Salute them that are of Aristobulus' household. Salute Herodian, my kinsman. Salute them that are of Narcissus' household, who are in the Lord.
ασπασασθε ηρωδιωνα τον συγγενη μου ασπασασθε τους εκ των ναρκισσου τους οντας εν κυριω
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
“Greet those of the household of Narcissus,” who probably were not like those previously mentioned, and therefore are not named. Having given them the proper praise, namely that they were faithful, he says this through the words, “who are in the Lord”...
“Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.” That is, the faithful.
When Paul simply calls Herodion his relative, he shows that he was faithful in the love of regeneration, yet he does not speak of his steadfastness. “Greet those of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.” They say that Narcissus at that time was a presbyter, as may be read in other manuscripts. He traveled, encouraging the faithful by his preaching. Since the Apostle did not know the merits of the people who were with Narcissus, he said, “Greet those of the household who are in the Lord.” That is, greet in my name those whom you consider worthy of my greeting, who have set their hope on the Lord.
It is clear that these were believing households. Concerning those of Narcissus, he adds, “who are in the Lord,” because there were certainly others who had not yet become such.
“Herodion.” In what his kinship with Paul consisted, like the kinship of Andronicus and Junia, remains unknown. “Those of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.” The Apostle does not speak of Narcissus himself, but only of those of his household who believed in Christ. Among the freedmen of Emperor Claudius, commentators find a Narcissus who was secretary under the emperor (Tacitus, Annals 11:29). He was executed at the beginning of Nero’s reign, that is, before the Epistle to the Romans was written.
“Herodion, my kinsman,” and he added nothing more. But by greeting him, he indicates that Herodion stands worthily in the same rank with the others.
Saint Dimitry of Rostov writes that he was from Tarsus by birth. He attached himself to the Apostles and zealously served them, enduring all sufferings together with them.
He was bishop of Neopatras. He was beheaded with many others at the time when Peter was crucified and Paul was beheaded.
He is an Apostle of the Seventy. His memory is April 8, or April 21.
Of those who are of Narcissus, only those “in the Lord” are greeted, “because, of course, he had others also who had not yet become such,” says blessed Theodoret.
Ambrosiaster writes of him: “This Narcissus was then a presbyter, as is read in certain codices.
Since he himself was not present in Rome, the Apostle greets only those of his house as saints.
He himself was carrying out the work of visiting believers outside Rome, strengthening them in the faith by his exhortations.
The Apostle did not know by what merits those of his house were distinguished. Therefore he wrote a general greeting to those of them who were in the Lord.
It is as though he said, ‘Greet in my name those whom you recognize as worthy of my greeting, that is, those who have set their hope in the Lord.’”
Narcissus, an Apostle of the Seventy, was bishop in Athens. His memory is October 31, or November 13.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 14 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS