Women in the Greetings of Romans 16.1-16 : A Study of Mutuality and Women's Ministry in the Letter to the Romans

Susan Mathew examines the structures of mutuality in Romans, to shed light on the issue of women's leadership in Pauline theology. Mathew begins by analyzing the general form of greetings in the Pauline letters, to shed light on the specific form of the greetings in Rom 16.1-16. Mathew then couples this with analysis of the leadership of women in the Greco-Roman world showing that women's leadership roles in the Pauline churches were part of this wider culture. This provides a basis from which to show that the women named in Romans 16.1-16, display Paul's acknowledgment of some women associates, and point to relationships of mutuality in the greetings. A study of Romans 12-13 helps to apprehend the model of mutuality exemplified in the greetings. Finally, the contextual application of mutuality in the community as mutual welcoming and mutual up-building (Romans 14-15) is brought into focus. This enables Mathew to draw together the strands of the Pauline ethos of mutuality, which encourages the leadership roles of women in the greetings at the end of Romans. Contents Preface Abbreviations Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1. Purpose of study 1.2. The issues raised 1.3. Romans 16: an integral part of the letter to the Romans 1.4. The women named in Romans 16 1.5. Women’s leadership in Pauline churches 1.6. Greetings as a letter form 1.7. Mutualism in Paul’s communal ethos 1.8. The contribution 1.9. Method and procedure Chapter 2 The Form of Greetings in the Romans Letter Closing 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Letter closing in the Hellenistic letters 2.3. Letter closing in the Semitic letters 2.4. Letter closing in the Pauline letters 2.5. The Romans letter closing 2.6. Greetings in the Romans letter closing 2.7. Conclusion Chapter 3 Women in the Roman Empire 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Women in courts 3.3. Women in politics 3.4. Women magistrates and patronage 3.5. Priesthood (Greco-Roman) 3.6. Jewish synagogues 3.7. Conclusion Chapter 4 Women in Romans 16.1-16 4.1. Introduction 4.2. The role of Phoebe (Rom. 16.1, 2) 4.3 The role of Prisca (Rom. 16.3, 4, 5) 4.4. The role of Junia (Rom. 16.7) 4.5. Hardworking members: Mary, Persis, Tryphoena and Tryphosa 4.6. Rufus’ mother (Rom. 16.13) 4.7. Nereus’ sister (Rom. 16.15) 4.8. Julia (Rom. 16.15) 4.9. Conclusion Chapter 5 The Body Metaphor and a0llh/louv: A Paradigm ofMutuality in Romans 12, 13 5.1. Introduction 5.2. The body metaphor in the Pauline epistles 5.3. Love enhancing mutuality in Romans (Rom. 12.9-13; 13.8-10) 5.4. The Pauline emphases 5.5. Conclusion Chapter 6 Receiving One Another: A Paradigm of Mutuality inRomans 14, 15 6.1. Introduction 6.2. The social context: the weak/strong dichotomy 6.3. Mutual welcome: exegetical analysis of Paul’s exhortations 6.4. Judging as hindrance to welcoming 6.5. Cost and effect of welcoming 6.6. The Pauline ethos of mutuality 6.7. Conclusion Chapter 7Conclusion: Towards a Theology of Love Mutualism 7.1. A retrospect 7.2. The impact of a0spa/sasqe 7.3. The women in leadership within the structures of mutualism 7.4. 1 Corinthians 11.2-16: restriction or mutuality in gender roles? 7.5. ‘Pauline love mutualism’: a challenge to communitarian ethics Bibliography Index of Biblical and Other Ancient Sources Index of Authors Index of Subjects