Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 15:1 (Winter 2001)
Article: A Tale of Two New Testament Couples: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Marriages.
Author: Virgil A. Olson

---

PP 15:1 (Winter 2001) p. 12

A Tale of Two New Testament Couples: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Marriages.

Virgil A. Olson

Virgil A. Olson is professor emeritus at Bethel College and Seminary, St. Paul, MN.

In this opening devotional message, Prof. Virgil Olson set the tone for Christians for Biblical Equality’s recent marriage conference, held last fall, October 20-22, 2000, in Minneapolis.

I would like to look to the new testament to see if I can find examples to support the theme for this conference, “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Marriages.”

We all, I am sure, know stories of married people described in the Old Testament, telling about a husband and a wife—and in several instances, two or more wives

There are several New Testament passages dealing with the proper relationship between husband and wife. The words of Jesus and the writings of Paul and Peter are quite explicit about the roles and responsibilities of husband and wife. But there are only a few stories in the New Testament that give us any information about married couples who were related to the mission of Christ and to the forming and expanding of the church in the first century.

I want to tell you about two couples who followed Jesus. Whether or not these couples fulfill our conference theme, “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Marriages,” you will have to judge when you have considered this presentation. Of the two I have selected, both the husband and the wife of one couple are named. Of the other couple, only the man is mentioned. In one couple, the wife is quite dominant. Of the other couple, the husband is very dominant.

I have been intrigued studying these two couples, and I want to share some glimpses of them, then draw a few observations for our personal evaluation. In that these couples were active in the early mission of the church, we may get some practical, down-to-earth understanding of what it was like for married couples to be involved with Jesus and later to participate in the spread of the gospel throughout the Graeco-Roman world. These couples were pioneers in a new mission, a new lifestyle, a new social, religious direction. It was a revolutionary movement.

You no doubt can guess the identity of one couple, namely, Aquila and Priscilla. But you may wonder about the identity of the other couple. It is Peter and his wife.

Mr. And Mrs. Peter’s Extraordinary Marriage

Let us consider the marriage of the apostle Peter and his wife. She is unnamed, like many women who are married to dominant leaders in the church. We know a lot about Peter, but there is practically nothing in the New Testament record about Mrs. Peter.

In Mark, chapt...

visitor : : uid: ()