Commentary on Romans 0.1–1.16

To have a fuller knowledge of things, their beginnings must first be sought; for the reason of a matter can be explained more easily if its origin is learned. Once we have shown the manner and reason of the letter’s being sent, what we say can be seen to be true. It is agreed, then, that in the times of the apostles Jews lived at Rome, because they were under Roman rule; and those of them who had believed handed on to the Romans that, while professing Christ, they should keep the law. The Romans, however, having heard the report of Christ’s mighty works, were ready to believe, being prudent; and not undeservedly called prudent, since, though badly led, they were at once corrected and remained in it. These believers in Christ from among the Jews, as we are given to understand, did not accept that he was God from God, thinking this contrary to the one God; for this reason he says that they had not obtained the spiritual grace of God, and so lacked confirmation. These are the ones who had also subverted the Galatians, so that they departed from the tradition of the apostles; and the apostle is angry with the Galatians because, having been well taught, they had easily been led astray. With the Romans, however, he had no reason to be angry, but rather to praise their faith; for without seeing any signs of mighty works, or any of the apostles, they had accepted faith in Christ, albeit by Jewish rite, in words rather than in sense; for the mystery of the cross of Christ had not been set out to them. For this reason, when some arrived who had believed rightly, questions arose about eating meat or not eating it, and whether the hope that is in Christ sufficed, or the law also had to be kept. He writes to the Romans, then, in four ways, convicting the human race from the beginning by natural reason; for they are the head of all the nations, so that in them the rest and all the gentiles may learn. The first way is that in which he shows what he is, what he was, and whose he is, and by which he also strikes the heresies. The second way is that in which he convicts them of not having subjected themselves by natural reason to the one God, and of the dishonourable and shameful things they did to one another, for which they were despised by God; so that believers may give thanks. The third way is that they spurned the law that was given; for which reason he places the Jews before the Greeks. The fourth way is that in which he teaches that the Jews swerved from the law and the promise of God in the matter of Christ, and became like the gentiles, so that both need the mercy of God, hoping for salvation not through the law but through faith in Christ Jesus. This is why he labours with all diligence to take them away from the law, since “the law and the prophets were until John” (Luke 16:16), and to establish them in faith in Christ alone; and as if against the law he champions the gospel, not destroying the law but preferring Christianity. For he asserts that Christ was promised in such a way that when he was preached the law would cease: not the whole of it, for an abbreviation of the law has been made, which gives salvation in summary; for many things were handed down to the ancients because of the hardness of their heart, to be a burden, and these the mercy of God has abbreviated through Christ by granting remission of past sins. He is ungrateful to the mercy of God, then, who wishes to be under the law; for Moses had said, “Thus you shall make the sons of Israel fearful” (Lev 15:31), so that wherever they turned they would have the law, and never be wholly without anxiety. Therefore, to teach that the hope of life and salvation is to be placed in Christ without the law, and that he himself is Lord of all, he begins thus. Chapter one.

