Romans 1:5

Rom_1:5

By whom we have received grace and apostleship:

Grace and apostleship

I.

Grace of apostleship, i.e., the favour of being an apostle. Given to the twelve (Mat_10:1-2); to Paul (Act_9:15; Act_13:2). The ministry of the Word is given as a mark of Divine favour. So Chrysostom deemed it when he said, Not by our labour and industry, but by His grace; and Philip Henry, after his ordination, I received this day as much honour and work as I shall be able to know what to do with. Especially was this a grace to one who had been a blasphemer and persecutor.

II. Grace with apostleship, i.e., apostleship with the necessary gifts and graces, extraordinary gifts as well as spiritual grace (2Co_12:9; Gal_2:9; Eph_4:8-11). The grace which calls also qualifies for office (Rom_12:3; Rom_15:5 : Eph_3:2). This is necessary, as was felt by Augustine when he said, The ministry is a weight from which even an angel might shrink; and by Luther, who, though an old preacher, trembled each time he ascended the pulpit.

III. Grace, then apostleship, i.e., saving grace necessary to apostleship. Grace and office not to be separated (Psa_50:16). A graceless ministry a grievous curse to the Church and to the minister himself. Of all callings the ministry is the most dangerous to an unconverted man, and more likely to destroy mens souls than to save them. How dreadful to preach to others and be at last a castaway (1Co_9:27). Noahs workmen refused to enter the ark and perished. (T. Robinson, D. D.)

Apostleship

1. Its source.

2. Its privilege.

3. Its object.

4. Its sphere.

5. Its motive. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

For obedience to the faith.--

Obedience to the faith

Or (Gr.) obedience of faith:--

I. Obedience. The gospels thing to be obeyed (Rom_6:17; 1Pe_1:22; Act_6:7). In it God commands as well as invites and offers (1Jn_3:23). Men are commanded to believe the gospel (Mar_1:15); in Christ (1Jn_3:23). Unbelief and rejection of Christ rebellion against God.

II. Faith viewed--

1. Subjectively is--

(1) Credit given to the gospel as Gods message.

(2) Trust reposed in Christ and His finished work as Gods plan.

2. Objectively--the doctrine of the gospel to be received in faith (Gal_1:23; Gal_3:23-25). Gospel truth is only to be known and learned by a Divine revelation.

III. Obedience to the faith.

1. Obedience, in which faith consists. Faith is itself obedience. When God speaks men are not to reason, but to believe and accept. The Jews asked for a sign, Greeks for wisdom; God demands faith, and faith cordially submits to His method of salvation by Christ.

2. Obedience as the fruit of faith. Faith in Christ is the mother of all true and acceptable obedience (Rom_15:18; Rom_16:19; 2Co_7:15; 2Co_10:5; 2Co_01:6; 1Pe_1:8). Works without faith, faith without works, both alike dead (Jam_2:26). God seeks evangelical, not legal obedience, because the gospel, not the law, produces the love that alone fulfils it. Faith in Christ proved by obedience to Him as a tree by its fruit (Jam_2:18-26). Faith is the obedience of the understanding to God revealing its effect, the obedience of the will to God commanding. (T. Robinson, D. D.)

Faith measured by obedience

Our obedience being the child of faith, partakes of its parents strength or weakness. Abraham was strong in faith, and what an heroic act of obedience did he perform in offering up His Son! (W. Gurnall)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:5 given us . . . apostles: Here Paul might have been thinking both of himself and of the other apostles, or he might be using an editorial plural to refer only to himself. • Privilege and authority could specify two separate things, but one might explain the other, as in the privilege of having apostolic authority. Paul always makes it clear that his distinctive authority is a gift from God (see also 15:15-16). • so that they will believe and obey him: This summary of Paul’s purpose in preaching to Gentiles brackets the book of Romans, as he repeats the same idea in slightly different language at the end of the letter (16:26). Paul wanted Gentiles to believe in Jesus Christ; he underscored that believing in Jesus Christ as the Lord entails a commitment to obey him. Faith and obedience are not identical, but one does not occur without the other.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rom 1:5. Διʼ οὗ, by whom), by Jesus Christ our Lord.—ἐλάβομεν, we have received), we, the other apostles and I.—χάριν καὶ ἀποστολὴν, grace and the apostolic mission) These two things are quite distinct, but very closely connected. Grace, nay, a singular measure of grace, fell to the lot of the apostles, and from it, not only their whole mission, Eph 3:2, but also all their actions proceeded, Rom 12:3; Rom 15:15-16; Rom 15:18. The word ἀποστολή occurs in this sense in Act 1:25. With the LXX. it signifies, sending away, a gift sent, etc. Obedience to the faith corresponds to grace and apostleship.—εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως, for obedience to the faith), that all nations may become and continue submissively obedient to the word of faith and doctrine concerning Jesus (Act 6:7), and may therefore render the obedience, which consists in faith itself. From its relation to the Gospel, the nature of this obedience is evident, ch. Rom 10:16, Rom 16:26; 1Pe 1:2: and ὑπακοὴ, obedience, is ἀκοὴ μεθʼ ὑποταγῆς, hearing with submission, ch. Rom 10:3, at the close of the verse. So, Mary believing said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, Luk 1:38; Luk 1:45—ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, among all nations) As all nations outwardly obey the authority of the Romans, so all nations, and so the Romans themselves also ought, with their whole heart, to be obedient to the faith—ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἀυτοῦ), for the name of Him, even Jesus Christ our Lord. By Him grace has come, Joh 1:17; for Him, His ambassador’s act; 2Co 5:20; by Him faith is directed towards God, 1Pe 1:21.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom_1:5. To the general τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, which designates Christ as the Lord of Christians in general, Paul now adds the special relation in which he himself stands to this common κύριος. He entertained too lively a consciousness of the bliss and dignity of that relationship, not to set it forth once more (comp Rom_1:1) in this overflowing salutation; this time, however, with closer reference to the readers, in accordance with his definite character as Apostle of the Gentiles.

