Romans 16
Daily Bread Romans 16
Personal Greetings
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 2I 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. 3Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
Observation:
As Paul concludes his letter, he gives a laundry list of names for the Roman church to receive and support with all of their hearts. As we look at the list we see all types of people; men and women, young and old. The word for “servant” for Pheobe, is also the same word for deacon(ness). There is some argument over whether women were officially called the title deacons (or later called “deaconesses”), but 1 Timothy 3 seems to confirm that there were women deaconesses.
We see as this new explosion of growth happens in the church, that there are a variety of people exercising a variety of gifts in a variety of ways. We also see many of the churches meeting in houses. Again, the word for church comes from the word “ekklesia”, which means assembly of a group of people for a religious purpose. It doesn’t mean building or denomination. The “church in Cenchrea” was where those who were in Christ gathered in that town to worship. It was in this church that Phoebe was a servant, minister, also translated deacon (it is a male noun, but we have added “deaconess” because she was a woman). When it mentions Paul’s relatives it likely means not literal relatives, but fellow Jews.
Each of these names has a story behind it. Priscilla and Aquilla were a husband-wife team that are mentioned six times, four times with Aquilla being mentioned first. They taught Apollos, who came to their house and he went on to become a teacher in the church as well. And then we meet Andronicus and Junias. Most conclude Junias may have been a woman too, as her name is feminine in the Greek. But we see that they were Christians before Paul became a believer in Christ as Messiah. All this is to say we see God at work in all types of people, and in all types of relationships. It is not a rigid ordering, or a hierarchy that looks like a corporate org chart. The early church is fluid and dynamic and God uses all ages, all genders, and all types of people to build the early church. What unified them was their common experience of meeting and being changed by the person Jesus Christ. He was the common bond and the source of their unity, bond and fellowship.
Application:
Mark Roberts, who was recently the Senior Pastor at nearby Irvine Presbyterian, has written some fine articles on the meaning of the church “ekklesia”. http://www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/whatisachurch.htm
Check it out if you would like some further understanding of the original meaning of the term “Church”. He argues that the word for “church” used in the New Testament is not a good translation of what the word meant back then.
But suffice it to say, as we rediscover the meaning of the word as Paul experienced it in his day, it will help us to re-invigorate our faith communities. There are many out there with gifts like, Priscilla and Aquilla, that God is waiting to equip; so that the Apollos’ of the next generation can teach and preach and lead others to Christ.
There are many Phoebe’s out there that are waiting to be used mightily to build up the church through service, hospitality and modeling a Christ-like, servant attitude. There are mom’s out there like Rufus’ mom, who will be a mom to the next Paul in our midst. I think you get the point! The church is all those who have been called out of the world to serve our Lord Jesus Christ in a local gathering called “the Church”. Church can happen in homes, schools, theaters, and even in the marketplace, and yes in cathedrals and campuses across the U.S.
What an exciting time to be the Church? If you haven’t found one yet, look for one where you can be used by God to pass on the Good News to the next generation. May our relationships continue to grow with those in our local churches and in other ones so the church can be relevant again and be about God’s mission in the world.
Prayer: God thank you for the church. Thank you for the relationships we find in the assembling of believers in our towns and cities. Help us all to realize we are called to be servants and ministers of the gospel with the unique gifts you have given us. And most importantly may we do it “together” with Christ as our head. It is you we serve Jesus, until you return, Amen.
Personal Greetings
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 2I 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. 3Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
Observation:
As Paul concludes his letter, he gives a laundry list of names for the Roman church to receive and support with all of their hearts. As we look at the list we see all types of people; men and women, young and old. The word for “servant” for Pheobe, is also the same word for deacon(ness). There is some argument over whether women were officially called the title deacons (or later called “deaconesses”), but 1 Timothy 3 seems to confirm that there were women deaconesses.
We see as this new explosion of growth happens in the church, that there are a variety of people exercising a variety of gifts in a variety of ways. We also see many of the churches meeting in houses. Again, the word for church comes from the word “ekklesia”, which means assembly of a group of people for a religious purpose. It doesn’t mean building or denomination. The “church in Cenchrea” was where those who were in Christ gathered in that town to worship. It was in this church that Phoebe was a servant, minister, also translated deacon (it is a male noun, but we have added “deaconess” because she was a woman). When it mentions Paul’s relatives it likely means not literal relatives, but fellow Jews.
Each of these names has a story behind it. Priscilla and Aquilla were a husband-wife team that are mentioned six times, four times with Aquilla being mentioned first. They taught Apollos, who came to their house and he went on to become a teacher in the church as well. And then we meet Andronicus and Junias. Most conclude Junias may have been a woman too, as her name is feminine in the Greek. But we see that they were Christians before Paul became a believer in Christ as Messiah. All this is to say we see God at work in all types of people, and in all types of relationships. It is not a rigid ordering, or a hierarchy that looks like a corporate org chart. The early church is fluid and dynamic and God uses all ages, all genders, and all types of people to build the early church. What unified them was their common experience of meeting and being changed by the person Jesus Christ. He was the common bond and the source of their unity, bond and fellowship.
Application:
Mark Roberts, who was recently the Senior Pastor at nearby Irvine Presbyterian, has written some fine articles on the meaning of the church “ekklesia”. http://www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/whatisachurch.htm
Check it out if you would like some further understanding of the original meaning of the term “Church”. He argues that the word for “church” used in the New Testament is not a good translation of what the word meant back then.
But suffice it to say, as we rediscover the meaning of the word as Paul experienced it in his day, it will help us to re-invigorate our faith communities. There are many out there with gifts like, Priscilla and Aquilla, that God is waiting to equip; so that the Apollos’ of the next generation can teach and preach and lead others to Christ.
There are many Phoebe’s out there that are waiting to be used mightily to build up the church through service, hospitality and modeling a Christ-like, servant attitude. There are mom’s out there like Rufus’ mom, who will be a mom to the next Paul in our midst. I think you get the point! The church is all those who have been called out of the world to serve our Lord Jesus Christ in a local gathering called “the Church”. Church can happen in homes, schools, theaters, and even in the marketplace, and yes in cathedrals and campuses across the U.S.
What an exciting time to be the Church? If you haven’t found one yet, look for one where you can be used by God to pass on the Good News to the next generation. May our relationships continue to grow with those in our local churches and in other ones so the church can be relevant again and be about God’s mission in the world.
Prayer: God thank you for the church. Thank you for the relationships we find in the assembling of believers in our towns and cities. Help us all to realize we are called to be servants and ministers of the gospel with the unique gifts you have given us. And most importantly may we do it “together” with Christ as our head. It is you we serve Jesus, until you return, Amen.
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