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All the holy ones greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. (Philippians 4:22)

Once again, we see the term “holy one[s]” used (see below). Paul then says, especially those of Caesar’s household. The Greek word used in this place is malista and is the superlative of mata (very much). It carries the concept of most of all or chiefly. “Caesar’s household indicates there were Christians in Rome possibly related to the Roman emperor. “Household” probably means they were not immediate family; they were perhaps members of the civil service.^[1] These were people that Paul had led to the Lord, and they wanted to be sure that Paul included their greetings to the believers in Philippi.

More in-depth Insights

All the holy ones. Holy Ones, Saints: (Heb. קָדוֹשׁ qadosh; Gr. ἅγιος hagios) Persons who are dedicated to God physically, mentally, spiritually, and morally. These ones are God’s people, who have been accredited a righteous standing before God based on the ransom sacrifice of Christ (Matt. 20:28), who are declared holy, pure, and clean in God’s eyes. Those who are clean mentally, but especially spiritually or morally. Hagios also denotes persons who are set apart for service of God, in heaven or on earth. Holy Ones are persons who have been brought into a relationship with God through the new covenant, and they are sanctified, cleansed, and set apart for God’s service by “the blood of the covenant,” that is, the blood of Jesus Christ. (Heb 10:29; 13:20) As a result of that, they are marked out as “holy ones.” Hence, they do not become “holy ones” by the proclamation of a man but by God. Only God can bring them into a covenant relationship through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ. – Mark 6:20; 1 Cor. 6:2; Php 1:1; 4:22; Rev 18:20; Rev 22:21.

Especially those of Caesar’s household. It was Nero, who, was the reigning emperor at the time Paul penned this letter. The name (Καῖσαρ Kaisar) Caesar is the transliteration of the Greek, which means Emperor, the title for the Roman supreme leader. Caesar was a “family name of Julius Caesar, assumed by following emperors as a title. Some Pharisees and Herodians asked Jesus about the propriety of paying taxes to Caesar. In reply, the Lord said that those things pertaining to Caesar should be rendered to Caesar and those things pertaining to God should be rendered to Him (Matt. 22:15–21). In this passage the name Caesar is virtually a symbol for civil authority. Originally, Caesar was the family name of the founder of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 b.c. His successors kept Caesar’s memory alive, and eventually, his name came to be used as a title. Caesars mentioned or referred to in the NT include Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius, and probably Nero.”[2] The family name became so closely tied to the sovereign ruler that, even after the Caesarean dynasty ended, the name was kept as a royal title comparable to that of the emperor, which later became kaiser in Germany czar in Russia.

[1] Clifton J. Allen, ed., The Broadman Bible Commentary, ed. Clifton J. Allen, Vol. 11 (Nashville, Tenn: Broadman Press, 1971). Page 216.

[2] Chad Brand et al., eds., “Caesar,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 246.