Romans 16:3

Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus.

"Priscilla" is the diminutive form of the name Prisca and was probably the term used by her close friends and associates (Acts 18:2); but Paul, in such a formal letter as this to a congregation where he had never visited, would naturally have used her more formal name, Prisca.

Amazingly, she is mentioned first, even ahead of her husband, and first of all those whom Paul was about to name. From this it has been concluded that she was more active and successful in Christian work than her husband Aquila; for not merely here, but in Acts 18:18,26, and 2 Timothy 4:19, the same preeminence of Priscilla is indicated; however, in Acts 18:2,1 Corinthians 16:19, Aquila is mentioned first.

There were doubtless very good reasons why this couple should have headed the list of all whom Paul desired to salute in Rome, and some have supposed that Prisca was of the Roman nobility; but we cannot believe that anything of that nature would have carried any weight whatever with Paul. There were qualities of character and service involved in the bestowal of such honor as was given this great Christian woman, an honor above even that of her husband; and it is natural to think of their laying "down their own necks" on Paul's behalf, an action in which Prisca might well have been the principal participant, encouraged and supported by her husband.

My fellow workers in Christ Jesus ... This couple were citizens of Rome, where Aquila was engaged in tent-making; and its being written that they "were tentmakers" shows that Priscilla also had an active hand in the business. In 49 A.D., the emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome; and thus it came about that Prisca and Aquila opened up a tent-making business in Corinth, where, in the providence of God, they became acquainted with Paul and were converted to Christ. What a glorious blessing, therefore, the cruel edict of the emperor proved to be for them; for if Claudius had not expelled the Jews, they might not ever have known the truth of the gospel. They aided Paul in the work of evangelism in Corinth; and, when Paul transferred his labors to Ephesus, they evidently followed him there (Acts 18:18) and were eyewitnesses of the turbulence and violence that resulted from his preaching there. Greathouse wrote that:

They may have been involved in the troubles described in Acts 19:23-40; and, in these, they may have laid down their own necks for Paul's life.[7]

When the edict of Claudius was lifted, Prisca and Aquila returned to Rome, as proved by the salutation here; but, still later, as Sanday observed, "They seem to have returned to Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19)."[8] As Dodd and others have pointed out, it would not have been necessary for Prisca and Aquila to have closed down their tent-making operation due to Claudius' edict; they could merely have appointed a manager and have continued to maintain both their home and business in the great world capital. Similarly, they could have operated the establishments in Corinth and Ephesus, thus owning a home and a business in each of those cities. If such as this did occur, it would account for the fact that no less than five terms of residence in those various cities are visible in the New Testament account; and this would also help explain the immense influence of this tremendous Christian couple.

[7] William M. Greathouse, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1968), p. 279.

[8] W. Sanday, op. cit., p. 278.