Romans 16:1-16 - Personal Interest In Fellow-Christians
Here is a window into Paul's heart. He was apparently disowned by his own kindred, yet, as the Lord had promised, He had mothers, sisters, and brothers a hundred-fold. What a contrast there is between the spirit of this chapter and that of the mere disputant or theologian, the stoic or monk. We see also the courtesy, purity, thoughtfulness, and tenderness of Christian relationships.
Women are here-Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Junia, Persis, Julia, and others. The Apostle realized the immense help that holy women could furnish in the ministry of the gospel. Men are here-old and young, fathers, brothers, and sons. Lovely titles are given with a lavish, though a discriminating hand-succorer, helpers, beloved, approved in Christ, saints. How especially beautiful the appellation, the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord! The kiss was the common mode of greeting, but there was to be a new sanctity in it, as though Christ were between. This church in Rome was a model for other churches. Would that we could realize the same spiritual unity that presided over the gatherings of these early saints! [source]
Chapter Summary: Romans 16
1Paul wills the brothers to greet many; 17and advises them to take heed of those which cause dissension and offenses; 21and after various salutations ends with praise and thanks to God
Greek Commentary for Romans 16:14
Asyncritus [Ασυνκριτον] There is an inscription of a freedman of Augustus with this name. [source]
Phlegon [Πλεγοντα] No light on this name till the historian of the second century a.d. Hermes (ερμην Hermēn). A very common slave name. Patrobas Name of a freedman of Nero, abbreviated form of Patrobius. Hermas (ερμαν Hermān). Not the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. The brethren that are with them Perhaps a little church in the house of some one. [source]
Patrobas [Πατροβαν] Name of a freedman of Nero, abbreviated form of Patrobius. Hermas (ερμαν Hermān). Not the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. The brethren that are with them Perhaps a little church in the house of some one. [source]
Hermas [ερμαν] Not the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. [source]
The brethren that are with them [τους συν αυτοις αδελπους] Perhaps a little church in the house of some one. [source]
Hermes [] Or Hermas. A common slave-name, a contraction of several different names, as Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 16:14
Romans 16:5The church that is in their house [τῆν κατ ' οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν] The phrase church that is in their (or his) house occurs 1 Corinthians 16:19, of Aquila and Priscilla; Colossians 4:15, of Nymphas; Philemon 1:2, of Philemon. A similar gathering may be implied in Romans 16:14,Romans 16:15. Bishop Lightfoot says 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. The Christian congregations were, therefore, dependent upon the hospitality of prominent church members who furnished their own houses for this purpose. Hence their places of assembly were not called temples until late; but houses of God; houses of the churches; houses of prayer. Numerous guilds or clubs existed at Rome for furnishing proper burial rites to the poor. Extant inscriptions testify to the existence of nearly eighty of these, each consisting of the members of a different trade or profession, or united in the worship of some deity. The Christians availed themselves of this practice in order to evade Trajan's edict against clubs, which included their own ordinary assemblies, but which made a special exception in favor of associations consisting of poorer members of society, who met to contribute to funeral expenses. This led to the use of the catacombs, or of buildings erected over them for this purpose. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The expression here denotes, not the whole church, but that portion of it which met at Aquila's house. [source]
Romans 14:23Faith [] In Christ. “So far as it brings with it the moral confidence as to what in general and under given circumstances is the right christian mode of action” (Meyer). Some authorities insert here the doxology at Romans 16:25-27. According to some, the Epistle to the Romans closed with this chapter. Chapter 16 was a list of disciples resident at different points on the route, who were to be greeted. Phoebe is first named because Cenchreae would be the first stage. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Ephesus would be the next stage, where Aquila and Priscilla would be found. Chapter 15 was a sort of private missive to be communicated to all whom the messengers should visit on the way. The question seems to be almost wholly due to the mention of Aquila and Priscilla in ch. 16, and to the fact that there is no account of their migration from Ephesus to Rome, and of an after-migration again to Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19). But see on Romans 16:14. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Others claim that chs. 1-11,16. were the original epistle; that Phoebe's journey was delayed, and that, in the interval, news from Rome led Paul to add 12-15. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Others again, that ch. 16 was written from Rome to Ephesus. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Against these theories is the stubborn fact that of the known extant MSS. of Paul (about three hundred) all the MSS. hitherto collated, including all the most important, give these chapters in the received connection and order, with the exception of the doxology. See on the doxology, ch. 16. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]
1 Corinthians 1:11By them of Chloe [υπο των Χλοης] Ablative case of the masculine plural article των tōn by the (folks) of Chloe (genitive case). The words “which are of the household” are not in the Greek, though they correctly interpret the Greek, “those of Chloe.” Whether the children, the kinspeople, or the servants of Chloe we do not know. It is uncertain also whether Chloe lived in Corinth or Ephesus, probably Ephesus because to name her if in Corinth might get her into trouble (Heinrici). Already Christianity was working a social revolution in the position of women and slaves. The name Chloe means tender verdure and was one of the epithets of Demeter the goddess of agriculture and for that reason Lightfoot thinks that she was a member of the freedman class like Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Hermes (Romans 16:14), Nereus (Romans 16:15). It is even possible that Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus (1 Corinthians 16:17) may have been those who brought Chloe the news of the schisms in Corinth. Contentions Unseemly wranglings (as opposed to discussing, διαλεγομαι dialegomai) that were leading to the schisms. Listed in works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19.) and the catalogues of vices (2 Corinthians 12:20; Romans 1:19.; 1 Timothy 6:4). [source]
1 Corinthians 1:11Chloe [] means tender verdure and was one of the epithets of Demeter the goddess of agriculture and for that reason Lightfoot thinks that she was a member of the freedman class like Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Hermes (Romans 16:14), Nereus (Romans 16:15). It is even possible that Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus (1 Corinthians 16:17) may have been those who brought Chloe the news of the schisms in Corinth. [source]
What do the individual words in Romans 16:14 mean?
