Good Company

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. Romans 16:1-16 ESV

There are no insignificant writings in the Bible. Every word, every name is there for the purpose which God intended, and will not “return to Me empty” (Isaiah 55:11). Here and elsewhere in scripture we have lists of names. Sometimes they are genealogies as in Matthew chapter 1, giving us the royal lineage of Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter 16 they are the names of Christians who are personal friends and fellow missionaries of the Apostle Paul, and leaders in the local Churches where he has served.

One thing is immediately striking about this list: the prominence of women among the noted servants of Christ. This is interesting, in view of the opinion shared by many who despise the Bible and the Church AND Paul, that women are ostracized and discriminated against by the Church. Women have been instrumental in the work of Christ since before the Church was born. In our Luke study, we saw that many well-heeled women were in the entourage of Jesus and His disciples during His earthly ministry. Some, who were not so wealthy, were serious students of Jesus’ teaching and he always treated them with respect. Jesus never ignored or abused the women who loved His Word, or who needed His help. Neither did Paul. The spiritual gifts and ministries of women in the Church are at least as important as those of men, but they are not all the same gifts. We who understand the importance of God’s authority have no problem with that.

In the early Church, the mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers, slaves and free men and women of various races and social status all had in common their relationship with Jesus Christ, their love of God’s Word and the persecution of the world. Sounds a lot like the modern Church. They needed each other then and we need each other now, for fellowship, prayer support and the nurturing of the younger believers among us.

Paul’s first commendation goes to Phoebe, a faithful servant in a Corinthian Church. She is believed to be the one who carried this epistle to the Church at Rome. The Roman Christians probably didn’t have reason to know her before this, so Paul gave her a glowing introduction. “Treat her well, Romans. She is a trouper, and can be of great service to you.”

Priscilla (a female always mentioned before her husband) and Aquila were dear, close friends of Paul. They were Jewish believers who had been expelled from Rome and now lived at Ephesus, hosting the local congregation in their home. They, like Paul, were tentmakers by trade and mature, tactful Christian teachers and workers alongside Paul, who actually lived with them for a while as they travelled and ministered together. This couple were mature enough in the doctrines of the Church to correct Apollos, who was an eloquent evangelist and a former disciple of John the Baptist. Apparently, Apollos was not up on the New Testament truth of Christian baptism in the Holy Spirit, so they privately instructed him and he continued even more powerfully to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 18:24-28).

Paul continued to list the names of faithful friends and fellow Christian workers. Some were long-time friends who had been born Jews, were saved before Paul was and had suffered persecution and imprisonment with Paul. One was Paul’s first convert in Asia. Some of the names indicate either kinship with royalty or slaves from the royal household. Some were aristocratic names, many were names common to slaves. Some were whole families or households of believers. All were saints; believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, who shared Paul’s faith and whom he therefore loved.

When you know someone believes in the same Lord you do and loves His Word and trusts in His promises, you have more in common with that person than you may have with many of your own close relatives. The brotherhood of Christians is a deep, powerful, lifelong bond. It even reaches across the generations. If I know an ancestor’s faith, I know that person; especially if it is the same faith as my own. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). A sanctified kiss of greeting for such a brother or sister would be an honor, anytime.

I love character studies. This passage required some digging into the Bible references regarding the believers named by Paul. Having done that, I now know who these believers were and why they meant so much to the apostle. I’m delighted to have made their acquaintance, even all these centuries after they lived.