Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the Brethren Romans 16:14

Paul the apostle continued to list certain individuals to greet among the believers in Rome as he told them to, “Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine”, and in chapter sixteen and verse fourteen of Romans, Paul instructed the believers to, “Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren” where we read:

Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

The verse begins, “Salute According to tradition, he was one of the seventy disciples, and afterwards bishop of Dalmatia. (A.D. 55) , ...”. Paul began with the word, “salute” which means “greet, bid welcome, wish well to and receive joyfully” “Asyncritus” whose name means “incomparable” and was “an unknown Christian at Rome”, “Phlegon” whose name means “burning” and was “a resident at Rome”, “Hermas” whose name means “Mercury” and was “according to tradition one of the seventy disciples, and afterward the bishop of Dalmatia in A.D. 55”, “Patrobas” whose name means “paternal” and was “a certain Christian in Rome”, “Hermes” whose name means “Mercurius or herald of the gods” and was “a certain Christian in Rome”. Paul desired for the believers in Rome to “greet” “Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas and Hermes” who were all located in Rome.

The verse goes on to say, “... and the brethren which are with them.” Paul continued with the words, “and the brethren” which means “and the fellow believers who are united to another by the bond of affection” “which are with them” or “who are in association, companionship and process with them”. Paul blanketed a “greeting” to every other person who was associated with “ Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas and Hermes”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we discover more men who lived in Rome he wanted “greeted”. Paul had a variety of people whom he knew as believers in Rome, and he desired for them and their “brothers” to be acknowledged by the believers there. This care and concern for others comes through a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Once there is acceptance of Jesus' death on the cross for sin and the belief that God raised Him from the dead, salvation is obtained, everlasting life is promised and fellowship with other believers is eventual. May God use the example of these five men and their brothers as an inspiration to belong to the family of God.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome to “Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas and the all the saints which are with them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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