GREETINGS AND WARNINGS 1-16. Commendation and greetings. Observe the number of women to whom the Apostle sends greeting. The fact is indicative of the change wrought in the position of women by the gospel, and of the honourable place taken by them in the Christian Church. Observe also the differen... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMEND] i.e. introduce: cp. Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 3:1. Apparently, Phoebe was the bearer of the Epistle. SERVANT] lit. 'deacon,' RM 'deaconess': translated 'deacon' in Philippians 1 etc., but 'minister' in Ephesians 3:7; Ephesians 6:21, etc. Either Phoebe had been definitely appointed to mini... [ Continue Reading ]
SUCCOURER] or, 'patroness.' The Gk. word is used for an influential friend or protector.... [ Continue Reading ]
PRISCILLA] RV 'Prisca.' For the history of Aquila and Prisca cp. Acts 18; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
LAID DOWN, etc.] Perhaps they risked their lives at Ephesus: cp. Acts 19.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THEIR HOUSE] i.e. meeting in their house: cp. Acts 12:12; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2. FIRSTFRUITS] i.e. an early convert. ACHAIA] RV 'Asia,' i.e. the Roman province of which Ephesus was the chief city.... [ Continue Reading ]
JUNIA] RV 'Junias.' KINSMEN] i.e. Jews belonging to the same 'Tribe' of citizens of Tarsus as St. Paul. OF NOTE AMONG THE APOSTLES] i.e. distinguished apostles. 'Apostle' means 'one sent on a mission and representing the sender.' 'Apostles of Churches,' cp. 2 Corinthians 8:23; (RM) Philippians 2:25;... [ Continue Reading ]
URBANE] RV 'Urbanus.'... [ Continue Reading ]
PERSIS] the name of a woman.... [ Continue Reading ]
Rufus] cp. Mark 15:21. St. Mark probably wrote his Gospel at Rome. MINE] i.e. St. Paul felt for her the affection of a son. 17-20. Warning against false teachers, probably Judaistic, whose doctrines St. Paul has dealt with in the Epistle. They may not have appeared at Rome as yet: cp. Philippians... [ Continue Reading ]
OFFENCES] RV 'occasions of stumbling.' AVOID] RV 'turn away from.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR OWN BELLY] i.e. they seek their own interests, and their religious ideas are low and materialistic: cp. Philippians 3:17.; Colossians 2:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR] i.e. 'But they ought not to deceive you, for,' etc. SIMPLE] i.e. harmless: cp. Matthew 10:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
BRUISE SATAN] by defeating the false teaching: cp. 2 Corinthians 11:12. 21-23. Greetings from St. Paul's companions.... [ Continue Reading ]
LUCIUS] cp. Acts 13:1. JASON] cp. Acts 17:5. SOSIPATER] cp. Acts 20:11. KINSMEN] cp. Romans 16:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
WROTE] RV 'write.' St. Paul's habit was to dictate his letters: cp. 1 Corinthians 16:21; Colossians 4:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:17; Galatians 6:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
GAIUS] cp. 1 Corinthians 1:14. OF THE WHOLE CHURCH] i.e. the meetings were held in his house. A BROTHER] RV 'the brother,' i.e. the Christian.... [ Continue Reading ]
RV omits: see Intro. 25-27. Concluding doxology, summing up the main points of the Epistle.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY GOSPEL] i.e. his special teaching of acceptance by faith for Jew and Gentile. OF JESUS CHRIST] i.e. the object of his preaching was to bring about faith in Jesus the Messiah: cp. Romans 10:8. ACCORDING TO THE REVELATION, etc.] i.e. the preaching of Jesus Christ explains God's purpose, which had b... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE SCRIPTURES] cp. Romans 1:1.; Romans 3:21. FOR THE] RV 'unto,' i.e. leading to the obedience which faith implies: cp. Romans 1:5. SUBSCRIPTION. The subscriptions to the Epistles are said to have been the work of Euthalius, a bishop of the 5th cent.... [ Continue Reading ]