Priscilla and Aquila were well-known in Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. Second, they experienced difficult circumstances together. Batman and Robin. 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? 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). Gods order of authority in marriage never changes. One of the outstanding practices of Priscilla and Aquila was the fact that they had a church home. Priscillas story is told in the New Testament. We may have the joyous privilege of nurturing a young Apollos who someday will have a wide and powerful ministry for Jesus Christ. But Paul wanted to be remembered to them in the last hours of his life. Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. He began to preach boldly in the synagogue. At least Aquila, however, geographically came from the diaspora of northern Anatolia,. 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. God will just throw it back. Violence was the norm against Christians. Enjoy these fun facts about her. Third, they worked together. Key Scriptures: Acts 18-19; Romans 16:3-4; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19 Her Story So unhappy were they that they had regular uprisings in Rome. The Jews were not happy about this new religion that was gaining ground. The appearance of the two in the Acts of the Apostles helps to provide a chronological synchronism for the chronology of Paul's life. Paul had no problem with a godly, capable woman being a church leader. In Corinth, Paul met fellow tentmakers Priscilla and Aquila, and "because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Permission granted for reproduction in exact form. Paul indicates Apollos is an apostle,[12]:pp.230231 an "eloquent speaker" who had a "thorough knowledge of the Scriptures". In Acts 18:2428, Luke reports the couple explaining Jesus' baptism to Apollos, an important Jewish-Christian evangelist in Ephesus. And we can fall on Him at anytime when we feel like we are insufficient to the task. Advocates of female pastorship perceive this as an imperative that was a reflection of cultural and legal restrictions of the day. And what they were able to accomplish as a unit was magnificent. An extensive research on husband-wife saints listed only 10 since the time of Christ. 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. According to Jewish law, those who teach and preach should not get paid. 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. Aquila and Pricilla were a Jewish couple that converted to Christianity and aided Paul in spreading the gospel. How do scholars generally perceive her role? They were forcibly displaced from their home by the edict of Claudius, which exiled Jewish people from Rome. Priscilla and Aquila noticed one problem: Apollos didn't know that Jesus had already been born, died on the cross, was resurrected, and had gone back to heaven. [20] The Lutheran Church commemorates them on the same day along with Apollos. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers as was Paul. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. He was an eloquent speaker and had a good knowledge of the Old Testament. The reason they left Rome to come to Corinth was because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome (18:2). Priscilla was also called Prisca. 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 . The beautiful life story of two that married into one. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. Although they did quite a bit of traveling, wherever they called home was a place into which they would welcome believers for worship. Making the decision to become Christian missionaries was a big deal. Paul lived and worked with them, for . All of this is just guessing. They invited him to their home. [1] Priscilla and Aquila, a Jewish Christian couple who had come to Ephesus with the . Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned one more time in the New Testament, in the last chapter of the last book the Apostle Paul wrote. He has been in pastoral ministry since 1994, serving in both Fellowship and Canadian Baptist churches in Oakville, Mississauga and Orillia, Ontario Canada. But you know what? We want to ensure that we dont invite just about any old body into our home. He had learned about Jesus but knew only of the baptism of repentance practised by John, being ignorant of the news of the descent of the Holy . You might not be able to preach sermons or run a church service but thats not the only form of ministry. Priscilla and Aquila had that kind . He had been "instructed in the way of the Lord" which he taught with great "enthusiasm". Evangelical interpretation is that she was simply a companion to her husband, Aquila, but not necessarily a leader or contributor to the ministry of the church in any substantial way. Priscilla and her husband Aquila were Jews who had been living in Rome. See how youre doing with each of them. Not every husband and wife can work together like this. Although he (likely) starts the first Christian church in the city he stays for only a . How could you use your home more effectively to serve the Lord? 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). 6 Warning Signs of a Toxic Church Culture, 5 Differences Between a Critical Mind and a Critical Spirit. They sailed 250 miles and landed at Ephesus. She was the reason the Blessing was so thick around and for them both. How does God want you to behave toward her on those occasions? They grew to love Gods Word. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside in a private setting and shared vital insights. By hanging out with Paul and being friends with him, they were exposing themselves. Neither did Apollos. 1. And the home of Aquila and Priscilla was always open to people who wanted to learn more about Christ, and for Christians who wanted to grow in the Word. When they were just getting started in business in Corinth their home was probably not big enough to hold all the Christians, so the house of Titus Justus was used. 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. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. Talk with your spouse about Priscilla and Aquilas remarkable marriage, and then pray together. It had been sixteen years since Paul first met them at Corinth, and now he was in a Roman prison for the second time. Today we can read, dissect and examine what we know of their story and mine lessons we can use to guide our own Christian experiences in practical ways. Aquila And Priscilla from Hastings Dictionary of the New Testament. 4. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus (2 Tim. When Paul leaves for Syria, Aquila and Priscilla go with him. We do not know for certain whether she was Jewish or Roman, nor are we sure whether or not they were both Christians at the time. He just needed some more information and a slightly different direction. They are mentioned six times in four different books of the New Testament, always named as a couple and never individually. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers native to Rome. Priscilla and Aquila are known as one of the power couples of the Bible. Now that Vacation Bible School is Over . Aquila, husband of Priscilla, was originally from Pontus[11] and also was a Jewish Christian. 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). She was just using her God-given abilities, as a helpmeet to her husband for the glory of God. They lovingly and patiently rehearsed the life and ministry of Jesus Christ on earth, His sacrificial and substitutionary death on Calvarys cross for the sins of the world, His victorious resurrection from the tomb and glorious ascension into heaven, the necessity for personal salvation from sin by faith in His finished work, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the birth of the Body of Christ, and other great New Testament doctrines. Their home was an oasis. This might be a good thing for husbands and wives to discuss and pray about together. She could have gotten killed but Priscilla kept going. (1958 More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. They were so united, they didn't have any problems with who was doing what in their ministry. Think of it, eighteen months of intensive Bible study under the greatest Bible teacher in the early church. They ended up in Corinth. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took . What is the meaning of Priscilla in the Bible? Most references to husbands and wives in the Bible place the man first. They were inseparable, and they were equals. God has no problem if your ministry is your business and your business is your ministry. 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. They were Jewish immigrants who had been exiled from their home in Italy. But is there anything to learn from them for our lives? But life is better when there is a tribe of people like this. Teaching a Sunday school class and sharing the preparation with each other might be a comfortable way to begin. Because of this, Priscillas leadership in the early church can easily be missed by our modern, western perspectives, especially as she and her husband receive only six mentions in Acts and Pauls letters. Yes, you can be married to someone you dont actually like. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside in a private setting and shared vital insights. The three of them bond over the trade they all do as a main job (Priscilla and Aquila) and a side hustle (Paul):. [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. She and Aquila worked with Paul and carried on without him when he moved on in his journey. If either one of you has never placed your faith in the sacrifice which Christ made for your sins, your marriage cannot be complete. A passionate, young, brilliant scholar named Apollos delivered the sermon. She is certainly not Aquilas property as was customary in Greco-Roman society but rather his partner in ministry and marriage".[5]. It really isnt easy to wear those shoes indeed. AQUILA was a natural Jew and a . Seventh, they learned the Scriptures together. He expelled the Jews. Apollos went on to become a prolific preacher. Are you looking for opportunities to share Christ wherever you go, as Paul did? Corinth was smack-dab in the middle of some important trade routes, so it had a distinct economic and . 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. Aquila and Priscilla were baptized by Paul and were cited in the scriptures as among the 70 disciples of Christ. . Actually, Prisca was her real name. It is suspected that they went back to Rome at some point when things had settle down. 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). True oneness can only be found in Christ. Either way, life was sometimes hard for this couple. Given the nature of their trade, Priscilla and Aquila could be flexible where and when they earned their income from making tents. Paul came to work with them in their shop, and even lived with them in their home during his stay in Corinth. Because they all did the same type of work for money, they became fast friends. Romans 8:28 became a reality in the lives of Priscilla and Aquila. Required fields are marked *. Scripture tells the story like this: After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. How sweet and mature and godly of them to not embarrass Apollos in public. They remained in Ephesus to help Paul when he returned to the city for a three-year stay ( Acts 19:1; cf. It was just a brief and simple greeting, using the shorter form of Priscillas name that we have seen in several other passages. They were true life partners. This is one of the best ways to be on one accord with each. 