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.” Among our ancestors names were composed for a reason, as Isaac on account of laughter and Jacob on account of the heel; so this man too was called Saul on account of restlessness. But after he believed he says that from Saul he became Paul, that is, changed. And since Saul, in the sense just given, is interpreted “restlessness” or “temptation,” when he came to faith in Christ he calls himself Paul, as if from a tempter made quiet, humble, or small; for our faith is peace. For whereas formerly, out of the restlessness of Judaism, he brought temptations on the servants of God, afterwards he himself suffered temptations for the sake of the hope which, out of love of Judaism, he had previously denied. In professing himself a servant of Christ Jesus he shows that he has been stripped of the law. And he put both, that is, Jesus Christ, to signify the person both of God and of man, since in both he is Lord, as the apostle Peter also testifies, saying, “He is Lord of all.” He is both Lord and God, as David says: “For the Lord himself is God” (Ps 100:3) — which the heresies deny. For Marcion, out of hatred of the law, thinks fit to deny Christ and his body while professing Jesus; the Jews and Photinus, out of zeal for the law, deny that Jesus is God. For whenever he says either Jesus or Christ, he signifies sometimes God, sometimes man, as in this place among others: “And one Lord Jesus, through whom are all things” (1 Cor 8:6), which certainly pertains to the Son of God as he is God; and in another place: “But Jesus advanced in age and wisdom” (Luke 2:52), which certainly befits a man. “Called an apostle.” Because he has known and confesses God, having become a fit servant, he shows that he has been promoted, saying “called an apostle,” that is, sent by the Lord to do his business. By this he shows that the one who serves not the law but Christ has merit with God; for “the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath” (Matt 12:8). “Set apart for the gospel of God.” The gospel of God is the good news of God, by which sinners are called together to pardon. Since the apostle held the place of a teacher in Judaism, being a Pharisee, he says that he has been set apart from the preaching of Judaism for the gospel of God, so that, turning from the law, he might preach Christ, who justifies those who believe in him, which the law could not do. Yet this is not against the law but for it; for the law itself says that this will come, as the prophet Isaiah says: “There will come from Zion one who will deliver and turn away captivity from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” If, then, the law of God was given through Moses, and the preaching of the new law is also of God, what difference is there, that he says he has been transferred from the law which God gave to the gospel of God? It is like one who goes from the second rank to the first, from good to better. For the law was given by God for the correction of conduct; but the gospel is of God, through which the mystery of God is made manifest which was hidden for ages in God, that is, Christ. All who are invited to it receive double gifts; for they receive remission of sins and become sons of God, so that they can no longer die the second death. Hence the Lord says in the Gospel: “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent” (John 17:3).

“Which he had promised beforehand.” To prove that the hope of faith in Christ is valid and whole, he says that his gospel had already been promised beforehand by God; and to teach from this that he is a fit guarantor of life, he shows that testimony was given to him before he came, the apostle Peter bearing like witness: “For no other name has been given under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “Through his prophets.” To signify more plainly that the coming of Christ brings salvation, he has also pointed out the persons through whom he sealed the promise, so that from them it might be seen how true and magnificent the promise is. For no one announces a cheap thing by great forerunners. “In the holy Scriptures.” He added this to crown his true declaration, to give believers greater confidence and to commend the law; for the Scriptures are holy, which also condemn vices; and in them is contained the mystery of the one God and of the incarnation of the Son of God for human salvation, with signs and wonders as witnesses. (Verse 3.) “Concerning his Son.” It was fitting that, since God was promising his own Son to the world, he should promise him through illustrious men, so that from them it could be known how very mighty he was who was being preached; that he should set his future coming in the holy Scriptures, and that what was preached by the holy Scriptures could not seem false. “Who was made for him from the seed of David according to the flesh.” He says that he who was Son of God according to the Holy Spirit, that is, according to God (for God is spirit, and doubtless holy), was made Son of God according to the flesh from the seed of David, according to the saying, “And the Word was made flesh” (John 1:14); so that Christ Jesus is now one Son of God and of man, so that as he is true God he is also true man. But he will not be true man unless he is of flesh and soul, so as to be complete. For he who was Son of God from eternity was unknown to the creation; but when he willed to be manifested for human salvation, he had to become visible and bodily; for he willed both to be known by power and to wash man from sins in the flesh, death having been conquered. And so he comes from the seed of David, so that, as from God he was born king before the ages, so according to the flesh he might take a royal origin, born of a king; made by the work of the Holy Spirit from the Virgin, that is, born; so that reverence might be reserved for him and he might be recognized from this as beyond man, since he differed from birth under human law, as had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, a virgin will conceive in the womb” (Isa 7:14); so that, since it would seem a new deed and worthy of praise, a certain providence of God for the visitation of the human race might be discerned as coming. (Verse 4.) “Who was predestined Son of God in power according to the spirit of sanctification from the resurrection of the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord.” In saying “Son of God” he signified God the Father; by adding “the spirit of sanctification” he showed the mystery of the Trinity. He, then, who had become incarnate, what he was lay hidden; then he was predestined according to the spirit of sanctification to be manifested in power as Son of God, when he rose from the dead, as it is written in the eighty-fourth psalm: “Truth has sprung from the earth” (Ps 85:11). For all ambiguity and distrust was trampled and suppressed by his resurrection; seeing that while he was still on the cross the centurion, seeing the great works, confesses him Son of God (Matt 27:54). For the disciples too doubted at his death, as Cleopas says at Emmaus: “We thought that he was the one who was beginning to free Israel” (Luke 24:21). And the Lord himself says: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he” (John 8:28); and again: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself” (John 12:32), that is, then I will be known to be Lord of all. And he did not say “from the resurrection of Jesus Christ” but “from the resurrection of the dead,” because the resurrection of Christ bestowed the general resurrection. For this seems the greater power and victory in Christ, that when dead he worked with the same power with which he had worked when alive. When this was done, it appeared that he had mocked death in order to redeem us; hence he calls him our Lord.