Rom_1:5-6 are not to be enclosed in a parenthesis; and only a comma should be placed after Rom_1:6.

διʼ οὗ] through whom, denotes nothing else than the medium; nowhere, not even in Gal_1:1, the causa principalis. The view of the Apostle is, as Origen rightly perceived, that he had received grace and apostleship through the mediation of Christ, through whom God called him at Damascus. Regarding Gal_1:1, see on that passage.

ἐλάβομεν] He means himself alone, especially since in the address he specifies no joint author of the letter; not howeveras Reiche, following Estius and many others, thinksusing the plural out of modesty (in the solemnity of an official epistolary greeting?), but rather (comp Rom_3:9) in accordance with the custom, very common among Greek authors, of speaking of themselves in the plural of category (Krüger, § 61, 2; Kühner, a[322] Xen. Mem. i. 2, 46). This is, no doubt, to be traced back to the conception I and my equals; but this original conception was in course of use entirely lost. The opinion, therefore, that Paul here includes along with himself the other apostles (Bengel, van Hengel) is to be all the more rejected as unsuitable, since the subsequent ἘΝ ΠᾶΣΙ ΤΟῖς ἜΘΝΕΣΙΝ points to Paul himself alone as the Apostle of the Gentiles. To understand Pauls official assistants as included (Hofmann) is forbidden by the subsequent ἀποστολήν, which does not mean mission in general, but, as invariably in the N. T., specially apostleship.

χάριν κ. ἀποστολὴν] grace (generally) and (in particular) apostleship. Χάριν is to be understood, not merely of pardoning grace (Augustine, Calvin, Calovius, Reiche, Tholuck, Olshausen, and others), or of the extraordinary apostolic gifts of grace (Theodoret, Luther, and others, including Flatt and Mehring); for such special references must be demanded by the context; but on the contrary generally of the entire divine grace, of which Paul was made partaker through Christ, when he was arrested by Him at Damascus in his career which was hateful to God (Php_3:12; 1Co_15:10), converted, enlightened (Gal_1:16), and transferred into the communion of Gods beloved ones and saints. The special object (Gal_1:16) and at the same time the highest evidence of this χάρις which he had received, was his reception of the ἈΠΟΣΤΟΛΉ,[323] and that for the Gentile world. Others find here a ἓν διά δυοῖν (Chrysostom, Beza, Piscator, Grotius, Glass, Rich. Simon, Wetstein, Semler, Koppe, Böhme, Fritzsche, Philippi, and others): ΧΆΡΙΝ ἈΠΟΣΤΟΛῆς. This might certainly be justified in linguistic usage by the explicative ΚΑΊ (Fritzsche, a[324] Matth. p. 856; Nägelsbach, z. Ilias, iii. 100); but it arbitrarily converts two elements, which taken separately yield a highly appropriate sense, into one, and fails to recognisewhat is involved in the union of the general and the particularthe fulness and force of the discourse moving the grateful heart. This remark applies also against Hofmann, according to whom the Apostle terms one and the same vocation a grace and a mission; in which view ἀποστ. is erroneously rendered (see above), and in consequence thereof ΕἸς ὙΠΑΚ. Π. is then joined merely to ΧΆΡ. Κ. ἈΠ., and not also to ἘΛΆΒ.

