Slides: The Personal Touch

The Personal Touch
Romans 16

¹ I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 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. ³ Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. ⁴ They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. ⁵ Greet 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. ⁶ Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. ⁸ Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. ¹¹ Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. ¹² Greet 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. ¹³ Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. ¹⁶ Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings. ¹⁷ I urge you, brothers, 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. ¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 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. ²⁰ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. ²¹ Timothy, my fellow worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives. ²² I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord. ²³ 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. 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 for long ages past, ²⁶ but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Beloved [ἀγαπητόν]

• Family: Our sister Phoebe (16:1)  Rufus’ mother, who has been a mother to me, too. (16:13) My relatives (16:7, 11, 21) Brothers (16:14, 17, 23)
• Beloved: my beloved Epenetus (16:5) Ampliatus my beloved in the Lord (16:8) beloved Persis (16:12) Greet one another with a holy kiss. (16:16)

Teammates

Phoebe has been a great help to many people, including me. (16:2)

Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus (16:3) Mary, who worked very hard for you (16:6) Urbanus, our fellow worker (16:9)

Greet 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. (16:12)

Timothy, my fellow worker [συνεργός], sends his greetings. (16:21)

Memorable moments

• Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. (16:3-4)
• my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first fruit for Christ in Asia (16:5)
• Andronicus and Junia(s), my relatives who have been in prison with me. (16:7)

Not just names

Tryphena [delicate] and Tryphosa [dainty], those women who work hard in the Lord.

• Tender twin sisters? But not too delicate or dainty to tackle hard tasks.

Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

• Simon of Cyrene’s family? (Mark 15:21)

Deacon and patron

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant (deacon διάκονον) of the church in Cenchrea. 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 (patron προστάτις) to many people, including me. (16:1-2)

Phoebe’s public office

Paul begins by commending Phoebe, the bearer of the epistle, first on account of her office, because she exercised a very honorable and holy ministry in the Church… she is a ministra of the Church… [We should respect and honor] those who exercise any public office in the church. (John Calvin)

Letter delivery

• Letter delivery was not just handing it over, but also reading, explaining, applying. (Acts 15:22-32)
• Deacon Phoebe delivered Paul’s letter to the Romans.
• Receive Phoebe in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints. (16:1)

Leading ladies

• Phoebe, a deacon (διάκονον) of the church in Cenchrea, brought the letter.
• Priscilla and husband Aquila taught Apollos (Acts 18:26), worked with Paul, and hosted a house church. (16:5)
• Andronicus and Junia(s) … outstanding among the apostles (16:7)

Women workers

Phoebe (16:2) Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus (16:3) Mary, who worked very hard for you (16:6) Greet 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. (16:12)

Euodia and Syntyche … these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel. (Philippians 4:2-3)

Christians in Philippi met at the house of wealthy Lydia. (Acts 16:40)

Greet … Nympha and the church in her house. (Colossians 4:15)

Prophetesses

• Miriam the prophetess (Exodus 15:20)
• Deborah, a prophetess… was leading Israel at that time. (Judges 4:4)
• The prophetess Huldah (2 Kings 22:14)
• Prophetess Anna (Luke 2:36)
• Evangelist Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. (Acts 21:9)

Spirit-filled women prophesy

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy... Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. (Acts 2:16-18) 

Launch or only limit?

• Paul launched many women into gospel service as valued coworkers.
• Paul set a limit on women in a few settings. (1 Tim 2:12; 1 Cor 14:34)
• It’s unbiblical to emphasize limits but not launch women into gospel work and important church roles.

Disciples in palaces

• ...those who belong to the household of Aristobulus [grandson of Herod the Great and friend of Claudius Caesar] (16:10)
• ...those in the household of Narcissus [powerful adviser to Claudius Caesar] who are in the Lord. (16:11)
• ...those in Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22)

Low individuals?

• Romans was written by Slave #3 (Tertius) and delivered by a woman.
• Anti-Christian Celsus griped that Christianity appealed to “only foolish and low individuals, and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children.”

Lowly Jesus & Paul

Jesus: He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. (Isaiah 53:2) No place to lay his head. (Luke 9:58)

Paul: “short, bald, bowlegged, eye-brows met… full of friendliness… he had the face of an angel.” Poor, yet making many rich. (2 Corinthians 6:10)

Low and high united

I, Tertius (#3), 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 (#4) send you their greetings. (16:22-23)

Divisive deceivers

I urge you, brothers, 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 naive people. (16:17-18)

More than conquerors

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. (16:19-20)

The personal touch

• Beloved members of God’s family
• Teammates in gospel ministry
• Memorable moments, not just names
• Leading ladies and women workers
• Women, slaves, and bigwigs united
• Final warning, affirmation, and praise

Glory to God!

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 for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. (16:25-27)