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Romans 16:19 – Obedient and Wise

Posted on March 22, 2019 by Will

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I rejoice on your behalf; but I want you to be wise as to what is good, and innocent concerning evil.

Truth to Learn

It is important for all Christians to be growing in our faith daily by reading and studying the Bible.

Behind the Words

“Obedience” is translated from the Greek noun hupakoē. This is a compound word made up of hupo, meaning “under or beneath” and a form of akouō, meaning “to listen or to hear.” It is a picture of a student listening under the teaching of an instructor. In common usage, it means “listening attentively” or “being obedient to a teacher or master.”

The expression “has become known” is from the verb aphikneomai, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” and a form of hikanos, meaning “to arrive.” So, this word means “to arrive from or to reach a destination.” A literal translation of the opening part of this verse would be, “For your obedience reached to all.”

“Innocent” is translated from akeraios. This word is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and the verb kerannumi, meaning “to mix.” Thus, akeraios means “without mixture,” that is, “without any deceit” or “innocent and pure.”

Meaning Explained

You will recall that Paul has just told the Christians at Rome to be on the lookout for people who cause division within the body of Christ and who cause others to stumble in their walk with the Lord. A classic example of this is the type of people who come to your door with pamphlets and other literature proclaiming them to have the truth about God when, in fact, they are spreading false doctrine.

Part of Paul’s concern for these Christians in Rome is based on the fact that they have a reputation for being attentive listeners and applying themselves to the teachings they learn. It is good for all Christians to want to learn more about God and how to have a closer walk with Him. But it is just as important to be able to discern between teachings that are truth and teachings that are deceptive. One kind of teaching builds up the body of Christ while the other tears it down and divides it. One sure way to identify these false teachers is that they often claim to have teaching and truth that most other Christians don’t have, sometimes in the form of additional books of Scripture.

Paul warned the Christians in Ephesus in a similar manner when he taught them about the spiritual gifts and the gifted people that God provides in each church so:

that we should no longer be infants, being tossed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in craftiness, with deceitful schemes, (Ephesians 4:14)

Instead of falling prey to such false teachers, Paul tells the Romans to be wise in what is good and to be innocent and pure concerning evil.

Application

There are some Christians who want to learn everything they can about false religions. Instead of that, Paul says we should learn all we can about true faith in God. The best way for us to do that is to read and study His Holy Word. Let’s commit to seeking a deeper relationship with God by spending time each and every day reading and studying the Bible.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:18 – Servants, Not Crusaders

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Will

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 innocent.

Truth to Learn

Lack of submissiveness can cause harm to the body of Christ.

Behind the Words

The word translated “serve” is douleuō, the verb form of doulos, meaning “a slave, one whose will is totally submitted to his master/owner.”

“Belly” is from the Greek noun koilia, which refers to “a cavity.” This word is often used in reference to “the womb” or “the belly.” Allegorically, it is used as a reference to the sensuality of food, drink, and personal gratification.

“Smooth words” is the translation of the Greek word chrēstologia, which is a compound of chrēstos, meaning “easy, good, or kind” and legō, meaning “to relate something in words, a discourse.” Thus chrēstologia refers to “a polite discussion.” Today, we might refer to a person who does this as a “smooth talker.”

The words “flattering speech” are from eulogia, which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and logos, meaning “a word or something said.” So, we see that eulogia is a reference to “an eloquent message.”

“Innocent” is translated from the Greek noun akakos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and kakos, meaning “bad.” Hence, akakos refers to someone “without guile;” that is, someone who is innocent or unsuspecting.

Meaning Explained

This verse is an extension of the previous one in which Paul warned the Christians in Rome to be on the lookout for people who cause divisions within the body of Christ or who do and say things that cause brothers or sisters in the Lord to stumble in their walk with God.

In today’s verse Paul characterizes such people as selfishly seeking to satisfy their own appetite (usually for power or revenge) instead of the good of the body of Christ. If you have been in any church for a long time, you have probably had encounters with this type of person. He or she talks a good game. These people are often very intelligent and can make a convincing argument as to why a certain thing should or should not be done.

When you encounter such a person, or even suspect that there is such a person in your congregation, ask yourself, Is this person primarily interested in the health of the body of Christ? Are they proposing something that will bring glory to God? Are their reasons and justifications for action based on a humble submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Or, are they more interested in getting their own way rather than submitting to the leadership of the church.

