in the house of these devoted followers of our Lord.1 We have traces of the same practice in other places of the New Testament. "Salute Nymphas and the church which is in his house."2 66 'Paul unto Philemon, and to the church in thy house." 3 Then follows a list of salutations, in the course of which some brief notices are given as if casually and incidentally, yet which are by no means devoid of interest. As when he salutes Epenetus, he signalises him by an epithet-well-beloved-which marks him out as an object of the apostle's special and superlative affection. It is like the love which one has for a first-born-he having been the first of Paul's spiritual children in Achaia. It is true that the house of Stephanas is elsewhere termed the first-fruits of Achaia. It is possible that Epenetus may have been of the household of Stephanas, or at all events may have been converted at the same time, or time of the first conversion which took place in Achaia under Paul's ministry. Some critics find an explanation in the circumstance that there are Greek manuscripts which present us with "Asia," instead of Achaia. We also gather from this enumeration additional evidence for the agency of females in these days— as of Mary, who bestowed much labour-as well as Tryphena and Tryphosa, who laboured; and Persis, who laboured much in the Lord. This may have been the labour of mere deaconship-as that of Stephanas was at the time when he was the bearer 2 Colossians, iv, 15. 4 + 1 Corinthians, xvi, 15. 11 Corinthians, xvi, 19. 1 of a supply for the apostle's wants, and of whose family it is said that they addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. It It may however have been more than this-a ministration in spiritual as well as temporal good things. The passage before us scarcely allows of any specific determination on this point. To labour in the Lord gives no decision. To assist the disciples of Christ in things necessary for the present life is part of that labour in the Lord which shall not be in vain. "In as much as ye have done it unto one of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." We may here add, that in the sixth verse there occurs a variation of reading-some manuscripts bearing that Mary bestowed much labour among you,' instead of 'on us.' That is, she may have been helpful to the members of the church, whether spiritually or temporally; or in the latter of these two senses, may have been helpful to Paul himself. Ver. 7. We have no taste for ascertaining that which the Bible has left uncertain, and on which ecclesiastical antiquity throws no light whatever. Why supersaturate the world with conjectures on matters which have no ground of evidence to stand upon?-as whether Andronicus and Junia were man and wife; whether Junia was not Julia, or if she was a woman at all; whether they were claimed by Paul as of kin to himself, because Israelites, or because of still nearer affinity; whether they were of note among the apostles, because, being converted before Paul, they might have been of the seventy disciples; and lastly, what the occasion of 1 Διακονία. their imprisonment along with the apostle. Enough for us the generalities of Scripture, which are at the same time of themselves sufficiently interesting. Ver. 8. 'Beloved in the Lord.' This expres sion denotes a purely spiritual relationship, as distinguished from the natural relationship adverted to in the preceding verse. The two verses together suggest the two distinct grounds on which one might be the object of affection. Both might be united in the same person; and this reminds us of what Paul says respecting Onesimus, that he should be received by Philemon as a brother beloved, "both in the flesh and in the Lord." It is pleasing to observe the former of these two affections thus legitimised by the apostle-or the sanction given by him to the natural as well as spiritual love-to the love of friendship and relationship, as well as that love of Christians which is emphatically termed the love of the brethren, and is singled out by St. John as an evidence of our having passed from death unto life. Ver. 9. Our helper in Christ.' This expression, even in our English Bible, powerfully suggests that the help given by Urbane to Paul was in his apostolic work. But the original fixes this more surely. He was the fellow-worker1 of the apostle. He Ver. 10. 'Approved in Christ'—or found. was one of those whom Paul here distinguishes by the special proof which he had given of his discipleship. 6 Ver. 11. Which are in the Lord.' This ad VOL. IV. 1 Συνεργος. 2 G junct to the household of Narcissus, and not of Aristobulus, would imply that only a part of Narcissus' family had been converted-whereas all of the other household had been turned to the faith. We may here observe, that Paul confines these salutations only to brethren in Christ-though none more courteous than he to them who were without. His were not common letters, but written for the use of the churches. not said beloved, as with many of the others. The two expressions harmonise. They who are loved now were loved before the foundation of the world. They who were loved then, are loved even unto the end. 'His mother and mine.' The mother of Rufus by birth, of Paul by affection-a claim of relationship by which he delicately and beautifully propounds the love that he bore to her. Rufus is understood to have been the son of Simon, who was compelled to bear the cross of our Saviour. We may close these remarks, by observing that these names are not without their use-in clearing up certain points, or at least furnishing ground for certain plausible conjectures, both in the evangelic and in ecclesiastical history. As an example of the latter, there is no reason for doubting the testimony of the ancients-that the Hermas to whom Paul here sends his respects, is identical with the apostolic father of that name, whose works have come down to us. For specimens of the help which these names afford, in establishing certain connections and references-so as to harmonise 1 Mark, xv, 21. some of the distant places and passages of the New Testament, and thus elicit a confirmatory evidence for the truth of the evangelic story, see Dr. Paley's 'Hora Paulinæ.' 6 Ver. 16. Salute one another with an holy kiss.' -The customary method of salutation in these days-exchanged, however, only between those of the same sex. It is remarkable that, by the testimony of Suetonius, an edict was published by one of the Roman emperors for the abolition of this practice among his subjects—perhaps in order to check abuses, for the prevention of which our apostle enjoins that it shall be a holy salutation. It is a custom adverted to in other places of the New Testament.1 The churches of Christ salute you'- Those churches probably to whom he had made known his purpose of writing to the church at Romewhose faith was spoken of throughout the whole world.2 We might well imagine the satisfaction which would be spread abroad among the disciples everywhere, when they heard of the progress which Christianity was making in the metropolis of the empire; and with what cordiality they would send their gratulations to the believers there. Ver. 17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.' Paul recurs to the topic of his unceasing earnestness and desire-the peace or unanimity of 11 Cor. xvi, 20; 2 Cor. xiii, 12; 1 Thessalonians, v, 26; 1 Peter, v, 14. 2 Romans, i, 8. |