Romans 16:7
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Paul greets Andronicus and Junia as his relatives and fellow prisoners, held in honor among the apostles and followers of Christ before he was. The greeting stands among many personal greetings to men and women by name, showing his large sympathy and the Spirit's special care for each member. Junia's place of honor among the apostles shows that a woman could be recognized for her place and work among them, and that women served as servants, fellow workers, and helpers who labored with Paul in the gospel. That service and labor could not have taken place without bearing testimony to Christ, so women's ministry and witness were not forbidden in the churches. Paul salutes the members in Rome by name yet omits Peter, which shows Peter was not in Rome when Romans was written and was far from being bishop of Rome.
Greetings and Historical Setting
Two-thirds of the last chapter of Romans is made up of many personal greetings, and this verse belongs among them in greeting Andronicus and Junia by name. The list names men and women impartially, singling each one out by name. That singling out shows the largeness and heartiness of Paul's sympathy and the special care of the Holy Spirit for each individual member of the household of faith, which is why such greetings were written. The verse identifies Andronicus and Junia as Paul's relatives and fellow prisoners, people of distinction among the apostles who had become Christians before Paul.
Junia was among Paul's kinsmen and had a Roman name, and together with the names of his other kinsmen this may point to the family's strong Roman connections and inherited Roman citizenship. The numerous salutations in Romans 16 show that the church at Rome was founded by Jews and proselytes from Jerusalem converted on the Day of Pentecost, with others added afterward. Many of those greeted had met Paul on his travels. Paul's list salutes members of the church in Rome by name but omits Peter, which shows Peter was not in Rome at all when Romans was written, for if he had been there Paul would have referred to him. The omission shows Peter was far from being bishop of Rome, and if he was ever in Rome it was after Romans was written and long after the church there was established and flourishing, since Paul would certainly not have omitted the chief person in the church when greeting members by name, especially one whose hospitality he had shared in Jerusalem for fifteen days. This testimony is sufficient to settle that neither the church of Christ nor the church of Rome was founded upon Peter.
Women's Service and Witness
Romans 16:7 belongs to Paul's closing greetings in which he names women who served and labored with him in the gospel, commending them as servants and fellow workers in Christ and as godly helpers in the church's work. The chapter shows that women had active, recognized roles as fellow laborers and were not altogether silent. Women were included among those Paul commended by name in his salutations.
The surrounding greetings name Phebe and Priscilla and Mary and Tryphena and Tryphosa and the beloved Persis and the mother of Rufus and Julia and the sister of Nereus as those who labored with Paul in the gospel. That naming affirms the labor of women and women's speaking. Junia is named among women who served and labored in the church, work that could not have taken place without bearing testimony to Christ, so women's ministry and testimony were not forbidden in the churches.
The verse fits the pattern of women receiving the Spirit's gifts and doing important work in the gospel by serving the church, helping the apostles, and laboring in the Lord. Their ministry was not exceptional, nor was it excluded by restrictions on holding offices that governed church business. Junia is presented as a woman of note among the apostles who was in Christ before Paul, showing that a woman could be recognized for her place and work among the apostles. Andronicus and Junia are presented as notable fellow prisoners, examples of believers taking part in missionary work and suffering for their faith.