ΕἸς ὙΠΑΚ. ΠΊΣΤ.] Object of the ἘΛΆΒ. ΧΆΡ. Κ. ἈΠΟΣΤ.: in order that obedience of faith may be produced, i.e. in order that people may subject themselves to the faith, in order that they may become believing. Comp Rom_16:26; Act_6:7; 2Co_10:5 f.; 2Th_1:8. To take ΠΊΣΤΙς for doctrina fidei (Beza, Toletus, Estius, Bengel, Heumann, Cramer, Rosenmüller, Matt, Fritzsche, Tholuck, and others), is altogether contrary to the linguistic usage of the N. T., in which πίστις is always subjective faith, although often, as in the present instance, conceived of objectively, as a power. Comp Rom_16:20; Gal_1:23. The activity of faith in producing works (Reithmayr), however, is not contained in the expression. The πίστις is, according to Paul, the conviction and confidence (assensus and fiducia) regarding Jesus Christ, as the only and perfect Mediator of the divine grace, and of eternal life, through His work of atonement. Faith alone (to the exclusion of works) is the causa apprehendens of the salvation promised and obtained through Christ; but, because it transfers us into living and devoted fellowship with Him, altogether of a moral character, it becomes the subjective moral power of the new life regenerated through the power of the Holy Spiritof the life in Christ, which, however, is the necessary consequence, and never the ground of justification. See Luthers Preface.

The genitive πίστεως, in accordance with the analogy of the expressions kindred in meaning ὙΠΑΚΟῊ ΤΟῦ ΧΡΙΣΤΟῦ in 2Co_10:5, and ὙΠΑΚ. Τῆς ἈΛΗΘΕΊΑς in 1Pe_1:22, necessarily presents itself (comp Act_6:7; Rom_10:16; 2Th_1:8; also 2Co_9:13) as denoting that to which the obedience is rendered; not (Grotius, following Beza) the causa efficiens: ut Deo obediatur per fidem, in which explanation, besides, the Deo is arbitrarily introduced.[328] Hofmann is also wrong in taking the genitive ΠΊΣΤΕΩς as epexegetical (an obedience consisting in faith).

ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν] is to be joined with ΕἸς ὙΠΑΚ. ΠΊΣΤΕΩς, beside which it stands; the ἔθνη, however, are not all nations generally, inclusive of the Jews (so most expositors, including Rückert, Reiche, Köllner, Fritzsche, Baur), but, in accordance with the historical destination of the Apostle (Gal_1:16; Act_9:15; Act_26:17 f.), and in consequence of the repeated prominence of his calling as Gentile Apostle in our letter (Rom_1:13; Rom_11:13; Rom_15:16), all Gentile nations, to which also the Romans belonged (Beza, Tholuck, Philippi, de Wette, Baumgarten-Crusius, van Hengel, Ewald, Hofmann and others); and these regarded not from a geographical point of view (Mangold, p. 76), but from a popular one, as גוים; which precludes us from thinkingnot as to a section, but at any rate as to the mass, of the Roman congregationthat it was Jewish-Christian. This his apostolic calling for the Gentiles is meant by Paul in all passages where he describes the ἜΘΝΗ as the object of his labours (Gal_1:16; Gal_2:2; Gal_2:8-9; Eph_3:1; Eph_3:8; Col_1:27; 1Th_2:16).

ὙΠῈΡ ΤΟῦ ὈΝΌΜ. ΑὐΤΟῦ] belongs, in the most natural connection, not to ἘΛΆΒ.… ἈΠΟΣΤ. (Rückert) or to ΔΙʼ ΟὟ.… ἜΘΝΕΣΙΝ (de Wette, Mehring, Hofmann), but to ΕἸς ὙΠΑΚΟῊΝ.… ἜΘΝΕΣΙΝ; in order to produce obedience to the faith among all Gentile nations for the sake of (for the glorifying of, comp Act_5:41; Php_2:13) His name. Act_9:15; Act_15:26; Act_21:13; 2Th_1:12, serve to illustrate the matter referred to. The idea of wishing to exclude the glorifying of his own name (Hofmann) is not for a moment to be imputed to the Apostle. He would have needed a very special motive for doing so.

[322] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[323] Augustine aptly remarks: Gratiam cum omnibus fidelibus, apostolatum autem non cum omnibus communem habet. Comp. Bengel: Gratia et singularis gratiae mensura apostolis obtigit.

