Priscilla is one of the few women mentioned in the New Testament whose influence can’t be ignored. Tentmakers like Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila were extremely devoted to spreading the gospel that in the end, was responsible for their eventual death. Here are a few things you’d want to know about Priscilla and why she’s such a significant figure in the bible:
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What’s the relationship between Priscilla and Aquila?
Aquila and Pricilla were a Jewish couple that converted to Christianity and aided Paul in spreading the gospel. Their story begins in Acts 18 when they came in as a group of refugees who were fleeing from Rome in 49 A.D. as a result of the persecutions happening there. The two met with Paul in Corinth. Aquila was a Jew and that’s the reason for their fleeing.
Paul took a liking for the couple and they became great friends. Since the three of them were avid tentmakers, they got along so well, and that’s why it was quite easy for Paul to invite them to become members of the Corinthian church as soon as he’d established it. As expected, Priscilla and Aquila were more than glad to be a part of the church.
After the church in Corinth was up and running, Paul set out to Ephesus where he took the couple with him. But after Paul left Ephesus, he left both Priscilla and Aquila there to run the ministry on his behalf. As expected, the couple did an amazing job and as a result of that, the church grew.
Apollos, an eloquent preacher, visited Ephesus, and just like in Paul’s cause, the couple was more than happy to host the man of God.
The couple even went ahead and helped the man of God understand the significance of the death of Jesus as well as His resurrection. Since the couple had spent a lot of time with Paul, they were able to learn a great deal about Jesus – something they constantly shared with other Christians who were willing to listen.
What is Priscilla’s significance in the bible?
Christians can draw a lot of lessons from how Priscilla lived her life. For instance, not once did she abandon Aquila despite everything that happened to him as a Jew. When emperor Claudius exiled all the Jews from Rome, she decided to leave with Aquila when it was easier for her to stay behind and restart her new life.
Another important lesson Christians can draw from Priscilla is the importance of being hospitable. When Paul showed up in Corinth where she and her husband Aquila had relocated, they hosted him without any hesitation. Times may have been hard but they didn’t mind having another mouth to feed until Paul was able to get back on his feet. They even helped him build the Corinthian church.
Priscilla was fearless. She and her husband Aquila weren’t afraid of spreading the gospel despite how perilous the times were. They would go to where the pagans were and preach the gospel despite the threats and intimidation they received. In the end, they were martyred because of that.
Christians can also learn the importance of being passionate about Christ and hungering for His divine knowledge. Priscilla would always listen to Paul and inquire as many times as she needed so she could understand everything good about Christ. They would have meetings in their house long before the Corinthian church was established.
Finally, Christians can learn the importance of building others. In the scriptures, Priscilla and her husband were always at the forefront when it came to building others. They started with Paul, then others. Priscilla’s selflessness contributed to the spread of the gospel.
Courage is another attribute associated with Priscilla and her husband Aquila. Once again, the times were treacherous, especially since they were living amongst pagans. It took some real courage to continue preaching the gospel knowing too well that it could lead to their demise, which it did, eventually.
Thankfully, Priscilla may have lost her life but her impact is still being felt almost two millennia after her demise and that of her husband. Christians can learn to put their fear aside and believe in God like Priscilla did and they’ll reap their rewards in heaven after they transition.
Where did the name Priscilla come from?
According to Romans 16:3, the name “Priscilla” is loosely translated as “delightful in the Lord” or just “delightful”. We can comfortably say that Priscilla was true to her name to the very end. Not once did she show despair and continued to trust in the Lord to the very end.
How and where did Priscilla die?
After being perceived as a threat by those in power (Romans), Priscilla was captured and killed. According to the scriptures, Priscilla and Aquila were martyred together. The incident happened in Rome after she and Aquila were previously deported from Rome on orders of Emperor Claudius.