Too often such people are very charismatic and persuasive. And too often a church split is the result of their words and actions. Do you think that’s what God wants?

Application

Whether or not we like the decisions of the leadership of a local congregation, we are to submit ourselves to such leaders. Instead of stirring up dissention in the body, we need to get on our knees and humbly seek God’s guidance. And, we need to act as servants, not crusaders.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:17 – Who to Avoid

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Will

Now I exhort you, brothers, take note of those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

Truth to Learn

Avoid those who teach false doctrine.

Behind the Words

“Exhort” is translated from the Greek verb parakalō, which literally means “to call alongside.” It is one of those verbs that has a number of nuances depending on how it is used. It can mean “to encourage, to comfort, to invite, to call for, to help, or to urge.”

The verb “take note of” is from skopeō, meaning “to spy out, to look toward, to give attention to, or to be on the lookout for.”

“Divisions” is from dichostasia, which literally means “separate standings.” It is a picture of two groups of people standing separate from each other.

The word “offenses” is from skandalon, which we have seen before. It refers to the trigger of a trap. Here it refers to something which will cause other Christians to stumble in their walk with God.

The word “doctrine” is translated from didachē, which refers to “something which is taught.” Here it is a reference to the teachings, or doctrines, of the church.

“Turn away from” is from ekklinō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” and klinō, meaning “to bend, to incline, or to turn.” Thus ekklinō means “to turn away from” or “to completely avoid.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished all of the personal greetings he wanted to send to his friends at the church in Rome, Paul now gives one final word of caution. He tells them to be on the lookout for “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” That is, he is warning about people who are not focused on the good of the church and the unity of the body. Instead, these people are focused on what they want rather that what God wants for the church.

In the Greek text, both the word translated “divisions” and the word translated “offenses” have definite articles associated with them. In other words, Paul is warning about those people who cause the divisions and the offenses. Thus, there must have been specific problems that he wanted them to avoid.

We know from several of Paul’s other letters that there were several false teachings that had crept into the church even in its earliest years. Two of these false doctrines were legalism, and an early form of Gnosticism. Most of Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches and part of this letter to the Romans addressed the issue of legalism because there were many converted Jews in the early church who believed that Christians had to keep the law in order to remain saved. Another heresy that crept into the early church was Gnosticism, which tried to spiritualize many of the teachings of Christianity, introducing the notion that there was some “special knowledge” that was required to complete salvation. Paul’s specific instructions were to “turn away from and completely avoid” those who professed these false doctrines.

Application

Teaching true doctrine and the unity of the body of Christ are both essential aspects of the Church. Be on the lookout for false teachers and avoid them like the plague!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:16 – A Holy Kiss?

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Will

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Truth to Learn

The early church employed a kiss as a customary greeting.

Behind the Words

“Greet” is from aspadzomai, meaning “to enfold in the arms” or as we would say, “to hug,” which we learned in verse three. It can also mean “to salute,” “to welcome,” or “to greet.”

The word translated “kiss” is philēma, which is based on the verb phileō, meaning “to love as brothers or best friends.” Philema refers specifically to a kiss as a token of friendship or love.

Meaning Explained

After sixteen verses of sending greetings, or hugs, to various people in the church in Rome, Paul now tells them to greet one another with a holy kiss. Many of us in the Western churches would respond with, “A what?!” Some of us are real huggers while others will only give or accept a hug from a close friend. But a kiss? To most of us, a kiss is a sign of affection that goes beyond just being friends and we wouldn’t even think of kissing those who occupy the pews or chairs around us on Sunday morning. Not so in the early church. They often greeted each other with a kiss, lip to lip.

To us a kiss on the lips carries a notion of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. We might consider a kiss on the cheek, but only with someone with whom we have a close familial relationship. Those of us used to a small intimate church family might consider such a kiss on the cheek as acceptable, but those of us in large congregations would never even think of it.

In the Jewish faith at the time of Christ there was a very strict separation of men and women in both temple observances and synagogue services. It was very common for men to kiss men and for women to kiss women as a sign of friendship and brotherly love. This custom carried over into the Christian church in which men and women worshipped together. Christian commentaries over the past two to three centuries, however, have been very careful and very explicit in their description of this type of holy kissing as being only a kiss on the cheek. But, there is sufficient evidence to believe that the holy kiss that Paul was referring to within the church was a kiss on the lips, male to male, female to female, or male to female.

