Apollos is first mentioned as a Christian preacher who had come to Ephesus (probably in AD 52 or 53), where he is described as "being fervent in spirit: he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John ". They were forcibly displaced from their home by the edict of Claudius, which exiled Jewish people from Rome. Priscilla is commonly identified with her husband, Aquila. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor." Paul could not do it alone. In the Catholic Church, the Roman Martyrology lists their feast as July 8. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. Think of it, eighteen months of intensive Bible study under the greatest Bible teacher in the early church. One correction should be made of Groothuis' facts: Priscilla/Prisca and Aquila are mentioned only six times in the Greek text (Acts 18:19 simply has ).. 3 Too much could be made of this point however, for only . Priscilla instructed the learned Apollos, Lois and Eunice taught Timothy, and Phoebe is named as an overseer and a deacon in the church at Cenchrea. The reason they left Rome to come to Corinth was because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome (18:2). Priscilla and Aquila didnt just love each other. Priscilla and Aquila had that kind . [11] The Greek Orthodox Church and the Antiochian Orthodox Church commemorate them together on February 13. He was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness for them. By his side was his faithful wife, Priscilla. And what they were able to accomplish as a unit was magnificent. Possibly at this time they became Christians ( Acts 18:1-3). Aquila and Priscilla are always mentioned together. One of the most powerful legacies you can leave is a well-lived life that others can emulate. 4. Their relationship with Paul went far beyond a casual greeting at worship services. Then the couple started out to accompany Paul when he proceeded to Syria, but stopped at Ephesus in the Roman province of Asia, now part of modern Turkey. The two letters of Paul to the Thessalonians, which later became part of the Bible canon, may have been written while the apostle was staying with Aquila and Priscilla. It is particularly to be noticed that she took part, not only in her husbands exercise of hospitality, but likewise in the theological instruction of Apollos. 1 C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC) 2.784.. 2 Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, Good News for Women: A Biblical Picture of Gender Equality (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997) 194. St. Epiphanius (c. 315403) preserved in his writings the popular Christian tradition that . She was just using her God-given abilities, as a helpmeet to her husband for the glory of God. Yet when Priscilla is mentioned by Paul, he describes her as a co-worker in the Lord (Romans 16:3), placing her alongside Timothy (Romans 16:21), Titus (2 Corinthians 8:23), Philemon (Philemon 1) and Luke (Philemon 24) in Pauls valuing of her work among the churches. Their lives can take a completely different direction because of your willingness to pour into them like God is asking you to. BulletinInserts.org - A ministry of Christian Communicators Worldwide. Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. When they were just getting started in business in Corinth their home was probably not big enough to hold all the Christians, so the house of Titus Justus was used. Aquila is traditionally listed among the Seventy Disciples. Aquila and Priscilla returned to Rome by 57 CE where they became church leaders again. Paul came to work with them in their shop, and even lived with them in their home during his stay in Corinth. Apparently, there was a lot of commotion in the Jewish community because people were teaching about Jesus. Terms of Use: The contents of this blog post are restricted to your personal use only. They enjoyed being together and working together. How did Aquila and Priscilla die? supporting those who proclaim the gospel and plant churches. I found myself in her shoes and its not always an easy pair to wear, you can change the size just dont get rid of what God blessed you with. His two friends were willing to give everything in the service of the Savior, even their lives. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. We find written in the New Testament about a couple - Aquila and Priscilla that have left the following seven very beautiful and worthy lessons to be learned and followed by every Christian couple. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. Its a good thing to be mindful of the kind of spiritual energy we allow to influence the atmosphere of our home. The careful description of Aquila as a Jew, a man of Pontus (Acts 18:2), rather implies that Priscilla his wife was not a Jewess; because her name is usually put first (4 out of 6 times), it is thought that she was of higher social standing than her husband. In the early days when Christianity was new and unpopular, many people lost their lives. Apollos received their words, traveled to Achaia, and flourished in ministry there. How can you improve this area of your life? They liked each other a lot. She cares deeply about seeing women and men thrive in their God-given gifts. Why? Perhaps 15 or 16 years later, when Paul is near death and writing his final letter to Timothy in Ephesus, he urges Timothy, Greet Prisca and Aquila (2 Tim 4:19). But when we consider Pauls experiences and culture and the original audiences experiences and culture, those six mentions like a trumpet proclaim Priscillas significance in the nurturing of home-churches throughout the Mediterranean and impact on Pauls life and ministry. Who were Priscilla and Aquila in the Bible? In what way did Priscilla and her husband minister to Apollos (vv. Apollo is often depicted as playing a golden lyre, but he was also known as the Archer, shooting with a silver bow, and also the god of healing. They seem to have something to prove, competing with their husbands for the spotlight, grasping after authority and preeminence. [3] Hoppin and others suggest that Priscilla was the author, but that her name was omitted either to suppress its female authorship, or to protect the letter itself from suppression.