- The apostle commends to the Christians at Rome Phoebe, a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea, 1,2.
- Sends greetings to Aquila and Priscilla, of whom he gives a high character; and greets also the Church at their
house, 3-5.
- Mentions several others by name, both men and women, who were members of the Church of Christ at Rome, 6-16.
- Warns them to beware of those who cause dissensions and divisions, of whom he gives an awful character, 17,18.
- Extols the obedience of the Roman Christians, and promises them a complete victory over Satan, 19,20.
- Several
persons send their salutations, 21-23.
- To whose good wishes he subjoins the apostolic blessing; commends them to God; gives own abstract of the
doctrines of the Gospel: and concludes with ascribing glory to the only wise God, through Christ Jesus, 24-27.
Notes on Chapter 16
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Verse 1
. I commend unto you Phoebe
As the apostle had not been at Rome previously to his writing this epistle, he could not have had a personal
acquaintance with those members of the Church there to whom he sends these friendly salutations. It is likely that
many of them were his own converts, who, in different parts of Asia Minor and Greece, had heard him preach the
Gospel, and afterwards became settlers at Rome.
Phoebe is here termed a servant, , a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea. There were deaconesses in the
primitive Church, whose business it was to attend the female converts at baptism; to instruct the catechumens, or
persons who were candidates for baptism; to visit the sick, and those who were in prison, and, in short, perform
those religious offices for the female part of the Church which could not with propriety be performed by men. They
were chosen in general out of the most experienced of the Church, and were ordinarily widows, who had borne
children. Some ancient constitutions required them to be forty, others fifty, and others sixty years of age. It is
evident that they were ordained to their office by the imposition of the hands of the bishop; and the form of prayer
used on the occasion is extant in the apostolical constitutions. In the tenth or eleventh century the order became
extinct in the Latin Church, but continued in the Greek Church till the end of the twelfth century. See Broughton's
Dictionary, article deaconess.
Cenchrea was a sea-port on the east side of the isthmus which joined the Morea to Greece, as the Lechaeum was
the sea-port on the west side of the same isthmus. These were the only two havens and towns of any note, next to
Corinth, that belonged to this territory. As the Lechaeum opened the road to the Ionian sea, so Cenchrea opened
the road to the AEgean; and both were so advantageously situated for commerce that they were very rich. These
two places are now usually denominated the Gulf of Lepanto, and the Gulf of Ingia or Egina. It was on the
isthmus, between these two ports, which was about six miles wide, that the Isthmian games were celebrated; to
which St. Paul makes such frequent allusions.
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Verse 2
. Succourer of many
One who probably entertained the apostles and preachers who came to minister at Cenchrea, and who was
remarkable for entertaining strangers. See Clarke on See Clarke on Romans
12:8..
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Verse 3
. Greet Priscilla and Aquila
This pious couple had been obliged to leave Rome, on the edict of Claudius, see
Acts 18:2, and take refuge in
Greece. It is likely that they returned to Rome at the death of Claudius, or whenever the decree was annulled. It
seems they had greatly contributed to assist the apostle in his important labours. Instead of Priscilla, the principal
MSS. and versions have Prisca, which most critics suppose to be the genuine reading.
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Verse 4
. Who have for my life laid down their own necks
What transaction this refers to we know not; but it appears that these persons had, on some occasion, hazarded
their own lives to save that of the apostle; and that the fact was known to all the Churches of God in that quarter,
who felt themselves under the highest obligations to these pious persons, for the important service which they had
thus rendered.
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Verse 5
. The Church that is in their house.
In these primitive times no such places existed as those which we now term churches; the word always signifying
the congregation or assembly of believers, and not the place they assembled in. See the term defined at the end of
the notes,
Matthew 16:28.
Epenetus-the first fruits of Achaia
In 1 Corinthians
16:15, the house or family of Stephanas is said to be the first fruits of Achaia: how then can it be
said here, that Epenetus was the first fruits, or first person who had received the Gospel in that district? Ans.-Epenetus might have been one of the family of Stephanas; for it is not said that Stephanas was the first fruits, but
his house or family; and there can be no impropriety in supposing that one of that house or family was called
Epenetus; and that this person, being the only one of the family now at Rome, might be mentioned as the first
fruits of Achaia; that is, one of that family which first received the Gospel in that country. This would rationally
account for the apparent difficulty, were we sure that , of Achaia, was the true reading: but this is more than
doubtful, for , of Asia, is the reading of ABCDEFG, some others; the Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate,
and Itala; and some of the chief of the fathers. On this evidence Griesbach has admitted it into the text. Yet the
other reading is sufficiently natural, for the reasons already assigned.
