At the time Paul wrote the letter to the Romans he had never been to Rome. Yet, he knew a lot of people in the church there. How did he know these people? There is one key that may help put some flesh on the context: Aquila and Priscilla. In Acts 18:1-5 we find that Paul made friends with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth. This couple had recently been displaced from Rome when Claudius had driven out the Jews. Being tentmakers, as Paul was, we can imagine the three of them, sharing so much in common, spending hours each day in Corinth, making tents, talking about Jesus, talking about spreading the gospel, and talking about the church in Rome. Paul must have felt a connection to the Roman Christians through the shared friendship with Aquila and Priscilla.

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