Priscilla is one of my favorite Bible characters. We don’t know a lot about Priscilla (also called Prisca), but what we do know leads me to believe that she really loved the church.
One interesting thing to note is that she and her husband, Aquila, are always mentioned together. In Acts 18:1-3 we are told that Priscilla and Aquila allowed Paul to live and work with them when he had first come to Corinth. Paul was well known for his persecution of the church in the early days, so this hospitality and openness from Aquila and Priscilla is truly something to take note of. This friendship grew to the point that Aquila and Priscilla willingly risked their lives for Paul. We don’t know what it was exactly that they did, but Paul thanked them for it in Romans 16:3-4. It is not often that we would risk our life for acquaintances but for the friends we love the most we certainly would.
Also, when Paul chose to sail to Syria, Aquila and Priscilla chose to travel with him. Once in Ephesus, however, Aquila and Priscilla stayed behind, while Paul traveled on to Jerusalem and back. While in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla did what they could to grow and encourage the church. We are told in Acts 18: 24-28 that they met a bold and fervent man named Apollos who spoke only of John’s baptism. Aquila and Priscilla “took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” They didn’t debate him or publically humiliate him; they lovingly and respectfully took him aside and corrected him. And Apollos went on to firmly stand for the church and teach for the Lord.
We know they made other efforts to encourage, grow, and serve the church because in Romans 16: 5 Paul sends his greetings to Aquila and Priscilla and “the church that is in their house”. They were opening their home so that the church would have a place to gather. We don’t exactly know what they gathered for or how often but we can speculate that it was for worship, and Bible study; not to mention, probably meals, overnight stays, and other hospitable events. We also know Aquila and Priscilla, and “the church that was in their house” had concern for the church in other cities because in 1 Corinthians 16:19 they sent their greetings through Paul back to the church in Corinth. Which means we could also infer that while they lived in Corinth, they had been very involved and did what they could to help Paul grow the church there. Paul ultimately calls them “my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.” Romans 16:3
So we can see that Priscilla supported, loved and worked alongside her husband through daily living, through moves to other cities and as he worked to serve the church. Priscilla, alongside Aquilla, loved Christians enough to be open to them in spite of their past, hosted them in her home, and risked her life in defending them and the Faith. She loved individual souls enough to help lovingly teach them and encourage them to be bold for the Faith. And she loved the church enough to open her home to them at the very least on a weekly basis, if not, a daily basis. And she didn’t just love those near her, but those far away as well.
The question for us today is how can we be more like Priscilla? How can we serve more faithfully beside our husbands? How can we be more encouraging to those who are trying to save the lost? How can we encourage and serve beside our teachers, evangelists, and elders? How can we be more active in teaching others with gentleness and love? Can we more often bring the church into our homes? No matter who we are or what stage of life we are in, couldn’t we all be more like Priscilla?
May you be blessed with the energy and zeal to serve as Priscilla did.
