1

2 Real Role Models

3 Paul sends greetings to 26 individuals. Of the 26 mentioned, 8 of them were women.

4 V1-2, I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

5 V3-4, Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-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.

6 When the couple was first introduced in Acts 18:1, Aquila was listed first but 18 verses later, Priscilla was listed first. She is possibly spiritually more mature than her husband and she becomes the leader of the house church.

7 V7, Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

8 Junia was extraordinary and she was outstanding in the opinion of the (twelve) apostles. Junia was the first female apostle sent out by the church to preach and plant church. Both Priscilla and Junia are good role models for the women today.

9 V8-9, Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ. Ampliatus and Urbanus were common slave names.

10 V14-15, Greet … Hermes, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them. Greet Philologus, Julia … and all the Lord’s people who are with them. Hermes, Hermas, Philologus and Julia were also common slave names.

11 V10-11, Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Influential people and common slaves in spite of their different socio economic classes worship Christ in the same church in Rome.

12 V6, Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. Mary was a sister in Christ and she worked very hard for the church.

13 V12, Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. They were twins. Their names mean “dainty” and “delicate” they were probably aristocrats but the sisters didn’t mind doing hard work in the church for the Lord.

14 V12, Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. Persis means Persian. Mary, Tryhena, Tryphosa and Persis are good role models for our ladies and us.

15 V13, Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. Rufus was the son of Simon the Cyrene who carried Jesus’ cross to Golgotha (Mk 15:21).

16 The church in Rome is quite diverse, she has female leaders & hard working women, common slaves & people with influence, Jews & Gentiles. And in spite of their diversity, the church has unity in Christ. The church in Rome is a good role model for our church.

17 V21-23, Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do … Sosipater, my fellow Jews. 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.

18 Everyone brings something unique to Paul’s team, Gaius provides a place to worship, Timothy helps with preaching, Tertius helps with writing, and Eratus probably helps maintain the facility. They are good role models on how to work in a team.

19