Dp – Servants of Messiah 16: 1-12

Servants of Messiah
16: 1-12

Servants of Messiah DIG: Why was Phoebe chosen to carry this only copy of this letter from Corinth to Rome? What kind of a woman was she? How were Priscilla and Aquilla involved in the church in Rome? How did Paul know them? How can Paul know such a socially wide range of people? What is the significance of so many personal greetings?

REFLECT: Who would you trust to carry something very valuable to a far away place? If you went out of town and wrote a letter to your place of worship, who would you greet and what would you say to them? If someone were to write a letter to your place of worship, what would it say about you? What would it mean to you to have your name on Paul’s list?

Paul was a friend maker as well as a soul winner. We are sheep, and sheep flock together.

Paul continues the personal epilogue that began in 15:14 and reveals still more of his inner thoughts and feelings, not so much as an apostle, but as a fellow servant of the Lord Yeshua Messiah. In 15:14-33 he focused on his relationship to the Lord in his ministry. In Chapter 16 he focuses on his relationship to other believers with whom he has been associated in one way or another in his ministry. He specifically identifies, and sometimes briefly comments about, those whom he felt the closest. He reveals his love for those fellow laborers for the Lord, his mutual accountability with them before God, his dependence on them for his own ministry, and for his own well-being. In many ways, this chapter reflects the personal and practical agape love he had beautifully described earlier (to see link click Dd – Walking in Love), and had portrayed in Chapter 13 of his first letter to the church at Corinth.³⁹⁸

Phoebe was Paul’s emissary to deliver this letter, so he wrote officially: I am introducing to you our sister Phoebe (art by Sarah Beth Baca: see more information on Links and Resources), a shammash (Greek: diakonon, meaning a servant, from which we get the word deaconess) of the congregation at Cenchrea, a seaport a few miles east of Corinth (16:1). There were, of course, no copiers or emails in those days, and even the simplest writing materials were very expensive. It is therefore highly unlikely that Paul, through the hand of Tertius (16:22), made more than one copy of this letter. Since Paul realized that it would be part of God’s written Word, he made certain that it would be entrusted to only the most reliable of persons. And, although ADONAI inspired no woman to write a part of Scripture, He used Phoebe to transport the first copy of this wonderful letter. She carried under the folds of her robe the bedrock of our theology. She is symbolic of those countless women of God who He has used and honored with great distinction to accomplish His divine plan.

Paul had sent the letter with Phoebe over the long and dangerous journey to Rome, so he said: Welcome her in the Lord, as God’s people should, and help her in whatever matter (Greek: pragmati, meaning business, or anything that was need to be done, from which we get the word pragmatic) she may have need; for she has been a big help to many people – including myself (16:2). So, Paul was not only giving Phoebe a letter of commendation as a faithful believer, but also giving a letter of reference, as it were, in regard to whatever business matter she had in Rome. That idea is reinforced by Paul’s speaking of her as a big help, which translates prostatitis, and was commonly used to signify a patron, a wealthy person who encouraged and financially supported an organization or cause, as in a patron of the arts. In other words, Phoebe was no ordinary helper, but one of high esteem and integrity and likely was a business woman of considerable wealth. She used her influence and her financial means, as well as her personal time and effort, as a servant of her Lord.

Paul continues his outpouring of love and affection for a host of beloved friends and fellow believers. Doubtless he could have included many more, but the ones he chose to acknowledge here were especially close and dear. As with his comments about Phoebe, he was not speaking as their authority so much as a friend in Messiah.

Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, husband and wife who were Paul’s fellow workers for the Messiah Yeshua (16:3). They were not apostles or prophets but, nonetheless, were invaluable workers in the early Church. They had fled from Rome when all Jews were expelled by Emperor Claudias. It is possible that she was a Gentile, and perhaps a Roman citizen like Paul, and Aquila a Jew, but the expulsion would have applied to both of them, even if only one was Jewish. They were tent makers like Paul, who stayed in their home while he began his ministry in Corinth (Acts 18:1-3). Aquila and Priscilla later moved from Corinth to Ephesus with Paul and remained there (see the commentary on Acts Cf – Priscilla and Aquila Teach Apollos). They risked their necks to save my life. It is not known on what occasion they were at risk because of Paul. This may have happened during the disturbance in Ephesus (see the commentary on Acts Ch – Idol-Makers Start a Riot in Ephesus), since they hosted a congregation in their home there (Acts 19:10; First Corinthians 16:19), just as they did in Rome. Not only I thank them, but also all the Messianic communities among the Gentiles. When the ban against Jews was lifted, they had evidently returned to Rome and Paul said: And give my greetings to the congregation that meets in their house (16:4-5a).³⁹⁹

Give my greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first person in the province of Asia, today referred to as Asia Minor, the general area of modern Turkey, to put his trust in the Messiah (16:5b). Because Paul speaks of this man so affectionately, it could well be that he not only won him to Messiah through his preaching, but also discipled him. Through the intervening years, Paul had evidently kept track of Epaenetus and was pleased to understand that he was now a part of the church at Rome.

