Outline:
- The commendation of Phoebe (vv. 1,2)
- Various greetings to the believers in Rome (vv. 3-16)
- A warning against false teachers (vv. 17-20)
- Greetings from Paul's companions (vv. 21-24)
- A final doxology, or praise of God (vv. 25-27)
The personal nature of Paul's letter
In this last chapter of Romans, the personal quality of Paul's letter becomes evident again. This may seem, when we first read it, a dull recitation of names, with mentions of people totally unknown to us. But as we consider this section, we begin to understand that all religion is a personal matter in the larger sense. Each of us is inevitably a part of some spiritual family, defined by local affiliations and often by family connections. It is in such a context that we each live out our personal lives in the Faith, for good or for ill. Our troubles are, in some significant aspect, their troubles too. Our "victories", if there are such, are experienced by them also. In Christ we do not really live or die to ourselves, but as parts of a Body to which we belong, and to which we owe in some measure our very lives.
No man is an island entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main; If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, As well as if a promontory were, As any man's death diminishes me, Because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know For whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. John Donne
In "The Roman Christians in Romans 16" (The Romans Debate, pp. 227-229), Peter Lampe writes:
This last chapter is very letter-like in its spontaneous arrangement of material. Paul evidently related matters as they occurred to him. He named 35 persons in this chapter. Nine of these people were with Paul, and the rest were in Rome. He identified 17 men and seven women. In addition he referred to at least two households (vv. 10,11) and three house churches (vv. 5,14,15) plus some other unnamed brethren (v 14) and two other women (vv. 13,15). Most of the names are Gentile, reflecting the mainly Gentile population of the church in Rome, and most are those of slaves and freedmen and freedwomen.
There is, in fact, almost a complete lack of Semitic names — Mary in verse 6 is an exception. However, there is more than a little evidence from papyri and inscriptions which indicates that both in the diaspora as well as in Palestine, the changing of personal names was a common practice. The Jews acquired not only Greek, but Latin and Egyptian names as well. Paul's relatives [mentioned in vv 7,11] were of course Jews, but do not bear Jewish names.
On this chapter William R. Newell writes:
This sixteenth chapter is neglected by many to their own loss. It is by far the most extensive, intimate and particular of all the words of loving greeting in Paul's marvelous letters. No one can afford to miss this wonderful outpouring of the heart of our apostle toward the saints whom he so loved — which means all the real church of God!
Romans Verse-by-Verse
For Christadelphians, Romans 16 is the best example in the Bible of what we today call "ecclesial news" (or, in its old-fashioned name, "intelligence").
Finally, we may ask: what should we make of the long lists of names in Genesis, or 1 Chronicles or even in the New Testament — Romans 16, for example? Why are they there? What benefit do they confer on the readers?
The minister and essayist F.W. Boreham told the following story: A census-taker was working among New York tenements crowded with children. He inquired of one woman, “How many children do you have?” She started in, “There’s Mary and Ella and Delia and Susie and Tommy…” And the “and’s” kept on coming until the census-taker interrupted, “Just give me the number.” To this remark the woman became indignant: “We ain’t got to numbering 'em yet. We ain’t run out of names!”
The Golden Milestone, pp. 165,166
On that story hangs the moral: there are indeed lots of names in some sections of the Bible. But we can be assured that each one of those who are righteous are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and each one is precious to his or her Creator.
House churches, or ecclesias
In this chapter of greetings, Paul mentions perhaps as many as five "house churches" in Rome:
- "the church that meets at [Priscilla and Aquila's] house" (vv. 3, 5);
- "those who belong to the household of Aristobulus" (v 10);
- "those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord" (v 11);
- "Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them" (v 14); and
- "Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them" (v 15).
Smaller house meetings such as these made it possible for those nearby to meet regularly with fellow-believers, even when they could not travel greater distances to other larger meetings. Some members of such house churches/ecclesias may have been slaves or other servants who could not get any time off to travel, even a mile or two. Such house churches probably served as satellite churches for the larger groups that met at more central locations in Rome.
When Paul writes to "all in Rome who are… called to be saints" (Rom 1:7), he is including the members of the small house churches as well as those who might attend larger or more centrally located ecclesias. Paul's view of "the ecclesia" is at least fourfold:
- There are the smallest groups of believers who meet regularly with one another, in private houses (cp. Rom 1:7 with Rom 16:5,10,11,14,15; cp. 1 Cor 1:2 with 1 Cor 16:19; cp Col 1:2 with Col 4:15; and also cp Phil 4:22 and Philemon 1:2, 22).
- There is, evidently, the larger church or ecclesia meeting in a central location (though that may be a private house as well).
- There is what might be called the regional ecclesia, consisting of all the smaller groups in a regional or metropolitan area, i.e., "all in Rome" (Rom 1:7), "the church of God in Corinth" (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:2), "the churches of Judea that are in Christ" (Gal 1:22), "the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus" (Eph 1:1), etc. Compare also Acts 8:1; 9:31.
- And then there is the worldwide "ecclesia" of all believers, no matter with which single congregation they may meet on a regular basis (Matt 16:18; Acts 8:3; 1 Cor 10:32; 12:28; 15:9; Gal 1:13; Eph 1:22; 3:10,21; 5:23-32; Phil 3:6; Col 1:18,24; Heb 12:23).
The place of women in the first-century ecclesia
Notice that the ministry of women in the Roman church is quite evident in this chapter. Paul referred to nine prominent women: Phoebe (vv. 1,2), Priscilla (vv. 3,4), Mary (v. 6), Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis (all in verse 12), Rufus' mother (v. 3), Julia, and Nereus' sister (both in v. 15). There may be other female names in his list also.
Emil Brunner writes:
The impression which these salutations make is that of a great family on the one hand and of a working community on the other, both of which are based not on natural relations but solely "in Christ" and his message. One also notices nothing of a depreciation of women such as, for instance, has been read out of 1 Corinthians 14; for the apostle expressly emphasizes that Phoebe rendered assistance not only to many others but also to himself, and he also calls the mother of Rufus his own "mother". Prisca, ready for martyrdom, he salutes as his fellow-worker before her husband Aquila, together with whom she presides at a house church; along with these two most important women he also mentions Mary, Persis, Tryphosa and Tryphena as industrious workers "in the Lord" and besides them, with or without name, individually or together with men, he refers to a number of others… The recommendation with which he introduces his fellow-worker, Phoebe, to the community of Rome allows us also to catch a glimpse of the mutual relations of foresight and provident care within the young church as a world-embracing fellowship. All in all, what a new aspect of the world at that time this catalogue of greetings reveals to us! What a mirror it holds up before our present day church!
The Letter to the Romans, pp. 127,128
Verses 1,2
These verses are Paul's commendation of Phoebe, who evidently is carrying this epistle to the church in Rome.
"Phoebe" means "bright" or "radiant", a name perhaps intended originally to honor the Greek sun god Apollo.
The early Christians retained their names, although they were derived from the names of false gods, because they had lost all religious significance and reference. In like manner we retain the use of the names of the days of the week, without ever thinking of their derivation.
Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans
"There seems little doubt that she was the bearer of the letter; as some business of her own was causing her to go to Rome, the opportunity was taken of sending the epistle with her" (John Carter, The Letter to the Romans). This view is held by practically all commentaries. While all the other believers mentioned in Romans 16 lived in Rome, Phoebe must have been newly arrived there along with Paul's letter, and was commended therein as a sister to be received by the believers there "in a way worthy of the saints" (Rom 16:2). The logical deduction is that she delivered the letter herself.
Ernest Renan writes in his book, Saint Paul, that Phoebe "carried under the folds of her robe the whole future of the Christian theology — the writing which was to regulate the fate of the world."
Although Phoebe is called a "deacon", this does not necessarily mean that she held a formal office (see the citations and comments below on verse 1). Paul stressed her service, not her office. She was his sister in the Lord as seems clear from his referring to her as "our" sister.
- Romans 16:1
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.
I commend to you our sister Phoebe: "Commend" is "sunistemi", literally to stand with, to speak for, to support or recommend. Letters of commendation were common in Paul's day (2 Cor 3:1; cf Acts 18:27; 1 Cor 16:3,10,11; 2 Cor 8:16-24), and useful for introduction and character reference.
