"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives" by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson: Romans 16:7

 June 22

"Greet Andronicus and Junia my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was." - Romans 16:7 (NIV)

When Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Rome, he sent warm greetings to those he personally knew including Andronicus and Junia. While the current church usually ignores this heroic couple, the early church did not. Paul tells us they were highly respected and "outstanding among the apostles". This meant they were prominent apostles at that time. In addition to the original 12, the Bible speaks of other apostles who served as missionaries, teaching and leading the young church as it endured persecution and struggled through growing pains. Paul, Timothy, Barnabas, Silas, and Apollos were all referred to as apostles in the Bible, as are Andronicus and Junia. Paul says this husband and wife team were "fellow Jews" and Christians before he was and had already suffered in prison with him. Church history tells us they were eventually martyred for their faith along with Paul.

Junia is the first woman in Scripture to be specifically identified as an apostle. Her name is related to Juno, the Roman goddess of protection and strength that the month of June is also named after her. Since Junia was also Jew, she may have been a freed slave as slaves were often given Roman names. Her role in the early church was revered. The 4th century bishop of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, said of Junia, “To be an apostle is something great. But to be outstanding among the apostles—just think what a wonderful song of praise that is! Indeed how great the wisdom of this woman must have been that she was even deemed worthy of the title of apostle...” For the first thousand years of church history, Christian historians ranging from Chrysostom to Origen to Jerome identified the apostle Junia as a woman. Unfortunately, an error crept into the original Greek text of Romans in medieval times when a scribe changed the feminine name "Junia" into the masculine name "Junias". This was no small error since the masculine name "Junias" doesn't exist anywhere else in Greek literature. We are fortunate modern biblical scholars have found and corrected this manuscript error. As the courageous woman apostle, Junia, emerges from obscurity, we are grateful for her bravery, faith, and heroic witness to Christ. History may have forgotten her name and deeds, but God hasn't. Neither will God forget your sacrifices, love, or deeds for Christ!

Prayer: God, Thank you for all apostles, especially Junia. Amen.

Meditation For The Day: Courage prevails. Cowardice fails.

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring Renewal Paperback – February 21, 2017, by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author)