EPISTLE TO THE. This epistle was written from Corinth, A. D. 58,
being the fourth year of the Emperor Nero, just before St. Paul set out
for Jerusalem with the contributions which the Christians of Macedonia
and Achaia had made for the relief of their poor brethren in Judea, Acts
xx, 1; Rom. xv, 25, 26. It was transcribed or written as St. Paul
dictated it, by Tertius; and the person who conveyed it to Rome was
Phœbe, a deaconess of the church of Cenchrea, which was the eastern
port of the city of Corinth, Rom. xvi, 1, 22. It is addressed to the
church at Rome, which consisted partly of Jewish and partly of Heathen
converts; and throughout the epistle it is evident that the Apostle has
regard to both these descriptions of Christians. St. Paul, when he wrote
this epistle had not been at Rome, Rom. i, 13; xv, 23; but he had heard
an account of the state of the church in that city from Aquila and
Priscilla, two Christians who were banished from thence by the edict of
Claudius, and with whom he lived during his first visit to Corinth.
Whether any other Apostle had at this time preached the Gospel at Rome,
cannot now be ascertained. Among those who witnessed the effect of the
first effusion of the Holy Ghost are mentioned “strangers of Rome, Jews
and proselytes,” Acts ii, 10; that is, persons of the Jewish religion,
who usually resided at Rome, but who had come to Jerusalem to be present
at the feast of pentecost. It is highly probable that these men, upon
their return home, proclaimed the Gospel of Christ; and we may farther
suppose that many Christians who had been converted at other places
afterward settled at Rome, and were the cause of others embracing the
Gospel. But, by whatever means Christianity had been introduced into
Rome, it seems to have flourished there in great purity; for we learn
from the beginning of this epistle that the faith of the Roman
Christians was at this time much celebrated, Rom. i, 8. To confirm them
in that faith, and to guard them against the errors of Judaizing
Christians, was the object of this letter, in which St. Paul takes
occasion to enlarge upon the nature of the Mosaic institution; to
explain the fundamental principles and doctrines of Christianity; and to
show that the whole human race, formerly divided into Jews and Gentiles,
were now to be admitted into the religion of Jesus, indiscriminately,
and free from every other obligation. The Apostle, after expressing his
affection to the Roman Christians, and asserting that the Gospel is the
power of God unto salvation to all who believe, takes a comprehensive
view of the conduct and condition of men under the different
dispensations of Providence; he shows that all mankind, both Jews and
Gentiles, were equally “under sin,” and liable to the wrath and
punishment of God; that therefore there was a necessity for a universal
propitiation and redemption, which were now offered to the whole race of
men, without any preference or exception, by the mercy of him who is the
God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews; that faith in Jesus Christ,
the universal Redeemer, was the only means of obtaining this salvation,
which the deeds of the law were wholly incompetent to procure; that as
the sins of the whole world originated from the disobedience of Adam, so
the justification from those sins was to be derived from the obedience
of Christ; that all distinction between Jew and Gentile was now
abolished, and the ceremonial law entirely abrogated; that the
unbelieving Jews would be excluded from the benefits of the Gospel,
while the believing Gentiles would be partakers of them; and that this
rejection of the Jews, and call of the Gentiles, were predicted by the
Jewish Prophets Hosea and Isaiah. He then points out the superiority of
the Christian over the Jewish religion, and earnestly exhorts the Romans
to abandon every species of wickedness, and to practise the duties of
righteousness and holiness, which were now enjoined upon higher
sanctions, and enforced by more powerful motives. In the latter part of
the epistle, St. Paul gives some practical instructions, and recommends
some particular virtues; and he concludes with a salutation and a
doxology. This epistle is most valuable, on account of the arguments and
truths which it contains, relative to the necessity, nature, and
universality of the Gospel dispensation.
being the fourth year of the Emperor Nero, just before St. Paul set out
for Jerusalem with the contributions which the Christians of Macedonia
and Achaia had made for the relief of their poor brethren in Judea, Acts
xx, 1; Rom. xv, 25, 26. It was transcribed or written as St. Paul
dictated it, by Tertius; and the person who conveyed it to Rome was
Phœbe, a deaconess of the church of Cenchrea, which was the eastern
port of the city of Corinth, Rom. xvi, 1, 22. It is addressed to the
church at Rome, which consisted partly of Jewish and partly of Heathen
converts; and throughout the epistle it is evident that the Apostle has
regard to both these descriptions of Christians. St. Paul, when he wrote
this epistle had not been at Rome, Rom. i, 13; xv, 23; but he had heard
an account of the state of the church in that city from Aquila and
Priscilla, two Christians who were banished from thence by the edict of
Claudius, and with whom he lived during his first visit to Corinth.
Whether any other Apostle had at this time preached the Gospel at Rome,
cannot now be ascertained. Among those who witnessed the effect of the
first effusion of the Holy Ghost are mentioned “strangers of Rome, Jews
and proselytes,” Acts ii, 10; that is, persons of the Jewish religion,
who usually resided at Rome, but who had come to Jerusalem to be present
at the feast of pentecost. It is highly probable that these men, upon
their return home, proclaimed the Gospel of Christ; and we may farther
suppose that many Christians who had been converted at other places
afterward settled at Rome, and were the cause of others embracing the
Gospel. But, by whatever means Christianity had been introduced into
Rome, it seems to have flourished there in great purity; for we learn
from the beginning of this epistle that the faith of the Roman
Christians was at this time much celebrated, Rom. i, 8. To confirm them
in that faith, and to guard them against the errors of Judaizing
Christians, was the object of this letter, in which St. Paul takes
occasion to enlarge upon the nature of the Mosaic institution; to
explain the fundamental principles and doctrines of Christianity; and to
show that the whole human race, formerly divided into Jews and Gentiles,
were now to be admitted into the religion of Jesus, indiscriminately,
and free from every other obligation. The Apostle, after expressing his
affection to the Roman Christians, and asserting that the Gospel is the
power of God unto salvation to all who believe, takes a comprehensive
view of the conduct and condition of men under the different
dispensations of Providence; he shows that all mankind, both Jews and
Gentiles, were equally “under sin,” and liable to the wrath and
punishment of God; that therefore there was a necessity for a universal
propitiation and redemption, which were now offered to the whole race of
men, without any preference or exception, by the mercy of him who is the
God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews; that faith in Jesus Christ,
the universal Redeemer, was the only means of obtaining this salvation,
which the deeds of the law were wholly incompetent to procure; that as
the sins of the whole world originated from the disobedience of Adam, so
the justification from those sins was to be derived from the obedience
of Christ; that all distinction between Jew and Gentile was now
abolished, and the ceremonial law entirely abrogated; that the
unbelieving Jews would be excluded from the benefits of the Gospel,
while the believing Gentiles would be partakers of them; and that this
rejection of the Jews, and call of the Gentiles, were predicted by the
Jewish Prophets Hosea and Isaiah. He then points out the superiority of
the Christian over the Jewish religion, and earnestly exhorts the Romans
to abandon every species of wickedness, and to practise the duties of
righteousness and holiness, which were now enjoined upon higher
sanctions, and enforced by more powerful motives. In the latter part of
the epistle, St. Paul gives some practical instructions, and recommends
some particular virtues; and he concludes with a salutation and a
doxology. This epistle is most valuable, on account of the arguments and
truths which it contains, relative to the necessity, nature, and
universality of the Gospel dispensation.