Sunday School Lesson for February 28, 2021 - Called to Serve: Acts 11-15,40; 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

 

This week is the final of five lessons in the unit in the Sunday School Lesson Standard: The Call of Women. This week’s lesson focuses on a woman of Philippi, Lydia. There is substantially more to Lydia than what appears in this brief passage. Join me on this journey of discovery.

Genesis 1:21 NASB

21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and

Psalms 104:24-25 NLT

24 

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!

    In wisdom, you have made them all.

    The earth is full of your creatures.

25 

Here is the ocean, vast and wide,

    teeming with life of every kind,

    both large and small.

The wonder and majesty of God’s creation is matchless, as is His love. His wisdom knows no bounds. The Bolimus Brandaris, commonly known as the Murex sea snail is a mollusk about the size of a man’s fist. They play a key part in today’s narrative.

Acts 16:11 NASB

11 So after setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis;

Last week, I briefly covered what could be thought of as the second leg of Paul’s second missionary tour. To review, after the Apostolic Council at Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabus traveled some 7500 miles (California to New York and back again plus another 1500 miles) down (note to self) to Antioch.  After Antioch, Paul traveled approximately twice that distance to Troas, and then 500 miles across the Aegean Sea to Neopolis and finally to Philippi. I included all of the above information in order to have my readers (you) consider the elements of distance and time in exploring Paul’s journey. The entire mission extended over a two or three-year period. Important information going forward.

Acts 16:12 NASB

12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were spending some days in this city.

Paul’s first stop on this tour was the city of Philippi, notable for its gold mines and springs. Because of its beauty and wealth, it was popular with the elite of Roman society. During the time surrounding Paul’s visit, Rome was colonizing the area through a process called centuriation, by which retired soldiers and others were given land. In this way, Rome extended its reach into Asia Minor. 

Act 16:13 NASB

13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were thinking that there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. 

Paul customarily would have gone to a local synagogue when he arrived in a new city. Apparently, Philippi did not have one. According to Jewish custom, a minimum of ten families headed by men was required to form a quorum, the minimum amount of people to start a synagogue. Barring that, Jews would have found a local body of water near which to worship. The local body of water would then be available for ritual washing. Providentially, Paul found such a place. A place where women were gathered in prayer.

Acts 16:14 NASB

14 A woman named Lydia was listening; she was a seller of purple fabrics from the city of Thyatira, and a worshiper of God. [a]The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

Among the women Paul spoke to, he encountered someone unique, Lydia. Though she is only mentioned briefly in Scripture, she is to become a premier figure in the early church. If we unfold a few of the details given here, we reveal some aspects of her eventual rise in influence.

Scripture tells us that Lydia was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira. That is no small accomplishment. You could rephrase the above sentence to say Lydia was a seller of Tyrian Purple, a particularly dark hue of purple make from ink developed from the mucus found in the tips of the shells of the Murex sea snail (pictured above). Most cloth, in that day, was dyed with any variety of colors, including purple, developed mostly from various plant roots. However, Tyrian purple was manufactured specifically in Thyatira. That had been the case for some 1200 years and would continue to be so for another 1400 years. The sea snails, from which came this particular hue of purple, were only found in the area surrounding Thyatira. The dye developed from these sea snails had a couple of distinct features. It was a much darker hue of purple than what could be developed from plant roots. It was also colorfast, which meant that it didn’t fade over time. In fact, it is said that with the passage of time, that particular ‘brand’ of purple only became more splendid, more brilliant. Because it was made from the mucus found in the tips of the shells, thousands, perhaps millions of Murex sea snails were required to make a substantial amount of Tyrian purple dye or ink. Subsequently, Tyrian Purple was extremely expensive.

Tyrian Purple, also called Royal purple, was thought to be so beautiful that it was favored for use with royalty and in priestly orders. Literally worth its weight in silver. It was so expensive that it threatened to disrupt the economies of the various governments including Rome’s and thus it became necessary to apply what would become known as sumptuary laws which were put in place to strictly limit who could purchase any fabric made with Tyrian Purple dye. By the 4th Century CE, Tyrian Purple could only be worn by the Emperor. It became so identified with the office of the Emperor that the word ‘purple’ became a metonym for the office of Emperor. Thus when a new Emperor took office, it was often said that he ‘donned the purple’. By the ninth century, a child born to the Emperor was said to have been born 'in the purple'.

