Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Romans 1:14

The thought of the service he wished to render and the fruit he hoped to gain leads on to the statement of the motive and the theme of the Epistle. He has already got ‘fruit,’ and so is in debt to men of all classes and culture, and would wish to preach in Rome that he may be debtor to them too. This connexion is indicated by the asyndeton.

Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις. Cf. Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11 (Lightfoot’s note); this is the division of mankind current among the inhabitants of the Empire, primarily depending upon language. It excludes, in Paul’s mind, the Jew. In speaking of his debt, he thinks only of Gentiles: presently in speaking of the range of the Gospel, he includes Jews. The Romans would now be included among Ἕλληνες: cf. Lightfoot, l.c[66] p. 217 b.

[66] l.c. locus citatus

σοφοῖς τε καὶ�, a classification by culture; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18 f.: n. he was writing from Corinth.

ὀφειλέτης. Cf. 1 Corinthians 9:16 f. (Giff.); a debtor, he wishes to pay the debt in Rome too. But in what sense a debtor? Ramsay (Pauline Studies, p. 55) suggests that this is a reference to what he had gained from his intercourse with Greets and his position as a Roman citizen. This he felt should be repaid by bringing to them the Gospel. But this seems farfetched. Nor does Giff.’s reference to 1 Corinthians 9:16 seem quite satisfactory. It is best taken in close connexion with καρπὸν σχῶ; cf. Philippians 4:17. He has already ‘got fruit’ from these classes: he pays the debt by sowing the seed more widely among such.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Romans 1:14

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