XV. These concluding Chapter s present some remarkable phenomena which seem to need a special theory to account for them. It will be seen that Romans 16 ends, according to the Received text, with a two-fold benediction and a doxology, one at the end of Romans 15:20, another in Romans 15:24, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
WE THEN THAT ARE STRONG. — The opening verses of the chapter are intimately connected with the close of the last. Not only ought those who are strong in faith to be careful what they do in the matter of meat and drink, but in all things they should show sympathy and consideration for their weaker br... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HIS GOOD. — The object of this tender dealing with others is to be their benefit and growth in spiritual perfection. It is grounded on the example of Christ Himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REPROACHES.... — Literally, after the LXX. version of Psalms 69:9, one of those Psalms of suffering which, like Isaiah 53, afford a type of the sufferings of the Messiah. REPROACHED THEE FELL ON ME. — The insults directed against God Himself fell upon His servants.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR.... — These words of the Old Testament may rightly be taken as having a bearing upon us, “For,” &c. THROUGH PATIENCE AND COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES — _i.e.,_ “by the patience and comfort which the Scriptures afford.” The promises and consolations of Scripture support the Christian under his tria... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE GOD OF PATIENCE AND CONSOLATION. — Such, then, should be the temper of the Roman Christians. The Apostle prays that along with the spirit of steadfast endurance God will also give them that spirit of unanimity which proceeds from singleness of aim. There seems, at first sight, to be little o... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ONE MIND AND ONE MOUTH.... — It is in the heart that the spirit of humanity arises, and with the mouth that it is expressed.... [ Continue Reading ]
RECEIVED US. — There is again a division of the best authorities, the Vatican and Claromontane MSS. reading “us,” while the Sinaitic, Alexandrine, Paris rescript, and others, read “you.” The latter is, perhaps, to be preferred, but with no real difference to the sense. The word “received” is the sam... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW I SAY.... — Rather, _For I say._ My doctrine is that Christ came with a two-fold purpose: on the one hand, with a mission to the Jews, the chosen circumcised race, to vindicate to them the truthfulness of God in respect to His promises, by Himself confirming and fulfilling those promises; and, o... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HIS MERCY. — On account of His mercy. The Jews had their covenant to appeal to, and the attributes of God most clearly brought home to them in Christianity was His veracity in fulfilling the promises contained in this covenant. The Gentiles had no such covenant, and their admission to the blessi... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE, YE GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE — St. Paul here follows the LXX. version, which varies somewhat from the original. The sense of the Hebrew is disputed. That which appears to suit the context best — “Rejoice, O ye nations of His people,” _i.e.,_ the Jewish tribes — is questioned on the ground o... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL YE GENTILES. — An invitation addressed to the Gentile peoples without restriction, at a time when the monotheistic conception of God as Lord of the whole earth was thoroughly established.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AGAIN, ESAIAS SAITH. — St. Paul still adheres to the LXX., which here diverges more widely from the Hebrew. The sense of this is rightly given by the Authorised version of Isaiah 11:10 — “In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the G... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE.... HOPE. — Hope, joy, and peace, form a triad which represents the attitude of the Christian in looking towards the future, and so far as that future is reflected on the present. Hope may be taken as including the other two, as it is upon the cert... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I MYSELF ALSO. — From this point onwards the Apostle gives a personal turn to his letter. The greetings at the end are naturally introduced by a few words of explanation as to the way in which the more general exhortations that preceded are to be received by the Roman Christians, and a somewhat... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, BRETHREN. — Apologetic. Holding this good opinion of you as I do, I nevertheless presumed somewhat upon my position as an Apostle, and especially as an Apostle of the. Gentiles, to write with an earnestness which I should, perhaps, otherwise not have ventured to show. BRETHREN. — The... [ Continue Reading ]
MINISTER ... MINISTERING. — These are two different words in the Greek, but allied in their signification. Both refer originally to the liturgical service of the Temple; the first to the whole of the functions both of the priests and Levites, the second to the special function of the priests in the... [ Continue Reading ]
This is really the title on which I rest my claim. I _can_ boast of a specially sacred office and ministry, given to me by Christ, and not merely of my own devising. The sphere of this office is a religious sphere, it relates to _“_the things pertaining to God.”... [ Continue Reading ]