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. During their stay in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla met up with another Jew from the Dispersion, known as Apollos. They had each others back. Nowadays, we have become very protective of spaces. Wherever they lived, Christians met in their home for worship. She taught the gospel to people and had a church in her home. 8. 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 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. Bruce Winter writes, Paul had no more loyal friends than Priscilla and Aquila, to whom, as he put it some years later, not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks (Rom 16:4) (Winter 298). Their door was open to anyone who wanted to enjoy good Christian fellowship and encouraging, uplifting worship. 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. Appolonius (Apollos), an Alexandrian Jew, preached in Epheseus. Youve heard their names, they show up occasionally in your Bible reading, and you might even remember something about this married couple. It is particularly to be noticed that she took part, not only in her husbands exercise of hospitality, but likewise in the theological instruction of 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 . Aquila, a Jewish Christian, and his wife, Priscilla, first met Paul in Corinth, became good friends of his, and shared in his work. It seems, from what the Roman historian Suetonius says, that they were persecuting their Christian neighbors and causing considerable disturbance in the city. The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the . 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 She seems to have been 'the better man of the two'; and Aquila drops comparatively into the background. 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. Find more free articles at www.BulletinInserts.org, a ministry of Christian Communicators Worldwide: www.CCWtoday.org. So when they arrived in Corinth, they scoured the marketplace together for a small open-air shop to rent, and proceeded to set up their tent-making business. 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. They served God anyway. 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). Interested in learning more? [11] The Greek Orthodox Church and the Antiochian Orthodox Church commemorate them together on February 13. What does Aquila mean in the Bible? 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. Coupled with her husband, she was a celebrated missionary, and a friend and co-worker of Paul. Tips on Being an Emotionally Intelligent Pastor (From a Christian Psychologist), 6 Key Questions to Ask of Your Sermon Before You Preach it. 1:12). 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 . They have been called the most famous couple in the Bible since they . If you and your mate were considering working together in a business, what problems would you foresee arising? There can be no doubt that Priscilla and Aquila were vital members of the Pauline circle, and partners in ministry with Timothy. They are mentioned six times throughout scripture. Maybe you have space in your home to give someone food, shelter and a warm bed for a night like Lydia. Priscilla, Aquila and Paul spent 18 months in Corinth together. How can you avoid these pitfalls? 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. His name means eagle. How did it make Apollos more effective? 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. [18][19] But thats a discussion for another time. 1. 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). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Lets dig a little deeper into Priscilla specifically. Learn how your comment data is processed. I mean they enjoyed each others company so much that they never went anywhere without each other. 9. The author of Hebrews had been closely associated with Timothy (Hebrews 13:23). On a personal level, Priscilla and Aquila " risked their own necks " for Paul's life (Romans 16:4). In some cases the wives are to blame. Does it always mean taking the gospel to a dangerous land and literally dying there? 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. 24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. Priscilla is mentioned only six times in the New Testament, and in each instance, she is named in a strikingly countercultural way. 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. Ask the Lord to give you the kind of commitment to one another that is seen in their marriage. When Paul left Antioch on his third missionary journey, he traveled through Asia Minor by land and returned to Ephesus, where he remained teaching the Word of God for approximately three years (cf. They had to be able to accept suggestions as readily as they offered them. For several years, Priscilla and Aquila were leaders in the Ephesian church. Some time after this, when Jews were allowed back in Rome, Aquila and Priscilla returned to live there for a time. They were even willing to invest the time necessary to take one young man under their spiritual care and pour into his life the things of Christ. "There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos speaking in the local synagogue and invited him to their home. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue (Acts 18:24-26). He absorbed the truth they taught him and made it a part of his life and ministry. [15] As a result, the experts are divided over when this expulsion took place: some, like Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, argue for the earlier year,[16] while others, like Joseph Fitzmyer, argue for the later year.[17]. Home Bible classes can be an effective tool for reaching the lost or getting believers growing in the Word. You probably know something about each of those dynamic duos. The church at Ephesus encouraged him to go and wrote a letter of recommendation to the church at Corinth. She is often thought to have been the first example of a female preacher or teacher in early church history. They cite 1 Corinthians 11:1112, where Paul writes "Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. Romans 16:3-4. Let's begin by reading the end of Acts 18 and the beginning of Acts 19. 