“Through whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name.” After the resurrection the Son of God, manifested in power, gave grace, justifying sinners, and named apostles, whose companion he here says he is; so that apostleship with grace would be of the gift of God, not as the apostles of the Jews are. From God the Father, then, through Christ the Lord, they received this power, to make the Lord’s teaching acceptable by signs in the Lord’s stead; so that the faithless Jews, seeing the power which they envied in the Saviour admired by the crowds in his servants, might be tormented the more. For power is the witness of teaching, so that what is preached, being incredible to the world, might be made credible by deeds. He calls the apostles, then, sent ones, to preach the faith to all nations, that they might obey and be saved; so that the gift of God might be seen as granted no longer to the Jews alone but to all nations, and that this is God’s will, to have mercy on all in Christ and through Christ, while his deputies preach, that is, “for his name”; as he says elsewhere: “For whom we act as ambassadors” (2 Cor 5:20).

“Among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ.” That is, while we act as ambassadors among all nations for the name of Jesus Christ, among whom you too are called; for the gift of God has been sent to all, so that, when they hear that they are called among the rest, they might know that they ought not to live under the law, since the other nations received the law of Christ without the law of Moses.

“To all who are at Rome, beloved of God, called saints.” Although he writes to the Romans, he indicates that he writes to those who are in the love of God. Who are these, if not those who think rightly about the Son of God? These are saints, and are said to be called; for those who live under the law understand Christ wrongly, and do injury to God the Father when they doubt whether the hope of salvation is complete in Christ. Therefore they are not saints, nor are they said to be called. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He says that grace and peace are with those who believe rightly. It is grace, because they have been absolved from sins; and peace, because from enemies they have been reconciled to the Creator, as the Lord says: “Into whatever house you enter and they receive you, say: Peace to this house” (Luke 10:5). And to teach that without Christ there is no peace and no hope, he added that grace and peace are not from God the Father alone but also from Christ Jesus. He calls God our Father because of origin, since all things are from him; and Christ Lord, because, redeemed by his blood, we have become sons of God.

“First, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in the whole world.” With the preface finished, he testifies before all else to his joy, being the apostle of the nations, that the Romans, while ruling in the world, subjected themselves to the Christian faith, which to the wise of the world seems lowly and foolish. Though there were many things in which he rejoiced in the Romans (for they were memorable in teaching, desirous of good work, and more zealous for acting well than for talk, which is not far from divine religion), yet he says he rejoices first in this, that their faith was running in every place: although it was not according to the rule of the truth handed down by its authors, yet because they had begun to venerate what was from the one God, with the name of Christ set in it, he congratulates them, knowing that they could make progress. By this he also shows his love toward them, when he rejoices with their good beginning and exhorts them to progress. He says, then, that he gives thanks to his God only, because he was not yet fully theirs; for from him is all fatherhood (Eph 3:15). But because the whole dispensation of our salvation is from God indeed, but through Christ, not through the law nor through any prophet, he says that he gives thanks to God, but through Christ, because the report of their faith was the progress of many; so that he refers this very thing to the providence of God through Christ. For either those who had believed rejoiced, being strengthened, and the rest because they saw that their rulers had become believers; or certainly those who had not believed could believe by their example. For an inferior easily does what he sees done by a superior.

