THE KING’S BUSINESS
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labored, is a much stronger word than “worked.” Persis went beyond even Tryphaena and Tryphosa! She “labored much in the Lord,” and she also is spoken of as “the beloved.” But what shall we say of Rufus? Very lofty indeed was the distinction conferred upon him. He is spoken of as “the chosen in the Lord." Paul had a very tender feeling toward him and more tender still toward his mother. He speaks of the mother of Rufus as his own mother. One wonders if Paul’s own mother had died when he was young, or may it be that she had cast him off when he accepted Christ. In any event the Bible is strangely silent about her. Paul speaks of the mothers of other men but never of his own. Sunday, Sept. p. Rom. 16 : 14 - 16 . As Paul goes on writing, so many loved ones in Rome come to mind that he can no longer stop to give descriptive phrases, and at last, he ceases to give names and sums them up as “brethren” and “saints.” Those titles are good enough and they belong to all who have truly accepted Christ. The Roman Catholic church has cannonized only a few out of the multitude of “saints” but God has cannonized all who are in Christ. We have so narrowed down and perverted the meaning “saint” that if one should ask us, “Are you a saint?” we would hesitate to answer, yes, but we would have a perfect right to answer, yes, if we are in Christ. Any true believer in Christ has a right to say, “I am a saint.” As we read what Paul here writes and what he writes elsewhere, we see how tender was the affection in the early churches. “Salute,” Paul says, “one another with a holy kiss.” This outward form of salutation would be out of place in our western churches, though perfectly in place in the eastern church. But while the outward form would be out of place with us, the love laying back of it, ought to be very much in place. It ought to be added, that in the early church, these salutations were between men and men and women and women.
they did this, the Bible nowhere tells us, but it was probably at Corinth where Paul had lived with them and where he had met such bitter opposition (Acts 18:2, 3, 6 , 9, 12). Paul was now writing from the same city and must have often thought of his old companions in service and suf fering. Priscilla and Aquila by their sacri fice had won Paul’s undying gratitude and that of the whole church of the Gentiles. Saturday, Sept. 8 . Rom. 16 : 8 - 13 . The list of names and descriptive phrases continues. It is evident that Paul was a great hearted man for his love took in not merely believers as a body but individuals among believers. One is astonished at the number of people in Rome whom Paul knew well and remembered. He had never been in Rome himself and so had not met them there, but he had met them in various places and had kept track of them and knew that they were now in Rome. It was not as easy to keep track of people in those days as it is now. He speaks of Urbanus as “our fellow worker in Christ.” The world would never have heard of Urbanus if Paul had not mentioned him. Nevertheless, Urbanus was of a good deal of account: Paul counted him a “fellow worker,” and put him down by name in the imperishable book, every word of which is studied by millions of people throughout the centuries. It was a great thing to get one’s name in the Bible. It is a far greater thing to get your name in the Book of Life (Luke 10:20; Rev. 20:15). And now Paul mentions another beloved one, “Stachys, my beloved.” Upon Apelles, Paul confers a very great distinc tion, he speaks of him as “the approved in Christ.” That is a loftier title than Doctor of Divinity or earl, or duke or king or emperor, and it is a title that we can all win. Does it belong to you? I do not suppose that Apelles ever wrote it after his own name and yet it belonged to him. Two women, Tryphaena and Tryphosa, attained distinction also: they labored in the Lord. The Greek word translated
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