A Commentary on the Epistle to the RomansCharles Hodge introduces the book of Romans by discussing the authorship, dating, and setting of the epistle. He also devotes attention to the nature of the original audience, with particular emphasis on the historical and theological context of the church in Rome and the role of Jews in the Roman Empire—fundamental issues which comprise the backdrop of Pauline theology. The entire volume contains verse-by-verse commentary on each chapter of Romans. Hodge examines both the Greek text and his own English translation, which means that this commentary—like all the commentaries in this collection—are as useful to New Testament scholars as they are accessible to laypersons. He concludes his commentary on each chapter with a summary of the key doctrinal points and their relevance for exegesis and interpretation. | |
Commentary Verse 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle. Agreeably to the ancient mode of epistolary address, the apostle begins with the declaration of his name and office. It was his office which gave him the right to address the believers at Rome, and elsewhere, with that tone of authority which pervades all his epistles. Speaking as the messenger of Christ, he spake as he spake, as one having authority, and not as an ordinary teacher. The original name of the apostle was Saul, שָׁאוּל demanded. He is first called Paul in Acts 13:9. As this change of his name is mentioned in the paragraph which contains the account of the conversion of Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus, some have supposed that the name was assumed in compliment to that distinguished convert. This supposition does not seem to accord with the apostle's character, and is, on other grounds, less probable than either of the two following. First, as it was not unusual, among the Jews, to change the name of a person in consequence of some remarkable event, as in the case of Abraham and Jacob, Gen. 17:5, 32:8; or when he was advanced to some new office or dignity, Gen. 41:45, Dan. 1:6, 7; so that a new name is sometimes equivalent to a new dignity, Rev. 2:17, it may be supposed that the apostle received the name of Paul, when called to the office of an apostle. This supposition is favoured by the consideration that he received the name soon after he entered upon the public exercise of his apostleship, and by the fact that Simon was called Cephas when called to be an apostle, John 1:42, Matt. 10:2, and that James and John were called Boanerges, Mark 3:17. Hence Theophylact says that it was in order that even in this matter, he should not be behind the very chief of the apostles, that Saul was called Paul. Second, as it was very common for those Jews who had much intercourse with the heathen to bear two names, one Jewish and the other Greek or Roman, which names were sometimes entirely distinct, as Hillel and Pollio, sometimes nearly related as Silas and Silvanus, it is very probable that this was the case with the apostle. He was called Saul among the Jews, and Paul among the Gentiles; and as he was the Apostle of the Gentiles, the latter name became his common designation. As this change was, however, made or announced at an epoch in the apostle's history, Acts 13:9, the two explanations may be united. "The only supposition," says Dr. J. A. Alexander, in his comment on Acts 13:9, "which is free from all these difficulties, and affords a satisfactory solution of the facts in question, is, that this was the time fixed by Divine authority for Paul's manifestation as Apostle of the Gentiles, and that manifestation was made more conspicuous by its coincidence with the triumph over a representative of unbelieving and apostate Judaism, and the conversion of an official representative of Rome, whose name was identical with his own apostolic title." In calling himself a servant (bondsman) of Jesus Christ, he may have intended either to declare himself the dependant and worshipper of Christ, as all Christians are servants (slaves) of Christ, Eph. 6:6; or to express his official relation to the Church as the minister of Christ. This is the more probable explanation, because, in the Old Testament עֶבֶד יְהֹוָה is a common official designation of any one employed in the immediate service of God, Joshua 1:1, 24:29, Jer. 29:19, Isaiah 42:1; and because in the New Testament we find the same usage, not only in the beginning of several of the epistles, as "Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ," Phil. 1:1. "James, the servant of God and of Jesus Christ," James 1:1. "Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ," 1 Peter 1:1; but also in other cases where the word δοῦλος is interchanged with διάκονος minister. Comp. Col. 1:7, 4:7, 12. It is, therefore, a general official designation of which, in the present case, apostle is the specific explanation. "Apostolatus ministerii est species." Calvin. It has also been properly remarked, that as the expression, servant of Christ, implies implicit obedience and subjection, it supposes the Divine authority of the Redeemer. That is we find the apostle denying that he was the servant of men, rejecting all human authority as it regards matters of faith and duty, and yet professing the most absolute subjection of conscience and reason to the authority of Jesus Christ. κλήτος ἀπόστολος, called an apostle. Paul was not only a servant of Christ, but by Divine appointment an apostle. This idea is included in the word κλήτος, which means not only called, but chosen, appointed; and the κλῆσις, or vocation, as well of believers to grace and salvation, as of the apostles to their office is uniformly ascribed to God or Christ; see Gal. 1:1, 1 Cor. 1:1, Tit. 1:1, Gal. 1:15. As the immediate call of Christ was one of the essential requisites of an apostle, Paul means to assert in the use of the word κλήτος that he was neither self-appointed nor chosen by men to that sacred office. The word ἀπόστολος occurs in its original