“For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I always make mention of you in my prayers.” To persuade them of his love he gives as witness God, whom he serves and to whom he prays for them, serving not in the law but in the gospel of his Son; that is, not in what Moses the servant handed down, but in what the most beloved Son taught. For as far as a servant is from the master, so far is the gospel from the law: not that the law is bad, but that the gospel is better. So he serves God in the gospel of his Son, to show that it is God’s will that people believe in Christ. “Whom I serve.” How? “In my spirit,” he says; not in circumcision made by hand, nor in new moons and sabbath and the distinction of foods, but in spirit, that is, in mind. Since God is spirit, he ought to be served by spirit, or rather by soul; for one who is served by the soul is served from faith. The Lord too said this to the Samaritan woman, who thought that God wished to be worshipped on the mountain: “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father seeks such to worship him. God is spirit” (John 4:23–24). Those who worship, then, must worship in spirit and truth; and it is not the place that commends prayer, but the devout mind. That is, to worship in truth is to worship in spirit God who is spirit, and Christ: one from whom are all things, and one through whom are all things (1 Cor 8:6). Such worshippers the Father seeks. He declares, then, that he remembers them in his prayers, to sow love in them; for he creates in them a desire for himself. For who would not love one whom he hears remembers him? For if they had gladly received the teaching under the name of Christ from those who had not been sent, with its words adulterated, how much more would they desire to hear one whom they knew to be an apostle, and whose words power accompanied!

“Asking whether somehow at last I may have a prosperous journey in the will of God to come to you.” He shows the sense of his prayer for them; for he says that he asks God that he might come to the City for their progress with the will of God, whose gift he preaches. For progress is present when what is to be done is done with the will of God. He prays, then, that for whatever cause an occasion might now be given for him to come to the City, since he was occupied preaching to others; reckoning the journey prosperous if he came with God willing, because the will of God is provident. A prosperous journey, then, is not to undergo the labour of a journey in vain. He asks God to fulfil this by calling them to his grace. He speaks with eagerness of soul; for he longs for them, knowing that it profits both them and himself, as he says elsewhere: “What is our joy and crown? Is it not you at the coming of the Lord?” (1 Thess 2:19). For the apostle’s fruit is richer if he gains many. Moreover, the joy is greater if the powerful of the world are converted to God; for the more formidable enemies are, the more needful they are when reconciled. And so an occasion was given to his wish in this way: he was compelled to appeal to Caesar and was sent to the city of Rome for another cause, God willing, so that he might fulfil the purpose of his will. Indeed, when he was in the shipwreck the Lord stood by him, saying: “Do not fear, Paul; for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so also at Rome.”

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you spiritual grace for your strengthening.” This strengthening requires three persons: God who grants, the apostle who imparts, the people who receive. Here, then, he shows the wish of his desire, what his intention was toward them; for when he says, “that I may impart to you spiritual grace,” he indicates that they had arrived at a carnal sense, because under the name of Christ they had arrived not at the things Christ had taught, but at those handed down by the Jews. He longed to come quickly in order to draw them away from this tradition and hand on to them the spiritual gift, to gain them for God by making them partakers of spiritual grace, so that they might be perfect in their profession and faith. From this we are given to understand that above he praised not their faith but their readiness and devotion toward Christ; for, while professing themselves Christians, they lived simply under the law, as it had been handed down to them. For the mercy of God was given for this purpose, that the law should cease, as I have often said already; because God, taking thought for human weakness, decreed to save the human race by faith alone added to the natural law. Why is it, then, that when he corrects them by writing and draws them away from the carnal sense, he says his presence is necessary to impart spiritual grace to them, though what he writes is spiritual? Only because things said are usually wrested to another sense, as heretics do. Therefore he desires to hand on to them in person the gospel teaching in the sense in which he writes, lest under the authority of his letters error should not be removed but confirmed; since, being present, he could persuade by power what he could not persuade by words, so as to profit them more when he had visited them.

“That is, to be comforted together among you through the faith that is mutual, yours and mine.” He says he is comforted with them if they grasp spiritual things; for though he rejoices with their faith, he grieves that they were not receiving the right faith. The apostle had this affection, that he grieved over others’ faults as if they were his own. And therefore, he says, let us be comforted through one and the same faith; so that there might be one comfort only when they became of one faith in Christ, and the imparting of spiritual grace, through the apostle’s preaching of the gospel, might produce this effect.

