He desires their prayers, and gives them his benediction. 29 And I am sure, 171 Rom. fruit, I will come by God to give me a favourable opportunity, come secr. you into Spain. by you into Spain. And as I doubt not, but xxxiii. that when I come you will pray for me, that my coming may be unto you, I shall comfortable, and useful for your confirmation come in the fulness in religion; so I have a cheerful confidence, of the blessing of the that God will hear your prayers, and may say, gospel of Christ. together with me in your prayers to God for me; xv. 29 that I know that when I come among you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, that is, with a full and abundant blessing, attending my ministerial and evangelical 30 Now I beseech labours. Yet when I write thus, it is not 30 you, brethren, for from any particular revelation, to assure me the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and that I shall be enabled to fulfil this purpose. for the love of the I know, that in this journey to Jerusalem, I Spirit, that ye strive have, humanly speaking, a very dangerous scene before me, having some of my most mortal and implacable enemies to contend with. And therefore, as I cannot but apprehend the interest of the gospel to be concerned in my life and liberty, I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love which is the genuine fruit of the Spirit, that you join your ut most strength and fervency with mine, in 31 That I may be [your] daily prayers to God for me, That 1 31 delivered from them may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that do not believe, who are so full of rancor against me, as a demy service which I serter from their cause; and will, I am sure, have for Jerusalem, spare no force or fraud to destroy me and may be accepted of also that my ministration at Jerusalem, in the in Judea; and that the saints: charitable affair which I mentioned above, may 32 That I may receiving it with a becoming candour and gratcome unto you with itude: That so, in consequence of all, I may 32 joy by the will of God, and may with come to you with joy, by the will of God, and that you be refreshed. I may be refreshed [together] with you, in our By the love of the Spirit.] Some would explain this of the love which the Spirit of God bears to us, or the affection which we owe to that gracious agent; and were we certain, that either of these were the genuine sense, important consequences would follow. Join your utmost strength with mine.] Elsner, (Observ. Vol. II. p. 65,) has a beautiful note on this word cuvayanioaodas, to thew how exactly that is the import of it. & That I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea.] How extreme their bigotry and rage was, appears from their behaviour to him at the very time here referred to, Acts xxi.-xxiv. It was from a sense of the great importance of his life to the cause of Christianity, that he is thus urgent; else we may be assured, he would gladly have given it up. Phil. i. 21, &c. 172 Rom. Reflections on the apostle's humility and zeal. all. Amen. SECT. intended interview. And, in the mean time, 83 Now the God xxxiii. may the God of peace, who has graciously given of peace be with you us that peace with himself, which we esteem v. 33 the first and greatest of blessings, and hath cemented our hearts in those Christian bonds of peace and love to each other, [be] with you all, whether I am present or absent. Amen! verse IMPROVEMENT. LET us behold with pleasure the modesty and humility which 18,19 is joined with all the zeal of this holy apostle, while he thus obliquely owns, in a manner which shews how familiar the thought was to his mind, that all he had done in the Christian ministry, and for the propagation and advancement of the gospel, was only what Christ had done by him, to procure such obedience of the Gentiles, both in word and in deed. Adored be the grace that made his labours so successful, and sowed the blessed seed so wide by his diligent hand, from Jerusalem unto Illyricum. Most divine instructions did he give them in matters of faith, and taught them to express that faith by their works. While he was dead to all thoughts of enriching himself, and in some instances, chose rather to maintain himself, by his own labours, than to subsist on the bounty of others, his 25,&c. liberal soul devised liberal things for his necessitous brethren. He raised a noble collection, and was much concerned, not only that 31 it might be safely, but acceptably delivered. Well may our souls be edified, by observing the things which lay nearest the heart of this generous apostle, that coming to his 29 Christian friends at Rome, he might come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, and that if he was spared through their prayers, it might be for public usefulness. St. Paul, dead as he was to human applause, was, from much nobler motives, solicitous about his acceptance; and he shews by his manner of speaking, what a sense he had of the degree in which it depended upon the turn and disposition which God should be pleased to give to the spirits of men: may this just and pious thought frequently dwell upon the hearts of the ministers of Christ! Some of the prayers, which the apostle so affectionately be speaks, were answered; and some seemed to be forgotten : Yet did God make, what seemed the rejection of some, the means of answering the rest. He was for a while delivered into the hands of those in Judea, who believed not; and this providence, which might have seemed an invincible obstacle to his design, proved the occasion of bringing him to Rome, and promoted the success of his ministry there. The apostle recommenas Phebe to the Romans : 178 Let us adore the God of grace and peace, who works the most SECT. important ends, by methods to us unthought of; and let us be xxxiii. greatly cautious, that we do not rashly judge that he hath rejected our prayers, because we do not see them answered in that 33 particular way which might have been more agreeable to our own wishes. verse SECT. XXXIV. The apostle, after recommending Phebe to the Romans, particularly salutes several of his friends then resident among them. Rom. XVI. 1-16. ROMANS XVI. 1. ROMANS XVI. 1. AVING thus dispatched the substance of SECT. my epistle, I would add, by way of post- xxxiv. servant of the church script, something relating to a few particular which is in Cen- Christian friends, with us, or with sister, which is a chrea; becometh saints, and Rom. xvi. 1 you: and first would recommend to you the bearer of this epistle, Phebe, our sister, who is not only par taker with us in the profession of the gospel, but in the office of a stated servant, or deacon. ness, of the church in Cenchrea, in the neigh2 That ye receive bourhood of which I write to