|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Bible Study Resource: women of the early Christian Church
Structure of Priscilla's story There are five separate references to Priscilla in the New Testament:
Woman co-founds the Church
St Paul was travelling around ancient Asia Minor, teaching about Jesus and converting Jews and Gentiles. See MAP at end of this page. When he appears in this part of Acts, he was fresh from Athens, where he had a difficult time. Athens was no longer filled with intellectual giants as it once had been, but Paul met some stiff opposition and was hauled before the Court of the Areopagus to explain his teachings. He moved to Corinth, a great commercial city with a double harbour. It was not the sort of place you would expect to find a follower of Christ: it had a reputation for licentiousness and immorality, something of which Paul was well aware. But the inhabitants were not all like this. Paul met a married couple, Prisca and Aquila, who were only recent arrivals. They have been ejected from Rome by an edict of the Emperor Claudius, expelling all Jews from Rome (the idea that anti-Jewish feeling has only existed since the advent of Christianity is nonsense; the Book of Esther describes a nation-wide pogrom centuries before the birth of Christ, and Claudius' expulsion of Jews from Rome in 49-50AD happened when Christianity was still in its infancy).
Paul heard about Prisca and her husband Aquila, and sought them out. They welcomed him into their home. They appear to have been people of some means, having their own business. They are usually described as tent-makers, but this would have been a strange occupation for settled townspeople in the 1st century Roman empire. There would not be much call for tents. Translators have argued that it is more likely that they, and Paul, were workers in leather goods.
They offered Paul work, and shelter in their home as well. They were to be generous, loyal friends.
These 1st century Roman statues are of Gratidia and Gratidius Libanus, not of Prisca and Aquila, but they are a beautiful image of love and mutual support between husband and wife. The woman in particular radiates strength and calm. Read Acts 18: 18-26
This time, Priscilla had a mission. Ephesus was steeped in religion and philosophy. It was the center of worship of Artemis, the mother goddess who was patron of pregnant women. But in this city devoted to so many ancient gods and goddesses, she taught anyone who would listen about the crucified prophet Jesus, and there is no doubt she was successful. So successful that she and Aquila set up a church in their own home. Now they were leaders of the growing Christian community. As such they became authorities about the teachings of Jesus. A man from the Jewish community in Alexandria came to Ephesus. He was a scholar, and an eloquent and persuasive speaker. He spoke in the synagogue, and when Priscilla heard him she realized that, learned as he was, he did not know the full story of Jesus. She took him aside and taught him about Jesus - whatJesus did, said, and taught.
Eventually she had to let her pupil go, hoping that her teachings would be faithfully passed on. This happened. Apollos was skilled at talking and arguing, and he passed on her teachings to the Jews in the public arena - something she as a woman could not do.
Read Romans 16:1-3 Travel in the ancient world was swift and frequent, thanks to Roman roads and world peace (though travel by ship was limited to certain months of the year, because of storms in the Mediterranean.) The Jews of the 1st century AD were a commercial and migratory people. They moved along the trade routes and followed the markets.
The greetings were varied. One third of the names on this roll were women, showing the prominent place women held in the church at that time in Rome. Paul was a pioneer in the recognition of the function of women in Christian service - and the women of the time were ready to respond to the call of Christ. In the roll call of friends mentioned in Romans 16, Paul gave a short description of each one. Of Priscilla, he mentioned the fact that she and her husband had risked their necks to help him. We do not know what incident this refers to, but it had certainly impressed Paul. Whatever the incident was, it seems to be well-known to 'all the churches'. He took for granted that all these churches were united with him in his heartfelt expression of gratitude. Again, Priscilla's name preceded her husband's. 'The church in their house' that Paul mentions refers to the fact that in the early church there were few, if any, church buildings. Groups of Christians met in houses of prominent believers or in other available rooms. This is the first of five groups of believers in Paul's list, but the only one referred to definitely as a church.
The Ara Pacis, an altar to Peace built by the Emperor Augustus. This was newly built at the time that Priscilla was living in Rome; she must have seen this beautiful structure
Custom Search
1 Corinthians 16:19 In this letter, Paul addressed Prisca and Aquila directly. He not only greeted them, but greeted them 'warmly'. This added phrase suggests real affection between old friends. They shared memories of past times, good and bad, but more importantly they had a common zeal for the spread of Christian teachings - 'the Way'.
2 Timothy 4:19 Prisca stays faithful to her friend Paul to the bitter end, as we learn in 2 Timothy 4:19. It is a sad, lonely letter, written just before the end of his life. He was in prison, probably in Rome, abandoned by all but a few of his friends and now facing imminent death. In the letter, he said good-bye to the few friends who have stayed loyal to him - and Prisca heads the list. She must have wept to read his final words to her.
For additional information on the lives of women in the Bible, see the links to FAMILY, WORK AND RELIGION: the tribe, the family, slaves, women's tasks, beliefs MILESTONES IN A WOMAN'S LIFE: Puberty, menstruation, marriage, childbirth, death, burials CLOTHING, HOUSING : ancient fabric, weaving, different styles for rich and poor
The route of Paul's Second Missionary Journey, on which he met Priscilla and Aquila
Activities and questions
Present these descriptions and responses in the form of a journal entry, or assume the persona of a bystander and tell the group or a learning partner about your experience.
Women in films Know your own worth
Dozens of extra ideas at Activities for Bible Study Groups and Schools
Read about more fascinating women of the Bible
Custom Search
Jesus a Prisca-Priscilla - Bible Woman - Women of the
New
Testament;
Bible Study Resource |
|||||
|
www.womeninthebible.net |
||||||
Prisca and her
husband Aquila were close friends and supporters of 
Read Acts 18:1-3
The words
of Acts 18:3 record that 'by trade, they were tentmakers (or
leather-workers). Notice the word 'they'. She was actively involved in the
family business.
No reason is given for
their next move: Prisca and Aquila travelled with Paul to Syria. After a short stay, he
travelled on to Jerusalem, but they remained in Ephesus and settled
there.
It was recognised by all that she
was the
real authority on the teachings of Jesus, and that as such she had a
responsibility to pass on her knowledge to others. Aquila is mentioned,
but in a secondary capacity. It is clear Priscilla was the one in charge.
So
we next find Priscilla in Rome, where she and Aquila were greeted in one of
Paul's letters. Romans 16 has been called the 'picture gallery' of New
Testament believers, since it lists so many members of the infant
Church.
