A Godly Couple Serving The Lord Tegether

Serving – May 2022 – Grace & Truth Magazine

A Godly Couple Serving The Lord Together

Aquila and Priscilla’s partnership in the gospel with the apostle Paul started in Corinth (Acts 18:2). It continued until the end of Paul’s life (2 Tim. 4:19), in contrast to many who turned away. Let us briefly review six Scripture passages that refer to this lovely Christian couple and their activities for the Lord.

Involved In A Local Church
Aquila was from Pontus on the border of the Black Sea in today’s northern Turkey. At the time many Jews resided there as part of the Dispersion (1 Pet. 1:1). Some of them and a number from other areas, including Rome, traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended and the Church was born (Acts 2:1-4,9-10). We do not know whether Aquila and his wife were among them however.

Soon after the events of Acts 2, a local church began in Rome by a work of God. This led to unrest among the Jewish community there; Christians were usually not to blame for such turmoil. Passages in Acts and the Epistles show that unbelieving Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah used all kinds of methods to oppose those who followed Him.

By the time Aquila and Priscilla had to leave Rome, together with all the Jews (Acts 18:2), the city had a fast-growing assembly. It continued with many non-Jewish believers, as confirmed by the many greetings in Romans 16, written by Paul some years later. Shortly after the apostle arrived in Corinth, he started working with this couple. Their activities in other places may imply that they were actively involved in the church at Rome before all the Jews were ordered to leave the city.

Participation In Fruitful Gospel Work
This devoted couple met Paul in Corinth, worked with him in the gospel, and helped establish the local church or assembly (Acts 18:1-18).* After about two years of ministry, the apostle left, at least for the time being, and traveled to Ephesus, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila (v.18). Paul then left this couple. The apostle visited the synagogue in Ephesus, where he “reasoned with the Jews” (v.19 NASB). Those there asked him to stay longer. Instead, he departed, giving a promise to come back “if God wills” (vv.20-22).

Showing Interest In An Individual Believer
Paul then traveled to Antioch, finishing his second missionary journey before starting his third (vv.21-23). Meanwhile, Apollos visited Ephesus. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Now Apollos was an “eloquent” speaker, “mighty in the Scriptures” and “fervent in spirit” (vv.24-25). He taught the things concerning Jesus, but not beyond the ministry of John the Baptist, who had identified the Lord as the Messiah (v.25).

According to some manuscripts, Priscilla is mentioned first, as this couple invited Apollos to their home after the synagogue service. During their visit they “explained to him the way of God more accurately” (v.26), in more detail. This included Christ’s earthly ministry, rejection, sufferings, cross, resurrection and ascension, as well as the coming of the Holy Spirit and Christ’s present heavenly ministry. Priscilla is mentioned first, not only for the hospitality shown to Apollos but possibly because of her spiritual gift to explain the things concerning the Lord, obviously done in a private setting. A sister in Christ may have a greater spiritual gift than her husband, but she needs to exercise it in obedience to God’s Word, acknowledging differences in the God-given roles of men and women. When Apollos wanted to visit Greece, he was commended to the assembly in Corinth (v.27).

Hosting A Local Assembly
During their stay in or around Ephesus, this highly motivated Christian couple, Aquila and Priscilla, hosted an assembly in their home, apparently for a number of years (Acts 18:19; 1 Cor. 16:19). Also, while working in Ephesus, Paul wrote his first letter to the assembly at Corinth, where these three had worked together in the past. After Aquila and Priscilla had stayed for a few years in Ephesus, they returned to Rome where they hosted a local assembly yet again (Rom. 16:4-5).

Laying Down Their Lives
Toward the end of his third missionary journey, Paul returned to Corinth. By then he was preparing to travel to Jerusalem, together with several co-workers and representatives of the assemblies that contributed to the collection “for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem” (15:26). While in Corinth, Paul wrote his long epistle to the Romans. He included greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, his “fellow workers in Christ Jesus” (16:3) who had risked their lives for the apostle (v.4). It is interesting to note that term used literally means they risked “their soul,” singular, for this couple is seen as one in their devotion.

Paul and all the assemblies among the Gentiles were thankful to this couple for what they did. Priscilla’s name is again mentioned first, indicating that she might have taken the initiative to rescue Paul. We do not know the exact circumstances, but Acts and the Epistles show many very difficult trials Paul faced, whereas in this case a divine intervention must have spared their lives as well as his. Thus, Priscilla and Aquila practiced one of the commandments of the law of Christ: “We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jn. 3:16). When Paul sent them his greetings, they were back in Rome, from where we already noted they had been forced to leave many years earlier.

For An Assembly’s Well-being
Several years later – after Paul’s imprisonments in Jerusalem and Caesarea, his journey to Rome and his captivity there – he was released from prison (Acts 28:30-31). However, about five years later the apostle was again taken into custody, which possibly happened somewhere in Asia Minor. From there, he was sent back to Rome “as a criminal” (2 Tim. 2:9). This time his circumstances were much harsher, as he found himself in a cold dungeon, facing inevitable execution.

In this difficult situation Paul was still able to encourage Timothy, his spiritual child and son (2 Tim.). Timothy was in Ephesus, where the apostle had asked him to stay, and now instructed him to “greet Prisca and Aquila” (2 Tim. 4:19). Notice that again her name is mentioned first. That implies this couple must have traveled from Rome back to Ephesus, where Timothy was still at work (1 Tim. 1:2-3). Obviously, Aquila and Priscilla played, once more, an important role in the spiritual well-being of the assembly in Ephesus.

May we follow their example, faithful together for the Lord!

ENDNOTE
* The term “church” is derived from the Greek kurios (Lord) whereas “assembly” is from ecclesia, which means a company of those who have been called out, that is, from paganism or Judaism.

By Alfred Bouter