was oriental, and especially Jewish, and in this way became Christian. In 1 Pet. v. 14 the kiss is called φίληµα ἀγάπης; in Apost. Const., ii., 57, 12, τὸ ἐν Κυρίῳ φίληµα; in Tert. de Orat., xiv., osculum pacis. By ἅγιον the kiss is distinguished from an ordinary greeting of natural affection or friendship ; it belongs to God and the new society of His children; it is specifically Christian. at ἐκκλησίαι πᾶσαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ: “this phrase is unique in the N.T.” (Sanday and Head- lam). The ordinary form is ‘‘ the Church” ος ‘‘the Churches of God”: but in Matt. xvi. 18 Christ says ‘‘ my Church”’: cf. also Acts xx. 28, where τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Κνρίον is found in many good authorities. For “all the Churches ”’ cf. ver. 4, 1 Cor. Vii. 17, xiv. 33, 2 Cor. viii. 18, xi. 28. Pro- bably Paul was commissioned by some, and he took it on him to speak for the rest. If the faith of the Romans were published in all the world (chap. i. 8), the Churches everywhere would have sufficient interest in them to ratify this courtesy. ‘*Quoniam cognovit omnium erga Romanos studium, omnium nomine salutat.”
Vv. 17-20. Warning against false teachers. This comes in very abruptly in the middle of the greetings, and as it stands has the character of an after- thought. The false teachers referred to are quite definitely described, but it is clear that they had not yet appeared in Rome, nor begun to work there. Paul is only warning the Roman Church against a danger which he has seen in other places. There is a very similar passage in Phil. iii. 18 f., which Lightfoot connects with this, arguing that the persons de- nounced are not Judaising teachers, but antinomian reactionists. It is easier to see grounds for this opinion in Philip- pians than here: but chap. vi. 1-23 may. be quoted in support of it.
46
723