Commentary on Romans, Commentary · Chapter 16
CHAP. 16.
1 ANd I commende vntounto you Phaebe our ſiſter, which is a faithfull miniſter of the Churche at Cenchrea.
2 That yee receiue her in the Lorde, as it is meete for the ſaints, and that yee aſſiſt her, in whatſoeuer buſineſſe ſhe ſhall ſtand in neede of your ayde. For ſhee hath aſſiſted many and me alſo.
3 Salute Priſca and Aquila, my fellowe helpers in Chriſte Ieſus.
4 Who for my life hauehave laide downe their owne necke: to whom not I onelyonly giuegive thankes, but alſo all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 And the Church that is in their houſe. Salute my beeloued Epenetus which is the firſt fruites of Achaia in Chriſte.
6 Greet Marie which beſtowed great labour on vsus.
7 Salute Andronicus and Iunia my coſins and fellowe priſoners, which are notable amongſt the Apoſtles, & were in Chriſte before mee.
8 Salute Amplias my beloued in the Lorde.
9 Salute Vrbanus our helper in Chriſte, and Stachis my beloued.
10 Salute Apelles approued in Chriſte. Salute thē which are of Ariſtobulus friendes.
11 Salute Herodion my kinſman. Salute them which are of the friendes of Narciſſus, which are in the Lord.
12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphoſa, which women labour in the Lord. Salute the beloued Perſis, which woman hath labored much in the Lord.
13 Salute Rufus choſen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
14 Salute Aſyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Mercurius, and the brethren which are with them.
15 Salute Philologus, and Iulias, Nereus, and his ſiſter, & Olimpas, and all the Saints which are with them.
16 Salute one another with an holy kiſſe. The Churches of Chriſt ſalute you.
AND I commend vntounto you, &c. A good part of this chapter is ſpent in ſalutatiōs, which becauſe they hauehave no difficultie, it were to no purpoſe to ſtande long vponupon them. I will onelyonly touch thoſe thinges, whiche require ſome light of expoſition.
Firſt of all, he commendeth Phaebe, to whome he gaue this Epiſtle to bee brought. And firſt hee commendeth her by her office, becauſe ſhee had an honeſt and holy miniſterie in the Church: Secondly, hee bringeth another cauſe why they ought to receiue her, and doe vntounto her all dueties: becauſe ſhee had alway beſtowed her ſelfe vponupon all the godly.
Therefore becauſe ſhee is a miniſter of the Church at Cenchrea, euen thereby hee commaundeth ſhee ſhould bee receiued in the Lorde. And when he addeth, as it is meete for the ſaints, hee inferreth that it were vnmeete for the ſeruants of Chriſt, if they ſhould ſhewe no honour nor bountifulneſſe towardes her. And ſurely ſeeeing it becommeth vsus to imbrace all the members of Chriſte, then ought we to imbrace them which beare ſome publique office in the Church, and to reuerence them, & to louelove and honour them in a ſpeciall manner. Secondly, as ſhee was alway officious towardes all, ſo he commandeth that ſhe ſhould be holpen now againe in her affaires. For it is a point of humanitie, not to forſake him, who by nature is readie to doe good, if at any time he ſtand in neede of the helpe of others. But to the ende hee might the rather moue their mindes, he reckoneth himſelfe alſo among them, to whome ſhe did good. Finally, this miniſterie of the which he ſpeaketh,1. Tim. 5.9. of what ſort it was hee teacheth in another place. For as the poore were maintained out of the cōmon treaſurie: ſo they were looked vntounto by a publique office. And vntounto this charge were widowes choſen, who being looſe from domeſtical cares, and hindered with no childrē, did couet to conſecrate themſelues wholy vntounto God by the dueties of charitie: therfore they were receiued into this functiō, as though they were bound & tyed: as he that ſetteth his labour, ceaſeth to be free and at his owne pleaſure. Whereupon the Apoſtle chargeth them to hauehave violated their faith, who afterward did renownce the office they had once taken vponupon them. And becauſe they were to liue a ſingle life,1. Tim. 5.11. he forbiddeth them to bee choſen vnderunder threeſcore yeeres: namely, becauſe hee ſawe that the perpetuall vow of ſingle life was dangerous, yea pernitious, to ſuch as were vnderunder that age. That holy office and profitable for the church,The comming vp of Nunnes the eſtate of thinges waxing worſe, did degenerate into the idle order of Nunnes: which order albeit it was corrupt euen from his firſt originall, and contrary to the worde of GOD, yet nowe it is ſo fallen from that beginning; that there is no leſſe differēce then betweene ſome holy place of chaſtitie and a ſtewes.
