Weekly Devotional - March 15th

Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them.

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the  [g] saints who are

with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ greet you.

Romans 16:13-16

The first person mentioned in this part of the text is quite intriguing: Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord. This is interesting given the background of his name. In the Bible, there is an account about a man named Simon from Cyrene who was pulled from the crowd to help Jesus carry the heavy cross beam that he would be nailed to. This Simon is noted in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 15:21) as the father of two sons, one of whom is Rufus.

Many believe that Mark wrote his Gospel while in Rome, following the guidance of the Apostle Peter. They both would have been familiar with the Christian community in Rome, where Rufus—along with his brother Alexander—might have been part of the church. This connection makes Rufus significant, as he appears to have held an important role within the early Christian community and to have influenced the Apostle Paul and other leaders in Rome.

Paul shares a touching relationship he has with Rufus's mother, who may be the wife of Simon from Cyrene. He concludes by acknowledging a large group of believers who are all working together for the cause of Christ. This highlights how important relationships are, not just for Paul’s work but for the church as a whole. It serves as a reminder that being part of the body of Christ involves connecting with others and isn’t just an individual effort.

As Paul wraps up his message, he encourages everyone to greet one another with a “holy kiss.”

This was a common practice during the first century, especially after sharing a meal in

remembrance of the Lord. It's important to recognize that while this was a cultural custom back then, it simply describes how they interacted and is not necessarily something we need to follow literally today.