Romans 16:7: Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Andronicus and Junias, greeted together, may have been husband and wife; Junias can be either masculine or feminine. Paul called them my relatives, which probably refers to a tribal, not a family kinship (cf. 9:3). He also mentioned four other “relatives” (16:11, 21). He said Andronicus and Junias had been in prison with him (lit., “my fellow prisoners”); when or where this occurred is not mentioned (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23). Paul commended them as outstanding among the apostles. The word “apostles” is probably used here in the broader, general sense in which Barnabas, Silas, and others were called apostles (Acts 14:14; 1 Thes. 2:7). Or it could mean the apostles in the limited sense, referring to the reputation this pair had among the Twelve. Paul added, They were in Christ before I was. So they had been believers for about 25 years. 1
Application
- Will you be remembered mostly for your possessions and positions or for your sacrificial service towards others?
- Is your commitment to Christ stronger and more fruitful than when you first became a Christian, or is your spiritual walk fading away?
Prayer
Lord, teach me how to serve others no matter what situation I may find myself in.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles Romans, Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