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Verse 6
. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
Who this Mary was, or what the labour was which she bestowed upon the apostles, we know not. Her works,
though hidden from man, are with God; and her name is recorded with honour in this book of life.
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Verse 7
. Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen
As the word signifies relatives, whether male or female, and as Junia may probably be the name of a
woman, the wife of Andronicus, it would be better to say relatives than kinsmen. But probably St. Paul means no
more than that they were Jews; for, in
Romans 9:3, he calls all the Jews his kinsmen according to the flesh.
My fellow prisoners
As Paul was in prison often, it is likely that these persons shared this honour with him on some occasion, which is
not distinctly marked.
Of note among the apostles
Whether this intimates that they were noted apostles or only highly reputed by the apostles, is not absolutely clear;
but the latter appears to me the most probable. They were not only well known to St. Paul, but also to the rest of the
apostles.
In Christ before me.
That is, they were converted to Christianity before Paul was; probably at the day of pentecost, or by the ministry of
Christ himself, or by that of the seventy disciples.
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Verse 8
. Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
One who is my particular friend, and also a genuine Christian.
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Verse 9
. Urbane, our helper
Who this Urbanus was we know not; what is here stated is, that he had been a fellow labourer with the apostles.
Stachys, my beloved.
One of my particular friends.
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Verse 10
. Apelles, approved in Christ
A man who, on different occasions, had given the highest proofs of the sincerity and depth of his religion. Some
suppose that Apelles was the same with Apollos: whoever he was, he had given every demonstration of being a
genuine Christian.
Of Aristobulus' household.
It is doubted whether this person was converted, as the apostle does not salute him, but his household; or as the
margin reads, his friends. He might have been a Roman of considerable distinction, who, though not converted
himself, had Christians among his servants or his slaves. But, whatever he was, it is likely that he was dead at this
time, and therefore those of his household only are referred to by the apostle.
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Verse 11
. Herodion, my kinsman.
Probably another converted Jew. See Clarke on
Romans 16:7.
Of the household of Narcissus
Probably dead also, as we have supposed Aristobulus to have been at this time.
Which are in the Lord.
This might intimate that some of this family were not Christians; those only of that family that were converted to
the Lord being saluted. There was a person of the name of Narcissus, who was a freed man of the Emperor
Claudius, mentioned by Suetonius in his life of that prince, cap. 37; and by Tacitus, An., lib. xii. cap. 57: but there
does not seem any reason to suppose that this was the person designed by St. Paul.
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Verse 12
. Tryphena and Tryphosa
Two holy women, who it seems were assistants to the apostle in his work, probably by exhorting, visiting the sick,
Persis was another woman, who it seems excelled the preceding; for, of her it is said, she laboured much in the
Lord. We learn from this, that Christian women, as well as men, laboured in the ministry of the word. In those
times of simplicity all persons, whether men or women, who had received the knowledge of the truth, believed it to
be their duty to propagate it to the uttermost of their power. Many have spent much useless labour in endeavouring
to prove that these women did not preach. That there were some prophetesses, as well as prophets in the Christian
Church, we learn; and that a woman might pray or prophesy, provided she had her head covered, we know; and
that whoever prophesied spoke unto others to edification, exhortation, and comfort, St. Paul declares,
1 Corinthians 14:3. And that no preacher can do more, every person must acknowledge; because to edify, exhort,
and comfort, are the prime ends of the Gospel ministry.
If women thus prophesied, then women preached. There is, however, much more than this implied in the Christian
ministry, of which men only, and men called of God, are capable.
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Verse 13
. Rufus, chosen in the Lord
, one of great excellence in Christianity; a choice man, as we would say. the word often
signifies.
Psalms 78:31: They smote , the chosen men that were of Israel. are
choice sepulchres, Genesis 23:6: choice gifts, Deuteronomy 12:11; and ,
choice men, Judges 20:16. By the same use of the word, the companions of Paul and Barnabas are termed chosen
men, , persons in whom the Church of God could confide. See Whitby.
His mother and mine.
It is not likely that the mother of Rufus was the mother of Paul; but while she was the natural mother of the former,
she acted as a mother to the latter. We say of a person of this character, that she is a motherly woman. Among the
ancients, he or she who acted a kind, instructing, and indulgent part to another, was styled the father or mother of
such a one. So Terence:-
Natura tu illi pater es, consiliis ego. Adelphi, Act. i. scen. 2, ver. 47.
Thou art his father by nature, I by instruction.
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Verse 14.