So then, it’s reasonable to assume that Lydia was not just wealthy, but that she was extremely wealthy. Her wealth and influence could be compared to a Bill Gates or a Jeff Bezos in our day. The coveted Tyrian Purple cloth that she sold brought a hefty price and protection from the most influential members of Roman society. She was powerful, virtually untouchable. She was being ‘sheltered’ by God until her appointed time.

Paul didn’t know any of that. Nor could he have. He only knew that he had come to the river looking for a place to worship and people to worship with. What Scripture tells us is that he found just that person in Lydia. She too was a worshipper of God. And the Bible says that ‘God opened her heart’. That’s worth repeating. God opened Lydia’s heart.

This may cause some to reflect on their feelings about wealth. The fact of the matter is it takes finances to build a church. For all intents and purposes, God set the table for Paul and his co-laborers in the Gospel to have success in building His Church on a new continent. Yes, they encountered plenty of opposition, but God. There is no failure in God. Whatever He starts He is able to see it through to completion. Everything about Paul’s encounter with Lydia has Providence written on it. Imagine the resources of a whole industry, an entire corporation, if you will, set up and awaiting the arrival of God’s servant Paul, placed at his disposal by another of His servants, Lydia.

Acts 16:15 NASB

15 Now when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Lydia is the head of her household, she has no husband, nor is she a servant, rather she leads her entire household. And apparently, she leads them with grace and love because when she gets baptized, they all follow her example and follow her into God’s loving arms. Lydia then invites Paul and his compatriots to stay with them. Paul responds affirmatively to her hospitality. He and his companions stay with Lydia for several weeks, teaching her and her household the Gospel of the Kingdom.

We won’t go into detail with the next many verses, as they are not integral to today’s lesson. To summarize briefly, Paul and Silas encounter a demon-possessed woman who harasses Paul. He responded by casting out the demon, which relieved her of the spirit divination. Because of this turn of events, her business managers took Paul and Silas to court, where they are beaten by the local officials and thrown in prison. But God! Paul and Silas praised God in the Philippian jail and God delivered them out of the jail by His mighty hand. In the process, the jailer and his entire household were saved. Paul and Silas were released from prison. That’s where we pick up the final portion of Lydia’s story…

Acts 16:40 NASB

40 They left the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brothers and sisters, they [a]encouraged them and departed.

After leaving prison, Paul and Silas returned to Lydia’s home. Scripture does not imply that they had to be reingratiated into her home, but rather, Scripture implies that they were simply returning to base. You see, Lydia’s house was now a full-fledged church. The first church established in Greece. Soon after, Paul and his companions left Philippi, but they left the church in more than capable hands. They left the church in the hands of its pastor; Lydia. 

So then, in this set of lessons, we have seen the entirety of the five-fold ministry offices filled by capable, Spirit-filled women. We have seen women as Prophetesses (Anna and Philip’s daughters), Evangelists (the Samaritan woman), Apostles (Mary Magdelene and Priscilla), Teachers (Priscilla), and finally Pastors (Lydia). Thus, women have played pivotal roles in the advancement of God’s Kingdom and will continue to do so until the day of Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:38 NASB

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is [ak]neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

_______________________________

1 Corinthians 1:10 NASB

10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all [f]agree and that there be no [g]divisions among you, but that you be [h]made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

In His first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul pleaded with the congregants to resolve the divisions that had developed among them. He understood that a church divided would be an ineffective church. The remainder of the lesson below should serve to humble all of us as we take them to heart.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NASB

26 For [aa]consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to [ab]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the [ac]insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no [ad]human may boast before God.

In the verses above, Paul makes it clear that there are no ‘BIG I’s’ and ‘little you's, but that none of us was chosen to His kingdom by virtue of our intellect, our wisdom, or our own might. In fact, he rescued each of us from our weakness, our ineptitude, and our utter failure and depravity so that no man or woman could boast before Him.

