Chap16
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In this closing section, Paul lists those who he applauds and gives thanks to- some are interesting in the “maybe” cases. Of the 24 people Paul refers to, six were woman. This fact goes against some of the claims that he dismissed women.
Also of the 24 names, 13 occur in inscriptions having to do with the Emperor’s palace. >Philippians 4:22 (NIV84)22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.
OOOOOOO Romans 16:1–2 (NIV84) 16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. There are two speculations 1. that she was the carriere of the letter to Rome. I don’tsee any evidence of that and to have a woman delivering the letter seems unlikely.
The other is the word for servant = “diokonos” can also mean minister or deacon [one who helps the church, but under the elders]. The early church was known for it attitude towards woman as being equal, and contributing in prayer and hospitality. The fact that Paul commends her and mentions her church, and give her help as needed, implies that she was more than a servant, and must have held some type of position in her church. There is also the expectation that she will be doing something and may need their help. And last, Paul starts the list with her name. the Greeks would place the most important aspect of a sentence in the first of a list of orders. The Romans also would not insert the name of an emperor lower in a list of important people [ this is what I think with nothing to back it up].
Now for the rest of the list and some individuals will be like a “Paul Harvey- Now for the rest of the story”
OOOOOOO Romans 16:3–16 (NIV84) 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
8 Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ.
Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my relative.
Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.
Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them.
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ send greetings.
churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
.... Priscilla and Aquila, Remember that Paul stayed with them as they founded the Corithian church. They were also tent makers. This couple were also disciples for when the popular and powerful speaker Apollos needed further education about baptism. through their tutoring him, he became a great speaker and publicly refuted Jews about Jesus being the Messiah. So they had taken in both Paul and Appollos at the different times. They were with Paul in his last days in imprisonment - it appears that they had returned to Rome and Paul greets them from prison.
In Rome now, there is the Church of St Prisca on the Aventine [one of Rome’s seven hills] and the cemetery of Priscilla. In there is the grave of Acilius Glabrio. He was a consul [each year people elected 2 consuls for one year- they were chief advisors and alternately led the senate - one of the highest positions in Rome] , He was martyred for his faith. Some stories have that both Priscilla and Aquila may have been slaves to the propminent houselhold and were freed. Another story is that Priscilla’s name is listed first implying that she was not a “freedman” but a great lady born in the the family of Acilius. So possibly a Roman aristocrat lady married a Jewish artisian [tentmanker].
But we do know they served Paul and were in Rome, later in Ephesus, and Corinth then returned to Rome.
.. Epenetus, who was the first convert - this means that 20 yrs after his conversion that he remained supportive and in touch with his dear friend.
........6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you, It is uncertain if the translation means worked for us or for you. It is definitely not the mother of Jesus and this Mary lives in Rome.
.... 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias- Junias is a female name so this says that women could be apostles. They had Greek names. they may have come to Christ as the resurrected Jesus had appeared. They may have been among those who experienced the expedition of the pre-Christian Paul they may have gone back to the time of Stephen. And they had been in prison with Paul.
....Ampliatus - a a cmmon slave name - in the earliest catacombs there is a decorated tomb with thesame name. Romans had 3 names- only one name means this fancy tomb was that of a slave
all this goes to show that class distinctions were disapproved in the early churches.
.... household of Aristobulus - reference to “household” included slaves, servants, relatives. There as a grandson of Herod the great lived in Rome. the previous name was Apelles, which is Greek for the Hebrew name of Able. And the next phrase refers to the Herodians
......V11 Greet those in the household of Narcissus - a common name but there was a Narcissus was a freedman who had been personal secretary to Emperor Claudis and was said to have amassed a huge fortune
All this shows influence of Christains in emperial court
....12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard The word for toil means to work to the point of exhaustion - the very length of your strength. The same word is used in V6 for Mary.
...13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother Obiously Rufus and his mother are highly regarded in the church. Now >> Mark 15:21 (NIV84)The Crucifixion 21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. Was the father Simon of Rufus the man who carried the cross for Christ and legend has it that he became a Christian. It was also men from Cyprus and Cyrene >Acts 11:19–20 (NIV84) The Church in Antioch 19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.
.....15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister Neurus was the name of the chamberlain [ took care of managing the royal household]of Flavius [had been consul of Rome] and Domatilla [granddaughter of former emperor Vespasian and niece of Domitian -current emperor] Under Domitian was the ordered, systematic persecution of the Christians. He was the worst persecutor among all the emperors. The father of Flavius was Flavius Sabinus - he was Romes’s city prefect under Nero - [administrative that was military or civilian officieal - some werre prefect over fire departmen, another over grains supply, - they had different levels and then up to city prefect -appointed by consuls and took their place during their absences] - it was through him or his time when Christians were rolled pitch ans set on fire as torches for Nero’s garden.
They two [Neurus and Domatilla] had been designated to take the throne after Domitian.
These were two of the most prominent people in in a shocking incident in Rome. They were condemned for being Christians and he was executed and she was exited to the island of Pontia [off West coast of Italy, part of three rocky island chain, was vacation homes for wealthy Romans - abandoned when Rome fell recovery in 1900”s - Mussolini was imprisoned there for awhile - so remote that when he arrived, many didn’t know who he was]
OOOOOOO Romans 16:17–18 (NIV84)17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
In the NT, every author including Jesus [Rev} refers to or warns about deception. In the OT less than 1/2 dozen authors also speak about deception.
OOOOOOO Romans 16:19–24 (NIV84) 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.
Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.
...21 Timothy, his right hand man !Tim and 2Tim letters written to him
... Lucius, this may have been Lucius - Act 13.. in Antioch — he was a prophet or teacher
... Jason may have been the host in Thessaloncia where riot took placeActs 17:5–7 (NIV84)5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
OOOOOOO Romans 16:25–27 (NIV84) 25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.