Salute Asyncritus, Hermas was probably the same to whom a work called the Shepherd is attributed; a
work with this title is still extant, and may be found among the writings of the apostolical fathers. But it is in vain
to look for identity of persons in similarity of names; for, among the Greeks and Romans at this time there were
many persons who bore the same names mentioned in this chapter.
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Verse 15.
Salute Philologus, though much has been conjectured, nothing certain is known. Even the names of
some are so ambiguous that we know not whether they were men or women. They were persons well known to St.
Paul, and undoubtedly were such as had gone from different places where the apostle had preached to sojourn or
settle at Rome. One thing we may remark, that there is no mention of St. Peter, who, according to the Roman and
papistical catalogue of bishops, must have been at Rome at this time; if he were not now at Rome, the foundation
stone of Rome's ascendancy, of Peter's supremacy, and of the uninterrupted succession, is taken away, and the
whole fabric falls to the ground. But if Peter were at Rome at this time, Paul would have sent his salutations to him
in the first place; and if Peter were there, he must have been there, according to the papistical doctrine, as bishop
and vicar of Jesus Christ; but if he were there, is it likely that he should have been passed by, while Andronicus
and Junia are mentioned as of note among the apostles,
Romans 16:7, and that St. Paul should call on the people
to remedy the disorders that had crept in among themselves; should not these directions have been given to Peter,
the head of the Church? And if there were a Church, in the papistical sense of the word, founded there, of which
Peter was the head, is it likely that that Church should be in the house of Priscilla and Aquila, Romans 16:5. But
it is a loss of time to refute such ridiculous and groundless pretensions.
It is very likely that Peter, so far from being universal bishop at Rome, never saw the city in his life.
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Verse 16
. Salute one another with a holy kiss.
In those early times the kiss, as a token of peace, friendship, and brotherly love, was frequent among all people;
and the Christians used it in their public assemblies, as well as in their occasional meetings. This was at last laid
aside, not because it was abused, but because, the Church becoming very numerous, the thing was impossible. In
some countries the kiss of friendship is still common; and in such countries it is scarcely ever abused, nor is it an
incentive to evil, because it is customary and common. Shaking of hands is now substituted for it in almost all
Christian congregations.
The Churches of Christ salute you.
The word , ALL, is added here by some of the most reputable MSS. and principal versions; and Griesbach
has received it into his text. St. Paul must mean, here, that all the Churches in Greece and Asia, through which he
had passed, in which the faith of the Christians at Rome was known, spoke of them affectionately and honourably;
and probably knowing the apostle's design of visiting Rome, desired to be kindly remembered to the Church in that
city.
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Verse 17
. Mark them which cause divisions
Several MSS. read , look sharply after them; let them have no kiss of charity nor peace, because
they strive to make divisions, and thus set the flock of Christ at variance among themselves; and from these
divisions, offences (, scandals) are produced; and this is contrary to that doctrine of peace, unity, and
brotherly love which you have learned. Look sharply after such that they do you no evil, and avoid them-give them
no countenance, and have no religious fellowship with them.
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Verse 18
. They-serve not our Lord Jesus
They profess to be apostles, but they are not apostles of CHRIST; they neither do his will, nor preach his doctrine;
they serve their own belly-they hate intruded themselves into the Church of Christ that they might get a secular
support; it is for worldly gain alone that they take up the profession of the ministry: they have no Divine
credentials; they convert not the heathen nor the ungodly, for they have no Divine unction; but by good words and
fair speeches (for they have no miraculous nor saving powers) deceive the hearts of the simple, perverting
Christian converts, that they may get their property, and thus secure a maintenance for themselves. The Church of
God has ever been troubled with such pretended pastors-men who FEED themselves, not the flock; men who are
too proud to beg, and too lazy to work; who have neither grace nor gifts to plant the standard of the cross on the
devil's territories, and by the power of Christ make inroads upon his kingdom, and spoil him of his subjects. On the
contrary, by sowing the seeds of dissension, by means of doubtful disputations, and the propagation of scandals; by
glaring and insinuating speeches, , for they affect elegance and good breeding, they rend Christian
congregations, form a party for themselves, and thus live on the spoils of the Church of God.
Should it be asked, Whom do you intend by this description? I answer: No soul, nor party, but such as the
description suits. Irasceris.?-De TE fabula narratur. O, you are angry, are you? O, then, the cap fits you-put it on.
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Verse 19
. For your obedience is come abroad
The apostle gives this as a reason why they should continue to hear and heed those who had led them into the path
of truth, and avoid those false teachers whose doctrines tended to the subversion of their souls.
Yet I would have you wise
I would wish you carefully to discern the good from the evil, and to show your wisdom, by carefully avoiding the
one and cleaving to the other.