Also, to the first century Christians there was a difference between a brotherly kiss and a romantic kiss. One ancient source even goes so far as to declare, “No erotic kissing in church; instead, one must kiss with a closed and chaste mouth.” Another writer warns against those who kiss a second time because they enjoyed the first kiss so much.”

Does that mean that we have to adopt lip to lip kissing as a greeting in church in order to be a completely scriptural church? No! It means that a customary church greeting in Paul’s day was a kiss on the lips, whereas today it is our custom to give a hug or a handshake.

Application

It is important to greet brothers and sisters in Christ as fellow members of the family of God. It is a sign of acceptance and fellowship. A firm handshake or a familiar embrace can lift the spirits of both parties involved. So, next Sunday morning, greet one another with a holy hug!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:15 – Family of Saints

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Will

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints with them.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are saints and are God’s children.

Behind the Words

The name “Philologus” means “one who loves to learn.”

“Nereus,” by some sources is said to be derived from Nereo or Neriene. It is a name that signifies “strength” and is the word from which Emperor Nero’s name is derived.

“Sister” is from the Greek noun adelphē. This is the feminine form of the word adelphos, which means “brother.” Hence, adelphē means “sister.”

The word “saints” is translated from the Greek noun hagios, meaning “holy” or “set-apart.” It refers to things which have been set-apart from common usage and dedicated to use for God’s service. Throughout the New Testament, it is a term used of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who are, therefore, sanctified or set-apart from the commonness of mankind and dedicated to God for His use and His glory.

Meaning Explained

Philologus, like a number of others in Paul’s greeting list, was named among the seventy disciples sent out by our Lord referenced in Luke 10:1. A man by this name (perhaps this same person) later became Bishop at Sinope (a city in present day Turkey). Julia (also sometimes written as Junia) is believed to have been his wife.

Nereus and his sister are the next ones greeted by Paul. We know nothing of this man or his sister. It is interesting to note in this lengthy list of people to whom Paul sends greetings by name that he does not greet Nereus’ sister by name. This would seem to indicate that either Paul forgot her name (unlikely, given his demonstrated ability to remember names) or he never knew her name.

The final person greeted by name in this verse is Olympas (or Olympius) who, like many others in this list, was listed among the seventy disciples sent out by our Lord. Olympius is also identified in writings outside the Bible as one of the Christian martyrs in Rome.

As in the previous verse, it appears that this group of five people may have been the core of a church group meeting together for worship and/or fellowship. The fact that Paul refers to the “saints” who are with this group indicates that it is more than just a group of friends, that it is a gathering of Christian believers.

By the way: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Apostle Peter was designated as the first Bishop of the Roman Church or “Pope” as he is called today. If this were true, one would expect Paul to have sent him greetings as part of this extensive list of personal salutations.

Application

If you are a born again Christian, the Bible declares you to be a saint. That means, as we have said previously, that you have been specifically set-apart by God for His use. You are not a commoner; you are a holy child of the King of Kings!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:14 – Church Building Idolatry?

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Will

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brothers who are with them.

Truth to Learn

God wants a relationship, not brick and mortar.

Behind the Words

“Asyncritus” is the name of a slave who was made a freeman by Caesar Augustus. The name is made up of the negative particle a and sunkrinō, meaning “to judge together” or “to compare.” Thus, this name means “incomparable.”

“Hermas” is probably a variation of Hermes, the fleet footed messenger of the Greek gods.

“Patrobas” is probably made up of the Greek patēr, meaning “father” and the Aramaic abba, also meaning “father.” It was not uncommon for Hellenistic Jews to have both a Jewish name and a Greek name. Possibly, Patrobas combined the two.

Meaning Explained

Paul now greets five people together, along with the brothers who are with them. In the next verse he will greet five more people along with the saints who are with them. It is possible that each of these was the core of a house church that had been set-up to reach out to the Roman people living around them.

