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Because they all work in the same trade, Paul lived and worked with Aquila and Priscilla as tent-makers. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the . If you and your mate were considering working together in a business, what problems would you foresee arising? 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. While we have church buildings, there is no substitute for the home as a center for evangelism and spiritual nurture in the community. Tradition reports that Aquila and Priscilla were martyred together. Your ministry may even be under the disguise of a business. 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. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Apollo is a Greek name and in Greek mythology, he was the son of Zeus and Leto, the twin brother of Artemis. Read the only passages that feature Priscilla: That may be just the thing your marriage needs. Yet it appears that that never affected their love for one another, their understanding of each other, nor their ability to work together. They were virtuous and pious. (1958 More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. 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? It does not always happen that way. Priscilla and Aquila found something that was priceless. This Jewish couple was saved under the Apostle Paul's ministry and served as his spiritual coworkers. Lets dig a little deeper into Priscilla specifically. It is easy to imagine that at this time the home of Priscilla and Aquila was a real hive of theocratic activity. And she used her gift of friendship to encourage the greatest evangelist who ever lived. Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. They were not only mates and lovers, they must have been good friends and companions. A passionate, young, brilliant scholar named Apollos delivered the sermon. And although they worked long and hard running their shop, making and repairing tents, maintaining a home and caring for their distinguished guest, they always found time for serious Bible study. . Many dedicated women use coffee cup evangelism, establishing close friendships with their neighbors and sharing Christ with them over the kitchen table. You might not be able to preach sermons or run a church service but thats not the only form of ministry. Priscilla and Aquila were well-known in Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. And that is unusual! Acts 18: 1-3. Now they were one in Christ, and His love made a good marriage even better. During their time in Ephesus, one day, Priscilla and Aquila went to the synagogue. Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans from Greece on that third missionary journey, and he said, Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; Also greet the church that is in their house (Rom. Apollos received their words, traveled to Achaia, and flourished in ministry there. 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. She seems to have been 'the better man of the two'; and Aquila drops comparatively into the background. Some of us will never be powerful preachers, but we can be faithful students of the Word, and our homes can be open to people whose hearts are hungry to hear the Word. The evidence of other ancient sources points to two possible periods during the reign of Claudius: either during his first regnal year (AD 41; so Dio Cassius, Roman History 60.6.6), or during his ninth regnal year (49; so Orosius, Historia 7.6.15f). Priscilla and Aquila- Acts 18:1-28 www.missionbibleclass.org. supporting those who proclaim the gospel and plant churches. But they didnt care. They knew this because in his sermon Apollos talked about the coming Messiah that the Old Testament prophecies talked about. 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. They invited him to their home. Thats what they did for money before they had to leave Rome. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26). There is no proof any of these ideas are really true. All of this is just guessing. (3) Apollos was equipped by Priscilla and Aquila to help the Corinthian converts. In the year 52 A.D. the Roman emperor Claudius issued an edict expelling all Jews from the city of Rome. Apollos learned that the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus had already been fulfilled and that now we have salvation full and free in Jesus. Priscillas characteristics inspire admiration. And God blessed his ministry. And they were doing just that. That is not always easy for an extremely talented woman to do, but Priscilla did it. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers. 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. Acts 18-27 New Living Translation Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth 18 Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. Appolonius (Apollos), an Alexandrian Jew, preached in Epheseus. Although he (likely) starts the first Christian church in the city he stays for only a . After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. They were from Pontus, a Roman province in northeastern Asia Minor. Tips on Being an Emotionally Intelligent Pastor (From a Christian Psychologist), 6 Key Questions to Ask of Your Sermon Before You Preach it. Yes, but lets start with ten facts about Priscilla and Aquila. So off they went! How could you use your home more effectively to serve the Lord? There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his . It is suspected that they went back to Rome at some point when things had settle down. By his side was his faithful wife, Priscilla. So Priscilla and Aquila decided to fix it. How does God want you to behave toward her on those occasions? 