3 Salute Priſca and Aquila. Thoſe teſtimonies whiche hee giueth heere vntounto many, doe partly tend to this ende, that whiles they are had in honour who are honeſt and worthie, both honeſtie it ſelfe might bee honoured, and they might hauehave authoritie with ſuch as coulde and woulde profite more then others: partly that they mighte anſwere to their former life, neither myght they faint in the courſe of godlineſſe, or their godly zeale quaile.
It is a ſinguler honour which hee giueth here to Priſca and Aquila, ſpecially in a woman. Whereby the modeſtie of the holy man, the rather appeareth, who neither thinketh ſcorne to hauehave, nor yet is aſhamed to acknowledge a woman for his companion in the worke of the Lorde. And this was the wife of Aquila himſelfe,Act. 18.1 whom Luke calleth Priſcilla.
4 To whom no… I onelyonly. Becauſe priſca and Aquila did not ſpare their owne life for the defence of the life of Paule, hee teſtifieth that hee himſelfe priuately doth giuegive them thankes: yet hee addeth, that thankes alſo are giuen vntounto them of all ye Churches, yt by this example he might alſo mooue the Romanes. And worthily was the life of one man ſo deare and precious to al the Gentiles, for it was an incomparable treaſure: wherefore it is no maruaile though all Churches of the Gentiles thought them ſelues bounde to his preſeruers. That which hee addeth of the Church in their houſe is worth the noting. For hee coulde not more honourably adorne their familie, then with the title of the Churche. For I doe not like the worde congregation, whiche Eraſmus hath tranſlated: for it is euident that Paule by the way of honour, hath vſed the ſacred name of the Church.
5 Who is the firſt fruites. This is an alluſion vntounto the ceremonies of the lawe. For becauſe men are ſanctified vntounto God by faith, they which obteine the firſt place in the oblation, are fitly called the firſt fruits. Furthermore as eueryevery one was the formeſt,It is no ſmall honour when God choſeth any for firſt fruites. in reſpect of time, called vntounto the faith, ſo Paul doth giuegive vntounto him the prerogatiue of honour: But this hath place, whiles the end anſwereth the beginning. And ſurely it is a ſinguler honour, when God vouchſafeth to choſe any for firſt fruites. For by the continuance of time there commeth a greater and more ample proofe or tryall of faith, whiles they which firſt begun, are not wearie of running well. He teſtifieth againe his thankfulneſſe, whiles he maketh mention of thoſe things Marie did for him. And it is ſure hee aſcribeth theſe prayſes, that hee might make them more commendable to the Romans, whom he praiſed.
7 Salute Andronicus. Although Paul is wont to make no great account of kinred, and other thinges appertaining to the fleſhe, yet becauſe that conſanguinitie which Iunia and Andronicus had with him, might greatly help that they might bee the more eaſily knowen, hee doth not neglect that prayſe alſo. There is more force in the ſecond ſpeech of praiſe, whiles he nameth them his fellow captiues: becauſe amongeſt the ornaments of Chriſtian warfare, bondes are not reckoned in the laſt place. Whiles in the third place hee nameth Apoſtles,The name Apoſtle largly taken he taketh not this worde in his proper and vſuall ſignification: But he extendeth it further: namely, vntounto all thoſe which doe not onelyonly inſtruct one Church, but for the publiſhing of the Goſpell eueryevery where, doe beſtowe their labour. They therefore who by cariyng the doctrine of ſaluation hither and thither, did plant churches, are generally in this place called Apoſtles. For other where he reſtraineth it vntounto that principal order, which Chriſt at the beginning ordeined in his twelue Diſciples. Otherwiſe it were abſurd that ſo great dignitie ſhould be aſcribed vntounto them amongeſt few. Now becauſe they had by faith imbraced the Goſpel before Paule, he doubteth not in that reſpect to preferre them before himſelfe.
