The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 430

to stnnd ng11inet the o.uthority of existing concluding anthentico.tions (cf. 2 These. iii. mnnuscripts, to eny nothing of the interno.1 17; Col. iv. 18). evldenoe itself, which reo.lly appears to us Ae to the proper position of the doxology, to toll the other way. Buch interno.l evi- H the view last given be correct its ori"'inal dence will o.ppeo.r in the course of the Expo- one would be most naturally at the e:d or sition. One view, put forth by Riickert, eh. xiv.: since otherwise the Epistle, o.s ~ o.nd recently supported by Bishop Lightfoot completed, would have nothinu anawerin"' (Journal of Plii7,ology, 1871, No. 6), is that to the = l benedictions in° conclnsio:. St. Po.ul, ho.ving originally written the whole And though this is not a benediction bat a Epistle, including the two cho.pters, but doxology, embodying in solemn ~ s the without the doxology, reissued it o.t e. lo.ter main idea of the preceding treatise, such e. period of hie life in e. shortened form for conclusion is in keeping with the peculiar general oiroulation, ho.Ying then o.ppended character of the Epistle to the Rome.as. the doxology, Thie theory, however, is but Finally, though uncial authority is de- e. conjecture, put forward o.s best o.ccounting cidedly in favour of the position of the for all the fo.ots of the case, including doxology at the end of eh. xvi., this does tho.t of a.II mention of Rome having been not seem to be e. sufficient reason for con- appo.rently absent from some copies. This, cluding it to have been originally there. If however, might be accounted for by the there existed anciently two editions,one with, Epistle having been issued, after St. Paul's e.nd the other without, the two chapters time, in e. form suited for general circulation, o.ppended, tre.nscribere of the longer edition On the whole, we mo.y take it as probable would be likely to place the doxology at tho.t the apostle, having first concluded his the end of what they believed to be the Epistle with oh. xiv. and the doxology, felt true conclusion of the original Epistle. himself urged to resume e. subject which After all, the question cannot be con- lo.y so near his heart, and so appended eh. sidered as settled. 11; ho.a been deemed xv., and then the salutations, eto., in oh. xvi., sufficient here to state the main o.rgnmenia before the letter was sent. for or o.go.inst the vo.rions vie= that have This supposition would in itself o.cconnt been taken. for copies of the Epistle having got into Vera. 1-13.-H. Beneu:ed admonil-ion to circulation without the additions to it. bear 'IDith the tc:eak, enforced l>u Scripture Possibly Mo.rcion took adve.ntnge of finding and the ezample of <JhrisL some such oopies to deny the genuineness of the two fine.I oho.pters altogether; and Vers. 1--8.-We then (rather, but u-e, or his doing so would be likely to promote now we. The i5e here certainly seem.3 to link this chapter to the preceding section; circulation of the shorter oopies. It will be but it is not inconsistent with the chapter observed tho.t the Epistle, o.s e. doctrinal being o.n addition to e. completed letter, of treo.tise pro.ctioe.lly applied, is complete which it takes up the concluding thought) without the 111.st two oh11.pters; and nlso that tho.t are strong (St. Pan!, here as elsewhere, oh. xv., though connected in thought with identifies himself with the more enlightened party) ought (•~•lAo,,.•v expresses obligation the end of oh. xiv., might be, and indeed of duty) to bear the infirmities of the weak reo.ds like, o. resumption nnd further enforoo- ( cf. Go.I. vi. 2), and not to please ourselves. mont of its idens. It seems, indeed, 118 if three Let every one of us please his neighbour for o.ppendioes, or postscripts, hnd been added his good (rnther, for that tchich is good) to by the e.postlo; the first ending with the edi1loation. For Christ also pleo.sed not himself; but, o.a it is written, The reproo.ohes bonodiotion of oh. xv. 88; the second (oom- of them tho.t reproo.ched thee fell on me. monding Phmbe, who was to be the bearer The qnot11tion ii! from Ps. h:i.::t. 9; one iu of the letter, nnd sending enlutntions to whioh o. righteous sufferer under persecuti,m. persons at Rome) with the benediction of calls on God for deliverance, e.nd to soruu eh. xvi. 20; and the third (which might be Pussion parts of which even the det.'\ils of Christ's strikingly correspond. The first added at the fost momont) with thnt of oh. pnrt of the \"eNe here qunted, ·• The zcnl ,,r xvi. 24, All tho b,•ue,liotions nre thus thino house," cto., is 11ppfa'<l to hi.w. iu J 0h:1 aocountod fo1•, being the apostle's usual , ii. 17.  'l'HE EPISTLE OF PA UL TO TIIE ROMANS. [oa. xv. 1-83,