Two Are Better than One

Two of Paul’s dearest friends make an appearance in Deep Calling Deep.

Paul first met Prisca and Aquila in Corinth in the year 50. Their story is told in Acts 18.

First, let’s talk about their names. “Priscilla” is the diminutive form of “Prisca,” as “Johnny” is the diminutive form of “John.” Literally, it means “little Prisca,” and is often a sign of familiarity and affection. Almost always, Paul calls her Priscilla. There are many Roman inscriptions and legends with the name Prisca, so many conclude that she belonged to a distinguished Roman family.

Aquila does not rhyme with Priscilla. It’s pronounced Ah-KEY-la, and it means “eagle” in Latin. This has led many scholars to deduce Aquila was an officer in the Roman army, however, this cannot be proved or refuted.

Luke tells us a good bit about this amazing couple. They were natives of Pontus, leatherworkers like Paul, and at least Aquila was Jewish. They, like all Jews, had been recently expelled from Rome by the emperor Claudius. (The historian Suetonius says this was because they were rioting on account of someone named ‘Chrestus,’ which could be a misunderstanding of ‘Christ.’) Evidently, this couple decided to get out of Italia altogether. Paul met them in Corinth, and they obviously had a  great deal in common. Paul lived and worked with them while he preached the gospel to the Corinthians. Eventually, the church in Corinth met in their home.

After eighteen months, Paul moved on to Ephesus and Aquila and Priscilla went with him. Again they worked with Paul to establish a church, meeting in their home, and when Paul left they stayed behind. When an eloquent preacher named Apollos arrived in Ephesus, preaching the Scriptures but an incomplete gospel, the couple took him aside and taught him about Yeshua’s death and resurrection, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When Paul writes to the Romans, seven or eight years later, they are again hosting a church in their home there, after Nero lifted Claudius’s expulsion order.

Both Aquila and Prisca had the gift of hospitality. Almost every time we meet them, they are hosting people in their home. They also constantly encouraged those around them.

Aquila and Priscilla were a team –  they are never mentioned separately.

The last time we hear of them is in Paul’s final letter, to Timothy, while he was in prison awaiting execution. They have by now returned to Ephesus and are yet again hosting a church in their home.

Many try to make something of the fact that when Paul refers to the couple he usually places her name first—unusual for the time. We’d be better off noting that they are never mentioned separately. They were a team, and accomplished far more together than apart. We would do well to follow their example.

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Deep Calling Deep releases in less than three weeks! It will be 99¢ for the first week, and then it will go to its regular price of $2.99.

To celebrate this new book both Prize of War and The Walls of Arad will be 99¢ from September 1 – 5.

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