Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 16 · Section 4
4. Places of Doctrine.
Doct. 1. That women doe belong vntounto the kingdome of Christ.
1. Phebe my sister. This woman is highly commended by S. Paul as a necessarie member of the Church, who had done much good vntounto many: so godly women, though they are not admitted to the office of publike teaching, yet by priuate exhortation, vertuous education of children, charitable releefe of the poore, may edifie much, so as S. Paul saith, there is in Christ Iesu, neither bond nor free, male nor female, ye are all one in Christ Iesus, Gal. 3.28.
Doct. 2. Religion taketh not away the offices of humanitie.
v. 1. I commend. S. Paul in sending commendations, in saluting and sending salutations of the brethren one to an other, which he doth thoroughout this chapter, sheweth that humanitie, curtesie, gentlenes, may verie well stand with Christianitie, against the opinion of those hypocrites, as here Melancthon calleth them, that allowe of nothing but austeritie, or rather curiositie: which was the fashion of the Scribes and Pharisies, Matth. 6. to hauehave fowre lookes: but gentlenes, lenitie, benignitie, goodnes, are the fruites of the spirit, Galat. 5. and it is specially required of a Bishop, to be foreign, easie, equall, gentle, 1. Tim. 3.3.
Doct. 3. That no part of the Scripture is superfluous or vnprofitable.
Chrysostome here obserueth well, that though small benefit or profit may seeme to rise vntounto the reader by this last chapter, which is onelyonly full of names and seemeth to containe no great matter of edifiyng: yet he that readeth it advisedly, shall finde it to be otherwise, diligens lector, & hinc ditescet, remissus & negligens manifestis nihil lucri capiet, the diligent reader, will euen gather riches from hence, but the remisse and negligent, will take no profit by any place, though neuer so manifest: he would therefore hauehave vsus doe as goldsmiths boyes doe, minuta fragmenta conquirunt, isti tantas auri messas negligunt, they gather vp the small fragments, whereas these neglect and regard not great masses of gold: so the Apostle saith, that the whole Scripture (both it and eueryevery part thereof) is giuen by inspiration, and is profitable, &c. as our Blessed Sauiour also before him said, Matth. 5. that one iota, or iot of the word of God shall not perish.
Doct. 4. Religion taketh not away the respect of consanguinitie.
Whereas S. Paul, v. 7. saluteth Andronicus and Iunia, and v. 11. Herodian by the name of foreign, kinsman, we learne, that euen Christians may and ought to hauehave respect vntounto their kinred after the flesh, as S. Paul giueth this rule, 1. Tim. 5.4. that they should learne to shewe godlinesse first toward their owne house: as our Blessed Sauiour hanging vponupon the crosse commended his mother vntounto Iohn: and this is reckoned by Saint Paul among other vices and enormities of the heathen, they were foreign, without naturall affection, Rom. 1.30.
Doct. 5. That all are not alwayes of one minde and religion in one house.
Whereas the Apostle saluteth those, which were of Aristobulus and Narcissus houshould, whereby it seemeth, that they themselues, beeing not remembred, but omitted as vnworthie of the Apostolicall greeting, that they were not beleeuers: and Narcissus as is shewed before, was an vngracious man, one that abused the Emperour Claudius fauour, to enrich himselfe by the decay and ouerthrow of others: hence it is euident, that euen in one familie there may be a diuision and separation of minde in religion: as in Adams familie, there was a Cain for an Abel, in Noahs, a Cham for a Sem, in Abrahams, an Ismael as well as an Izaak, and in Isaacks, an Esau for a Iacob, and so as our Sauiour saith, Luk. 17.34. two shall be in one bed, the one receiued, the other refused.
Doct. 6. That a Christian may with a good conscience, and is bound to yeilde civill obedience to an vnbeleeuing Master.
This also is prooued out of this place, for they which were of Aristobulus and Narcissus familie, beeing converted to the Christian faith, did serue those Masters of a contrarie profession, and yet they continued in that seruice still: so the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. giueth this rule to seruants, to count their Masters (he meaneth, such as were vnbeleeuers) worthie of double honour, and he giueth this reason, that the name of God, and his doctrine be not euill spoken of: Then by the same reason, ought subiects to performe all ciuill obedience euen vntounto heathen Princes: if to such men, more to Christian gouernours, howsoeuer they stand vnderunder the presumptuous curse of the Romane Antichrist.
Doct. 7. That there are diuerse degrees of gifts and of rewardes for the same.
Chrysostome collecteth this doctrine out of the tenor and stile of the Apostles salutations in this chapter: some he commendeth and saluteth, à laboribus, alios à nomine fratrum, alios ab appellatione sanctorū, for their labours, some by the name of brethren, others in calling thē Saints: so that although they were all faithfull, yet they were not all equall: so was it among the Patriarkes, Lot was a iust man, but not as Abraham, and so was Hezekias, but not as Dauid: and all the Prophets, sed non vt Ioannes, but not as Iohn, and all the Apostles were beloued of Christ, but Iohn more then the rest: like as one starre differeth from an other in glorie: and so he concludeth, diligens omnium inquisitio, &c. there shall be a diligent inquirie made of eueryevery ones worth, and if one doe but a little goe before an other, ne que hoc minimum negleget Deus, God will not neglect that little.
Doct. 8. Dissentions and diuisions may be euen within the Church.
v. 17. Marke those which cause diuisions. So then it is cleare, that there were dissentions and differences euen in matters of faith among the Romanes: yet they ceased not to be a Church: Sathan raiseth such cōtentions not without the Church: for he hath ouer such an absolute power and dominion alreadie, he neede not practise to make them his: but within the Church, that the proceedings of faith may be hindered: and the Apostle giueth an other reason thereof, 1. Cor. 11.19. there must be heresies among you, that they which are approoued may be knowne: Then neither can the Romanists condemne the Church of Protestants for their diuisions, which doe more abound themselues, nor the scismatikes for the same cause to refuse our Church, in the which they themselues hauehave made the rent.
Doct. 9. The first doctrine is the best, and commeth neerest the truth.
v. 17. Contrarie to the doctrine which ye hauehave learned: like as the doctrine first taught and planted by the Apostles was the best, and heresie and schisme sprang vp afterward; so as Tertullian generally obserueth, quod primum id verum, that which is first is true, that false which commeth in afterward; as among the Israelites, Moses & the Prophets doctrine concerning the true worship of God, was first, Idolatrie and Baalisme came in afterward, so Christ and his Apostles doctrine touching iustificatiō by faith was first; the Popish doctrine of merits, and satisfactions, and of the rest, came in afterward.