There is good reason in our day also for those who relocate to a new area to be commended to their new home ecclesia, and thus to formally join the new meeting. However, this is sometimes neglected. Some who move to a new area may be reluctant to involve themselves fully in the worship and work of the new congregation. Some may simply want to 'float around' with no strings attached. Some may want to remain 'loyal' to the old congregation. None of these are good reasons for remaining aloof from the local assembly. Believers, wherever they live, need a family and a home; without that, they are more susceptible to drift and spiritual ruin.
A servant of the church in Cenchrea: "Servant" is the Greek word "diakonos", from which we derive our English word deacon. This is the only time in the New Testament that this word is applied to a woman. When used of a man, it appears sometimes to refer to a specific office in an ecclesia, and at other times to one who is generally a servant or helper of others.
Very plainly, however, Phoeba was described as a "servant" (Greek "diakonos") in the church in her hometown Cenchrea, the port of Corinth (Acts 18:18; 2 Cor 1:1).
So what should we make of the fact that Phoebe, a woman, is actually referred to as a "servant" or deacon of an ecclesia? Was this an officially recognized position for a sister?
Regarding this commendation of Phoeba, Robert Roberts states that Paul's mention of her here:
…implies a prominent, active, if not official position on the part of the sister in question… [Paul] entreats the whole Roman ecclesia on her behalf, saying of her that "she hath been a succourer of many, and of me also" (v 2).
Seasons of Comfort, No. 18: "Spiritual Ignorance and Woman's Position"
"Within the New Testament, the 'diakon' word group rarely functions with a technical nuance. In any case, the evidence is not compelling either way" (NET Notes).
James B. Coffman writes, "There were no instructions given in the New Testament for the appointment of women as deacons; and, since there are instructions for the appointment of both elders and deacons, this omission in conclusive" (Coffman's Bible Commentary).
William Barclay writes: "Phoebe came from Cenchrea which was the port of Corinth. Sometimes she is called a deaconess, but it is not likely that she held what might be called an official position in the church. There can have been no time in the Christian church when the work of women was not of infinite value. It must have been specially so in the days of the early church. In the case of baptism by total immersion… in the visitation of the sick, in the distribution of food to the poor, women must have played a big part in the life and work of the church, but they did not at that time hold any official position" (Daily Study Bible: Romans).
When Paul wrote to Timothy, who was in Ephesus, he mentioned a group of widows who were "well known" for their "good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds" (1 Tim 5:9,10). This seems not necessarily to refer to an official order of sisters, but rather to a generally recognized group of sisters who — because of their circumstances, age and experience — could devote themselves to good works within the brotherhood. All the above was probably true of Phoebe, whom the apostle esteemed most highly.
To summarize the above citations and thoughts: it would be difficult to make a case from this one instance that the official position of church deacon or ecclesial servant was open to women. Nevertheless, in all the areas of ecclesial service mentioned above, capable and willing sisters could do great work, both then and now.
Cenchrea: Cenchrea, or Cenchreae, was one of the seaports for the city of Corinth, on the eastern side of the Isthmus of Corinth, on the Aegean Sea. It was seven miles east of Corinth. (The other seaport was Lechaeum, a mile and a half to the west on the Corinthian Gulf.) Goods flowed across the isthmus on a road by which small ships could be hauled fully loaded across the isthmus, and by which cargoes of larger ships could be transported by wagons from one side to the other. In this way, goods flowed through the city of Corinth from Italy and Spain on the west and from Asia Minor, Phoenicia and Egypt on the east.
Trade and commerce made Corinth a wealthy city, and sailors and business people contributed to the general air of cosmopolitan immorality. The worship of Aphrodite supported prostitution in the name of religion. It is reasonable that Cenchrea, as one of Corinth's seaports, could be characterized in much the same way.
[Cenchrea's] international prominence and prosperity probably peaked in the second century A.D. Although damaged by earthquakes and seismic sea waves in 365 and 375 AD, the port revived and continued to play a significant role until Cenchrea was finally destroyed by marauding Slavs in the 580s.
Anchor Bible Dictionary
- Romans 16:2
I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.
These were traits which Paul advocated and exemplified:
"If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully… Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality" (Rom 12:8, 13; cf Heb 13:2).
For she has been a great help to many people: "Prostatis" refers to a patron, or a benefactor, suggesting a generous woman of means. This word occurs only this once, and probably describes one whose job in secular society was to make sure that visitors were well treated when they visited a city. This implies that she was the sponsor of a house church in Cenchrea near Corinth, which perhaps met in her residence, and in that capacity she welcomed and cared for many visiting brothers and sisters.
The fact that she was able to carry the apostle's letter from the area of Corinth to Rome suggests independence and freedom to travel, which in turn implies that Phoebe was a woman of some wealth and status.
Just as Phoebe had been a generous helper of others, Paul asks that the Roman brethren give her every assistance in her work.
In like manner, women such as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and others helped Jesus also (Luke 8:2,3).
In Acts of the Apostles, Harry Whittaker suggests that Phoebe had nursed others back to health, including Paul. He adds:
It seems fairly likely that Paul had one of his recurrent attacks of malaria — 'weakness and much trembling' (1 Cor 2:3; cp. Acts 27:3, RV). This fight against ill-health makes all the more admirable the dedicated efforts of the apostle in his zealous propagation of the gospel.
- Romans 16:3-16
This section contains various greetings to the believers in Rome. Paul seems to have known many people by name in the Roman ecclesia, yet he had never visited there. This may be because travel in the Roman Empire was fairly easy during Paul's lifetime, and he had met some of these brethren elsewhere as he moved about. Of course, he could also have known of other believers by reputation.
Most of the names are Latin or Greek, but some of these people were probably Jews who, like Paul, also had Greek or Latin names (e.g., vv 7,11). In his letters Paul greeted more individuals by name in the churches he had not visited than in those that he had — in Colosse, for example. This may have been his way of establishing more personal contact with congregations that had not met him personally.
The catacombs of Rome were vast networks of underground tunnels deep below the city as well as its outlying districts. The catacombs were used first of all by Roman Christians for religious meetings, perhaps especially in times of persecutions. Eventually they came to be used also for burial purposes. From the second through the fifth century, Christians in Rome buried their dead in these catacombs. These labyrinths were largely ignored after the eighth century, and then lay forgotten for about 700 years. It was only when workers in a vineyard north of Rome accidentally happened upon a catacomb in 1578 that they finally began to come to light again. Many such tunnels have been discovered in later times. Historians and Bible scholars have subsequently found many names on burial sites that echo the names found in this chapter, and other Christian names found in the New Testament.
Lists of names may seem quite boring, unless we know someone on the list. If we know all the people on the list, then what was once boring can become interesting. And if you find your own name on the list, then — before you know it — that list may become immensely fascinating. Finally, if the aforementioned list appears in the pages of Scripture, then there may be nothing else in the whole wide world that is more important. I'm sure that, if he was aware of it, Epenetus would consider Romans 16:5 to be his favorite verse in all the Bible. Likewise, Ampliatus and Romans 16:8, and Stachys and verse 9, etc., etc. through the whole of Paul's list. To rate mention even once in the Scripture is quite an honor, if it is a list of friends of Paul or Jesus, and a list of those to be commended. All this is reminiscent of the fact that there is a Book that has the names of the redeemed (Phil 4:3; Rev 21:27). And it is a Book in which we all want to have our names enrolled.
American minister George O. Wood writes: "I love a passage with names. There is beauty to a passage with names… Whenever we come across passages like this in Scripture, we must immediately recognize that it is someone's favorite verse. I'm sure Rufus's favorite verse in all the Scripture has got to be Romans 16:13. To rate mention once in the Scripture is quite an honor. And in honor of those whose names are herein, if for no other reason, we would read this Scripture. It's reminiscent of the fact that there is a Book that has the names of the redeemed [Phil 4:3; Rev 21:27]. And it is a Book in which we all want to have our names enrolled" ("People With Names", from his website). Likewise, Ampliatus and Romans 16:8, and
- Romans 16:3
GREET PRISCILLA AND AQUILA: This couple — a humble Jewish tradesman and (most likely) an aristocratic Roman lady from a rich and powerful family — embodied in their marriage and their lives the practical application of the New Testament teaching of "the One Body" (Rom 12; 1 Cor 12; etc.). They worked most effectively in several different areas across the Empire, and were always held in great esteem by the apostle Paul.
