In Romans 16:1-16 the apostle Paul sends greetings to a number of his friends, co-workers, and acquaintances in Rome, a city which he had not yet visited. The list is extensive – almost thirty individuals are mentioned as well as several groups of people – and nowhere else in Paul’s letters do we find such a long catalog of names. As we read Romans today it is very easy to skim-read this list, noting the few names we may recognize and then moving on to the epistle’s conclusion. But there is more to the list than immediately meets the eye, and like everything in Paul’s writings, we can learn from it.
First, of course, we see in this long list of individuals the degree to which Paul was truly a “people person” – knowing, remembering and greeting a large number of people in a city he did not even know. Because of his constant travel and evangelization Paul must have met a great number of people, and it is impressive that he remembered not only the names of the people on his list, but also their qualities.
Looking at what Paul says about these people is also instructive. Phoebe, who is mentioned first in Romans 16:1-2, was probably the person who delivered Paul’s letter to Rome and the apostle’s greetings only begin after she is mentioned. Paul then specifically greets some twenty-eight individuals. Rather than just being an extensive list of greetings with an occasional comment thrown in here and there, however, if we look closely, we see a clear pattern. Paul refers to the people he lists in seven different ways:
1. Those Paul calls “beloved.” Paul was well aware that God referred to his own son as “beloved” (Colossians 1:13) and doubtless did not use the expression lightly. He mentions only three people this way.
2. Those Paul says “worked hard” or “worked very hard” doing God’s work – only three individuals.
3. Individuals mentioned as simply being “fellow workers” – three people.
4. People who are named as being fellow Christians – “in Christ,” “in the Lord,” or a similar expression – five individuals.
5. Those who had personally helped Paul in some way – “been a mother to me,” “risked their lives for me” – three individuals.
6. Individuals who Paul simply notes as being fellow Jews – two individuals who are also mentioned as being in Christ and one individual who is only noted as a fellow Jew.
7. Those who are simply named, or mentioned as being in someone’s family – more than ten individuals. Although they were doubtless Christians, they are included in the list without any qualifying remarks to show that they had any outstanding characteristics.
What is interesting about Paul’s listing of these individuals is the fact that the majority of the people he greets are simply Christians – individuals Paul doubtless loved and cared for, but did not remember as being outstanding in their service of God or others. Those in group 4, who are specifically mentioned as being “in Christ,” seem to have perhaps been more devout – but overall, well over half of the people Paul greets are not given any special commendation.
When we then subtract the individuals who are mentioned as having helped Paul personally and those whom he calls “beloved” (but who we are not told why they are so regarded), the remaining people in Paul’s list are the ones he shows were most actively involved in doing the work of God. These remaining six individuals are said to be “fellow workers,” “those who work hard,” and “those who work very hard.”
We cannot know whether Paul was subconsciously or consciously “grading” these people as he greeted them, but it is clear that they were a minority among the larger group of Christians Paul greeted in his epistle, and that there was a difference in Paul’s mind between the individuals he mentions. It is also hard to imagine Paul – who wrote so carefully and deeply – as not including the public grading of individuals without having a purpose in doing so. Perhaps that purpose was for the good of those whom he greeted, but perhaps it was for our good, also. We can all ask ourselves which group Paul would have included us in.
There is an interesting verse in the biblical book of Ezra that every Christian can profit from: “ForEzra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). This verse summarizes the attitude of the great leader who guided the Jewish people at the time of their return to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon. It’s easy to read over the first word of the verse – “For” – but the preceding verse tells us how “the gracious hand of his God was on him” “for,” or because of, Ezra’s dedication to God – not as a reward for it, but because his dedication allowed God to use him fully.
The verse then tells us there were three specific parts to Ezra’s dedication: he devoted himself to studying God’s word, obeying God’s word, and teaching God’s word. This does not mean these were the only things he did, of course. Ezra was undoubtedly kept busy with the many problems and issues involved in relocating a large group of people in dangerous circumstances – but he had devoted himself to do these three things regardless of everything else going on in his life.
First, we are told that Ezra devoted himself to study of God’s law. Of course, “law” meant more than just the Ten Commandments and other actual laws – it included all of the Bible’s instruction. The Hebrew expression used of Ezra is that he devoted himself not just to read, but to “seek” the law of the Lord – to look for its guidance in an intense way. This is interesting because we find the same expression a number of times in the Old Testament where individuals were blessed when they were “seeking” God or his law.
