggling and he wanted to first tell them that God is with them even in these hard circumstances. In fact, God sends grace to us continually. Grace is God’s love in action in every circumstance of life, and it continues for us today. Everyone has both joy and hardship in life, and God in heaven is smiling, giving grace in every part of our lives for His purposes and our sanctification. Our part is to receive it and believe that is true.

John says God also sends His peace to them. The churches were in strife because believers were threatened with imprisonment (Rev 2:10), and were being attacked for their faith. But John says God sends His peace, which is peace with God Himself. Because believers in Christ are no longer under the war that God has with sin, they have peace with God and are united and safe with Him despite their circumstances. Paul explains in Romans 5:1 that we have peace with God because we have been justified by faith. God’s declaration of righteousness has brought us into a relationship of love with God. 

In the OT, the Hebrew word for peace is shalom which means wholeness or completeness. This type of wholeness was only possible through God, as the Aaronic blessing explains (“…the Lord give you peace.” - Num 6:22-27). In the New Covenant Jesus provides us access to God, who is everything we need for true peace. In Christ, believers are reconciled to God, and all the longings and cravings of life won’t produce true peace or happiness, but in Jesus we have wholeness and true and lasting peace with God. We have everything we need from God to fight sin and live for Him even in the hardest circumstances. Have you trusted in Christ, and do you believe that Jesus is everything for you?