you. And I de- 2 her in the Lord, as sire that you would entertain her, in regard to that ye assist her in her relation to the Lord Jesus Christ, our comwhatsoever business mon Saviour, with all Christian affection, and she hath need of in a manner becoming those that profess themyou: for she hath selves saints, separated from the world, to the been a succourer of many, and of myself honour of his name; and that you would assist her in any thing in which she may need it of you; for I can assure you she has been, in her office, an helper of many, and of myself in particular ; on which account she is well worthy of your regard, and will I hope meet with a very kind reception from all that love me, or have any concern for the common cause. also. 3 Greet Priscilla I desire you would also salute the pious 3 Priscilla, and her worthy consort Aquila, who 4 stated servant, or deaconness.] Compare 1 Tim. v. 9. That there were some grave and pious matrons engaged in such an office, in the primitive church, is, I think, very apparent from these places: but it is obvious there were circumstances which rendered such sort of servants much more useful and necessary in the churches at that time, than they would now generally be, b The church in Cenchrea.] As Paul mentions the church in Cenchrea, as distinct from that at Corinth, though Cenchrea lay in the suburbs of it, I must submit to the candid reader, whether it be not probable, that it had a distinct pastor, or bishop of its own. Priscilla and Aquila.] This excellent couple appear, by this passage, to be returned to Rome, on the ceasing of that 174 And sends several salutations in his own name, SECT. have both deserved the name of my fellow la- and Aquila my helpxxxiv. bourers in Christ Jesus, as they have each of ers in Christ Jesus : them, according to their different stations and xvi. 3 characters, been ready to do their utmost to Rom. promote the interest of the gospel amongst us. You their own necks: 4 And indeed they are persons, who for the 4 (Who have for 5 Likewise greet labour on us. 6 Salute Mary, who has taken a great deal of 6 Greet Mary, edict against the Jews, which had driven • Andronicus, &c.] Dr. Jenkins very The first fruits, &c.] It is very probable he might be converted at the same time with Stephanas, called also the first fruits of Achaia, (1 Cor. xvi. 15,) for there is no manner of necessity to understand by that expression, the very first Christian convert. Indeed it is possible, Epenetus might be one of that happy family to which this appellation is given. justly observes, that this list of names can be no objection at all to the authority of this epistle; for it might be an encouragement to the persons thus particularly mentioned, might conciliate some additional respect to them, whereby their usefulness might be promoted, and would render each of these persons a kind of witness to the genuineness of the epistle, as we may naturally suppose it was shewed to each of them. Jenk. of Christianity, Vol. II. p. 37. In reputation among the apostles.] Di. odati thinks, that apostles here signifies evangelists; and that the meaning is, that these persons were noted messengers of the churches, 2 Cor. viii. 23; Phil. ii. 25. But I rather apprehend with Mr. Cradeck, before me. Lord. loved. Salute them which household. to the beloved in Christ Jesus at Rome, 175 also were in Christ also happy in being joined to the church of SECT. Christ before me; and therefore, though once xxxiv. the object of my furious persecuting zeal, are Rom. now honoured and beloved as my elder breth- xvi. 7 8 Greet Amplias ren in the Lord. Salute Amplias, my beloved g my beloved in the in the Lord, for whom I have a most affectionate friendship, cemented in the bonds of mutu9 Salute Urbane al faith and love. Salute also Urbanus, my 9 our helper in Christ, fellow labourer in the gospel of Christ, to the and Stachys my be. service of which he is so faithfully devoted, and with him my beloved Stachys, of whose friendship I cannot but retain an affectionate 10 Salute Apelles remembrance. Salute Apelles, whose long 10 approved in Christ. experienced worth renders him thoroughly apare of Aristobulus' proved in the cause of Christ, as a disciple of a character undoubtedly honourable. Salute also those [of the family] of Aristobulus, and assure the Christians that hold the lowest station in it, that they are not forgotten by me. 11 Salute Hero- Salute my cousin Herodion, still dearer to me in 11 dion, my kinsman. the ties of grace, than in those of nature; and Greet them that be those belonging to [the household of] Narcissus, Narcissus, which who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. are in the Lord. Salute those excellent women Tryphena and 12 12 Salute Try- Tryphosa, who, according to their stations, phena and Tryphosa, who labour in have laboured with great diligence in the ser the Lord. Salute vice of the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, the beloved Per who distinguished herself among many who were faithful and diligent; so that it may properly be said, she laboured much in the Lord. 13 Salute Rufus Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord, whom I esteem 18 chosen in the Lord, as a Christian of a most excellent character; and his mother and and pay the most affectionate respects, in my mine. name, to his mother and mine:1 for so I may of the household of sis, which laboured much in the Lord. (Apost. Hist. p. 43,) that they were some early converts, who had been known and much esteemed by the apostles, before the dispersion occasioned by the death of Stephen, (Acts viii. 2,) and if so, perhaps Paul might once have been active in persecuting them, and have learned their names at first, with an hostile intent of hunting them down to destruction. Those [of the family] of Aristobulus.] The Roman church hath consecrated days to the honour of many of the saints mentioned in this chapter, whom they declare, I know not on what sufficient authority, to have been martyrs. See L'Enf. Pref. to the Romans, p. 6, 7. To these they have added Aristobulus, and Narcissus, though there is no certain evidence that they were Christians. It seems most probable, they were persons of high rank, who had each a great family of slaves; and some of them being Christian converts, the apostle would not forget them, low as their rank in life was, when he was saluting his brethren in so particular a manner. We may observe, what a regard the apostle had for foreign churches, when he informed himself of the names, circumstances, and abodes, of so many then in Rome. h His mother and mine.] Hence some have thought that Rufus was at least half brother to Paul, but perhaps he might in this expression refer to the maternal care this good woman had taken of him. |