There are not many married couples in the Bible, where both husband and wife are named, who can serve as models for our own lives. Before I was married, Priscilla and Aquila appealed to me as a good example of a Christian couple I would like to emulate. I can’t say I have lived up to that ideal – but let’s look at them now and learn from them!

Their Christian story

We first meet them, when Paul did, on his first visit to Corinth in the year AD 50. They had only come there themselves a few months previously. Aquila was a Jew, born in Pontus, which bordered the southern shore of the Black Sea, in what today is part of Turkey. At some time in his life he had gone to work in Rome. Whether then or earlier, he’d met and married Priscilla.

Her real name was Prisca, and when Paul refers to her in his letters he always calls her Prisca, but Luke uses the more familiar Priscilla. We don’t know if she also was a Jew, but I’m going to assume that she was. It’s clear, however, that they were both Christian believers. On most occasions, Prisca and Aquila are named in that order. That was very unusual for the woman to be named first, and we don’t know why. Perhaps Priscilla was the more out-going, the more gifted, while Aquila was the quiet breadwinner; but they are always mentioned together, they were clearly a partnership in the things of the Lord, and Paul refers to them both as his fellow-workers in Christ Jesus. (Rom 16:3)

The previous year there had been such a disturbance within the large Jewish community in Rome, that the Emperor Claudius decided to expel all Jews from the city. Writing 70 years later the Roman historian Seutonius tells us that the trouble had been started by someone called Chrestus. This sounds very much like Christ, so it’s very likely that the gospel had been brought to Rome and caused violent division among the Jews there. Claudius forbade the Jews to assemble at their synagogues, which meant they had to leave!

On his arrival in Corinth, Paul heard about this Jewish Christian couple, and went to meet them. Aquila, like Paul, was a tentmaker by trade, and they invited Paul to stay with them, and work together, which he was pleased to do. Military tents were usually made of leather, but tents were also made of cloth woven from the black goats’ hair of Cilicia, Paul’s home province. So they may have been either leather-workers or weavers.

While Paul was working with them, he reasoned every Sabbath with those attending synagogue, Jew and Gentile, trying to persuade them that Jesus was the Messiah. Paul would generally earn his living in this way. However, when his friends, Silas and Timothy, came from Macedonia, with a love-gift from the church he’d founded in Philippi, Paul was able for a while to give up his tentmaking, and use all his time to preach the gospel.

[It was common practice for itinerant teachers to make a living from their followers, and the Corinthians later became impressed by boastful preachers who did the same! Paul wrote, Was it a sin for me to lower myself.. by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way.. in order to cut the ground from those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.(2 Cor 11:7-12)]

When many of the Jews refused to believe, and abused Jesus’ name, Paul left the synagogue and taught next door in a house of a Greek believer. And there Paul, Silas and Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, and all their friends worshipped together. They were soon joined by Crispus, who had been the principal synagogue official, who had supervised all the worship there, together with his entire household. I think that was a day of great rejoicing!

After a time in Corinth, Paul decided to leave for Syria, and he was accompanied as far as Ephesus by Priscilla and Aquila. There he left them for about a year before he returned, as he promised the local Jews he would. During that time a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria in Egypt, arrived in Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. (18:24-25)

Evidently Aquila and Priscilla heard him in the synagogue. They decided to invite Apollos to their own home. There they shared with him their fuller knowledge. He must have known about Jesus’ death and presumably of his resurrection, too – but he may not have fully understood their significance. Nor, certainly, did he know about the Day of Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Spirit, accompanying baptism into the name of Jesus. All this Aquila and Priscilla explained to him, so that when Apollos wanted to go on to Corinth, the Christians in Ephesus encouraged him, and wrote letters of commendation. As a result, Apollos was a great help to the believers in Corinth, and a great debater with the Jews there.

The Emperor Claudius died in AD 54, and after that Jews felt safe to return to Rome, and it seems Priscilla and Aquila were among those who did. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome about the year 57, when he was once again in Corinth. He asked them to Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.(Rom 16:3-5)

But a few years later Priscilla and Aquila were back in Ephesus, for in Paul’s last letter to Timothy, written about AD 63 when he was a prisoner in Rome, expecting the outcome would be death, he asks Timothy to Greet Prisca and Aquila..(2 Tim 4:19). They were very dear, old friends for whom Paul wouldn’t miss the opportunity of sending his salutations. It is the last we hear of them.

Their Christian example

Are we followers of our Lord Jesus Christ? Then let’s learn from Priscilla and Aquila how we may follow him (1) in our marriages (2) in our homes (3) in our work.

Christian marriage

Priscilla and Aquila were both believers in the Lord Jesus, their Lord and Saviour. This is the ideal, to be obeyed where we have the choice. If we don’t have the choice – if we are married already to one who does not yet love and trust the Lord – we are to live and pray for the unbeliever’s change of heart.(1 Pet 3:1-7;1 Cor 7:10-16) If we are single, we have a choice. And I appeal with all my heart to you who are young and single, and who love the Lord. Make this choice prayerfully – for the choice will affect your happiness and usefulness throughout the rest of your life! We’re not to look for a partner in life who doesn’t share our union with the Lord – for we are not to be yoked with unbelievers. (2 Cor 6:14) The one we are to marry must belong to the Lord. (1 Cor 7:39)(See also Rom 12:1-2)

