Romans 16:4

Who for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles: and salute the church that is in their house. Salute Epaenetus my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Asia unto Christ.

Paul here declared that he actually owed his life to this couple and that this laid the whole brotherhood of Gentile churches under a debt of gratitude to Prisca and Aquila for having saved Paul's mission to the Gentiles. What a wonderful thing it would be to know just what happened. It was an event of the highest drama and significance, and known from one end of the pagan empire to the other; but now, alas, it is a deed buried under centuries of silence, with only this single finger of divine light having been left as a record of so brave and unselfish an act. Surely, the word of the Lord is not like the words of men. In view of what surely happened, all of the illustrious achievements of this great apostle must be credited to this noble couple who saved his life. No wonder the pen of inspiration wrote their names first.

Laid down their own necks ... is perhaps the basis of the colloquial proverb regarding "sticking out one's neck." Many acts of craven cowardice have been justified by their perpetrators who said, either to themselves or others, "I'm not going to stick my neck out!" Here on the sacred page is the shining record of a Christian couple who did stick theirs out, and, in doing so, saved Paul's Gentile mission and stored up for themselves an eternal reward.

And salute the church that is in their house ... A congregation was meeting regularly in their home for the purpose of Christian worship; and, although the group was probably not very large, it is here called a church, that is, a local congregation. This great couple had also similarly housed the church in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:19). Similar instances of household congregations revealed in the New Testament are those of Mary (Acts 12:12), of Nymphas (Colossians 4:15), of Philemon (Philemon 1:1:2), and also, perhaps, the groups mentioned in Romans 16:14-15, below. This was probably the usual manner in which the Christians of that era solved: the problems of a place to worship. Bishop Lightfoot (quoted by Wuest) wrote that:

There is no clear example of a separate building set apart for Christian worship within the limits of the Roman empire before the third century. The Christian congregations were therefore dependent upon the hospitality of prominent members of the church who furnished their homes for this purpose.[9]

In view of this historical fact, and the inspired evidence of it before our eyes, one may only marvel at the divisions among brethren over the question of whether or not food may be served in a church house! From the facts, as evidenced in the example of Prisca and Aquila, it can safely be inferred that anything a Christian might do in his home could, under the proper circumstances, be done in a religious meeting house, the home in fact having been the original meeting house of the apostolic church.

Salute Epaenetus my beloved ... Two facts regarding this person catch the attention: (1) that he was converted in Asia (probably at Ephesus) while Paul was there, and (2) that his name is here closely listed with those of Prisca and Aquila. This would give plausibility to the speculation of Lenski, thus:

It is likely that Epaenetus was converted by Prisca and Aquila, and that for this reason his name is mentioned here after their names. It is even surmised that he was a tentmaker, worked in Aquila's shop, and thus came to Rome with this couple. Paul would thus know him intimately, and "my beloved" would fit exactly.[10]

[9] Kenneth S. Wuest, op. cit., p. 259.

[10] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 905.