In his Acts of the Apostles, Harry Whittaker summarizes much of what is known (and some of what is speculated) about the remarkable couple Aquila and Priscilla:
- Aquila was a Jew from the remote northeastern province of Pontus, and, like Paul, a tentmaker.
- Priscilla is the diminutive form of the name Prisca. This name strongly suggests that she was a member of the important Roman family Acilius, in which (according to some historians) the name Prisca occurred quite often. This might account for the unexpected order of their names: Five times (Acts 18:18,19,26; Rom 16:3; 2 Tim 4:19) out of seven (the others being Acts 18:2; 1 Cor 16:19), the upper-class wife is named before her peasant husband.
- How did two individuals so different in background, nationality, and social status come to marry? Probably — though it is only a guess — business took Aquila to Rome, where he not only learned the Truth in Christ but also met a fellow-convert with whom he fell in love.
- The decree of Claudius (Acts 18:2) caused Aquila and Priscilla to flee Rome with other Jews. They may have been especially singled out for expulsion because of their prominence in the controversies with the Christians.
- In Corinth they teamed up with Paul and were a great reinforcement to his campaign there (Acts 18:2,3).
- Two years or so later, along with Paul, they crossed over to Ephesus, and stayed on there when Paul set out for Judea (Acts 18:18,19). In Paul's absence Priscilla and Aquila preached in Ephesus, the first of their converts being Epenetus (Rom 16:5).
- In Ephesus, they met the learned Apollos, and helped him to a greater understanding of the Faith, and to a larger sphere of work (Acts 18:24-28).
- Later, of course, they were back in Rome (Rom 16:3), receiving Paul's greetings and loving remembrances. Why did they return to Rome? Possibly because the Ephesian riots made it best for Paul as well as his inner circle of workers to leave that area.
- The last direct mention of the couple in the New Testament is Paul's farewell greeting to them shortly before he died (2 Tim 4:19).
It is possible that Aquila and Priscilla encouraged their good friend Paul to write to the Roman ecclesias, with the particular object of addressing the inherent differences between the Jewish and the Gentile believers in Rome and elsewhere (see the introductory section, "A Suggested Reason for Paul Writing to the Romans").
"Prisca and Aquila lived a curiously nomadic and unsettled life. Aquila himself had been born in Pontus in Asia Minor (Acts 18:2). We find them resident first in Rome, then in Corinth, then in Ephesus, then back in Rome, and then finally again in Ephesus; but wherever we find them, we find their home a center of Christian fellowship and service. Every home should be a church, for a church is a place where Jesus dwells. From the home of Prisca and Aquila, wherever it was, radiated friendship and fellowship and love. If one is a stranger in a strange town or a strange land, one of the most valuable things in the world is to have a home away from home into which to go. It takes away loneliness and protects from temptation. Sometimes we think of a home as a place where we can go and shut the door and keep the world out, but equally a home should be a place with an open door. The open door, the open hand, and the open heart are characteristics of the Christian life" (Barclay).
PRISCILLA: The name "Prisca" occurs seven times in the New Testament (Acts 18:2,18,19,26; Rom 16:3; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19). Some of the New Testament manuscripts read "Priscilla" in some of these verses. Priscilla is the diminutive of Prisca, but the two are essentially the same name and refer to the same person. Generally translators avoid confusion by sticking with "Priscilla".
MY FELLOW WORKERS IN CHRIST JESUS: "Synergos" signifies those who work together; who share in a labor; the KJV has simply "helpers". Note the similarity to the English word "synergy", defined as: the working together of two or more things, people, or organizations, especially when the result is greater than the sum of their individual effects or capabilities. The word appears 13 times in the New Testament, 12 being in Paul's writings (Rom 16:3, 9, 21; 1 Cor 3:9; 2 Cor 1:24; 8:23; Phil 2:25; 4:3; Col 4:11; 1 Thes 3:2; Philemon 1:1, 24), and the other in 3 John 1:8. The word often referred to those who helped in spreading the gospel.
- Comment on Rom 16:4
THEY RISKED THEIR LIVES FOR ME: "Risked their lives" is literally "laid down their own necks" (KJV), i.e., put their necks or throats (Greek "trachelos") down under the Roman ax of execution. Was this one single occasion when Priscilla and Aquila exposed themselves to imminent danger, and were prepared to die for Paul and the cause of the Truth? Or does it describe their general attitude of self-sacrificing help for the apostle in his work?
If this refers to one incident, then possibly it occurred during the fierce riot that broke out in Ephesus, endangering the apostle's life (Acts 19:28-31; cf 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 1:8-10). Their presence with him at Ephesus just prior to this incident is confirmed by 1 Corinthians 16:19. But the fact is, we know nothing for sure about what they actually did for Paul.
NOT ONLY I BUT ALL THE CHURCHES OF THE GENTILES ARE GRATEFUL TO THEM: Their courageous conduct, whether a single particular incident or the general tenor of their lives in the Truth, came to be generally known and acknowledged by other believers. It is interesting that this act or acts must have been widely known in the first century, yet we have absolutely no record of this today.
"The man who saves one life saves the world." This is a line from the Jewish Talmud, the great book of rabbinical interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures. We may say that, when Priscilla and Aquila saved Paul's life (in whatever way that happened or might have happened), then at the same time they saved much of the Christian fellowship of the first century. If Paul had died prematurely, then many new believers might not have been "born". We can never know, this side of the Kingdom, what a great impact any single committed life can have upon the world.
- Comment on Rom 16:5
GREET ALSO THE CHURCH THAT MEETS AT THEIR HOUSE: Churches normally met in houses at this time (cp v 23, and possibly vv 14,15; 1 Cor 16:19; Col 4:15; Philemon 1:2). One such church met at the house of Aquila and Priscilla.
It is quite possible that even large ecclesial groups at this time met in private houses also. Joseph Lightfoot writes, "There is no clear example of a separate building set apart for Christian worship within the limits of the Roman Empire before the third century, though apartments in private houses might have been specially devoted to this purpose" (Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon).
GREET MY DEAR FRIEND EPENETUS: The KJV spells this more accurately: "Epaenetus". This name signifies "praiseworthy". It is understandable that Paul should speak of him as "my dear friend" (literally, "my beloved"), since this man was the first convert to Christ in connection with the mission to the province of Asia, of which Ephesus was the leading city. Actually Paul calls him the firstfruits of that area, which hints that many more were expected to follow as the full harvest, and this indeed came to pass. This individual, however, naturally held a special place in the heart of the missionary.
WHO WAS THE FIRST CONVERT TO CHRIST IN THE PROVINCE OF ASIA: "Who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ" (KJV). "Firstfruits" (KJV, ASV) or "first convert" (NET, NEB, RSV, NIV) translates the Greek "aparche", which literally means the first of any crop or flocks or herds offered to God before the rest is used. Paul uses this word in several ways:
- Of Christ the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" ( 1 Cor 15:20, 23);
- Of "the household of Stephanas [who were] the first converts in Achaia" ( 1 Cor 16:15);
- Of "the firstfruits of the Spirit" (Rom 8:23, notes); and
- Of Israel in general, being the "firstfruits" of those offered to God (Rom 11:16, notes).
Paul expresses the same thought in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, but there it is translated differently: "From the beginning God chose you to be saved." There the three words "from the beginning" also translates the same word "aparche".
IN THE PROVINCE OF ASIA: The KJV has "Achaia". "So many of the oldest manuscripts and versions, however, read 'Asia', instead of 'Achaia', in this verse, that the great majority of editors have adopted that reading" (Hodge).
"In the New Testament [Asia] always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words 'the province of' are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia" (NET Notes).
Mentioning the first convert, or among the first converts, of "Asia" suggests that Aquila and Priscilla may have converted and baptized Epenetus while they were in Ephesus, and that later he may have accompanied them to Rome.
- Comment on Rom 16:6
GREET MARY, WHO WORKED VERY HARD FOR YOU: Mary (Miriam) is the Hebrew name of several women in the New Testament, although some scholars say it is possible that this refers to a woman with the Latin name Maria, and thus a Roman. It is impossible to tell if this particular Mary is the same as some other woman who bears the same name in the New Testament.
Paul indicates his precise knowledge of her, testifying to her hard work for the saints, but without any hint as to the nature of the work. Emphasis falls rather on her willingness to grow weary in serving them.
