Romans 16:7

From: Lemuel G. Abarte (bbot@ksc.th.com)
Date: Thu Jun 26 1997 - 10:06:03 EDT


First of all, people, I would like to apologize for cutting the thread of
this discussion. There is a bug in my email program. So please bear with
this apparent rashness in disconnecting the thread we had been dealing with
thus far.

The discussion of BD Lesson 125 mentions the name of Silas, Thomas, and
others ending in the -AS form and these are names for men. To state that
IOUNIAN is derived from IOUNIAS is not far-fetched. As has been mentioned
in the previous discussions, the p46 in UBS GNT 3rd Edition has a variant
reading. It is also cited that ancient commentators take Andronicus and
Junias (if the reading is really feminine) are a couple.

Aside from this, the use of hOITINES is also discussed in length in BD
Lesson 293 with a peculiarity unique to Paul. BAGD follows the train of
explanation of BD and the point for the use here is the qualification of
the characteristic quality of the subject the pronoun refers to.

The construction EPISHMOI EN TOIS APOSTOLOIS would also need more analysis
and explanation. The other time a similar construction appears is in I
Cor. 15:9 but in that instance, no preposition is used. EPISHMOS means
splendid, prominent, outstanding. The word also means notorious if used in
a derogatory way.

Now the case is, should this word be in affinity with the succeeding
prepositional phrase or with its antecedent?

APOSTOLOS is also used in a sense that does not reflect the office of an
apostle in Philippians 2:25. The word could be translated messenger.

As stated in BAGD, the word applies to a group of highly honored believers,
who had a special function. This is the issue I am trying to raise here:
the leadership-male role that is emphasized in the NT. The gift as I have
mentioned applies to male believers only in Ephesians 4:11.

The context of Romans 16 does not state points of doctrine. It is a
commendation. The people mentioned are in some way, to a great degree
involved in the ministry. Paul uses words that identify those who are
fellow-workers in the gospel.

But certainly, when authority and issues of leadership are under the
spotlight, there are categorical differences. This could only be obtained
from the comparison of Scripture with Scripture. This is the reason why I
quoted Benjamin Warfield.

If we consider the argument from attestation, and we accept that the Julian
here is a woman, then this is the only time in the NT that Paul mentions a
female apostle. The case in Acts of the choice of Matthias by lottery has
only one thing by attestation, he was never heard since after that event.
The attestation that we should be looking for is the proof of the ministry
of an apostle. All the men 11 + 1 has ample proof of that.



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