Second, we are told that Ezra devoted himself to observance of the law. It is to the extent that we study the principles of God’s way of life with an intent to follow them that we seek God and follow him. That is why the Old Testament tells us that individuals like the godless king Rehoboam “did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:14), and good kings like Asa “commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands” (2 Chronicles 14:4).
Third, Ezra’s devotion was not to some kind of spiritual self-improvement program where his own righteousness was his ultimate goal. We read that he was equally devoted to making God’s way of life available and understandable to others. Such an approach does not have to center on physical teaching as it may have done in his case, but can include helping others see God’s way through our own lives and actions – the keeping of God’s way – as well as through traditional teaching means where these are appropriate.
While it can be profitable to think about any of these areas of spiritual life individually, the biggest take-away from what we are told about Ezra’s dedication to God is that it involved all three. The lesson there may seem obvious, but we should not ignore it. It is not enough to simply study the Bible occasionally or even frequently. It is not enough to study and also to keep the Bible’s principles in our lives. Ezra’s example shows we only really fulfill God’s purpose in our lives when we do all three. It is only when we continually learn more of God’s way, continually apply it in our lives, and continually share it with others – in whatever way we have opportunity and ability – that God can use us to the full.
Without any one of these activities the others don’t really work. Study without application is meaningless. Application without sharing is limiting and self-centered. Application or sharing without study is limited and often superficial. It is only when all three aspects of learn it, live it, and give it, are present that the cycle of spiritual living operates as it should.
Finally, when we talk about Ezra’s study, application, and sharing of God’s way, we must realize that he by no means intended to do all this by his own power. It is perhaps significant that the book of Ezra shows this great leader – whose name is an abbreviation of the Hebrew Azaryahu “God helps” – contains a good number of instances of Ezra’s recognition of the need of God’s help in many aspects of life (Ezra 8:21; etc.). We too should seek God’s help in study, application, and sharing of the truth. Only then will we be spiritually successful, like Ezra, in learning, living, and giving, God’s way.
When we see the words humility and service together, it is easy to think immediately of the humility of Jesus in serving humanity (Mark 10:45) and of the humility his followers are called to show in serving others (Galatians 5:13). But there is another side to the relationship between humility and service in that it often takes humility to be served.
When the New Testament tells us that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45), it does not mean that Jesus was never served. We know he attended meals in the homes of others where he was served by the hosts (Luke 10:40–42; etc.), we have the story of the woman who washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair in an extreme act of service (Luke 7:36-50), and Mark’s Gospel specifically tells us that a number of individuals “followed Jesus and cared for his needs” (Mark 15:41). In the same way, the apostle Paul – who served countless people throughout his ministry – referred to the deaconess Phoebe as someone who “has been helpful to many, and especially to me” (Romans 16:1-2 NLT).
But it is easy to forget – or never to really learn – that just as it takes humility to serve others, it can also take humility to be served. For a number of reasons, the human mind often resists being served and helped. A clear biblical example of this is found in the story we all know of Peter’s interaction with Jesus at the Last Supper:
Jesus … poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” (John 13:3–9).
Here, we see that Peter initially declined being served by his Teacher, and in so doing almost rejected one of the greatest lessons his Teacher could ever give him, as well as the simple act of service that Jesus offered him. Like Peter, although our initial reaction to being served might be negative, we need to humbly and gladly realize that we should accept service being offered for our good. And we need to be willing to do this in many areas of life. Consider just a few examples:
We need humility to be served in sickness, injury, and in other situations where we cannot help ourselves. The apostle James tells us the sick should call for the help of elders who would anoint and pray for them (James 5:14–15).
We need humility to be served when people offer us personal advice, suggestions, or guidance. The example of Moses accepting the advice of his father-in-law regarding a matter in which Moses had far more experience (Exodus 18:13–24) is a clear one that we should understand in the context of Moses’ great humility (Numbers 12:3).
We need humility to allow ourselves to be served by God who came to serve and who works to save us. We should never be like the people of Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth who did not accept him in their pride (Luke 5:22) and, as a result, were not helped as they could have been (Mark 6:5).
The truth is, in our relationships with other people, there is a balance between serving and being served, supporting the needs of others and being supported in our own needs (Luke 4:38–39). We should always remember that we are called not only to serve others, but sometimes to be served also.
“When Jesus … saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14).
It’s easy to read right over simple verses like this in the New Testament and not notice things. First, it’s easy to miss what is actually said – that Jesus didn’t just have compassion on the sick in the multitude, he had compassion on the whole crowd which led to his intervening wherever there was a need.
That means that Jesus didn’t just see and have compassion on the noticeable members of the crowd – the blind, the lame and those clearly afflicted with diseases and problems. It means he had compassion on the ones who were helping carry the lame, lead the blind and support the weak. It means he had compassion on the ones we might not notice as readily in a crowd – the shy, the grieving, the lonely and the discouraged.
Second, it’s easy – of course – not to see what’s not said. When we read the accounts of Jesus’ works we tend to read them in a vacuum, but we have to remember how much the Gospel writers are summarizing each incident. When Jesus had compassion on the crowds we get only the highlights of the healings – a kind of Gospel triage in which the most important healings and significant signs were recorded. But in having compassion on the crowds – not just the sick in the crowds – would Jesus not have noticed people with less obvious problems and had compassion on them also?
Surely Jesus saw the loneliness in the eyes of some and, having compassion, offered them a warm and accepting smile. Surely he saw the discouragement in the faces of others (Luke 18:24) and offered a few words of encouragement. In every case in the New Testament where we are told Jesus had compassion on people, he followed it with action; and having compassion on the crowds doubtless meant he interacted with and helped many more than the few people on whom he performed miracles of healing.
Perhaps we may feel we do not interact with crowds in the same way, but the totality of people we see and pass by as well as those we actually meet and with whom we interact in a day is often a small crowd, and for some of us a large one. If we are followers of Jesus, do we have compassion on that daily “crowd”? Do we seek to encourage and to smile, to check that people are all right? These may seem like small things and may seem hard to do in our over-crowded and impersonal world. But following in Christ’s footsteps means doing the things he did to the extent we can.
We know that God pays attention and knows the hairs on our heads, though we don’t tend to think of that in perspective of the teeming world of billions in which we live. But God does see every face in the crowd, and in his physical life the Son of God doubtless did his best to do so also. We are not just a face in the crowd to God, and no one in the crowd should be just a face to us.
The prophet Nathan served during the reigns of both King David and his son Solomon. Although Nathan was usually “behind the scenes” during the reigns of these kings, it is probable that no other single person was more influential during that pivotal era of biblical history.
Nathan is mentioned many times throughout the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles – mainly during the darkest and most troubled times of King David’s reign. We first meet him in 2 Samuel 7:2 when David told the prophet about his desire to build a temple for God. At first Nathan encouraged the king, but later that night God spoke to Nathan, telling him in detail why he would not accept a temple built by David, stressing that David had shed much blood (1 Chronicles 28:3).
It was not a flattering message to have to relay, but we see something of Nathan’s character in that he did not attempt to smooth over the reason for God’s refusal of David (or to cover the fact that he himself had been wrong to originally encourage the king) – we are specifically told that “Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation” (2 Samuel 7:17, emphasis added).
Later, Nathan had to confront David with the king’s sins of adultery with Bathsheba and of having her husband Uriah killed (2 Samuel 12:1-15). Considering the fact that David had already killed to hide this situation, we see Nathan’s tremendous strength of character and faith in boldly accusing the king. Nathan not only accused David as God had commanded him to do, but also predicted that David’s first child by Bathsheba would die, and that the king would suffer great anguish as a result of the actions of his own family members.
Close to the end of David’s life, Nathan related to David the news of his son Adonijah’s plan to seize the throne. In this way the prophet skillfully enabled the hasty coronation of David’s chosen heir – Solomon.
Nathan was not simply a bringer of bad news, however. He also encouraged the king and informed David that his throne would be established forever (1 Chronicles 17:1-15). He was clearly a trusted advisor throughout his service to the king and a man of important accomplishments. There appears to have been a book written either by Nathan himself or about his service as a prophet (1 Chronicles 29:29), and Nathan apparently wrote a history of King Solomon along with two other writers (2 Chronicles 9:29).
But Nathan’s major accomplishment was undoubtedly the faithful service he repeatedly gave in expressing tough love for David and confronting the king with his errors. Nathan’s character and faithfulness in conveying the word of God, no matter how negative the message sometimes may have seemed, obviously gained him the respect of Israel’s greatest king. True to his name (Nathan means “Gift from God”), the prophet surely was a gift to David in helping him to correct his course when he went astray (for example, Psalm 51) – something the king must surely have appreciated over time. In fact, it is doubtless a sign of David’s deep respect and love for Nathan that the king named his third son after the prophet (1 Chronicles 3:5). And it is through that Nathan – not Solomon or any of David’s other powerful sons – that Jesus Christ was descended (Luke 3:31). The prophet Nathan served in a “behind the scenes” career, but one which had a tremendous effect for good. He is an example to all of us of the value of service that includes, when it is needed, truth spoken in love for those we strive to serve.