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 . But his training was to be blamed for that. Paul lived with Priscilla and Aquila for approximately 18 months. What else could you be doing to share Gods Word with others? When you host worship and praise in your home, the devil will not be able to set up strongholds in your their. They ended up in Corinth. Ones name never occurs without the other. The greater your intimacy, the happier your marriage. Priscilla (/prsl/; Greek: , Priskilla or Priscila) and Aquila (/kwl/; Greek: , Akylas, an eagle) were a early Christian missionary couple described in the New Testament. Blessings to you. Another thought is that Priscilla was born unto an elite Roman family but fell in love with Aquila, an ordinary Jewish tentmaker and gave up her wealth to live with the love of her life. How can you be a layperson to help your pastor or deacon or other church leaders. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside in a private setting and shared vital insights. [11] The Greek Orthodox Church and the Antiochian Orthodox Church commemorate them together on February 13. Paul brought the couple with him to Ephesus, an ancient Greek city, where they stayed, while Paul proceeded to Antioch in Turkey. How can you improve this area of your life? One of the outstanding practices of Priscilla and Aquila was the fact that they had a church home. Fifth, they traveled with Paul. Their lives were never the same again. 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. 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. When they met Paul, they adopted his lifestyle. Perhaps 15 or 16 years later, when Paul is near death and writing his final letter to Timothy in Ephesus, he urges Timothy, Greet Prisca and Aquila (2 Tim 4:19). Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers native to Rome. Prayer journal ideas to uplift your soul and get closer to God, Martha in the Bible Characteristics and lessons . Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus (2 Tim. So unhappy were they that they had regular uprisings in Rome. For by trade they were tent-makers (Acts 18:3). Priscilla and Acquila traveled alot on missionary work. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. Paul sailed with Aquila and Priscilla to Syria, which is a country. Jekyll and Hyde. This was the epitome of courageous faith. Your email address will not be published. In some way, Priscilla and Aquila took a risk, and exposed their lives to great danger for the purpose of protecting Paul. Although they did quite a bit of traveling, wherever they called home was a place into which they would welcome believers for worship. Her sorrow: To experience opposition to the gospel from both Jews and Gentiles. In ancient mediterranean culture, women were not commended for work or accomplishments that fell outside of a traditional feminine rolescaring for home and family. But you know what? If so, we are 80 generations into the Christian faith. You have a responsibility to help people like Apollos. They remained in Ephesus to help Paul when he returned to the city for a three-year stay ( Acts 19:1; cf. 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. 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). They probably had a booming tent making business in Rome but when they were chased out, God made it work for their good. Apollos wasnt wrong. I can imagine no higher praise in that culture for ones work and leadership in the early Christian movement. [4], The Christian Church, beginning with Jesus, had a radical view of the status of women. Priscilla was a woman whose spiritual maturity and understanding of the faith helped build up the early church. Whether you worship alone or with some of your friends, make sure the enemy knows your space is a place of godly worship, peace, and praise. It is easier for them not to show up at all than to have their wives outshine them. So they left their home in Corinth and followed Paul to Ephesus. But now it looks as though God had blessed them materially, and they were using their resources in Ephesus for His glory. Now that Vacation Bible School is Over . Priscillas story is told in the New Testament. Apollo was thought to have given the science of medicine to mankind, but Apollo was also the . According to Acts 18:2f, before Paul meets them in Corinth, they were part of a group of Jews whom the Emperor Claudius ordered expelled from Rome; if this edict of the Emperor can be dated, then we would be able to infer when Paul arrived in Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila did the very same thing that Paul did. 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. Priscilla was a businesswoman who, with her husband Aquila, likely owned leatherwork or tent-making shops in several urban centers of the ancient worldRome, Corinth and Ephesus. Their story begins in Acts 18 when they came in as a group of refugees who were fleeing from Rome in 49 A.D. as a result of the persecutions happening there. Related Topics: Christian Home, Issues in Church Leadership/Ministry, Leadership, Marriage, Richard L. Strauss authored nine books, and served as pastor of churches in Fort Worth, TX, Huntsville, AL. 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). Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos speaking in the local synagogue and invited him to their home. Their home was a meeting place for the Ephesian church. They all were tent makers. They moved to Corinth in Achaia, the southern part of Greece, where they met Paul. Possibly at this time they became Christians ( Acts 18:1-3). Not everyone received his testimony. There are up to 12 types of intimacy in marriage. She had a budding, thriving ministry. ), but Paul was extremely thankful. [6] Priscilla and Aquila had been among the Jews expelled from Rome by the Roman Emperor Claudius in the year 49 as written by Suetonius. PRISCILLA. This account is recorded by Suetonius, a court official who served under the Emperor Hadrian. As you live your life, ask yourself this question: if the Bible were to be rewritten with your story in it, what would you like to be known for? Of those six references, Aquila's name is mentioned first only twice: and one of the times on account of it being Paul's first encounter with them, probably through Aquila first. However, he knew only the baptism of John the Baptistnot the baptism taught by Jesus. How sweet and mature and godly of them to not embarrass Apollos in public. Because thats what I want to be known for. When Paul met the couple in Corinth, they were already believers; and they welcomed Paul the tent-maker and evangelist into their business and home, and he enjoyed their hospitality for 18 months (Acts 18). There are a few ideas about why Priscilla is often mentioned before Aquila in most verses in the Bible. Tradition reports that Aquila and Priscilla were martyred together. Instead, she saw an opportunity to pour into him. Apollos was already energetic and passionate. And all things are from God" and his affirmation of Priscilla's instruction of the prominent evangelist Apollos as evidence that Paul was acceding to the law and customs of his day. 24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. Interested in learning more? Ive heard some people say this should never happen, which is probably true for certain marriages. Third, they worked together. Some time after this, when Jews were allowed back in Rome, Aquila and Priscilla returned to live there for a time. In 1900, Adolf von Harnack suggested that Priscilla wrote the epistle to the Hebrews. For several years, Priscilla and Aquila were leaders in the Ephesian church. The friendship grew into a partnership in ministry that last a lifetime. 9. She is certainly not Aquilas property as was customary in Greco-Roman society but rather his partner in ministry and marriage".[5]. Paul indicates Apollos is an apostle,[12]:pp.230231 an "eloquent speaker" who had a "thorough knowledge of the Scriptures". Priscilla and Aquila flesh this idea out and call us to similar discipleship. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. However we make use of it, Gods Word is one necessary ingredient for enriching our relationship with each other. She cares deeply about seeing women and men thrive in their God-given gifts. She was the reason the Blessing was so thick around and for them both. They had each others back. Coupled with her husband, she was a celebrated missionary, and a friend and co-worker of Paul. Paul was a Jew. They became close friends with Paul, helping him to bear the burden of ministry. The three of them became instant friends. Then the couple started out to accompany Paul when he proceeded to Syria, but stopped at Ephesus in the Roman province of Asia, now part of modern Turkey. He attended Moody Bible Institute and is a graduate of York University (B.A.) In Acts 18:2428, Luke reports the couple explaining Jesus' baptism to Apollos, an important Jewish-Christian evangelist in Ephesus. Wow Andrea! He had been "instructed in the way of the Lord" which he taught with great "enthusiasm". Who is Apollos in your life? The two met with Paul in Corinth. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned one more time in the New Testament, in the last chapter of the last book the Apostle Paul wrote. Their home was an oasis. Ask the Lord to give you the kind of commitment to one another that is seen in their marriage. Paul was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness to them (Romans 16:34). However, the contents of this blog post may not be modified, compiled, combined with other content, copied, recorded, synchronized, transmitted, translated, formatted, distributed, publicly displayed, publicly performed, reproduced, given away, used to create derivative works and otherwise used or exploited (including for-profit or commercial gain) without the creators expressed permission. When I am preparing a message, I often talk to my wife about it and get her thoughts on the passage I am studying. They were tentmakers by trade (18:3). 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. She is mentioned exactly six times in the New Testament. 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. They did ministry together. Research for this post came from: This article originally appeared on Biola.edu. Are you sharing the Word of God with each other? Gods order of authority in marriage never changes. How Aquila and Priscilla must have grown! And they themselves became missionaries. But that is evidently the kind of relationship Aquila and Priscilla had. This indicates Priscilla was a leading figure in the church in Rome. [2] She also is thought by some to be the anonymous author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. 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 and McMaster Divinity College (MDiv). The Roman governor, Claudius had had enough of it. It was inevitable that he would amble into the tent-making shop of Aquila and Priscilla. (Romans 1:11, 12) And, as did Aquila and Priscilla, those . 