Romans 16:1-2
Personal greetings
The capital city of Rome was a magnet that drew
people from all over the empire. In addition Paul’s travels to many of the
major population centers — Jerusalem, Syrian Antioch, Philippi, Athens,
Corinth, Ephesus — brought him into contact with the mobile segment of Roman
society. These factors help explain the presence of Paul’s many friends in
Rome, but his knowledge of their whereabouts remains a tribute to his deep
concern for people.
Phoebe (which means “bright, radiant”) was Paul’s
emissary to deliver this letter, so he wrote officially, I commend to you
our sister Phoebe. The relationship mentioned is spiritual, not familial.
Phoebe was a servant of the church in Cenchrea, a seaport a few miles
east of Corinth (cf. Act_18:18. “Servant”: This is one
passage used in support of the office of deaconess. No specific specifications
however are given of such an office. Such women are better viewed as being
either the wives of deacons, or godly widows who were supported financially by
the church. Here it is best to understand Phoebe’s role to be that of “helper.”
In
the early church, women servants cared for sick believers, the poor, strangers
and those in prison. They instructed the women and children.
Whether
Phebe had an official title or not, she had the great responsibility of
delivering this letter to the Roman church.
Cenchrea
is the little town east of Corinth from which Paul wrote Romans.
The word diakonon, “servant,” is used for
the office of deacon (Php_1:1; 1Ti_3:8, 1Ti_3:10,
1Ti_3:12) as well as used generally (Rom_15:8; 1Co_3:5).
Use of the word with the phrase “of the church” strongly suggests some
recognized position, a fact appropriate for a person serving as Paul’s
emissary. Paul not only officially commended her (cf. 2Co_3:1), but also asked the Roman Christians to
receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help
(lit., “and to stand by her in whatsoever matter”) she may need from you. Succourer means a
patron. In many of Paul's writings, such as this, we see that many women
ministered with him. Paul calls her his sister; she is not his sister in the
flesh, but in the ministry.
Notice,
also, that Paul says to help her in her business. In the first verse, he had
told us that her business was as servant in the church. We see from this that,
Paul is saying to help her in her ministry. She had been a great help to Paul,
as well as others. Notice in this next Scripture in Jesus' own words what He
feels toward these workers.
Matthew
10:40 "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth
him that sent me." You see, when you receive a servant of God {male or
female} you are, in fact, receiving the God that sent them.
Paul explained, for she has been a great help (prostatis,
“a protectress, succorer”) to many people, including me. So they should
help her since she had helped others.
Romans 16:3-5
This list of greetings (Rom_16:3-16) that Paul wanted conveyed to
friends in Rome is the longest in any of his epistles. He mentioned 26 people
by name, and referred to many others (Rom_16:5,
Rom_16:10-11, Rom_16:13-15). Several women are included in the
list: Priscilla (Rom_16:3), Mary (Rom_16:6), Tryphena and Tryphosa (Rom_16:12), Persis (Rom_16:12),
Rufus’ mother (Rom_16:13), and Nereus’
sister (Rom_16:15). Two others are
possibly women — Junias (Rom_16:7) and
Julia (Rom_16:15).
Paul first met Priscilla and Aquila when
he arrived in Corinth on his second missionary journey (Act_18:2) and worked with them at their trade of
tentmaking. They had come to Corinth from Rome because of Claudius’ decree that
all Jews must leave Rome. They accompanied Paul when he left Corinth (Act_18:18), but stayed in Ephesus when the party
stopped briefly (Act_18:19). There they
ministered to Apollos (Act_18:26) and
undoubtedly to Paul during his stay in Ephesus on his third journey, because
they sent greetings to the Corinthian Christians (1Co_16:19).
Shortly after that, they must have moved back to Rome and still later returned
to Ephesus (2Ti_4:19).
Paul paid them great praise, calling them my
fellow workers in Christ Jesus and revealing that they risked their
lives for me (lit., “they lay down their own neck for my soul”). In what
way they risked their lives is not known. We know that these two had befriended Paul
before. In fact, Paul lived with them and worked as a tentmaker while he
ministered.
Acts
18:2-3 “And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from
Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews
to depart from Rome:) and came unto them." "And because he was of the
same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were
tentmakers."
John
15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends."
These
two had been fellow workers with Paul on several occasions.
All
the Gentile churches, Paul added, were grateful to them. Paul
also sent greetings to the church that met at their house. The
Christians in Rome apparently worshiped in numerous homes such as Priscilla and
Aquila’s. This couple had had a house church in Ephesus (1Co_16:19) and probably wherever they lived.
