The Regular Guys Bible Study
The Regular Guys Bible Study podcast -- RGBS -- is a podcast for regular guys by regular guys (not theologians) studying the Bible together. It's brought to you by a couple of goofy guys who just want to study the Bible together and show you that anyone can read and study the Bible. In fact, you SHOULD read and study the Bible yourself. We're here to show you how we do it, and, hopefully, we can have some fun along the way.
The Regular Guys Bible Study
Romans 16
Ken and Steve conclude their study of Romans with chapter 16, exploring Paul's final greetings and warnings to the Roman church.
• Recognition of women in ministry, including Phoebe who served as a deacon
• The significance of Priscilla and Aquila as a husband-wife ministry team
• Paul's personal connection to many believers shows his investment in relationships
• Warning against those who cause divisions through smooth talk and flattery
• The importance of reading Scripture to avoid being deceived
• Cultural context of greeting with a "holy kiss"
• Paul's signature doxology that brings glory to God
Come back for our next study on First Thessalonians after a short one-week break!
You are listening to the Regular Guys Bible Study Podcast, the Bible study for regular guys by regular guys. We are your hosts, ken and Steve, and we are just regular guys studying the Bible together not theologians.
Speaker 2:Ken, steve, okay, you know what this? Is this the end of Romans?
Speaker 1:yeah. So let me ask you this steve when we get to an end of a chapter, I mean end, end of a book. What do you feel? Do you feel like, yeah, we did it. Or do you feel like, oh man, that's it uh, more of the first thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we did it so it's weird.
Speaker 1:I have this mix of emotions that I can't. The reason I ask is because I have both. I have this like this, like sad. I liked going through romans and I'm sad it's over, but I'm also going, yeah, another, another, because we do our seasons. Seasons, that's in double quotes, are the different books that we do. So this is season seven, I think is it?
Speaker 1:I think it's season seven, I think it's season seven and um you know, it's kind of sad and it's kind of happy, so I'm a little. I guess that's melancholy. I'm melancholy on this.
Speaker 2:Steve, I think that's okay.
Speaker 1:All right. So, guys, as normal, I'm going to ask you if you haven't read Romans chapter 16, pause this stupid podcast. Go read chapter 16 of Romans. It won't take you long it won't take you long, it's quick and easy. It's Paul's, basically his salutation of the letter. Is that the right term? Salutation? Yeah, I think that's right. Okay, and um, I mean, I think there's some nuggets in there. What not salutation? Isn't that the? Is that the greeting? Wouldn't that be called the greeting, the salutation, um?
Speaker 2:anyway, I don't know. We're we're idiots. Somebody call in and let us know.
Speaker 1:Actually, guys, steve brings up a good point. We do have a way for you to contact us, to leave us fan mail or not fan mail, or comments. If you look and find the description of this podcast, at the very top, there's's a link. You can click on that link and it will take you to where you can send us a message and we would love to hear you, hear from you. I think it's called send a text or something like that is what the link says. Um, so you don't even know that, do you steve it? It? It goes where it goes, to Buzzsprout, and we can read it there. I keep checking it. If we ever got one, steve, I would tell you, and we haven't gotten one yet. But I think our audience is somewhat lame. No, I'm joking, I'm joking somewhat lame. No, I'm joking, I'm joking. Our audience doesn't have questions and they're definitely not fans, steve, they're not fans, they are. They are warriors with us.
Speaker 1:No, no, they are. They are fellow believers walking the path less traveled. The path less traveled, all right. Well, if you have, yes, steve, go ahead. Finish what you're saying. Well, I'm just saying, you know, if you have read it, now come back. I mean, I don't know, whatever I'm saying Welcome back, welcome back. Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 2:I'm so glad you said it was easy to read, because last week I had to read two sections. I thought you could go ahead and read this one.
Speaker 1:Okay, tell you what I'll read through verse 16. So I'm going to read Perfect. Romans 16, 1 to 16. 16. So I'm going to read Romans 16, 1-16. I commend Wow.
Speaker 2:You didn't even make it as far as I thought. You'd make it further than that.
Speaker 1:Okay, here we go. Watermelon, watermelon, watermelon. Alright, here we go.
Speaker 1:I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church of sin create. I ask you to receive her in the lord and in a way worthy of his people, and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I, but all the church of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Eponetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 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.
Speaker 1:Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Statius. Greet Apellas, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. Greet Herodian, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me too. Greet Asyncretus, phlegon, hermes, petrobus, hermasmus and the other brothers and sisters with them. Greet philologus, julia, nereus and his sister, and olympus and all the lord's people who were with them. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
Speaker 2:All the churches of christ send greetings oh my gosh, except for that one word commend.
Speaker 1:You did really well oh, you know when I read that to myself I don't have to pronounce everything you just kind of skim over it, don't you?
Speaker 2:yeah, so I did not realize how hard that would be, but that's all right you know what, if I were to have a kid now, I think I would name them phlegon or phlegon, phlegon ph-L-E-G-O-N.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a beautiful name. That's Phlegon, steve, not Phlegon.
Speaker 2:All right, we all put our pants, one Phlegon at a time.
Speaker 1:That was pretty funny, steve, uh, or it made me laugh. At least I doubt anyone else is laughing. But you know what I laughed?
Speaker 2:that's all that matters my point being not many of these names are very popular, at least in our culture. There's mary let's see.
Speaker 1:And priscilla, that's an okay one, um, I mean a not unheard of one. And there was olympus and hermes, we've heard rufus I've heard rufus um herodian. I'm just joking, that's. I don't think anyone has named that. But do you have any comments about this section, steve I?
Speaker 2:do. I'd love to hear your comments, because I came up with a complete blank.
Speaker 1:All right. So, and it may have to do with the church I grew up in which, by the way, I'm not trying to bash on the church I grew up in. The church I grew up in led me to Christ and gave me a great foothold, but I also see flaws in some of their philosophies. One of the things that they would never do at the church I grew up in is have a female deacon, because Paul says somewhere that, the way he does it, women should not lead in the church, or something like that Lead, or is it teach?
Speaker 1:Teach.
Speaker 2:I think yeah, teach or something like that?
Speaker 1:Is it lead or is it teach, teach? I think yeah, teach. And so my church would not ever put a woman in a leadership role because of that, and you know, here it's definitely not biblical to say that. I mean, paul says how awesome this person is, that you know, receive her. Let's see Commend to you our sister Phoebe. Phoebe might have been one of the ones delivering this.
Speaker 2:That's how I that's the impression I get. That's how I take it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me, so she's helped a whole lot of people in her role as a deacon in this church. So that's number one, I think. Do not diminish the role of women in the church or in the work of God. Many times he lists many women in here. He might I didn't go down and break it down but there might be half, because some of the names I don't know if they're male or female.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can't tell.
Speaker 1:But I mean it could be. I wouldn't be surprised if half of these people listed are women, and you know commending them for the work they're doing in the Lord.
Speaker 2:So that's number one. Try Fina and Tryphosa. I think one of those.
Speaker 1:I think maybe one of those is a woman and one is a man, but I don't know.
Speaker 2:No, it says those women.
Speaker 1:Oh, those women? Yes, yeah, you're right, great Tryphena and Tryphosa. Yeah, they could be twins, those women.
Speaker 2:I wonder if they were in the uh tri-delt uh sorority delta, delta, delta, maybe.
Speaker 1:So, um, all right, that's number one. Um, okay, in romans. Uh, let's see verse two to three. It talks about Priscilla and Aquila and, if you remember, we talked about Priscilla and Aquila in Acts.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Right and they were very helpful. They were tent makers, as I recall, and actually Paul worked with them making tents wherever they were at the time. Was that in Corinth? I don't remember where that was?
Speaker 2:There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome, paul went to see them and because he was a tent maker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. But you didn't say where there is uh, after this, paul left athens and went to corinth corinth boom man, I was right about that.
Speaker 1:That's incredible. I'm the smartest person that I know. Um, anyway, you don't know very many people no, I'm a hermit, um, but okay, so, anyway. So anyway, my point is this is an example, priscilla and Aquila is an example of husband and wife pair serving together, and you don't see that a lot in the scripture. I don't know if you see these women who work?
Speaker 1:hard, but there are a couple of cases, but Priscilla and Aquila are the most common case I've seen. Paul worked with them in Corinth and you know now he mentions them here as well. You okay there, Steve.
Speaker 2:That stupid bird is tapping against the windows again.
Speaker 1:Okay pay attention, steve anyway. Um, so there's two things there. First of all, there's nothing wrong what this? What I take from this is there is nothing wrong for one man to, or one of a spouse to, be, called to serve while the other one holds another type of job, you know, like a regular job, while the other serves in ministry, and it seems like that's probably very common, even back then. But it's also okay for us both, as husband and wife, to work together. So I'm just saying I don't know, it's just something I noticed, is all.
Speaker 2:He sure calls out a lot of people though.
Speaker 1:Man he does. He's got the memory of an elephant and he's scared of mice. Right, um, all right. And then I have one more comment for the very last verse. Do you have anything in there at all, steve?
Speaker 2:greeting one another with a holy kiss yeah, so what is? What is a holy kiss?
Speaker 1:so this is what I think I think um. First of all, this is I think that's a cultural thing. If you see um jews, um okay Jews in movies, I don't really know, but they'll kiss each other on both cheeks. You know, they'll do the little kind of double kiss and double cheek kiss. That is not culturally appropriate in the US, culturally appropriate in the US. Most cultures in the US don't find that a normal thing.
Speaker 2:Maybe it should be for Christians.
Speaker 1:I think it's about a cultural thing, but I think, greet each other in a holy manner, however, that is.
Speaker 2:Whatever the common greeting is, that's what I would say in a holy manner. However, that is it shows up in a lot of places.
Speaker 1:Whatever the common greeting is, that's what I would say. Whatever the common greeting is in your area to greet people in a holy way.
Speaker 2:So it shows up not only here in Romans. It's in 1 Corinthians it's in 2 Corinthians, it's in 1 Thessalonians and it's in 1 Peter.
Speaker 1:All right. So I mean I could be wrong. I think it's a cultural thing, though If you came up and kissed me, steve, I'd punch you in the face.
Speaker 2:That doesn't sound very holy.
Speaker 1:Well, I know, but that would really disturb me, so don't do it. No, I don't think I'd punch you in the face, but I would think what's going on here, cause that's not what we do culturally. So do you disagree?
Speaker 2:No, but I think following culture is a slippery slope.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but it's not Okay. Another thing we've learned in Romans is don't argue about disputable matters, right, and that is not a tenant of faith. You know, whether you greet someone with a holy kiss or not, that Does that really matter in your faith? This is he's really talking from a cultural standpoint, in my opinion, but you can disagree.
Speaker 2:Maybe it's even more metaphorical than it is literal. Well, I think culturally it could be literal, but metaphorically it could work as well, because I think the the, the verse in first Peter five, 14, actually says greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Maybe it's a please get along with one another, even though you're from different churches, so to speak.
Speaker 1:Could be. Regardless, this is not a. You know, something that is Disputable. Disputable, yeah, it is a disputable matter and it's not really going to change your destination. It is.
Speaker 2:what I'm trying to say is I don't believe it's a sin either way, but you would punch me if I did it.
Speaker 1:No, I really wouldn't punch you, but I would look at you weird and say what was that about? And there wasn't even any tongue, or would there be?
Speaker 2:Well, I guess you'll just have to wait till tomorrow morning.
Speaker 1:Tomorrow morning when I see you. Oh, at Bible study. Yeah, at accountability, all right. Well, let's yeah at accountability, all right. Well, let's move on, steve.
Speaker 2:All right, I will read the rest of Romans. All right, I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. That's you, ken, okay. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you, but I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Speaker 2:Timothy, my coworker sends his greetings to you, as do Lucas, jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews I, tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings Now to him, who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings, by the command of the eternal God, so that all Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ. Amen. All right, thanks for that last run-on sentence, paul.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you had to throw it in there just to irritate you.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:All right, steve, do you have any notes on this section?
Speaker 2:I've told you I came up blank this chapter, all right all right, I've got stuff all right.
Speaker 1:First of all, this is the very last thing he puts in the letter. If you're going to, right before you leave, basically you know this is he's signing off here, right. And right before you leave you're going to tell people the most important thing or the thing you want to leave them with. I see what you're saying. You see what I'm saying. You want it in the front and you want to leave them with.
Speaker 2:I see what you're saying. You see what I'm saying you want it in the front and you want it in the back. Not like that, Ken.
Speaker 1:Anyway, what I was saying, I mean think about it.
Speaker 2:When you go to church, do you remember all the stuff in the middle or do you remember sort of the intro and the exit?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I know what you're saying, but and that's that's the way the human brain works and that's the way you know Paul is going to leave the his. He's going to say this thing, the last thing he says. He wants it to stick right. It's very important, and what he talks about here I'm going to read let's see 17 and 18 again.