All of the first group of five have familiar slave names, and these may all be former and current slaves who have banded together in their faith. The two names Asyncritus and Phlegon are listed among those who were Christian martyrs in Rome and were described as being disciples of Paul. These two, along with Hermas and Patrobas, are listed among the seventy disciples sent out by our Lord as described in Luke 10:1. Several of these men became bishops (senior pastors) of various churches. Asyncritus was said to be bishop of Hyrcanis, Phlegon was said to be bishop of Marathon, Hermas, bishop of Philippi, and Patrobas was the bishop of Puteoli.

A man by the name of Hermas was the author of a book called Pastor or The Shepherd of Hermas, which was cited by several of the post-apostolic church fathers, including Irenaeus. Copies of this book are still in existence today.

Once again, we have to say that these associations are speculative, partly because these names were all fairly common and because we have no direct evidence to substantiate these notions. What we do know is that the five men mentioned in today’s verse were part of a fellowship group along with other Christian believers. Such house churches were fairly common in the first to the third centuries. There may have been a couple of reasons for this. We know that there was much persecution of the early Christians and meeting in a house attracted less attention than a formal building. Also, some larger churches (like the church at Rome) conducted separate smaller meetings in the homes of members during the week to encourage and strengthen each other.

Application

Some Christians get hung-up on the architecture, style, and furnishings of their church building. At some point, it becomes a matter of pride and the building actually takes on the form of an idol for them. Our faith and our walk with the Lord do not depend on the building we meet in or even the denomination we belong to. God is more interested in our relationship with Him than He is with the formalities of our church.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:13 – A Choice Christian

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Will

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,

Romans 16:12 – Hard Working Women

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Will

Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who are laboring in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord.

Truth to Learn

There are many hard working women in the church!

Behind the Words

The names “Tryphena and Tryphosa” are Greek and are both derived from the verb truphaō, meaning “to live luxuriously.”

“Labored” is translated from the Greek word kopiaō, which we saw back in verse six means “to work hard to the point of feeling fatigued.” There is another Greek word, ergadzomai, which is usually translated “work.” Kopiaō, however, implies long, hard labor, much greater than simply ergadzomai.

The name “Persis” means “a Persian woman.”

Meaning Explained

The next three people to be greeted by the Apostle Paul are all women who worked for God in some capacity. The first two, Tryphena and Tryphosa are believed to be sisters and may, in fact, have been twins. They are said to have been noble women of Iconium and may likely have been converted under Paul’s ministery there. Paul tells us that these two women were not simply workers in the ministry with him, they were laborers, that is, they worked hard. The other woman mentioned in this verse is Persis who, he says, labored much in her service to God. She apparently worked hard for many hours.

Some commentators have gone to great lengths to assert that these women did not preach. Such a waste of time and effort! Nowhere in the Scriptures are we told that women can’t preach. Paul does give specific instruction regarding elders (probably pastors) and bishops (senior pastors) in his letters to Timothy and Titus:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I ordered you—if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of loose behavior or disobedient. (Titus 1:5-6)

This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone reaches for the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; (1 Timothy 3:1-2)

The word translated “husband” is specifically male and the word for “wife” is specifically female. So a woman is not to be an elder or a bishop. Paul is also very specific about women not teaching men or having authority over a man in the church:

And I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. (1 Timothy 2:12)

But, the Bible does not tell us that women are not to preach the Gospel message. And, Paul tells Titus very specifically that the older women are to be teachers of other women (Titus 2:3, 4).

Application

God knew that Paul would need help from some very hard working people. We see here that a number of those hard workers were women. The church today would not be nearly as effective as it is except for the many hard working women who commit their time and effort to God in the local church. Thank you ladies for your hard work!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:11 – This Precious Salvation

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Will

Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

Truth to Learn

Some Christians put their lives in danger when they get saved.

Behind the Words

The word “countryman,” which we saw in verse seven, is translated from sungenēs, meaning “same offspring, same family, or same nation.” This word can be used to imply a family member (a relative) or someone with the same ethnic roots.

“In the Lord” is an expression used almost exclusively by the Apostle Paul. Luke uses it once in Acts 14:3 and John uses it once in Revelation 14:13. The other forty or so uses of this expression are all by Paul. In this case it refers to people who are Christians, in the body of Christ our Lord.

