Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 16:7

7. Salute Andronicus and Junia my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles , who also were in Christ before me .

It may be rendred Iunias. Some think, This Iunia was a Woman, and the Wife of Andronicus; Others take them both for men.

i. e. They were well known to the Apostles, and were in good Esteem with them: Not only the Twelve, together with Paul and Barnabas, but other Teachers are sometimes called Apostles or Messengers, vid. 2 Cor. 8.23. Phil. 2.25. Some have thought these two, Andronicus and Iunia, were of the Number of the Seventy Disciples which are mentioned, Luk. 10.1. Others that they were of the one hundred and Twenty, which are mentioned Act. 1.15. Or of those that were Converted by the first Preaching of Peter, and the rest, Act. 2. 41. and 4.4. By what follows, it appeareth they were of considerable standing in Christianity.

There are three things for which he commends these Two Persons: The First is, their Sufferings for Christ; A Second is, their Fame among the Apostles; And the Third is, their forwardness in Conversion. This was Mnason's Commendation, Act. 21.16. When he saith, They were in Christ, he intima[illegible: 1 letter]es the Vertue and Power of Faith, to incorpous into Christ, as branches into a Vine.

So he calls them, Either because they were Iews, c. 9.3. Or because they were of the same Tribe; or because they were more nearly Related to him, by Consanguinity and Affinity. v. i. s They had been Imprisoned for the Gospel, as well as he: The Apostle had been often in Prison himself, 2 Cor. 11.23. We read Act. 16.23. of his being imprisoned at Philippis, and (it may be) these two were his fellow prisoners; for we read of other prisoners there, besides Paul and Silas, v. 15.26.

Marginal references: Or, Iunius.