11 Who are of the friendes of Narciſſus. It had been a thing too bad, that Peter ſhold be omitted in ſo long a catologue if he had been then at Rome. But he muſt needes hauehave bin there, if wee beleeue the Romanes. Howbeit if in doubtfull thinges there is nothing better, then to followe a probable coniecture: no man of indifferent iudgement, will beleeue that is true they affirme. For he had neuer bin omitted of Paule. But it is worth the noting, that none of thoſe glorious and honourable titles are harde heere, by the which it might be gathered that noble men were chriſtians: for whōſoeuer Paule reckoneth, they were obſcure & vnnoble at Rome. I take ye Narciſſus whō Paul nameth here, to be the freeman of Claudius, a man famous for many miſchieuous & naughtie deedes. Whereby the goodnes of God is more wonderful, which pearced into that impure houſe, & abounding withall wickednes: not yt Narciſſus himſelfe was conuerted vntounto chriſt: but this was a great matter, yt a houſe as it were like vntounto hell, ſhould be viſited with the grace of Chriſte. And ſeeing they did worſhip Chriſt ſincerely, who liued vnderunder a huge Lion, vnderunder a moſt cruell ſpoyler, and corrupt man, there is no cauſe why ſeruants ſhould tary for their maſters, but eueryevery one ſhould follow Chriſt for himſelfe. Yea, the exception added by Paule doth declare that his familie was diuided, ſo that there were but a few which beleeued.
16 Salute one another in an holy kiſſe. It is euerye where apparant by the ſcriptures, that a kiſſe was an vſuall & common tokē of good will amongſt the Iewes. Perhaps leſſe vſuall amongſt the Romanes: neither was it altogether ſtrange amongſt thē, ſaue that it was not lawefull to kiſſe women, other then their kinſwomē only. Howebeit that grewe into a cuſtome with thē in old time, yt Chriſtians before the communication of the Supper, did kiſſe one another, to teſtifie their good will by that ſigne: thē afterward they gaue almes, yt they might cōfirm yt in deed & effect,Whence the kiſſing of the pare proceeded. which they repreſented by a kiſſe: as appeareth out of a certaine homilie of Chryſoſtome. Hence came that ryte which is at this day among the Papiſtes; of kiſſing the Paxe, & making oblation. The one whereof is meere ſuperſtition with out fruite: the other ſerueth to no ende, but to full vp the coueteouſnes of the Prieſts, if yet it may be filled. Neuertheles paule ſeemeth not here preciſely to exact a ceremonie, but onelyonly exhorteth them to maintaine brotherly louelove, which hee diſcerneth frō prophane friendſhips of ye world, which for the moſt part are either hypocritical, or are brought to paſſe by naughtie deeds, or are reteined by euill meanes, and they neuer tend to a right ende. And wiſhing health as much as in hym laye from ye churches, he ſtudieth to bind all the members of Chriſte among them ſelues with the mutuall bond of louelove.
17 And I beſeech you brethren, marke them diligently, which ſtirre vp diuiſion and offences, againſt the doctrine which you hauehave alreadie learned, that you maye auoid them.
18 For they that are ſuch, ſerue not the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, but their own belly, & by faire ſpeech & flattering do deceiue the hearts of the ſimple:
19 For your obedience is come abroad among al. I am glad therfore of you: but yet I would hauehave you wiſe, vntounto that whiche is good, and ſimple to that which is euill.
20 And the God of peace ſhal tread Satan vnderunder your feete ſhortly, the grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt be with you. Amen.
