Personal Greetings. Beside the two household groups of Romans 16:10 f., the catalogue contains twenty-six names, eight being those of women. Many of the names appearing were commonly borne by slaves. In language, seven are Latin, one is Hebrew, the remainder Greek: Rome at this date swarmed with Greeks, and the Roman Church remained of Greek speech till the third century. The distribution seems to indicate different centres of meeting in this immense city. 14 and 15 (all Gentile names) furnish distinct groups: the collocation suggests that the names of Romans 16:5 b - Romans 16:13 count amongst the church in the house of Prisca and Aquila (Romans 16:5 a). If so, there were three house-churches (see ZK). Most of the names enumerated are otherwise foreign to the NT. Some figure on the walls of the catacombs, where the early Roman Church laid its dead; and quite a number on sepulchral inscriptions of the period on the Appian Way, commemorating valued servants of the Emperor's household.
Romans 16:3-5 a. Prisca and Aquila (both Latin names), originally of Rome, we know as Paul's close friends in Corinth, who accompanied him to Ephesus (Acts 18:1-3; Acts 18:18; Acts 18:26). They are now settled again in Rome; at the date indicated by 2 Timothy 4:19, they reappear in Ephesus. Aquila's trade of tent-making admitted of a roving life, and his movements may partly have been made in the interests of Paul's mission. Aquila was a Jew; his wife's name (Priscilla its diminutive) suggests her connexion with some noble Roman family. She is commemorated in Roman Christian tradition. In all the NT references Prisca accompanies her husband, preceding him in four out of the six an irregularity due to her social rank, or uncommon influence, or both. This notable pair had recently (Paul's thanksgiving implies this) laid down their own neck for him, probably during the Ephesian riot (Acts 19:23-41); this disturbance may have compelled their departure from Ephesus.
Romans 16:5 b. Epæ netus, the first-fruit of Asia (the Roman Province so named, with Ephesus for centre; cf. 1 Corinthians 16:15) probably the leader of the circle of Acts 19:1-7; hence linked with Prisca and Aquila.
Romans 16:6. Mary: the reading Mariam of some good MSS would make her certainly a Hebrew Christian. Read you (RV), not us (AV).
Romans 16:7. Andronicus and Junias (RV; the feminine Junia, of AV, clashes with the description): formerly of the Palestinian Church, having been of note in the Apostolic circle and earlier Christians than Paul. The term rendered fellow-captives suggests military imprisonment used of Aristarchus in Colossians 4:10 and Epaphras in Philemon 1:23, who appear to have been Paul's companions under military custody (Acts 28:16) in Rome. This accords with Gifford's conjecture as to the Salutations, referred to in Introd. § 4; Paul had, however, been in prisons more abundantly (2 Corinthians 11:23).
Romans 16:8-10 a. Names legible on tombs of the Appian Way.
Romans 16:10 b, Romans 16:11. Aristobulus: probably the deceased brother of Herod Agrippa I, long resident in Rome, whose establishment, though retaining the old name, had been annexed to the Emperor's; Paul's fellow-countryman, Herodion was, we may conjecture, of this set. Narcissus (Romans 16:11 b), the powerful favourite of the Emperor Claudius, who fell at Nero's accession; his household was also appropriated by the Emperor. Those of Cæ sar's household who send greetings in Php_4:22 *, may be identified with these two groups; see note on Caesar's Household in Lightfoot's Philippians.
Romans 16:12. Tryphæ na and Tryphosa look like sisters; Persis is a feminine name. The four distinguished as toiling in the service of the Lord (cf. Romans 16:6) are women.
Romans 16:13. Rufus recalls Mark 15:21 (that Gospel was connected with Rome); Rufus-' mother had at some time mothered the infirm apostle.
Romans 16:16. The holy kiss at church-gatherings expressed the peculiar affectionateness of early Christianity (cf. the close of 1 and 2 Cor., 1 Th., 1 Peter 5:14) a custom still observed at the Eucharist by the Greek Church. All the churches of Christ those with which Paul was in correspondence wish to greet the Church of the metropolis; cf. Romans 16:4 (the churches of the Gentiles), also 1 Corinthians 14:33; 2 Corinthians 8:18.