Why is it so important that a Christian should not marry a non-believer? Apart from the consideration of obedience, which alone can bring blessing, there are the following practical reasons:

(1) Husband and wife should have the same outlook and purpose in the most important area of life. Almost inevitably, where this is not the case, the pressure on the believer, to be less committed, will be great, and their love for the Lord may grow cold. Remember Solomon.. whose wives turned his heart after other gods. (1 Kings 11:1-10; Matt 24:12)

(2) This applies to every choice we make together, and especially to how we bring up the children the Lord gives us. Remember Abraham.. I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children to keep the way of the LORD, by doing what is right and just.(Gen 18:19; Eph 6:4; 2 Tim 3:14-17)

(3) The love and support we give each other will be best founded on the love and forgiveness that comes from the Lord, and the grace and strength only he can give. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph 4:32-5:2; 1 Cor 13:4-7; Col 3:12-17; Rom 15:1-7; 1 John 4:7-12)

(4) Believers can pray and serve the Lord together. Two are better than one.. (Eccl 4:9-12; Phil 2:12-16; 4:4-7;1 Thess 5:16-18)

(5) And at the end of life know the one we love is safe with our Lord, and one day we will meet again. God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. (1 Thess 4:13-18)

Christian home

I have just said that a Christian couple will pray and serve the Lord together. Their home should be a place of worship, the simplest but most real manifestation of Christ’s presence among his people, a true expression of his church in the world. As Jews, Priscilla and Aquila, – and Paul with them – will have brought this significance of the home with them from the Jewish faith into its fulfilment in Christ.

The importance of the believers’ home in the Lord’s sight is set out for us in these words of Moses: Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up...(Deut 6:5-7)

We can picture, on a Friday night, Priscilla lighting the Sabbath candles, and saying the Sabbath blessing. Then together, Aquila and Priscilla, leading those in their home in prayers – now filled with the joy and wonder of calling God, Father – and rejoicing in his redeeming love, known through the life and death of his Son, Jesus.

Whether on that night of the week, or the next one, when they would naturally celebrate his resurrection with other believing friends gathered around their table, they would surely read some of the Scriptures, sing God’s praise in psalm and song, share bread and drink wine, as our Lord taught, in memory of his dying love for us, and in fellowship with him, their living Lord.

For, in each place the Lord led them to, their home became a place where believers met – the church that meets at their house. (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:20) We meet here week by week – but should we not look upon our homes in the same way? As a place where fellow believers can gather? In some homes, for mid-week prayer and study of God’s word – but in all our homes, an opportunity to show love, understanding – support in times of crisis and sadness – and a sharing of joy and thankfulness in times of gladness? Where we can also share God’s love and minister to friend and neighbour – so that they too may come to know our Saviour.

For that is what Aquila and Priscilla did. They did it for Paul on his arrival in Corinth. They did it for Apollos, after hearing him speak in the synagogue. They didn’t criticise him publicly; they didn’t go home alone and have “roast preacher” for lunch; they invited him to their home, and shared what they knew with him. If you disagree with something you hear us say here, I hope you would do the same! There may well be something we need to hear, to learn from you!

Christian work

Greeks looked down on manual labour as fit only for slaves, but Jews saw it as a mandate from God, who had fashioned the world, and now shares the responsibility of caring for it with human beings. Trades would be passed down from father to son, as Joseph did to Jesus, and for us his example is sufficient to give work dignity. But there is more to it than that – work done to God’s glory, serving others, brings a satisfaction and joy that no other motive can achieve. (Col 3:17; Eph 4:28; 1 Th 4:11-12; 2 Th 3:6-13; Eccl 8:15)

A rabbi was expected to learn a trade, although I expect that when Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel, he never anticipated he would be very glad he had one! But now he could offer the gospel without charge, unlike most itinerant teachers who made a living from their disciples.

Four times, as a Christian couple, Priscilla and Aquila moved from one city to another. Whether because of external pressure, because of fresh opportunities for his work, or because they sensed the call of the Lord for them to move on – they went, and served him in that new place. Will you be open, as they were, to our Lord’s direction? To serve him wherever he leads us, and seek to serve him there? By doing our work with integrity, to his glory? By making our home distinctively a Christian one? And that means, as I’ve indicated, that we exercise hospitality – and regard our homes as places to be open to the needs of others?

When we see our circumstances as given to us by the Lord – even our disappointments can become his appointments. Aquila and Priscilla, probably wondered why the Lord had made them give up their home and work in Rome, and start afresh in Corinth. But their common trade brought them the life-long love and friendship of Paul. And I suspect that Aquila’s labour provided some of the practical support Paul needed.

Are we open to seeing acquaintances ‘made by chance’, God’s doors into the loving enrichment of our lives and those of others? Our Lord made this promise, I tell you the truth, no-one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age.. and with them, persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 10:29-30)

There was one event especially which made Paul love them. He tells the believers at Rome that they risked their neck for my life.(Rom 16:4RSV) How we would like to know about that occasion!

What can we learn from their courage? If we trust that our lives are in the Lord’s hands, we are free to risk them for his sake. Do not fear to lose what we cannot keep, to gain what we cannot lose. May we too have courage like that!

And may we all learn from Priscilla and Aquila –

To follow Christ wherever he leads us... to commit to him every aspect of our lives... our marriages.. our homes.. our work.. and all the people he leads us to meet... to serve Christ for his glory, because of his great love for us.