The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 346

~'"«:> l1shi~ The perfuct CbrietiRn oha- Ml'?ied out in I Oor. xll. U', aeq. In lllph. l'Rl'ter is n,,t fonu«:>d All Rtonoeon oonwreion i. 22 I\Ild iv. 15, 16, Chr'ait ia rel(Vded (<'( Phil. iii. 12, ~q.; see also pret"i,,us noto ~omewhat di1fereutly, as the exalted Head on <'h. -.i. IS. with reference to r11p1aTGVEff orw- the Churoh which is his body. Hero ll)d w-apa.CM'n\cran). and in 1 Oor. xii., the head is not thus distinguished from the rest of the body (see So far the ex.hortation hllS been genenil. 1 Cor. xii. 21): the whole ie "one body in The apostle now passes to particular direo• Christ," who is the living Person who tions; and first (vers. 3-9) as to the use of unites and animates it. !1':~. Vers. 6-8.-Having then glfta cll4'ering acoording to the gra.oe that ia given to ua, _,er. 3.-For I say, through the graoe whether prophecy, aooording to the pro- t"I'"6n unto me (the grace of apostleship to portion of our faith; or ministry, in our t.he G-c-nt1les (cf. eh. i. 5; x:.. 15). He is ministry; or he that teaoheth, in hia teaoh- ebout ~ -w-em agsinst either neglecting or ing; or he that exhorteth, in his exhorta- <::S:<',>edrng the special grn<'~ given to each tion; he that giveth, in simplioity; he rerron; end be may, perhaps. mean to that ruleth, with (litero.lly, in) diligenoe; uuply here th&t he himself, in ginng these he that showeth meroy, with (literally, in) admonitions. is exercising, without exceed- oheerfulnesa. The elliptical form of the ing. his own special grace) to every man original has been retained in the above that i& among you (this is emphatic. The translation, without the words interposed pretensions t.o superiority of some at Corinth for elucidation in the Authorized Version. -w-ho possessed more showy gifts than others There are two ways in whioh the construc- had shoWD how the admonition might need tion of the po.sae.ge might possibly he to he pressed on all ; and in a community understood. (1) Te.king txavns 3~ in ver. like that of the B.oma.ns there might well 6 68 dependent on brµ.ev in ver. 5, and he a special tendency to assumption on the 1<ct.-cl .. ~., a.vall.a-ylav ri)s rl<T.-e111s, not as part of some), not to thinlc of himself more hortatory, but 68 parallel to 1<ct.-cl .. ~., xcl.p111 highly than he ought to think ; but to think 'NI" 3o9eura.v 71µ,iv, and understanding in a soberly (rather, as in the Revised Version, like sense the clauses that follow. Thus M fu think as w thi,nk soberly, or, more the general meaning would be-we are all literally, to be minded so as w be sober-- one body, etc., but having our severe.I gifts, minded), according as God hath dealt to to be used in accordance with the purpose every man the m.euure of faith. Why of for which they are severally given. (2) faW-. f One might have expected the ex- As in the Authorized Version, which is pression to be, " of grace," as in ver. 6, "ac- decidedly preferable, hortation being evi- cording to the gmce that is given to us ; " or dently intended from the beginning of ver. as in Eph.. iv. 7, "according to the measure 6. The drift is that the various members (,.a.&pav, as herE] of the .gift of Christ." It of the body having various gifts, each is to 11eems to bt: becauee by faith we become be content to exercise his own gift in the re.eeptioe of the grace given t.o each of na. line of usefulness it fits him for, and to do Hence the faith assigned by God t.o each is so welL The references a.re not to distinct regarded es "the regulative standard; the orders of ministry in the Church, hut rather subjective condition" (Meyer) of the eeveral t.o gift.a e.nd consequent capacities of all gift.; or graces. Cf. also Matt. XTii 20 and Christians. The gift of prophecy, which is 1 Cor. xiii 2, where min.cn.loue powers are mentioned first, being of especial value and spoken of BB dependent on the amount of importance (cf. 1 Cor. xiv. 1, seq.), was the fi.ith. Tholuck explains thns: ., Fe.ith in gift of inspired utterance, not of necessity an tlilll(,eD Christ brings man into connection in the way of prediction, but also, and with a world unseen. in which he moves especially, for "edification, and exhortation, without distinctly apprehending it; and in and comfort" (1 Cor. xiv. 8), for "con- proportion BS he lea.ms to look with faith vincing," and for "making manifest the to that world, the more is the measure of his secrets of the heart" (1 Oor. xiv. 24, 25). spiritual powers elevated." He that has tllis speoia.l gift is to use it Vers. 4., 5.-J!'or ae in one body ,re have "e.r,cording to the proportion of his faith;" many memben, but all the member• have for the meaning of wbicll expression see on not the same officr,; 10 we, the many, a.re µ,'7-po11 rlcr.-.cos above (vcr. 8). According one body in Chriat, e.nd every one membera II, the prophet's power of faith to bo receptive one of a.n.oth.er. Tt,e illUJ!tration of the body of thm specie.I gift, and to apprehend it if with iui membera to set forth the mutual grauw.1 to him, woultl be the rntensity and deptndence on ea.eh other of the severe.I truth of its manifcHta.tion. It would seem n.elf,bers or the, (.,'hurch with their severe.I that prophets might bo in danger of mis- J-'ift.! &.nd fun,.:tioWI, and the importance of taking their own itleaH for e. true Divino Mll for tlie well-l,t,ing ,,f the wJ,,,lf.:, i.H furtl,cr rc.:v1•lfltim1 (cf. Jcr. xxiii. 2R); and e.110 Urnt; oil, :nt. 1-21.] Tilll: EPIBTL"ll} OF PAUL TO TtIE RO'MANf:l.