Romans Episode 30

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16.

  1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
  2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
  3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
  4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
  5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
  6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
  7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
  8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
  9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.
  10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household.
  11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.
  12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.
  13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
  14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.
  15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
  16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
  17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
  18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
  19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
  20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
  21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.
  22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.
  23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
  24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
  25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
  26 But now is made manifest, and by t

Transcript

Romans Episode 30 

Chapter 16 

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I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 

That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. 

(Romans 16:1-2 [KJV]) 

servant = dee-ak'-on-os Phebe was an, evidently, well-loved deaconess of the church. The hebrew equivalent to this office would be "shammash", what we now would call a sexton of the synagogue. 

There's not enough written concerning her to do this sister the honor she held amongst her own at Cenchrea. 

"Cenchrea, according to got questions.org was, Corinth, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia (modern-day Greece), was a city on the Isthmus of Corinth. It was a large city that controlled two harbors: Cenchrea (or Cenchreae) on the eastern side of the isthmus, and Lechaeumon on the western side. Cenchrea was important for its harbor that allowed goods to move between Asia Minor and Italy, Achaia, and Macedonia. Today Cenchrea is known as Kechries, and it is situated on the coast about five miles from modern Corinth." 

Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 

Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.(Romans 16:3-4 [KJV]) 

Of course, Aquila and Priscilla, being first mentioned in Acts, After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 

And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.(Acts 18:1-3 [KJV]) 

and later in the chapter, they are mentioned with another person mentioned several times in scripture that I wish we had more information on, And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. (Acts 18:24-26 [KJV] 

Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. (Romans 16:5 [KJV] Achaia was a region in the roman province of Greece so what Paul is saying in modern english is, Epenetus was the first convert in Greece. Some translations have this written "first convert of Asia", I'm assuming it is because of the location of Greece being central to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It's clearly a European country, but its location makes it a major cross road of the ancient world. 

Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 

Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.(Romans 16:6-7 [KJV]) 

It is believed Andronicus and Junia were fellow messianic Jews, not literal family members of Paul's. 

Remember, back in episode of 1 of Romans, the apostolic church in the city of Rome almost without doubt, came from Jerusalem; And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:8-11 [KJV] 

We have no evidence that any of the apostles had been in Rome at the time this letter was written, but it would make sense that Andronicus and Junia were there when the Holy Ghost was given and would have brought them in contact with the apostles. 

Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household. Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. (Romans 16:8-13 [KJV] 

A possible connection here would be; And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. (Mark 15:21 [KJV]) 

Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. (Romans 16:14-16 [KJV] 

Greet each other with a holy kiss, this is a Middle-Eastern custom. It has mostly been replaced in our culture with a hug and a handshake, but it's along the same lines. 

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. (Romans 16:17-18 [KJV] 

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)(Philippians 3:17-19 [KJV]) 

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 

These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 

(Jude 1:17-19 [KJV]) 

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea. (Romans 16:19-27 [KJV] 

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For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9 [KJV]