The Greek word translated "worked very hard" indicates work sufficiently heavy to produce weariness and fatigue. "The word translated 'labor' ['worked': NIV] ('kopian') is a favorite of [Paul's] for describing Christian service, whether his own or that of others (cf Rom 16:6, 12; 1 Cor 4:12; 15:10; 16:16; Gal 4:11; Col 1:29; 1 Thes 5:12); its implication of resulting weariness is conveyed in John 4:6, where Jesus at noonday sits down by Jacob's well because he is 'tired' ('kekopiakos') by his journey" (NIBC).
This is also the same word used by Jesus when he says:
"Come to me, all you who are weary ['kopiao'] and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28).
FOR YOU: The KJV has "us" instead of "you". Opinion is fairly equally divided as to whether "you" or "us" is correct. The ASV and KJV have "us", while the NIV, RSV, NEB and NET have "you". Hodge writes: "The [unceasing] service of Mary rendered to the apostle is a more natural reason of his than that he had been [of service] to Roman Christians."
- Comment on Rom 16:7
GREET ANDRONICUS AND JUNIAS: Latin and Greek names respectively. While the second name may be either masculine or feminine, it is probable because of the pairing of the two believers that Junias (or Junia) was the wife of Andronicus. There appear to be several husband-wife couples in this chapter (cf vv 3, 15).
MY RELATIVES: The Greek word is "syggenes", literally: 'having the same birth, or the same ancestors'. It is sometimes translated "relatives" and sometimes "kinsmen" (cp vv 11, 21). It could mean one of three things:
- very close blood relatives of Paul, i.e., from his same immediate family;
- members of the same tribe, i.e., Benjamites (Phil 3:5); or
- simply Jews, since every descendant of Abraham through Isaac and then Jacob might easily think of one another as "relatives" (cp Rom 9:3).
WHO HAVE BEEN IN PRISON WITH ME: The term is "synaichmalotos", meaning to share in captivity. "Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:23, when enumerating his labors, says, 'In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft,' etc. He was often in bonds… he may, therefore, have had numerous fellow-prisoners" (Hodge).
Elsewhere, Paul calls Aristarchus a fellow prisoner (the same word) in Colossians 4:10, and Epaphras the same in Philemon 1:23.
See Appendix, Paul in Prison.
Some of the aspects of fellowship include:
- fellow-heirs (Eph 3:6);
- fellow-soldiers (Phil 2:25);
- fellow-workers (Phil 4:3; Col 4:11; 3John 1:8);
- fellow-servants (Rev 6:11);
- fellow-prisoners (Rom 16:7); and
- fellow-citizens (Eph 2:19).
THEY ARE OUTSTANDING AMONG THE APOSTLES: "Outstanding" is "episemos", which means prominent or well-known.
Here, this term "apostles" must have the general sense of representatives or messengers (i.e., traveling preachers) rather than being a technical reference to one of the 13 apostles (cf Acts 14:4, 14; 2 Cor 8:23; 1 Tim 2:7; Phil 2:25).
Another possibility: Since "among" is the Greek "en", this might mean that they were notable in ("en") the estimation of the apostles. That is, the apostles held them in great esteem or high opinion. The NET, as an example, renders this phrase: "They are well known to the apostles."
AND THEY WERE IN CHRIST BEFORE I WAS: They must have been Christians from the time of Stephen (Acts 7), and thus they were a direct link with the earliest ecclesia in Jerusalem.
Surprisingly, this verse has attracted a great deal of attention in scholarly circles, due to the question: Was Junias a woman and an apostle (i.e., of equal rank with the 12 or 13 original apostles of the Lord)? In order to make the case that Junias as the wife of Andronicus was truly an apostle, however, one must prove at least three things:
- that Junias was a woman;
- that "apostles" here means only those who had seen the Lord and were appointed to the office by him; and
- that the preposition "en" truly means "among" (as in being one of a group), and does not mean "in the opinion of" (see note above).
If any of these three propositions is uncertain, then the contention that a woman was a member of the special apostolic group fails also. How do we evaluate the evidence?
- Very likely but not definitely, Junias was a woman and the wife of Andronicus.
- But it is much less likely that "apostles" here means (a) those with a special and official position conferred directly by Christ, instead of (b) those who were representatives or preachers of Christ.
- And it is far from certain that "en" means "among" rather than "in the estimation of".
Therefore we may conclude that there is no preponderant evidence that a woman named Junias was considered an "apostle" in the most exclusive sense.
- Comment on Rom 16:8-10
Historians tell us that Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys and Apelles are all common slave names found in the staff of the imperial household. We know from elsewhere that there were saints who belonged to Caesar's household (Phil 4:22).
- Comment on Rom 16:8
GREET AMPLIATUS, WHOM I LOVE IN THE LORD: This is "Amplias" in the KJV, which is a contraction of Ampliatus — the reading in the best New Testament texts. The Latin name means "enlarged" (cf the English amplify). Again, as in the mention of Epenetus (v 5), Paul confesses to a very warm personal attachment. This demonstrating the reality and depth of Christian friendship that developed between him and others who remain rather obscure to us. Paul was a man who gave himself to the people among whom he served and to those who worked alongside him.
IN THE LORD: Perhaps we read this simple phrase so often that we lose the impact of it. "In the Lord [Greek 'kyrios']" occurs frequently, particularly in Paul's writings, and means the same as "in Jesus Christ":
- Paul affirms and exhorts "in the Lord" (Eph 4:17);
- he loves "in the Lord" (Rom 16:8);
- people are received "in the Lord" (Rom 16:2; Phil 2:29);
- the ecclesia rejoices "in the Lord" (Phil 3:1);
- it stands firm "in the Lord" (Phil 4:1);
- it works "in the Lord" (Rom 16:21); and
- it greets one another "in the Lord" (Rom 16:22; 1 Cor 16:19).
- Believers are to marry "in the Lord" ( 1 Cor 7:39);
- they are to be strong "in the Lord" (Eph 6:10); and
- to walk "in the Lord" (Col 2:6).
- Paul was a prisoner “in the Lord” (Eph 4:1).
- Our work is not in vain "in the Lord" ( 1 Cor 15:58).
- The believer has eternal life "in the Lord" (Rom 6:23); etc.
"The whole of life, both in the present and the future, is determined by the fact of Christ which is expressed by this formula: Paul and his churches stand in the presence and under the power of the Lord" (H. Bietenhard, NIDOTTE).
William Barclay writes: "Behind the name of Ampliatus may well lie an interesting story. It is a quite common slave name. Now in the cemetery of Domatilla, which is the earliest of the Christian catacombs, there is a decorated tomb with the single name Ampliatus carved on it in bold and decorative lettering. The fact that the single name Ampliatus alone is carved on the tomb — Romans who were citizens would have three names… — would indicate that this Ampliatus was a slave; but the elaborate tomb and the bold lettering would indicate that he was a man of high rank in the church. From that it is plain to see that in the early days of the church the distinctions of rank were so completely wiped out that it was possible for a man at one and the same time to be a slave and [an elder] of the church. Social distinctions did not exist. We have no means of knowing that Paul's Ampliatus is the Ampliatus in the cemetery of Domatilla, but it is not impossible that he is."
- Comment on Rom 16:9
GREET URBANUS, OUR FELLOW WORKER IN CHRIST, AND MY DEAR FRIEND STACHYS: The KJV renders this as "Urbane". This is another Latin name, meaning "refined" or "elegant". Paul seems to indicate that this man helped him at some time in the past and that he assisted others also in the work of the Lord. He is the only believer in Rome other than Aquila and Priscilla (v 3) whom Paul expressly called a "synergos", i.e., a fellow worker or co-worker.
AND MY DEAR FRIEND STACHYS: This name signifies "ear of grain". Was this brother a farmer? Otherwise, we know nothing else about this believer.
- Comment on Rom 16:10
GREET APELLES: The word means "separate".
TESTED AND APPROVED IN CHRIST: "Tested and approved" translates one word in the Greek text here: "dokimos" (cf Rom 14:18; 1 Cor 11:19; 2 Cor 10:18; 13:7; 2 Tim 2:15). In 1 Peter 1:7 a related word, "dokimazo", is used of gold that has been put through the smelting fire, and purified (cf also Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 3:13; 11:28; 2 Cor 8:8; etc.). Had Apelles come through some severe persecution with his faith intact?
