“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:3-5).
Of the twenty-six members of the church mentioned by name in Romans 16, the book of Acts tells us the most about this noteworthy couple.
Originally from Rome, Paul meets them in Corinth on his second preaching tour. They were in Corinth because the emperor Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2). They crossed paths with Paul in Corinth, in part, because they were all tent makers (Acts 18:3).
When Paul left Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila traveled with him (Acts 18:18). At some point, they crossed the Aegean Sea and settled in Asia Minor, most likely in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:19, 8).
By the time Paul visits Corinth on his third preaching trip and from there writes the epistle to the Romans, these Jewish Christians had returned to Rome. His warm greeting of them indicates why they are excellent role models for every Christian couple.
They are workers. Our English word “synergy” comes from the Greek word Paul uses in reference to them (v. 3), Urbanus (v. 9), and Timothy (v. 21). Not only did they work well together as husband and wife, they worked well with others in the cause of Christ. Such team players and energetic servants are ever needed in the church Jesus bought and built.
They are risk-takers. Their loyalty to Christ and His gospel was demonstrated by the life-threatening risks they took. Neither Luke nor Paul provides any precise details about when Priscilla and Aquila took such risks, but such is unnecessary for us to recognize their tenacious loyalty to the truth and its preachers.
They are hospitable. In both Asia (1 Corinthians 16:19) and Europe (Romans 16:5) a congregation of God’s people met in the home of this godly couple. Surely their hospitality toward Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:3) was a huge spiritual blessing to them. They, in turn, sought to be a blessing to others through their generous hospitality.
How appropriate that Paul gave thanks to God for this hard-working, risk-taking, hospitable Christian couple.
