Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 16:1-16

"I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church that is at Cenchreae: that ye receive her in the Lord, worthily of the saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever matter she may have need of you: for she herself also hath been a helper of many, and of mine own self. Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles: and [salute] the church that is in their house. Salute Epaenetus my beloved, who is the first-fruits of Asia unto Christ. Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on you. Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me. Salute Ampliatus my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbanus our fellow-worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. Salute Apelles the approved in Christ. Salute them that are of the [household] of Aristobulus. Salute Herodion my kinsman. Salute them of the [household] of Narcissus, that are in the Lord. Salute Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. Salute Rufus the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren that are with them. Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints that are with them. Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you." — Romans 16:1-16 (ASV)

1. After mentioning certain personal matters concerning himself to the Romans, the Apostle now presents personal matters pertaining to others.

In this regard, he does three things:

1. He suggests what they should do for others.
2. He tells what others do for them, at the phrase all the churches.
3. He ends the epistle with thanksgiving, starting at but to him that is able (Romans 16:25).

Concerning the first point, he does two things:

1. He indicates whom they should welcome.
2. He shows whom they should avoid, starting at now I beseech you (Romans 16:17).

Concerning the welcoming of others, he does three things:

1. He requests that certain persons in particular be welcomed.
2. He points out in a general way how to greet them, at the phrase greet one another.
3. He greets them on behalf of the faithful, at the phrase all the churches of Christ.

2. Regarding the first point, he mentions a certain Corinthian woman who went to Rome. He recommends her to them, describing her in three ways:

1. He describes her by name, saying, I commend to you Phoebe. Although devoted to God, she did not have enough influence to avoid needing letters of recommendation, as Paul once said of himself: do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation? (2 Corinthians 3:1).
2. He describes her religion and faith, calling her our sister. For all female believers were called sisters and all male believers were called brothers: you are all brothers (Matthew 23:8).
3. He describes her by her pious activity, when he says, who is in the ministry of the church that is in Cenchreae. Cenchreae was a port city of the Corinthians where some Christians were gathered, whom this woman had served. This is just as it was said of Christ himself that certain women provided for him out of their means (Luke 8:3). And concerning the widow to be enrolled, 1 Timothy says: if she has shown hospitality and has washed the feet of the saints (1 Timothy 5:10).

3. Then he mentions two things he wants done for her. The first is that she be honorably received. This is what he says: that you receive her in the Lord, that is, for the love of God, as is fitting for the saints. This means to receive her in a way that is appropriate for saints, for it says in Matthew: he who receives a just man because he is a just man shall receive a just man’s reward (Matthew 10:41).

Instead of as is fitting for the saints, some manuscripts have worthily enough, meaning “fittingly,” but those texts do not agree with the Greek.

The second is that they be diligent in helping her. He adds, and that you assist her, meaning by offering advice and aid in any matter where she might need them. It is possible she had business to settle in Caesar's court.

4. However, 1 Thessalonians seems to contradict this recommendation, for it says, take care of your own business (1 Thessalonians 4:11). This seems to mean: do not get involved in other people’s affairs.

The answer is that one can help in another’s affairs in two ways. First, one can help in a worldly way, that is, for human favor or for personal gain; this is not fitting for God’s servants. No soldier of God gets entangled in civilian pursuits (2 Timothy 2:4).

Second, one can help in another’s affairs out of piety, for example, to help the needy and the miserable. This is religious, according to James: Religion pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from this world (James 1:27). It is in this second way that the Apostle is speaking here.

5. Finally, the Apostle explains why this is owed to her, saying, for she has assisted many, and myself as well. As Isaiah says, tell the just that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds (Isaiah 3:10); and, blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7).

6. Next, he recommends that other people connected with him be greeted, saying, greet Prisca and Aquila. Aquila was her husband, but Paul mentions her first, perhaps because of her greater devotion and faith. He calls them my helpers in Christ, that is, in preaching the faith of Christ.

For he had stayed with them in Corinth, as is found in Acts (Acts 18:1–3).

7. He continues, Who for my life laid down their own necks, meaning they put themselves in danger of death to save his life, which is an indication of the greatest love: greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

This seems to have happened in Corinth, where Paul suffered persecution, as is found in Acts (Acts 18:6). Or perhaps it is better to understand that it was others who exposed themselves to danger for the Apostle. The event mentioned in Acts (Acts 18:21) occurred after Prisca and Aquila had left Rome for Corinth, but the Apostle wrote this letter when he believed they were still in Rome.

