She cares deeply about seeing women and men thrive in their God-given gifts. The Jews hated Christians and the Romans killed them for sport. Let's begin by reading the end of Acts 18 and the beginning of Acts 19. Are there occasions when you feel that your mate undermines you in public? Either way, life was sometimes hard for this couple. Greet also the church in their house. It is thought by some to be possible, in light of her apparent prominence, that Priscilla held the office of presbyter. However, he knew only the baptism of John the Baptistnot the baptism taught by Jesus. Paul was a Jew. ), but Paul was extremely thankful. Apollos was already energetic and passionate. 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. Many dedicated women use coffee cup evangelism, establishing close friendships with their neighbors and sharing Christ with them over the kitchen table. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took . Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus (2 Tim. This might be a good thing for husbands and wives to discuss and pray about together. When Christianity was new, there was no such thing as a church building. There can be no doubt that Priscilla and Aquila were vital members of the Pauline circle, and partners in ministry with Timothy. This passage shows Priscilla as a leader. Driven away from Thessalonica and Berea through persecution stirred up by the Jews, and from Athens by the rationalistic spirit which reigned in that cultured city, Paul departed to the . There was one short statement in the greeting in the Book of Romans that we cannot afford to pass over lightly, however: Who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. We do not know what Paul was referring to, nor when it happened, but somewhere, somehow, Aquila and Priscilla together endangered their own lives to save Pauls. 8. Priscilla and Aquila have overcome hardships together. In ancient mediterranean culture, women were not commended for work or accomplishments that fell outside of a traditional feminine rolescaring for home and family. Who is that young man? The people begged Paul to stay, and Paul said no, but "I will return, if the Lord wills." Paul left and sailed to Caesarea, and Aquila and Priscilla stayed there to teach. 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. And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them (Acts 18:11). Aquila had acquired that skill and later taught it to his wife, and she happily assisted him in his business. In fact, they were always together. Priscilla and Aquila had been ejected from Rome by an edict of the Emperor Claudius, expelling all Jews from Rome (the idea that anti-Jewish feeling has only begun in the Christian era is nonsense; the Book of Esther describes a nation-wide pogrom centuries before the birth of Christ, and Claudius' expulsion of Jews from Rome in 49-50AD happened Aquila and Priscilla are always mentioned together. In Ephesus Paul leaves them there and goes on to Caesarea. See how youre doing with each of them. They knew this because in his sermon Apollos talked about the coming Messiah that the Old Testament prophecies talked about. From the day Aquila and Priscilla met the Savior, they grew in the Word together. Priscilla and her husband Aquila met the apostle Paul when he came to Corinth in approximately 50 C.E. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. God will just throw it back. 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 . How can you be a layperson to help your pastor or deacon or other church leaders. They all had been Jews early in life but became Christians as adults. discussing Gods word with others, and even correcting them. 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. He was an eloquent speaker and had a good knowledge of the Old Testament. It is suspected that they went back to Rome at some point when things had settle down. Paul found in Priscilla and Aquila compatibility in purpose and a true, life-long friendship. 4:15] His including them in his greetings implies that Priscilla and Aquila were also involved in the founding of that church. Apollos learned that the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus had already been fulfilled and that now we have salvation full and free in Jesus. What happened to Priscilla and Aquila in the Bible? They were inseparable, and they were equals. Aquila and Priscilla are in Corinth because the Jews had been run out of Rome by Emperor Claudius. In Acts 18:2428, Luke reports the couple explaining Jesus' baptism to Apollos, an important Jewish-Christian evangelist in Ephesus. Read the only passages that feature Priscilla: Possibly at this time they became Christians ( Acts 18:1-3). We hear Luke and Paul tell of a woman who had rich influence on the nurturance and growth of churches in Corinth, Ephesus and their home-city of Rome. There are up to 12 types of intimacy in marriage. Bert and Ernie. If you are a Bible study teacher, you are free to allow this content to influence the lessons you teach or the sermons you present. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned one more time in the New Testament, in the last chapter of the last book the Apostle Paul wrote. Aquila and Priscilla found their way to Corinth and settled there, pursuing their trade as tentmakers. 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. It seems, from what the Roman historian Suetonius says, that they were persecuting their Christian neighbors and causing considerable disturbance in the city. 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). [ a] 2 There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. [1] Priscilla and Aquila, a Jewish Christian couple who had come to Ephesus with the . [11] The Greek Orthodox Church and the Antiochian Orthodox Church commemorate them together on February 13. Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. Acts 18-27 New Living Translation Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth 18 Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 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. Opponents of female pastorship cite his reference to Adam and Eve to be indicating that the issue is a matter of universal gender propriety. Priscilla and Aquila are regarded as saints in most Christian churches that canonize saints. If either one of you has never placed your faith in the sacrifice which Christ made for your sins, your marriage cannot be complete. being willing to die for fellow believers. 