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Verse 20
. The God of peace
Who neither sends nor favours such disturbers of the tranquillity of his Church.
Shall bruise Satan
Shall give you the dominion over the great adversary of your souls, and over all his agents who, through his
influence, endeavour to destroy your peace and subvert your minds.
Several critics suppose that the word Satan is a sort of collective term here, by which all opposers and adversaries
are meant; and especially those false teachers to whom he refers above.
The grace of our Lord
That you may be truly wise simple, obedient, and steady in the truth, may the favour or gracious influence of our
Lord Jesus Christ be with you! without which you cannot be preserved from evil, nor do any thing that is good.
Here the apostle appears to have intended to conclude his epistle; but afterwards he added a postscript, if not two,
as we shall see below. Several ancient MSS. omit the whole of this clause, probably thinking that it had been
borrowed from
Romans 16:24; but on the ground that the apostle might have added a postscript or two, not having
immediate opportunity to send the epistle there is no need for this supposition.
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Verse 21
. Timotheus my workfellow
This is on all hands allowed to be the same Timothy to whom St. Paul directs the two epistles which are still extant.
See some account of him in the notes on
Acts 16:1,
Lucius
This was probably Luke the evangelist, and writer of the book called The Acts of the Apostles. For a short account
of him see the Preface to that book.
Jason
It is likely that this is the same person mentioned
Acts 17:7, who at Thessalonica received the apostles into his
house, and befriended them at the risk both of his property and life.
Sosipater
He was a Berean, the son of one Pyrrhus, a Jew, by birth, and accompanied St. Paul from Greece into Asia, and
probably into Judea. See
Acts 20:4.
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Verse 22
. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle
Some eminent commentators suppose Tertius to be the same with Silas-the companion of St. Paul. If this were so,
it is strange that the name which is generally given him elsewhere in Scripture should not be used in this place. I
have already noticed (Preface, page v.) that some learned men have supposed that St. Paul wrote this epistle in
Syriac, and that Tertius translated it into Greek; but this can never agree with the declaration here: I Tertius, who
wrote, , this epistle; not translated or interpreted it. It appears that St. Paul dictated it to him,
and he wrote it down from the apostle's mouth; and here introduces himself as joining with St. Paul in affectionate
wishes for their welfare.
Salute you in the Lord.
I wish you well in the name of the Lord: or, I feel for you that affectionate respect which the grace of the Lord
Jesus inspires. It is not clear whether the two following verses be the words of Tertius or St. Paul.
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Verse 23
. Gaius mine host
Gaius in Greek is the same as Caius in Latin, which was a very common name among the Romans. St. Luke
19:29) mentions one Gaius of Macedonia, who was exposed to much violence at Ephesus in the tumult excited by
Demetrius the silversmith against St. Paul and his companions; and it is very possible that this was the same
person. He is here called not only the host , the entertainer of St. Paul, or Tertius, (if he wrote this and the
following verse,) but also of the whole Church: that is, he received and lodged the apostles who came from
different places, as well as the messengers of the Churches. All made his house their home; and he must have been
a person of considerable property to be able to bear this expense; and of much piety and love to the cause of Christ,
else he had not employed that property in this way.
Erastus the chamberlain of the city
Treasurer of the city of Corinth, from which St. Paul wrote this epistle. This is supposed to be the same person as
is mentioned
Acts 19:22. He was one of St. Paul's companions, and, as appears from 2 Timothy 4:20, was left
about this time by the apostle at Corinth. He is called the chamberlain , which signifies the same as
treasurer; he to whom the receipt and expenditure of the public money were intrusted. He received the tolls,
customs, city, and out of them paid the public expenses. Such persons were in very high credit; and if Erastus was
at this time treasurer, it would appear that Christianity was then in considerable repute in Corinth. But if the
Erastus of the Acts was the same with the Erastus mentioned here, it is not likely that he now held the office, for
this could not at all comport with his travelling with St. Paul. Hence several, both ancients and moderns, who
believe the identity of the persons, suppose that Erastus was not now treasurer, but that having formerly been so he
still retained the title. Chrysostom thought that he still retained the employment.
Quartus a brother.
Whether the brother of Erastus or of Tertius we know not; probably nothing more is meant than that he was a
Christian-one of the heavenly family, a brother in the Lord.
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Verse 24
. The grace of our Lord
This is the conclusion of Tertius, and is similar to what St. Paul used above. Hence it is possible that Tertius wrote
the whole of the 22d, 23rd, and 24th verses,
Romans 16:22-24without receiving any particular instructions from
St. Paul, except the bare permission to add his own salutations with those of his particular friends.
