Romans 15:14-27

Epistolary Conclusion. 15:14-16:27.

WE have said that the Epistle to the Romans is a didactic treatise, doctrinal and practical, contained in a letter. The treatise is now closed, and the letter begins again. It is easy to show, indeed, that the part about to follow is closely correlated to the epistolary preface which preceded the treatise (Romans 1:1-15). The apostle apologizes for the liberty with which he writes to the Christians of Rome, by reminding them of his mission to the Gentiles (Romans 15:14-16). This passage corresponds to Romans 1:14-15, where he declares himself a debtor for the gospel to all Gentiles, the Romans included. He explains (Romans 15:17-24) what has kept him hitherto in the east. Thus he completes what he had said, Romans 1:11-13, of the impossibility he had before found in the way of visiting Rome. The personal salutations which we find in the first part of chap. 16 correspond to the address, Romans 1:7: “To all that are at Rome, beloved of God.” Finally, the doxology which closes at once chap. 16 and the whole Epistle (Romans 15:25-27) brings us back to the idea with which the letter had opened (Romans 1:1-2): that of the fulfilment of the divine plan by the gospel promised beforehand in the O. T. Thus the circle is completed; on every other view (whether the end of the Epistle be put at chap. 11 or at chap. 14) it is broken.

This conclusion contains the following passages:

(1) Romans 15:14-33, where the apostle gives explanations of a personal nature regarding his letter, his work in general, his approaching visit to Rome, and the journey which he must first make to Jerusalem.

(2) Romans 16:1-16: Recommendations and salutations of the apostle.

(3) Romans 15:17-20: A warning in regard to the probable arrival of Judaizers in the church of Rome.

(4) Romans 15:21-24: The salutations of his fellow-workers.

(5) Romans 15:25-27: The doxology which closes the Epistle.