Paul begins Romans 16 by mentioning a lot of people we have no clue who most are. This daily devotion looks at a practical application of unity and love.
Nuggets
- What better way to finish out the theme of unity than with a chapter on specific people!
- These people served God, and He knew them.
To read devotions in the Redo for Godliness series, click the appropriate button below.
Devotions in the Transformed to Perfection series
Devotions in the On Being a Minister series
Wow. We’re on the last chapter of Romans Part 2. I don’t know about you, but I always find these a potpourri chapter. They seem like they are a hodgepodge of everything Paul wants to cram in before he says, “Sincerely, Paul.”
Let’s wade through and see what we get.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Personal Greetings
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae. So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many — and of me also” (Rom. 16: 1-2 CSB)
I know. A lot of verses listing a lot of people, most of whom had never been mentioned before and who were never mentioned again.
But look at it this way. We sometimes get this impression that Paul is an elitist and hard to get along with. Maybe it is a holdover from his Saul days.
We get this impression that Paul is a harsh, his-way-or-the-highway type of guy. He seems to be a rigid, stuffy, stubborn guy.
Well, it is God’s-way-or-the-highway. There is no wiggle room there.
Still, look at all these people Paul has connected with at a church he hasn’t even been at before. What better way to finish out the theme of unity than with a chapter on specific people!
To me, it is interesting that Paul started out with Phoebe. He had high praise of her — who Parker calls a deaconess — that seems to contradict I Timothy 2: 12. “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet” (I Tim. 2: 12 ESV).
“So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help …” (Rom. 16: 2 CSB). It does not sound like Paul was putting any limits on how the Romans were to assist Phoebe.
“Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. Greet also the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
Paul also mentioned Priscilla and Aquila, who we met in Acts 18. Brock reminded us that the Roman church would have been more than likely meeting in homes. Robinson agreed. He wrote, “Private houses (Acts 2:46) were the birthplaces of Christian worship, and public buildings were not erected till the third century. When it became dangerous to meet even in private houses the Christians assembled in the catacombs. Aquila’s house became a Church wherever he went, which shows us that zeal for Christ’s cause should be carried about with us.”
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There may just have been two or three meeting at a time. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Mt. 18: 20 ESV). So, welcome each other with a kiss of peace.
I kind of like the King James Version of this verse. “… Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ” (Rom. 16: 5 KJV).
Look at how Lathrop ties that into Jewish history. He wrote,
“The firstfruits under the law were an offering made to God of the first ripe fruits before the harvest was begun. In allusion to this Christ is called ‘the firstfruits of them that slept,’ because His resurrection is an earnest and pledge of the resurrection of believers. The sanctifying and comforting influences of the Spirit are called the firstfruits of the Spirit, as earnests of heavenly happiness. James tells us that God hath begotten us ‘that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures’ (Revelation 14:4). By a like allusion the apostle calls the first converts in a particular place the firstfruits of that place unto Christ. Now consider this man, dwelling in the midst of heathen, on the preaching of the apostle, coming out from among a corrupt and idolatrous multitude, and, by his example and conversation, inviting his fellow-citizens to turn to the living God; and will you not admire his integrity, zeal and fortitude?”
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Yeah, don’t get me wrong. The first convert in Asia is very important. Epaenetus was the first of many. He was the first of the harvest. Jesus was the first to be resurrected.
“Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me.
Andronicus and Junia, kinsmen of Paul, were husband and wife. Robinson thought he could have been a nephew. Spurgeon brought up their conversion prior to Paul’s and their praying for his uncle’s salvation. Family praying for family.
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Ooo. That means we have to do some math. Blackburn said that Paul wrote this letter in A.D. 58. If Paul’s conversion happened in A.D. 34, and Andronicus’ and Junia’s happened before that, for their day, they would have been considered getting on in years.
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The only imprisonment before the writing of this letter where Andronicus and Junia could have been prisoners with Paul was in Acts 16. This was when Paul and Silas were in the Philippian jail and God sent the earthquake to get them out.
Robinson also thought Andronicus might have been the nephew who discovered the plot to kill Paul in Acts 23. “But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul” (Ac. 23: 16 NIV).