[324] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[328] So also van Hengel, on the ground of passages like v. 19; Php_2:12, where however the sense of obedience to God results from the context; and Ernesti, Urspr. d. Sünde, II. p. 281 ff., who urges against our view that it makes ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόμ. αὐτοῦ superfluous. But the glory of Christ is precisely the lofty end of all ὑπακούειν τῇ πίστει. Where it takes place, it is acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord, Php_2:11.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom 1:5 . Through Christ Paul received χάριν κ . ἀποστολήν . The plural, ἐλάβομεν , may mean no more than the singular, or may proceed from the latent consciousness that the writer is not the only person entitled to say this; it is not expressly meant to include others. χάρις , grace, is common to all Christians; ἀποστολὴ rests upon a specialised χάρις and implies competence as well as vocation. But in the N.T. these are hardly distinguished; it is a man’s χάρισμα which constitutes his “call” to any particular service in the Church. εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως : the object of the apostleship received through Christ is obedience of faith, i.e. , the obedience which consists in faith (but cf. Act 6:7 ) among all the Gentiles. Cf. chap. Rom 10:16 , 2Th 1:8 . The meaning of ἔθνεσιν (Gentiles, not nations) is fixed by Rom 1:13 and by Paul’s conception of his own vocation, Gal 1:16 ; Gal 2:8 , Eph 3:1 ff. ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ : the final purpose of his vocation is that Christ’s name may be above every name.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom_1:5

Through whom we have received grace and apostleship. As it was of the utmost importance that Pauls authority as an apostle should be acknowledged in the Church, he here repeats the assertion that he received his office immediately from Jesus Christ, whose exalted character as the Son of God and our supreme Lord he had just declared. Though δἰ οὗ properly means through whom, by whose instrumentality, the preposition must here be taken in a more general sense as indicating the source from whom. Comp. Gal_1:1 διὰ θεοῦ πατρός. Rom_11:36; 1Co_1:9. The words χάριν καὶ ἀποστολήν may either be taken together and rendered the favor of the apostleship, or each word may be taken separately. Then χάρις refers to the kindness of God manifested to the apostle in his conversion and vocation. Through whom we received grace, favor in general, and specially, the apostleship.

Unto the obedience of faith. These words express the object of the apostleship; πίστεως is either the genitive of apposition, obedience which consists in faith; or it is the genitive of the source, obedience which flows from faith; or it is the genitive of the object, obedience to faith; i.e., to the gospel. In favor of the last interpretation reference may be made to 2Co_10:5. ης ὑπακοὴ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; 1Pe_1:22 ης ὑπακοὴ τῆς ἀληθείας, obedience to the truth. See Gal_1:23; Act_6:7; Jud_1:3 for examples of the use of πίστίς in this objective sense. The subjective sense, however, of the word πίστις in the New Testament is so predominant that it is safest to retain it in this passage. The obedience of faith is that obedience which consists in faith, or of which faith is the controlling principle. The design of the apostleship was to bring all nations so to believe in Christ the Son of God that they should be entirely devoted to his service. The sense is the same if πίστις be taken objectively, understood, however, not of the gospel, but of the inward principle of faith to which the nations were to be obedient. Among all nations. The apostles were not diocesans restricted in jurisdiction to a particular territory. Their commission was general. It was to all nations. If these words are connected with we received, they express directly the extent of the apostles mission, We have received a mission among all nations. If, as is much more natural, on account of their position, they are connected with the immediately preceding words, they express the same idea indirectly; his office was to promote obedience to the faith among all nations. For his name. That is for the sake of (ὑπέρ) his name or glory. These words are most naturally connected with the whole preceding verse, and express the final end of the apostleship, viz., the honor of Christ. It was to promote the knowledge and glory of Christ that Paul had received his office and labored to make the nations obedient to the gospel.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For his Name’s sake.

Of whom.

This marvelous liberal and gracious gift, which is given me, the least of all the Saints, to preach, etc., Eph. 3:8.

That men through faith might obey God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

By whom--as the ordained channel.

we have received grace--the whole "grace that bringeth salvation" (Tit 2:11).

and apostleship--for the publication of that "grace," and the organization of as many as receive it into churches of visible discipleship. (We prefer thus taking them as two distinct things, and not, with some good interpreters, as one--"the grace of apostleship").

for obedience to the faith--rather, "for the obedience of faith"--that is, in order to men's yielding themselves to the belief of God's saving message, which is the highest of all obedience.

for his name--that He might be glorified.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. Grace and apostleship] The peculiar influence and the essential qualifications which such an office requires. Without the GRACE, favour, and peculiar help of God, he could not have been an apostle: he had an extraordinary conversion, and an extraordinary call to preach the Gospel. Probably χαριν και αποστολην, grace and apostleship, mean the same as χαριν της αποστολης, the apostolical office; for so the word χαρις means in Ro 12:3; Ro 15:15; 1Co 3:10; Eph 3:8. See the various acceptations of the word grace, Ro 1:7.