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. [1Cor. Jesus demonstrated that he valued women and men equally as being made in the image of God. But they didnt care. Another explanation of why Priscillas name comes first may be that she was the more vigorous and intelligent Christian worker. Churches in New Testament times could not afford to own land and build buildings, nor would it have been wise to do so if they could, in view of the continual pressure and persecution. It was just a brief and simple greeting, using the shorter form of Priscillas name that we have seen in several other passages. When Priscilla saw and heard Apollos, she realized that he was passionate and brilliant and a gifted speaker. 1. Aquila, husband of Priscilla, was originally from Pontus[11] and also was a Jewish Christian. Although the wife may be more intelligent and resourceful than her husband, God still wants her to look to him as her leader. Priscilla and Aquila were well-known in Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. It really isnt easy to wear those shoes indeed. Aquila and Priscilla were baptized by Paul and were cited in the scriptures as among the 70 disciples of Christ. Jekyll and Hyde. Maybe your neighbor needs to learn to read and write and you know where to get them help. After arriving in Corinth, they live with Paul for a year and a half. Their house had an open door. What are you taking from Priscilla for your own life? Luke clearly indicates Priscilla's "agency and her interdependent relationship with her husband. They met in homes. He was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness for them. Around the year A.D. 49, the Emperor Claudius issued an edict exiling all the Jewish people from Rome, the seat of the Roman Empire. Share this with each other and discuss how it can be avoided. This began a friendship that lasted a lifetime. Others become overbearing and belligerent in an attempt to establish their position of authority. 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. I mean they enjoyed each others company so much that they never went anywhere without each other. Although he (likely) starts the first Christian church in the city he stays for only a . and McMaster Divinity College (MDiv). But thats a discussion for another time. 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. 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. Think of it, eighteen months of intensive Bible study under the greatest Bible teacher in the early church. Priscilla and Aquila were a married couple from Rome. A lthough Priscilla had a household to manage, she still found time to be a thorough student of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Talk with your spouse about Priscilla and Aquilas remarkable marriage, and then pray together. In the year 52 A.D. the Roman emperor Claudius issued an edict expelling all Jews from the city of Rome. Prisca, or Priscilla (an alternative more modern form of Prisca), is an early Roman family name, which suggests that she may have a Roman ancestry. How can you avoid these pitfalls? 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. Truth is, we will never know for sure. Paul was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness to them (Romans 16:34). They had to be willing to give to each other more than they tried to take. Research for this post came from: This article originally appeared on Biola.edu. Advocates of female pastorship perceive this as an imperative that was a reflection of cultural and legal restrictions of the day. You know what you are really looking for. The number of ways to build a ministry is countless. Aquila and Priscilla went to hear him and were deeply impressed by his sincerity, his love for God, his knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, and his brilliant oratorical ability. He left Aquila and Priscilla and went to the synagogue. Acts. Apollos was, no doubt, inspired to go to Corinth by what Priscilla and Aquila told him of Paul's ministry there. God has no problem if your ministry is your business and your business is your ministry. They chose a wise mentoring approach with Apollos. But now it looks as though God had blessed them materially, and they were using their resources in Ephesus for His glory. Your email address will not be published. Scripture tells the story like this: After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. Youve heard their names, they show up occasionally in your Bible reading, and you might even remember something about this married couple. In other words, they put themselves in a situation where they could have died for Paul. Paul could not do it alone. It was while they were traveling through Corinth that they met Paul. Ive heard some people say this should never happen, which is probably true for certain marriages. Not every husband and wife can work together like this. using your resources for the advance of Gods kingdom. Who is Apollos in your life? You might not be able to preach sermons or run a church service but thats not the only form of ministry. They knew this because in his sermon Apollos talked about the coming Messiah that the Old Testament prophecies talked about. And true, we better not throw in the towel. The problem was, he was going in a direction that could have become problematic in the future. I love this story because there are so many similarities and parallels with my life with my wife, Marlene. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Priscilla, Aquila, and Timothy ministered together with Paul in Corinth, and Priscilla and Aquila worked alongside Timothy in Ephesus. 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). God uses the disappointments of our lives for His glory. - Acts 18:1-3. Most references to husbands and wives in the Bible place the man first. After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. (Romans 1:11, 12) And, as did Aquila and Priscilla, those . His death at the hands of the emperor Nero was imminent, and he was writing the last paragraph of his long and fruitful life. The Jews were not happy about this new religion that was gaining ground. Tradition reports that Aquila and Priscilla were martyred together. Acts 18: 1-3. He just needed some more information and a slightly different direction. 