Lesson 35 – Romans Chapter 16:1-27
Paul was a champion of God, spreading His Word, and reaching out to the world with the gospel message directing it to the Gentiles. In all of his missionary journeys, Paul met and made many friends. And here in chapter 16 we’ll see a lot of evidence that will bear this out.
The chapter contains a list of thirty-three people to whom Paul is sending his greetings. The first list in verses 1-16 is comprised of those who Paul is greeting. The second list, verses 21-23, is comprised of those who are with Paul in Corinth. Chapter 16 gives us a list of great workers in the Lord.
Rom. 16:1
“I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,” (Cen-chrea)
I mentioned Phoebe (foy’-bay) in our last chapter, that she was the one who took the letter of Romans and delivered it to the church in Rome.
Isa. 52:7
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
I can only imagine that when Phoebe carried the letter to Rome, she was probably the safest person on earth. Our Lord in heaven had a legion of angels surrounding her throughout her entire journey, protecting His written Word.
Who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea…
The word servant is the feminine of deacon, some students of the Bible believe that Phoebe was a “deaconess” in the church. Whatever title you want to give her, Phoebe served the Lord. An interesting side note about Phoebe is that another name for Phoebe is Diana. Evidently, Phoebe was named after the goddess Diana who was Corinth’s most famous deity. If this is the case, then Phoebe wasn’t Jewish, but was most likely a Gentile who had converted to Christ. This probably happened during Paul’s year and a half of ministry in Corinth.
Phoebe is a great example for us in that her life changed once she put her faith in Jesus. A good question for a believer to ask themselves is, has your life changed since you gave your heart to Jesus? Are you a servant of God doing good works?
James 2:17
“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
A good point to be made here is some interpreters conclude that James is speaking about genuine faith which has become dead. Other commentators say that this verse is a reference to a faith that was never alive in the first place.
The great theologian John Calvin wrote; “It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone.”
Faith is not to stand alone. The faith that saves is a faith that brings new life, and this new life produces fruit or good works. This makes perfect godly sense for us.
Warren Wiersbe; “The person with dead faith has only an intellectual experience. In his mind, he knows the doctrine of salvation, but he has never summitted himself to God and trusted Christ for salvation. He knows the right words, but he does not back up his words with his works.”
It’s true that it only takes a small amount of faith to trust in Jesus, but that small amount of faith needs to come from within the heart. And if it does come from the heart, most certainly that small amount of faith will grow into servanthood to God. Servanthood to God equates to producing fruit or good works.
Phoebe was a servant of God, and she probably had many good works to show that her faith was alive and vibrant.
Rom. 16:2
“That you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.”
Verse 2 points to Phoebe’s faith, that she was a doer. In other words, Paul is saying, she is coming to you as one who has proven out her ministry. Receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints… that is, as a true and faithful follower of Jesus. If you grew up with siblings, you didn’t always get along (this goes without saying), but hopefully you had a love for each other, and with that you helped your brother or sister. The same runs true within God’s family, maybe even more.
Matt. 25:35-40
“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
On the surface, the things we do for one another might seem insignificant, but Jesus says, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Everything we do on this side of eternity counts, God sees it, and it is recorded. As believers, we should minister to each other in a way that is distinct from the world around us. We are to welcome, serve, and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
For indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
The word helper (prostatis) was commonly used to signify a patron, a wealthy person who encouraged and financially assisted organizations or causes, as in a patron of the arts. In other words, Phoebe was no ordinary helper, but one of high esteem and integrity and likely was a businesswoman of substantial wealth. Phoebe used her influence and her money, as well as giving her time and talent as a helper of many including Paul.
John MacArthur; “This verse says as much about Paul as it does about Phoebe. The esteemed apostle readily and graciously acknowledged his personal indebtedness to and love for a Christian sister, whom he memorialized in these first two verses in the Word of God. And, although God inspired no woman to write a part of Scripture, he used Phoebe to transport the first copy of this marvelous letter, which is one of the bedrocks of New Testament theology. This woman was emblematic of those countless women of God whom He has used and honored with great distinction within the framework of His divine plan.”
Rom. 16:3
“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,”
When Paul first arrived in Corinth, he was introduced to Priscilla and Aquila. They were both tent makers like Paul. It seems that Paul is the one who led them to salvation through Jesus Christ. When Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila were the ones who joined him. Through this they became co-workers and very good friends as well. As Paul made his way north, Priscilla and Aquila where the ones who stayed behind in Ephesus where they met Apollos, thus bringing the message of salvation, which Apollos gladly received.
Acts 18:24-26
“Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”
Apollos was a disciple of John the Baptist. Apparently, Apollos did not know about the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Priscilla and Aquila you might say, got him caught up on the news of the day. Can you imagine how Apollos’s face must have lit-up when he heard all about Jesus?
