Romans 16:1-16

4. Commendation of Phebe and various Salutations , Romans 16:1-16 .

These salutations appear at first glance like a dry catalogue of names. But they introduce us into “good society.” Very probably we read here the names of Christians who went out three years after to escort Paul from Appii Forum to Rome. Very probably the large share of them sealed their Christianity with martyrdom under the approaching persecution by Nero. (See note on Acts 28:15.)

Renan has a plausible theory that this passage of salutations was really written, not to the Church of Rome, but to the Church of Ephesus. He does not thereby question the genuine Pauline origin of the passage. He merely maintains that these salutations belong to that copy of the Epistle which was addressed and sent by Paul to Ephesus. (See note on Romans 14:23.) His reasons are, 1, The residence of Aquila and Priscilla at Ephesus; and, 2, The great prevalence of the Greek over the Roman names. The first reason we answer at Romans 16:4.

The proportion of names, (Renan argues,) as appears by ancient inscriptions at Rome, ought to give twice as many Latin as Greek names in the Roman Church; whereas in these salutations there are twice as many Greek as Roman. But, we reply, the question is not what is the proportion of Greek names to the Roman in the Church, but what would be the proportion among Paul’s friends and acquaintances in the Church. Now he had as yet preached mainly to Greeks, and to Jews having Greek names. He had never preached in Rome to Romans, or in the Roman (Latin) language; and this very Epistle to them addressed is entirely Greek. In this circle of Paul’s friends at Rome some would be from Asia, some from Macedonia, and a large share from Corinth itself. For after Corinth was demolished it was extensively repeopled with Romans who yet spoke Greek at Corinth, and so a special connexion existed between the two cities. All routes terminated at Rome. It cannot therefore be surprising either that Paul should have a body of friends and followers in Rome, or that they should be twice as many Greeks as Romans, at least in name.