Greek Commentary for Romans 16:14
There is an inscription of a freedman of Augustus with this name. [source]
No light on this name till the historian of the second century a.d. Hermes (ερμην Hermēn). A very common slave name. Patrobas Name of a freedman of Nero, abbreviated form of Patrobius. Hermas (ερμαν Hermān). Not the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. The brethren that are with them Perhaps a little church in the house of some one. [source]
A very common slave name. [source]
Name of a freedman of Nero, abbreviated form of Patrobius. Hermas (ερμαν Hermān). Not the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. The brethren that are with them Perhaps a little church in the house of some one. [source]
Not the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. [source]
Perhaps a little church in the house of some one. [source]
Or Hermas. A common slave-name, a contraction of several different names, as Hermagoras, Hermogenes, etc. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 16:14
The phrase church that is in their (or his) house occurs 1 Corinthians 16:19, of Aquila and Priscilla; Colossians 4:15, of Nymphas; Philemon 1:2, of Philemon. A similar gathering may be implied in Romans 16:14, Romans 16:15. Bishop Lightfoot says 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. The Christian congregations were, therefore, dependent upon the hospitality of prominent church members who furnished their own houses for this purpose. Hence their places of assembly were not called temples until late; but houses of God; houses of the churches; houses of prayer. Numerous guilds or clubs existed at Rome for furnishing proper burial rites to the poor. Extant inscriptions testify to the existence of nearly eighty of these, each consisting of the members of a different trade or profession, or united in the worship of some deity. The Christians availed themselves of this practice in order to evade Trajan's edict against clubs, which included their own ordinary assemblies, but which made a special exception in favor of associations consisting of poorer members of society, who met to contribute to funeral expenses. This led to the use of the catacombs, or of buildings erected over them for this purpose. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The expression here denotes, not the whole church, but that portion of it which met at Aquila's house. [source]
In Christ. “So far as it brings with it the moral confidence as to what in general and under given circumstances is the right christian mode of action” (Meyer). Some authorities insert here the doxology at Romans 16:25-27. According to some, the Epistle to the Romans closed with this chapter. Chapter 16 was a list of disciples resident at different points on the route, who were to be greeted. Phoebe is first named because Cenchreae would be the first stage. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Ephesus would be the next stage, where Aquila and Priscilla would be found. Chapter 15 was a sort of private missive to be communicated to all whom the messengers should visit on the way. The question seems to be almost wholly due to the mention of Aquila and Priscilla in ch. 16, and to the fact that there is no account of their migration from Ephesus to Rome, and of an after-migration again to Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19). But see on Romans 16:14. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Others claim that chs. 1-11,16. were the original epistle; that Phoebe's journey was delayed, and that, in the interval, news from Rome led Paul to add 12-15. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Others again, that ch. 16 was written from Rome to Ephesus. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Against these theories is the stubborn fact that of the known extant MSS. of Paul (about three hundred) all the MSS. hitherto collated, including all the most important, give these chapters in the received connection and order, with the exception of the doxology. See on the doxology, ch. 16. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
Ablative case of the masculine plural article των tōn by the (folks) of Chloe (genitive case). The words “which are of the household” are not in the Greek, though they correctly interpret the Greek, “those of Chloe.” Whether the children, the kinspeople, or the servants of Chloe we do not know. It is uncertain also whether Chloe lived in Corinth or Ephesus, probably Ephesus because to name her if in Corinth might get her into trouble (Heinrici). Already Christianity was working a social revolution in the position of women and slaves. The name Chloe means tender verdure and was one of the epithets of Demeter the goddess of agriculture and for that reason Lightfoot thinks that she was a member of the freedman class like Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Hermes (Romans 16:14), Nereus (Romans 16:15). It is even possible that Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus (1 Corinthians 16:17) may have been those who brought Chloe the news of the schisms in Corinth. Contentions Unseemly wranglings (as opposed to discussing, διαλεγομαι dialegomai) that were leading to the schisms. Listed in works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19.) and the catalogues of vices (2 Corinthians 12:20; Romans 1:19.; 1 Timothy 6:4). [source]
means tender verdure and was one of the epithets of Demeter the goddess of agriculture and for that reason Lightfoot thinks that she was a member of the freedman class like Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Hermes (Romans 16:14), Nereus (Romans 16:15). It is even possible that Stephanas, Fortunatus, Achaicus (1 Corinthians 16:17) may have been those who brought Chloe the news of the schisms in Corinth. [source]