For obedience to the faith] That by this office, which I have received from God, and the power by which it is accompanied, I might proclaim the faith, the Gospel of Jesus; and show all nations the necessity of believing in it, in order to their salvation. Here is:

1. The Gospel of the Son of God.

2. An apostle divinely commissioned and empowered to preach it.

3. The necessity of faith in the name of Jesus, as the only Saviour of the world.

4. Of obedience, as the necessary consequence of genuine faith. And,

5. This is to be proclaimed among all nations; that all might have the opportunity of believing and being saved.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Through whom we have received, etc. — Having completed his definition of the gospel, which he introduced for the recommendation of his office, he now returns to speak of his own call; and it was a great point that this should be proved to the Romans. By mentioning grace and apostleship apart, he adopts a form of speech, which must be understood as meaning, gratuitous apostleship or the favor of the apostleship; by which he means, that it was wholly through divine favor, not through his own worthiness, that he had been chosen for so high an office. For though it has hardly any thing connected with it in the estimation of the world, except dangers, labors, hatred, and disgrace; yet before God and his saints, it possesses a dignity of no common or ordinary kind. It is therefore deservedly counted a favor. If you prefer to say, “I have received grace that I should be an Apostle,” the sense would be the same.

The expression, on account of his name, is rendered by Ambrose, “in his name,” as though it meant, that the Apostle was appointed in the place of Christ to preach the gospel, according to that passage, “We are ambassadors for Christ,” etc. (2 Corinthians 5:20.) Their opinion, however, seems better, who take name for knowledge; for the gospel is preached for this end — that we may believe on the name of the Son of God. (John 3:23.) And Paul is said to have been a chosen vessel, to carry the name of Christ among the Gentiles. (Acts 9:15.) On account then of his name, which means the same, as though he had said, that I might make known what Christ is.

For the obedience of faith, etc. — That is, we have received a command to preach the gospel among all nations, and this gospel they obey by faith. By stating the design of his calling, he again reminds the Romans of his office, as though he said, “It is indeed my duty to discharge the office committed to me, which is to preach the word; and it is your duty to hear the word and willingly to obey it; you will otherwise make void the vocation which the Lord has bestowed on me.”

We hence learn, that they perversely resist the authority of God and upset the whole of what he has ordained, who irreverently and contemptuously reject the preaching of the gospel; the design of which is to constrain us to obey God. We must also notice here what faith is; the name of obedience is given to it, and for this reason — because the Lord calls us by his gospel; we respond to his call by faith; as on the other hand, the chief act of disobedience to God is unbelief, I prefer rendering the sentence, “For the obedience of faith,” rather than, “In order that they may obey the faith;” for the last is not strictly correct, except taken figuratively, though it be found once in the Acts 6:7. Faith is properly that by which we obey the gospel.

Among all nations, etc. It was not enough for him to have been appointed an Apostle, except his ministry had reference to some who were to be taught: hence he adds, that his apostleship extended to all nations. He afterwards calls himself more distinctly the Apostle of the Romans, when he says, that they were included in the number of the nations, to whom he had been given as a minister. And further, the Apostles had in common the command to preach the gospel to all the world; and they were not, as pastors and bishops, set over certain churches. But Paul, in addition to the general undertaking of the apostolic function, was constituted, by a special appointment, to be a minister to proclaim the gospel among the Gentiles. It is no objection to this, that he was forbidden to pass through Macedonia and to preach the word in Mysia: for this was done, not that there were limits prescribed to him, but that he was for a time to go elsewhere; for the harvest was not as yet ripe there.

Ye are the called of Jesus Christ, etc. He assigns a reason more nearly connected with them — because the Lord had already exhibited in them an evidence by which he had manifested that he had called them to a participation of the gospel. It hence followed, that if they wished their own calling to remain sure, they were not to reject the ministry of Paul, who had been chosen by the same election of God. I therefore take this clause, “the called of Jesus Christ,” as explanatory, as though the particle “even” were inserted; for he means, that they were by calling made partakers of Christ. For they who shall be heirs of eternal life, are chosen by the celestial Father to be children in Christ; and when chosen, they are committed to his care and protection as their shepherd.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(5) Through Him—through Christ the Son—he, Paul, had received his own special’ endowment and commission to bring over the Gentiles into that state of loyal and dutiful submission which has its root in faith; all which would tend to the glory of His name.

We have received.—The Apostle means himself alone, but the plural is used (as frequently in Greek) with delicate tact, so as to avoid an appearance of egotism or assumption.

Grace and apostleship.—Grace is here divine favour manifested in various ways, but especially in his conversion. St. Augustine notes that grace is common to the Apostle with all believers—his apostleship is something special and peculiar; yet apostleship is an instance, or case, of grace. Origen distinguishes between the two—“grace for the endurance of labours, apostleship for authority in preaching;” but both terms are perhaps somewhat wider than this. Apostleship includes all those privileges which St. Paul possessed as an Apostle; grace is all those privileges that he possessed as a Christian. At the same time, in either case the meaning tends in the direction of that particular object which is expressed in the next clause. The light in which the Apostle valued most the gifts that had been bestowed upon him, was inasmuch as they enabled him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

For obedience to the faith among all nations.—Literally, For (to produce) obedience of faith (the obedience which springs from faith) among all the Gentiles.

