A Midsummer's Reflection Series

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Meditation 27: Romans 16:23

The White Orchard, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), Arles, April 1888

It is common to neglect the ending of Paul’s letters, especially the various greetings. They sometimes can seem like just a list of names. In addition to names we may not be familiar with, however, there are often little lessons or important bits of information hidden in these short verses.

I think, for example, of Philippians 4:22, where Paul writes, “All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.” There is so much packed into those few words. They imply, for example, that, although Paul is in prison in Rome, he is converting the very guards and members of the Emperor’s household! We have examples of Paul trying to do precisely this, as when in Acts 26:28–29 we read, “And [King] Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time you think to make me a Christian!’ And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.’”  

We find something similar with Romans 16:23: “Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you.” This Gaius, about whom we know next to nothing, was greeting the Christians in Rome to whom Paul addressed his Letter to the Romans. Significantly, Paul informs us, in just a few words, that Gaius lived a quite generous Christian hospitality. Gaius hosted Paul, which seems to imply that he opened his home to the apostle.

Even more than Gaius living hospitality just with Paul, however, Paul informs us that Gaius hosted “the whole church”! It seems that all the Christians in the region had experienced Gaius’ generous hospitality. Perhaps this is a hidden reference to Gaius using his house as one of the early “house-churches” where Christians would gather to celebrate the liturgy each week. We do not know for certain. What is certain is that Gaius was known for his hospitality. In that, we have a wonderful example to follow. Would that we, too, would be known for our Christian hospitality! 

Lord, you tell us that “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Help us live that kind of love in the hospitality we extend to others. Help us, like Gaius, be known for our generous hospitality, and help us to make you known for how we extend hospitality to others. 

Dr. Jeffrey Morrow, Ph.D. is a professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and the Director of the St. Paul Studies Center at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He spent 15 years as a professor of theology at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. In his final year in that role, Dr. Morrow worked on the Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program, writing these reflections on Scripture through a lens of hospitality. 

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