Romans 16:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What is this? Again a woman is crowned and praised, and we men are again put to shame. Or rather, we are not only put to shame, but also honored.

We are honored because we have such women among us. We are put to shame because we men fall far behind them.

But if we strive to learn what adorns these women, we too shall soon become like them. What then adorns them?

Let men and women hear this: not rings, necklaces, eunuchs, maidservants, or garments woven with gold, but labors for the truth.

“She labored much for us,” says the Apostle. That is, she did not labor for herself alone, or only for her own perfection in virtue.

Many women do this even now by fasting and lying on the ground. But she also took upon herself the struggles of apostles and evangelists for the salvation of others.

He adorns a woman with labors for the truth. Miriam, he says, labored, kept vigil, and prayed not only for herself, but, what is more important, fulfilled a duty even in place of us apostles. How then does he say, “I do not permit a woman to teach” (1 Tim 2:12)? He does not forbid her to teach by word, but to occupy an honored place in the Church and sit in a raised seat. Instruction at home, however, he greatly approves. Thus a wife teaches her husband (1 Cor 7:16) and children (1 Tim 2:15). Priscilla also instructed Apollos in the faith (Acts 18:26). He did not say, “she taught much,” but “she labored much,” to show that Mary served by providing money and in other ways.

“Greet Miriam, who labored much for us” (the Vulgate and some other manuscripts read “for you”). Some suppose that this was Mary Magdalene. Yet what relation she had to the Apostle Paul is not evident from either Holy Scripture or Tradition. In any case, this person was very well known to the Roman Christians.

“What is this? Again a woman is crowned and praised. We men are again put to shame, or rather, we are also honored.

We are honored because we have such women among us. We are put to shame because we men fall far behind them.

But if, after learning what adorns these women, we strive to imitate them, we too shall soon become like them.

What then adorns them? Let both men and women hear this. Not rings, necklaces, or garments woven with gold, but labors for the truth.

‘Who labored much for us,’ says the Apostle. She did not fast and lie on the ground for herself alone, or only for her own perfection in virtue, as women do even now.

She also entered into the struggles of Apostles and Evangelists for the salvation of others.