Romans 1:5

By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: BY WHOM WE HAVE RECEIVED, [ elabomen (G2983)] - 'we received;' that is, at the period of his conversion. In the plural "we" there is no reference to any other than himself. In epistolary compositions (as Tholuck remarks) the plural is largely used, and the New Testament writers, as Cicero sometimes does, alternate between the plural and the singular in the same breath (see 2 Corinthians 5:11; Colossians 4:3; 2 Peter 1:15). GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP - not ex...

5._Through whom we have received, etc. _— Having completed his definition of the gospel, which he introduced for the recommendation of his office, he now returns to speak of his own call; and it was a great point that this should be proved to the Romans. By mentioning grace and apostleship apart, he adopts a form of speech, (20) which must be understood as meaning, gratuitous apostleship or the favor of the apostleship; by which he means, that it was wholly through divine favor, not through his own worthiness, that he had been chosen for so high an office. For though it has hardly any thing connected with it in the estimation of the world, except dangers, labors, hatred, and disgrace; yet before God and his saints, it possesses a dignity of no common or ordinary kind. It is therefore deservedly counted a favor. If you prefer to say, “I have received grace that I should be an Apostle,” th...

1-7 The doctrine of which the apostle Paul wrote, set forth the fulfilment of the promises by the prophets. It spoke of the Son of God, even Jesus the Saviour, the promised Messiah, who came from David as to his human nature, but was also declared to be the Son of God, by the Divine power which raised him from the dead. The Christian profession does not consist in a notional knowledge or a bare assent, much less in perverse disputings, but in obedience. And all those, and those only, are brought to obedience of the faith, who are effectually called of Jesus Christ. Here is, 1. The privilege of Christians; they are beloved of God, and are members of that body which is beloved. 2. The duty of Christians; to be holy, hereunto are they called, called to be saints. These the apostle saluted, by wishing them grace to sanctify their souls, and peace to comfort their hearts, as springing from t...

Verse Romans 1:5. _GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP_] The peculiar influence and the essential qualifications which such an _office_ requires. Without the GRACE, _favour_, and peculiar help of God, he could not have been an apostle: he had an extraordinary conversion, and an extraordinary call to preach the Gospel. Probably χαριν και αποστολην, _grace and apostleship_, mean the same as χαριν της αποστολης, the _apostolical office_; for so the word χαρις means in Romans 12:3; Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:8. See the var...

BY WHOM - The apostle here returns to the subject of the salutation of the Romans, and states to them his authority to address them. That authority he had derived from the Lord Jesus, and not from man. On this fact, that he had received his apostolic commission, not from man, but by the direct authority of Jesus Christ, Paul not infrequently insisted. Galatians 1:12, “for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1 Corinthians 15:1; Ephesians 3:1. WE - The plural here is probably put for the singular; see...

EXPOSITION ROMANS 1:1 I. INTRODUCTORY. ROMANS 1:1 A. _Salutation_ with long interposed parenthesis, suggested by "gospel of God." The parenthesis, expressing thoughts of which the writer's mind is full, intimates the purport of the coming treatise. It also intimates his claim, afterwards more fully asserted (Romans 15:15, seq.), to demand a hearing from the Roman Church. It is St. Paul's way, when full of an idea, thus to interrupt his sentences at the suggestion of a word. Somewhat similar interpositions are found in the opening salutations of Galatians and Titus, especially in the latter; but this is peculiar for its l

BY WHOM WE HAVE RECEIVED GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP,.... That is, either by the Holy Spirit, from whom all grace and gifts come, qualifying for the discharge of any office; or by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is full of grace and truth, has received gifts for, and gives them to men to fit them for whatsoever service he is pleased to call them to. By "grace and apostleship" may be meant, either one and the same thing, the favour and honour of being the apostles of Christ; or different things, and the one in order to the other. Grace may design special saving grace in calling, justification, pardon, and adoption, and sanctification, which was received in common with other saints, and is absolutely necessary to an apostle, and to any ordinary minister of the word; or the doctrine of grace, which they received from Christ, and dispensed to others; or rather the gifts of grace, and the various measur...

Romans 1:1. _Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,_ Paul has many titles, and he delights to mention them in writing to these Christians at Rome. He puts first his highest title: «A servant of Jesus Christ.» He glories in being a servant of the crucified Christ, a servant of him who was despised and rejected of men; so do we. Paul was called out from among men, effectually «called» of God «to be an apostle, separated» set apart «unto the gospel of God.» He believed that he was separated for that purpose at his birth; but he was specially «separated unto the gospel of God» on the road to Damascus. It is a happy thing when a minister feels that he has nothing to do with anything else but the gospel; that commands all his thought, all his talent, all his time....

FOR OBEDIENCE Unto obedience to faith, that is, faith as a principle, or method of divine dealing. Compare (Romans 10:1)....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. DOCTRINAL. THE SALVATION OF GOD. Chapter 1-8. CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Apostle and the Gospel of God. (Romans 1:1 .)_ 2. The Greeting. (Romans 1:7 .) 3. The Apostle's Prayer and Desire. (Romans 1:8 .) 4. The Great Theme Introduced. (Romans 1:16 .) Romans 1:1 The introduction to the Epistle is unsurpassed by any other Epistle. Every word should be carefully studied. The writer introduces himself first of all as a servant (literally: slave) of Jesus Christ and called an apostle. Notice that in...