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. We pick up their story in Acts 18 when Paul meets them as refugees in Corinth. Eighth, they risked their necks for Paul (Rom 16:3-4). He began to preach boldly in the synagogue. 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). Although they did quite a bit of traveling, wherever they called home was a place into which they would welcome believers for worship. Some Christians conduct evangelistic dinners, where they invite unsaved friends to hear an outstanding personal testimony. When Paul left Ephesus for Greece, they evidently believed God was directing them back to Rome. No matter what the case, Priscilla and Aquila meet Paul in Corinth. It is easier for them not to show up at all than to have their wives outshine them. 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. Yet, there is never a place in Scripture where one is mentioned and the other isnt. 3. How could you use your home more effectively to serve the Lord? The journey to the city, with friends Priscilla and Aquila, is considered part of what is called Paul's second evangelistic or missionary journey. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. All he knew beyond the Old Testament was the message of John the Baptist, which merely looked forward to the coming Messiah. If they had not known Christ before this, they certainly met him now, for no one could spend time in Pauls presence and not be infected by his contagious and enthusiastic love for his Savior. PRISCILLA. Why the switch? [18][19] In what way did Priscilla and her husband minister to Apollos (vv. The Apostle Paul, after staying in Corinth for a year and a half, travels to Ephesus in the spring of 52 A.D. Lewis and Clark. But one thing we do knowthey were together. They risked their lives for me. Priscilla and Aquila are known as one of the power couples of the Bible. The fact that she is always mentioned with her husband, Aquila, disambiguates her from different women revered as saints in Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Lutheranism, such as (1)Priscilla of the Roman Glabrio family, the wife of Quintus Cornelius Pudens, who according to some traditions hosted St. Peter circa AD 42, and (2)a third-century virgin martyr named Priscilla and also called Prisca. Pastor, Do You Have a Priscilla in Your Church? Fifth, they traveled with Paul. All rabbis were supposed to have a job and make their own money. Yet five times out of six, Luke and Paul mention Priscillas name first in the husband-wife pair (Acts 18:18, Acts 18:19, Acts 18:26, Romans 16:3, 2 Timothy 4:19), highlighting her personal agency and her value to the early church movement. Paul lived with Priscilla and Aquila for approximately 18 months. There is an interesting observation to be made from that short verse, however. Priscilla and Aquila noticed one problem: Apollos didnt know that Jesus had already been born, died on the cross, was resurrected, and had gone back to heaven. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned one more time in the New Testament, in the last chapter of the last book the Apostle Paul wrote. Because their hearts were beating the same, they worked together effortlessly. Do those who spend time with you become infected with your love for Christ? Such female ministration was of essential importance in the state of society in the midst of which the early Christian communities were formed. He could not be omni-present. Priscilla's 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. They enjoyed being together and working together. Her sorrow: To experience opposition to the gospel from both Jews and Gentiles. Priscilla and Aquila were second generation Jesus followers. Priscilla and her husband are identified among the power couples in Scripture. Ask the Lord to give you the kind of commitment to one another that is seen in their marriage. Their relationship with Paul went far beyond a casual greeting at worship services. There is no proof any of these ideas are really true. These three people fed each others energy as they fulfilled the purpose for which God had called them. They went to Corinth right at the time when Paul was there. Priscilla and Aquila did the very same thing that Paul did. But we do know from Scripture that when they left Rome they went to Corinth. What else could you be doing to share Gods Word with others? Acts 18:24-26. They were movers and shakers in the early church and firm believers in Jesus. He attended Moody Bible Institute and is a graduate of York University (B.A.) (26) Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard . Paul lived with Priscilla and Aquila for approximately 18 months. Now they were one in Christ, and His love made a good marriage even better. St. Epiphanius (c. 315403) preserved in his writings the popular Christian tradition that . He continued travelling while they settled down and opened their home, not only to Apollos but to other believers. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. I suppose the emperor didnt want them to disrupt and destroy the place any longer so he expelled them. 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). In ancient mediterranean culture, women were traditionally uneducated, and therefore their voices were not valued in any teaching capacity in religious or educational settings; in Jewish culture, it was forbidden for women to teach men. Aquila and Priscilla exhibited such unity, they were one in their secular job of tentmaking, one in their love for each other, and one in their service for the Lord Jesus Christ. 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? 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. Maybe this is your marriage. 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. Jesus said, Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it (Mk 8:35). 16:19). Priscilla, Aquila and Paul spent 18 months in Corinth together. His two friends were willing to give everything in the service of the Savior, even their lives. 