In light of the last several week’s lessons, we are once again admonished not to let our cultural leanings, our patriarchial tendencies divide us. Women have played an integral role in the church since its inception and continue to do so. When we can’t see or accept that, it is to our shame. That’s Paul’s message to the Corinthians and those same words bear the same weight for us today.

1 Corinthians 1:30 NASB

30 But it is [ae]due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, [af]and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 

Beloved, always remember that we are saved by Grace: God’s Unmerited Favour. We did nothing to earn it. We did not deserve it. It is a most glorious and precious … gift. Never forget that. God gets all of the Glory!

1 Corinthians 1:31 NASB

31 so that, just as it is written: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Selah

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Lessons from the Book of Joshua - Project 1 - FC02 - OBA

 

Core Scripture:

Joshua 23:14 NASB

 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; they all have [i]been fulfilled for you, not [j]one of them has failed.

As I worked through the instructions for this project, I searched for an angle from which to approach this essay. The verse above caught my attention and kept it throughout the observation step. I believe that God wanted to remind me of some things and really positioned me to take them to heart. 

The verse above is the core verse for this essay. Joshua is near the end of his time as the leader of Israel. He calls the twelve tribes together in order for them to renew their covenant with and before God. As a precursor to the final renewal of the covenant, Joshua reminds Israel of their history, both recent and ancient. Their recent history encompassed their own entry into the promised land and all of the great victories that allowed them to conquer it and make it their home. Their ancient history included the retelling of God’s covenant with Abraham and how He kept His promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Joshua also recounted how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, giving them victory over Pharoah that would cause nations to fear their God for generations. The key point that Joshua sought to emphasize was “God kept His promise to you. God is faithful to His Word. Remember that!”. He reminded them that their success to that point in their history was due to Him and that their future success would also be because of Him.

As a recent retiree, I find myself at a crossroads. What next? The path before me seems unclear at times. I’m older, I have concerns about my health, as well as the health of my wife. My career was trade-related. Though I sat behind a desk during the waning years of my career, the skill-set that I brought to the table was mechanical and technical. If I wanted to get back into the industry, I would find myself in competition with much younger men whose training, in most cases, exceeds mine. 

That’s OK. I enjoy retirement. And with the onset of the pandemic over the last year, I’m perfectly happy sitting at home. However, I am still learning how to manage my household with fewer resources. There are still challenges and uncertainties that every new morning brings. That brings to a second verse that I would like to offer to support my argument.

Supporting Scripture:

Joshua 1:3 NASB

3 “...Every place on which the sole of your foot steps, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.“

Before God brought Israel into the promised land, there was an event that threatened to negatively impact their trajectory and God’s purpose for them in a terrible way. Moses died. So grievous was the effect on these Hebrew wanderers that they mourned for a full forty days. I’m sure many of them could not a path to inhabiting the promised land that did not include Moses. But God….

God spoke to Joshua. Selah. God spoke to Joshua, Moses’ appointed successor, and assured him that He (God) would be with them and that He would go before them, as in the past, and lead them into the land.

As I stated before, God reminded me of some things as I worked through the observation step, and then into the application step of this project. There are four or five pivotal incidents that occur in a lifetime. Incidents so significant that they literally cause a pivot or a directional change in your life. I have had several, but this one sticks out because it applies to the place that I find myself in today.

In August of 1978, just after graduating from trade-school, where I received training in electronics, I was granted a job interview with a large international electronics manufacturer. The interview went well. I was to start work within the next week or so in the field in which I was trained. What happened next was one of those ‘pivotal’ moments I mentioned earlier. As I was walking down the hall, post-interview, I was just looking around at everything before me: the office areas, the expansive hallways, just the spectacle of a large corporate entity. I remember looking up, toward the ceiling and hearing a voice, so arresting as to be almost audible, say to me, “You will be here forty years.” I wasn’t yet a Christian, but I was raised among Christians who had great influence on my upbringing and understanding. I was convinced that God had given me that job and that He intended for me to remain there until retirement. 

Over the years, through life’s many challenges, one thing I never worried about was whether or not I would remain employed. My career with that company spanned four decades and one year and relocated me to three different cities in the process. While I had many other opportunities present themselves to me in that time, I never questioned that I was planted in the place where God wanted me to be.

