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RomeAid to Bible Understanding
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as being “talked about throughout the whole world.” (Rom. 1:7, 8) Both Tacitus (Annals, XV, 44) and Suetonius (Nero, XVI) referred to the Christians in Rome.
Paul wrote to the Christian congregation in Rome about 56 C.E., and about three years later he arrived in Rome as a prisoner; however, he had entertained desires of visiting there sooner and under different circumstances. (Acts 19:21; Rom. 1:15; 15:22-24) But now, even though a prisoner, he was able to give a thorough witness by having people come to his house. For two years, under these conditions, he continued “preaching the kingdom of God to them and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with the greatest freeness of speech, without hindrance.” (Acts 28:14-31) Even the emperor’s Praetorian Guard became acquainted with the Kingdom message. (Phil. 1:12, 13) So, as it had been foretold of him, Paul ‘gave a thorough witness even in Rome.’—Acts 23:11.
During this two-year detention in Rome Paul found time to write letters, those to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. Evidently about the same time Mark wrote his Gospel account, and Luke the Acts of Apostles, likely both from Rome. Shortly before or immediately after Paul’s release, he penned his letter to the Hebrews in 61 C.E. (Heb. 13:23, 24) It was during his second imprisonment in Rome, in about 65 C.E., that Onesiphorus visited him and that Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy.—2 Tim. 1:15-17.
Though Paul, Luke, Mark, Timothy and other first-century Christians visited Rome (Phil. 1:1; Col. 4:10, 14), there is no evidence that Peter was ever in Rome, as some traditions would have it. The stories about Peter’s martyrdom in Rome are strictly traditional, with no solid historical support.—See PETER, LETTERS OF.
The city of Rome developed a very bad reputation for its persecution of Christians, particularly during the reigns of Nero and Domitian. These persecutions were attributed to two causes: (1) the great evangelizing zeal of Christians to convert others, and (2) their uncompromising stand in giving to God the things that are God’s rather than giving them to Caesar.—Mark 12:17.
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Roof ChamberAid to Bible Understanding
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ROOF CHAMBER
See HOUSE.
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RopeAid to Bible Understanding
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ROPE
See CORD, ROPE.
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RoshAid to Bible Understanding
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ROSH
[head chieftain].
1. A son of Benjamin listed among those who went into Egypt in 1728 B.C.E. with Jacob’s household, or who were born shortly thereafter. (Gen. 46:21, 26; see BENJAMIN No. 1.) The omission of his name from later lists of Benjamite families may indicate that he died childless, or that his sons merged with a different tribal family.
2. A name found in some translations of Ezekiel 38:2 and 39:1 (AS, JB, Le, LXX, Mo, Yg, Ro) viewed by some scholars as designating a barbarous people called Rosh, who are said to have lived in Russia along the Volga River N of the Taurus Mountains. In view of the meaning of the term and its application to Gog, however, it is appropriately translated as a title rather than a geographic name: “head chieftain” (NW); “chief prince” (AV, Dy, Fn, JP, RS); “great prince” (AT), “prince of the head” and “head prince” (Vg); “leader and head” (Peshitta); “head great one.”—Targums.
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RubyAid to Bible Understanding
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RUBY
A precious, transparent, rich-red gemstone that is a variety of corundum composed of aluminum oxide containing minute traces of chromium and iron oxide that impart the red color. It is very rare, slightly inferior to the diamond in hardness and, when of excellent quality and large size, it may exceed a diamond of the same size in value. Colors range from rose to the highly appraised deep bluish red often identified as “pigeon blood” red. “Ruby,” as used in the New World Translation, is translated from two Hebrew words (ʼoʹdhem; kadh·kodhʹ) that denote bright redness or extreme redness.
The first stone in the first row of gems on High Priest Aaron’s “breastpiece of judgment” was a ruby, and engraved upon it was the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. (Ex. 28:2, 15, 17, 21; 39:10) The “covering” of the king of Tyre consisted of the ruby and other precious stones. (Ezek. 28:12, 13) Edom was Tyre’s “merchant” for precious rubies. Commercial Tyre eagerly traded its stores for these and other goods. (Ezek. 27:2, 16) When Jehovah, the husbandly owner of Zion, comforted her and described her forthcoming beauty, he said, in part: “I will make your battlements of rubies, and your gates of fiery glowing stones.”—Isa. 54:5, 6, 11, 12.
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RudderAid to Bible Understanding
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RUDDER
A ship’s steering apparatus. Ancient sailing vessels had various styles and numbers of rudders. Some had a single steering oar. Usually, however, Greek and Roman ships had two steering paddles at the stern, each probably capable of being operated independently through a rowlock (something like an open porthole). When the vessel was anchored, the rudder oars were held out of the water by lashings or rudder bands.
“Rudder oars” (“steering-paddles,” NE) were used to guide the vessel on which Paul was sailing and which was wrecked on Malta. The anchors were cut away and before the foresail was hoisted the lashings were loosened, freeing the rudder oars to aid the sailors in directing the ship toward the beach.—Acts 27:40.
James (3:4, 5) shows the tremendous power the tongue has in controlling the direction of one’s whole body by comparing it with the relatively small rudder (or “rudder-oar,” Kingdom Interlinear Translation) of a large ship.
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RueAid to Bible Understanding
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RUE
A plant mentioned only at Luke 11:42 with reference to the scrupulous tithing of the Pharisees. The common variety of rue (Ruta graveolens) is a strong-scented shrubby perennial with hairy stems that attains a height of about three feet (c. .9 meter). It has gray-green leaves and bears clusters of yellow flowers. Rue has been used medicinally as a stimulant and antispasmodic. During the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry rue may have been cultivated in Palestine for use in medicine and as a flavoring for food.
Instead of “rue,” the parallel account at Matthew 23:23 mentions “dill,” as does the third-century manuscript (Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 1) at Luke 11:42.
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RufusAid to Bible Understanding
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RUFUS
(Ruʹfus) [red].
1. Son of the Simon who was compelled to help carry Jesus’ torture stake, and brother of a certain Alexander.—Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26.
2. A Christian in Rome, “the chosen one in the Lord.” whom Paul greets in his letter. With endearment Paul also greets Rufus’ mother as “his mother and mine.”—Rom. 16:13.
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RulerAid to Bible Understanding
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RULER
[from Heb., ma·shalʹ, “to rule have dominion over”; Gr., arʹkhon, “ruler,” high official].
The supreme Ruler is Jehovah God, who exercises absolute sovereign authority over the universe, visible and invisible, by virtue of being the Creator and Life-giver.—Dan. 4:17, 25, 35; 1 Tim. 1:17.
The kings of the line of David on the throne of Israel ruled as representatives of Jehovah, their real, invisible King. They were, therefore, said to be God’s anointed, sitting on “Jehovah’s throne.” (1 Chron. 29:23) When Jesus Christ the “Son of David” appeared (Matt. 21:9; Luke 20:41), he was anointed, not with oil, but with holy spirit, to rule on a heavenly throne. (Acts 2:34-36) Under Jehovah, Jesus and his fellow heirs of the Kingdom constitute the government of the universe.—Rev. 14:1, 4; 20:4, 6; 22:5.
Satan the Devil and his demons are also rulers. He is spoken of as “the ruler of this world” and “ruler of the authority of the air.” (John 12:31; 14:30; Eph. 2:2) That all the governments of this world
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