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. Enjoy these fun facts about her. Another explanation of why Priscillas name comes first may be that she was the more vigorous and intelligent Christian worker. It is no wonder their husbands feel threatened. Priscilla was considered a laywoman. Priscilla was a businesswoman who, with her husband Aquila, likely owned leatherwork or tent-making shops in several urban centers of the ancient worldRome, Corinth and Ephesus. So Priscilla and Aquila made their home available for church services. 4:19). Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. Priscilla and Aquila have overcome hardships together. Maybe you have space in your home to give someone food, shelter and a warm bed for a night like Lydia. A church met in their house in Ephesus (1st Cor 16:19, Pauls greeting from Ephesus), and a church also met in their home in Rome once they came back (Rom 16:5). 8. [ a] 2 There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They went to Corinth right at the time when Paul was there. 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! The number of ways to build a ministry is countless. Reading through a book of the Bible together will allow God to speak to our lives. The Bible doesnt tell us explicitly at what point Priscilla and Aquila came to believe in Jesus. Does it always mean taking the gospel to a dangerous land and literally dying there? Believers who shared faith with them could enter and enjoy Christian fellowship and worship. They chose a wise mentoring approach with Apollos. One correction should be made of Groothuis' facts: Priscilla/Prisca and Aquila are mentioned only six times in the Greek text (Acts 18:19 simply has ).. 3 Too much could be made of this point however, for only . Learn how your comment data is processed. What could you do now to avoid those problems? At least Aquila, however, geographically came from the diaspora of northern Anatolia,. Priscilla, Aquila, and Timothy ministered together with Paul in Corinth, and Priscilla and Aquila worked alongside Timothy in Ephesus. You probably know something about each of those dynamic duos. Apparently, there was a lot of commotion in the Jewish community because people were teaching about Jesus. They were inseparable, and they were equals. The church at Ephesus encouraged him to go and wrote a letter of recommendation to the church at Corinth. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. . She is continually paired with her husband, Aquila. For one thing, they made their living together. An extensive research on husband-wife saints listed only 10 since the time of Christ. Even risking their lives for each other. On the other hand, Catherine and Richard Kroeger have written: The fact is that women did indeed teach men, that women served as leaders, and that in doing so they enjoyed Gods blessing and won the praise of other believers. And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them (Acts 18:11). Priscilla and Aquila were also good friends of and ministry partners with Paul (Romans 16:3). On a personal level, Priscilla and Aquila " risked their own necks " for Paul's life (Romans 16:4). I admired the sound and productive friendship she and her husband shared with Paul. God uses the disappointments of our lives for His glory. Young people have profited greatly by adults who have opened their homes to youth groups. They knew this because in his sermon Apollos talked about the coming Messiah that the Old Testament prophecies talked about. Aquila and Priscilla are always mentioned together. He has been in pastoral ministry since 1994, serving in both Fellowship and Canadian Baptist churches in Oakville, Mississauga and Orillia, Ontario Canada. When Paul came to Corinth, he met Priscilla and Aquila and joined them in their tentmaking business (18:3). put Priscilla's name first, as in Acts 18:18.The fact mentioned is interesting as showing (1) that Aquila and his wife continued to attend the services of the synagogue, and (2) that Apollos appeared there, as St. Paul had done, in the character of a Rabbi who had a message to deliver, and was therefore allowed, or, it . When Saint Paul the Apostle visited Corinth to preach the Holy Gospel, Saints Aquila and Priscilla offered him a place to stay as they were impressed with his preaching. Others become overbearing and belligerent in an attempt to establish their position of authority. 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. 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. Thats where they met Paul. They have been called the most famous couple in the Bible since they . Its a good thing to be mindful of the kind of spiritual energy we allow to influence the atmosphere of our home. He knew they were Jews, and that was enough; so all Jews were uprooted from their homes and banished from Rome, the innocent along with the guilty. Acts 18:1-2 is the first of six mentions: After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers as was Paul. 1. One scholar paints a convincing picture of Paul working in their ground-level shop (Priscilla and Aquila making their home upstairs), chatting with customers and sharing the Good Newsthis, alongside Pauls teaching in Corinthian synagogues, is how the churches in Corinth began. In the Catholic Church, the Roman Martyrology lists their feast as July 8. If she is preparing a lesson, she may come to get my help in understanding a particular verse, and we find ourselves sharing the Word together. 2. 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. At this time the church in Ephesus used the house of Aquila and Priscilla as a meeting place ( 1 Corinthians 16:19).