Faith is not here equivalent to “the faith”—a positive body of doctrine received and believed—but, in its strict sense, that active habit and attitude of mind by which the Christian shows his devotion and loyalty to Christ, and his total dependence on Him (Gal_2:19).

For his name.—For His name’s sake. “His,” i.e., Christ’s. The whole of that divine economy of which St. Paul himself forms part, tends to the glory of Christ. The Apostle’s call to his office, his special endowment for his ministry, the success of his preaching among the Gentiles, as they proceed from Christ, so also have for their object the extension of His kingdom.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. by whom] Lit. through whom. Ultimately from the Father, but through the Son.

we have received] Better, perhaps, we received; (but see below on Rom_1:19.)—“We” includes, possibly, all the Apostles, as certainly in 1Co_15:1; 1Co_15:11, &c. (where note the change from plural to singular in Rom_1:1-3). Certainly it does not refer to any nominal associate in the writing of the Epistle, for none such appears. But most probably the author here uses the plural for the singular, as frequently in the course of the Epistle (see e.g. cch. 3 and 4).

grace and apostleship] (1) all merciful qualifications for his office; (2) the definite commission.

for obedience to the faith] Better, to the obedience of faith; to produce the obedience connected with believing. Justifying faith is itself an act of obedience (see Rom_10:3, “have not submitted themselves,” and 1Pe_1:2), and it results in a life of obedience. The Gr. in Rom_16:26, rendered “for the obedience of faith,” is identical.

among all nations] Literally so in its intention; and even in St Paul’s own experience, a great number of “nations” had now contributed converts. Cp. the strong expressions Col_1:6; Col_1:23; and see Rom_15:19.

for his name] Practically = for His sake. The “Name,” in general Scripture usage, is the Person, as revealed and known. See Exo_34:5-7; Mat_28:19.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By whom we have received grace and apostleship,.... That is, either by the Holy Spirit, from whom all grace and gifts come, qualifying for the discharge of any office; or by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is full of grace and truth, has received gifts for, and gives them to men to fit them for whatsoever service he is pleased to call them to. By "grace and apostleship" may be meant, either one and the same thing, the favour and honour of being the apostles of Christ; or different things, and the one in order to the other. Grace may design special saving grace in calling, justification, pardon, and adoption, and sanctification, which was received in common with other saints, and is absolutely necessary to an apostle, and to any ordinary minister of the word; or the doctrine of grace, which they received from Christ, and dispensed to others; or rather the gifts of grace, and the various measures thereof, which they received from their ascended Lord and King, by which they were furnished for apostleship, that is, the work and office of apostles; to which they were called by Christ, and from whom they received a commission to execute it. The apostle takes in others sides himself, and says, "we have received"; partly for the sake of modesty, and partly to keep up his equal title with others to this office; and since this is had in a way of receiving, which supposes giving, and excludes boasting, it obliges to make use of all grace and gifts to the glory of Christ, by whom they are received. The end for which they received such an office, and grace to fit them for it, was, "for obedience to the faith"; that men might be brought by the ministry of the word to obey the faith, Christ the object of faith; to submit to his righteousness, and the way of salvation by him, and to be subject to his ordinances or to obey the doctrine of faith, which is not barely to hear it, and notionally receive it, but to embrace it heartily by faith, and retain it, in opposition to a disbelief and contempt of it; and which is the end and design of the Gospel ministration to bring persons to, Moreover, by

obedience to the faith, or "obedience of faith", as it may be rendered, may be meant the grace of faith, attended with evangelical obedience; for obedience, rightly performed, is only that which is by faith, and springs from it. Now grace and apostleship were received, in order to be exercised

among all nations; not in Judea only, to which the first commission of apostleship was limited, but in all the nations of the world, as the commission renewed by Christ after his resurrection ordered; and that some among all nations of the earth might, by the power of divine grace accompanying the word, be brought to faith and obedience: and all this, the qualifications for the office, the due exercise of it in all the world, and the success that attended it, were

for his name; for the honour and glory of Christ, in whose name they went, and which they bore and carried among the Gentiles, out of whom he was pleased "to take a people for his name", Act 15:14.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Ver. 5. For obedience to the faith] That is, to the gospel (that doctrine of faith), or to Christ, who is often put for faith (whereof he is the proper object) in this Epistle. "Kiss the Son," &c. "Hear him," Psa 2:12; Mat 17:5.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By whom - The apostle here returns to the subject of the salutation of the Romans, and states to them his authority to address them. That authority he had derived from the Lord Jesus, and not from man. On this fact, that he had received his apostolic commission, not from man, but by the direct authority of Jesus Christ, Paul not infrequently insisted. Gal 1:12, “for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1Co 15:1-8; Eph 3:1-3.

