At first glance one might reasonably deduce that we’re finished with what Romans has to teach us. We find greetings and salutations to Paul’s relatives and friends who have found themselves in and around Rome, a final admonition to be wary of the misleading intentions of others, a prayer of praise and gratitude to God through Jesus, but not much else.
However, a careful examination mot only of the scripture, but of supplementary texts, will prove an eye opening experience. In many modern circles Paul had come to be seen as a chauvinist at best, and a misogynist at worst. We will discover that, at least as far as the letter to the Romans is concerned, Paul deserved neither appellation.
Of the twenty-four individual names mentioned in this chapter, depending on the researcher, six to ten of them are women. In some cases we shall see that the women are named before the men, which was unusual in that people were normally listed in the order of rank or status–the superior first.
Romans 16:1-2
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Chenchrea. 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.
Phoebe was a worker in the church at Chenchrea, which was a seaport and part of Corinth. The word-translated servant in the original language was diakonin, and is the word from which we get our word for Deacon or Deaconess. As such we can assume that she spent much of her time ministering to the congregation–visiting and caring for the sick, distributing food and clothing to the needy. While she may not actually have carried the title at the time, she certainly can be considered one of the first, if not the first, deacon/deaconesses. In fact, she served the church in that official capacity. Phoebe was one of the names of the pagan Roman goddess Diana, also known in Greek as Artemis. Because she was so named, Phoebe most likely was a Christian convert. It is apparent from the language he used that Paul held her in high esteem and with great affection.
Romans 16:3-5a
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.
In 1 Timothy 2:12 we read: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” This is one of the passages attributed to Paul, which appears to point to Paul’s chauvinism. It is also one of the passages some modern day clergy use to “prove” that:
There is neither time nor room here to delve into all the arguments regarding the authorship of the letters to Timothy; let me simply point out that there is a body of scholars who believes that the letters to Timothy were not written by Paul at all. It was not an uncommon practice in those days for a disciple of a person to author letters and tracts and to sign them using the person’s name. The authorship of the letter to the Romans, however, is not in question. Paul is the accepted author.
We first meet Priscilla and Aquila, wife and husband, in the eighteenth
chapter of Acts (18:2). They were Roman Jews who had been
expelled, along with other Roman Jews, by the Emperor Claudius in 52 C.E. They
settled in Corinth where they started a church in their home. They became
friends with Paul and accompanied him on some of his travels, including Ephesus
where they spent some time. It was in Ephesus where they met a young teacher and
preacher named Apollos and brought him into their home. Acts (18:26)
tells us that both Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos. Later when they were
able to move back to Rome they had a church in their home in Rome too.
Note that Priscilla’s name comes before that of her husband. All told there are six references to both Priscilla and Aquila. Of these, Priscilla’s name comes first four times; Aquila’s name is first in the other two. (They are never mentioned apart.) Some scholars believe that the reason Priscilla’s name ever came first was because she may have been of nobler birth than Aquila. Others believe that she had the stronger character. Regardless of the reason she was named first, suffice it to say, Paul certainly gave no indication in Romans that Priscilla was overstepping her bounds, neither in teaching Apollos, nor in being a leader in the churches held in her homes. He considered them both fellow workers, and people who had risked their lives to help him.
Romans 16:5b-6
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
Can you imagine what it must be like to be the first convert in your area, never mind country? Imagine the peer pressure! To whom could you turn for spiritual support? Being the first must have called for exceptional courage.
Little is known of Mary, except that she must have traveled to have worked with Paul. Paul to date had never been to Rome so they had to have met and she had to have worked with him somewhere else–worked very hard for the cause of Christianity.
Romans 16:7
Greet 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.
There is disagreement among scholars about the gender of Junias, though most today recognize Junias as a woman. The difficulty appears to stem from the fact that Paul calls her an apostle. Though not one of the twelve, Paul regularly called himself an apostle. To refer to Andronicus and Junias as “outstanding among the apostles,” was very high praise, and definitely contradicts the notion that Paul was opposed to women preachers. The term used in the New Testament referred to individuals specially called by God to preach the gospel. Not only did they evangelize along with Paul they were imprisoned with him, too. Relatives of Paul’s, he acknowledges that they became Christian before he did.
