Salute Andronicus and Junia; it may be rendered Junius. Some think this Junia was a woman, and the wife of Andronicus; others take them both for men. My kinsmen; so he calls them, either because they were Jews, Romans 9:3; or because they were of the same tribe; or because they were more nearly related to him by consanguinity and affinity. My fellow prisoners; i.e. they had been imprisoned for the gospel, as well as he: the apostle had been often in prison himself, 2 Corinthians 11:23. We read, Acts 16:23, of his being imprisoned at Philippi, and it may be these two were his fellow prisoners, for we read of other prisoners there besides Paul and Silas, Romans 16:25,26. Who are of note among the apostles; i.e. they were well known to the apostles, and were in good esteem with them: not only the twelve, together with Paul and Barnabas, but other teachers are sometimes called apostles, or messengers; see 2 Corinthians 8:23 Philippians 2:25. Some have thought these two, Andronicus and Junia, were of the number of the seventy disciples, who are mentioned Luke 10:1. Others, that they were of the one hundred and twenty, who are mentioned in Acts 1:15; or of those that were converted by the first preaching of Peter, and the rest, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4. By what follows, it appeareth they were of considerable standing in Christianity. Who also were in Christ before me: there are three things for which he commends these two persons: the first is, their sufferings for Christ; the second is, their fame among the apostles; and the third is, their forwardness in conversion. This was Mnason's commendation, Acts 21:16. When he saith, they were in Christ, he intimates the virtue and power of faith to incorporate us into Christ, as branches into a vine.
Related Commentaries of Romans 16:7
Romans 16:7
7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.