Nor in basing my claims upon this head do I go at all beyond my own proper province. I will take credit for no man’s labours but my own. They have, indeed, been quite signal enough. I WILL NOT DARE TO SPEAK. — I have a certain just and legitimate pride, but I shall not, therefore, presume to boast... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH MIGHTY SIGNS AND WONDERS. — Literally, _through the might of signs and wonders_ — _i.e.,_ through those extraordinary powers which found their expression in signs and wonders. “Signs and wonders” is the phrase regularly used throughout the New Testament for the Christian miracles: so frequen... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, SO HAVE I STRIVED. — Rather, _but making it my ambition._ The Apostle set it before him as a point of honour, not merely to carry forward a work that others had begun, but to build up the whole edifice from the foundation himself. NOT WHERE CHRIST WAS NAMED. — Not in places where there were Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Throughout all this long missionary career, the Apostle had made it his endeavour not merely to go over old ground where others had been before him, but to seek out new and virgin soil, where he might enter as a pioneer, and convey the good news of the kingdom of heaven for the first time.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM... — From the LXX. of Isaiah 52:15. The original has reference to the servant of Jehovah, first suffering and then glorified, so that _kings_ should be dumb with astonishment at the change. Here it is applied to the evangelisation of distant heathen nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHICH CAUSE ALSO. — And just because I was so anxious to preach the gospel in new regions, and to finish what I had begun there, I have been prevented from coming to you sooner. MUCH. — _These many times; so often. _... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW HAVING NO MORE PLACE. — The work had been finished, so far as the Apostle was concerned, in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. The churches had been founded, and fairly set going; and now he felt it his duty to go on to new fields, his duty in this respect also falling in with his wishes, as... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO SPAIN. — In his eagerness to seek out entirely new regions, and to avoid any possibility of crossing the lines of his fellow Apostles, desiring also himself to gather in the “fulness of the Gentiles” so far as lay in his power, he had determined to push on even to Spain. Whether he ever succeed... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW. — Before very long, I hope to pay you this visit, but for the present I am bound for Jerusalem, in the service of the Church, to convey the alms collected in Macedonia and Achaia for the poorer members of that community. In reference to this contribution, comp. Acts 24:17; 1 Corinthians 16:... [ Continue Reading ]
THE POOR SAINTS. — Literally, _for the poor among the saints._ It cannot, therefore, be inferred from this that the church at Jerusalem consisted entirely of poor. Still from the first it would seem as if persons like Joseph of Arimathæa, and Nicodemus, and Mary the mother of Mark, were exceptions,... [ Continue Reading ]
IT HATH PLEASED THEM. — It pleased the Macedonians and Achaians to make their contribution. And, indeed, they owed a debt to the church at Jerusalem which it was their duty, so well as they could, to discharge.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEALED TO THEM THIS FRUIT. — Placed in their hands the sum raised by the collection. This will appear at first sight a somewhat stilted expression, but it takes a certain solemnity from the fact that St. Paul seems to regard this journey to Jerusalem as the close of his own apostolic labours in thos... [ Continue Reading ]
I SHALL COME IN THE FULNESS. — I shall bring with me, come furnished with, the fulness of the blessing of Christ. The words “of the gospel” should be omitted. By “the fulness of the blessing of Christ” the Apostle means the full or abundant measure of those spiritual blessings which he, as the Minis... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT — _i.e.,_ the love inspired in them by the Spirit — flowing from the Spirit. STRIVE TOGETHER WITH ME. — Second my own earnest entreaties.... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THEM THAT DO NOT BELIEVE. — This prayer of the Apostle was, perhaps, it may be said, partially granted. He escaped with his life from his unbelieving countrymen (Acts 23:27), but only to be delivered over to the Romans. He was naturally in fear of the party to which he had himself once belonged... [ Continue Reading ]
The way in which he was received at Jerusalem would make a great difference to the feelings with which the Apostle would arrive in Rome. A favourable reception in Jerusalem would add much to his enjoyment and benefit from intercourse with the Roman Christians. WITH YOU BE REFRESHED. — The Greek wor... [ Continue Reading ]
AMEN. — The weight of MS. authority is decidedly in favour of retaining this word, though it is omitted by three MSS. of some importance. It does not, however, follow that the benediction was intended, as some have thought, to close the Epistle. Intercalated benedictions and doxologies are frequent... [ Continue Reading ]