Apollos was already energetic and passionate. During their time in Ephesus, one day, Priscilla and Aquila went to the synagogue. The Master said, " Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends " (John 15:12). This couple were among the earliest known Christian missionaries in the first century. 5. She could have gotten killed but Priscilla kept going. Jesus had been crucified, was raised from the dead, went back to heaven and left a mandate for His disciples to turn the world upside down with His message of love and hope. They were not only mates and lovers, they must have been good friends and companions. It's said a generation spans roughly 25 years. Not every husband and wife can work together like this. We should also create an atmosphere that the enemy will not be able to tolerate. In some cases the wives are to blame. Yes, but lets start with ten facts about Priscilla and Aquila. If they had not known Christ before this, they certainly met him now, for no one could spend time in Pauls presence and not be infected by his contagious and enthusiastic love for his Savior. They invited him to their home. 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. The beautiful life story of two that married into one. Paul lived with Priscilla and Aquila for approximately 18 months. 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. Adam and Eve. Are there occasions when you feel that your mate undermines you in public? 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. Rather than correcting him in public or openly challenging his teaching, they fostered a relationship with him in the context of loving fellowship. [11] The Greek Orthodox Church and the Antiochian Orthodox Church commemorate them together on February 13. Copyright 2015 - 2023. They were virtuous and pious. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. He had been "instructed in the way of the Lord" which he taught with great "enthusiasm". Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers as was Paul. Apollo was thought to have given the science of medicine to mankind, but Apollo was also the . When Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, they accompanied him, and he left them there when he embarked for his home church in Antioch (Acts 18:18-22). Acts. Claudius cared little about the reason for the trouble, and even less about who the guilty parties were. Acts 20:31), during which he wrote the letter known to us as 1 Corinthians. Batman and Robin. They probably helped to establish the church in Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. Corinth was smack-dab in the middle of some important trade routes, so it had a distinct economic and . What does Aquila mean in the Bible? Pastor, Do You Have a Priscilla in Your Church? A lthough Priscilla had a household to manage, she still found time to be a thorough student of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. True oneness can only be found in Christ. When you host worship and praise in your home, the devil will not be able to set up strongholds in your their. 4:19). I suppose the emperor didnt want them to disrupt and destroy the place any longer so he expelled them. 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). Priscilla and Aquila found something that was priceless. How Aquila and Priscilla must have grown! Because of the spread of Christianity, Rome became a turbulent place to live. Every time it happened, the peace of Rome was disrupted and alot of damage was caused. Brilliant and well-traveled as he was, there were limitations. Paul founded the church in Corinth. One of the most powerful legacies you can leave is a well-lived life that others can emulate. Because they all did the same type of work for money, they became fast friends. Why the switch? Priscilla and Aquila appear in four chapters of the Bible; Acts, Romans, Corinthians and Timothy. Priscilla (/prsl/; Greek: , Priskilla or Priscila) and Aquila (/kwl/; Greek: , Akylas, an eagle) were a early Christian missionary couple described in the New Testament. Wherever they lived, Christians met in their home for worship. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned one more time in the New Testament, in the last chapter of the last book the Apostle Paul wrote. So Priscilla and Aquila decided to fix it. Jesus demonstrated that he valued women and men equally as being made in the image of God. The journey to the city, with friends Priscilla and Aquila, is considered part of what is called Paul's second evangelistic or missionary journey. Romans 8:28 became a reality in the lives of Priscilla and Aquila. Claudius was dead now, so the move seemed safe, and Rome surely needed a gospel witness. They were from Pontus, a Roman province in northeastern Asia Minor. Maybe this is your marriage. 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. Losing your life for Jesus involves , Copyright 2015 Steve Burchett. Since 1Corinthians discusses a crisis deriving from a conflict between the followers of Apollos and the followers of Cephas (possibly the apostle Peter), it can be inferred that Apollos accompanied Priscilla and Aquila when they returned to Corinth. Aquila and Priscilla are always mentioned together. Paul lived and worked with them while founding the Corinthian church. Priscilla is the diminutive of Prisca, feminine of Prisca meaning "primitive," hence, "worthy, or venerable," as belonging to the good old They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. That is not difficult to do in a pastors home. Do you seek praise from others at his expense? Yet it appears that that never affected their love for one another, their understanding of each other, nor their ability to work together. They did ministry together. Priscilla and Aquila stepped up to the plate. [ a] 2 There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. And they were quite the traveling pair, always on the road to some missionary trip. His death at the hands of the emperor Nero was imminent, and he was writing the last paragraph of his long and fruitful life. They became the honored and much-loved friends and ministry partners with the Apostle Paul. And so they could easily spend hours upon hours upon hours together and not get bored or sick of each other. Thats where they met Paul. What about Priscilla (or Prisca) and Aquila? Every Jewish boy in New Testament times was taught some kind of trade. 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 . Neither did Apollos. And what they were able to accomplish as a unit was magnificent. But Paul wanted to be remembered to them in the last hours of his life. Sixth, they taught Apollos the way of God more accurately (18:26). The three would prove to become steadfast friends, traveling companions, and ministry coworkers. 