We - The plural here is probably put for the singular; see Col 4:3; compare Eph 6:19-20. It was usual for those who were clothed with authority to express themselves in this manner. Perhaps here, however, he refers to the general nature of the apostolic office, as being derived from Jesus Christ, and designs to assure the Romans that “he” had received the apostolic commission as the others had. ‘We,” the apostles, have received the appointment from Jesus Christ. ‘

Grace and apostleship - Many suppose that this is a figure of speech, “hendiadys,” by which one thing is expressed by two words, meaning the grace or favor of the apostolic office. Such a figure of speech is often used. But it may mean, as it does probably here, the two things, grace, or the favor of God to his own soul, as a personal matter; and the apostolic office as a distinct thing. He often, however, speaks of the office of the apostleship as a matter of special favor, Rom 15:15-16; Gal 2:9; Eph 3:7-9.

For obedience to the faith - In order to produce, or promote obedience to the faith; that is, to induce them to render that obedience to God which faith produces. There are two things therefore implied.

(1) That the design of the gospel and of the apostleship is to induce men to obey God.

(2) That the tendency of faith is to produce obedience. There is no true faith which does not produce that. This is constantly affirmed in the New Testament, Rom 15:18; Rom 16:19; 2Co 7:15; James 2.

Among all nations - This was the original commission which Jesus gave to his apostles, Mar 16:15-16; Mat 28:18-19. This was the special commission which Paul received when he was converted, Act 9:15. It was important to show that the commission extended thus far, as he was now addressing a distant church which he had not seen.

For his name - This means probably “on his account,” that is, on account of Christ, Joh 14:13-14; Joh 16:23-24. The design of the apostleship was to produce obedience to the gospel among all nations, that thus the name of Jesus might be honored. Their work was not one in which they were seeking to honor themselves, but it was solely for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. For him they toiled, they encountered perils, they laid down their lives, because by so doing they might bring people to obey the gospel, and thus Jesus Christ might wear a brighter crown and be attended by a longer and more splendid train of worshippers in the kingdom of his glory.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

By whom, i.e. by this same Jesus Christ, God and man, we, I and the rest of the apostles, have received this grace and apostleship, this mission and commission from him, of preaching his gospel, and teaching his doctrine. --- For obedience to the faith in all nations; that is, to bring all nations to the obedience and profession of his new law and doctrine. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

By whom; or of whom; by whom, as Mediator, or of whom, as Author and Giver.

Grace and apostleship: some make these two distinct gifts; the one common, which is grace; the other special, which is apostleship: others think, that, by an hendiadis, he means the grace of apostleship; which he so calls, because it was conferred upon him, not for any desert of his, but by the mere favour and free grace of God. It is his manner to call his apostleship by the name or style of grace: see Rom 15:15; Gal 2:9; Eph 3:2,8.

For obedience to the faith; you have the same phrase, Rom 16:26, and there it is rendered for the obedience of faith. By faith here some understand the gospel or doctrine of faith; it hath this sense, Act 6:7; Jud 1:3, &c.; and then the meaning is, God, of his mere grace, hath given me this office, that I might bring the nations to believe, and work in them obedience to the doctrine of the gospel. Others understand the grace of faith; and then the meaning is, I have received this office, that I might bring the nations to believe, and so to obey the gospel. Therefore obedience is joined with faith, because by faith we obey the commands of God; and faith itself consists in obedience, and is the great command of the gospel.

Among all nations; according to the general commission, Mat 28:19, and a more special commission to this apostle; see Act 9:15; Gal 2:7,8; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11.

For his name; that the nations might believe in his name; so some: others suppose these words are added to declare the end of Paul’s preaching and apostleship, which was to set forth the glory and praise of Christ: see 2Th 1:12.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Grace—Gratuitous pardon and divine favour.

Apostleship—A divine office for securing like grace to others.

Obedience to the faith—Faith without the article and in the genitive; obedience of faith, that is, an obedience consisting of faith as its vital power.

