Romans Chapter 16 Vs. 15

 

Personal Greetings

Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. Rom 16:15

Salute Philologus, and... At least seven women are named in this chapter: Phebe (Rom. 16:1), Priscilla (Rom. 16:3), Mary (Rom. 16:6), Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis (Rom. 16:12), Julia (Rom. 16:15); and mention is made of an unnamed sister of Nereus (Rom. 16:15). All of them were Christian workers, deaconesses and prophetesses who "labor in the Lord" (Rom. 16:12). This indicates that they labored in the ministry of the Word. There were a number of prophetesses in the early church (see, Acts 21:9).

Nereus, and his... This man, named Nereus after the sea-god of the Aegean, retained his heathen name.

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.

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. 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, the mode of salutation similar to the handshake today (cf. see 1Cor. 16:20; also cf. 2Cor. 13:12; 1Thes. 5:26; 1Pet. 5:14) and with a general word of salutation, All the churches of Christ send greetings (lit., “greet you”).