Who is Apelles mentioned in Romans 16:10, and why is he "approved in Christ"? Canonical Citation Romans 16:10 : “Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.” Name and Etymology Apelles (Greek Ἀπελλῆς, Apellēs) was a common Hellenistic name meaning “called” or “summoned.” In the Septuagint, a related form appears in 1 Maccabees 11:2. Over a hundred Latin funerary inscriptions from first-century Rome list the name, confirming its popularity among both slaves and freedmen. Text-Critical Certainty All extant early witnesses—Papyrus 46 (ca. AD 175-225), Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Sinaiticus (ℵ), and Codex Alexandrinus (A)—contain the phrase Ἀπελλῆν τὸν δόκιμον ἐν Χριστῷ (“Apelles the approved in Christ”) without variants, underscoring its originality and supporting the coherence of the Pauline corpus. Historical Setting in Romans 16 Paul wrote Romans from Corinth in the mid-50s AD (Acts 20:2-3). His closing chapter names twenty-six individuals in Rome, reflecting a network of house churches (cf. Romans 16:5, 10, 11, 14-15). The concise greeting—without familial or ministry qualifiers—indicates that Apelles was personally known to Paul yet resident in Rome at the letter’s receipt. Early Church Traditions 1. The “Seventy” List: Dorotheus of Tyre (4th cent.) and the Synopsis of Pseudo-Dorotheus identify Apelles as one of the Seventy disciples of Luke 10, later bishop of Heraclea in Asia Minor. 2. Anti-Marcionite Writers: A second-century Gnostic named Apelles, a disciple of Marcion (reported by Tertullian, Adv. Marc. IV.17), is chronologically and theologically distinct from Paul’s associate. 3. Eastern Martyrologies: The Menologion of Basil II (10th cent.) honors “Apelles of Smyrna,” commemorated on October 31, possibly conflating traditions. While these notices cannot be proven, they attest to an early memory of a faithful Apelles and unanimously connect him to steadfast orthodoxy. “Approved in Christ” — Exegetical Analysis Greek: δόκιμος ἐν Χριστῷ (dokimos en Christō) • δόκιμος (dokimos) means “tested and proven genuine” (Strong’s G138). • Paul employs the term for metals refined by fire (1 Corinthians 3:13) and for believers vindicated through trial (2 Corinthians 10:18; 2 Timothy 2:15). Thus, Apelles had undergone a discernible ordeal—persecution, doctrinal testing, or ministry hardship—and emerged verified as authentic in union with Christ. Possible Life Circumstances Behind the Commendation • Persecution under Claudius: Suetonius (Claud. 25.4) notes the 49 AD expulsion of Jews over “Chrestus” disturbances. Many Jewish Christians returned after Claudius’s death (54 AD). Apelles may have been among those exiles who proved faithful. • Freedman Status: The clustering of names in Romans 16 (e.g., Herodion, Aristobulus’s household) parallels inscriptional lists of imperial freedmen. A freedman bearing a Greek name, tested by the social stigma of former slavery, fits Paul’s brief yet weighty commendation. • Ministry Trial: Paul’s wider use of δοκιμή (testing) for missionary labor (2 Corinthians 8:2) allows that Apelles had suffered for gospel service, perhaps in evangelizing Rome’s synagogues (Acts 28:23-24). Archaeological Corroboration Catacomb graffiti (2nd–3rd cent.) in the Vatican necropolis include the Greek name Apelles alongside the symbol of the fish (ΙΧΘΥΣ); while not provably the same man, such finds confirm a line of Christians bearing the name within the Roman church’s earliest burial sites. Cross-References to “Approved” Faith • 1 Corinthians 11:19—“so that those who are approved will become evident.” • 2 Corinthians 10:18—“it is the one whom the Lord commends.” • 2 Timothy 2:15—“a worker who does not need to be ashamed, who correctly handles the word of truth.” Summary Apelles was a first-century believer in Rome, known personally to Paul, whose faith had been tried and authenticated. Whether a returned Jewish Christian exile, an imperial freedman, or an early missionary, he stands in Scripture as a paradigmatic “approved” disciple—refined, reliable, and rooted “in Christ.” His brief mention urges every generation to endure testing so that our genuineness, like his, may glorify the risen Lord. |
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