Ampliatus
Ampliatus, a beloved fellow believer greeted by Paul in his letter to the Romans.
Biography
Ampliatus is mentioned only once in Scripture, in Romans 16:8, where the Apostle Paul greets him as "my beloved in the Lord." He was a member of the Christian community at Rome in the mid-first century AD. The name Ampliatus was extremely common among Roman slaves and freedmen, leading many scholars to conclude he was likely of slave or freed-slave status. Strikingly, a tomb inscription bearing this name, decorated with early Christian symbols and dating to the late first or early second century, was discovered in the Catacomb of Domitilla in Rome, suggesting a man of this name was held in high honor by the early Roman church. His exact role within the congregation is unspecified.
Significance
The warm affection Paul expresses toward Ampliatus, calling him "beloved" without qualification, speaks volumes about the social revolution wrought by the gospel. In Roman society, the name Ampliatus was associated with the lowest social strata, yet Paul elevates this individual with tender personal esteem. His inclusion in Paul's greetings illustrates the radical equality of the early church, where social hierarchies were dissolved in Christ (Galatians 3:28). The possible archaeological evidence from the Catacombs of Domitilla further suggests that this otherwise obscure believer was honored after death, a testament to the dignity the Christian community conferred upon even its humblest members.
Verse Appearances (1)
Romans
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]