356 John Granger Cook be wives is likely given the fact that Peter, whom he views as an apostle, is with his wife to the end of her life. He also has a narrative in which Peter exhorts his wife to remember the Lord as she is led off to martyrdom (24). Clement believes the apostles observed celibacy if they were married. One can trace Clement’s approach through Byzantium, the Reformation, and the Counter Reformation into the modern era where it has played what can probably be described as the most important role in contemporary exegesis of all the ancient strands of interpretation. Recent literature on the role of women in early Christian mission has emphasized Clement’s text (25). IV. The Women Sought Instruction One of the first who takes the approach that the women sought teaching from the apostles is Severian of Gabala (c. 400 C.E.). He writes that “He, by saying ‘woman’ and adding ‘sister’, makes clear what is fitting, decent (26), and pure (to; prevpon kai; sw'fron kai; kaqaron) for she who travels along, whether she was a wife (suvzugo") v or not. For it is clear that women traveled with Peter and the others yearning for their teaching” (27). Chrysostom (d. c. 407) also argues that women went around with the apostles to hear their teaching, in a text to (24) Str. 7.11.63.3-64.2 (GCS Clemens Al. III; 46,1-9 STÄHLIN – FRÜCHTEL – TREU). (25) E. SCHÜSSLER FIORENZA, In Memory of Her. A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins (New York 1990) 201, n. 43 translates: “wives ... not as women with whom they had marriage relations but as sisters”. C. OSIEK and D.L. BALCH, Families in the New Testament World. Households and House Churches (Louisville, KY 1997) 170. M.Y. MACDONALD, “Was Celsus Right? The Role of Women in the Expansion of Early Christianity”, Early Christian Families in Context. An Interdisciplinary Dialogue (eds. D.L. BALCH – C. OSIEK) (Grand Rapids, MI 2003) 168. (26) Used for young Christian wives in Tit 2,5. Cf J. L. KOVACS’ translation (1 Corinthians. Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators [Grand Rapids, MI 2005] 147): “fittingly chaste and pure”. (27) K. STAAB, Pauluskommentare aus der griechischen Kirche aus Katenen- handschriften gesammelt und herausgegeben (NTAbh 15; Münster 1933) 256,4-7. Although “yokefellow” can have many senses (see the lexicons), here the context shows that it means “wife”. See BAGD s.v. and K. BALDINGER, Semantic Theory. Towards a Modern Semantics (Oxford 1980) 15-17, 20-21, on how context usually selects a meaning from those available.