Romans 16:1-16
Ch. 12 taught us what Christian devotion and service should be. Ch. 16 shows us this in practice in the dear believers in Rome to whom the apostle sends his greetings. We have here, someone has written, "a specimen - page from the book of eternity. There is not a single act of service which we render to our Lord that will not be set down in His book; and not only the substance of the act, but the style of it also . . ." (C.H.M.). So it is that in v. 12 Tryphena, Tryphosa and the beloved Persis are not grouped together, because the first two laboured in the Lord, the third "laboured much", and these efforts are not mixed up. Everything is appreciated and recorded by the One who never makes a mistake.
Paul for his part does not forget what has been done for himself personally (vv. 2, 4). We find here again his "helpers", Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:1-28). The assembly met simply in their house (what a contrast with the rich basilicas built since then in Rome).
Greetings in Christ serve to strengthen the bonds of Christian fellowship. We should never neglect to pass on those we have been asked to give.