Romans 1:8-16

Romans 1:8-Nehemiah : . Paul’ s Intention to Visit Rome.

Romans 1:8-2 Samuel : . “ Of the faith of the Romans the whole world hears” : the Apostle “ thanks God” for this, and “ names them constantly in his prayers.” He invokes God as “ witness,” for this is much to say about strangers; his “ service in the gospel” makes him deeply interested in the Church of Rome. He has “ begged” of God “ that he might have the good fortune to visit” them; “ at last” the “ hindrances” are disappearing ( Romans 1:13; cf. Romans 15:20-Joel :).

Romans 1:11-1 Chronicles : . He “ longs to impart to them some grace of the Spirit,” some “ added strength” ; or rather, he anticipates a “ reciprocal encouragement.” Here as “ elsewhere amongst the Gentiles,” he would fain “ win fruit” to his ministry.

Romans 1:14 f. “ The debt he owes” on Christ’ s account “ to men of every race and condition,” makes him “ eager to preach to you that are in Rome,” i.e. “ to you Roman people.”

Romans 1:16 . To shrink from this would mean to “ be ashamed of the gospel,” which he has proved to be “ God’ s power” working “ for salvation to every one that believes”—“ to the Greek as well as the Jew.” “ First” is a doubtful reading (WH).

Romans 1:17 . “ Not ashamed of the Gospel,” for it is God’ s saving power, which operates by the revelation of God’ s righteousness: the efficacy of the message lies in the character of God who sends it. Paul’ s view of the Divine righteousness as identified with salvation, is based on Isaiah 45 f. ( cf. Romans 1:2, also Romans 3:21). Righteousness, in the sense of Deutero-Isaiah, is no hard legality, contrasted as in men’ s narrow thoughts with “ goodness” ( Romans 5:7); it embraces the whole perfectness of Jehovah’ s character manifested in His dealings with Israel. Jehovah’ s fidelity to covenant, His fatherly regard for His people ( Isaiah 45:10 f; Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 64:8), are integral to this righteousness and make it, through the responsive trust they evoke, a “ power for salvation.” In such righteousness the Gospel reveals God to mankind. The revelation operates in the sphere of faith: its apprehension starts “ from faith,” and proceeds “ unto faith.” On man’ s part faith is the Alpha and Omega of salvation, as righteousness is upon God’ s. The saying of Habakkuk 2:4 illustrates the vital power of faith, which is man’ s hold upon the character of God. In the light of the doctrine of Justification unfolded later, many find here “ a righteousness (in man) derived from God” ( cf. Php_3:9 ). But “ God’ s power,” “ righteousness,” “ anger,” are interlinked in identical grammatical construction ( Romans 1:16-Job :); to construe the central phrase differently is to dislocate the passage; in the third sentence the “ ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” are emphatically contrasted with the “ righteousness of God” (see Detached Note, ICC, p. 34 ).

The theme of Romans 1:16 f. is unfolded in Romans 1:18 to Romans 8:39: Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:20 sets forth the guilty and lost condition of mankind— of the world at large, and the Jews in particular; Romans 3:21 to Romans 8:39, the saving intervention of God’ s righteousness, acting in Jesus Christ and realised universally through faith. The positive demonstration is supported by a negative proof, going to show that “ the law could not do” (ch. 7 ) what the grace of Christ has triumphantly accomplished (ch. 8 ).