Romans 16
DOYLYVer. 1.— our sister.] In the faith. Dr. Whitby.
— which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea.] In the quality of a deaconess, as some think; or, as others, who spent her time in hospitably entertaining poor Christians, and who had been a succourer and supporter of the Apostle himself. Burkitt.
The deaconesses were women employed in the primitive church, originally widows, the wives of one husband; see the note on 1 Tim. v. 9; although in process of time it appears that virgins also were made deaconesses. Their business was to baptize women, to teach the female catechumens, to visit and attend upon the sick, to administer to martyrs, and to perform other inferiour services of the church. Schleumer.
— Cenchrea.] The eastern seaport of Corinth, situated on the Saronick gulph, about seventy furlongs, near nine miles, from the city. Dr. Macknight.
Romans 16:2
2.— in the Lord, as becometh saints.] In a holy and Christian manner, as becometh your profession. Bp. Hall. As becometh Christians. Dr. Whitby.
— a succourer] The original word seems to signify hostess, not in a common inn, for there were no such things as our inns in that country; but one, whose house was the place of lodging and entertainment of those, who were received by the church as their guests; and these she took care of. Locke.
Romans 16:3
- Greet] Or, Salute. A form of very frequent occurrence in the end of St. Paul’s Epistles, for expressing good wishes for an absent person. Schleumer.
The Apostle is very affectionate in these salutations; giving to almost every one some signal epithet, that he might both recommend them for their piety, and propose
them to others for imitation, and the more endear their affections to him, and shew his gratitude to them, and the honourable esteem he entertained for them. Bp. Fell.
— my helpers in Christ Jesus.] The Apostle in his salutation thus describes Priscilla and Aquila, because both at Corinth and Ephesus they had been very active in spreading the Gospel. Dr. Macknight.
Romans 16:4
- Who have for my life laid down their own necks.] This is said in allusion to the custom of placing on blocks the necks of criminals, whose heads are to be cut off. The expression is proverbial, and denotes the undergoing of the greatest perils. It is thought the Apostle alluded to some great danger, to which Aquila and Priscilla exposed themselves, in defending him from the Jews in the tumult which they raised at Corinth during the proconsulship of Gallio, Acts xviii. 12. Dr. Macknight.
— but also all the churches of the Gentiles.] For such their great kindness to me the Apostle of the Gentiles. Dr. Wells.
Romans 16:5
5.— the church that is in their house.] All their Christian family. See the note on 1 Cor. xvi. 19. Dr. Whitby.
— Epenetus,— the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.] One of the first Christian converts in Achaia. Bp. Hall, Pyle. The Apostle calls the house of Stephanas “the firstfruits of Achaia,” 1 Cor. xvi. 15. Epenetus may have been one of that family. Dr. Doddridge.
Romans 16:7
7.— my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners.] St. Paul styles all the Jews “kinsmen,” chap. ix. 3. Before he went to Rome, he was “in prisons frequent,” 2 Cor. xi. 23; and so might have had many “fellowprisoners.” Dr. Whitby.
— who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.] Who are of special note and in high account with all the Apostles; and who were famous disciples before my conversion. Bp. Hall.
Romans 16:10
10.— approved in Christ.] Or, Who hath shewed himself a faithful sincere Christian. Dr. Hammond. “Approved” by the sincerity of his faith, and the integrity of his life. Dr. Whitby.
A warning against the authors of divisions. ROMANS. After sundry salutations Anno DOMINI 60.
Romans 16:13
- — chosen in the Lord.] One of great excellency in Christianity. So the word, rendered “chosen,” or “choice,” often signifies: as in Ps. lxxviii. 31; Gen. xxiii. 6; Deut. xii. 11; Judg. xx. 16. See Acts xv. 25, 26. Dr. Whitby.
— his mother and mine.] His mother, who for her motherly affection to me may also be called mine. Dr. Wells.
Romans 16:16
- Salute one another with an holy kiss.] That is, with the kiss of charity, so called as being a token of the holy or religious love and charity between Christians. Dr. Wells. This kiss was used at the end of the prayer, before the celebration of the sacrament: but the men and women did not kiss each other promiscuously; the men saluted the men only, and women none but their own sex: as their separate places in the church, or synagogue, seemed to require. Drs. Whitby and Macknight. The custom was borrowed from the Jewish synagogue: and, as chastely and prudently as it was managed, it seems to have been the occasion of false and scandalous reports concerning the Christian assemblies, on which account it appears to have been laid aside very early. Dr. Doddridge.
— The churches of Christ salute you.] That is, The Christian churches in the country, where St. Paul was writing. Pyle.
