Epaenetus

"Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the firstfruits in Asia for Christ." (Rom. 16:5)

The first thing to note about Epaenetus is that Paul places him very near the beginning of his

list of 26 named individuals whom he greets in Rom 16:3-15. Epaenetus is second only to

Prisca and Aquila. He is ahead of Andronicus and Junia, for example, who were "prominent

among the apostles". Paul generally lists people in order of prominence, so it seems likely,

then, that Epaenetus played an important role in a church in Asia. What might that role have

been?

Paul describes him as "firstfruits" of Asia, and this gives us a clue. The only other people

whom Paul describes as "firstfruits" were the household of Stephanas (1 Cor 16:15), and we

have argued that Stephanas was Titius Justus, who allowed Paul to start the church in Corinth

by providing a house for his use. The term "firstfruits" has the sense of "first of many", or "first

with the prospect of more to follow". It seems that Paul's churches were generally born when a

prominent individual converted and provided a meeting place. This crucial role of benefactor

was taken by Titius Justus in Corinth, and probably by Jason in Thessalonica. It is likely,

then, that Epaenetus was the benefactor who allowed the church in Asia to be born.

Now, we have seen that Christian benefactors were often given new names or aliases (Joseph

Jason-Aristarchus). We have also seen that those who are named first in lists of names of

Christians in the NT generally received new names. Did Epaenetus also receive a new name?

"Epaenetus" means "commended" or "praised". The word "EPAINOS" is used by Paul in

Rom. 13:3, and also appears in 1 Peter 2:14. Bruce Winter has argued that the "EPAINOS" in

these passages refers to the commendation that is due to benefactors, and that the word is

used elsewhere in a similar way.(1) We have seen that Stephanas, whose name also belongs

to the semantic field of benefaction, was very probably given his name in recognition of his

benefaction. It is therefore possible, or even likely, that "Epaenetus" was also an alias or new

name. It is surely no coincidence that both Stephanas and Epaenetus, the firstfruits, have

names in the semantic field of benefaction. It is even possible that Epaenetus was Tyrannus (Acts 19:9).

(1)Bruce Winter, "Seek the Welfare of the City", Eerdmans, Michigan, 1994, p35-36.