I will not ever dispute the allegation that I am ignorant concerning Biblical things. I have during the course of my life made some attempts to deal with the matter. Regarding the origin of the compilation of the New Testament, I'd claim less than perfect knowledge, but certainly not complete ignorance either.
It seems from here that you are having things in more than one fashion. The "Church Fathers" acknowledged Revelation as inspired, and you seem to take exception to that fact.
Perhaps another look at the text might help you to discern.
"John, to the seven churches which are in Asia......."
I submit to you that if you would seriously take the time to even attempt to to discern just what the message following was about, you might better consider the true nature of the decisions of the 'Church Fathers'."
You seem to suppose that the Apostles in the first century knew less about the root of the Church than did the adherents who came along centuries later.
Good luck with that presupposition.
Here is a clue for you to think about........John was in the Spirit when he witnessed what he reports in The Apocalypse aka Revelation.
The seven churches are "types" of the Church over time.
I doubt that you will see it because you are already satisfied with what you have.
It seems from here that you are having things in more than one fashion. The “Church Fathers” acknowledged Revelation as inspired, and you seem to take exception to that fact.
Perhaps another look at the text might help you to discern.
“John, to the seven churches which are in Asia.......”
I submit to you that if you would seriously take the time to even attempt to to discern just what the message following was about, you might better consider the true nature of the decisions of the ‘Church Fathers’.”
You seem to suppose that the Apostles in the first century knew less about the root of the Church than did the adherents who came along centuries later.
Good luck with that presupposition.
Here is a clue for you to think about........John was in the Spirit when he witnessed what he reports in The Apocalypse aka Revelation.
The seven churches are “types” of the Church over time.
I doubt that you will see it because you are already satisfied with what you have.
WELL AND WISELY PUT.
THX.
***It seems from here that you are having things in more than one fashion. The “Church Fathers” acknowledged Revelation as inspired, and you seem to take exception to that fact.***
The consensus patrem was very divided on Revelation and there is much of the Church that still is wary of Revelation today, not the least because it is written in Jewish apocalyptic text and is the most difficult to understand of all Scripture, even more difficult than Paul’s works. There is still much conjecture as to how much is symbolic and how much is speculative prophecy or historicist recounting.
Could they be all three types?
1) actual churches at John's time
2) actual church types at all times during the church age
3) the 7 church ages over time, we being presently in the laodicean age.