[3][4]. Not all translations will use this name. Thats what they did for money before they had to leave Rome. Who is that young woman? Claudius was dead now, so the move seemed safe, and Rome surely needed a gospel witness. Yet, there is never a place in Scripture where one is mentioned and the other isnt. Maybe there are young men and women in the community who need a big brother or big sister or mother or mentor to help them get through life. They probably helped to establish the church in Ephesus. Some husbands feel threatened because their wives are more knowledgeable or capable than they are, and in order to avoid embarrassment and save face they sometimes become spiritual dropouts. What else could you be doing to share Gods Word with others? ), but Paul was extremely thankful. They continued to serve God wholeheartedly, and their house in Rome, like their house in Ephesus, became a church meeting place ( Romans 16:3-5). 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. The book of Acts informs us they leave Rome when Claudius expels the Jews from Asia Minor (Acts 18:2). And God blessed his ministry. When shes not on campus, shes living one of her life-long dreams: sitting in her cozy living room, reading through colorful stacks of books for her doctorate in Divinity and Religious Studies (coffee, anyone?). And the home of Aquila and Priscilla was always open to people who wanted to learn more about Christ, and for Christians who wanted to grow in the Word. Paul was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness to them (Romans 16:34). This was the epitome of courageous faith. When I am preparing a message, I often talk to my wife about it and get her thoughts on the passage I am studying. They were inseparable, and they were equals. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. She is mentioned exactly six times in the New Testament. There is so much she can teach us. Priscilla took the lead on this. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Second, they experienced difficult circumstances together. And pray to God for His Spirit to empower you to spend your remaining days as a faithful husband and wife team, committed to the advance of Gods kingdom no matter the cost. - Acts 18:1-3. Priscilla used her gifts of hospitality, hosting house-churches in her home; she used her gifts of knowing Gods truth to clarify the Gospel message for the charismatic Apollos; she used the fruits of her business acumen and welcomed Paul into the heart of her leather-works shop, providing him a platform to teach and to preach. True oneness can only be found in Christ. This is why the Jews were wildly unhappy. So off they went! During that period of time, he wrote his first letter to the Corinthians and said, The churches of Asia greet you. I know you could think of a couple who cannot stand to be around each other. I hear that! The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. So when they arrived in Corinth, they scoured the marketplace together for a small open-air shop to rent, and proceeded to set up their tent-making business. Maybe your neighbor needs to learn to read and write and you know where to get them help. As the title suggests, I am looking for any scholarly research on Priscilla from the NT. Rather than correcting him in public or openly challenging his teaching, they fostered a relationship with him in the context of loving fellowship. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue (Acts 18:24-26). Aquila, a Jewish Christian, and his wife, Priscilla, first met Paul in Corinth, became good friends of his, and shared in his work. They all were tent makers. The emperor at the time chased out the Jews because he claimed there were too many Jewish uprisings. Scripture tells the story like this: After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. Third, they worked together. Even risking their lives for each other. You need at least one friend like this. In ancient mediterranean culture, women were viewed as property of their husbands, of lesser status, needing to live under the protection of their fathers or husbands for their survival and well-being. among Jews and was used by the Church Fathers Origen in the 3rd century and St. Jerome in the 4th and 5th centuries. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Ive heard some people say this should never happen, which is probably true for certain marriages. Priscilla and Aquila were well-known in Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. Pastor, Do You Have a Priscilla in Your Church? And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. But we do know from Scripture that when they left Rome they went to Corinth. They were not only mates and lovers, they must have been good friends and companions. Who is that person who could use your knowledge and advice and nurturing to set them on the path that God has ordained for them to take? After arriving in Corinth, they live with Paul for a year and a half. How can you be a layperson to help your pastor or deacon or other church leaders. Fourth, they became life-long friends and ministry partners of Paul. According to Jewish law, those who teach and preach should not get paid. Some Christians conduct evangelistic dinners, where they invite unsaved friends to hear an outstanding personal testimony. Theresa Doyle-Nelson Blogs July 8, 2017. The wonderful thing is that as women, God has equipped us with what we need to do what He has called and commissioned us to get done. The beautiful life story of two that married into one. If you and your mate were considering working together in a business, what problems would you foresee arising? These three heard the gospel, embraced the gospel, and propagated the gospel all apart from the author of the gospel. What spiritual contribution are you making to the lives of others? So she is named first because of her rank. Paul had no problem with a godly, capable woman being a church leader. Today we can read, dissect and examine what we know of their story and mine lessons we can use to guide our own Christian experiences in practical ways. Acts16v31. She seems to have been 'the better man of the two'; and Aquila drops comparatively into the background. The timing was obviously of God, for no sooner had they gotten settled down in their shop than another Jewish tentmaker arrived in town fresh from an evangelistic crusade in Athens, the Apostle Paul. Although they did quite a bit of traveling, wherever they called home was a place into which they would welcome believers for worship. But his training was to be blamed for that. He expelled the Jews. It really isnt easy to wear those shoes indeed. They had to be willing to give to each other more than they tried to take. Along with her husband, Priscilla worked alongside the Apostle Paul with whom they became very close friends. Apollos had a keen mind and a quick understanding. They sailed 250 miles and landed at Ephesus. How do scholars generally