A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

ANALYSIS.

This section consists of two parts. The first, from v. 1 to 7 inclusive, is a salutatory address; the second, from v. 8 to 17, is the introduction to the epistle. Paul commences by announcing himself as a divinely commissioned teacher, set apart to the preaching of the gospel, v. 1. Of this gospel, he says, 1. That it was promised, and of course partially exhibited in the Old Testament, v. 2. 2. That its great subject was Jesus Christ, v. 3. Of Christ he says, that he was, as to his human nature, the Son of David; but as to his divine nature, the Son of God, vs. 3, 4. From this divine person he had received his office as an apostle. The object of this office was to bring men to believe the gospel; and it contemplated all nations as the field of its labour, v. 5. Of course the Romans were included, v. 6. To the Romar Christians, therefore, he wishes Thus far the salutation.

grace and peace, v. 7.

Having shown in what character, and by what right he addressed them, the apostle introduces the subject of his letter by expressing to them his respect and affection. He thanks God not only that they believed, but that their faith was universally known and talked of, v. 9 As an evidence of his concern for them, he mentions, 1. That he prayed for them constantly, v. 9. 2. That he longed to see them, vs. 10, 11. 3. That this wish to see them arose from a desire to do them good, and to reap some fruit of his ministry among them, as well as among other Gentiles, vs. 12, 13. Because he was under obligation to preach to all men, wise and unwise, he was therefore ready to preach even at Rome, vs. 14, 15. This readiness to preach arose from the high estimate he entertained of the gospel. And his reverence for the gospel was founded not on its excellent system of morals merely, but on its efficacy in saving all who believe, whether Jews or Gentiles. v. 16. This efficacy of the gospel arises from its teaching the true method of justification, that is, the method of justification by faith, v. 17. It will be perceived how naturally and skilfully the apostle introduces the two great subjects of the epistle the method of salvation, and the persons to whom it may properly be offered.

COMMENTARY.

(1) Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. The apostle's original name was Saul, the demanded, or asked for. It was common among the Jews and other oriental nations to change the names of individuals on the occurrence of any remarkable event in their lives, as in the case of Abraham and Jacob, Gen. 17:5,

32:28. This was especially the case when the individual was advanced to some new office or dignity, Gen. 41: 45. Dan. 1: 6, 7. Hence a new name is sometimes equivalent to a new dignity, Apoc. 2: 17. As Paul seems to have received this name shortly after he entered on his duties as an apostle, it is often supposed, and not improbably, that it was on account of this call that his name was changed. Thus Simon, when chosen to be an apostle, was called Cephas or Peter, John 1: 42. Matt. 10: 2. Since, however, it was very common for those Jews who associated much with foreigners to have two names, one Jewish and the other Greek or Roman; sometimes entirely distinct, as Hillel and Pollio; sometimes nearly related, as Silas and Silvanus, it is perhaps more probable that the apostle was called Saul among the Jews, and Paul among the heathen. As he was the apostle of the Gentiles, and all his epistles, except that to the Hebrews, were addressed to churches founded among the heathen, it is not wonderful that he constantly called himself Paul instead of Saul. He styles himself a servant of Jesus Christ. This term is often used to express the relation in which, under the New Testament, the apostles stood to Christ, as in Gal. 1: 10. Phil. 1: 1, &c., as in the Old Testament the phrase servant of God expresses the relation in which any one employed in his special service stood to God, Josh. 24: 29. Num. 12: 7. Judges 2: 8, &c. &c. It is therefore a general official designation.

Called an apostle. The word rendered called, means also chosen, appointed, see vs. 6 and 7 of this chapter. 1 Cor. 1: 1. and 24. Rom. 8: 28. compare Isaiah 48: 12. "Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel my called," i. e. my chosen. 51: 2. 42: 6. In the epistles of the New Testament this word is rarely if ever used in reference to one externally called or invited to any office or blessing, but uniformly expresses the idea of an effectual calling, or of a selection and appointment. Paul begins several of his epistles by claiming to be thus divinely commissioned as an apostle, because his appointment was different from that of the other apostles, and its validity had frequently been called in question.

The term apostle or messenger, with few exceptions, is applied exclusively to those thirteen individuals appointed by Jesus Christ to deliver to men the message of salvation; to authenticate that message by signs and wonders, Heb. 2: 4, and especially by their testimony as eye-witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, Acts 1:22. 2:32. 3: 15. 1 Cor 15: 15; and to organize the Christian church by the appointment of officers and the general ordering of its affairs. It was therefore necessary that an apostle should have seen Christ after he rose from the dead, 1 Cor. 9: 1.

Separated unto the gospel of God. The word rendered separated expresses the idea both of selection and appointment, Lev. 20: 24, 26. Acts 13:2. Gal. 1: 15. Paul was chosen and set apart to preach the gospel of God; that is, the gospel of which God is the author.

(2) Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures

It was peculiarly pertinent to the apostle's object to state, that the gospel which he taught was not a new doctrine, much less in consistent with writings which his readers knew to be of divine authority. This idea he therefore frequently repeats in reference to the method of salvation, ch. 3: 21. 10: 11, &c.; the rejection of the Jews, ch. 9: 27, 33. 10:20, 21; and the calling of the Gentiles, ch. 9: 25. 10: 19, &c. see Luke 24: 44. John 12: 16. Acts 10: 43.

(3, 4) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, &c. This verse is to be connected with the last clause of the first, and states the grand subject of that gospel which Paul was appointed to preach. That subject which includes all others, is the Son of God. Having mentioned the name, Paul immediately declares the nature of this exalted personage. The passage which follows is therefore peculiarly interesting, as giving a clear exhibition of the apostle's view of the character of Christ, and the import of the phrase Son of God.

There are three leading interpretations of this passage. According to the first, the meaning is, 'Jesus Christ was, as to his human nature, the Son of David; but he was clearly demonstrated to be, as to his divine nature, the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead.' According to the second, the passage means, Christ was, in his state of humiliation, the Son of David, but was constituted the Son of God in his state of exaltation, by the resurrection from the dead; or, after his resurrection.' Ac cording to the third, Christ was the Son of David, as to his human nature, but was declared to be the Son of God, agreeably to the scriptures, by the resurrection from the dead.'

The first of these interpretations is recommended by the following considerations. 1. The sense which it assigns to the several clauses may be justified by usage, and is required by the context. This will appear from the examination of each, as they occur. Which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. Was made, i. e. was born, see the same sense of the word here used, Gal. 4: 4. John 8: 41. 1 Pet. 3: 6. 'The phrase according to the flesh means as to his human nature, as far as he was a man. The word flesh is often used for men as in the expression "all flesh," and very frequently for human nature considered as corrupt, as in the expressions "to be in the flesh,”—“to live after the flesh,” &c. But when used in reference to Christ the accessory ideas of weakness and corruption are of course excluded, as in the phrases "became flesh," John 1: 14; "was manifested in the flesh," 1 Tim. 3: 16; "has come in the flesh," 1 John 4: 2. In all these cases it stands for human nature, as such, not merely for the body or visible part of man, nor for his external circumstances and condition, but for all that Christ had in common with other men. That such is its meaning in this passage is also obvious from the connexion. In what sense is Christ of the family of David but as he was a man? Compare the analogous passage,

Rom. 9: 5.

And declared to be the Son of God with power. That the word rendered

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