Eventually, Priscilla and Aquila ended up in Rome. Some teachers have even suggested that Paul sent them ahead to set the stage and do some groundwork for his own journey to Rome.
It’s interesting that in the six times this couple is mentioned in the Bible, Priscilla’s name is seen first four times. In those days (and even today), the man’s name is always mentioned first. Most commentators agree that Priscilla seems to be the one who had the more dynamic and powerful ministry. With that, it appears that Aquila knew his wife had special gifts from God and he never felt threatened by them. He was a smart man indeed.
Rom. 16:4
“Who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.”
No events about this are talked about in the bible, but Paul makes it clear to us that Priscilla and Aquila were prepared to give up their lives for Paul… those are strong friends indeed.
Rom. 16:5a
“Likewise greet the church that is in their house.”
Jon Courson; “As you travel with Priscilla and Aquila, you see a pattern begin to unfold in their lives. That is, wherever they went, they started a fellowship group in their house. I like that. They not only worked together by day making tents, but they also opened their home at night.”
Rom. 16:5b
Greet my beloved Epaenetus (E-peana-tus), who is the firstfruits of Asia to Christ.
Epaenetus was Paul’s covert, I guess Paul never forgot the first person he led to the Lord. Do you remember the first person you led to the Lord?
Rom. 16:6
“Greet Mary, who labored much for us.”
All totaled, there are six Marys mentioned in the New Testament. We don’t know who this Mary is except that she labored.
Labored: means to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief) to labor with wearisome effort.
It’s obvious that this Mary put in some sweat equity into Paul’s ministry. What we can learn from her is that it’s good to work hard for the Lord… even to the point of exhaustion. Have you ever been exhausted because you worked so hard for God?
Rom. 16:7
“Greet Andronicus and Junia (June-e-a), my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.”
Andronicus and Junia had a special and perhaps unique relationship to Paul. Because Junia may be a woman’s name, these two might have been married. And because many of the individuals mentioned in this passage were Jews (countrymen or kinsmen) indicates not only that they were fellow Jews, but it probably also means that they, along with Herodion (vs. 11) and Jason and So-sip-ater (vs. 21), were Paul’s relatives. If this is true, Paul must have felt a special warmth in seeing his kinsmen in the flesh become his kinsmen in spirit.
My fellow prisoners… they could have been in the same prison or even shared the same cell.
Who are of note among the apostles… in a broader sense this means it applied to other distinguished Christian teachers, such as Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, and Silvanus.
Rom. 16:8-10
Greet Amplias, (Am-plea-us) my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, (Ur-bane-us) our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, (Stack-us) my beloved. Greet Apelles, (A-pel-ease) approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. (A-rist-ta-bulus)
Approved in Christ… how can we be approved in Christ? You’re doing it. By studying the Scriptures, you’re showing yourself as being approved of God.
II Tim. 2:15
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
But note here, Paul says “Be diligent” about this… “rightly dividing the word of truth.” This means for us to be studying God’s Word all the time. Why? Because the battle we face everyday is fierce. Some people say, “Well I’ll try to find the time.” You can’t say that… say, that you’ll “make the time.” Let’s follow the example of Mary, remember she put in sweat equity when it came to her faith.
Rom. 16:11
“Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.”
Greet Herodion, my countryman or kinsman… this is where things get interesting. Herodion being an offshoot of Herod, this verse itself could indicate that through Herodion, Paul himself could be related to Herod. Does anyone have a relative in the family tree that they’re not very proud of? The thing is, just because you’re from the same bloodline, this doesn’t mean you can’t be your own person.
Every single person has a choice in life, as to what god they’re going to follow… the god of this world, satan, or our heavenly Father, the God of this universe. Paul chose Jesus, like all of us should.
Greet those who are of the household of Nar-cis-sus who are in the Lord…
Some have suggested this Narcissus was a famous freedman of that name who was put to death by king Agrippa shortly after Nero came into power.
Some scholars believe with J. B. Lightfoot that, like Aristobulus, the Narcissus mentioned here was closely connected to the Emperor Claudius as his secretary. Because all contact with the emperor had to be channeled through the secretary, he became extremely wealthy through the many bribes he received for granting access to, or simply for correspondence with the emperor. It is therefore possible that a least two households within the palace had Christians in them. If so, those believers may have been among the saints “of Caesar’s household” who joined Paul, then imprisoned in Rome, in sending greetings to the church at Philippi.
Phil. 4:22
“All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.”
Rom. 16:12
“Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord.”
Tryphena and Tryphosa are sisters whose names mean “Dainty” and “Delicate.” Going back to verse 6 just like Mary, they labored in the Lord… more sweat equity.