Romans 16:8-16
Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Greet Tryphaena 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. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
Each of these names has a story behind it. Considering the fact that Paul had never yet been to Rome, he certainly had a number of friends there. It could be that many of these he had met during the exile imposed by Claudius, and when the ban was lifted they all returned home. A few of these people were relatives of Paul, but what is apparent, right from Christianity’s beginnings, is how close ties are established with others involved in growing the church. The concept of church family was born.
Romans 16:17-20
I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people. 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. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Paul warns the Roman faithful to watch out for troublemakers:
It is a sad commentary on humanity that there are those who can’t stand to see folks trying to grow spiritually, and doing good in the world. They have to do what they can to try to destroy it. The easiest way to do that is to create turmoil by causing division in the church.
At first they seem to be wonderful people, kind, considerate, thoughtful and most helpful. They work their ways quietly and insidiously into people’s confidences, and often into leadership positions, where they can wreak the most damage. Paul is quite clear on his admonition: Watch out for them! Keep away from them!
The doors of Christian churches should be open to all who would seek to be spiritually fed. As a consequence, many often walk through the doors with all their wounded ness, some more wounded than others. This is as it should be. Remember how in Matthew 9:10-12, when Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees for eating with “tax collectors and sinners” he replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
We know that God makes miracles in many ways, miraculous spiritual as well as physical healings abound. Many of us have the impression that healing miracles come as: Zap! You’re healed! While God can and does heal in this manner, most healings come gradually. Pain and conflict of past wounded ness is peeled away slowly, like an onion, layer after layer, over months or even years. During this process wounded people act out in their wounded ness in unhealthy ways, out of pride, jealousy, anger, frustration, greed, selfishness, ego, etc. Others intend to manipulate the congregation to satisfy their personal agendas.
There are those, too, who like the Jewish Christians who followed the Old Testament Law and tried to force Gentile Christians to do the same, now these try to pass off their legalistic interpretations as the only “correct” way to interpret scripture–refuting the doctrine of salvation through faith alone, for example. Paul’s admonition: Stay away from them! Their fine and fancy words are not given to bring you closer to Jesus, but to serve their own egos. They’ll use flattery, guilt–whatever it takes to deceive the innocent.
This warning of Paul’s is very apropos for gays and lesbians–for all those who had previously been made to feel unwelcome in God’s house. For all their fine and fancy theological degrees, for all their political aplomb and popularity, if these so-called teachers and leaders of the faith–they don’t teach the message–if they don’t teach the doctrine which Paul has presented in this letter to the Romans: Paul is saying, “Keep away from them! For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve (and wounded) people.”
Paul assures the Romans that he is not trying to be critical of the work they are doing–as a good pastor he wanted to share a “word to the wise.” He wanted to prepare the Romans for potential problems that were sure to arise, in the course of their ministry.
Romans 16:21-24
Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives. I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.
Paul offers words of greeting from those who were helping him in his ministry. Timothy was Paul’s right-hand man. We first meet him in Acts 16:1 where he joins up with Paul and they travel around and minister together. It is to this person that the letters to Timothy were written. His name means, one who honors God. Tertius acted as Paul’s scribe–Paul did the dictating of the letter, Tertius wrote it down.
Romans 16:25-27
Now to the One who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made know through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey–to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Paul ends the letter with a doxology–a song of praise, which also is a summary of the purpose of the entire letter. The purpose of the letter–as well as the purpose of the gospel of Christ–is to make a person strong and secure in the world. By way of faith, its purpose is to give a person peace, hope and joy.
Paul points out that the revelation of the gospel is a mystery, which has been solved. God had tried to teach the people for the beginning but most never seemed to understand, until Jesus came and by his life showed them the way.
The purpose of the gospel is to teach the way of God, which is the way of love. Everyone wants to be loved, cared for, respected, and trusted. It is the same way with God. God asks nothing more from us than that–that we love God, care about God, respect God, trust God, and act in ways that manifest those attitudes.
The Prophet Micah put it this way: “God has showed you, O people, what is good. And what does your God require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)