GREET THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE HOUSEHOLD OF ARISTOBULUS: There is no Greek equivalent for "household", either here or in verse 11. The literal phrase is "those of Aristobulus", or "those of Narcissus" (cf also 1 Cor 1:11).
"Aristobulus" signifies "great counselor", which sounds like a government official. Those of his household were probably his slaves. Since Paul did not greet Aristobulus himself — even as he did not greet Narcissus personally in verse 11 — this man may have been an unbeliever, or may have died by this time.
"Lightfoot identified Aristobulus as the grandson of Herod the Great, who lived in Rome and apparently died there. If this is correct, Aristobulus was either not a believer or had died before Paul wrote, since he is not personally greeted. Those addressed would then be his slaves and employees who had become Christians. On the other hand, if this identification is incorrect, we must think of an otherwise unknown figure whose family is mentioned here. The former alternative is somewhat favored by the fact that the next person to be greeted (v 11) is Herodion, a name suggestive of association with, or admiration for, the family of Herod. Even though no actual relationship may have existed, the placing of the two names with Herodian association so close together may support Lightfoot's thesis" (Everett F. Harrison, Expositor's Bible Commentary).
- Comment on Rom 16:11
GREET HERODION, MY RELATIVE: Here "relative" (Greek "suggenes", meaning: same family) may simply mean "a Jew", or perhaps "a Benjamite".
GREET THOSE IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF NARCISSUS: Again, as with "the household of Aristobulus" (v 10), this phrasing suggests that Narcissus was not a believer, but that some of his "household" of slaves and servants were "in the Lord". Obviously, what William Barclay says below can only be, as he admits, speculation — but it is possible:
" 'The household of Narcissus' may have [an] interesting story behind it. Narcissus was a common name; but the most famous Narcissus was a freedman who had been secretary to the Emperor Claudius and had exercised a notorious influence over him. He was said to have amassed [an enormous] private fortune. His power had lain in the fact that all correspondence addressed to the Emperor had to pass through his hands and never reached him unless he allowed it to do so. He made his fortune from the fact that people paid him large bribes to make sure that their petitions did reach the Emperor. When Claudius was murdered and Nero came to the throne, Narcissus survived for a short time, but in the end he was compelled to commit suicide, and all his fortune and all his household of slaves passed into Nero's possession. It may well be his one-time slaves who are referred to here. If Aristobulus really is the Aristobulus who was the grandson of Herod, and if Narcissus really is the Narcissus who was Claudius' secretary, this means that many of the slaves at the imperial court were already Christians. The leaven of Christianity had reached the highest circles in the Empire."
WHO ARE IN THE LORD: Modifying the previous phrase, this indicates a divided household, with some "in the Lord", i.e., giving allegiance to Christ, while others were not "in the Lord".
- Comment on Rom 16:12
GREET TRYPHENA AND TRYPHOSA, THOSE WOMEN WHO WORK HARD IN THE LORD: Similar in name, these two were probably sisters, maybe even twins if judged by the similarity of their names. It was not uncommon then, as now, to give children, especially twins, similarly sounding names (e.g., Jean and Joan). Possibly they belonged to an aristocratic family, since "dainty" and "delicate" (or "luxuriating"), as their names mean, would seem to fit this category. If so, their Christian convictions led them to put aside any tendency to live a life of ease. Ironically, Paul praises these two sisters for not living up — or down — to their given names, but rather for being hard workers in the Lord's cause:
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col 3:17).
The same word "kopiao" is used in verse 6 of Mary, and again here in verse 12 of Persis. Is it coincidental that in this chapter Paul uses it of four believers, and they are all sisters?
GREET MY DEAR FRIEND PERSIS, ANOTHER WOMAN WHO HAS WORKED VERY HARD IN THE LORD: Her name simply means "a Persian lady", so this could well be a nickname or title: 'the woman from Persia'. "Dear friend" is the Greek "agapetoi", meaning beloved.
- Comment on Rom 16:13
GREET RUFUS, CHOSEN IN THE LORD: "Chosen in the Lord" means more than 'chosen as a Christian'; it probably suggests 'a specially chosen and distinguished believer in Christ'. The same word, "eklektos", describes the chosen or elect lady (possibly figurative for the ecclesia itself) addressed by John in 2 John. A related word, "ekloge", is used of Paul at the time of his baptism:
"But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name' " (Acts 9:15,16).
"Eklektos" and other related words can also describe all believers who are "chosen" in Christ, to be "holy and blameless in his sight" (Eph 1:4). But this is probably not the meaning here, where it sets Rufus apart from other fellow-believers.
Quite probably this Rufus was a son of Simon the Cyrenian, the man who carried the cross of Jesus to the place of his execution (Mark 15:21). J.J. Blunt draws the threads together by which such a connection may be made:
"Jerome, who lived in the fourth century, says that Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, being requested by his brethren at Rome, wrote a short Gospel.
"Now this circumstance may account for his designating Simon as the father of Rufus at least; for we find that a disciple of that name, and of considerable note, was resident at Rome, when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans. 'Salute Rufus,' says he, 'chosen in the Lord' [Rom 16:13]. Thus, by mentioning a man living upon the spot where he was writing, and amongst the people whom he addressed, Mark was giving a reference for the truth of his narrative, which must have been accessible and satisfactory to all; since Rufus could not have failed knowing the particulars of the crucifixion (the great event to which the Christians looked), when his father had been so intimately concerned in it as to have been the reluctant bearer of the cross.
"Of course, the force of this argument depends on the identity of the Rufus of Mark and the Rufus of Paul, which I have no means of proving; but admitting it to be probable that they were the same persons (which, I think, may be admitted, for Paul, we see, expressly speaks of a distinguished disciple of the name of Rufus at Rome, and Mark, writing for the Romans, mentions Rufus, the son of Simon, as well known to them) — admitting this, the coincidence is striking, and serves to account for what otherwise seems a piece of purely gratuitous and needless information offered by Mark to his readers, namely, that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus; a fact omitted by the other Evangelists, and apparently turned to no advantage by himself" (Undesigned Scriptural Coincidences, 4:19).
AND HIS MOTHER, WHO HAS BEEN A MOTHER TO ME, TOO: Paul had a number of "mothers" in the Truth (cf Matt 12:49,50; Mark 3:35; 1 Tim 5:2)! Perhaps this special woman perceived his unique loss when he became a follower of Christ, thus "losing all things" (Phil 3:8), and attempted to minister to him with what he was now lacking: a warm and loving family.
"Let Christian mothers find here a great field for that wonderful heart of instinctive loving care given by God to mothers, that they extend their maternal care beyond their own family circle, to all Christians, and especially to all laborers for Christ. The Lord will remember it at his coming!" (Newell).
"The truth breaks down barriers of wealth and position, and unites as one those who truly love our Lord Jesus Christ. The mere fleshly relationship is as nothing compared with the higher spiritual relationship begotten by the word of truth. We feel something of the spirit of Jesus when He asked the question, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?' and when asking the question, and beholding his disciples, 'he stretched forth his hands towards them, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren ! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother' (Matt 12:48-50). These are the experiences that should be ours towards each other" (Joseph Bland).
The man who carried the cross
One of the great hidden romances of the New Testament lies behind the name of Rufus and his mother, who was also a mother to Paul. It is obvious that Rufus is a choice spirit and a man well-known for saintliness in the Roman church; and it is equally obvious that Paul felt that he owed a deep debt of gratitude to the mother of Rufus for the kindness he had received from her. Who was this Rufus?
In Mark 15:21 we read of one Simon a Cyrenian who was compelled to carry the cross of Jesus on the road to Calvary; and he is described as the father of Alexander and Rufus. Now if a man is identified by the names of his sons, it means that, although he himself may not be personally known to the community to whom the story is being told, his sons are. To what church, then, did Mark write his gospel? He wrote it to the church of Rome, and he knew that it would know who Alexander and Rufus were. Almost certainly we find Rufus again [in the greetings of Romans 16:13], the son of that Simon who carried the cross of Jesus.
That must have been a terrible day for Simon. He was a Jew, from far-off Cyrene in North Africa. No doubt he had scraped and saved for half a lifetime to celebrate one Passover in Jerusalem. As he entered the city on that day, with his heart full of the greatness of the Feast he was going to attend, suddenly the flat of a Roman spear touched him on the shoulder; he was impressed into the Roman service; he found himself carrying a criminal's cross. How the resentment must have blazed in his heart! How angry and bitter he must have been at this terrible indignity! All the way from Cyrene for this! To have come so far to sit at the glory of the Passover and to have had this dreadful and shameful thing happen! No doubt he meant, as soon as he reached Calvary, to fling the cross down and stride away with loathing in his heart.
