gifts, nfter that of his Son, is the influence of the Holy Ghost ; this, therefore, in the Bible, and in common life, is called, by way of eminence, grace. The word may be so understood here, and include all those influ- ences of the Holy Spirit by which Paul was furnished for his work. The two words grace and apostleship may however be taken together, and mean ' the grace or favour of being an apostle ;' but the former explanation is to be preferred.
For obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. Literally unto obedience of the faith. This expresses the design or object for which the office of apostle was conferred upon Paul. It was that all nations might be made obedient. Similar modes of expression are frequent; *' Baptism unto repentance," i. e. that men might repent ; " unto salva- tion," that they might be saved, &c. It is doubtful whether the word faith is to be understood here as in Gal. 1 : 33, " He preacheth the faith which he once destroyed ;" and frequently elsewhere, for the object of faith ; or whether it is to be taken in its ordinary sense for the exercise of belief. Either interpretation gives a good sense ; according to the former, the meaning is, ' that all nations should be obedient to the gos- pel ;' according to the latter, ' that they should yield that obedience which consists in faith.' The former is the most common explanation, .see Acts 6 : 7. Among all nations is most naturally connected with the immediately preceding clause, ' that obedience might be promoted among all nations.' They may, however, be referred to the former clause, ' we have received the apostleship among all nations.' The words for his name are still more doubtful as to their connexion. Some join them with the middle clause, 'for obedience of faith in his name,' see Acts 26 : 18. But this the words will hardly bear. Others connect them with the first clause, ' apostleship in his name,' 2 Cor. 5 : 20. Others again, and more naturally, to the whole preceding clause. ' Paul was an apostle that all nations might be obedient to the honour of Jesus Christ;' that is, so that his name may be known.
(6) Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. If the gospel contemplated all nations as the field of its operation, the Romans of course were not to be excluded. They, i. e. the persons addressed, were of the number of those who had become obedient to the faith. The called of Jesus Christ means those who are effectually called, not invited merely, but made actually partakers of the blessings to which they are called. The word called is often, therefore, as in the first verse, equivalent with chosen, see the passages cited on that verse. In 1 Cor. 1 : 24, Christ is said to be a stumbling-block to one class of men, and foolishness to an- other ; " but to those that are called, the power of God," &c. Rev. 17 : 14, " those who are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful," see, too, the frequent use of different forms of the verb signifying to ca//, Rom. 8: 30; "them he also called," Jude 1; "to the called, "°1 Pet. 5: 10. 2 : 9. Such a call is in fact a choice ; it is a taking one from among «iany. Hence, to be called, is to be chosen, as just remarked. Called