“But I do not suppose that you are unaware, brothers, that I have often purposed to come to you, and have been prevented until now.” He shows his purpose and wish, which he does not doubt they know through those brothers who came to the City from Jerusalem or neighbouring cities for the sake of their religion, as Aquila and Priscilla did, making his wish known to the Romans. For since he often wished to come and was prevented, it came about that he wrote a letter, lest, held long in a bad practice, they should not easily be corrected. And he calls them brothers not only because they had been reborn, but also because there were among them, though few, some who thought rightly. Hence he said, “called saints” (Rom 1:7). What, however, is “called saints”? For if they are already saints, how are they called in order to be sanctified? But this pertains to the foreknowledge of God: those whom God knows will be saints are already saints with him, and remain called. He says, however, that he was prevented up to the time of the sending of the letter, by God certainly, who, knowing that they were still unprepared, directed the apostle to other cities which were already capable of receiving the truth; for though they acted under the name of the Saviour, they were held back by carnal vices, so as not yet to be worthy to learn spiritual things. Indeed, when Paul and Silas once wished to go into Bithynia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:7): why, unless he knew that the disposition was still lacking? But at Corinth the apostle is admonished, the Lord saying: “Speak, do not be silent; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9–10). So he does not idly say he was prevented; he also distinguished the causes of the delays and exhorted them to prepare themselves, so that, hearing that spiritual grace would be imparted to them, they might make themselves worthy to receive it by abstaining from carnal vices. “That I may have some fruit among you also, as among the other nations.” He declares that he is eager to come to them for the common good, so that they too may obtain the salvation of spiritual grace, holding their profession of faith valid; and that he may have before God the fruit of his ministry, by which he urges them to the right faith by the example of the other nations: for one becomes readier for a thing handed on to him if he sees many agree with it.

“To Greeks and barbarians, to the wise and the foolish, I am a debtor.” He says he is a debtor to those he names, because he was sent for this, to preach to all; and by this he also indicates that all are debtors; for to confess God the Creator, from whom are all things and through whom are all things, is both the honour owed and the salvation of the one who confesses. By Greeks, then, he meant gentiles, but those who are called Romans, whether by birth or by adoption; by barbarians, those who are not Romans, whose race is hostile, and who are gentiles. He called wise those who, trained in worldly reasonings, are called wise in the world, whether they are observers of the stars, or study measures, numbers, the art of grammar, rhetoric, or music. To all these he shows that these things profit nothing, and that they are not truly wise unless they believe in Christ; and he called foolish those who, following simplicity, are unskilled in these things. He testifies that he has been sent to preach to all these. About the Jews he was silent, because he is the teacher of the gentiles. And therefore he professes himself a debtor, because he received the teaching to hand it on, and in handing it on to gain people.

“So, as far as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also who are at Rome.” Though he says he was sent to preach to all nations, he asserts that he is ready to hand on the gospel of the grace of God to the Romans, among whom is the head and seat of the Roman realm. For it concerns the welfare or rest of the members if the head is not restless. Therefore he desires the peace of the Romans, so that Satan may not vaunt himself much, and he may have richer fruits of his work.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” By saying this he touches those from whom they had received a faith that was not right; whereas power commended the teaching of the apostles. Since what was preached seemed incredible, the signs and wonders done by the apostles served as testimony that one should not distrust the things said by those in whom such power was present (for no one doubts that words give way to power; and therefore, since no portents had been seen from those others, their preaching was without the power of God). So he says that he is not ashamed of the gospel of God, but that they are ashamed; because what they had handed down came under reproof, was confirmed by no testimony, and was at odds with the apostolic teaching. It is, then, the power of God which invites to faith and gives salvation to everyone who believes, when it forgives sins and justifies, so that one sealed with the mystery of the cross cannot be held by the second death. For the preaching of the cross of Christ is the sign of death overcome, as the apostle John says: “For this the Son of God came, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8), so that every believer is not held by death, because he has the sign that death has been conquered. “To the Jew first, and to the Greek.” That is, to the one who is of the race of Abraham, and to the one who is from the gentiles; for by “Greek” he means a gentile, and by “Jew” one who was of the race of Abraham. For they began to be called Jews from the time of Judas Maccabaeus, who, in a time of disaster, resisted the sacrileges of the gentiles, and, trusting in God, gathered the people and defended his race. He was of the sons of Aaron. Though, then, he places the Jew first because of the fathers, yet he says that he too likewise needs the gift of the gospel of Christ. If, then, even the Jew is not justified except through faith in Christ Jesus, what need is there to be under the law?