Romans 1:1

To the Romans

(προς Ρωμαιους). This is the title in Aleph A B C, our oldest Greek MSS. for the Epistle. We do not know whether Paul gave any title at all. Later MSS. add other words up to the Textus Receptus: The Epistle of Paul to the Romans. The Epistle is put first in the MSS. because it is the most important of Paul's Epistles. Paul

(Παυλος). Roman name (Παυλυς). See on Acts 13:9 for the origin of this name by the side of Saul.Servant

(δουλος). Bond-slave of Jesus Christ (or Christ Jesus as some MSS. give it and as is the rule in the later Epistles) for the first time in the Epistles in the opening sentence, though the phrase already in Galatians 1:10. Recurs in Philippians 1:1 and δεσμιος (bondsman) in Philemon 1:1.Called to be an apostle

(κλητος αποστολος). An apostle by vocation (Denney) as in 1 Corinthians 1:1. In Galatians 1:1 κλητος is not used, but the rest of the verse has the same idea.Separated

(αφωρισμενος). Perfect passive participle of αφοριζω for which verb see on Galatians 1:15. Paul is a spiritual Pharisee (etymologically), separated not to the oral tradition, but to God's gospel, a chosen vessel (Acts 9:15). By man also (Acts 13:2). Many of Paul's characteristic words like ευαγγελιον have been already discussed in the previous Epistles that will call for little comment from now on.