A Partnership in Christ

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus."—Romans 16:3

Contributed

In the history of the early church, we find many fine examples of brethren who dedicated and sacrificed themselves in the service of the truth. From these examples, we can learn valuable lessons in how to apply the truth in our daily lives. Aquila and Priscilla were just such an example. Aquila and Priscilla first come to our attention in chapter 18 of Acts. Aquila was a Jew, originally from Pontus, an area of Asia Minor bordering the Black Sea. The Scriptures tell us that Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, had moved to Rome but were driven out from Rome because of their Jewish faith. Their exodus resulted from the A.D. 49 anti-Semitic edict made by Claudius that all Jews must depart from Rome ( Acts 18:2).

Aquila and Priscilla settled in Corinth, a large commercial city, where they met the Apostle Paul. When the holy spirit directed Paul during his second missionary journey to preach the gospel in Macedonia, the city of Corinth was one of the objectives because the Lord had many people in this city (Acts 18:10). As a result, Paul spent a year and a half in Corinth teaching the word of God (Acts 18:11).

This is a wonderful example of the keen interest and close supervision which the heavenly Father takes in the work of the gospel. He knows of those who are prepared to respond to the gospel message even before they hear it and he directs the lives of his servants to bring the message to these hearing ears. His direction of Phillip to meet with and preach the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch is another evidence of this direction (Acts 8:26-29). These examples increase our faith as they demonstrate the wisdom and power of our God who has called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light of truth.

Aquila and Priscilla and the Apostle Paul shared the same craft, tent-making. It was this shared profession that brought them together when Paul arrived in Corinth. From the scriptural record, Aquila and Priscilla are the first people of Corinth that Paul met with and who accepted his testimony of Jesus Christ. From that point, the life of Aquila and Priscilla were completely transformed.

Dedicating Their Lives to the Gospel

The first thing we notice about Aquila and Priscilla is that they dedicated their lives to the Lord and the brethren, moving where the Lord directed. When Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him to assist with the work there (Acts 18:18, 19). They remained behind at Ephesus ultimately meeting with and helping Apollos gain a better understanding of the gospel while the apostle traveled on to Caesarea and Antioch (Acts 18:22-26).

When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, Aquila and Priscilla were back at Rome assisting the brethren (Rom.16:3-5). By the time Paul wrote his final epistle to Timothy, Aquila and Priscilla had left Rome and were probably back in Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:19). Beyond this record, their travels are not recorded. However, it is reasonable to conclude that their travel to different ecclesias was much more extensive because Paul expressed to them thanks from "all the congregations of the gentiles" (Rom. 16:4, Diaglott). Aquila and Priscilla subjugated their temporal lives to the Lord’s service, moving to a new location whenever they felt so directed by the Lord. They counted not their lives dear unto them but, as faithful stewards, used their time and means in whatever capacity the Lord needed (Acts 20:24).

The Apostle Paul called them "fellow-laborers" (Rom. 16:3). As such, they are included in a select group of Paul’s co-laborers, which included Timothy, Titus, Ephaphroditus, Clement, Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Marcus, Justus and Lucas. This group was a special comfort to Paul during his ministry (Col. 4:11). This reference gives us a good idea about how active Aquila and Priscilla were in the service of the Lord.

The lesson to us is one of dedication to the Lord’s service. Aquila and Priscilla were not interested in improving their earthly careers or becoming comfortable in this life. Their life was a pilgrimage in the service of their Lord, moving and doing whatever it took for the furtherance of the gospel. They abstained from earthly entanglements and instead became followers of Paul, that through faith and patience they might inherit the promise of eternal life (Heb. 6:11, 12).

Laying Down Their Necks

Their service to the Lord included actually risking their lives for Paul, who brings this to our attention in Romans 16:4, "These persons on behalf of my life, laid down their own neck" (Diaglott). Paul was referring to the riot in Ephesus instigated by the craftsman, Demetrius (Acts 19:24-29). Paul was probably lodging with Aquila and Priscilla while in Ephesus and the mob made straight for their home to seize the apostle. The mob’s ringleaders apparently wanted to have a spectacle in the Colosseum—to have Paul cast into the arena to be devoured by wild beasts before the multitude. Paul alludes to this in 1 Corinthians 15:32 when he wrote "If, as men do, I fought a wild beast at Ephesus, of what benefit is it to me?" (Diaglott).

While the Scriptures are silent on exactly what Aquila and Priscilla did to save Paul, the mob was foiled in their search for the apostle. They seized Gaius and Aristarchus instead and took them to the theater. Paul went to the theater to make his own defense of the gospel but was persuaded by the local brethren not to enter (Acts 19:30-31). Aquila and Priscilla, by their willingness to lay down their lives for the Apostle, had shown that divine or agape love had been developed in their hearts (1 John 3:16). They had learned the Lord’s new commandment, to love one another as he had loved them (John 13:34-35).