But now I’m retired and faced with the uncertainty of tomorrow. While I’ve never doubted God, I sometimes doubt me. That’s perfectly normal. But God. Working on this project allowed God to remind me of His faithfulness to His Word. His faithfulness to His purpose for my life. Like Israel, I am at a pivotal point in my life. In Israel’s case, Joshua was reminding a new generation of God’s goodness. He reminded them that every promise God made to them had been kept. And he encouraged them that what God had started in them, He was able to complete.

NT Application Scripture(s)

Philippians 1: 6 NASB

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Whatever happens next, God has assured me by His Spirit and by His Word that He cares about me and that He will continue to care for me. I am encouraged because we have history together. I know I can trust Him. The old Spiritual proclaims, “We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord. Trusting in His Holy Word. He’s never failed me yet.”

Hebrews 10:23 NASB

23 Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

Sunday School Lesson for February 21, 2021 - Called to Explain: Acts 18:1-26, Romans 16:3-4, 1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19

 

This week is the fourth of five lessons in the unit in the Sunday School Lesson Standard: The Call of Women. This week’s lesson focuses on Priscilla, one half of a husband and wife team who were principal contributors to building the New Testament church in Corinth.

Get the setting:

Paul began his 2nd missionary tour after the Council at Jerusalem in 49 AD. Leaving Jerusalem, Paul traveled north along the coast into Damascus, then Antioch. He then went home to Tarsus, then west along the southern rim of Asia through the region of Galatia, which he had visited during his first missionary tour. He continued into Asia Minor but was warned by the Holy Spirit not to stop there. In the city of Troas, on the eastern edge of the Aegean Sea, he may have turned south and turned back toward Jerusalem, but for a dream….

Acts 16: 9-10 NASB

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately sought to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

At Troas, Paul had a vision. A vision of a man pleading for him to come to the region of Macedonia to help them. Paul responded, immediately taking the first available passage into … Europe...

Acts 16:13-16 NASB

13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were thinking that there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. 14 A woman named Lydia was listening; she was a seller of purple fabrics from the city of Thyatira, and a worshiper of God. [d]The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 Now when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Thus, Lydia, a woman, becomes Paul’s first convert to Christianity in Europe. And we see a pattern developing. Women responding to the preaching of the Gospel as fervently and enthusiastically as men. We will learn more of Lydia in next week’s lesson.

Acts 17:1-4 NASB

1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he [a]visited them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 [b]explaining and [c]giving evidence that the [d]Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the [e]Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, [f]along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and [g]a significant number of the leading women. 

Acts 17:10-12 NASB

10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, [k]and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, [l]for they received the word with [m]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore, many of them believed, [n]along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men.

After Philippi, Paul travels further west into Thessalonia and then south to Berea where the pattern is repeated: women, as well as men, respond to the Gospel of Christ. God has opened a door to the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry and many are hurrying through it.

The Lesson:

Acts 18:1 NASB

1 After these events Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

Paul then turned south, journeying into Greece. He stopped first in Athens, where preached the Gospel on Mars Hill, He then left Athens and traveled to Corinth. Corinth was a crossroads of sorts, they had a land bridge that allowed ships to pass east to west from Italy to the Aegean Sea without having to take the dangerous path around the southern tip of Greece, thus saving valuable time and resources. Thus Corinth was a thriving center of commerce for the region. Corinth was also a place where east met west in the areas of philosophy and religion. Pagan worship thrived there, but there was a large community of Jews there, just there had been in the cities previously visited by Paul on this tour through Europe. 

Acts 18:2 NASB

2 And he found a 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. He came to them,

Sometime around 46 AD, Claudius ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Aquila and his wife, Priscilla moved to Corinth, where they eventually met Paul. We can infer that Aquila and his wife were already converted to Christianity, in that they had been ordered out of Rome by Claudius Caesar due to the continuous and sometimes violent contention between observant Jews and Jews who had converted to Christianity. This contention was evident throughout the region. In Aquila, Paul found a friend who was of like mind, or rather, who had the mind of Christ.

Acts 18:3 NASB

3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and they worked together, for they were tent-makers by trade.

