More Than Just Greetings

Next, also in verse 12, we meet Persis, a feminine name. Paul designates her "the beloved, who labored much in the Lord."

Her name is not found in inscriptions of the imperial household, but it does occur as the name of a freedwoman. She was one who worked very hard in the Lord, and was a dear friend of Paul.

The next woman we meet, we are not given her name. But that doesn't make her any less important. Paul speaks of Rufus, a name that means Red. So Paul says to greet Red's mother. She was a lady who provided for Paul just like he was her son.

So who was she? Some believe she was the wife of Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry the cross that Jesus was taking to Golgatha where Jesus would die to take the punishment for our sins so that we could be forgiven.

The Gospel of Mark (Mark 15:21) records that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus. It is very likely that Simon became a strong Christian and influenced his wife, who was like a mother to Paul, and influenced his two sons, Rufus here, and Alexander who was in Ephesus who also gave help to Paul.

Then we have one more lady, one whose name we do not know. Paul greets Nereus and his “sister”. It is believed that they were among the emperor's servants, but also were servants of the Lord and His church.

The apostle Paul is sometimes considered chauvinistic and a woman hater. I think this section of his letter to the church in Rome makes it clear that is not the case.

He had great appreciation for the women who were active in the work of the church. He sends his warm greetings to them as well as to the men.

The Bible is full of words of encouragement which show how God values women. And what we see here is that men and women are working together for the Lord in His church.

Among the men are some interesting people as well. Based on their names it is believed that some may have been very influential men in their community and others were slaves.

For example take the name Amplias, or Ampliatus. Amplias was a single name carved on a tombstone in the earliest of the Christian catacombs, the cemetery of Domatilla.

Because it was a single name, it probably indicates that he was a slave, because Romans citizens had 3 names—nomen, praenomen, and cognomen. But, because of the decorative nature of the tomb, it indicates that Amplias was a man of high rank in the Lord’s church.

Four names: Amplias, Urbanus, Stachys and Apelles were all common slave names, some Roman, some Greek. The next three names: Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus seem to have some connection to the imperial household in Rome.

These names would be familiar and well known to people who were “higher ups” in the Roman government of Paul’s day.

Paul seems to imply that Herodion was one of his relatives. That’s interesting. And we believe we know who Narcissus is, not from the Bible, but from secular history.

Narcissus was a prominent Roman citizen, who was like the Chief of State of the Emperor Claudius, like his right-hand man.