KEY VERSE: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." Romans 16:3,4. They had to be able to accept suggestions as readily as they offered them. In ancient mediterranean culture, women were not commended for work or accomplishments that fell outside of a traditional feminine rolescaring for home and family. If either one of you has never placed your faith in the sacrifice which Christ made for your sins, your marriage cannot be complete. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26). There are up to 12 types of intimacy in marriage. They chose a wise mentoring approach with Apollos. 4:15] His including them in his greetings implies that Priscilla and Aquila were also involved in the founding of that church. Acts 18-27 New Living Translation Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth 18 Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. He absorbed the truth they taught him and made it a part of his life and ministry. AQUILA was a natural Jew and a . In ancient mediterranean culture, women generally did not have access to roles of power or influence, yet Paul says that Priscilla, with Aquila, risked their lives (literally necks) on Pauls behalf (Romans 16:3-4). You have a responsibility to help people like Apollos. All rabbis were supposed to have a job and make their own money. According to Jewish law, those who teach and preach should not get paid. Talk with your spouse about Priscilla and Aquilas remarkable marriage, and then pray together. .--Many of the best MSS. Ask the Lord to give you the kind of commitment to one another that is seen in their marriage. [2] She also is thought by some to be the anonymous author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. All of this is just guessing. It was just a brief and simple greeting, using the shorter form of Priscillas name that we have seen in several other passages. That is not difficult to do in a pastors home. This Jewish couple was saved under the Apostle Paul's ministry and served as his spiritual coworkers. Although Paul left them in Ephesus and went on his way at some point, he always sent greetings to them in his letters to the congregations that met in various homes. He wrote a history entitled the 'Life of Claudius' in which he stated the following: They ended up in Corinth. Apollos had a keen mind and a quick understanding. Do those who spend time with you become infected with your love for Christ? That was when a Jew named Aquila, who had migrated to Rome from the province of Pontus on the Black Sea, packed his belongings, bid farewell to his friends, and embarked for the city of Corinth. Your email address will not be published. . I can imagine no higher praise in that culture for ones work and leadership in the early Christian movement. But life is better when there is a tribe of people like this. Thats what they did for money before they had to leave Rome. How can you be a layperson to help your pastor or deacon or other church leaders. Priscilla and Aquila did the very same thing that Paul did. So he withdrew from the synagogue and began teaching in the house of Titus Justus next door. When Priscilla saw and heard Apollos, she realized that he was passionate and brilliant and a gifted speaker. Apparently, there was a lot of commotion in the Jewish community because people were teaching about Jesus. Priscilla and Aquila left a legacy of unwavering and fruitful trust in God; a wholesome and productive marriage; and a powerful and impactful ministry. 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. But our story begins about a year earlier, when in 49 C.E., according to Suetonius, Emperor Claudius expelled from Rome all Jews who followed . Priscilla (/prsl/; Greek: , Priskilla or Priscila) and Aquila (/kwl/; Greek: , Akylas, an eagle) were a early Christian missionary couple described in the New Testament. I will not go into why this might be so. Aquila had acquired that skill and later taught it to his wife, and she happily assisted him in his business. They were tentmakers by trade (18:3). And, as you might remember from BBST103 or your favorite hermeneutics courses, we are worlds apart from the biblical textfrom the culture and experiences of the authors and original audiences. If she is preparing a lesson, she may come to get my help in understanding a particular verse, and we find ourselves sharing the Word together. Adam and Eve. This is how Priscilla and Aquila came to leave Italy (Acts 18:2). We know it from what we have already seen, but there is another facet of their Christian service that bears mention. Maybe you can make clothes like Dorcas. Ninth, they used their homes for church meetings. Apollos went on to become a prolific preacher. All other uses require written permission. Priscilla, Aquila, and Timothy ministered together with Paul in Corinth, and Priscilla and Aquila worked alongside Timothy in Ephesus. Tradition reports that Aquila and Priscilla were martyred together. Believers who shared faith with them could enter and enjoy Christian fellowship and worship. Saints Aquila and Priscilla were a Jewish couple from Rome who had been exiled to Corinth, and were friends of St. Paul in the first century. Many dedicated women use coffee cup evangelism, establishing close friendships with their neighbors and sharing Christ with them over the kitchen table. They moved to Corinth in Achaia, the southern part of Greece, where they met Paul. Dont go away rich with wisdom while your Apollos is hungering for it. So off they went! From the day Aquila and Priscilla met the Savior, they grew in the Word together. Opponents of female pastorship cite his reference to Adam and Eve to be indicating that the issue is a matter of universal gender propriety. His Latin name, Aquila, means "eagle." Most likely he was a freedman living in Rome because most of the Jews living in Rome at this time were such. In particular they helped Apollos, a newly converted Jewish teacher who had come to Ephesus from Egypt ( Acts 18:24-26). Because their hearts were beating the same, they worked together effortlessly. Aquila and Priscilla found their way to Corinth and settled there, pursuing their trade as tentmakers. Priscilla and Aquila: Tentmaking Ministers. She and Aquila worked with Paul and carried on without him when he moved on in his journey. When Paul met the couple in Corinth, they were already believers; and they welcomed Paul the tent-maker and evangelist into their business and home, and he enjoyed their hospitality for 18 months (Acts 18). BulletinInserts.org - A ministry of Christian Communicators Worldwide. For husbands: Does it bother you when your wife outshines you? Given the nature of their trade, Priscilla and Aquila could be flexible where and when they earned their income from making tents. I hear that! When I am preparing a message, I often talk to my wife about it and get her thoughts on the passage I am studying. 