Paul found more in common with his fellow countrymen than Christ. He found that they were tentmakers, like himself. In the Jewish culture, parents were required to teach their children the Torah, a trade, and to swim. The goal was to teach them self-sufficiency. These are still tenets in the Jewish culture today. Additionally, in a major center of commerce like Corinth, the various trade groups would have been segregated to a particular location in the business district, so in Aquila and Priscilla, Paul found commonality in skill and in spirituality. 

Acts 18:18-21 NASB

18 Now Paul, when he had remained many days longer, took leave of the brothers and sisters and sailed away to Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. [k]Paul first had his hair cut at Cenchrea, for he was keeping a vow. 19 They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them and said, “I will return to you again if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

Paul stayed with Priscilla and Aquila for about eighteen months before deciding to return to Syria and on to Jerusalem. From Corinth, the most direct route was through Ephesus. When Paul left Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila accompanied him on the voyage. When Paul left Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila behind. There are several observations I would like to make at this point:

• Priscilla seems to have been a nickname or a term of endearment. The name Prisca is the proper name or rendering and is used elsewhere in Scripture. Luke, the author of the Book of Acts uses the name Priscilla exclusively, This can probably be interpreted as a sign of respect and endearment, as Luke accompanied Paul on his journey and would have been personally acquainted with both Priscilla and Aquila. This speaks to the type of person Priscilla must have been: intelligent, friendly, warm, and personable. She must have had a certain charm or magnetism that drew people in and made them feel comfortable.

• Prisca is the name used in every other instance. All occurrences are written in epistles written by Paul. It appears that Paul’s intention was to elevate Prisca in the eyes of his readers so that at all times and in every way Prisca is held in the highest esteem. 

• Prisca means ‘venerable’ and conveys an impression of aged goodness and benevolence. Other descriptive terms might be hallowed or ‘holy’, sacred or revered. Her name speaks of her character and bearing; that of royalty.

• In two of the three cases, her name precedes that of her husband. Consider that Paul, in His wisdom, is sending a subtle message to his audience that, possibly Prisca has spiritual preeminence in their relationship. I’ll add that since ‘all scripture is given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit’, we can safely assume that the Holy Ghost affirmed Paul’s writings.

Earlier in the week, I was fascinated to learn that the phrase, ‘I have a dream’ did not originate with Dr. Martin Luther King. Rather, Dr. King heard it first in a prayer meeting led by a woman, the Reverend Dr. Prathia Hall. Dr. Hall was a young activist and had a reputation as a prophetic voice in the civil rights movement in the sixties. Here is a brief description of that meeting from a Pennsylvania newspaper in 2013…

“Boston University historians say it happened after Hall, a preacher’s daughter, was asked to speak during a prayer vigil at the site of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Georgia after it had been burned to the ground by the Ku Klux Klan. During the ceremony, Hall passionately shared her “I have a dream” vision, leading King to incorporate the phrase into his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington 50 years ago Wednesday.”

Priscilla laid the groundwork for women like Dr. Hall to step into ministry roles and leadership roles in the church. Paul saw a future for the Church with Priscilla in it. A Church where a Priscilla was as highly esteemed as an Aquila. Priscilla then, becomes a groundbreaker, a pioneer for the cause of women as leaders in the Church.

Acts 18:24-26 NASB

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, [l]an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was proficient in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was accurately speaking and teaching things about Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; 26 and [m]he began speaking boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately to him.

Apollos was Hellenistic Jew born in Alexandria. This is significant. Alexandria was regarded as one of the preeminent cities in all of the civilized world. It was the home of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was also the home of the Great Library of Alexandria. Not only was Alexandria a center of commerce, but it was also a center of higher learning. Thus, Apollos was well learned in the Scriptures and was a very capable speaker, undoubtedly trained within the educational system provided in Alexandria. 

Scripture tells us that Apollos preached the Gospel of John, that being the ‘baptism of repentance’. The message preached by John’s followers was of a Messiah whom God would send to save the Jews. However, as erudite as his delivery was, his message was flawed and incomplete. Enter Priscilla and Aquila. 

Proverbs 9:9 NASB

9 Give instruction[a] to the wise, and they will become wiser still;

    teach the righteous and they will gain in learning.