But something must have happened. On the way to Calvary the spell of the broken figure of Jesus must have laid its tendrils round his heart. He must have stayed to watch, and that figure on the cross drew Simon to himself for ever. That chance encounter on the road to Calvary changed Simon's life. He came to sit at the Jewish Passover and he went away the slave of Christ. He must have gone home and brought his wife and sons into the same experience as he had himself.
We can weave all kinds of speculations about this. It was men from Cyprus and Cyrene who came to Antioch and first preached the gospel to the Gentile world (Acts 11:20). Was Simon one of the men from Cyrene? Was Rufus with him? Was it they who took the first tremendous step to make Christianity the faith of a whole world? Was it they who helped the church burst the bonds of Judaism? Can it be that in some sense we today owe the fact that we are Christians to the strange episode when a man from Cyrene was compelled to carry a cross on the road to Calvary?
William Barclay, Daily Study Bible
- Comment on Rom 16:14,15
Here two groups of believers are mentioned without accompanying descriptions or commendations:
- "the brothers with them" (v 14), and
- "all the saints with them" (v 15).
Apparently Paul's ties with these believers were not as strong as his ties with those previously mentioned.
In connection with both groups, a greeting is extended to the believers associated with them. This appears to indicate an ecclesia in the house in both cases. Rome was a large place, making it probable that there were circles of believers in several sections of the city. They would certainly maintain communication and, when possible and/or necessity dictated, could arrange to meet together.
Most of these names are not common in the literary sources of the city of Rome, which probably indicates that these brothers and sisters had immigrated to Rome from the eastern parts of the Empire, or had been slaves brought forcibly to the capital.
- Comment on Rom 16:14
Greet Asyncritus: The name means: unique or incomparable.
Phlegon: This name means: burning.
Hermes: Hermes was a Greek god corresponding to the Roman god Mercury, the messenger. When Paul and Barnabas visited Lystra, the rather superstitious people there called Barnabas "Zeus" ("Jupiter": KJV), probably he was a much more imposing figure, and they called Paul "Hermes" ("Mercurius": KJV) because he was the chief spokesman (Acts 14:12).
Patrobas: This name is probably abbreviated from "Patrobios", which means: the father of life.
Hermas: The similarity between Hermes and Hermas suggests they belonged to the same natural family.
and the brothers with them: "Brothers" ("adelphoi") is often used for "brothers and sisters". Whether or not this is the case in each occurrence must be determined by the context.
- Comment on Rom 16:15
Greet Philologus, Julia: Julia is usually a feminine name, and this believer may have been the wife (or perhaps the sister) of Philologus (which means 'one who loves the Word').
Nereus and his sister: Nereus is named for the ancient sea-god of the Aegean.
The arrangement of these names suggests this brother and sister were the children of Philologus and Julia, but of course this is uncertain.
and Olympas and all the saints with them: Olympas has a Greek name, pertaining to Mount Olympus in Greece, ancient site of the Olympics. This suggests that he was probably another immigrant from the east.
H.C.G. Moule writes: "T423h423e423 423roll of names is over, with its music, that subtle characteristic of such recitations of human personalities, and with its moving charm for the heart due almost equally to our glimpses of information about one here and there and to our total ignorance about the others" (Epistles to the Romans).
- Comment on Rom 16:16
GREET ONE ANOTHER WITH A HOLY KISS. ALL THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST SEND GREETINGS: The "holy kiss" is intended in this case to seal the fellowship of the saints when the letter has been read to them ( 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thes 5:26; cf "a kiss of love" in 1 Pet 5:14). The reminder that it is a "holy" kiss is intended to warn against sensual associations.
Some scholars suggest that the eastern custom called for men to kiss men on the cheek or the forehead, and women to kiss women in the same way, but not for men and women to kiss publicly. The 'holy kiss" was a sign of a family relationship, the love of Christ mutually shared, and the peace and harmony he had brought into their lives.
F.G. Jannaway writes: "Paul is concluding a letter in which he expressly mentions a large number of brethren and sisters, and therefore it is clear that the kisses were to be as impartially bestowed as is handshaking today; but our experience is that those who in our day would introduce kissing have a partiality for the opposite sex, which fact arouses suspicion that the desire is connected with the flesh and not with the spirit, although the would-be kissers may not be conscious of the fact… Paul was simply enjoining that the custom should be performed in a 'holy' manner, and not issuing a command that kissing must be performed… Brethren who show a proneness to kiss simply on the plea of being brethren should be given a wide berth by the sisters."
Len Richardson recounts a situation in his ecclesia pertaining to the "holy kiss":
"There was an amusing episode when [a] young lady [a friend of my wife and myself] went to the meeting at Newbury for the first time. We were not there, as I was speaking elsewhere, but we assured her she would be made very welcome. When we next visited her, we asked how she had got on, to which she replied that she had enjoyed the meeting but had been quite taken by surprise as she entered to be greeted by 'a big fellow, who gave me a kiss'. We assured her that this was not usual at Christadelphian meetings, but could see what had happened. A brother had taken her to be a sister from another ecclesia and welcomed her in the warmth of brotherly kindness. She was not in the least offended, taking it to be our normal behavior, but I had a word with the brother later, as he was a comparatively new member, and explained that it might be as well to ascertain first if the lady was 'one of us' or not. He explained in defense of his action that Paul exhorted us to 'greet one another with a holy kiss', though I pointed out that he had never kissed me! There was no answer to that. But he meant well" (Sixty Years a Christadelphian, p. 49).
- Comment on Rom 16:17-20
Paul concludes his letter to the Roman ecclesia by warning the brethren against the danger of false teachers. Almost every phrase in this section is an obvious allusion to the Genesis record of the serpent and the woman's seed: The serpent subtly cast doubt on God's word and taught contrary to that word.
These false teachers in Paul's day were almost certainly Judaizers, i.e., Jewish members of the ecclesia of Christ, who nevertheless held that keeping the Mosaic Law was still essential to salvation, or at least highly desirable for all believers, Gentiles as well as Jews, to follow (cf Gal 1:6-9; 3:1; 5:3-5). These Judaizing Christians were the serpent's "seed" (cp Matt 3:7; 12:34; 23:33). Following the example of their spiritual "father" (i.e., the serpent in Eden), they professed a superior knowledge and thus were able to lead away the simple or naïve (2 Cor 11:13-15).
The influence of this particular "Satan" was drastically reduced by the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D. But the final bruising of "Satan" in all its aspects must of course be the work of the glorified Christ and his saints at his second coming.
"There are divisions that are uncalled for, and therefore sinful. Paul refers to such [here]. He was referring, no doubt, to the factions arising out of personal preferences, but the warning applies to all divisions that ought not be made… It is possible to go too far in our demands upon fellow-believers. How far we ought to go and where to stop, is at one time or other a perplexing problem to most earnest minds" (Robert Roberts, The Christadelphian, 35:182).
The schisms or divisions caused by the Judaizing element in the early ecclesias were wrong, for two reasons:
- They were based on matters of questionable importance, and thus not fundamental or essential — they were "contrary to the teaching [of unity] you have learned" (Rom 16:17).
- They put unnecessary stumbling blocks in the path of other believers, making their journey to the Kingdom more difficult.
- Comment on Rom 16:17
I URGE YOU, BROTHERS, TO WATCH OUT FOR THOSE WHO CAUSE DIVISIONS: "Divisions" is the Greek "dichostasia", and may signify dissensions and party spirits, without producing disfellowship or excommunication of others.
It is important to note that Paul advises the brethren to "mark out" and "avoid" those who cause divisions ( 1 John 2:19), not those who follow them. The reason for taking special notice of the causers is that they may deceive the "naïve" or "simple" (v 18). This is a distinction comparable to that between the wolves and the sheep in Christ's parable of John 10. The wolves must be marked out and branded for what they are, for their own possible reclamation if for no other reason. They are the ones to be wary of! The simple sheep must be protected, not lumped together with the wolves and all alike avoided. To avoid the sheep because they might be guilty, and because we might be guilty by association with them, is to go further than the apostle ever intended.