Give my greetings to Miryam, Paul continues, who has worked very hard for you (16:6). We do not know where Mary came from, how or when she converted, or anything else about her except that she worked very hard for the church in Rome. The phrasing of this verse suggests that Miryam may not have known Paul personally and that he knew of her hard work from the reports of others, possibly Aquila and Priscilla. The context also suggests that she had ministered in the church at Rome for some time, and possibly was a founding member who had labored selflessly to establish the fellowship in the capital of the empire.

Greetings to Andronicus and his wife Junia, relatives of mine, probably meaning that they were fellow Messianic Jews. Paul must have felt a special bond in seeing his relatives in the flesh become brothers and sisters in Messiah. Besides being Paul’s relatives, these two believers were at some point in prison with him. Because Paul was so often in prison (Second Corinthians 11:23), their shared imprisonment could have been in any number of places. Because they were well known among the emissaries, we can be sure, like Paul, they were imprisoned because of their faith.

Because they came to trust in the Messiah before Paul did (16:7), it is quite possible that they had suffered persecution under Paul, whose great zeal against the church (Acts 8:1-3) would not have been diminished by their being his relatives. It is also possible that the prayers of Andronicus and Junia may have been instrumental in his eventual salvation. If those things were true, their reconciliation would have been all the more gratifying.

Dear Heavenly Father, How wonderful that You care so passionately for our families and relatives. We long for them to be filled with the peace you give Your children. Please work in the hearts of each of our relatives to the third and fourth generations, to come to see how wonderful You are and to be willing to accept You as their Lord and their Savior. May they realize how wonderful heaven will be with no worries or pain (Revelation 21:1-4) and may they turn in repentance from old sinful habits and run to You for help and guidance. Thank You for working in their lives by bringing them new friends who will encourage them to come to You and may You please fill even their sleeping thoughts with the sure hope of eternal peace and joy that You give to each of Your children. This world and its problems will soon be over but heaven’s joys are eternal! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). In your Holy Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord (16:8). We know from history and archaeology that Ampliatus was a common name for slaves. And because slaves were not allowed to bear the name of free men, this dear friend of Paul must have been, or possibly still was, a slave. Many slaves in the imperial households of that day had that name, and because Ampliatus was in Rome, it is conceivable that he was among the believers in Caesar’s household mentioned by Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi (Philippians 4:22).⁴⁰⁰

Greetings to Urbanus, our fellow worker for the Messiah, and to my dear friend Stachys (16:9). Urbanus was a common Roman name, suggesting that he may have been a Roman citizen. Unlike Urbanus, the name Stachys, which means ear of corn, was a Greek and uncommon. Since he is called Paul’s dear friend, he would have been closely associated with him, but we don’t know where or in what relationship. Many of those to whom Paul sent greetings were not outstanding leaders in the early Messianic Community. That fact reveals Paul’s deep and sincere love for fellow believers, no matter how little known they were or how seemingly insignificant their service was from a purely human perspective.

Greetings to Appeles, whose trust in the Messiah has been tested and proved (16:10a). We know nothing about Paul’s relationship with Appeles, and cannot be certain how the two were personally acquainted. But whether from his own experience with this man or from reliable reports from others, Paul recognized Appeles as being tested and proved in Messiah.

Greet those in the household of Aristobulus (10:b). Paul’s next greeting was to a group of believers whose names and numbers we do not know. Because he himself was not greeted, it seems certain that Aristobulus himself was not a believer. How many of his household were believers, and whether they were family members, servants, or both, we are not told. From his careful study of B’rit Chadashah times, noted biblical scholar J. B. Lightfoot suggests that Aristobulus may have been the brother of Herod Agrippa I (see the commentary on Acts Bl – Herod Agrippa Gets His Due). If so, he would have been a close ally of the Emperor Claudius. When Aristobulus died, his household – including his wife, children, slaves and possessions – would have become the property of the emperor, although they would still be referred to as the household of Aristobulus. It is therefore possible that this group of believers could have been a part of the imperial household.

Greet my relative, Herodion, and greet those of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord (16:11). Herodion, therefore, would have been a Jew, as well as a spiritual brother in the Lord with Paul. As the name indicated, Herodion was related to the family of Herod in some way, and as a result, may have been associated with the household of Narcissus. Some scholars believe that Narcissus mentioned here was closely connected to the Emperor Claudius as his secretary. Because all contact with the emperor had to be channeled through the secretary, he became extremely wealthy through the many bribes he received for granting access to, or simply for corresponding with, the emperor. It is therefore possible that at least two households within the palace had believers in them. If so, those believers may have been among those of Caesar’s household who joined Paul, then imprisoned in Rome, in sending greetings to the church at Philippi (Philippians 4:22).

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, possibly twin sisters, whose names mean delicate and dainty. Those words may have characterized their lives before salvation, but spiritually, there were women who were working hard for the Lord (16:12a).

Greet Persis, no doubt receiving her name from her native land of Persia. Not only was she the beloved, suggesting (by the definite article the) she was loved by everyone who knew her, but she was also one who had done a lot of hard work for the Lord (16:12b). Because the work of Tryphaena and Tryphosa is spoken of in the present tense and that of Persis in the past tense, it may have been that the first two were younger women and still active, and that Persis was an older woman who had already lived most of her productive years. But all three were noted for their work for and in the Lord.⁴⁰¹