Most readers of the scriptures are familiar with the “Great Commission” given by Jesus to his disciples after his resurrection. Many can recite it by heart: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you … “ (Matthew 28:19-20).
While those verses are consistently quoted as the Commission, in reality they represent the final form of a number of commissions or “job directives” Jesus gave to his disciples during his ministry which often get lost in the rush to examine, ponder and discuss the “Great” commission. This is not to say that we should not focus on the final Great Commission, but that it can also be profitable to look back at some of the earlier commissions given during Christ’s ministry to see what we can learn there. For example, look carefully at the ones recorded in the Book of Luke:
Luke 9:2: “… and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Luke 10:9 “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”
Matthew also records one of these earlier commissions:
Matthew 10:7-8 “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons…”
The difference is obvious. The earlier commissions specifically included healing the sick – with an emphasis placed on that task almost equal to the emphasis placed on preaching the Gospel.
That emphasis is undeniably missing in the final Great Commission which appears to focus entirely on the work of evangelism without any direct mention of the sick. But does this mean the needs of the sick are no longer to be a vital concern for the Christian? In answer to that, perhaps we should remember that the Great Commission itself ends with the words “… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20, emphasis added), so from that perspective alone, the principles of the earlier commissions Jesus gave may still apply to us today as part of the “everything” Jesus had commanded.
Helping the sick was certainly part of the example Jesus set for us. He not only used physical sickness as a metaphor in his teaching (Mark 2:17) and as a sign of the divine nature of His work, but also He frequently healed and helped the sick purely as a matter of compassion, as we see throughout the Gospels. Godly concern for the sick also clearly precedes the Christian scriptures. Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent out his word and healed them,” showing David’s awareness of God’s compassion in this area – compassion which was expressed many times throughout the Old Testament, as well as in the work of the disciples who continued the New Testament ministry of Christ.
Now, this doesn’t mean that the situation has not changed at all regarding God’s commission to His Church. It seems clear that while God still can – and does – heal, He has not continued to do so in quite the same manner as He did when Jesus sent out disciples who routinely administered healings as an everyday part of their work (Matthew 10:1). But although we may not be empowered to heal today in the way the early disciples were, think about this in terms of the Great Commission: as individual Christians we may not be directly going into all the world, teaching and baptizing, either – yet we can support those who do these works, financially, in prayer and in other ways.
Even without the same command and power of healing given the early disciples, we can still – to the extent we are able, and with the same compassion – do the work of helping the sick mentioned in all the earlier forms of Jesus’ commission to his disciples. Although the evangelism of the Great Commission should indeed be a central focus point for us, we can still give our physical and prayerful support to those helping the sick, and many of us can also find opportunities to directly work to serve those who are victims of sickness and disability.
We can do this in various ways. While we may not have the power to heal, the Spirit of God does give the power of encouragement, support, and help. And we do have the opportunity to help – physically and spiritually – those who are ill just as much as we have the opportunity to be a witness to those who are well. One thing to keep in mind, however, is the great difference between acute and chronic illness. We can help those suffering the intense affliction of acute illness in a number of ways, difficult though that may be, but those suffering from chronic illnesses and disabilities often have different needs. In terms of practical help, we should remember that some who are dealing with long-term illnesses don’t just need short-term encouragement – they need practical encouragement to continue to lead meaningful lives, and help to find opportunities in which they themselves can help others.
Sometimes it is the sick and disabled who can best help those in the same position as themselves. Their experience and understanding of the problems can be far greater than ours. We can see this in the impact of the great variety of support groups for those suffering serious diseases and other medical conditions. But we can still help. Does someone you know need help to get to a support group? Help to find space to run one? This is just one example of the many possible ways we can help those suffering with long-term health and disability problems. It just takes a little thought to see how we can serve in each particular circumstance.
Although it may not be directly mentioned in the Great Commission, it should be remembered that helping the sick and disabled is nevertheless part of the scriptural background of that Commission. If we read Matthew 28: 19-20 to the end, perhaps we can see that serving the needs of the sick is also an important aspect of “everything” Jesus commanded. And that makes sense. Not only was helping the sick a constant part of Jesus’ own life, but also His words that “ … I was sick and you looked after me…” (Matthew 25:36) still apply as much today as they did when he spoke them as a profound lesson during his earthly ministry.
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