“5 Greet also the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother — and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
Verses 5-16 include Paul telling the church in Rome to greet, exhort, and thank various people in the region whom Paul knows and recognizes. One thing that stands out in this section is the immense knowledge that Paul has of the people he has encountered, their families, how they have aided the saints, and the spiritual needs that they have. It’s not as if Paul was referring to the contacts in his phone to help him remember, this was most likely firsthand memory. We can take a lesson from this. As we become involved in the lives of our fellow Christians, and those outside the church as well, we will do well to remember their names, their families, how we can pray for them, how they have served the saints, etc. This is a practical out-working of all that Paul has been encouraging Christians to do. It’s hard to love someone as Christ loves them if we can’t even remember their names! It’s hard to pray deeply for fellow believers when we don’t know what’s going on in their lives. Paul is a great example of someone who cared for the saints, all over the world!
I sent this to our small group and my Thursday ladies group. I love how you used an example we all can relate to… our cell phone contacts vs. really knowing our fellow believers and also those around us who don’t know Christ.
I sent this to our small group and my Thursday ladies group. I love how you used an example we all can relate to… our cell phone contacts vs. really knowing our fellow believers and also those around us who don’t know Christ.
Wow! Paul had an amazing memory…..especially for an older man who had been everywhere. To keep those names straight in his head is quite a remarkable feat.
I agree. I think Paul’s recollection of the people he had met throughout his ministry is a testimony to the intimate relationships he had built with them. It appears as though Paul didn’t just meet each person once, but he deliberately took the time to develop a relationship with each individual person.