perceive her role? Of those six references, Aquila's name is mentioned first only twice: and one of the times on account of it being Paul's first encounter with them, probably through Aquila first. Acts 18:1 Meaning 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. Start praying for God to orchestrate the pieces of your life so you can find your community of like-minded and like-hearted people. The three would prove to become steadfast friends, traveling companions, and ministry coworkers. At least Aquila, however, geographically came from the diaspora of northern Anatolia,. . These two who lived together, worked together, and suffered exile together, came to know and love Jesus Christ together, and it made their marriage complete. He continued travelling while they settled down and opened their home, not only to Apollos but to other believers. The greater your intimacy, the happier your marriage. [6] Priscilla and Aquila had been among the Jews expelled from Rome by the Roman Emperor Claudius in the year 49 as written by Suetonius. They knew this because in his sermon Apollos talked about the coming Messiah that the Old Testament prophecies talked about. The move was providential, for while Paul was gone a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. They were so united, they didn't have any problems with who was doing what in their ministry. He is thinking of his dear friends who were then back in Ephesus where Timothy was ministering, possibly having left Rome to escape Neros latest outburst of persecution against Christians. It's said a generation spans roughly 25 years. Why Isnt the Civil Rights Movement Considered a Revival Movement? But that is evidently the kind of relationship Aquila and Priscilla had. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers as was Paul. How did it make Apollos more effective? Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos: Paul left for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. [1Cor. She and Aquila worked with Paul and carried on without him when he moved on in his journey. Fifth, they traveled with Paul. But one thing we do knowthey were together. Research for this post came from: This article originally appeared on Biola.edu. And they were doing just that. In Romans 16:34, thought to have been written in 56 or 57,[7] Paul sends his greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and proclaims that both of them "risked their necks" to save Paul's life. Apollos received their words, traveled to Achaia, and flourished in ministry there. It had been sixteen years since Paul first met them at Corinth, and now he was in a Roman prison for the second time. The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. Their lives were never the same again. The Apostle Paul, after staying in Corinth for a year and a half, travels to Ephesus in the spring of 52 A.D. [4], The Christian Church, beginning with Jesus, had a radical view of the status of women. And we can fall on Him at anytime when we feel like we are insufficient to the task. Aquila and Priscilla Feast day: Jul 08. Claudius cared little about the reason for the trouble, and even less about who the guilty parties were. We know it from what we have already seen, but there is another facet of their Christian service that bears mention. So Priscilla and Aquila decided to fix it. They ended up in Corinth. There can be no doubt that Priscilla and Aquila were vital members of the Pauline circle, and partners in ministry with Timothy. They ended up in Corinth. When they came to Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila stayed there. No matter what the case, Priscilla and Aquila meet Paul in Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside in a private setting and shared vital insights. When Paul left Corinth for Ephesus eighteen months later, Aquila and Priscilla went with him, and remained in Ephesus when Paul moved on ( Acts 18:11;  Acts 18:18-19). Apollos was already energetic and passionate. I really appreciated how she consistently poured into others. Blessings to you. Once Pauls ministry was complete the first time he went to Corinth, he set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there (Acts 18:19). One thought is that Priscilla was more outspoken than Aquila so thats why she mostly mentioned first. How did Aquila and Priscilla die? And that is unusual! First of 28 people! He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. It seems, from what the Roman historian Suetonius says, that they were persecuting their Christian neighbors and causing considerable disturbance in the city. You have a responsibility to help people like Apollos. Enjoy these fun facts about her. 8. Does it always mean taking the gospel to a dangerous land and literally dying there? Priscilla and Aquila did the very same thing that Paul did. He had learned about Jesus but knew only of the baptism of repentance practised by John, being ignorant of the news of the descent of the Holy . If either one of you has never placed your faith in the sacrifice which Christ made for your sins, your marriage cannot be complete. I suppose the emperor didnt want them to disrupt and destroy the place any longer so he expelled them. He preached about John the Baptist and the need for repentance in preparation for the coming of Jesus the Messiah. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She is the only Priscilla named in the New Testament. devoting your time and energies to a local church. Priscilla was considered a laywoman. .--Many of the best MSS. He wrote a history entitled the 'Life of Claudius' in which he stated the following: Priscilla and Aquila encountered a man named Apollos, who was courageously speaking about Jesus in the synagogue, but he did not yet fully know and understand Jesus. Romans 16:3-4 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; From Thematic Bible Let's begin by reading the end of Acts 18 and the beginning of Acts 19. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. Priscilla and Aquila are regarded as saints in most Christian churches that canonize saints. Are there occasions when you feel that your mate undermines you in public? (3) Apollos was equipped by Priscilla and Aquila to help the Corinthian converts. Aquila and Priscilla may not have been accomplished public speakers, but they were diligent students of the Word, and they loved to share it with others. They moved to Corinth in Achaia, the southern part of Greece, where they met Paul. Share this with each other and discuss how it can be avoided.

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