Notes by Pastor Tony Mccallthe Pentecostals of Lake City

The Expository Study ofRomans

Notes by Pastor Tony McCallThe Pentecostals of Lake City

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Reason For Writing: Romans 16:1-16

Introduction

• In this section, Paul sent greetings to
• twenty-six individuals,
• three house churches
• andtwohouseholds,
• which are probably house churches too.
• Many of thereferences to these people are intriguing
• but in most cases we can only speculate
• as to who theywere and what they did.
• It may seem strange that Paulknew so many saints
• in a city he had never visited,
• buthe had apparently workedwith
• or converted
• manyof these people in other places.

• At first glance these greetings
• may not seem very significant
• compared to the rest of the epistle,
• yet theydemonstrate several very important truths.
• First, theyhelp confirm the authenticity of the letter.

• It is also interesting to note
• the prominent role of women in theearly church.
• Paul mentioned ten women in this chapter,
• adding a special comment in all but two cases.
• This shows that faithful Christian women
• had important roles in the church in the apostolic era,
• and should have the same today.

• At least tenof the names on the list
• are names that are closely associated with slavery
• and probably represent slaves
• or former slaves.

• Since such a long list of names is unusual in Paul’s letters,
• we may ask why he went into such detail here.
• The answer no doubt lies in the fact
• that Paul had never been to Rome.
• A list like this would impress
• not only those who are named,
• but those who are not mentioned as well.
• This would prepare the way
• for a positive reception
• once he arrived in Rome.

• When someone sends you a friend request on Facebook,
• one of the first things that the program does
• is to show you what friends
• you have in common.
• Common friends build a bridge of confidence
• between people who do not know each other.
• For Paul, this closing chapter of the letter
• was his “friends in common” list.

• Paul is writing this letter from Corinth
• and is just about to depart for Jerusalem.
• At this same time a Christian woman
• from the nearby town of Cenchrea
• is about to leave on a trip to Rome.
• Apparently Paul has asked her to carry this letter with her
• and deliver it to the church at Rome.
• In these two verses he provides her
• with a statement of introduction and recommendation,
• ensuring that she will be well
• received by the Roman Christians.

Romans 16:1-16

1I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

2That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

3Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

4Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

5Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

6Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

7Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

8Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

9Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

11Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

12Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

13Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

14Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

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

16Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

Exposition

1I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

• Paul starts with a recommendation of Phoebe. Letters of introduction were very useful in the ancient world.
• Travel was hazardous, and public accommodations were scarce and somewhat risky; and such letters could secure private hospitality.
• They also gave some assurance to potential hosts that they were not being defrauded by pretenders.
• When Paul “commends” Phoebe to the church in Rome he is recommending her, making this a letter of introduction, of sorts.

• Phoebe is called a “sister,” which demonstrates theearly Christian custom of addressing fellow believers asbrothers and sisters in the Lord.
• She was also a “servant”of the Cenchreanchurch, the same word could express the term deaconess as well.
• We don’t know exactly what role she played in the church but we can surmise from this passage that she played a significant role.
• One thing that will be underscored in this passage is the truth that women occupied important positions of responsibility and service in the NewTestament church.
• This is the first use of the word “church” in Romans, and it refers to the local congregation, the collective body of Christians in a particular area.

• Phoebe is not mentioned anywhere else in the NT.
• Her name (which means “bright, radiant”) indicates that she was probably a Gentile by birth since her name is that of a pagan diety.

2That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

• Verse 2 calls Phoebe a succourer.
• Some translations give us a little help
• and translate that word as helper.
• It literally means a “patronessor protectress.”
• This word gives some insight into Phoebe.
• She was probably a woman of wealth
• and high social position.
• Paul noted hergreat assistance to many people,
• including himself.
• Heasked that the Roman church
• receive her in a way worthyof saints
• and assist her in any way possible.
• He is admonishing them to welcome her
• with the open arms of fellowship.
• By asking them to receive her in the Lord
• he is indicating that she is a fellow-believer.

• The next request is for the Roman church
• to assist Phoebe in any way
• that she might need help.
• It is unlikely that Paul was requesting financial aid for her,
• since she was probably well-to-do
• in her own right.
• However, she would be in need
• of hospitality from trusted people.

• The concept of a patron was well established in Paul’s day.
• A patron was usually a prominent,
• well-to-do person
• who used his or her position,
• wealth,
• and influence for the public good.
• They sometimes helped the whole community,
• sometimes groups within the community,
• and sometimes individuals,
• by opening their homes to travelers
• and taking care of their needs.