Other churches in homes are mentioned in Col_4:15
and Phm_1:2.
Epenetus, to whom greetings
were sent, is mentioned only here, but is called by Paul my dear friend
(lit., “the one loved by me”; cf. Stachys, Rom_16:9).
He was the first convert (lit., “the firstfruits”) to Christ in the
province of Asia. Acts
18:27 "And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote,
exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much
which had believed through grace:"
We see for
certain that Paul ministered in Achaia from this scripture. (Achaia – Located
in Asia Minor or modern Turkey)
I
Corinthians 16:15 "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of
Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and [that] they have addicted
themselves to the ministry of the saints,)" This Scripture shows the good
fruits of the church that Paul started in Achaia.
Paul reached Asia, the western
portion of modern-day Turkey, on his third missionary journey (Act_19:10), after having been prevented from
going there on his second journey (Act_16:6).
Romans 16:6-7
Mary is identified
simply as one who worked very hard (“toiled much”; cf. Rom_16:12). Some Greek manuscripts read Mariam,
the Hebrew form, which probably identifies this woman as a Jew.
Andronicus and Junias, greeted together, may have been husband and wife; Junias can be
either masculine or feminine. Paul called them my relatives, which
probably refers to a tribal, not a family kinship (cf. Rom_9:3). He also mentioned four other
“relatives” (Rom_16:11, Rom_16:21). He said Andronicus and Junias had been
in prison with him (lit., “my fellow prisoners”); when or where this
occurred is not mentioned (cf. 2Co_11:23).
Paul commended them as outstanding (episēmoi, lit., “having a mark [sēma] on them,” therefore
“illustrious, notable, outstanding”) among the apostles. Very little is written
in the Bible about Adronicus. A history book states that he became bishop of
Pannonia. His name means man-conquering. He and Junia seemed to be blood
relations of Paul.
“Note
among the apostles” just means they were well known to the apostles. The New
Testament knows only the 12 apostles plus Matthis and Paul. The office of
apostle was not extended beyond this number. Andronicus and Junia (a woman) are
not apostles.
Their
ministry with Paul, and perhaps with Peter and some of the other apostles in
Jerusalem before Paul was converted, was well known and appreciated by the
apostles.
The word “apostles” is probably used here in the broader, general
sense in which Barnabas, Silas, and others were called apostles (Act_14:14; 1Th_2:7).
Or it could mean the apostles in the limited sense, referring to the reputation
this pair had among the Twelve. Paul added, They were (perf. tense,
“they came to be and still are”) in Christ before I was. So they had
been believers for about 25 years.
Romans 16:8-11
Ampliatus was one Paul loved
in the Lord. This was high praise from the apostle. Amplias was a common
name among the emperor’s household slaves at that time; he may have been one of
those in “Caesar’s household”. Urbanus was called our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys was
addressed as my dear friend (lit., “the one loved by me”; cf. Epenetus, Rom_16:5). Urbane means polite or of the city.
Stachys
is said by historians {not the Bible} to have been bishop of Byzantium.
Tradition, also, has him to be one of the 70 disciples. This is an uncommon
Greek name meaning “ear of corn.” He was obviously closed to Paul, but the
details are not know for sure.
Paul said Apelles was tested and
approved (ton
dokimon,
“the one approved through testing”; cf. the same word trans. “approved,” Rom_14:18; the related infinitive dokimazein is trans. “to test and
approve,” Rom_12:2). Just the fact that
Apelles was approved of Christ tells us that he was probably one of the 70 sent
out to minister by Jesus. Some historians believe he was the bishop at Smyrna.
Without
naming other individuals Paul sent greetings to those who belong to the
household of Aristobulus. A
household may have included family members and servants. Aristobulus is another
that is only mentioned here in the Bible, but seems to have been in the early
converts to Christianity. His name means counselor.
Since
his household is mentioned, probably some in his house received the Lord as
Savior.
As
Paul does not greet him personally, some think he was probably not a believer.
Historians
say that he was a brother to Barnabus. One noted biblical scholar believers
that he was the brother of Herod Agrippa I and the grandson of Herod the Great. (However, the Gr. simply
has “those out of, belonging to Aristobulus”; cf. Rom_16:11).
Herodion was greeted as my relative, but once
again the relationship was probably tribal and not familial (cf. Rom_16:7, Rom_16:21).
