PRISCILLA

Priscilla is mentioned by name just six times in the Scriptures, three times by Luke and three times in Paul’s letters. Luke uses the Greek form ‘Priskilla’ while Paul refers to her as ‘Priska.’ W. M. Ramsay[1] explains the difference.

    Luke regularly uses the language of conversation, in which the diminutive forms were usual; and so he speaks of Priscilla, Sopatros, and Silas, though Paul speaks of Prisca, Sosipatros, and Silvanus.

The name Priscilla has its origins in the Latin language of the Romans, which would indicate that she was from a Roman family background. Priscilla was married  to a Jewish man named Aquila. He originally came from Pontus, a Roman province bordering the southern coast of the Black Sea. We do not know how the couple met and married.

Luke’s first mention of Priscilla and Aquila states that they had recently come from Rome to Corinth. The reason for their move was that The Roman Emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. It was one of Rome’s many attempts to free the city of ‘foreigners’.  F.  F. Bruce[2] notes that “this was not the only occasion on which the authorities at Rome saw fit to clean up the city by expelling Jewish and other Oriental incomers.” Bruce also refers to the suggestion that the Emperor may have blamed Jews who had become Christians, for some of the uprisings against Roman rule. He writes,[3] “Claudius’ edict is usually connected with a statement by Suetonius in his life of Claudius XXV. 4: ‘As the Jews were indulging in constant riots at the instigation of Chrestus, he banished them from Rome.’ ” It was out of this kind of situation in Rome that Priscilla and Aquila came to Corinth.

We do not know when Priscilla and her husband became Christians. Bruce[4] suggests, “The odds appear to be in favour of the view that they were already Christians before they left Rome.” W. M. Ramsay[5] says of Priscilla and Aquila, “There is probably much to discover with regard to this interesting pair.”

In looking for a picture of Priscilla in the few brief references to her, a faint but fairly distinct portrait of her emerges from the Biblical canvas. We notice firstly that Priscilla ...

TEAMED UP WELL WITH HER HUSBAND

Priscilla and her husband are introduced to us as tent-makers (vs. 3). It is thought that the description also refers to the manufacture of leather goods. Wight[6] mentions that rough goats hair was used in tent making, while Bruce[7] adds that a cloth of goat’s hair called cilicium was used for making cloaks, curtains, and similar items. Paul too was a tent-maker in addition to being a Jewish Rabbi. He had been taught by the noted Jewish teacher Gamaliel, a doctor of law and member of the Sanhedrin. Paul’s academic qualifications would today be at least equivalent to a Ph. D in Religious Studies. But a Rabbi of integrity did not ask for payment for his teaching. That is why many of them practised a trade to support them in their study and teaching. Paul continued to do this in his Christian life. He did not ask for any payment from those he taught, although he would accept gifts and hospitality. Wherever possible he supported himself by working at his trade of tent-making. It was their common trade as tent-makers which brought about Priscilla and Aquila’s meeting with Paul in Corinth. It is quite probable that they met at a service in the synagogue as it was Paul’s custom to visit the synagogue soon after arriving in a city. Alfred Edersheim[8] says, “... the different trades sat in the synagogue arranged into guilds, and St. Paul could have no difficulty in meeting in the bazaar of his trade with the like minded Aquila and Priscilla.”

After meeting Paul, Priscilla and Aquila invited him to share their home and most likely their workshop while he was in Corinth. They would have carried on their tent-making at home. Concerning the place of work, Stanley Toussaint[9] writes, “As is still common in the Middle East, a workman’s shop was downstairs and his living quarters upstairs.” Paul worked at his trade in Corinth up until the arrival of Silas and Timothy from Macedonia with a gift for him. (2 Corinthians 11:9). This made it possible for him to then devote all his time to preaching. (Acts 18:5).

Priscilla and Aquila made a great team. It is most likely that Priscilla worked with her husband in the business as Luke refers to them both as tent-makers. The business prospered. Teamwork enriched their business lives. As they worked with Paul their interest in missions grew to such an extent that when Paul left for Syria eighteen months later, they accompanied him as far as Ephesus in Asia. They became a greatly loved support team for the band of missionaries led by Paul. When eventually they returned to Rome after the death of the Emperor Claudius, Paul put them at the top of his list of  greetings in the letter to the church which met in their home. Paul wrote,

   Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house. (Romans 16:3-5).