The Apostle’s life was necessary not so much for himself as for others, as he says in Philippians: but to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account (Philippians 1:24). Therefore, he continues, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles, whose apostle and teacher I am: a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth (1 Timothy 2:7). He adds, greet also the church in their house, for they had many believers assembled in their home.

8. Then he wants another person, joined to him by love, to be greeted: greet Epenetus, my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Asia in Christ. This status gave him great dignity: you have come to the assembly of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:23). At that time, however, he was in Rome.

9. Then he says, greet Mary, who has labored much among you. This labor was to restore concord among them, and when she failed in her effort, she notified the Apostle. As it is written, the fruit of good labors is renowned .

10. Then he says, greet Andronicus and Junias. He describes them in four ways:

1. From their race, when he says, my kinsmen. This shows that they were Jews, about whom he said above, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh (Romans 9:3).
2. From the suffering they endured for Christ, saying, and fellow prisoners. For they had been in prison with the Apostle at one time: with far more imprisonments (2 Corinthians 11:23).
3. From their authority, when he says, who are of note among the apostles, that is, noble among the preachers: her husband is honorable in the gates (Proverbs 31:23).
4. From the timing of their conversion, when he says, who also were in Christ before me. For they had been converted before the Apostle and thus were owed greater respect: do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as you would a father (1 Timothy 5:1).

11. Then he says, greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord, beloved with the love of charity, which is in Christ: God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8).

12. Then he says, greet Urbanus, our helper in Christ, that is, in preaching the faith: a brother helped is like a strong city (Proverbs 18:19), and Stachys, my beloved. He mentions them together, perhaps because they lived together or were connected in some other way.

13. Then he says, greet Apelles, approved in Christ, perhaps approved through certain tribulations: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10).

14. Then he says, greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. This refers to his family, in whose house many believers were gathered. Paul does not greet Aristobulus himself, perhaps because he was absent for some reason. Then he says, greet my kinsman Herodion, who, from this designation, is understood to be Jewish.

Next, he says, greet those who are of the household of Narcissus. Narcissus is said to have been a presbyter who wandered through desert places to comfort the faithful. Therefore, the Apostle, knowing he was away, did not ask that Narcissus be greeted, but only his household.

Yet there were some unbelievers in this household, and so to note the difference, he adds, who are in the Lord. He did this because he was asking only for believers to be greeted: if anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting (2 John 1:10).

15. Then he says, greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord, that is, in ministering to the saints. The Lord regards this as being done to himself, as it says in Matthew: as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40).

Then he says, greet Persis the dearly beloved, whom the Apostle especially loved for her devotion. Therefore, he adds, who has labored much in the Lord. This means by exhorting others, ministering to the saints, and even enduring poverty and other spiritual works: in toil and hardship... in hunger and thirst (2 Corinthians 11:27).

16. Then he says, greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, that is, chosen in the grace of Christ: he chose us in him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He also says to greet his mother and mine. She was Rufus’s mother according to the flesh, but Paul’s mother in the sense that she was a benefactor to him. For she had served the Apostle at one time, although she was not in Rome: older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity (1 Timothy 5:2).

17. Then he says, greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren who are with them. He greets them together because they lived together in harmony: God gives the lonely a home to live in (Psalms 68:6).

18. Then he says, greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. The “saints” are those sanctified in the faith of Christ: you were washed, you were sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11).

19. Then he shows them in a general way how to greet others, saying, greet one another with a holy kiss. He specifies a “holy” kiss to distinguish it from a sensual kiss, about which Proverbs says, she seizes him and kisses him (Proverbs 7:13), and also to distinguish it from a deceitful kiss, about which Proverbs says, better are the wounds of a friend than the fraudulent kisses of an enemy (Proverbs 27:6).

The holy kiss is given as a sign of the Blessed Trinity: O that he would kiss me with the kiss of his mouth (Song of Solomon 1:2). From this, the custom arose in the Church for the faithful to give one another the kiss of peace during the solemn rites of the Mass.

20. Finally, he greets them on behalf of the other churches, saying, All the churches of Christ greet you. This refers to those churches assembled in the name and faith of Christ, because they all desire your salvation and pray for you: pray for one another, that you may be saved (James 5:16).