thUB dependent on ver. 17. I am glad of this ; l1llllming up pregnantly in the form therefore on your behalf: but yet I would of a glowing thanksgiving the eesentia.l have you wile unto that whioh I.I good, but ideas of tbe whole Epistle, which bad been 11.mple (cl1t1p<1lous) oonoerning evil. And the God of peaoe 1hall bruitle Satan under your more or leBB intimated in its preface. feet shortly, The graoe of our Lord Je1111 Christ be with you all. Amen. Vere. 25, 26.-lfow to him that ill of Vere. 21-24.-L. Greetings from Oorintb. power to stabli.eh you a.ccording to my gospel Vore. 21, 22.-Timotheua my workfellow (i.e. th~_go,pd ~iJ!,,A uni/, 1M to prea~h; (Timothy may have joined St. Paul at cf. eh. 11. 16; 1 TIDl. 1. 11 ; 2 Tim. ii. 8) and Corinth before the letter was finally sent, the preaching of ;Jesus Christ (i.e., as appears not having been with him when it was from the use of icf,pvyµ.a elsewhere coneern- begun. For his name is not conjoined with ing Jeaw Chrut, or t:he ann(,U,~ent of St. Paul's in the opening ealntation, e.e it is Je8w Christ. The phrase seems to be ~ded in 2 Cor. i. 1 ; Phil. i. 1 ; Col. i I ; 1 These. as declaring what Paul's gospel was, rather i. 1 ; 2 Thees. i. 1. Still, it does not of than 3!l referring _back to Christ's peraonal necessity follow that this wonld have been preachmg), according to the revelation of so in tbe case of e. doctrinal treatise BUch as the mystery (on the meaning of JLva.,. 11 piov, this Epistle mainly is), and Luoius (not to see note . on eh. ri. 2;>). which waa kept be identified with St. Luke), and Jason, and secret (l1terally, kept in n1enr.,e) since the Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. I world began (literally, in times eternal) Tertiua, who wrote this Epistle, salute you but_ is now made manifest, a.nd through th; in the Lord. It was St. Paul's habit to Scnptures of the prophets (literally prr,- dictate his letters to an amanuensis ( cf. phetic Script urea), according to the com::nand- Gal. vi. 11; Col. iv. 18; 2 These. iii. 17). ment of the eternal God, made known llllto Here the amanuensis interposes his own all the nations tlilto the obedienoe of faith. greeting in his own person. We have seen throughout the Epistle how Vere. 23, 24.-Gaius mine host, and of the the Scriptures of the Old Testament are whole Churoh, saluteth you. Probably the referred to as foretelling the revelation in person mentioned in 1 Cor. i. 14 ns bnptized C~t of the l_ong-hidden mystery ( ef. also by St. Paul himself at Corinth. There is no eh. 1. 2); and 1t was throu"'h shuwin"' them reason for identifying him with those of the to be _fulfilled that, in ~ the apostolic same name mentioned in Acts x::ix. 29 ; x.x. 4 ; preaching, tbe mynery, now ffllJ.nije..sted, W8S 3 John 1. Gaius was a common name. He made knmcn to all the nations ; and thi! appears to have been one who exercised according to the commandment or appoint- extensive hospitality to Christians, which ment of God, that the mystery ahonld thug the apostle :was enjoying at the time of be now at last made known. writing. Eraetua the ohamberlain (rather Ver. 27.-To lftld only wise, through 1esus treasurer) of the city (not to be identified Christ, he glory for ever. Amen. The with the Brnstus of Acts xix. 22 and 2 Tim great preponderance of ancient authorities, iv. 20), and Quartua the brother. The grao; including all uncials hut B, have "to of our Lord J'esu Christ be with you all. whom" (~)after" to God only wise." But Amen. the intended sense is not affected by the insertion, the ascription of glory bi,in"' still Vere. 25-27.-G. Dozology. (For its ori- to the only wise God, und not to J esu.s Christ. ginal position, see above.) It may have been Otherwise there wonld be no sequence to written by the apostle with his own hand. 1''!' liuva.µw'l' and µ/,11'!' O'a,p,i 8•f!i• " In the lively pressure of the great intermedi::ite It differs, indeed, in form 11a well as fulness, thoughts oonnected with the mention of the from other autographio conclusions of his gospel, vers. 25, :!6, the synt::ictic connection Epistles; but it is a suitable and grand has escaped the apcsUe " (Meyer) ending of an Epistle of the peouli8l' oho.meter
HOMILETICS. Vere, 1, 2.-A ministering woman, Although we know of Phaibe no more thilll is recorded here, we know enough to feel au interest in her; for she was a friend I\Ild helper of the Apostle Paul, and she was probably the bearer of this Epistle to the Roman Ohnrch, Observe- !. '.fBl!l _oo~ENDATION OF PB<EDE, BY PAVL, TO THE CmusTIANS OF Rolll!:. Sh.i i$ described m this pnssnge by three several designations, which could not but favournblv lntroduo~ her to the notico and regard of tho Christian community in the "'!e:\t metropolis of the world, 1. She is doscribed as "a sister." Christitw.ity taught ~au- 458 'l'HE EPIS'l'LE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. :xvx, 1-27.