Priscilla, Aquila and the Eucharist . .

[thetimbo]

Hi everyone. I’m looking for a Catholic exegesis of Paul’s use of the verb eucharisteo
in Romans 16:4. This application doesn’t look like a simple “thanks” to me, and I’m
wondering about a eucharistic context. If someone could point me in the right direction,
I’d appreciate it.

                                                            Sincerely, 
                                                                             Tim

 

[Raphael777]

Hi Tim,

I’m certainly no Greek scholar, but doesn’t the word ‘Eucharist’ itself mean ‘thanksgiving’?

 

[BerhaneSelassie]

Theres not a lot of commentary on that verse, but from the Church Father’s I read, it’s not necessarily eucharistic, its being grateful to someone. I could be wrong, hopefully someone else can answer

 

[Mintaka]

It’s possible that being grateful, to an early Christian like Paul who could say Mass, meant not only being grateful but also remembering them at Mass. But if that’s so, it’s not being said outright as far as I can tell.

 

[COPLAND_3]

No, εὐχαριστῶ in Rom 16:4 is not meant to mean the Eucharist or have that sense. I checked numerous Church Fathers and other ancient Church writers such as Theodoret, St. John Chrysostom, Ambrosiaster, Pelagius, and St. Thomas Aquinas, and none of them even hinted of a Eucharisitc interpretation or sense. Theodoret, Chrysostom, and Pelagius would have caught it if so, because they spoke Greek, but to them it was nothing more than “thanks”.

 

[Reuben_J]

I think it is quite a stretch to think that St. Paul was talking about the Eucharist though it could be possible. But I think it is not. He was simply thanking them and God for their work and contribution to the early church. They were his comrades in the faith and naturally a note of thanksgiving for them was very sensible thing to say.

It was interesting as I reflected on this reading (last Saturday) how the church was made up of people from all walks of life. They played their roles according to how they could contribute on the basis of their occupation. The couple offered their house for a church for example. As this reading was tied up to a love of money in the Gospel, it is interesting to note that money was not everything in the early church. It was the people who made the church who were equally if not more important for the growth and the logistic mechanism of the church. Granted today we depend on money much more than Paul’s time but it can never be the master.

God bless.

 

[thetimbo]

You’re right Raphael, the word means “thanksgiving” or “good favor”, and yes Berhane I also had trouble finding much commentary on the verse. Mintaka’s thought is somewhat
comforting, however. And thanks Reuben and Copland for checking your sources, I appreciate the help.
My best,
Tim