sense of messenger in several cases in the New Testament. John 13:16, οὐκ ἒστι ἀπόστολος μείζων τοῦ πέμψαντος αὐτόν. Phil. 2:25, Ἐπαφρό διτον … ὑμῶν δέ ἀπόστολον. Comp. 4:18. In 2 Cor. 8:23, Paul speaking of the brethren who were with him, calls them ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν; τουτέστιν says Chrysostom, ὑπὸ ἐκκλησιῶν πεμφθέντες. Theophylact adds, καἰ χει ροτονηθέντες. Our translators, therefore, are doubtless correct in rendering this phrase, messengers of the churches. As a strict official designation, the word apostle is confined to those men selected and commissioned by Christ himself to deliver in his name the message of salvation. It appears from Luke 6:13, that the Saviour himself gave them this title. "And when it was day, he called his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." If it be asked, why this name was chosen? it is perhaps enough to say, that it was peculiarly appropriate. It is given to those who were sent by Christ to perform a particular service, who were therefore properly called messengers. There is no necessity to resort for an explanation of the term, to the fact that the word שְׁלִיחַ messenger, was applied sometimes to the teachers and ministers of the synagogue, sometimes to plenipotentiaries sent by the Sanhedrim to execute some ecclesiastical commission. The apostles, then, were the immediate messengers of Christ, appointed to bear testimony to what they had seen and heard. "Ye also shall bear witness," said Christ, speaking to the twelve, "because ye have been with me from the beginning." John 15:26. This was their peculiar office; hence when Judas fell, one, said Peter, who has companioned with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. Acts 1:21. To be an apostle, therefore, it was necessary to have seen Christ after his resurrection, 1 Cor. 9:1, and to have a knowledge of his life and doctrines derived immediately from himself. Without this no man could be a witness, he would only report what he had heard from others, he could bear no independent testimony to what he himself had seen and heard. Christ, therefore, says to his disciples, after his resurrection. "Ye shall be my witnesses," Acts 1:8, and the apostles accordingly constantly presented themselves in this character. Acts 2:32, 3:15, 13:31. "We are witnesses," said Peter, speaking of himself and fellow-apostles, "of all things which he did, both in the land of Judea, and in Jerusalem." Acts 10:39. When Paul was called to be an apostle, the Saviour said to him. "I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee." Acts 26:16. We accordingly find, that whenever Paul was called upon to defend his apostleship, he strenuously asserted that he was appointed not of men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ; and as to his doctrines, that he neither received them of man, neither was he taught them, but by revelation of Jesus Christ. Gal. 1:12. As the testimony which the apostles were to bear related to all that Jesus had taught them, it was by preaching the gospel that they discharged their duty as witnesses. Hence Paul says, "Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel." 1 Cor. 1:17. To the elders of Ephesus he said, "I count not my life dear unto me, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24. To give authority to this testimony the apostles were inspired, and as religious teachers infallible. John 14:26, 16:13. They had the power of working miracles, in confirmation of their mission. Matt. 10:8, and the Acts of the Apostles passim. This power they could communicate to others by the laying on of their hands. Acts 9:15, 17, 18, 19:6. This is what is meant by giving the Holy Ghost, for the apostles never claimed the power of communicating the sanctifying influences of the Spirit. Nor was the power of giving the Spirit, in the sense above-mentioned, peculiar to them, for we read that Ananias, a disciple, was sent to Paul that he might receive the Holy Ghost. Acts 9:17. The apostles seem also to have had the gift of "discerning spirits," 1 Cor. 12:10, and of remitting sins. John 20:23. They ordained presbyters over the congregations gathered by their ministry, Acts 14:23, &c.; and exercised a general jurisdiction over the churches. 1 Cor. 5:3–5, 2 Cor. 10:6, 8, 11, 1 Tim. 1:20. The apostles, therefore, were the immediate messengers of Jesus Christ, sent to declare his gospel, endued with the Holy Spirit, rendering them infallible as teachers, and investing them with miraculous powers, and clothed with peculiar prerogatives in the organization and government of the Church. It is in explanation of his apostolic office, and in the further assertion of his divine commission that Paul adds, ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ, separated unto the gospel of God. Ἀφορίζειν is to limit off, to separate, to select from among others. It is so used in Levit. 20:24, 26, "I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people." In the same sense, in Gal. 1:15, "when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb;" that is, who singled me out, or chose me. It is obvious, therefore, that the apostle here refers to his appointment by God to his office. In Acts 13:2, it is said, "Separate (ἀφορίσατε) unto me Barnabas and Saul," where a separation not to the ministry, much less to the apostleship, but to a special mission is referred to. Paul's designation to office was neither of man, nor by man. Gal. 1:1. The words εἰς εὐαγγέλιον, unto the gospel, express the object to which he was devoted when thus separated from the mass of his brethren; it was to preach the gospel. The divine origin of the gospel is asserted in calling it the gospel of God. It is the glad annunciation which God makes to men of the pardon of sin, of restoration to his favour, of the renovation of their nature, of the resurrection of the body, and of eternal life.Support Info | ro |
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