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. The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 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. Furthermore, their ministry to Apollos reveals their devotion to Gods word. During their time in Ephesus, one day, Priscilla and Aquila went to the synagogue. Priscilla and her husband Aquila met the apostle Paul when he came to Corinth in approximately 50 C.E. But that is evidently the kind of relationship Aquila and Priscilla had. In 1900, Adolf von Harnack suggested that Priscilla wrote the epistle to the Hebrews. This is not explicitly revealed, but it is assumed that the year and a half they had with Paul in Corinth must have been full of learningespecially since he lived with them! Yes, you can be married to someone you dont actually like. [20] The Lutheran Church commemorates them on the same day along with Apollos. Paul brought the couple with him to Ephesus, an ancient Greek city, where they stayed, while Paul proceeded to Antioch in Turkey. Coupled with her husband, she was a celebrated missionary, and a friend and co-worker of Paul. One scholar paints a convincing picture of Paul working in their ground-level shop (Priscilla and Aquila making their home upstairs), chatting with customers and sharing the Good Newsthis, alongside Pauls teaching in Corinthian synagogues, is how the churches in Corinth began. He knew they were Jews, and that was enough; so all Jews were uprooted from their homes and banished from Rome, the innocent along with the guilty. "After this he [Paul] left Athens and went to Corinth. Instead, she saw an opportunity to pour into him. She was one of the worlds truly liberated women, for there is no freedom that brings more joy and satisfaction than the freedom of obeying Gods Word. Wherever they lived, Christians met in their home for worship. The Bible doesnt tell us explicitly at what point Priscilla and Aquila came to believe in Jesus. Aquila and Priscilla returned to Rome by 57 CE where they became church leaders again. Of those six references, Aquilas name is mentioned first only twice, Priscillas name is mentioned first on four occasions; this may indicate her equal status with her husband, or even possibly that Priscilla was thought of as the more prominent teacher and disciple. She is certainly not Aquilas property as was customary in Greco-Roman society but rather his partner in ministry and marriage".[5]. It is no wonder their husbands feel threatened. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. Some Bible scholars believe they were martyred in Rome due to Christians being blamed for a fire which occurred when they returned and resettled there.  Acts 20:31), during which he wrote the letter known to us as 1 Corinthians. The qualities of Priscilla in the Bible are not so easy to identify because although she is mentioned in multiple verses, not many details are revealed about her. Learn how your comment data is processed. We should also create an atmosphere that the enemy will not be able to tolerate. Priscilla is mentioned only six times in the New Testament, and in each instance, she is named in a strikingly countercultural way. The beautiful life story of two that married into one. And after the lessons were over, the three of them probably went home together and sat up into the early hours of the morning talking about the Lord and His Word. They seem to have something to prove, competing with their husbands for the spotlight, grasping after authority and preeminence. How did Aquila and Priscilla die? 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. Discuss what kind of mutual Bible study you think will work best for you, then covenant to do it regularly together. In what way did Priscilla and her husband minister to Apollos (vv. [4], The Christian Church, beginning with Jesus, had a radical view of the status of women. 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. They became close friends with Paul, helping him to bear the burden of ministry. 2. Priscilla was also called Prisca. It really isnt easy to wear those shoes indeed. Are you looking for opportunities to share Christ wherever you go, as Paul did? But it may be more difficult at your house, especially if you have never done it. They did ministry together. These three people fed each others energy as they fulfilled the purpose for which God had called them. Acts 18 . In stark contrast, Priscilla and Aquila are a husband and wife ministry team. On the other hand, Catherine and Richard Kroeger have written: The fact is that women did indeed teach men, that women served as leaders, and that in doing so they enjoyed Gods blessing and won the praise of other believers. [1] Priscilla and Aquila, a Jewish Christian couple who had come to Ephesus with the . She seems to have been 'the better man of the two'; and Aquila drops comparatively into the background. Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. Your email address will not be published. In fact, we may say that Priscilla is the example of what the married woman may do, for the general service of the Church, in conjunction with home duties, as Phoebe is the type of the unmarried servant of the Church, or deaconess. During their stay in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla met up with another Jew from the Dispersion, known as Apollos. And so they could easily spend hours upon hours upon hours together and not get bored or sick of each other. Do you seek praise from others at his expense? The greater the intimacy, the more success you will experience in your life. At the mouth of the valley of the shadow of death he remembered the old days in Corinth, and the, to us, unknown instance of devotion which these two had shown, when, for his life, they laid down their own necks. They were from Pontus, a Roman province in northeastern Asia Minor. He had been "instructed in the way of the Lord" which he taught with great "enthusiasm". [3], They are mentioned six times in four different books of the New Testament, always named as a couple and never individually. The problem was, he was going in a direction that could have become problematic in the future. How did Aquila and Priscilla die? In fact, her name is first in four out of the six biblical references to them. The evidence of other ancient sources points to two possible periods during the reign of Claudius: either during his first regnal year (AD 41; so Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.6.6), or during his ninth regnal year (49; so Orosius, Historia 7.6.15f). Yes, but lets start with ten facts about Priscilla and Aquila. Such language was traditionally used for the hero of a Greco-Roman story, not of women. They were even willing to invest the time necessary to take one young man under their spiritual care and pour into his life the things of Christ. Jekyll and Hyde. When Paul met the couple in Corinth, they were already believers; and . Priscilla and Aquila were Paul's "helpers in Christ Jesus." In Romans 16:4, Paul says that they even "laid down their own necks" for his sake. Their story begins in Acts 18 when they came in as a group of refugees who were fleeing from Rome in 49 A.D. as a result of the persecutions happening there. Our knowledge of divine truth would be incomplete without the epistles which God inspired him to write. He began to preach boldly in the synagogue. She could have gotten killed but Priscilla kept going. There are a few ideas about why Priscilla is often mentioned before Aquila in most verses in the Bible. However, he knew only the baptism of John the Baptistnot the baptism taught by Jesus. Priscilla is the diminutive of Prisca, feminine of Prisca meaning "primitive," hence, "worthy, or venerable," as belonging to the good old Children are not mentioned, so why even mention this? It had been sixteen years since Paul first met them at Corinth, and now he was in a Roman prison for the second time. 6 Warning Signs of a Toxic Church Culture, 5 Differences Between a Critical Mind and a Critical Spirit. [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]. They were not only mates and lovers, they must have been good friends and companions. Since 1Corinthians discusses a crisis deriving from a conflict between the followers of Apollos and the followers of Cephas (possibly the apostle Peter), it can be inferred that Apollos accompanied Priscilla and Aquila when they returned to Corinth. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila . Amongst churches today, this passage is often held in perceived tension with 1 Timothy 2:1214, in which the author, Paul,[13] writes, "I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. What are you taking from Priscilla for your own life? This is one of the best ways to be on one accord with each. Related Topics: Christian Home, Issues in Church Leadership/Ministry, Leadership, Marriage, Richard L. Strauss authored nine books, and served as pastor of churches in Fort Worth, TX, Huntsville, AL. Priscilla, Aquila and Paul spent 18 months in Corinth together. The book of Acts informs us they leave Rome when Claudius expels the Jews from Asia Minor (Acts 18:2). Why the switch? In Paul's list of greetings to members of the church at Rome, a list that includes 28 individuals, Priscilla is listed first (Rom. Acts 18: 1-3. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers native to Rome. 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. 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. Six times. Paul founded the church in Corinth. For by trade they were tent-makers (Acts 18:3). But is there anything to learn from them for our lives? They were movers and shakers in the early church and firm believers in Jesus. There is no proof any of these ideas are really true. When they came to Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila stayed there. That may be just the thing your marriage needs. Priscilla and Aquila were also good friends of and ministry partners with Paul (Romans 16:3). They grew to love Gods Word. It is easy to imagine that at this time the home of Priscilla and Aquila was a real hive of theocratic activity. They made and sold tents together. Husbands and wives need to open the Word together. If you can imagine the racial protests and riots of 2020, you will have a window into what was going on in Rome. The three of them became instant friends. Many years later Aquila and Priscilla were living back in Ephesus, no doubt helping Timothy in the difficult work Paul had given him to do there. Apollo is a Greek name and in Greek mythology, he was the son of Zeus and Leto, the twin brother of Artemis. 1. Share this with each other and discuss how it can be avoided. Priscilla and Aquila appear in four chapters of the Bible; Acts, Romans, Corinthians and Timothy. What happened to Priscilla and Aquila in the Bible? Priscilla and Aquila are known as one of the power couples of the Bible. Priscilla and Aquila seemed to be friends. Their door was open to anyone who wanted to enjoy good Christian fellowship and encouraging, uplifting worship. Aquila and Priscilla were baptized by Paul and were cited in the scriptures as among the 70 disciples of Christ. 16:3-5). God has no problem if your ministry is your business and your business is your ministry. And what they were able to accomplish as a unit was magnificent. Possibly at this time they became Christians ( Acts 18:1-3). Along with her husband, Priscilla worked alongside the Apostle Paul with whom they became very close friends. In our world there is a need of model couples living beautifully in their marriage. Aquila, a Jewish Christian, and his wife, Priscilla, first met Paul in Corinth, became good friends of his, and shared in his work. Seventh, they learned the Scriptures together. Let's begin by reading the end of Acts 18 and the beginning of Acts 19. When they met Paul, they adopted his lifestyle. They remained in Ephesus to help Paul when he returned to the city for a three-year stay ( Acts 19:1; cf. Aquila, also called Akilas, (flourished 2nd century ad), scholar who in about ad 140 completed a literal translation into Greek of the Old Testament; it replaced the Septuagint (q.v.) The Church Is Born: 30 CE - 60 CE. Acts 26:31). Not every husband and wife can work together 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. However, the contents of this blog post may not be modified, compiled, combined with other content, copied, recorded, synchronized, transmitted, translated, formatted, distributed, publicly displayed, publicly performed, reproduced, given away, used to create derivative works and otherwise used or exploited (including for-profit or commercial gain) without the creators expressed permission. Prayer journal ideas to uplift your soul and get closer to God, Martha in the Bible Characteristics and lessons . But now it looks as though God had blessed them materially, and they were using their resources in Ephesus for His glory. Now that Vacation Bible School is Over . He basically had two jobs going. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Apollos was, no doubt, inspired to go to Corinth by what Priscilla and Aquila told him of Paul's ministry there. They have been called the most famous couple in the Bible since they . Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos: Paul left for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. [11] The Greek Orthodox Church and the Antiochian Orthodox Church commemorate them together on February 13. We may have the joyous privilege of nurturing a young Apollos who someday will have a wide and powerful ministry for Jesus Christ. 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. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working; for by trade they were tent-makers (Acts 18:1-3). And we can fall on Him at anytime when we feel like we are insufficient to the task. According to church tradition, Aquila did not dwell long in Rome: the Apostle Paul is said to have made him a bishop in Asia Minor. As the title suggests, I am looking for any scholarly research on Priscilla from the NT. This account is recorded by Suetonius, a court official who served under the Emperor Hadrian. Tenth, they may have had children. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers. And they were doing just that. See how youre doing with each of them. In every place where the Bible refers to Aquila or Priscilla, it speaks of them together, suggesting that they formed a useful and well respected partnership. Aquila and Priscilla are in Corinth because the Jews had been run out of Rome by Emperor Claudius. And they were quite the traveling pair, always on the road to some missionary trip. I love this story because there are so many similarities and parallels with my life with my wife, Marlene. The Bible doesnt tell us how or when Priscilla and Aquila died. Apollos received their words, traveled to Achaia, and flourished in ministry there. Her sorrow: To experience opposition to the gospel from both Jews and Gentiles. Some Christians conduct evangelistic dinners, where they invite unsaved friends to hear an outstanding personal testimony. After arriving in Corinth, they live with Paul for a year and a half. In the Catholic Church, the Roman Martyrology lists their feast as July 8. When Priscilla and Aquila were driven out of Rome because of being Jewish, they met Paul. 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. Their affinity for each other was instantaneous, and a deep and lasting friendship was born that day. Maybe this is your marriage. The Roman governor, Claudius had had enough of it. The Apostolic Constitutions identify Aquila, along with Nicetas, as the first bishops of Asia Minor (7.46). But thats a discussion for another time. Their home was a meeting place for the Ephesian church. Since tents were such a prominent part of Hebrew life, Aquilas parents chose to have their son learn this practical means of earning his livelihood. What could you do now to avoid those problems? He continued travelling while they settled down and opened their home, not only to Apollos but to other believers. She is mentioned exactly six times in the New Testament. What else could you be doing to share Gods Word with others? In every place where the Bible refers to Aquila or Priscilla, it speaks of them together, suggesting that they formed a useful and well respected partnership. They had each others back. This began a friendship that lasted a lifetime. Lisa (Talbot 15) works on campus as Associate Dean of Spiritual Development a fancy title for someone who gets to meet with students, help lead chapels and go to lots of meetings. 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. Bert and Ernie. Pastor, Do You Have a Priscilla in Your Church? They lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul, who described them as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" (Romans 16:3).[1]. Its impossible to know if they were already believers when they were forced out of Rome, of if they became Christians through their relationship with Paul. And, although tantalizingly limited in detail, those six mentions tell the story of a woman who used her gifts and resources to influence the spread and nurturing of the early church. Who is that young woman?
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