Gaius and The Whole Church

In the Book of Romans we find a sentence in the last chapter--the big numbers--and the 23 verse: 'Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you.'

Not much is known about this individual except that he might be the one mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1.14, one who was baptized by Paul. This is more than likely not the same Gaius mentioned in Acts 1929 or 20.4.

What do we know about this guy? Well, Gaius is playing host to an individual. It is assumed that the 'me' mentioned in verse 23 is the apostle Paul and not Tertius who is physically writing the letter--Paul is more than likely dictating it. Wither way, Gaius is hosting an individual who is a follower of Jesus Christ. But it is said that Gaius is not only hosting an individual but also the ‘whole church.’ There are 2 ways, in my opinion, to look at the latter: he is literally hosting lots and lots of people--this may cause a spacial and geographical problem as Christians were literally spread across the then known world (feel the sarcasm) or by his hosting one Gaius is, in a sense, hosting the whole church. With references to ‘the whole church’ found in Acts 5.11 and 15.22, it is safe to say that the some represent the whole in certain uses. This is encouraging as we see that when we do simple and ordinary things for one part of the church we are doing it for the whole Church. It is often difficult to think of someone as something other than an individual, after all it is our society that champions individualism. But here, in the Bible, an individual is not only part of a greater group, but an individual represents entirely a group of individuals that crosses centuries and rounds the world. Think about it this way, in the Bible the Church--all followers of Jesus Christ--is described as being a--singular--bride belonging to Christ. A bride is not usually many but what God is doing is laying out each Christians identity: a group with one face. We can think about this concept another way as well, when you burn the hand the whole body is burned.

This is also encouraging because when you are a believer in the God of the Bible you fall under the care of that same God. You are no longer an individual who cannot accomplish the favor of a God who demands perfection and will wield eternal justice on those who fail to do so, rather you are part of God's family, you are part something that cannot be divided.

Gaius probably opened his home for some to live in, maybe he brought them food, maybe he simply visited them in prison, it is not entirely clear. What is clear is that we can serve the collective church--the people who follow Jesus Christ--when we serve one individual who is part of it. Christians are those who live, day in and day out, week after long week, not for recognition and fame, but to serve God in whatever capacity they are called to; sometimes it is going from city to city establishing churches like Paul did, but other times it is by simply hosting the Pauls.