Looking again at the picture of Priscilla that emerges from the Biblical canvas, we notice ...

HER GIFT FOR BIBLE TEACHING

While Paul was travelling “throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia strengthening all the disciples,” (vs. 23) Priscilla and Aquila remained in Ephesus. It was there that they met Apollos. Apollos was a Jew who had become a Christian. After hearing him speak in the synagogue they sensed that something was missing in his understanding of the Christian faith. And so they invited him to their home hoping that they would be able to help him understand the Scriptures better.

Four of  the six times that Paul and Luke write of Priscilla and Aquila, Priscilla is mentioned first. Some suggest the reason for this as being the probability that Priscilla came from a Roman family of high social rank. It may also be suggested that perhaps she was the one gifted in Bible teaching. In this case her name may well be the first to spring to mind when writing about the couple. If Aquila was working long hours in the business, it could be assumed that Priscilla had more time for study than her husband, even allowing time for her contribution in the workshop and work in the home. Paul’s advice to the women in the church of Corinth does not negate this idea. When writing to the church members he advised the women that when an issue arose which was likely to be divisive, it would be better to talk it over with their husbands at home rather than become embroiled in a heated debate in the church. His concern was that “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” For, he wrote, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:26-40). But if Priscilla, like the deaconess Phoebe (Romans 16:1) and other women of New Testament times, is to be seen as an example, women serving the church in the ministry of Bible teaching is to be encouraged.

Be that as it may, Priscilla was right there with her husband when it came to explaining the Scriptures. Luke writes of Apollos that “he was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour, and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.” But, adds Luke, “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” (Acts 18:24-26). This leaves us wondering in what way his teaching was lacking. Luke’s comment, “he knows only the baptism of John” may give us a clue. It may be that the gap in his teaching related to an absence of teaching concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Apart from that possibility we do not know what was missing in his teaching. It may have been that there was a lack of balance. He may have emphasised one area of Biblical truth more than another. He may not have been giving the Scriptures enough time to speak for themselves. He may not have understood the principle of allowing one part of the Scriptures to interpret another.

Whatever the lack was, Apollos was humble enough to have it pointed out to him. He appreciated the teaching Priscilla and Aquila gave to him. He was strengthened and encouraged by the members of the church. After leaving Ephesus and crossing over into Achaia, “he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.”  (Acts 18:27).

Finally we note that Priscilla and her husband ...

SERVED THE CHURCHES WITH DISTINCTION

Over Many Years

Paul concluded his second letter to Timothy with greetings for Priscilla and Aquila. Almost twenty years had passed since he first met them in Corinth. During those years they contributed much to the churches in the cities where they were working at their trade. Paul speaks of them as “my fellow workers in Christ.” (Romans 16:3). They served the churches …

In Many Different Ways

They could always be relied on to provide hospitality. They were a help to Paul when  they travelled with him. They encouraged the progress of the Gospel among Gentiles, resulting in Paul’s comment, “all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.” (Romans 16:4). Wherever they went as tent-makers they found new opportunities to serve the Lord. They were always willing to follow his leading to new places. From Rome to Corinth, on to Ephesus, back to Rome, from Rome back to Ephesus. In each city they taught the Scriptures and made their home available for church services. House churches still meet a need in many countries today. John Murray[10] writes ...

   It was necessary and appropriate in apostolic times, as on some occasions today, for Christians to make their home available for the congregations of the saints. It is not without significance that in our totally different present day situation the practice of the house church is being restored and recognised as indispensable to the propagation of the gospel. In a city like Rome or Ephesus there would be more than one such congregation.

Priscilla and Aquila did not back away from living with danger. “They risked their lives for me,” wrote Paul. (Romans 16:4).
And they ...

Served As A Team

We conclude this sketch of Priscilla where we began. As the Biblical writers found, it is impossible to write about her without reference to her husband Aquila. In all areas of life they teamed well together. They worked well together in their tent-making workshop. They were a great team in the service of the Lord. They remain a wonderful example of  the picture Jesus presented of marriage. He said,

   “At the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one. Therefore what God has joined together let not man separate.” (Mark 10:6-9).

Priscilla was one with her husband in the Lord. Together with him, they made up a great team. “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

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