Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. Romans 16:7
“In the Greek sentence, the second name is Iounian, which could be the accusative form of either Junias (masculine) or Junia (feminine). Commentators are agreed that the latter is much more likely to be correct, since the former name is unknown elsewhere. Perhaps then Andronicus and Junia were a married couple about whom Paul tells us four things: they are his kinsfolk, that is, Jewish people; they have at some point been his fellow prisoners; they were converted before he was; and they are outstanding among the apostles. In which of its two senses is Paul using the word ‘apostles’? The commonest New Testament application of the word is to ‘the apostles of Christ’, meaning the Twelve (Matthias having replaced Judas), together with Paul and James, a very small group whom Christ had personally appointed and equipped to be the teachers of the church.
The much less frequent use of the term designates ‘the apostles of the churches’ (2 Corinthians 8:23). This must have been a considerably large group, who were sent out by churches as what we would call ‘missionaries’, like Epaphroditus who was an ‘apostle’ of the Philippian church (Philippians 2:25) or like Barnabas and Saul who had been sent out by the church of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 2:6). If then, by ‘apostles’ in Romans 16:7 Paul is referring to apostles of Christ, we must translate that they were ‘outstanding in the eyes of the apostles’ or ‘highly esteemed by the apostles’, for it is impossible to suppose that an otherwise unknown couple have taken their place alongside the apostles Peter, Paul, John, and James. Since this translation slight strains the Greek, however, it is probably better to understand ‘apostles’ as meaning ‘apostles of the churches’, and to conclude that Andronicus and Junia were indeed outstanding missionaries.”
John Stott in The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World (Downers Grove: IVP, 1994) 395-396.
Today marks number ten of ten less known individuals or couples from the New Testament that Jenni and I highlighted in a recent talk. Their generosity is evident in their reputation and sacrifice. This couple were kin to Paul. They were in Christ before he was, and like him, they had been imprisoned for their faith. But why would Paul esteem this couple so highly? Like Epaphroditus whom we celebrated yesterday, they risked everything for the cause of Christ.
We need more couples like this today: couples willing to give themselves generously, regardless of the sacrifice, so that others might come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. While these people people may venture to remote places, they can emerge right were we live. Couples today can follow their example in their home town by being people of the Word who are willing to live differently than the world in every aspect of life, regardless of what others think of them. That would cause the apostles to salute!
Father in heaven, we’ve celebrated the lives of Gaius, Phoebe, Theophilus, Chloe, Elizabeth and Zechariah, Joanna, Susanna, Silas, Epaphroditus, and Andronicus and Junia. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to join them and follow in their footsteps in generously supporting the ministry of the gospel with all we are and all we have, regardless of the sacrifice, so that others may come to know you. In your mercy, hear our prayer in the matchless name of Jesus. Amen.