AND PUT OBSTACLES IN YOUR WAY: This is the Greek "skandala" (the plural of "skandalon"); it means stumbling blocks, and specifically here, causes of sin. The term is too general to yield anything specific for our knowledge of the propagandists. However, the same word is used in Romans 14:13, where the context suggests influences within the congregations that tended to elevate various elements of the Mosaic Law to the level of essentials (cp the same word in Rom 9:33; 11:9).
THAT ARE CONTRARY TO THE TEACHING YOU HAVE LEARNED: "The teaching" could refer to the whole of the gospel, as in Romans 6:17, or more specifically to the "spirit of unity" Paul taught in Romans 15:5,6 and elsewhere.
KEEP AWAY FROM THEM: The Greek "ekklino" means to avoid or stay away from. The same word occurs in 1 Peter 3:11: "turn from evil".
- Comment on Rom 16:18
FOR SUCH PEOPLE ARE NOT SERVING OUR LORD CHRIST, BUT THEIR OWN APPETITES: "Their own belly" (KJV). By which is meant, of course, appetites or desires:
"For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things" (Phil 3:18,19; cf Titus 3:3; 2Pet 2:18).
Some men emphasize what is misleading or even false because they are unduly interested in controversies and quarrels, and thus prone to envy, suspicions and friction (1 Tim 6:3-5). Other men do so because they are seeking improper financial gain (v 5).
The allusion to the appetite or belly seems to make sense only if the serpent in the garden (cp v 20) of Eden ate the fruit of the tree itself. Consider these points:
- Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food (Gen 3:6);
- the serpent was more crafty or subtle than any other creature (Gen 3:1);
- perhaps the fruit itself gave the serpent the power of speech — i.e., to be like the "Elohim" (Gen 3:5);
- "You shall not surely die!" (Gen 3:4) implies: 'See! Look at me. I ate the fruit and I'm not dead!'; and
- the subsequent curse of the serpent was to crawl upon its belly, and to eat dust (Gen 3:14).
Paul alludes to this serpent-like beguiling of Eve again in 2 Corinthians 11:3:
"I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."
BY SMOOTH TALK AND FLATTERY THEY DECEIVE THE MINDS OF NAÏVE PEOPLE: These are always the tools of unscrupulous salesmen and promoters.
"Smooth talk" is "chrestologia", attractive speech; it occurs only this once in the New Testament. Barclay writes, "The Greeks themselves defined a 'chrestologos' as 'a man who speaks well and who acts ill'. He is the kind of man who, behind a facade of pious words, is a bad influence who leads astray, not by direct attack, but by subtlety, who pretends to serve Christ, but in reality is destroying the faith."
"Flattery" is "eulogia", a word that simply means good and generous speech, i.e., blessing and praise. But sometimes such speech may be excessive, and spoken with ulterior motives — then it becomes self-serving flattery. Good words spoken in good causes are a great blessing, and their usefulness is increased. But on the contrary, good words spoken in bad causes may become destructive many times over. The tongue is a small part of the body, but it can generate a small spark that ignites a great fire (James 3:5,6).
"Naïve" people are those "unsophisticated Christians, who are inclined to receive any 'good speech' as the gospel truth, no matter what sacred truth may be denied by it, and never pause to question anything, especially if the speech is a good one, and who thus unconsciously fall into the net of the false teacher" (Coffman). Such naïve believers are either unaware of or indifferent toward the command of Christ:
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matt 7:15).
Likewise, they seemingly pay no attention to the words of John:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit [i.e., teaching], but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" ( 1 John 4:1).
- Comment on Rom 16:19
EVERYONE HAS HEARD ABOUT YOUR OBEDIENCE, SO I AM FULL OF JOY OVER YOU; BUT I WANT YOU TO BE WISE ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD, AND INNOCENT ABOUT WHAT IS EVIL: Paul was confident that his readers could handle this threat because they had a reputation for following the apostles' instructions. The innocent among God's people tend to accept false teachers, and the wise normally reject them. Paul wanted his readers to be wise (like the "serpent"!) concerning all good and innocent only regarding evil (Matt 10:16). To paraphrase Paul, 'I want you to be wise enough to know how to protect yourselves, and at the same time I want you to be innocent enough so as to do not evil to anyone else.'
- Comment on Rom 16:20
THE GOD OF PEACE: For the apostle who wrote the letter to the Romans, peace was:
- peace or oneness with God, made possible only by justification through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1);
- the state of mind achieved in a life controlled by God's Spirit and teachings (Rom 8:6);
- a life of calmness and goodwill toward all men, to be found in those who truly had faith in God (Rom 12:18; 14:19); and
- the result of a solid hope in God's promises, accompanied by a joy-filled life in Christ (Rom 15:13).
This is the second time in the conclusion alone that Paul refers to "the God of peace" (cf Rom 15:33).
WILL SOON CRUSH SATAN UNDER YOUR FEET: Here is a plain allusion to Genesis 3:15:
"And I will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
Here the serpent or "satan" (the adversary) undoubtedly refers to human beings. The context describes "smooth talk and flattery" by which the serpent "deceives the minds of naïve people" (Rom 16:18). Particularly, this was the Judaizers, who sought to draw other believers — especially Gentile believers — away from their freedom in Christ and into an enforced bondage to the Law of Moses.
Likewise, in 2 Corinthians 11, the "satan" (v 14) or "serpent" (v 3) is equated with "false apostles… [who] masquerade as apostles of Christ" (v 13) but preach a different gospel (v 4) by which they enslave and exploit other believers (v 20).
The "soon" here suggests that Paul was looking forward to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, which actually happened only a few years later, but after his own death. The removal of the Temple with its services and sacrifices would be visual evidence to corroborate the New Testament teaching that salvation could no longer be found in God's special temple at Jerusalem. The new house of worship — the new "temple" — would henceforth be the spiritual Body of Christ, the ecclesia or congregation of believers throughout the world.
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS BE WITH YOU: Paul's final blessing magnifies God's grace as does this whole epistle. Usually such a benediction signals the end of a Pauline letter (e.g., 2 Cor 13:14; Gal 6:18; Phil 4:23; 1 Thes 5:28; 2 Thes 3:18; 2 Tim 4:22; Philemon 1:25), but the apostle has still more to say this time.
There is some variation among New Testament manuscripts here in verse 20 as well as in verses 24 and 27 — concerning the phrase "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
The question is whether the phrase appears once, twice or three times (among some combination of verses 20, 24 and 27). The second question, of course, is the exact wording in each of the three possibilities. Understandably, this has caused some disagreement among textual scholars as to which is (or are) the correct reading(s).
Perhaps Paul and his secretary sent several slightly different letters (i.e., letters with slightly different endings) to the different small house-churches of the large Roman ecclesia (cf Rom 16:5,10,11,14,15). Such a scenario could account for the small textual variations.
- Comment on Rom 16:21-24
Paul now conveys greetings from his companions.
- Comment on Rom 16:21
TIMOTHY, MY FELLOW WORKER, SENDS HIS GREETINGS TO YOU, AS DO LUCIUS, JASON AND SOSIPATER, MY RELATIVES: For "fellow worker" see verses 3 and 9, and notes.
"The men whom Paul mentioned in verse 21 all seem to have been his fellow missionaries who were working with him in Corinth when he wrote this epistle… Jason may have been Paul's host in Thessalonica (cf Acts 17:5-9). Sosipater was probably Sopater of Berea, who accompanied Paul when he left Greece toward the end of his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4)" (Constable).
LUCIUS: From the earliest times, some have identified this Lucius with Luke the writer of Luke and Acts. This is possible, but is by no means certain, for several reasons:
- Lucius was a very common name.
- There is no special reason why Paul would have referred to one of his closest associates by two slightly different names.
- Other ancient traditions take Luke to be a Gentile believer (a Syrian or Samaritan); if he were not a Jew, then he could not be one of Paul's "relatives".
- Comment on Rom 16:22
I, TERTIUS, WHO WROTE DOWN THIS LETTER, GREET YOU IN THE LORD: At this point Tertius, Paul's secretary, seems to have asked to add his personal greeting. We may suppose that by this time he had become thoroughly wrapped up in the message and had developed a feeling of rapport with the Roman believers.
