Romans 16:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here do not consider that the Apostle listed them without ascribing any praise to them. Consider instead that, though they were far beneath all the others, they were nevertheless counted worthy of his greeting. Better yet, it is no small praise that he calls them brethren. Likewise he speaks of the other saints with them, when he says, “Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.”

Here do not consider that he lists them without ascribing any praise to them. Consider instead that, though they were far beneath all the others, they were nevertheless counted worthy of the Apostle’s greeting. Better yet, he did ascribe praise to them when he called them brethren.

Paul greets them together because he knows their concord in Christ, that is, their Christian friendship. He greets the brethren who were with them, though he omits their names.

“Do not look here at the fact that the Apostle listed them without assigning them any special praise. Look instead at this: although they were much lower than others, they were still deemed worthy of his greeting.

Better yet, it is no small praise that he calls them brethren, just as he calls the others with them saints,” says Saint Chrysostom.

“Why does he greet them together? Because he knew that they were of one mind in Christ and joined by Christian friendship,” says Ambrosiaster.

This seems to have been a particular gathering, in our terms, a parish with its elders.

Asyncritus is an Apostle of the Seventy. He was bishop in Hyrcania, a land of Asia. Phlegon is also of the Seventy. He was bishop in Marathon of Thrace.