Cultivating a Forever Faith: Lessons from Priscilla and Aquila Δείγμα

Contending for the Faith

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells his spiritual son, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

The good fight. Personally, I don’t like fights. They often leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. But there is a fight that is good. Necessary, even. What is Paul fighting for? Read the following verse, which he also wrote to Timothy:

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

Clearly, the good fight is part of Paul’s language. It is a phrase he used with those he mentored. 

Faith is a fight. A battle against the world, against sin, against the enemy of your soul. Every decision you make for faith and against the world, requires a spiritual battle. To remain in the forever mercies of God, you will have to fight. To pursue righteousness, you will have to fight. To share the gospel, you will have to fight. To fulfill your God-given destiny, you will have to fight.

The final mention of Priscilla and Aquila comes to us in Paul’s second letter to Timothy. It is a short greeting:

“Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.” (2 Timothy 4:19)

You have now read all the passages in the Bible that mention Priscilla and Aquila. In which passage do you find one of them mentioned without the other?

Sorry. That was a trick question. The answer is none! There is no Aquila without Priscilla in the Bible. Every time one is mentioned, the other is not far behind. What do you think this indicates about them? What does it say about their marriage? In the verses that mention them, how many times is Priscilla’s name mentioned before Aquila’s?

These are, in fact, important details. A woman’s name was rarely mentioned before a man’s. The fact that Paul chooses to mention Priscilla before Aquila in several passages may have a special significance, according to scholars. It could either mean that Priscilla had a higher social standing than her husband, or that she was considered the more knowledgeable teacher in certain situations. Certainly, the fact that Priscilla served alongside her husband for the cause of Christ cannot be disputed.

This, too, is undisputable about this biblical power couple: they were inspiring, not because they were intellectually brilliant or financially successful, but because in the simple day-to-day decisions of life, they chose the life-giving path. They chose the forever ways of God. They pressed on, one simple, faithful step at a time, never overcome by the many difficulties they were surely faced with. Instead, they loved and ministered in the forever graces and provision and goodness of God. 

 I hope this study strengthened you and reframed your thoughts, perceptions, conclusions, and plans. Let the God of forever tame the storm of your worries and bring to heel your human solutions.  

Prayer

Lord, help me to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Help me to fight the good fight of faith. Protect me from getting sidetracked by the passing troubles of this world. Instead, let me live a forever life, a life utterly focused on you, fruitful in you, and empowered by you. I pray this in the name of my Lord and King, Jesus Christ.

Additional Verse and Blessing

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

May God the Father help you to fix your eyes on the forever graces that he is constantly pouring into your life. May the Son write eternity into your heart. May the Holy Spirit give you counsel to choose a forever life over all the superficial delights of this world.