John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. Likewise greet the church that is in their house , etc..] Which was either their own family, which might be somewhat large, and consisting entirely or chiefly of religious persons; for when they were in other places they had a church in their house as well as Rome; (see 1 Corinthians 16:19); or the saints at Rome, who used to meet privately at their house, and pray and sing praises together, speak to one another of the things of God, and build up one another in their most faith; and from their gathering together in the name of Christ, and for the worship of him, and among whom his presence, according to his promise, was, they are called a church, or an assembly of Christians. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus ; for though all the saints were beloved by the apostle, yet there were some, as this good man, for whom he might have, on some account or another, a particular affection; as our Lord, as man, had for his disciple John, though he loved all his disciples. There is one of this name, said to be one of the seventy disciples, and bishop of Carthage; (see Gill on Luke 10:1). Who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ ; that is, either he was one of the chief and principal for gifts and grace, or one of the first that was converted to Christ in those parts: the allusion is to the firstfruits under the law, which were offered unto the Lord, and were pledges of, and sanctified the rest. The Vulgate Latin, instead of Achaia, reads Asia: and so it is read in the Alexandrian copy, and others: the reason of this different reading seems to be, because the house of Stephanas are said to be the firstfruits of Achaia, ( 1 Corinthians 16:15). But this hinders not but that Epaenetus might be so too, for he might be one of the family of Stephanas, who was now removed to Rome. If he was a Jew, his Jewish name might be Judah, the same with Epaenetus, in Greek.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-16 - Paul recommends Phebe to the Christians at Rome. It becomes Christian to help one another in their affairs, especially strangers; we know no what help we may need ourselves. Paul asks help for one that had bee helpful to many; he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Thoug the care of all the churches came upon him daily, yet he could remembe many persons, and send salutations to each, with particular character of them, and express concern for them. Lest any should feel themselve hurt, as if Paul had forgotten them, he sends his remembrances to the rest, as brethren and saints, though not named. He adds, in the close a general salutation to them all, in the name of the churches of Christ.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ την 3588 T-ASF κατ 2596 PREP οικον 3624 N-ASM αυτων 846 P-GPM εκκλησιαν 1577 N-ASF ασπασασθε 782 5663 V-ADM-2P επαινετον 1866 N-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM αγαπητον 27 A-ASM μου 3450 P-1GS ος 3739 R-NSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S απαρχη 536 N-NSF της 3588 T-GSF αχαιας 882 N-GSF εις 1519 PREP χριστον 5547 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. The church that is in their house (thn kat oikon autwn ekklhsian). The phrase church that is in their (or his) house occurs 1 Corinthians xvi. 19, of Aquila and Priscilla; Col. iv. 15, of Nymphas; Philemon 2, of Philemon. A similar gathering may be implied in Romans xvi. 14, 15. Bishop Lightfoot says there is no clear example of a separate building set apart for christian worship within the limits of the Roman Empire before the third century. The Christian congregations were, therefore, dependent upon the hospitality of prominent church members who furnished their own houses for this purpose. Hence their places of assembly were not called temples until late; but houses of God; houses of the churches; houses of prayer.Numerous guilds or clubs existed at Rome for furnishing proper burial rites to the poor. Extant inscriptions testify to the existence of nearly eighty of these, each consisting of the members of a different trade or profession, or united in the worship of some deity. The Christians availed themselves of this practice in order to evade Trajan's edict against clubs, which included their own ordinary assemblies, but which made a special exception in favor of associations consisting of poorer members of society, who met to contribute to funeral expenses. This led to the use of the catacombs, or of buildings erected over them for this purpose. 72 The expression here denotes, not the whole church, but that portion of it which met at Aquila's house.
Epaenetus. A Greek name, meaning praised. It is, however; impossible to infer the nationality from the name with any certainty, since it was common for the Jews to have a second name, which they adopted during their residence in heathen countries. Compare John Mark (Acts xii. 12); Justus (Acts i. 23); Niger (Acts xiii. 1); Crispus (Acts xviii. 8). The first fruits of Achaia. The best texts read of Asia. An early convert of the Roman province of Asia. See on Acts ii. 9 This is adduced as an argument that this chapter was addressed to Ephesus. 73
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:5 {The church that is in their house} (tn kat' oikon autwn ekklesian). The early Christians had no church buildings. See also #Ac 12:2; 1Co 16:19; Phm 1:2; Col 4:15. The Roman Christians had probably several such homes where they would meet. {Epainetus} (epaineton). Nothing is known of him except this item, "the first-fruits of Asia" (aparce ts asias). An early convert from the province of Asia. Cf. #Ac 2:9; 1Co 16:15 (about Stephanus and Achaia).
