RHODA: SURPRISED SERVANT

When we first meet Rhoda, she is heading out of the house to greet a visitor at the outer gate. Rhoda (her name means “rose” or “from Rhodes”) is in the service of a prominent family in Jerusalem—a family committed to the teachings of Jesus.

Rhoda's story is included in the book Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke as the sequel to his Gospel, which chronicles the spread of the gospel by the apostles and Paul from approximately AD 27-64.

⛓️A NOTE ABOUT SLAVERY: Before we go any further, let’s acknowledge the uncomfortable fact that this prominent Christian family, despite all their good deeds and love for Jesus, had a female slave (paidiskē)—not a “maid.” The Women’s Bible Commentary highlights the problematic nature of this scenario as well as Luke's treatment of it:

“Luke has not only included a slave girl in the narrative, without comment on her status within the Christian assembly, but further has made the slave girl funny…Rhoda is not unlike Butterfly McQueen’s ‘Prissy’ in Gone with the Wind, and Luke invites us to laugh at her, rather than to see the ways in which her colonized mistress doubly oppresses her by maintaining her status as community property. Rhoda reminds us that, even in the Christian assembly, class oppression continues.” (p. 543)

It’s important for us to acknowledge Rhoda's social situation as a slave and not skim over that fact just because “that’s what it was like in Bible times.” This wealthy Jewish family accepts Jesus as the Messiah, believes in the Resurrection, and owns a slave. They are not above reproach because slavery is reprehensible. It's perfectly acceptable for us to acknowledge the great faith of this family and lament their decision to use slave labor to run their household.

A MARY BY ANY OTHER NAME...

Rhoda serves in the home of yet another woman named Mary: This is Mary of Jerusalem, and we have not learned about her yet in this series. By the way, in case you haven't guessed it yet, “Mary” was the most popular name in Judea and Galilee in the first century.

SIDENOTE: Mary is the mother of John Mark. John Mark joins Paul and his cousin Barnabas on their first missionary journey, though he doesn’t stay with them the entire time; he later joins Barnabas on another missionary trip; and even later, he joins up with Peter as he travels and proclaims the gospel. There is a lot of evidence from the writings of early church fathers that John Mark is the author of the Gospel according to Mark and that the primary source for his writings was the preaching of Peter.

🎬 AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING…

To quickly recap: Rhoda is a servant in the home of John Mark’s mother, Mary.

Since it's growing more and more risky to publicly profess Christ in Jerusalem, Mary regularly hosts members of The Way in her house for food, fellowship, teaching, and prayer.

This is how the church begins to coalesce—in peoples’ private homes. As the NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible notes:

“In the first three centuries AD, churches met especially in homes, as did some other kinds of associations. This was economically feasible and under some circumstances also safer.”

Safety has become the primary concern for many because Herod Agrippa I, the first King of Judea, is busy arresting and persecuting Jesus' followers—including the apostles who were previously left alone. When Herod has James, son of Zebedee, arrested and killed, his local approval skyrockets. So, he arrests and imprisons the apostle Peter with the intent of trying him (and killing him) within a few days.

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him."

Acts 12:5

At the home where Rhoda serves, many Christ followers have gathered to pray for Peter's release. While they are praying, Rhoda hears someone knocking at the outer entrance and quietly slips out to greet the visitor.

"When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, 'Peter is at the door!'"

Acts 12:14

Rhoda assumes they will be excited that God has answered their prayers, but instead they seem irritated at her interruption: She is "shushed" by the most faithful people she knows. 🤫

Dismissed, but not deterred, Rhoda bravely insists that Peter IS at the gate.

Continuing in their unbelief, they mock the servant girl: "You're out of your mind!"

"No, I'm not," she thinks to herself. "It's Peter! I know his voice!"

Rhoda is ridiculed for her fantastic claim, and some patronize her saying, "You must have seen his angel!"

But just then, they all hear it: The knocking.

WHAT IN THE WORLD?!

They rush to the gate and open it themselves. It is Peter—exactly like Rhoda had said. They welcome him into the house totally amazed that their friend has been miraculously delivered from a sure execution—even though that's what they were praying for.

Rhoda, on the other hand, is fully aware that God allowed her to be the first to witness His answer to their prayers.

You can read about Peter's miraculous escape from Herod's prison, and Rhoda's excitement at God's deliverance in Acts 12.

ONE LAST THING...

Why is this story recorded in Acts? Rhoda's story serves to remind us to not be so consumed with our own spiritual practices and routines that we miss what God is doing right before our very eyes. She also reminds us not only to praise God for answered prayer, but also open the gate to His blessings! 

Additional Resources:

• "Rhoda" Women’s Bible Commentary, 3rd Edition. Edited by Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, and Jacqueline E. Lapsley. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012), p. 543.

• "John Mark" in Smith's Bible Names Dictionary, 1863.

• NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Zondervan, 2019.

• ESV Global Study Bible, Crossway, 2012.

Photo Credits:

• Photo by Loren Joseph on Unsplash

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