Daily Thoughts from Romans: Oh What We Learn from Greetings (16:1-16)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: Oh What We Learn from Greetings

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. Greet Philologus, 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)

Phoebe is the bearer of this letter from Paul and so he attests to her character as a servant or deaconness of the church at Cenchreae and a woman who has used her wealth to serve Paul and others in the gospel ministry.

And then what follows is greetings from Paul to all those he knows in Rome.  Topping the list are Priscilla and Aquila, a couple Paul had worked with quite a bit, as the book of Acts further attests.  They have a church in their house, a house church that is part of the overall church of Rome, and there were doubtless many house churches that made up the Roman church as there were many believers and the need therefore of multiple meeting places.  There were likely elders associated with one or more house churches.

The remainder are relatives and fellow workers and acquaintances who are believers living in Rome.  As this letter was read aloud in their meetings they heard these personal greetings from the apostle and his plans to be there personally in the near future.  The holy kiss that Paul is commending was likely a kiss on the cheek that signaled Christian affection.  Paul is saying, “Hug one another for me and for all the churches among whom I minister ’cause we love you.”

What is powerful about this list is (1) the number of women in leadership roles in the church in Rome, (2) the way Paul considered the church at Rome as one church and yet the house church as a sub-church of the one church, and (3) the fact that someone planted the gospel in Rome before Paul ever got there, testifying to the powerful witness many believers gave to Christ and how they traveled to places where there was no church to make sure people there had the gospel.  May we be like them.