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Verse Commentaries:
Chapter Level Commentary:
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary ,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
4. Etc.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO Rom_16:1-27
A. Notice that all of the women in this closing section were fellow-workers with Paul in the gospel (cf. Php_4:3): Phoebe in Rom_16:1; Prisca in Rom_16:3; Mary in Rom_16:6; Junia (or Junias-if so it was a man) in Rom_16:7; Tryphaena and Tryphosa in Rom_16:12; Persis in Rom_16:12; "his mother" in Rom_16:13; Julia in Rom_16:15; and "his sister" in Rom_16:15. Be careful of dogmatism in the area of women in ministry. All believers are gifted (cf. 1Co_12:7; 1Co_12:11), full-time ministers (cf. Eph_4:12).
In this list we have a woman deacon, Phoebe, and a possible woman-apostle, Junia (cf. Joe_2:28; Act_2:16-21). It is difficult to know how to handle this issue biblically because of the seemingly paradoxical statements of Paul such as 1Co_11:4-5 compared with 1Co_14:34.
B. Notice the possible racial backgrounds of these names
1. believing Jews: Aquila, Prisca, Andronicus, Junias, Mary [some MSS have Mariam];
2. Roman noble family names: Prisca, Ampliatus, Apelles, Narcissus, Julia, Philologus;
3. Jewish noble family names: Aristobulus, Herodion.
C. Rom_16:1-16 are Paul's personal greetings, while Rom_16:17-20 are his closing warnings against false teachers. In Rom_16:21-23 the mission team sends greetings from Corinth.
D. The discussion of Romans 16 in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary by F. F. Bruce is very helpful. If you are interested in a detailed study of the names found in this chapter, read pages 266-284.
E. There is some doubt about where the letter closes. A closing appears several times at the end of Romans 14, 15 (MS P46) and 16, in the ancient Greek manuscripts. However, the traditional close of Rom_16:25-27 appears in MSS P61, à , B, C and D as well as the Greek text used by Clement of Rome (a.d. 95).
Rom_16:24 does not appear in the older Greek manuscripts, P46, P61, à , A, B, C, nor the Latin Vulgate or the Greek text used by Origen of Alexandria. For a full discussion of the variants see Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 533-536.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. How did Paul know all of these people in the Roman church when he had never been there?
2. Is there any biblical evidence for women deacons (cf. Rom_16:1; 1Ti_3:11; 1Ti_5:3-16)?
3. What is the implication of so many women being listed in this chapter?
4. Describe the methods and message of the false teachers (Rom_16:17-18).