The name may identify this person as belonging to Herod’s family. Once again
without naming individuals Paul sent greetings to those in the household of
Narcissus (lit., “those out of, belonging to Narcissus”; cf. Rom_16:10). But Paul restricted his greetings to
the ones who are in the Lord, which probably indicated Narcissus’ family
was divided spiritually. “Herodion”:
Related to the Herod family and so perhaps associated with the household of
Aristobulus.
“My
kingsman” meaning, he may have been one of Paul’s Jewish relatives.
Narcissus:
Some scholars believe that this was the Emperor Claudius’ secretary. If so, two
households within the palace had Christians in them.
Romans 16:12-13
Paul sent greetings jointly to Tryphena and
Tryphosa, identifying them as those women who work hard (“toil”) in
the Lord. Tryphena
and Tryphosa are not mentioned anywhere else. All we know is that they worked
for the Lord. The only thing we know about Persis is that this was a woman who
was a laborer for the Lord.
“Tryphena
and Tryphosa”: Possibly twin sisters, who names mean “delicate and dainty”.
Then Persis, addressed as my dear
friend (lit., “the one loved”), was another woman who has worked very
hard (“toiled much”) in the Lord. Persis seems to be named after her native
Persia since her work is spoken of in the past tense, she was probably older
that the other two women in this verse. Interestingly four
women were said to have “worked hard” (cf. Mary, Rom_16:6).
Whether Rufus is the same person mentioned
in Mar_15:21 or not is uncertain. If
so, then he, as a son of Simon of Cyrene, was a North African. Paul said Rufus
was chosen in the Lord, a statement true of every believer (cf. Eph_1:4). Biblical
scholars generally agree that he was one of the sons of Simon of Cyrene, the
man enlisted to carry Jesus’ cross and was likely saved through that contact
with Christ. Mark wrote his gospel in Rome, possibly after the letter to
Rome was written, and circulated. Paul would not have mentioned Rufus if that
name were not well known to the church in Rome.
“Chosen
in the Lord”, meaning he was elected to salvation. This indicates he was widely
known as an extraordinary believer because of his great love and service.
Rufus
was not Paul’s natural brother. Rather Rufus’ mother, the wife of Simon of
Cyrene, at some time had cared for Paul during his ministry travels.
Consequently the word translated “chosen” may
mean “eminent,” since it was given to Rufus as a statement of distinction. The
greeting included Rufus’ mother who, Paul said, had also been a
mother to him. Paul obviously did not say she was his actual mother, but he
had been the recipient of her motherly care.
Romans 16:14-16
The next five names mentioned together (Rom_16:14) evidently had something in common,
perhaps as leaders of another house church. This may be indicated by the
reference to the brothers with them. They are all common names,
particularly among slaves.
Julia may have been the
wife of Philologus. Two other husband-wife teams were Priscilla and
Aquila (Rom_16:3) and (possibly)
Andronicus and Junias (Rom_16:7). Nereus
and his sister were then greeted, though the sister’s name is not given.
And finally, greetings were sent to Olympas and all the saints with him.
The only
thing we know about Asyncritus is that the name means incomparable.
Phlegon
means burning. Historians say he was one of the original 70 disciples of
Christ.
Hermas
is celebrated as a saint on May 9th by the Romans. Hermas means mercury.
Patrobas
means life of his father. Little else is known of any of these Christians that
Paul sent greetings to.
Philologus
means fond of talk.
There
were many Julias at this time, and no one knows for sure which one she is.
Nothing
more is known of Nereus or Olympas.
This group may have been the leaders of another
house church (cf. Rom_16:14).
Of all these individuals only Priscilla and
Aquila are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament for certain; yet Paul knew
them all individually and sent personal greetings to them and their associates.
Paul cannot properly be charged with not being “a people person.” He closed
this section with the command, Greet one another with a holy kiss. We notice, here, that
this kiss was to be a holy kiss. This was not a passionate kiss, but a friendly
kiss. Paul is explaining how the church must be together in Christ. We will
list 4 of the Scriptures that speak of this greeting with a holy kiss.
I
Corinthians 16:20 "All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with
an holy kiss." II Corinthians 13:12 "Greet one another with an holy
kiss."
I
Thessalonians 5:26 "Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss." I
Peter 5:14 "Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace [be] with
you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen."
Kissing
of friends on the forehead, cheek or beard was common in the Old Testament. The
Jews in the New Testament church carried on the practice, and it became
especially precious to new believers, who were often outcasts from their own
families because of their faith, because of the spiritual kinship it signified.
The mode of salutation similar to the handshake
today and with a general word of salutation, all the churches of Christ send
greetings (lit., “greet you”).
