Romans 16

Romans 16:1-27

Subdivision 5. (Romans 16:1-27.)The close in salutations and warning. There is no other epistle in which are found so many salutations as in this to the Romans. The wayfarer’s epistle, Colossians, comes next, the naturalness of which we seem to recognize. In Galatians there are none; the controversy cuts off the possibility of the free interchange of human affection, where Christ Himself was now in question. In Romans as yet no controversy has arisen, and the fellowship in Christ has no restraint upon its expression. There are, of course, also, such links as might be expected with the continually shifting population of the imperial city. Could we examine more deeply, we should find, no doubt, that this is not a haphazard collection of names and memories, but that God has so ordered all as to give us instruction from every detail and name recorded. At present we cannot do this; but abundance in the way of proof we have surely had to make it a conviction that He, whose work all Scripture is, has left no part without the perfect elaboration which every thing has to which He has put His hand.

1. First, we have those enumerated whom the apostle thinks worthy of personal recognition, where any special service to the Lord has, as might be expected, its special notice. The claims of kindred, however, are not forgotten, where the higher link created by the Spirit renews and exalts it to an eternal value. But there are others whose names to us are as yet names only, -ciphers to which their connection with Christ gives all the interest; some again whose names are unknown altogether; simply they belonged to such or such a household: all these have undoubtedly just their fit place and mention; but we cannot demonstrate it: how much we have need in every sphere of faith, where our business is to turn it little by little into experimental knowledge. What precious conquests of now well-nigh barren tracts await those who will lay claim, boldly, however humbly, to their large and good land, which unbelief persistently belittles while it looks at it from afar off with its reversed telescope!* \
2. Already the apostle has to warn these Roman saints, however, against those who, whether in their midst as yet or not, were certainly at work to bring in divisions and occasions of stumbling amongst those united by the Spirit into one fellowship of love and mutual service. The things warned against were contrary to the doctrine they had learned, whether or not they involved in themselves the introduction of error. But this would be apt to be the case; for there is nothing more ready to come in upon the adoption of carnal ways than perversions of doctrine to cover, if not to justify them. If a man craves the world, is he likely to take honestly the texts that speak of the Christian in his relation to it? As the epistle to the Ephesians reminds us, the eyes are in the heart (Ephesians 1:18, R.V.); and with an eye that is not single, darkness comes upon the soul; and those self-deceived will become the deceivers of others.

The saints are here bidden to mark and turn away from such; which may intimate that the apostle is speaking here of things not come to maturity, or what as yet did not call for or was not ripe for assembly action. But Christ was not served or honored in their ways, but self, whose cravings led them on, and characterized them, for discerning eyes, by the beggar’s badge they wore; none the less that they had the beggar’s wheedling tone, and smooth hypocrisy, calculated to deceive, and which would deceive the unwary.

With the Roman Christians there was indeed, as had come abroad and was well known, a readiness of obedience which. it gave the apostle joy to recognize; but he would have them wise in it with regard to good, while as to evil simple in rejecting it, without over-occupation with that in which the power of the enemy works to ensnare the mind. The ordinance as to cleansing by the ashes of the heifer has here great practical value for us. Even the clean person, cleansing another with it, became himself unclean until the evening (Numbers 19:21). But there is happy assurance for us: “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” Peace is what is in God’s heart for men; though He who came with the message of it had, because of what the world was, in the meanwhile to bring, not peace, but a sword. The work which wrought it as before God insured the casting out of the enemy; which, if it yet lingers, will have full accomplishment. Even now there are anticipations of it, and victories that presage the end. 3. There follow salutations from those with the apostle, in which the Christian heart, prompted by no special links or remembrances, save only the link of the common Christianity, flows out to those in whom it recognizes this all-sufficient relationship. The name of Tertius as the writer of the epistle shows the general custom of the apostle, most probably from some physical infirmity, such as he elsewhere refers to (2 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 4:14-15), to employ another person to act for him in that capacity; while a salutation from his own hand (2 Thessalonians 3:17) was the token of genuineness in each epistle.*
4. The epistle ends with an ascription of praise to God as able to establish them according to Paul’s gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, -according (that is) to the revelation of the mystery bid through the dispensations hitherto, now made known, and by scriptures of prophetic character published to all nations for the obedience of faith. This in its full extent the apostle does not give in Romans. The epistle states the partial blinding of Israel to be a part of it, and with this would be the grafting of Gentile branches on Israel’s olive-tree, in full equality with Jews. The body is referred to, but not necessarily as the body of Christ; but in the first epistle to the Corinthians we have the Church both as this, and as the temple of God; though Ephesians and Colossians are needed to complete the revelation. With the fully proved frailty of man, however, even of the saint, only God could be counted on to maintain His people at the height of this.

The ages of silence were days of preparation for the full announcement of that in which God’s wisdom as well as grace is so wondrously declared. Man had to be shown in them in his true condition, that that grace might remain man’s only hope and boast. To Him alone wise will be the glory through Jesus Christ throughout the ages of eternity. Amen.