Personal Ministry to a Christian Faith

Personal Ministry of Steve Kellar

Roman’s Introduction

CHAPTER 1
Ro 1:1—17. Introduction.
1. Paul–(See on Ac 13:9).
a servant of Jesus Christ–The word here rendered “servant” means “bond-servant,” or one subject to the will and wholly at the disposal of another. In this sense it is applied to the disciples of Christ at large (1Co 7:21—23), as in the Old Testament to all the people of God (Is 66:14). But as, in addition to this, the prophets and kings of Israel were officially “the servants of the Lord” (Jos 1:1; Ps 18:1, title), the apostles call themselves, in the same official sense, “the servants of Christ” (as here, and Php 1:1; Jam 1:1; 2Pe 1:1; Jud 1:1), expressing such absolute subjection and devotion to the Lord Jesus as they would never have yielded to a mere creature. (See on Ro 1:7; Jn 5:22,23).
called to be an apostle–when first he “saw the Lord”; the indispensable qualification for apostleship. (See on Ac 9:5; Ac 22:14; 1Co 9:1).
separated unto the–preaching of the
gospel–neither so late as when “the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul” (Ac 13:2), nor so early as when “separated from his mother’s womb” (see on Ga 1:15). He was called at one and the same time to the faith and the apostleship of Christ (Ac 26:16—18).
of God–that is, the Gospel of which God is the glorious Author. (So Ro 15:16; 1Th 2:2, 8, 9; 1Pe 4:17).
2. Which he had promised afore … in the holy scriptures–Though the Roman Church was Gentile by nation (see on Ro 1:13), yet as it consisted mostly of proselytes to the Jewish faith (see on Introduction to this Epistle), they are here reminded that in embracing Christ they had not cast off, but only the more profoundly yielded themselves to, Moses and the prophets (Ac 13:32, 33).
3, 4. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord–the grand burden of this “Gospel of God.”
made of the seed of David–as, according to “the holy scriptures,” He behooved to be. (See on Mt 1:1).
according to the flesh–that is, in His human nature (compare Ro 9:5; Jn 1:14); implying, of course, that He had another nature, of which the apostle immediately proceeds to speak.
4. And declared–literally, “marked off,” “defined,” “determined,” that is, “shown,” or “proved.”
to be the Son of God–Observe how studiously the language changes here. He “was made [says the apostle] of the seed of David, according to the flesh” (Ro 1:3); but He was not made, He was only “declared [or proved] to be the Son of God.” So Jn 1:1, 14, “In the beginning was the Word … and the Word was made flesh”; and Is 9:6, “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” Thus the Sonship of Christ is in no proper sense a born relationship to the Father, as some, otherwise sound divines, conceive of it. By His birth in the flesh, that Sonship, which was essential and uncreated, merely effloresced into palpable manifestation. (See on Lu 1:35; Ac 13:32,33).
with power–This may either be connected with “declared,” and then the meaning will be “powerfully declared” [Luther, Beza, Bengel, Fritzsche, Alford, &c.]; or (as in our version, and as we think rightly) with “the Son of God,” and then the sense is, “declared to be the Son of God” in possession of that “power” which belonged to Him as the only-begotten of the Father, no longer shrouded as in the days of His flesh, but “by His resurrection from the dead” gloriously displayed and henceforth to be for ever exerted in this nature of ours [Vulgate, Calvin, Hodge, Philippi, Mehring, &c.].
according to the spirit of holiness–If “according to the flesh” means here, “in His human nature,” this uncommon expression must mean “in His other nature,” which we have seen to be that “of the Son of God”–an eternal, uncreated nature. This is here styled the “spirit,” as an impalpable and immaterial nature (Jn 4:24), and “the spirit of holiness,” probably in absolute contrast with that “likeness, of sinful flesh” which He assumed. One is apt to wonder that if this be the meaning, it was not expressed more simply. But if the apostle had said “He was declared to be the Son of God according to the Holy Spirit,” the reader would have thought he meant “the Holy Ghost”; and it seems to have been just to avoid this misapprehension that he used the rare expression, “the spirit of holiness.”
5. By whom–as the ordained channel.
we have received grace–the whole “grace that bringeth salvation” (Tit 2:11).
and apostleship–for the publication of that “grace,” and the organization of as many as receive it into churches of visible discipleship. (We prefer thus taking them as two distinct things, and not, with some good interpreters, as one–“the grace of apostleship”).
for obedience to the faith–rather, “for the obedience of faith”–that is, in order to men’s yielding themselves to the belief of God’s saving message, which is the highest of all obedience.
for his name–that He might be glorified.
6. Among whom are ye also–that is, along with others; for the apostle ascribes nothing special to the Church of Rome (compare 1Co 14:36) [Bengel].
the called–(See on Ro 8:30).
of Christ Jesus–that is, either called “by Him” (Jn 5:25), or the called “belonging to Him”; “Christ’s called ones.” Perhaps this latter sense is best supported, but one hardly knows which to prefer.
7. beloved of God–(Compare De 33:12; Col 3:12).
Grace, &c.–(See on Jn 1:14).
and peace–the peace which Christ made through the blood of His cross (Col 1:20), and which reflects into the believing bosom “the peace of God which passeth all understanding” (Php 4:7).
from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ–“Nothing speaks more decisively for the divinity of Christ than these juxtapositions of Christ with the eternal God, which run through the whole language of Scripture, and the derivation of purely divine influences from Him also. The name of no man can be placed by the side of the Almighty. He only, in whom the Word of the Father who is Himself God became flesh, may be named beside Him; for men are commanded to honor Him even as they honor the Father (Jn 5:23)” [Olshausen].
8. your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world–This was quite practicable through the frequent visits paid to the capital from all the provinces; and the apostle, having an eye to the influence they would exercise upon others, as well as their own blessedness, given thanks for such faith to “his God through Jesus Christ,” as being the source, according to his theology of faith, as of all grace in men.

On this day…

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