Meaning Explained

In the past ten verses the Apostle Paul has been sending greetings to people in Rome who are connected with the church there. He now sends greetings to Herodian who, although having a distinctly Greek name, is referred to as one of Paul’s countrymen. In verse seven we met Andronicus and Junia, whom we speculated were relatives of Paul’s. In the case of Herodian, he may simply be a fellow Jew, perhaps a slave of the family of Aristobulus (see verse ten). It is possible that he was of the tribe of Benjamin as Paul was. What we do know is that there was a man by this name who, like Apelles, was among the seventy disciples sent out by our Lord (Luke 10:1). This Herodian became the bishop of the church in Tarsus.

Next, Paul greets those who are of Narcissus. In the previous verse we talked about the fact that the word “household” does not appear in the Greek text; but, being members of his household seems to be the real sense of Paul’s comments. Unlike the previous verse, however, Paul refers to these as “in the Lord.” This is a Pauline expression indicating that these people are Christians. Since all the people to whom Paul is sending greetings are Christians there must be a reason why he specifically refers to this group of people thus. It is likely that Narcissus was not a Christian, so Paul is specifically sending greetings to those of his family, servants, and slaves who are Christians.

From other historical documents we do know that there was a man by the name of Narcissus who was the secretary to Claudius Caesar and was highly favored of him. This man became very wealthy and powerful in the service of Caesar, even though he had a reputation for being an exceedingly wicked man. He was eventually put to death by Claudius’ wife Agrippina. If this is the same Narcissus, it is a testament to the fact that even in the household of politically powerful people who exhibit extremely anti-Christian behavior, there can be those who willingly submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, thus putting their very lives in peril.

Application

In most Western countries it is not a hazard to life and liberty when someone proclaims himself or herself to be a Christian; however, there are places in the world even today where becoming a Christian puts life and safety in jeopardy. These people must be completely committed to their Lord. For the rest of us, salvation is sometimes seen as convenient, and we may not have as acute a sense of how precious our salvation really is. How precious is your salvation to you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 16:10 – Proving Ground of Faith

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Will

Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

Truth to Learn

Christians undergo trials of their faith.

Behind the Words

The word translated “approved” is dokimos, derived from the verb dokimadzō, which means “to try or test for the purpose of determining value or worthiness.” In the Greek text the definite article (the) is present. Thus, Paul is referring to “Apelles, the approved one.”

Although we have included the word “household” in our translation, the Greek equivalent does not appear in the text. A literal translation of this greeting would be, “Greet those of Aristobulus.” This is done in many translations to improve the readability of the translation.

“Aristobulus” is a Greek name, although it was used by some Jews as well. It means “the best advise” or “the best advisor.”

Meaning Explained

Again, we have two people about whom we know very little for certain other than what Paul says here. Throughout the centuries there have been a number of ideas regarding who these two might have been, however. Let’s start with Apelles. One of the church fathers in the third century was Origen of Alexandria. He believed that Apelles may have been another name for Apollos (see Acts 18:24-26). Others have argued, however, that since Apollos was such a powerful and remarkable preacher of the Gospel, Paul would have said much more than simply that he was “approved in Christ.” Others have claimed that Apelles was one of the seventy disciples of Christ (see Luke 10:1) and that he had become bishop of the church at Smyrna.

Whoever Apelles might have been, according to Paul he was “the approved one in Christ.” In order for Paul to refer to him as such, Apelles must have gone through some great and well known trial of his faith, having come successfully through. As we have said before, the verb dokimadzō is the word used when speaking of testing gold to determine its purity by burning it in fire. We don’t know anything about the fiery trial that Apelles went through, only that he was found to be approved in the end. James talks a little about this process:

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

Paul now greets those of Aristobulus. There was a grandson of Herod the Great with this name who lived around this time. Some think that it is he whom Paul is referring to. Whoever he was, it is interesting that Paul does not greet him, only those of his household. There are a couple of possible reasons for this. It is possible that Aristobulus had passed away when Paul wrote this letter and that he was thus greeting the slaves and other family members. The other possibility is that this man was not a believer but that some of his slaves, domestic servants, and family members were believers, and it is these people to whom Paul sends his greeting.

Application

God chooses to test the faith of some Christians more than others. The important thing is not whether you have been tested or not, but that you have been found approved in the end. Has God been trying your faith? Have you been found approved?

In God's service, for His glory,