Romans 16

1-16 17-24 25-27

1-16

1

Cenchreae was a village near Corinth where Phoebe, who’s name means bright and radiant, and was the person who delivered the letter to the Romans. Servant used in verse one is the same word where we get the word deacon.

2

Paul asks the believers in Rome to welcome Phoebe graciously and help her in whatever she needs when she arrives in Rome to deliver Paul’s epistle.

3

Prisca or Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife team, Aquila being the husband, are mentioned several times in the New Testament first in Acts 18:2, Acts 18:1–2 “After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,”

4

The details of how Aquila and Priscilla risked their lives for Paul is unknown but Paul gives them thanks from him personally and from all of the Churches of the Gentiles as well.

5

Aquila and Priscilla also hosted or led a church gathering in their house. Epanetus probably came to Christ through Paul’s preaching and Paul noted that he was the first convert or the firstfruit Paul was graced with when he was preaching in Asia, around modern day Turkey

6

Mary labored much, which pictures hard work to the point of exhaustion and was probably told of to Paul by Aquila and Priscilla while in Corinth.

7

Andronicus and Junia could have been another married couple and probably shared a cell or an adjacent cell with Paul, his kinsman so they were Jews and most likely from the tribe of Benjamin as was Paul. They were apparently well known among the other apostles from before when Paul was converted.

8

Amplias was a common name within the emperor’s household slaves and could have been among those Paul mentioned as being in Caesar’s household Philippians 4:22 “All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.”

9

Urbanus was a common Roman name but Stachys was an uncommon Greek name meaning “ear of corn”

10

Apelles was approved in Christ carrying the idea of being tested and the Greek word was used of precious metals of gold and silver that have passed their tests of purity. Conversely Paul does not personally greet Aristobulus so he was probably not a believer but some that were in his household were. One biblical scholar suggests that Aristobulus may have been the brother of Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, and would have been a close ally of Emperor Claudius. So when Aristobulus died his household, including his wife, children, slaves and possessions would have become the property of the emperor but would have still been referred to as the household of Aristobulus. So these mentioned here by Paul could have been part of the imperial household.

11

Herodian, another one of Paul’s kinsmen. Again Paul greets the household or family of someone, so Narcissus was probably not a Christian but some in his family or house were. Some scholars believe that Narcissus was Emperor Claudius’s secretary, making two households within the Emperor’s palace that had Christians in them.

12

Tryphena and Tryphosa, possibly twin sisters and their names mean delicate and dainty. Persis, named after Persia, possibly her home country, her deeds are spoken in the past tense so she is probably older than Tryphena and Tryphosa.

13

Biblical scholars agree that Rufus was one of the sons of Simon of Cyrene, the man made to carry the cross of Jesus in Mark 15, and was likely saved through that contact with Christ. If so he may have been well known to the apostles and the Roman Christians. Paul says he was chosen in the Lord, elected to salvation. His mother, who would have been the wife of Simon of Cyrene was like a mother to Paul as well and most likely cared for Paul during his travels.

14-15

Paul then lists several more saints in the faith and those with them.

16

Paul tells them to greet them with a holy kiss, which would have been a kiss of greeting on the forehead, cheek, or beard which was common in the Old Testament and carried on in the New Testament, it would have been very precious, especially to new believers, who were often outcast from their own families because they had become Christians.

17-24

17

Paul’s final instructions and greetings begin with an appeal to the Romans to be wary of those that would cause divisions within their church or churches, those that try to spread a doctrine contrary, or against the true gospel, and to avoid the false teachers.

18

Because those who do not teach the word of Christ, those who spread a false gospel, do not serve Jesus Christ. They serve themselves, their own appetites, or bellies. The do not want the glory of God magnified but themselves. And they will use smooth talk and flattery, honeyed words that will tickle the ears and deceive the hearts of those who do not know the true gospel, the naive.

19

Paul commends the Roman Christians for their obedience saying it is known to all, all the other churches and apostles, and Paul celebrates over them. But Paul gives writes them this deep theological letter to help them be wise about what is good and innocent or pure and what is evil and false.

20

Paul tells them that God will soon crush Satan, calling back to God’s promise in Genesis 3, but also adds under their feet, they will be victorious over Satan and his followers through God.

21

Paul then mentions some that are with him that greet the Romans, Timothy, Paul’s fellow worker, Lucius, who was either a native of Cyrene and one of the prophets and teachers mentioned in Acts 13, or Lucius is another form of Luke, as in the author of the Gospel of Luke. Jason mentioned in Acts 17, and Sosipater mentioned in Acts 20, all of them Paul’s kinsmen.

22

Tertius Paul’s scribe or secretary who took down the words of Paul.

23

and Gaius, a convert through Paul in Corinth, one of the two that Paul baptized in 1 Corinthians 1:14 “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,” Erastus, the treasurer for the city of Corinth and not the Erastus that is mentioned in Acts 19, and Quartus, the last brother in Christ listed to greet the Roman Christians.

24

Verse 24 was found not to be in the earliest Greek manuscripts of Paul’s letter to the Romans and is not included in the ESV but is in the KJV and the ASV. but it is a condensed ending to the full ending benediction that follows.

25-27

25

God is the one to strengthen all of us and we should get our strength from the gospels and the living word of God. The teachings of Jesus Christ is the revelation to all of what was seen through a veil and in prophesy in the Old Testament, kept a secret for all those long ages.

26

But now can be seen clearly and through the teachings of Christ and the gospels, the living word of God will go out to all the nations, as commanded to be done by God, to bring all that are chosen in the faith to be brought into the obedience of the faith.

27

God has all wisdom and his glory will be shown through the work of Christ on the cross for all to see and marvel at forever and until the end of the age when Christ will return in power and glory to reign supreme forever. AMEN!