Priscilla and Aquila encountered Apollos in Ephesus. They heard him preach. Impressed by his bearing and presentation they saw an opportunity to take this young disciple under their wing. They immediately understood that his message was incomplete, but rather than openly rebuke him in an adversarial way, they befriended him and took him under their wing. Then they began to fill in the gaps in his knowledge, teaching of Christ who had come, thus fulfilling the Scriptures and teaching him of Jesus’ death burial, and resurrection, thereby providing a path for all of mankind. 

Apollos went on to travel to Corinth, the former home of Priscilla and Aquila where he continued growing in the knowledge of Christ, and where he would eventually become one of the leaders of the church at Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila continued ministering in Ephesus. They demonstrated that, like Paul, they were willing to go wherever needed and act in any capacity required to further the expansion of the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 4:19 NASB

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

1 Corinthians 16:19 NASB

19 The churches of [a]Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Romans 16:3-4 NASB

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

In closing, the verses above reflect the three different times Paul mentions his dear friends and co-laborers in the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ and in the building up of the Church of Christ. As previously noted, Paul uses the name Prisca in addressing his audience, I believe to establish that she is to be revered in the eyes and minds of his readers. Early church history informs us that Aquila was appointed by Paul as the first Bishop of Asia Minor. In that Prisca was joined in marriage to him and that she held a preeminent role in the church, she could logically be thought of as Bishop as well. While this may make some (men) uncomfortable, let me tell you that my very own sister is presently being considered for elevation to the office of Bishop in the United Methodist Church. Throughout the church world there are a great number of churches where the wife of the Pastor is not recognized as First Lady only, a kind of figurehead if you will, but also as co-pastor with their husband, literally a co-equal to the pastor who is to be held in the same esteem as the pastor. In those churches, the First Lady is as frequent a presence in the pulpit as the pastor. Aquila and Priscilla model this type of leadership style throughout their ministry, thus it is appropriate to consider Priscilla a Bishop, if not in name, certainly in stature and esteem.

I would argue further that Priscilla and Aquila could both be regarded as Apostles in the early church, thus making Priscilla one of several women who could be regarded as Apostles in the early church. On another day, Lord willing, I can and will expand on this train of thought, but let me provide a brief overview. I do not hold to the ‘only thirteen Apostles’ theory. I don’t think Paul held to that theory either. In 1 Corinthians, the first and third chapters Paul clearly identifies Apollos as an equal. Paul also refers to Peter in these passages, thus clearly inferring the office of Apostle on Apollos as it is with himself and Peter. I would then expand the argument to Prisca and Aquila because they are primarily responsible for bringing Apollos into the full understanding of the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Additionally, Apostles could be thought of as ‘super missionaries’. Prisca and Aquila certainly fit that description. The three greetings above from Paul show that they were located in various places at various times, Corinth, Ephesus, and finally Rome, where they were both martyred in 64 AD by Nero after the Great Fire of Rome. They moved as needed for the building up of the church and, based on the fact that their final destination was Rome, I would argue that they went there specifically to strengthen the Roman church during a time of extreme persecution. A decision that would cost them their lives.

Finally, let me give a well-deserved shout-out to Aquila. He was so secure in his relationship with his wife, Priscilla that rather than trying to diminish her role in their ministry, he actually encouraged and supported her spiritually and emotionally, allowing her to blossom into a place of esteem and reverence in the Church. He deferred to her intellect, which certainly enhanced their position in the community of churches. Aquila’s posture toward his wife as co-laborer with him in the Gospel establishes Priscilla as a married woman who rose to a position of esteem, thus modeling a role for women, both married and unmarried in the Church.

Here is a side note to consider. While the authorship of the Book of Hebrews is unknown, the influence of Paul is certainly recognized by most theologians. Some attribute the authorship to Paul outright, but most believe the epistle to have been written by one of three people: Barnabus, Apollos, or Priscilla. Those who support the argument for Priscilla point out that she may have purposely left out her name so as not to alienate her entirely Jewish audience as she sought to rescue them from reverting back to Judaism. That’s certainly a viable argument for her as the author of Hebrews. I offer this final advice from the Apostle Peter. This is directed to men, specifically husbands or future husbands. Be like Aquila. Nurture your wife and allow her to discover her inner ‘Priscilla’.

1 Peter 3:7 NASB

7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with [c]someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Selah

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