Bible Commentaries

I ¹ commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

(1) Having made an end of the whole discussion, he comes now to familiar commendations and salutations, and that to good consideration and purpose, that is, that the Romans might know who are most to be honoured and to be considered among them: and also whom they ought to set before them to follow: and therefore he attributes to every of them individual and singular testimonies.

That ye receive her in the ^a Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

(a) For Christ's sake, which appropriately belongs to the Christians, for the heathen philosophers have a resemblance of the same virtues.

Likewise [greet] the ^b church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the ^c firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

(b) The company of the faithful, for in so great a city as that was, there were different companies.

(c) For he was the first of Achaia that believed in Christ: and this type of speech is an allusion to the ceremonies of the law.

Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in ^d Christ before me.

(d) Ingrafted by faith.

Salute one another with an holy ^e kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

(e) He calls that a holy kiss which proceeds from a heart that is full of that holy love: now this is to be understood as referring to the manner used in those days.

² Now I beseech you, brethren, ^f mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

(2) As by describing by name those who were worthy of commendation he sufficiently declared whom they ought to hear and follow, so does he now point out to them whom they ought to take heed of, yet he does not name them, because it was not necessary.

(f) Watchfully and diligently, as though you should scout for your enemies in a watch tower.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by ^g good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

(g) The word which he uses signifies a promising which accomplishes nothing, and if you hear any such, you may assure yourself that he who promises to you is more concerned about receiving from you than he is concerned about giving to you.

³ For your obedience is come abroad unto all [men]. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you ^h wise unto that which is good, and ⁱ simple concerning evil.

(3) Simplicity must be joined with wisdom.

(h) Furnished with the knowledge of the truth and wisdom, so that you may embrace good things, and avoid evil, beware of the deceits and snares of false prophets, and resist them openly: and this place plainly destroys the papists faith of credit, whereas they maintain it to be sufficient for one man to believe as another man believes, without further knowledge or examination what the matter is, or what ground it has: using these daily speeches, "We believe as our fathers believed, and we believe as the Church believes."

(i) As men that know no way to deceive, much less deceive indeed.

⁴ And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you. Amen.

(4) We must fight with a certain hope of victory.

⁵ Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

(5) He adds salutations, partly to renew mutual friendship, and partly to the end that this epistle might be of some weight with the Romans, having the confirmation of so many that subscribed to it.

I Tertius, who ^k wrote [this] epistle, salute you in the Lord.

(k) Wrote it as Paul uttered it.

⁶ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.

(6) Now taking his leave of them this third time, he wishes that to them, upon which all the force of the former doctrine depends.

⁷ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the ^l mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

(7) He sets forth the power and wisdom of God with great thanksgiving, which especially appears in the gospel, and makes mention also of the calling of the Gentiles, to confirm the Romans in the hope of this salvation.

(l) That secret and hidden thing, that is to say, the calling of the Gentiles.

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, ^m made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

(m) Offered and exhibited to all nations to be known.