17 And I beſeeche you &c. Nowe he putteth an exhortation, whereby all Churches ſtand in neede now and then to be called on: becauſe ye miniſters of Satan are alwayes at hand by occaſions to trouble the kingdome of Chriſt. And 2. wayes they goe about to make this diſturbāce: for either they ſow diſſētions,Two waies whereby the wicked labour to hinder ye courſe of the Goſpell. whereby the mynds of men are diſtracted frō the vnity of ye truth, or they ſtirre vp offences, wherby they may be alienated from the louelove of the goſpel. That cōmeth to paſſe, whiles the truth of God is ſcattered & drawē aſunder with new doctrines, and deuiſed of mē: this, whiles by diuers deceipts it is made odious & contemptible. Who ſo therfore doe either of theſe, he commaundeth they ſhould be marked, leaſt they deceiue & beguile the ſimple: ſecōdarily, he biddeth they ſhould be auoyded, becauſe they are hurtful. Neither is it without cauſe yt he requireth here attētion or circū ſpectiō of the faithfull: becauſe oftētimes by our negligēce and retchleſnes it cōmeth to paſſe, yt ſuch lewde fellowes doe greatly hurt the church, before they be met withal: alſo very often they creepe in to hurt with woonderful ſubtilitie, except they be wiſely cōſidered. And note yt he ſpeaketh vntounto ſuch, as were inſtructed in the pure doctrine of God: for it is a wicked & horrible diuorcemēt, to deuide thoſe doe conſent in the verity of Chriſt. But it is an impudēt detractiō or ſurmiſe vnderunder the pretēce of peace & vnity, to defend conſpiracie in lies and wicked doctrines. There is therefore no cauſe, why the Papiſts ſhould ſeeke a colour out of this place to procure hatred againſt vsus: becauſe we doe not reſiſt or pull aſunder the Goſpel of Chriſt, but the lyes of Satan, wherewith the Goſpel hath hitherto beene darkened. Yea Paul ſheweth plainly, that he doth not without exception, condemne euerie diſſention, but ſuche as diuideth Catholike faith. For there is great waight in this ſaying. Which you hauehave learned: becauſe before that the Romaines were taught aright, they muſt needes depart from their old manners, and inſtitutions of their fathers.
16 For they which are ſuche. Hee addeth a perpetual note, whereby falſe Prophets may be knowen from the ſerauntes of Chriſt,A marke to know falſe prophetes. namely that they ſeeke not the glorie of Chriſt, but ſerue their belly. Yet becauſe they creepe in craftely, and by taking vponupon them the perſon of another, doe hide their malice, withall he noteth what crafts they vſe, leaſt any ſhould be deceiued: namely that by faire ſpeech they winne fauour vntounto them. The Preachers of the Goſpel alſo hauehave their gentleneſſe and ſweetenes, but yet ioyned with libertie or boldnes, yt neyther they flatter mē with vaine prayſes, or cocker their vices: but thoſe deciuers, both by their flatterie ſteale vntounto them the hearts of men, & alſo ſpare and cocker vices, that they might hold them bound. Hee calleth ſuch ſimple, as are not ſufficiently circumſpect to beware of deceyptes.
19 For your obedience. This is a Preoccupation or preuenting, whereby he ſheweth that he doth not therefore admoniſh them, as though he thought amiſſe of them, but becauſe it is eaſie to fall here: as if he ſaid, ſurely your obedience is commended eueryevery where, ſo that there is cauſe why I ſhould be glad of you. Yet ſeeing that oftentimes men fall here, through ſimplicitie, I would hauehave you rude and ſimple to commit euill, but in that is good, that is, ſo often as is expedient, for the conſeruation of integritie,What ſimplicitie is commended vntounto Chriſtians. I would hauehave you very prudent. Here we ſee what ſimplicitie is commended in Chriſtians: leaſt they who at this day count ſottiſhe ignorance of the woorde of God for a high vertue ſhould pretend this title. For although he prayſe the Romaines, that they were obedient and tractable, yet he would hauehave prudencie and choyſe, to be added, leaſt their lightneſſe of beliefe ſhoulde be a pray to eueryevery deceipt. Therefore he ſo reioyceth of them that they are without fraude, that yet he woulde hauehave them wiſe to beware. That which followeth, namely, God ſhall treade Satan, is rather a promiſe to ſtrengthen them, then a prayer. For hee exhorteth them that they fight couragiouſly againſt Satan, promiſing they ſhould ſhortly hauehave the victorie. In deede hee is once ouercome of Chriſte, but yet not ſo, but he may continually renue warre: he promiſeth therefore the laſte putting of him to flight, which appeareth not in the midſt of the battaile. Although he ſpeak not onelyonly of the laſt day, wherein aſſuredly Satan ſhalbe troden vnderunder feete: but ſeeing Satan at that time, as it were his reines being looſe or burſt, did proudly diſturbe all thinges, hee promiſeth that ſhortly it would come to paſſe, that the Lorde woulde ſubdue him, and as it were giuegive him to be troden vnderfeete. Straightwaies foloweth his praier, that the grace of Chriſte might be with them: that is, that they might inioye all thoſe bleſſinges which are prouided for vsus by Chriſt.