Rom. 16:13
“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.”
Rufus was a common name at the time. This Rufus is often identified with the one in Mark 15:21:
Mark 15:21
“Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.”
Chosen in the Lord… this is true of all believers, and many scholars interpret this phrase to mean “outstanding.” But it is also possible that just as some believers demonstrate God’s love and others reflect God’s justice, so Rufus was an exceptional example of God’s chosen one.
Rom. 16:14
“Greet Asyncritus (A-sin-cra-tis), Phlegon (Flay-gon), Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them.”
These are all Greek names, and because they’re all lumped together along with the brethren who are with them, it’s likely these guys lived together in a commune.
Rom. 16:15
“Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus (Near-e-us) and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.”
Philologus… here’s a great name for us! It comes from “Philos Logos” which means “Lover of the Word.”
Rom. 16:16
“Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.”
A good way to greet your brothers and sisters is with a hug and a kiss… on the cheek not on the lips.
Rom. 16:17-18
“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”
“And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests… By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.” (NLT)
Paul is giving us a warning about people to avoid. In our world today there are many “Jesuses” being taught, we find this with the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Modernist, and of the New Agers… none of them are telling the truth about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jon Courson has a pretty good commentary on this;
“The word “simple” does not mean dumb.” It means sincere.” What’s being said here is that there are sincere people who are being deceived by those who preach another Jesus Christ. Therefore, in your sincerity to want to learn more about the Lord or to be students of the Word, don’t allow those who teach a different Jesus to come into your home. Don’t engage in discussions with them. Don’t spend time arguing with them. Why? I offer two reasons… One reason is protection. Satan is clever. And many a believer who thought he was strong in theology has succumbed to those who are inspired satanically. The second reason is priority. Invest your energy in the fields that are already white and ready for harvest (John 4:35), in the lives of those who are already open to the gospel.”
To cause divisions, this word divisions only occurs here and in Gal. 5:20. Divisions is a sin. Strife and rivalry cause dissension, which eventually leads to divisions in a church.
Rom. 13:13
“Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.”
Such dissension causes offences… that is, it becomes a snare or a stumbling block to other people.
Rom. 14:13
“Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”
The warning here is that contentious, divisive people can cause others to stumble, so they should be avoided. The people who teach another Jesus definitely fall into this category.
The other danger is if this happens within the church. There are many reasons for the dissension inside a church and it always begins with the leadership of the church. Are the leaders dishonorable, indecent, immoral, or shameful? If so, you can only expect devastating results.
II Thess. 3:6
“But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.”
Titus 3:9
“But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.”
Verse 18 gives us a little bit of a profile of the divisive person;
Rom. 16:18
“For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”
How can we combat these things from entering into the church? One way is to be firmly grounded in God’s Word, that way when a counterfeit comes along it will be easier to recognize.
Rom. 16:19
“For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.”
Be wise in what is good…
Paul echoes a similar caution that Jesus gave to His followers.
Matt. 10:16
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
And simple concerning evil… this speaks of being innocent when it comes to the evil in this world. Now this doesn’t mean we are to be ignorant when it comes to evil, it means to know what evil is, but not to have anything to do with it. If you see something that has the slightest hint of being contrary to the things of God, walk away from it. A good example of this would be in watching what you’re subjecting yourself to on television or in the movies.
Rom. 16:20
“And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Divisive people destroy the peace and unity of the church, but God, who is the source of peace, will crush this work of satan through the wisdom and obedience of believers. Ultimately, God will totally defeat satan and bring peace to the whole church.
Rom. 16:21-24 Greetings from Paul’s Friends
“Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and So-sip-ater, my countrymen, greet you.
I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.
Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Benediction
Rom. 16:25-27
“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith… to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
“Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey Him. All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.”
According to my gospel… in reading this part of the verse, some say that Paul had a unique gospel, different from Peter and John…… this is not true!
In John 20, Mary said, “They’ve taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve laid Him.”
Also in John 20, Thomas said, “My Lord and My God.”
So, too, Paul says, “My gospel” because the gospel had not only impacted him theologically… he claimed it personally.
This brings us to the end of the book of Romans. It’s been a very inspiring and informative study for us. Paul has brought us doctrinal truths such as, justification, sanctification, adoption, judgment, and our identification with Christ. And I hope you never forget Romans 8:1, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” We also learned how God isn’t finished with Israel, that He still has a plan and a purpose for her and to ultimately save Israel.
Paul presented to us practical truths, teaching us the secret of Christian victory over the flesh, the duties Christians have toward each other, and their relationship to government authority.
We’ll close with two verses from chapter 1…
Rom. 1:16-17
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek… (17) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”