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. There are a few ideas about why Priscilla is often mentioned before Aquila in most verses in the Bible. But what does it look like to lose your life for Christ? It seems, from what the Roman historian Suetonius says, that they were persecuting their Christian neighbors and causing considerable disturbance in the city. The wonderful thing is that as women, God has equipped us with what we need to do what He has called and commissioned us to get done. Gods order of authority in marriage never changes. - Acts 18:1-3. If they didnt have kids, it may have been sad for them, but they still maximized their days for the Lord. Priscilla is mentioned only six times in the New Testament, and in each instance, she is named in a strikingly countercultural way. Yet when Priscilla is mentioned by Paul, he describes her as a co-worker in the Lord (Romans 16:3), placing her alongside Timothy (Romans 16:21), Titus (2 Corinthians 8:23), Philemon (Philemon 1) and Luke (Philemon 24) in Pauls valuing of her work among the churches. The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. [3], They are mentioned six times in four different books of the New Testament, always named as a couple and never individually. I mean they enjoyed each others company so much that they never went anywhere without each other. Even risking their lives for each other. 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. They had to be able to accept suggestions as readily as they offered them. This began a friendship that lasted a lifetime. The greater the intimacy, the more fulfilled you will be. They probably had a booming tent making business in Rome but when they were chased out, God made it work for their good. 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. Priscilla and Aquila had been among the Jews expelled from Rome by the Roman Emperor Claudius in the year 49 as written by Suetonius. However, he knew only the baptism of John the Baptistnot the baptism taught by Jesus. 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? Around the year A.D. 49, the Emperor Claudius issued an edict exiling all the Jewish people from Rome, the seat of the Roman Empire. Tenth, they may have had children. I admired the sound and productive friendship she and her husband shared with Paul. Who is that young man? Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. They went to Corinth right at the time when Paul was there. Are you sharing the Word of God with each other? Your email address will not be published. We want to ensure that we dont invite just about any old body into our home. .--Many of the best MSS. 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. If you and your mate were considering working together in a business, what problems would you foresee arising? Actually, Prisca was her real name. Priscilla was also called Prisca. Anything can become a ministry. And they were doing just that. Aquila, a Jewish Christian, and his wife, Priscilla, first met Paul in Corinth, became good friends of his, and shared in his work. On a personal level, Priscilla and Aquila " risked their own necks " for Paul's life (Romans 16:4). She is certainly not Aquilas property as was customary in Greco-Roman society but rather his partner in ministry and marriage".[5]. Its not always easy to find but God can provide godly friends who are similar to you in heart and purpose. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned one more time in the New Testament, in the last chapter of the last book the Apostle Paul wrote. Tradition reports that Aquila and Priscilla were martyred together. They ended up in Corinth. The Bible doesnt tell us how or when Priscilla and Aquila died. For wives: Are you threatening your husband by striving to prove your superiority in certain areas? It is no wonder their husbands feel threatened. They were so united, they didn't have any problems with who was doing what in their ministry. And that is unusual! Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. What is your ministry? After arriving in Corinth, they live with Paul for a year and a half. This happened before 54, when Claudius died and the expulsion of the Jews from Rome was lifted. Paul sailed with Aquila and Priscilla to Syria, which is a country. Yet, there is never a place in Scripture where one is mentioned and the other isnt. [20] The Lutheran Church commemorates them on the same day along with Apollos. They hosted St . Tips on Being an Emotionally Intelligent Pastor (From a Christian Psychologist), 6 Key Questions to Ask of Your Sermon Before You Preach it. When Priscilla and Aquila met Paul in Corinth, they spent 18 months together. They moved to Corinth in Achaia, the southern part of Greece, where they met Paul. being willing to die for fellow believers. Priscilla and Aquila had been among the Jews expelled from Rome by the Roman Emperor Claudius in the year 49 as written by Suetonius. Apollos went on to become a prolific preacher. What else could you be doing to share Gods Word with others? Her sorrow: To experience opposition to the gospel from both Jews and Gentiles. We pick up their story in Acts 18 when Paul meets them as refugees in Corinth. She seems to have been 'the better man of the two'; and Aquila drops comparatively into the background. 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. Their door was open to anyone who wanted to enjoy good Christian fellowship and encouraging, uplifting worship. Are you looking for opportunities to share Christ wherever you go, as Paul did? Thats what they did for money before they had to leave Rome. All he knew beyond the Old Testament was the message of John the Baptist, which merely looked forward to the coming Messiah. Acts 26:31). 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. In the year 52 A.D. the Roman emperor Claudius issued an edict expelling all Jews from the city of Rome. 26b-28)? Their lives were never the same again. An extensive research on husband-wife saints listed only 10 since the time of Christ. The Great Fire on July 19 AD, which destroyed 10 of the 14 districts in Rome, was blamed on Christians. Yet we observe that the husband and the wife are always mentioned together. Aquila and Priscilla were martyred with other Christians. And after the lessons were over, the three of them probably went home together and sat up into the early hours of the morning talking about the Lord and His Word. 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