Catholic Commentary on Romans 16

"To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen." (Romans 16:27)

A Church in Faces

Romans 16 is the most personal chapter in the letter, a list of twenty-six named individuals whom Paul commends or greets. It is easy to skip as genealogical filler, but read carefully it is one of the most revealing passages in the New Testament about the social reality of the early Church. Phoebe is commended as a deacon of the church at Cenchreae who has been a benefactor of many, including Paul himself: receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people. Priscilla and Aquila, his co-workers who risked their lives for him. Andronicus and Junia, his fellow Jews and fellow prisoners who are outstanding among the apostles. Mary, who worked very hard. Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who work hard in the Lord. Persis, another woman who has worked very hard.

Women, men, Jews, Greeks, slaves, freedmen: the community addressed is a cross-section of Roman society. The Catechism notes that from the beginning the Church was a community that cut across the social divisions of the ancient world, a foretaste of the eschatological gathering of all nations (CCC 831). The list of names in Romans 16 is a photograph of what that looked like in one city at one moment: people who had found in Christ a fellowship that transcended every boundary the culture imposed.

The Final Warning and Doxology

Paul issues a final warning about those who create divisions and put obstacles in the way of the teaching that has been learned. Watch out for them and keep away from them. They do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. Everyone has heard about your obedience. Then the closing doxology, among the most theologically dense in the New Testament: to him who is able to establish you according to my Gospel, the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages but now disclosed through the prophetic writings, according to the command of the eternal God, for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. The mystery hidden for ages has now been revealed: the Gospel is for all nations, and the wisdom of God who planned it from before the ages receives the final glory.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Paul ends his greatest letter not with a doctrinal summary but with a list of friends and a shout of praise. Theology always lands in relationships and in worship. Name the people in your own Romans 16: those who have worked hard for the Gospel, who have risked something for you, who have been your Priscilla and Aquila. Give thanks for them. Then give glory to the only wise God through whom you share this fellowship.

Prayer

To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ. For the mystery hidden for ages and now revealed, for the Gospel that reaches all nations, for the Phoebes and Priscillas and Marys who carry it forward in every generation: glory to God forever. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

16
Personal Greetings and Love
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant * 16:1 Or deaconess of the church in Cenchrea. 2 Welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her with anything she may need from you. For she has been a great help to many people, including me.
 
3 Greet Prisca † 16:3 Prisca is a variant of Priscilla; see Acts 18:2. and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who have risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.
 
Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.‡ 16:5 Literally in Asia; Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.
 
6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.
 
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,§ 16:7 Some translators Junias my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
 
8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
 
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.
 
10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ.
 
Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
 
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow countryman.
 
Greet those from the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
 
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord.
 
Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.
 
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.
 
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them.
 
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them.
 
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
 
All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
Avoid Divisions
(Titus 3:9–11)
 
17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
 
19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
 
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ * 16:20 NA, NE, and WH Lord Jesus be with you.
Greetings from Paul’s Fellow Workers
(Colossians 4:7–14)
 
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen.
 
22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
 
23 Gaius, who has hosted me and all the church, sends you greetings.
 
Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you greetings, as does our brother Quartus.† 16:23 SBL, BYZ, and TR include 24 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Doxology
(Jude 1:24–25)
 
25 Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past 26 but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith ‡ 16:26 Literally the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.§ 16:27 Some manuscripts place the text of verses 25–27 after Romans 14:23 or after Romans 15:33.

*16:1 16:1 Or deaconess

†16:3 16:3 Prisca is a variant of Priscilla; see Acts 18:2.

‡16:5 16:5 Literally in Asia; Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.

§16:7 16:7 Some translators Junias

*16:20 16:20 NA, NE, and WH Lord Jesus

†16:23 16:23 SBL, BYZ, and TR include 24 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

‡16:26 16:26 Literally the obedience of faith

§16:27 16:27 Some manuscripts place the text of verses 25–27 after Romans 14:23 or after Romans 15:33.

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