Romans 16:17
- — contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned;] Of the Apostles. Dr. Whitby.
— and avoid them.] So long as the fixed regular assemblies of the nation, wherein we live, do truly belong to the catholick church, and we can lawfully join with them, we are bound so to do, and not to join with those congregations that have withdrawn themselves from them. For to do this would be to join in society with separatists, would be a partaking of their sin, and a breach of the Apostle’s precept of “avoiding them which cause divisions.” Abp. Sharp.
Romans 16:18
- — their own belly;] Their own worldly ease and advantage. Dr. Wells.
— the simple.] Honest, ignorant, and well-meaning persons. Pyle.
Romans 16:19
- For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.]
That is, it is talked of all over the Roman empire. Dr. Wells. That such a number of the inhabitants of the metropolis had forsaken the worship of idols, must have been much spoken of through all the provinces. Dr. Macknight.
— but yet I would have you wise &c.] The Apostle’s argument is this: Since ye have shewn such prudence and discernment in receiving the Gospel, ye should shew like prudence and discernment under the Gospel, by doing every thing that is good, and preserving yourselves unpolluted by evil. Dr. Macknight.
Romans 16:20
- — shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.] That is, shall shortly defeat the designs of Satan against your church, and shall rid you of his instruments, that would seduce and divide you. Dr. Wells.
Romans 16:21
- Timotheus my workfellow.] Timothy was converted by St. Paul, while very young; and, having been chosen by him as his assistant in the ministry, accompanied him in all his journeys, and shared with him in all his dangers. Hence he styles him his “fellowlabourer,” 1 Thess. iii. 2. Dr. Macknight.
Romans 16:22
- — who wrote this epistle,] From the mouth of the Apostle Paul dictating it to me. Dr. Wells.
Romans 16:23
- Gaius mine host, and of the whole church.] One that hath used great liberality to me and all the Christians. Dr. Hammond.
Romans 16:25
- Now to him &c.] The Apostle here concludes his excellent Epistle with a solemn doxology or thanksgiving to God. Burkitt.
— according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ.] The Fathers observe, that these expressions are of the same import; the Gospel, which the Apostles preached, being the same with that which Christ preached whilst He was on earth; and they, after His ascension, preaching in His name, by His authority, and by the assistance of His Spirit, and so delivering His laws and doctrine, not their own. Dr. Whitby.
— the mystery.] Namely, that the Gentiles should have the Gospel preached to them. Dr. Hammond. So the calling of the Gentiles is styled, Eph. i. 9; in. 3, 5, 9; Col. i. 26, 27; ii. 2; iv. 3. Pyle.
— since the world began,] The Greek may signify, Paul endeth with praise to God.
Ande DOMINI 26. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Romans 16:26
26.—by the scriptures of the prophets.] They of old foretold of the Messiah, and of the calling of the Gentiles: but yet, as to many circumstances, this was still “a mystery,” till these prophetick sayings were more clearly revealed by the Spirit given to the Apostles and Prophets, and by the actual accomplishment of what they foretold. See note on Eph. iii. 6. Dr. Whitby.
The whole design of the Gospel, the dispensation of Providence in the salvation of mankind, is styled “a mystery,” because it was “kept secret since the world began,” God not having opened or declared His gracious purposes before the coming of Christ. With respect to this time of secrecy and silence it is called a mystery: but, upon the revelation of it by Christ Jesus, it is looked upon no longer as a mystery, but as the manifestation of God’s will and goodness to men. That it was once hidden in the secret counsels of Pro-
vidence, but is now by the revelation of Christ Jesus made known unto all men, may administer to us great joy, and be a subject of praise and glory to God: inasmuch as our eyes have seen, and our ears have heard, those things, which many righteous men and Prophets have “desired to see, and have not seen them, and to hear, and have not heard them,” Matt. xiii. 17. Bp. Sherlock.
—for the obedience of faith:] That they might believe the Gospel. Dr. Hammond.
Romans 16:27
- To God only wise.] Or, ‘To the only wise God.’ This, as the Fathers note, cannot exclude the Divine nature of Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of the Father, from this title, any more than those words, “who only hath immortality,” 1 Tim. vi. 16, exclude Christ from being immortal. Dr. Whitby.
Thus endeth the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans: a writing, which, for sublimity and truth of sentiment, for brevity and strength of expression, but above all for the unspeakable importance of the discoveries which it contains, stands unrivalled by any merely human composition. Dr. Macknight.
The following Chapters from The Epistle to the Romans are appointed for Proper Lessons, or as Portions of Scripture for Epistles, on Sundays and Holydays: