Scripture Daily

Context No. 1123 of 4322 · Romans

Context · Reflection

Romans 16:1-16: in context

1I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae, 2that you receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self. 3Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles. 5Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. 6Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me. 8Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.

Paul ends his weighty letter to Rome with a long list of personal greetings. He commends Phoebe, a servant of the church and a helper of many, who likely carried the letter. He greets Prisca and Aquila, who risked their necks for him; Mary, who worked hard; Andronicus and Junia, notable among the apostles; and on through a couple of dozen names, many of them women, many described simply as ones who labored in the Lord. He tells them to greet one another with a holy kiss.

After eleven chapters of towering theology, Paul lands on a list of names, and that is not an afterthought; it is the theology come to earth. The gospel he has been expounding exists in actual people, and he knows them by name, remembers what they did, Phoebe helped many, Prisca and Aquila risked their lives, Mary worked hard, Persis labored much. Notice how many are women, and how many are described by their labor; the early church ran on ordinary people, a large number of them women, whose faithful work Paul takes care to name and honor. He does not treat them as anonymous helpers; he singles out their service and their courage, remembering the specific people who had loved and worked and risked. There is something warm and grounding in this closing list. The great doctrines are meant to produce exactly this, a community of named, known, loved people who labor for one another, and an apostle who does not forget them. It is worth asking whether we know and honor the ordinary laborers around us the way Paul knew his, by name, by their service, with gratitude.

Do I know and honor the ordinary, faithful people who labor around me the way Paul knew his coworkers, by name and by their service, or do they blur into an anonymous background?

Sources