1st century Christian missionary married couple. Apollos was already energetic and passionate. It is no wonder their husbands feel threatened. They liked each other a lot. And there, in private, they taught him the full story about Jesus. Aquila and Priscilla are in Corinth because the Jews had been run out of Rome by Emperor Claudius. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Some resisted and blasphemed. There is no proof any of these ideas are really true. 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. They did ministry together. You can tell that their partnership was built on intimacy that was deep as it was wide. Romans 16:3-4 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; From Thematic Bible In fact, her name is first in four out of the six biblical references to them. Another explanation of why Priscillas name comes first may be that she was the more vigorous and intelligent Christian worker. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. (See also Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3; 1 Cor 16:19; and 2 Tim 4:19.). Apollos was, no doubt, inspired to go to Corinth by what Priscilla and Aquila told him of Paul's ministry there. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor." He could not be omni-present. In fact, they were always together. Aquila and Priscilla found their way to Corinth and settled there, pursuing their trade as tentmakers. 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. And they all had a passion and purpose for sharing the gospel. Their affinity for each other was instantaneous, and a deep and lasting friendship was born that day. Rather than correcting him in public or openly challenging his teaching, they fostered a relationship with him in the context of loving fellowship. In addition, the Greek Orthodox Church recognizes Aquila separately as an apostle on July 14. 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. KEY VERSE: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." Romans 16:3,4. After that year and a half, Paul decided to go to Ephesus. Along with her husband, Priscilla worked alongside the Apostle Paul with whom they became very close friends. 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. (3) Apollos was equipped by Priscilla and Aquila to help the Corinthian converts. Every Jewish boy in New Testament times was taught some kind of trade. What could you do now to avoid those problems? In 1900, Adolf von Harnack suggested that Priscilla wrote the epistle to the Hebrews. (Romans 1:11, 12) And, as did Aquila and Priscilla, those . Many dedicated women use coffee cup evangelism, establishing close friendships with their neighbors and sharing Christ with them over the kitchen table. 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. But that is evidently the kind of relationship Aquila and Priscilla had. Greet also the church in their house. The three would prove to become steadfast friends, traveling companions, and ministry coworkers. 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. Apollos received their words, traveled to Achaia, and flourished in ministry there. The Roman governor, Claudius had had enough of it. They were so touched by his fiery speech that, after having been . Acts 18-27 New Living Translation Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth 18 Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. Are you sharing the Word of God with each other? Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. They never met or listened to Jesus in person. When Christianity was new, there was no such thing as a church building. During their time in Ephesus, one day, Priscilla and Aquila went to the synagogue. Of course, its always better when you have some true believers worship with you. There is an interesting observation to be made from that short verse, however. 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. Answer The apostle Paul was a tentmaker by trade, and he relied on that trade to support himself in Corinth on his second missionary journey. They seem to have something to prove, competing with their husbands for the spotlight, grasping after authority and preeminence. 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. These three heard the gospel, embraced the gospel, and propagated the gospel all apart from the author of the gospel. God uses the disappointments of our lives for His glory. 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. Here are the Bible passages that talk about Priscilla. In the early days when Christianity was new and unpopular, many people lost their lives. After arriving in Corinth, they live with Paul for a year and a half. 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 were martyred with other Christians. Apollos wasnt wrong. First, their names always appear together. Priscilla was what some would consider a laywoman today. Apollo is a Greek name and in Greek mythology, he was the son of Zeus and Leto, the twin brother of Artemis. I suppose the emperor didnt want them to disrupt and destroy the place any longer so he expelled them. Tenth, they may have had children. Priscilla and her husband Aquila met the apostle Paul when he came to Corinth in approximately 50 C.E. Acts16v31. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his . She was not competing with Aquila. Their partnership was in money-making, marriage and ministry. They met in homes. 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. So he withdrew from the synagogue and began teaching in the house of Titus Justus next door. 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.