Aquila and Priscilla. Aquila was originally from Pontus, which is the Black Sea region of modern Turkey. Aquila was a Jewish believer living in Rome with his wife Prisca as tent-makers, when they are first mentioned in Acts 18. Their names are found six places in the New Testament (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom. 16:3; 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19), and the husband and wife are always mentioned together! The order of their names is instructive. Three passages give Aquila’s name first, three give Priscilla’s name first. Clearly, it was a partnership. Yet God’s order was maintained. Aquila is mentioned first when the context emphasizes: the move to Corinth and meeting Paul (Acts 18:2), the correction of Apollos (Acts 18:26), and when saluting an assembly (1 Cor. 16:19). They are a model Christian couple. Paul said in 1 Cor. 7:7 that it is better to remain single to serve the Lord, yet we are glad for the example of Aquila and Priscilla as couple who served the Lord together (see also 1 Cor. 9:5). Four out of six references give the wife’s name as “Priscilla”, which is the Greek diminutive form of “Prisca”. Her proper name was Prisca, but it is nice to see that Luke and Paul were close enough to the couple to use her “nickname”! They are never described preaching publicly or working miracles. They never held official roles (that we know of) and never wrote Scripture. Their house-based ministry was quiet, steady, yet important. They were movable for the Lord’s interests, not tied to one place or personal comfort. They moved multiple times: Rome → Corinth → Ephesus → Rome → Ephesus again. No children are mentioned. If indeed they were unable to have children, this couple provides an example of how fruitful and fulfilling their lives could be in the service of Christ. No doubt they had many spiritual children (ref. Mark 10:29-30)!

 

In A.D. 49, when Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome, Aquila and Prisca were forced to leave and relocate to Corinth (Acts 18:2-3). The Apostle Paul roomed with them for eighteen months on his second missionary journey, as he too was a tent-maker. We see in this that Aquila and Priscilla (“they were tent-makers”) worked hard to provide for themselves and others. They provided a way for Paul to support himself, as that was important to him in Corinth (2 Cor. 11:9). No doubt this couple would have known Phoebe well having lived in Corinth, which is a short distance from Cenchrea. This couple was very hospitable; everywhere they lived, they used their home for the Lord. They hosted Paul at Corinth for 18 months, they hosted an assembly in Ephesus, and an assembly in Rome! Mr. Kelly remarks that, as tent-makers, this Christian couple would have always had a large room in their home for laying out tent fabric, which would have been quite suitable for a meeting room!

 

Aquila and Priscilla accompanied Paul on part of his journey to Syria (Acts 18:18), and he left them at Ephesus to strengthen the assembly. This shows that this couple were valuable to Paul. He then sailed from Ephesus, leaving Aquila and Priscilla there, where they later met and tactfully took Apollos aside, perhaps in their home, and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:18-19, 18:26). Apollos could learn effectively in the sphere of their home, where Aquila is mentioned first, but Priscilla is added as involved in educating Apollos. Hospitality is often coupled with private instruction. The informal setting of a household provides a fertile place for the Word of God to be opened and ministered. The conduct and atmosphere of their home would have complemented the doctrine they presented, reinforcing truth through Christian love and consistency. They were still at Ephesus when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, and the assembly was at that time meeting in their home (1 Cor. 16:19)!

 

In A.D. 54 Claudius died and the expulsion of the Jews from Rome was lifted. Aquila and Priscilla returned to Rome, and four years later when the epistle of Paul to the Romans arrived, one of the assemblies in Rome was meeting “at their house” (Rom. 16:3-5). At that time, Paul had never been to Rome, but the couple had already become established helpers of Paul, and had risked their lives to save him. While Aquila and Priscilla shared the Apostle’s craft of tent-making, he passes over that fact often, and instead refers to their primary bond; e.g. “my fellow-workmen in Christ Jesus”. They had at some point risked their “neck” (singular) for Paul, showing that as “one flesh” they were committed to the service of Christ. Paul would be forever “thankful” to them for that sacrifice (John 15:13). Evidently the news was widely heard and Aquila and Priscilla had earned the thanks of “all the assemblies of the nations”.

 

At the final mention of Aquila and Priscilla we find them at Ephesus again. Paul writing 2 Timothy sends his greetings to Aquila and Priscilla through Timothy. This was very near the end of Paul’s life (2 Tim. 4:19), and this godly couple was positioned in the place (Asia) where the opposition was strongest (2 Tim. 1:15). They displayed loyalty when many were disloyal.

 

Much can be attributed to the faithfulness of this model Christian couple: their instructing Apollos, strengthening at least three assemblies, traveling with Paul, and even saving his life. Certainly they were used of the Lord in a remarkable way among the Gentile assemblies in Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor.