the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Bible Encyclopedias
Junias; Junia
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
(1) They were Jews. Paul calls the Jews "my brethren," "my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Romans 9:3 ). Because Prisca and Aquila, a Jew and Jewess, are not designated as kinsfolk, Conybeare and Howson suppose "the epithet to denote that the persons mentioned were of the tribe of Benjamin."
(2) They had been companions of Paul in some unrecorded imprisonment. The phrase denotes more than the fact that they, like Paul, had suffered imprisonment for the sake of Christ.
(3) This may mean (a) that they were well known to the apostolic circle (so Gifford and Weiss), or (b) distinguished as apostles. The latter is probably correct, "apostle" being used in a wide sense (compare 1 Corinthians 15:7 ). The prophetic ministry of the early church consisted of apostles, prophets and teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11 ), the apostles being missionaries in the modern sense (see Lindsay, Church and Ministry , chapter iii). Some apostles were missionaries sent out by particular churches (Acts 13:2 , Acts 13:3; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25 ).
(4) They were among the first converts, "early disciples" like Mnason of Cyprus (Acts 21:16 ).
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Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Junias; Junia'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​j/junias-junia.html. 1915.