21 Tymothie my fellow lobourer, and Lucius, and Iaſon, and Soſipater, my kinſmen Salute you.
22 I Tertius which wrote out this Epiſtle, ſalute you in the Lorde.
23 Gaius my hoſt, and of the whole church ſaluteth you. Eraſtus the chamberlaine of the citie, ſaluteth you, & Quartus a brother.
24 The grace of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt bee with you all Amen.
25 To him now that is able to confirme you according to my goſpel: namely, the preaching of Ieſus Chriſt, according to the reuelation of the myſterie, which was kept ſecrete ſince the world began.
26 But now hath been opened and publiſhed among al nations, by the ſcriptures of the Prophets, at the commandement of the euerlaſting God, for the obedience of faith.
27 To God I ſay, onelyonly wiſe, bee praiſe through Ieſus Chriſte for euer, Amen.
Written to the Romanes from Corinth, and ſent by Phaebe ſeruant of the Church Which is at Ceuchrea.
21 Tymothy my fellow labourer, &c. The ſalutations he aſcribeth ſerue partly to maintaine louelove, amongſt thoſe were farre aſunder: partly that the Romanes might knowe the ſubſcription of their brethren in the Epiſtle. Not that Paule ſtoode in neede of the teſtimonie of others, but becauſe the conſent of the godly auaileth much. And the Epiſtle (as wee may ſee) is concluded with the prayſe of God and thankeſgiuing, for he maketh mention of that ſinguler benefite of God: namely, that he hath vouchſafed the Gentiles with the light of the goſpel: wherin appeareth his infinite and vnſpeakable goodneſſe. Although this prayſe hath alſo in it that, which may ſerue to ſet vp and eſtabliſhe the confidence of the godly, that their mindes beeing erected vntounto God, they may aſſuredly looke for all thoſe thinges, which are heere aſcribed to him: and alſo by his former benefites may confirme their hope touching that is to come. But becauſe by gathering many thinges into one ſentence, hee hath made a long Period or ſtoppe, which is wrapped with a diſordered placing of wordes, eueryevery member is to be diuided of vsus.
Firſt, hee giueth to God onelyonly all glory: ſecondly, to the ende hee might ſhewe howe it is due vntounto hym, by the way hee rehearſeth certaine vertues of his, whereby appeareth, he onelyonly is worthie of all praiſe. Hee ſaith hee is onelyonly wiſe: which prayſe whiles it is giuen to him, it is taken from all the creatures. Although Paul ſeemeth, after hee hath ſpoken of the ſecrete counſaile of God, purpoſely to hauehave added this prayſe, that he might drawe all men into reuerence and admiration of the wiſedome of God. For wee knowe, when men in the workes of God finde not out the cauſe, howe readie they are to murmure. By adding that God is able to confirme the Romanes, hee aſſureth them of final perſeuerance.