• Since many women performed such a service,
• it is easy to see how Phoebe
• could belong to this category.
• She was no doubt “a figure of significance,
• whose wealth or influence
• had been put at the disposal of the church.
• Her wealth and status
• probably enabled her to make connections
• thataided Paul when he was in Corinth.
• The key to this passage is hospitality.
• Paul requests hospitality for Phoebe
• because she has been hospitable to many others,
• including Paul.

3Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

• Now that he has introduced Phoebe,
• who was carrying the letter,
• Paul turns to his closest acquaintances in Rome:
• Priscilla and Aquila.
• They were a marriedcouple
• who had worked closely with Paul in the past.
• It is interesting, and somewhat revealing,
• that Paul mentions Priscilla first,
• where the custom of the day
• would mention the husband first.
• This has caused some to surmise
• that Priscilla may have been
• from the noble Roman family
• namedPrisca.
• If so, her highsocial standing
• could be one reason why she is mentioned
• before her husbandAquila,
• who was a Jew from Pontus.

• Paul first met Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth
• on his second missionary journey.
• They had been living in Rome,
• but had to leave when Claudius expelled the Jews in A.D. 49.
• It is likely that they were converted by Paul in Corinth.
• They became close friends,
• drawn together by their common trade
• as tentmakers.
• In Acts 18 we learn that Paul lived
• with them for some time.

• Later when Paul left Corinth,
• Priscilla and Aquila went with him.
• When they came to Ephesus,
• Paul continued on but Priscilla and Aquila remained.
• In Ephesus they met “a Jew named Apollos,”
• who was preaching about Jesus
• but was not yet a Christian,
• since he knew only the baptism of John.
• Priscilla and Aquila took him into their house,
• explained the full gospel to him,
• and converted him.
• When Paul later returned to Ephesus,
• he worked alongside Priscilla and Aquila for a time.
• Later, after Claudius died in A.D. 54
• and his edict against the Jews was no longer enforced,
• Priscilla and Aquila probably returned to Rome.
• Paul, knowing they are there
• gives them the longest
• and most prominent greeting
• of any of the Roman Christians.
• These were likely two of the most important people
• in Paul’s missionary enterprise.
• They may well have been his best friends,
• and were surely his best liaison
• within the church at Rome.

Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus.

• In his letters Paul refers to a number of other individuals
• as his fellow workers, or helpers,
• but does not say
• what specific work they were doing.
• Since Paul’s work specifically was missionary in nature,
• focusing on evangelism and church planting,
• we can assume that all these fellow workers
• were associated with him
• in some way
• in this kind of ministry.
• In verse 5 we will learn that a “house church”
• meets in their home,
• meaning that they were still active
• in the missionary ministry,
• even in Rome.

4Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

Who have for my life laid down their own necks.

• The phrase there is kin to our phrase “risked their neck”
• or “risked their life.”
• At some point in their laboring together,
• these two friends of Paul
• put their lives on the line for his sake.
• This tantalizing piece of info, however,
• is all of the story that we get.
• There is not other reference to it in scripture
• and we have no way of knowing how
• or when they risked their lives
• to save the life of Paul.
• We do know, from Paul’s own account,
• that his life was often in danger
• for preaching the gospel,
• apparently in one of those instances
• his friends stepped in
• and rescued him,
• at their own peril.

• Because of this especially,
• and no doubt for countless other reasons,
• Paul says he gives thanks to God
• for Priscilla and Aquila.
• In fact, he says,
• all the Gentile churches
• thank God for this great servant couple.
• Why?
• Probably, because if they had not saved his life,
• his mission to the Gentiles
• would have been cut short,
• and many of these Gentile churches
• may never have existed.

5Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

• A local congregation met in the house of thiscouple.
• We know from scripture
• that Priscilla and Aquila hosted house churches
• both in Ephesus and in Rome.
• While all the saints in a city
• were considered partof the one church of that city,
• there was usually no place
• where everyone could meet together.
• There were nochurch buildings.
• Usually they met in small groups
• in individualhomes.
• Each gathering could be called a church.
• In manyrespects the leader of the local house church
• would correspondto a modern pastor.

• Next mention is made of Epaenetus,
• who was Paul’s first convert
• in the Roman province of Asia
• in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey).
• Apparently, he was a close personal friend,
• since Paul refers to him as “well-beloved”.

6Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

• Next Paul greeted a woman named Mary,
• whose labor he had benefitted from.
• The word “labor” denotes hard work
• but we have no way of knowing
• what kind of hard work
• Paul, and his associates,
• have benefitted from on her behalf.
• We know virtually nothing about her,
• except that her name was Mary
• and she was a hard worker.

7Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

• Andronicus and Junia were Paul’s kinsmen
• and fellow prisoners.
• The reference to “kinsmen”
• probably means that they were fellow Jews.
• Here, again,
• we get a tantalizing glimpse
• into the untold story of Paul’s life.
• Apparently, at some point,
• Andronicus and Junia
• were prisoners with Paul.
• There is probably a great story there,
• but we will have to wait until heaven
• before we hear it.

• There are a couple of very interesting details
• about these two,
• who were probably a husband and wife team.
• First of all, they were Christians
• before Paul was a Christian.
• They had been in church longer than Paul,
• possibly entering the church during,
• or shortly after,
• the upper room experience.

• Secondly, Paul says that they were
• “of note among the apostles.”
• This could mean they were well-known to the apostles,
• but it could also mean
• that they were well-known asapostles.
• The word apostle is used here,
• not in the sense of “one of the Twelve”
• but in the broader sense
• of “sent out ones”.
• The word likely indicates
• that they were a ministry team,
• likely a missionary team
• that, much like Paul,
• had been busy planting churches
• in otherwise untouched regions.
• It is interesting that Paul views
• this husband and wife ministry as a team,
• where both of the are,
• in some sense,
• worthy of the title “apostle.”
• This says a lot
• for the importance of the spouses
• of those in ministry.
• When it comes to a husband and wife team,
• you can’t separate them in ministry.
• When God called me to pastor,
• he called my wife along with me.
• When he equipped me for this task,
• he equipped her also.
• Whatever honor I receive,
• she is worthy of the same honor.
• That seems to be the sentiment of this verse.

8Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

• Next Paul saluted Amplias,
• whom he deeply lovedin the Lord.
• This is another close personal friend of Paul.

9Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

• Greetings then went out to Urbane,
• another co-worker,
• andStachys,
• another very close friend of Paul.

10Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

• Apelles is described as one “approved in Christ.”
• The term has to do with something,
• or in this case someone,
• that has been tested
• and has passed the test.
• Again, we can only surmise what happened
• but apparently Apelles
• has been put to the test,
• he has encountered some kind
• of serious suffering in his life,
• his faith has been tried,
• and he has refused to give up.
• This is a man that has proven himself
• through the things he has endured
• for the sake of the gospel.

• Salutations were also given
• to thehousehold of Aristobulus.
• This is probably another reference to a house church.
• It is interesting that the greeting
• is not sent to Aristobulus himself,
• whichprobably means that he was dead.
• History tells us
• thatthere was a prominent figure in Rome
• namedAristobulus.
• He was the grandson of Herod the Great
• and the brother of Herod Agrippa the first.
• If this is the same man,
• he died around A.D. 48.
• Historians say that it is quite possible
• that those whom Paul greets here
• belonged to his household.

11Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

• Next Paul addressed Herodion,
• another fellow Jew,
• along with the believers
• of thehousehold of Narcissus.
• Once again, the reference to a household
• is probably a reference to a house church.
• And, also once again,
• the patron of the household
• is likely dead.

• This is another character that we may be able to place historically.
• We know that there was a wealthy
• and well-known freedman
• with this name
• who served the Emperor Claudius.
• After Claudius was murdered
• and Nero became emperor,
• Nero’s mother Agrippina f
• orcedNarcissus to commit suicide.
• This happened in A.D. 54,
• shortly before Paul wrote Romans.
• It is possible that this is the household
• to which Paul refers.

12Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

• This verse mentions three women
• who labored for the Lord.
• The names of the first two
• indicate that they were sisters,
• possibly twins.
• Their names mean “Delicate” and “Dainty”.
• It is somewhat ironic
• that women with such fragile names
• would be praised
• for their hard work,
• or labor.
• It is possible that Paul
• isintentionally making a play on words.
• While acknowledging their hard work.

• The name “Persis” indicates a woman from Persia,
• possibly a slave or freedwoman
• who came from that region.
• She also is praised for working “very hard.”
• The greeting here is a little less personal,
• “the beloved” instead of “my beloved.”
• The reference is also past tense
• which may indicate that Persis
• is now elderly
• and unable to continue the hard labor
• that she has done for the Lord in the past.
• In any case, Paul salutes her,
• recognizing the value of her contribution.

13Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.