William Barclay comments: "For the first and only time, we know the name of the amanuensis [secretary] who actually penned this letter to Paul's dictation, for Tertius slipped in his own greeting. No great man can do his work without the aid that humble helpers give him. Paul's other secretaries are anonymous, so that Tertius is the representative of those humble unknowns who were penmen for Paul."
This little verse also suggests an affectionate scene, one which is perfectly ordinary but at the same time quite instructive. Paul doesn't use Tertius merely as a dictating machine. Tertius has a personality, and his own personal feelings as a brother in Christ, and Paul is pleased to accommodate those feelings by giving him the privilege of enclosing his own greeting.
- Comment on Rom 16:23
The men in verse 23 were all evidently Corinthian brethren.
GAIUS, WHOSE HOSPITALITY I AND THE WHOLE CHURCH HERE ENJOY, SENDS YOU HIS GREETINGS: This was the brother with whom he had been staying while he spent the winter at Corinth. Evidently this brother had a comfortable and roomy house which he made available for the meetings of the congregation. He seems to have been one of Paul's early converts in the city ( 1 Cor 1:14), and the very fact that Paul made an exception in his case by personally baptizing him suggests that his conversion was a notable event due to his prominence. Because of Paul's remark that the whole ecclesia enjoyed Gaius' hospitality, it is tempting to suppose that he is the man (Titius Justus) who invited believers into his home after the break with the synagogue (Acts 18:7). This involves the supposition that Paul is giving only a part of his name and that Luke provides the rest (Romans quite often had three names).
At any rate, the mention of Gaius as Paul's host is strong evidence that the apostle was writing from Corinth rather than from Cenchrea or from some point in Macedonia.
ERASTUS, WHO IS THE CITY'S DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS…: The Greek word used here, "oikonomos", is a very general one meaning simply "steward, manager, director." It does not mean specifically either "director of public works" or "treasurer." One must determine the precise nuance, or area of responsibility, from the context or from what we know from archaeology and history.
Our best archaeological and historical evidence from Corinth indicates that Erastus was the city's "director (or, commissioner) of public works". Oscar Broneer, who has done considerable excavating of ancient Corinth, reports in The Biblical Archaeologist (XIV, 94):
"[In Rome] a reused paving block preserves an inscription, stating that the pavement was laid at the expense of Erastus, who was 'aedile' (Commissioner of Public Works). He was probably the same Erastus who became a co-worker of Paul (Acts 19:22; Rom 16:23, where he is called 'oikonomos', 'chamberlain' of the city), a notable exception to the apostle's characterization of the early Christians: 'Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called' ( 1 Cor 1:26)" (cited by Harrison in EBC).
Other commentators render "oikonomos" as treasurer, trustee, steward, administrator or manager (Luke 12:42; 16:1–4; 1 Cor 4:1,2; 9:17; Gal 4:2; Eph 1:10; 3:2, 9; Col 1:25; 1 Tim 1:4; Titus 1:7; 1 Pet 4:10).
…AND OUR BROTHER QUARTUS SEND YOU THEIR GREETINGS: "Our brother" may simply mean 'another brother in Christ'. But Harry Whittaker writes: "The Greek text reads: 'the brother'. This is… strange, until it is recognized that this is a common New Testament idiom for 'his brother' (e.g., 1 Cor 1:1; 5:1; 16:12; Matt 9:10; 13:25; Luke 16:8a; etc.), that is, the brother of Erastus" (Acts of the Apostles).
Nothing else is known of Quartus. The name means "fourth", so quite possibly he is the "fourth" son of a prominent family, of which others are Secundus (the "second") (Acts 20:4) and Tertius ("the third") (Rom 16:22).
If so, who is the "first"? Since there is no reference to a "Primus", then perhaps the older brother of the family is Erastus himself — simply because of his placement in the list just before Quartus.
- Comment on Rom 16:24
At this point the KJV has a verse 24 as follows: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Likewise, the verse appears in the ASV.
But the RV, NEB, RSV, NIV and NET omit this phrase altogether, and their translations have no "verse 24" at all. Other manuscripts have this verse or its equivalent after verse 27, but this isn't usually reflected in the translations.
According to the NET Notes: "The strength of the external evidence, combined with uncertainty in other manuscripts over where the verse should be located and the fact that it is a repetition of verse 20b, strongly favors omission of the verse."
- Comment on Rom 16:25-27
The concluding doxology (praise to God), though a bit briefer, is similar to the previous doxologies in Romans 8:31-39; 11:33-36. See the previous notes on these verses.
- Comment on Rom 16:25
NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO ESTABLISH YOU BY MY GOSPEL AND THE PROCLAMATION OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY HIDDEN FROM LONG AGES PAST: The apostle was confident that God could do for his readers what they needed (cp Rom 1:11; Eph 3:20; Phil 4:13). The gospel is God's primary instrument to accomplish that end. Paul calls it "my gospel" because he had preached it widely and had explained it in this letter.
The "proclamation or preaching of Jesus Christ" is another name for the gospel (good news) with the emphasis on its subject: it is about Jesus Christ. (The phrase may also mean: "the preaching by Jesus Christ".)
Proclamation follows revelation. The gospel had been hidden (more literally, "kept silent") in past times until God spoke of it first in the Old Testament and then more fully in the New Testament.
THE MYSTERY: Elsewhere, the mystery plainly has to do with the gospel would be proclaimed to and believed by the Gentiles as well as the Jews. This is stated in the following:
- "Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in" (Rom 11:25).
- "The unsearchable riches of Christ" might be "preached to the Gentiles" (Eph 3:3,4,8,9).
- God gave Paul a commission to present the word of God, which consists of "the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:25-27).
- "The mystery of godliness" includes Christ "preached among the nations [the Gentiles], and believed on in the world" (1 Tim 3:16).
HIDDEN: As noted above, the Greek word here, "sigao", literally means 'kept silent'. However, when the same theme is discussed by Paul in Ephesians 3:9 and Colossians 1:26, he uses a different word ("apokrypto"), which really does mean 'kept hidden' — compare the English word "cryptic".
- Comment on Rom 16:26
BUT NOW REVEALED AND MADE KNOWN THROUGH THE PROPHETIC WRITINGS: Even though the Old Testament prophets revealed the gospel they did not always grasp all of its implications (1 Pet 1:10-12; cf Rom 1:2). It remained for Jesus, the apostles, and the New Testament to "reveal" this gospel more fully. The word is "phaneroo", which means to display or disclose.
BY THE COMMAND OF THE ETERNAL GOD: God commanded by means of what is often called "the Great Commission", which includes all the nations as embraced in the divine purpose:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt 28:19,20).
This emphasis recalls the language Paul used in speaking of his own commission or calling as an apostle (Rom 1:1, 5; cf Titus 1:3). Colossians 1:25-27, quoted above, is in the same vein. Paul had a special concern to reach the Gentiles, as their special apostle (Rom 11:13).
SO THAT ALL NATIONS MIGHT BELIEVE AND OBEY HIM: Paul is stating plainly that the "mystery" of verse 25 has to do with the gospel proclaimed to "all nations", including of course the Gentiles.
- Comment on Rom 16:27
TO THE ONLY WISE GOD BE GLORY FOREVER THROUGH JESUS CHRIST! AMEN: God is described under two terms:
- "Only" (cp 1 Tim 1:17) recalls the line of thought in Romans 3:29,30. He is the only God of both Jew and Gentile — there cannot possibly be any other — who offers salvation to both groups through the good news of His Son.
- "Wise" invites the reader to recall Paul's outpouring of praise to God in His wisdom (Rom 11:33), which brings to a close the long review of His dealings with Israel in relation to His purpose with the Gentiles. Wisdom is also allied to the hidden/revealed tension noted in verse 25, as we gather also from 1 Corinthians 2:6,7.
So the one God — whose eternal purpose has been described as hidden and then manifested in the gospel of His Son — draws to Himself through His Son the praise that will occupy the redeemed saints during all the ages to come. The silence that for so long held the divine mystery has given way to open and unending praise. This song of praise will accompany the consummation of all human history, when God will be all in all.
Let us leave this great letter and testament of the gospel in the same way that Paul does, having our eyes fixed upon the One who is the Alpha and Omega. May our minds be infused with His infinite wisdom, and may our hearts abound with gratitude, wonder, and praise because of His grace. To God be the glory forever through His Son! Note to the Reader: If you would like to have a briefer summary of Romans, Chapter 16, you can find it also on “Agora” under the title “All God’s Children Have Names”.