That started Paul on his trip to Rome.
“Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord” (Rom. 16: 8-12 CSB)
Next, we have a list of unknown people. Robinson thought that Amplias might have been another adopted son, like Timothy and Titus. I kind of doubt that. We would have heard about him if he were.
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Gifford thought Aristobulus was “… the grandson of Herod the Great, and brother of Agrippa and Herod, kings of Judaea and Chalcis …” But the greeting wasn’t going to him. It was going to his household. Likewise, greetings were sent to the household of Narcissus.
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Spurgeon noted that Tryphaena and Tryphosa were two sisters. He wondered where the menfolk were. Burn pointed out that, even though they had bad names, they served God.
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Really, we don’t know much about these people. Brown calls them unknown Christians. That’s enough. They served God. He knows them.
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That comforts me. I am an unknown Christian. But God knows me.
“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother — and mine” (Rom. 16: 13 CSB)
Brock had an idea who the mother was. More than likely, when Saul the Jew became Paul the Christian, Saul’s mother disowned him. It sounds like Paul picked up a Jerusalem mom like I picked up a Springfield mom. He adopted Rufus’ mom. I hope his was a jewel like mine.
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(I personally like the mother/son combination.)
“Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them” (Rom. 16: 14-15 CSB)
Philologus and Julia may have also been husband and wife, or they may have been brother and sister. Nereus and his sister definitely were siblings.
But did you notice the ones listed in verse 15 only get a greeting? They don’t get a commendation. Philologus’ sister doesn’t even get mentioned by name. Well, Rufus’ mother in verse 13 doesn’t either.
“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings” (Rom. 16: 16 CSB)
Did you see the diversity in this list? Some were men; some, women. Some were Jews; some, Gentiles. Some were old; some, young.
What did they all have in common? They were doing God’s work. Yes, even the women.
They were doing what God wanted them to do. They were listening and obeying.
God isn’t always going to ask us to do the easy stuff. Sometimes, He is going to ask us to do the hard. Paul said that Priscilla and Aquila “… risked their own necks for my life …” (Rom. 16: 4 CSB).
Maybe God won’t ask that of us. He may just ask us to give up something or someone we really rather would not. Sometimes, He does ask us to give up all.
Devotions in the Forsaking All for Jesus series
God uses each of us — man, woman, young, old — to further His kingdom. We shouldn’t stand in His way.
Here is how Parker described it. He wrote, “What is the secret of union between such a community and the solitary apostle? Love. This is the indissoluble bond. Every other tie snaps. Some persons have suggested that Paul was not the most lovable of men. Probably this was so according to the common canons, but so much the worse for the common canons. Paul was a man who made enemies every day, but the man who is most hated is also the man who is most loved.”
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What does this tell us? We are going to have our detractors, the ingratitude. But if we are doing God’s work, we will find the love.
Looking back on my spiritual tornado, I can see the detractors and the ingratitude — and I can see the community where I had the love. I always said I was right where God wanted me to be — until He wanted me somewhere else.
Wouldn’t you expect the lost to be a long list? This is a big world. It takes a lot of workers to get God’s Word out to all who haven’t heard it yet.
Also, God is the God of love. He loves the world. That is a huge list, too.
Making the Connections
What does this mean? Thomas put it best. He wrote, “That right relationship to Christ creates a right mutual relationship between men.”
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Not as the world thinks is right, but as God thinks is right.
Look at it this way, too. If Paul is the Pastor Joey-type and we are the ones mentioned in the first fifteen verses, that’s a lot of love in the ministry!
How Do We Apply This?
- We are to serve God in whatever ways He calls us.
- That means work. Probably long hours. Maybe back breaking work. Maybe mind numbing work at times. Maybe heart rending work. Soul fulfilling work.
- Brock noted, “There ought to be a certain characteristic warmth and unction in Christian kindness, distinguishing it from all other.”
- Do what we can do, especially pray and encourage others.
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Father God. You call each of us because You want our relationships restored to You. You want each of us to share our love with others. Help us to love each other and show this love to those who need to know You. Amen.
What do you think?
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