23. Faith. In Christ. “So far as it brings with it the moral confidence as to what in general and under given circum- stances is the right christian mode of action” (Meyer).
Some authorities insert here the doxology at ch. xvi. 25-27. According to some, the Epistle to the Romans closed with this chapter. Chapter xvi. was a list of disciples resident at differ- ent points on the route, who were to be greeted. Phoebe is first named because Cenchreae would be the first stage. Eph- esus would be the next stage, where Aquila and Priscilla would be found. Chapter xv. was a sort of private missive to be communicated to all whom the messengers should visit on the way. ‘The question seems to be almost wholly due to the men- tion of Aquila and Priscilla in ch. xvi. and to the fact that there is no account of their migration from Ephesus to Rome, and of an after-migration again to Ephesus (2 Tim. iv. 19). But see on ch. xvi. 14.
Others claim that chs. i—xi., xvi., were the original epistle ; that Phoebe’s journey was delayed, and that, in the interval. news from Rome led Paul to add xii—xv.
Others again, that ch. xvi. was written from Rome to Eph- esus.
Against these theories is the stubborn fact that of the known extant MSS. of Paul (about three hundred) all the MSS. hith- erto collated, including all the most important, give these chap- ters in the received connection and order, with the exception of the doxology. See on the doxology, ch. xvi,
Cu. XV.J THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 173