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! He preached about John the Baptist and the need for repentance in preparation for the coming of Jesus the Messiah. The Roman governor, Claudius had had enough of it. She is often thought to have been the first example of a female preacher or teacher in early church history. Third, they worked together. This happened before 54, when Claudius died and the expulsion of the Jews from Rome was lifted. Here are the Bible passages that talk about Priscilla. They were forcibly displaced from their home by the edict of Claudius, which exiled Jewish people from Rome. Acts 18:2 Meaning 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 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. 2. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers as was Paul. Aquila was originally from the Roman province of Pontus on the south shore of the Black Sea, called the Euxine Sea during the Roman period. The two met with Paul in Corinth. Because of the spread of Christianity, Rome became a turbulent place to live. An extensive research on husband-wife saints listed only 10 since the time of Christ. They probably helped to establish the church in Ephesus. Find more free articles at www.BulletinInserts.org, a ministry of Christian Communicators Worldwide: www.CCWtoday.org. We want to ensure that we dont invite just about any old body into our home. 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. Pauls greeting to them just before his execution is the final reference to them in the New Testament ( 2 Timothy 4:19; cf 1 Timothy 1:3). When they met Paul, they adopted his lifestyle. Lets dig a little deeper into Priscilla specifically. And for that we also can give thanks to God. Husbands and wives need to open the Word together. 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. A passionate, young, brilliant scholar named Apollos delivered the sermon. 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. 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. Priscilla and Aquila appear in four chapters of the Bible; Acts, Romans, Corinthians and Timothy. Home Bible classes can be an effective tool for reaching the lost or getting believers growing in the Word. One of the most powerful legacies you can leave is a well-lived life that others can emulate. That is not difficult to do in a pastors home. Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos: Paul left for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. Start praying for God to orchestrate the pieces of your life so you can find your community of like-minded and like-hearted people. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. After Paul left them in Ephesus, they heard Apollos speaking in the synagogue, but his knowledge of the truth was deficient. That is not always easy for an extremely talented woman to do, but Priscilla did it. And they all had a passion and purpose for sharing the gospel. If you and your mate were considering working together in a business, what problems would you foresee arising? They were so touched by his fiery speech that, after having been . Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers as was Paul. I know you could think of a couple who cannot stand to be around each other. Priscilla is commonly identified with her husband, Aquila. So he withdrew from the synagogue and began teaching in the house of Titus Justus next door. On a personal level, Priscilla and Aquila " risked their own necks " for Paul's life (Romans 16:4). It is easy to imagine that at this time the home of Priscilla and Aquila was a real hive of theocratic activity. 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. We dont know when this occurred (perhaps during the riot in EphesusActs 19:23-41? 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. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him "more accurately".[v.26]. So unhappy were they that they had regular uprisings in Rome. Not all translations will use this name. Priscillas characteristics inspire admiration. In 1 Corinthians 16:19, Paul passes on the greetings of Priscilla and Aquila to their friends in Corinth, indicating that the couple were in his company. Every time Priscilla and Aquila are named in the Bible, they are together. 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. The greater the intimacy, the more success you will experience in your life. Read the following verses from the ESV, NKJV, NASB: Romans 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19. But that is evidently the kind of relationship Aquila and Priscilla had. I am sure Aquila thanked God for her many times and accepted her wise counsel on many occasions. Nevertheless, theres definitely enough for us to learn some awesome things about her. How do scholars generally perceive her role? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. One of the outstanding practices of Priscilla and Aquila was the fact that they had a church home. Paul founded the church in Corinth. 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). Along with her husband, Priscilla worked alongside the Apostle Paul with whom they became very close friends. Such language was traditionally used for the hero of a Greco-Roman story, not of women. Priscilla appears on six occasions in a King James Bible (2 Timothy 4:19 shortens her name to "Prisca" ). We may have the joyous privilege of nurturing a young Apollos who someday will have a wide and powerful ministry for Jesus Christ. She seems to have been 'the better man of the two'; and Aquila drops comparatively into the background. In the early days when Christianity was new and unpopular, many people lost their lives. This was the epitome of courageous faith. After the persecution of the Jewish people under the Emperor Claudius, they made their way to Greece, where they encountered the Apostle Paul and tutored the dynamic evangelist Apollos. He wrote a history entitled the 'Life of Claudius' in which he stated the following: Brilliant and well-traveled as he was, there were limitations. . This Jewish couple was saved under the Apostle Paul's ministry and served as his spiritual coworkers. Priscilla and Aquila didnt just love each other. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his . Our knowledge of divine truth would be incomplete without the epistles which God inspired him to write. In our world there is a need of model couples living beautifully in their marriage. There is so much she can teach us. The Apostolic Constitutions identify Aquila, along with Nicetas, as the first bishops of Asia Minor (7.46).