Apphia

Ap´phia, the name of a woman (Phm 1:2) who is supposed by Chrysostom and Theodoret to have been the wife of Philemon.

Phm 1:2, supposed by some to have been the wife of Philemon.\par

Ap’phia. (fruitful). A Christian woman addressed jointly with Philemon and Archippus in Phm 1:2; apparently a member of Philemon’s household, and not improbably his wife. (A.D. 57).

Latin; Appia. The wife, or close relative, of Philemon. She would not otherwise be mentioned with Philemon in the address (Phm 1:2), on a domestic matter.

(pron. Af’fia, Α᾿πφία, prob. for Α᾿ππία, the Greek form of the Lat. name Appia), the name of a female affectionately saluted by Paul (A.D. 57) as a Christian at Colossee (Phm 1:2); supposed by Chrysostom and Theodoret to have been the wife of Philemon, with whom, according to tradition, she suffered martyrdom. SEE PHILEMON.

[Ap’phia]

Probably the wife of Philemon, whom Paul addresses in that epistle, ver. 2.

APPHIA.—A Christian lady of Colossæ, a member of the household of Philemon, probably his wife (Phm 1:2).

af´i-a, ap´fi-a (Ἀπφίᾳ, Apphı́a, dative case of Apphı́a; in Phm 1:2, though Apphı́a, Amphı́a, and Appı́a, also occur): A Christian of Colosse, probably the wife of Philemon; certainly a member of his household, greeted as “the sister” the Revised Version, margin. In the Greek church, November 22 is sacred to her memory. It has been supposed, since this epistle concerns one household exclusively, that Apphia was Philemon’s wife and the mother or sister of Archippus (which see). She was stoned to death with Philemon, Onesimus, and Archippus in the reign of Nero. (See Lightfoot, Col., 372.)

(in some Manuscripts and VSS [Note: SS Versions.] Aphphia or Appia)

A Christian lady of Colossae, designated by St. Paul (Phm_1:2) as ‘sister’ (ἁäåëöῇ, so à ADE), in the Christian sense. Authorized Version , following inferior manuscript testimony, substitutes ‘beloved’ (ἀãáðçôῇ); some Manuscripts have both words. Grotius regards the name as a softened and hellenized form of the Latin Appia; but Lightfoot (Col. and Philem.3, 1879, p. 306) and Zahn (Introd. to NT, 1909, i. 453) show that the name is Phrygian and is found in numerous ancient Phrygian inscriptions.

Most commentators (following Chrysostom and Theodoret) regard Apphia as Philemon’s wife, since otherwise her name either would not have been introduced at all in a private letter, or at least would have been put after the name of Archippus (q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ), who was an office-bearer. As the wife of Philemon, Apphia would have some claim to be consulted in such a matter as the forgiveness and emancipation of a slave. The possibility, however, of her being the sister (literally) of Philemon is not grammatically excluded if the reading ‘sister’ be accepted.

The ancient Greek Martyrology represents Apphia (along with Philemon) as suffering martyrdom under Nero on Nov. 22 (see Menœa for November).

Literature.-See under Philemon. Henry Cowan.

- see Philemon & Apphia