‘Salute Rufus the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.'

The name Rufus was common in Rome, but the mention of his mother as one who had at some stage ‘mothered' Paul immediately singles him out. Paul clearly had fond memories of Rufus' mother. It may well be that this Rufus was the Rufus mentioned by Mark as one of the sons of the one who bore Jesus' crosspiece, Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21). Mark, who wrote in Rome, would have mentioned him precisely because he was well known. That he was ‘chosen in the LORD' may simply be the equivalent of ‘beloved'. But it may indicate that he had an especially successful ministry.

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