Speaker 2:Did I screw it up?
Speaker 1:No, I just want to read this thing that he talks about here. This is really the last command or warning that he gives. He says you have learned, keep away from them, for such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people. So I have I guess I was going to say two points. I really have only one point here. I guess I was going to say two points. I really have only one point here that this is the main reason I wanted to do this podcast. Steve was to try to get guys, men, to read their Bibles, because the problem is naive, it says to deceive the minds of naive people. Naive does not mean stupid right, it means people who don't know.
Speaker 2:You don't know what you don't know.
Speaker 1:Yes, and if you don't read the Bible yourself, you can easily be deceived, because what smooth talkers say can sound really good.
Speaker 2:Even Satan tempted Jesus with verses from the Bible.
Speaker 1:That's right and it didn't work because he combated it with other scripture. I do know some people who have been led astray. I used to work with some youth at a previous church and there was a youth pastor that got deceived and led astray some of the students by these videos by. I don't know if you've ever heard of Rob Bell. Have you ever heard of him?
Speaker 2:Sounds familiar.
Speaker 1:He's a pastor now, I think in the. I think he's in the Dallas area, but he is a smooth. He has these YouTube videos, you know. I encourage you to watch one or two and see what's being the kind of stuff he does and talks about, because they sound good to the ear. But if you but they have little lies sprinkled in untruths about what the bible says and the importance of like he'll, he'll try to convince you, after a bunch of smooth talk, that the resurrection is not needed or that the miracles don't have to really be miracles.
Speaker 2:I don't like those kind of people.
Speaker 1:No, they are deceptive, and he leads you there, and so, yeah, that makes a lot of sense, um, and unless you've read your whole bible unless you've read the bible. Um, and not just yeah, like, and you said the whole thing and I agree the whole thing. But you, there's only one way I don't want to say you have to read the whole thing now, because that's overwhelming. It takes a lot of time, it's overwhelming right, and there's only one way to read the scripture, and that's to start.
Speaker 2:One word at a time.
Speaker 1:One word at a time. One word at a time and you read it. Um, when you finish a book, some people like to read multiple books at the same time I, I can't do that, my brain doesn't work that way, yeah um, I like to go with a book and go through it, just like we're doing um in this podcast. But um I.
Speaker 2:So. I've read the bible several ways. I've done it start to finish, I've done it chronologically, which I do kind of like that, um, trying to think of a third way, my wife's doing that right now. By the way, chronological yeah, or she might have finished actually I think I like that the best because when you're reading the old testament it jumps all over the place. I think one of them did it like by type. You know historical and poetry. I don't think I finished that one.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't have liked that way. Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:Anyhow.
Speaker 1:Uh-oh, my son is texting us.
Speaker 2:Uh-oh. All right I thought you put it on.
Speaker 1:Do not disturb should have you know what um I actually. I thought I had two comments on here, but I just wrote the same thing twice oh well, there you go. That's really my only comment twice, um, I think, um, I really did. I think it was kind of cool, though, how, um, let's see, uh, when the person who's writing this stuff down for paul, um, calls his own name out yeah, he goes I taritius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the lord.
Speaker 1:So at the very end, after paul's done, he adds his own little paragraph there. I think that's really cool. Um, and you know, greets a couple of people that he wanted to say hi to.
Speaker 2:So yep, but that's all I got I don't have anything either, and and you're going to be out of town a week or so.
Speaker 1:I'm not out of town next week. We're talking about taking off a couple of days.
Speaker 1:We are going to take a break, maybe just a week break. Can we just take a week break, you think? Sure, one week break. So we're going to take a very short break before our next podcast. So you know, don't leave us hanging. We won't leave you hanging. Don't leave us hanging. Come back to us when we're back. But we have summer vacations and things. We have families and and jobs and other things. So, uh, can't, can't always do this, but we love doing it and uh, we will be back. The next book we're doing first thessalonians, is that right?
Speaker 2:sure, unless you wanted to jump back to the old testament.
Speaker 1:No, let's do let's do first thessalonians and then second thessalonians, and then we can consider doing an old testament, something yeah all right those should go pretty quick all right. Well, guys, we really enjoyed you staying with us through romans and um. You know, keep reading your Bible. See ya, the regular guy's Bible study, the Regular Guys Bible Study is a Chasm LLC production. All rights reserved.
