Romans 16:3-5a - Greetings for Prisca and Aquila

Romans 16:3-5a - ³ Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. ⁵ Greet also the church in their house.

Message: Greetings for Prisca and Aquila

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome

What the Lord is Saying:

Paul continues with his greetings. 

He greets here Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquila, an important Christian couple in the 1st century. In Acts 18, it mentions that his couple met Paul while he was in Corinth. Prisca and Aquila might have had wealth because Paul says, "Greet also the church in their house." There were no church buildings at this time, so people met in homes and Prisca and Aquila must have had a home large enough to host those in the church for worship. 

It is interesting that Priscilla is mentioned 1st, then Aquila. In the New Testament, they are mentioned 6 times with Priscilla getting the mention first 4 times. Maybe she had more importance than Aquila. Again, it is interesting considering how Paul calls out Phoebe in the preceding verses. Could it be that women had a greater role than I think in the early church? 

From Tabletalk (December 2, 2014):

Prisca and Aquila were Jewish residents of Rome who had been expelled from the city, along with the other Jews there, in AD 49. The Roman historian Suetonius reports that Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews because of the disturbances in the Jewish community over a man named “Chrestus.” Chrestus was almost certainly Christ, and it appears that arguments and even fights broke out among the Jews in Rome when Jewish Christians preached Jesus as the Messiah there. Claudius would not have been particularly interested in the theological differences that sparked this trouble; he just wanted peace in the imperial capital. So he “solved” the problem by kicking out all the Jews whether they were disciples of Jesus or not. Claudius died in the year 54, and his edict died with him, allowing Jews to return to Rome.

Paul greets them because they:

• Fellow workers in Christ
• Risked their necks for his life

Fellow workers
This is the Greek word sunergos which means 'together with' (speaks of an intimate relationship) 'work'. They worked together as a team and it reminds me of the unselfishness I am to have working with others. We work together under the umbrella of Christ, as God's representatives on this earth, so I am to understand my position. And we work together jointly because more can do work than one. My goal in working is not to get singular recognition for the work I have done. Paul did work side by side them while he was a tent-maker. 

Risked their necks
We don't know exactly what this means, but we do know they were serious about their commitment to Christ. In Acts 18:26, it says, "and he (Apollos) began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." They were intent on showing people the correct way of the Lord.

Promise: It is important that I give thanks properly to those that have helped me, worked alongside me, in my walk with the Lord.