Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
Truth to Learn
Some Christians stand out as “choice” within the church.
Behind the Words
The name “Rufus” is of Roman (Latin) origin, meaning “red.”
“Chosen” is translated from the noun eklektos, which is based on the verb eklegomai, meaning “to select” or “to choose.” Eklektos primarily refers to one or the thing which has been chosen, but it can just as well be a reference to quality, as we might refer to a “choice piece of fruit.”
The word “mother” is from the Greek word mētēr, meaning “mother” either literally or figuratively.
Meaning Explained
The Apostle Paul now sends greetings to a man named Rufus. Although we don’t know anything for sure about this man other than what we are told here, there has been a great deal of conjecture over the years. Before we look at conjecture, though, let’s see what Paul says about him. We are told here that Rufus is “chosen in the Lord.” As we pointed out above, “chosen” is from eklektos. So, what Paul could be saying is that Rufus is one of the elect, one of the chosen ones. The problem with that is that this same Apostle Paul teaches us in his letter to the Ephesians that all Christians are chosen:
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, for us to be holy and without blemish before Him in love, (Ephesians 1:4)
Although none of us can fully comprehend how God can say “You I have chosen” and at the same time proclaim “Whosoever will may come,” they are both true nonetheless. And since all believers are “chosen,” it doesn’t make sense that Paul would single out Rufus as a chosen one in his personal greetings. Therefore, it makes more sense that what he is telling us is that Rufus is a “choice” Christian, one who is exemplary in his words and deeds.
Paul also sends greetings to Rufus’ mother referring to her as “his mother and mine.” That does not mean that Rufus was Paul’s brother, for there is no evidence of this anywhere in scripture or secular writing. It is more likely that what Paul means is Rufus’ mother was like a mother to him.
Now, regarding the speculation about Rufus: we read in Mark 15:21 about Simon of Cyrene who was compelled to bear our Lord’s cross. Mark tells us that he was “the father of Alexander and Rufus.” From this it is reasonable to conclude that when Mark wrote his Gospel, Alexander and Rufus may have been well known as Christians. And, since this letter to the Romans was written some twenty-five years after the crucifixion, there is plenty of time for Rufus to have matured into a Christian worthy of note. It is also believed by some that this Rufus is one and the same with the man who became bishop of the church in Thebes. If these things are true, then it is no wonder that Paul greets him as a “choice” Christian.
Application
We see once again that God, through Paul’s pen, sends special greetings to someone who stands out above the rest in his walk with the Lord. If God were to have such a letter written to your church, would He send special greetings to you?
In God's service, for His glory,
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