While we do not have the opportunity to protect an apostle from a raging mob, we do have ample opportunities to lay down our lives for the brethren. These opportunities involve using our time, energy, talents and possessions to help our brethren both spiritually and temporally. It ranges from taking our brethren to meetings and conventions to visiting and encouraging them in illness and trials. It involves studying together as often as possible, helping one another grow in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a full grown man (Eph. 4:13). It includes being faithful companions of those whom the Lord uses more publicly in the proclamation of the gospel. Let us follow the example of Aquila and Priscilla and not be weary in well doing but as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith (Gal. 6:9-10).

Speaking the Truth in Love

Aquila and Priscilla’s assistance to the brethren included helping them come to a better understanding of the truth. While at Ephesus, a Jew from Alexandria named Apollos, came and preached the Lord Jesus Christ. Apollos was eloquent and powerful in the Scriptures and fervent in the spirit. However, Apollos was only acquainted with the baptism of John. He did not understand the baptism of Jesus: that when we are baptized into Jesus, we are baptized into the same kind of death (Acts 18:24-26; Rom. 6:3, 4). Priscilla and Aquila took advantage of this opportunity, not to criticize Apollos but to explain to him more accurately the way of God (Acts 18:26, Diaglott). With this better understanding, Apollos went on to greatly help the brethren in Achaia, strenuously discussing with the Jews in public and proving by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 18:27, 28).

The Scriptures indicate this was a private conversation where Aquila and Priscilla more accurately expounded or exposed the way of God to Apollos. No doubt, they spoke the truth in love, focused on helping Apollos acquire a better understanding and grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ (Eph. 4:15).

In this regard, Aquila and Priscilla serve as an example for us of how to deal with differences of opinion and understanding with our brethren. The objective is helping one another reach a better understanding of the truth, not criticizing and winning a public or private argument. Aquila and Priscilla, having purified their lives by obedience to the truth unto unfeigned brotherly love, loved their brethren from the heart, intensely (1 Peter 1:22 Diaglott). We must do the same.

Hospitality for the Brethren

We see Aquila’s and Priscilla’s love for the Lord and the brethren manifested in a very special way—hosting brethren to meet in their home. Twice, Paul closes his espistles with greetings to Aquila and Priscilla and the church that is in their house (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19). Since the Scriptures make no mention of children, we suggest these were brethren studying with Aquila and Priscilla much as Paul did when he first came to Corinth. This willingness to invite brethren to their home was an evidence of their love for the Lord and a willingness to use all of their possessions in the service of the truth.

Aquila and Priscilla provide a wonderful example for us to follow. Hospitality is always a virtue. But when that hospitality extends to the Lord’s people, to provide them a place for their spiritual service and growth as new creatures in Christ, this is especially pleasing to the Lord. Aquila and Priscilla were contributing to the wants of the saints—pursuing hospitality (Rom. 12:13, Diaglott).

This is an example we can follow at this end of the Gospel age. Our homes should be open to the brethren. We have all known brethren who have opened their homes over the years and have observed how they have been richly blessed by the experience.

This example provides one of the best tests of the stewardship of our possessions and their use in the Lord’s service (1 Cor. 4:2). We typically have no earthly possessions more valuable than our dwellings. To open them up to brethren shows that the focus of our stewardship is to use everything we have in the Lord’s service.

Their Life-Long Service to the Lord

Aquila and Priscilla were a beautiful example of how a husband and wife, together, may dedicate their lives to serving God, our Lord Jesus, and the gospel. Their example shows us how we can serve the brethren in so many different ways—in hospitality, in study, and in laying down our lives. Their example reminds us of the words of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 10:32-36:

"But continually recall to mind the days now past, when on being first enlightened you went through a great conflict and many sufferings. This partly through allowing yourselves to be made a public spectacle amid reproaches and persecutions, and partly through coming forward to share the sufferings of those who were thus treated. For you not only showed sympathy with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more valuable possession and one which will remain. Therefore, do not cast from you our confident hope, for it will receive a vast reward. For you stand in need of patient endurance, so that, as the result of having done the will of God, you may receive the promised blessing" (Weymouth).

We trust Aquila and Priscilla were faithful to the end of their lives. They patiently endured suffering, they were companions of those like the Apostle Paul who publicly proclaimed the gospel, they never cast away their confidence in the great spiritual reward set before them or the heavenly Father who promised it. They are a powerful example of brethren who, whatever they did in word or in deed, did all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col. 3:17). The story of their zeal and faithfulness has been recorded in the Scriptures so that we might copy it in our Christian walk.