There is a great deal of disagreement among the MSS. and versions relative to this verse; some rejecting it entirely,
and some of those which place the following verses at the end of
Romans 14:23, inserting it at the end of the 27th
verse in that place. The reader who chooses may consult Wetstein and Griesbach on these discordances.
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Verse 25
. Now to him
In Clarke's note at "Romans 14:23", I have shown that this and the following verses are by the most reputable MSS. and
versions placed at the end of that chapter, which is supposed by most critics to be their proper place. Some of the
arguments adduced in favour of this transposition may be found in the note above mentioned. I shall therefore refer
to Griesbach, and proceed to make a few short remarks on the verses as they occur here.
Of power to stablish you
To that God, without whom nothing is wise, nothing strong; who is as willing to teach as he is wise; as ready to
help as he is strong.
According to my Gospel
That Gospel which explains and publishes God's purpose of taking the Gentiles to be his people under the Messiah,
without subjecting them to the law of Moses. This is what he here calls the preaching of Jesus Christ; for without
this he did not think, as Mr. Locke observes, that Christ vas preached to the Gentiles as he ought to be; and
therefore in several places of his epistle to the Galatians he calls it the truth, and the truth of the Gospel, and uses
the like expressions to the Ephesians and Colossians. This is that mystery which he is so much concerned that the
Ephesians should understand and adhere to firmly, and which was revealed to him according to that Gospel
whereof he was made a minister. And it is probable that this grand mystery of bringing the Gentiles into the
kingdom of God, without passing through the rites of the Mosaic law, was revealed more particularly to St. Paul
than to any other of the apostles, and that he preached it more pointedly, and certainly with more success. See
Taylor and Locke.
Which was kept secret
This purpose of calling the Gentiles, and giving them equal privileges to the Jews, without obliging them to submit
to circumcision,
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Verse 26
. But now is made manifest
Now, under the New Testament dispensation, and by my preaching.
By the scriptures of the prophets
Hints relative to this important work being scattered up and down through all their works, but no clear revelation
that the Gentiles, who should be admitted into the Church, should be admitted without passing under the yoke of
the Mosaic law. This was the point which was kept secret: as to the calling of the Gentiles, this was declared in
general terms by the prophets, and the apostle quotes and makes a most important use of their predictions; but the
other was a point on which the prophets gave no information, and it seems to have been peculiarly revealed to St.
Paul, who received the commandment of the everlasting God to make it known , to all the Gentiles-all the people of the earth that were not of Jewish extraction. And it was to be made known for the obedience of
faith, that they might believe its doctrines and obey its precepts; its universal voice requiring repentance towards
God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and circumcision of the heart, in the place of all Jewish rites and ceremonies.
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Verse 27
. To God only wise
This comes in with great propriety. He alone who is the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, had all this mystery in
himself; and he alone who knew the times, places, persons, and circumstances, could reveal the whole; and he has
revealed all in such a way as not only to manifest his unsearchable wisdom, but also his infinite goodness:
therefore, to him be glory for his wisdom in devising this most admirable plan; and his goodness in sending Christ
Jesus to execute it; to Him, through Christ Jesus, be glory for ever! Because this plan is to last for ever; and is to
have no issue but in eternal glory.
Written to the Romans from Corinthus, was written from Corinth is almost universally believed. That Phoebe was
a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea, we have seen in the first verse of this chapter; and that the epistle might
have been sent by her to Rome is possible; but that she should have been the writer of the epistle, as this
subscription states, , is false, for
Romans 16:22shows that Tertius was the writer, though by
inserting the words and sent, we represent her rather as the carrier than the writer. This subscription, however,
stands on very questionable grounds. It is wanting in almost all the ancient MSS.; and even of those which are
more modern, few have it entirely, as in our common editions. It has already been noted that the subscriptions to
the sacred books are of little or no authority, all having been added in latter times, and frequently by injudicious
hands. The most ancient have simply To the Romans, or the Epistle to the Romans is finished. The word Amen was
seldom added by the inspired writers, and here it is wanting in almost all the ancient MSS. As this was a word in
frequent use in religious services, pious people would naturally employ it in finishing the reading or copying of this
epistle, as they would thereby express their conviction of the truth of its contents, and their desire that the promises
contained in it might be fulfilled to them and to the Church at large; and in this sense the word is not only
harmless but useful. May the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in, and may all Israel be saved!
This is treated of at large in this epistle; and to this prayer let every pious reader say AMEN! Often this word
seems to be used as we use the word finis, i.e. the end. See the observations on this word at the end of the Gospel of
John.
BEFORE I conclude this work, I shall beg leave to add several important observations, chiefly extracted from Dr.
Taylor.
• Key