And that they might more certainely depend on his power, he addeth that the ſame is teſtified vntounto vsus in the Goſpell: where thou ſeeſt, ye goſpel doth not only bring vntounto vsus preſēt grace; but alſo doth bring vntounto vsus aſſurance of grace ſtill to continue. For there, God doeth not onelyonly promiſe to be our father in preſente, but alſo that hee will bee vntounto the ende. Yea, his adoption is extended beyonde death, becauſe it bringeth vsus vntounto the eternall inheritance. The reſidue are put to commende the vertue and dignitie of the Goſpell. He calleth the Goſpell, the preaching of Chriſt, ſo that ſurely the whole ſumme thereof is cōteined in ye knowledge of Chriſt: hee calleth his doctrine the reuelation of the myſterie: which ought not onelyonly to make vsus more attentiue in hearing of it, but alſo impreſſe an high reuerence therof in our hearts, and howe high a ſecrete that is, he ſignifieth, when he addeth that from the beginning of the worlde by ſo many ages it was hiddē. Verily it hath not a proud and hautie wiſedome, ſuch as the ſonnes of this worlde couet, of whom alſo it is therefore contemned: but it declareth thoſe vnſpeakable treaſures of celeſtiall wiſedome, aboue eueryevery capacitie: which if the angels alſo themſelues do reuerence with admiration, ſurely no man can ſufficiently wonder at it. Neither ought this wiſedom to be therfore leſſe eſteemed, becauſe it lieth hid vnderunder a baſe & ſimple ſtile: becauſe ſo it hath pleaſed the Lorde, to ſubdue the arrogancie of the fleſh. And becauſe great dout might ariſe, howe this myſterie which by ſo many ages was hiddē, did ſo ſuddenly appeare forth: he teacheth, that that came not to paſſe through the temeritie of men, nor by chaunce, but by the eternall ordinance of God: where alſo he ſhutteth the gate againſt curious queſtions, which ye waywardnes of mans wit is wont to moue. For whatſoeuer cōmeth ſuddenly and beſides their expectation, they thinke it is done at vnwares: whereby they gather oftentimes wickedly, that the workes of God are abſurd, or at the leaſt they intangle thēſelues, with many troubleſome douts. Paul therefore admoniſheth, that that which appeared nowe ſuddenly, was decreed of God before the worlde were made. But leaſt any ſhoulde make a doubte therefore, that he might charge the Goſpell with newnes, and to defame it, he alleageth the ſcriptures of the prophets, where that was foreſpoken, which we ſee nowe fulfilled. For all the Prophets hauehave giuen ſo large teſtimonie vntounto the Goſpel, that it can not els where be better confirmed. And by this meanes God did rightly prepare the mindes of his, leaſt the noualtie of a thinge wherewith they were not acquainted, ſhould too much aſtoniſhe them.Obiection. If any obiect that there is a contraryetie in the wordes of Paule, becauſe he ſaith that that myſterie of the which GOD hath giuen teſtimonie by his Prophetes was hidden in all ages, this knot is eaſily vnfolded by Peter, namely that the prophets,Anſwere. 1. Pet. 1.12. whiles they diligently inquired of the ſaluation offered to vsus, did not miniſter to themſelues, but to vsus. Therfore, God by ſpeaking then, helde his peace, becauſe hee helde the reuelation of thoſe things, of the which he would hauehave his ſeruants to propheſie, in ſuſpence. Although it is not certainely agreed vponupon among the learned,Ephe. 3.9. Colloſ. 1.27. in what ſence, both here and to the Epheſ. he calleth the Goſpel an hidden myſterie. The opinion of them, is more firme, which referre it to the calling of the Gentiles, which Paul him ſelfe preciſely toucheth to the Coloſ. Yet I, albeit I confeſſe that to be one cauſe,Colloſ. 1.27. can not be brought to beleeue, that is the onelyonly cauſe. It ſeemeth more probable vntounto me, that Paul had reſpecte alſo vntounto the other differences of the olde and newe Teſtament. For although the Prophets in olde time, taught all thoſe things, which are expounded by Chriſt, and his apoſtles: yet they taught them with ſuch obſcuritie, in compariſon of the cleare light of the Goſpel, that it is no maruell, if they bee ſaide to hauehave bin hidden, which now are made manifeſt. Neither is it without cauſe that the prophet Malac. ſaith,Mal. 4.2. there ſhould riſe the ſonne of righteouſneſſe: neither that the prophet Eſai hath before hand ſo highly commended the embaſſage of the Meſſias.
Finally, nor that the Goſpell is called the kingdom of god: but we may better gather by the thing it ſelf, that then at length were the treaſures of celeſtiall wiſedome opened, when the ſhadowes being done away, God appeared to them in olde time, by his onelyonly begotten ſonne, as it were face to face. Hee maketh mention agayne of that ende of the preaching of the Goſpell, whereof he made mention in the beginning of the firſt Chapter, namely, that God might bring all nations into the obedience of fayth.
Laus Deo, ſoli ſapienti in ſecula. Amen. C. R.