Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 16].
Probably sisters and possibly twins. Both names come from the
same root, the verb \trupha•\, to live luxuriously (Jas 5:5).
Denney suggests "Dainty and Disdain." {Persis} (\Persida\). A
freedwoman was so named. She is not Paul's "beloved," but the
"beloved" of the whole church.
16:13 {Rufus} (\Rouphon\). A very common slave name, possibly the
Rufus of Mr 15:21. The word means "red." {The chosen} (\ton
eklekton\). Not "the elect," but "the select." {And mine} (\kai
emou\). Paul's appreciation of her maternal care once, not his
real mother.
16:14 {Asyncritus} (\Asunkriton\). There is an inscription of a
freedman of Augustus with this name. {Phlegon} (\Phlegonta\). No
light on this name till the historian of the second century A.D.
{Hermes} (\Herm•n\). A very common slave name. {Patrobas}
(\Patroban\). Name of a freedman of Nero, abbreviated form of
Patrobius. {Hermas} (\Herm•n\). Not the author of the Shepherd of
Hermas. Common as a slave name, shortened form of Hermagoras,
Hermogenes, etc. {The brethren that are with them} (\tous sun
autois adelphous\). Perhaps a little church in the house of some
one.
16:15 {Philologus} (\Philologon\). Another common slave name.
{Julia} (\Ioulian\). The commonest name for female slaves in the
imperial household because of Julius Caesar. Possibly these two
were husband and wife. {Nereus} (\N•rea\). Found in inscriptions
of the imperial household. But the sister's name is not given.
One wonders why. {Olympas} (\Olump•n\). Possibly an abbreviation
for Olympiodorus. {All the saints that are with them} (\tous sun
autois pantas hagious\). Possibly another church in the house.
These unnamed, the "and others," constitute the great majority in
all our churches.
16:16 {With a holy kiss} (\en phil•mati hagi•i\). The near-east
mode of salutation as hand-shaking in the Western. In China one
shakes hands with himself. Men kissed men and women kissed women.
See 1Th 5 26; 1Co 16:20; 2Co 13:12.
16:17 {Mark} (\skopeite\). Keep an eye on so as to avoid.
\Skopos\ is the goal, \skope•\ means keeping your eye on the
goal. {Divisions} (\dichostasias\). Old word for "standings
apart," cleavages. In N.T. only here and Ga 5:20. {Those which
are causing} (\tous--poiountas\). This articular participle
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