PAUL AND HIS HELPERS
At the end of this letter to the saints in Rome, in which the gospel is so fully and faithfully expounded, there is this list of twenty-eight named persons. It indicates that the teaching in the letter was not to be viewed merely as theoretical, but to be known by those who were exponents of it. I think that these persons were exponents, in their measure, of Paul’s teaching to the Romans. Who could have set out the gospel in the way in which Paul did in this letter? They were his glad tidings, they had been given to him, but there were persons who were in the gain of them, who set out features of the truth of the gospel. It had been worked out experimentally in the souls of believers. The work of God is to be seen, and it was known substantially in persons. I had thought of this in view of our sister who was buried yesterday, because there was a substantial reality about the work of God in our sister which was known over many years.
This dispensation is the dispensation of God which is in faith (1 Tim.1:4), and we cannot see what is spiritual without having faith. The Holy Spirit has been given to believers to support us as we exercise faith. It is remarkable that the effect of the work of God in persons can be seen, even by some who do not have faith. It can be seen, even by persons in whom there is no faith, that there is something in believers that is different, substantial, real. Although only persons with faith can understand and appreciate divine things, spiritual things, nevertheless there should be something so solid and substantial about the work of God in believers that it can be taken account of. That is a victory over the world, that there are persons who are different to others as having something solid in them; they have solid convictions. What they know, they hold firmly. There is something fine about that.
I wondered about this reference to Phœbe: “she also has been a helper of many, and of myself”, then Paul goes on to refer to Prisca and Aquila, “who for my life staked their own neck; to whom not I only am thankful”. We know that the assembly is not mentioned as such in this epistle until this chapter, but these references show that the Roman assembly would be in keeping with all the other assemblies, and going along with them.
Well, Phœbe had been a helper of many, and Paul adds, “and of myself”. I have no doubt that Phœbe would have had Paul in her house, served him in hospitality and ministered to him in other ways. Paul is spoken of in a particular way in Scripture. He was an elect vessel, and he was the only person of whom it is said that he had a company: “Paul and his company”, Acts 13:13. He says in Philippians, “as you have us for a model”, Phil.3:17. Paul was a model and he refers here to Phœbe being a helper “of myself”. I think that these things are given to us in Scripture as a stimulus, that we may desire to be characteristically as of Paul’s company. This cannot be claimed collectively in a broken day, but that does not in any way detract from the need to be with Christ and following Christ, because Paul would never in any sense set himself up as a rival to Christ, and if believers are following Christ they would in principle be in Paul’s company. His desire was that he would present every man perfect in Christ (Col.1:28), and the assembly as “a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor.11:2) but it is a stimulus, an encouragement and an exercise that each of us may desire to be, in principle, one of Paul’s company. Believers can desire in some measure to be models, as Paul was a model, and to be in keeping with his teaching, and in that way be in the good of the great truths that were opened up by Paul, so that these truths might be maintained, and that we might help each other in the understanding of them, and in what it means to belong in that way to Paul’s company.
I trust that this scripture bears the application, dear brethren. No doubt Phœbe had helped Paul in a practical way herself, and Paul appreciated that. Then there is what is to be continued – the need to appreciate and be maintained in the greatness of all that Paul brought out in regard to Christ and the assembly, and in view of the heart of Christ being satisfied with what He finds in the assembly as a chaste vessel for Himself. There is so little of it abroad, this desire that in everything Christ should be magnified, and that what is of Christ should be maintained. I think that believers who characteristically desire in every way to maintain the truth which Paul ministered belong in principle to Paul’s company.
What references we get here! Every one of these persons gets a reference. Prisca and Aquila are given an especially grateful reference: “who for my life staked their own neck”, and all the assemblies of the nations were thankful to them. Epænetus was the first-fruits of Asia for Christ; he was the first to come out of Asia, and it would seem that some sample of what was going to be for God from the whole of Asia was seen firstly in him. The first-fruits speak of the sample of the full fruit that was to follow in that area. Maria had laboured much, and Paul speaks well of others. Some were in Christ before Paul; he would give everyone the dignity of their place in the assembly. The Lord does that; I felt that He did it yesterday in the burial of our sister. She did not have a prominent place among those with whom she walked, but she had a supportive place in the testimony. She was a tremendous support to the local company in the place, and to her husband in his ministry, and a support to the testimony. I think that she shone in that place, and that is a part that we can play, to commit ourselves to the testimony. The Lord determines what our part and place in the testimony is, and our part is to shine in the place which we are given. These persons all shone. Paul points out their part in the testimony where they were as being exponents of the gospel, and their part was to commit themselves to that wholly, to shine in the place that the Lord had given them, and to support all the teaching that Paul had brought out.
I feel the exercise of these things, to appreciate the great truths that Paul brought out, to see where we stand in relation to them, and as to whether we are among those who are helping. Phœbe is not given a great formal title but Paul calls her “a helper”. We are to do whatever we can do to promote, succour and help the saints in support of this great ministry that has come out through Paul.
May we be exercised and encouraged by these things, for the Lord’s name’s sake.
Given at a meeting for ministry, Glasgow
3 March 2020
Neil C McKay