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Romans 16
Written by Melissa Brown.
Friendship:
We are going to fly to Nashville next weekend to see some of our friends. It has been quite the undertaking, buying tickets, arranging a rental car, and thinking about the prospect of traveling with a toddler and infant, but as I read Romans 16 it really drove home the importance of Paul’s greetings to me in a new way. It could be that this letter is the only way that Paul can ever have relationship with these people again. He plans to go to Rome, but in his uncertain world will he really live to see another day? When I think about the trouble and expense that is 10 fold or more what we have to endure to travel to see friends in today’s world I just get a better sense for how much more important this part of the letter must have been for Paul personally that I give it as a read it today.
Women:
Well I guess the thing that is the most obvious (barring some name translation issues) is that over a third of the people greeted specifically in Paul’s letter to the Romans are women. I think that pretty interesting from the guy who gets credit in I Timothy for putting women in their place. These aren’t just women who are friends. These are women who are leaders in their church, and known across the distance for it. Phoebe, who is probably carrying the letter, must be more than a nobody. She is able to travel. She has been entrusted with this important communication. This is more service than just passing a communion plate. He doesn’t address women’s roles or anything in these greetings, but I think with the details he included about the women he greets he is sending a message that women can have prominent leadership roles in Christ’s Church.
The “mystery”:
Romans 16:21 Paul calls the message of Jesus, “the mystery hidden for long ages past.” I think it’s an interesting way to describe Jesus’ teachings and mission. It implies that is no longer a mystery, but I still think so much of what Jesus was and did is a mystery. If it’s not, why do I still have so many unanswered questions?
