Revelation 1:4

The Asia

The term "Asia/Asian" is widely used to describe the people from the vast continent of modern Asia. People from regions like China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Pakistan, and others may identify as "Asian." This label, however, was not originally used in this way by the peoples of those regions. It is a designation that was applied by outsiders (primarily Europeans). Modern Asians have largely adopted the term Asia as a geographical and cultural identity.

The term Asia in ancient Greek texts, particularly in the NT and classical literature, referred primarily to the region of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and, later, the broader territories under Persian control. It was not used to describe the entire continent of Asia as it is understood today. The "Seven Churches of Asia"  were located in this ancient region, specifically in cities that are part of modern Turkey: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These cities were part of the Roman province of Asia. This use of Asia is entirely unrelated to the modern conception of "Asia" as a vast continent spanning from the Middle East to the Far East, encompassing countries like China, India, and Japan.