Herodian and the Household of Narcissus Romans 16:11

As Paul the apostle continued to list certain individuals to greet among the believers in Rome, he told the believers to, “Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved”, and he added, “Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household”. In chapter sixteen and verse eleven of Romans, Paul instructed the believers to, “salute Herodian” and “them that be of the household of Narcissus” where we read:

Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

The verse begins, “Salute Herodion my kinsman.” Paul began with the word, “salute” which means “greet, bid welcome, wish well to and receive joyfully” “Herodian” whose name means “heroic” and was “a certain Christian” “my kinsman” or “Paul's relative by blood or of the same nation and fellow countryman”. Paul desired for the believers in Rome to “greet” a man named “Herodian” who was a “relative of his” and a “Christian” in Rome.

The verse continues, “Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.”. Paul added the words, “greet them” which means “greet, bid welcome, wish well to and receive joyfully the believers” “that be of the household” which means “who were ” “of Narcissus” whose name means “stupidity” and was “a dweller at Rome”, “which are in the Lord” that means “the house hold of Narcissus belonged to and were with he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah”. Paul wanted the believers in Rome to “salute” all the believers who belonged to “Jesus Christ” and were part of “Narcissus' house”.

When we think through words of Paul, we see more people whom he acknowledged and wanted “greeted”. “Herodian” and the believers in “Narcissus' house” were among them. When people receive Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they become part of the “family of God”, and like these whom Paul mentioned, their role in the Kingdom of God is important. Every person in God's church has a role, and those who fulfill God's purpose shall know the recognition of the Lord and other believers as well.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome to “salute Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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