All nations—Christianity, as Paul uniformly maintains, is a universal religion, to be preached to all, that it may be received by all.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his Name"s sake. "We" here means, not Christians generally, but Paul himself (though probably, as also in all other cases where he similarly uses this plural, with the intention of including others, here his fellow-apostles); for the "grace" spoken of is evidently from what follows a special grace for the apostolic office to which he had been called. The word apostolh occurs in a like sense in Act_1:25. Eiv upakohstewv , etc., denotes the purpose of his apostleship, viz. to bring men everywhere, of whatever race, to believe and obey the gospel; not to a belief in it only, but to the obedience which comes of faith, or which faith renders. "Accepimus mandatum Evangelii ad omnes gentes pro-ferendi, cut illae per fidem obedient" (Calvin). Some take the phrase, upakohstewv , to mean "obedience to faith," faith being regarded, not as cause efficiens, but as a commanding principle exacting obedience to itself. So Meyer, who refers to passages where a genitive after upakoh has this meaning: 2Co_10:5 (upakoh tou Cristou); 1Pe_1:22 (upakoh thv alhyeiav); and also to Act_6:7 (Uphkouon th pistei). The last of these quotations would have been peculiarly apposite in support of the interpretation contended for, were not pistewv in the text now before us anarthrous, so as to suggest subjective faith, rather than "the faith delivered to the saints," as in Act_6:7. The question is, after all, of no importance with regard to the essential idea intended to be conveyed. En pasi toiv eynesin seems to point especially to St. Paul"s own apostleship, (cf. Act_22:21 Gal_1:16 Gal_2:8, 9 Eph_3:1, Eph_3:8) though, of course, the apostleship of all, wherever exercised, had a similar worldwide purpose. In using the expression here, he anticipates what he is about to say as to his not shrinking from addressing even the Romans with authority; his mission being to all the nations. Upematov autou is best connected with "obedience of faith." The phrase is of frequent occurrence. (cf. Act_5:41 Act_9:15 Act_15:26 Act_21:13; also 2Th_1:12) It is most usually connected with the idea of suffering in behalf of Christ.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By whom we have received - I and the other apostles. Grace and apostleship - The favour to be an apostle, and qualifications for it. For obedience to the faith in all nations - That is, that all nations may embrace the faith of Christ. For his name - For his sake; out of regard to him.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

for obedience

unto obedience to faith, i.e. faith as a principle, or method of divine dealing. Cf. Rom 10:1-11.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observe here, 1. St. Paul declares the person from who, he received authority to be an apostle, namely, Christ himself: By whom he received apostleship; that is, by Jesus Christ, mentioned in the foregoing verse; who called him immediately, and furnished him with authority and ability for a gospel-preacher, even then when he had been a furious and fiery persecutor.

Observe, 2. He declares how free and undeserved a favour this was; he acknowledges he had received grace to be an apostle, or a messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is a special act and instance of divine grace and favour; By whom we have apostleship.

Observe, 3. What is the special duty of an apostle, and the great end and design of that honourable function, namely, to call all persons to believe and obey the gospel.

Learn thence, that the great end of the ministry of the word, is to bring sinners to believe and obey the gospel of Christ, to persuade them to yeild, not a professional subjection only, but a real obedience also to the gospel of Christ; By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith amoung all nations.

Observe, 4. How the apostle puts the Romans in mind of their condition by nature, before the gaspel was revealed to them, and received by them; they were then Pagans and heathenish idolators, but now Christians, or the called of Jesus Christ, among whom (that is, among the Gentile nations) ye are also the called of Jesus Christ.

Learn thence, That it is a necessary duty for ministers, and a profitable duty for the people, to put, and be often put in mind of what they were and are by nature; it is profitable, both to increase their humiliation, and also to excite their gratulation. "You Romans (as if the apostle had said)who are now the called of Jesus Christ, were once afar off, even amongst the vile and cursed Gentiles: let the remembrance of what you once were, keep you continually humble, and the knowledge of what now by grace you are, render you for ever thankful."

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. “Through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name’s sake.” The redemption of Christ is the only procuring cause of salvation, the Holy Ghost the efficient cause, the preaching of the Word the instrumental cause, and faith the conditional cause.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake ;

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Through whom. Through Jesus Christ, who is the subject spoken of. We have received. Paul refers to himself, and perhaps to other apostles. Grace. The grace, the favor and mercy of heaven granted to all saints. Apostleship. All saints were not apostles, but one must be a saint to be an apostle. Without the general grace he could not have the special gift of apostleship. For obedience to the faith. The apostleship was given in order to lead all nations to obedience to the faith. The faith is a synonym for the gospel. Observe that it is a system of obedience. In the apostolic age there were no recognized believers but obedient believers.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

5. δι’ οὗ. He who is the subject of the Gospel is also the agent through whom GOD dispenses those powers which enable men to minister the Gospel; cf. Joh 1:17; Gal 1:1.

ἐλάβομεν. The subject of Rom 1:1 is recovered—the apostolic commission exercised under the Lord. The aorist refers to the act by which the commission was given; cf. 1Co 2:12; 1Co 15:8-9; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11. The plural = we Christian apostles (ct[61] τῶν προφητῶν α.) as 1Co 1:23; 1Co 2:12. But S. Paul certainly uses the plural with direct, though perhaps not exclusive, reference to himself, e.g. 2 Corinthians 10 passim; Moulton, p. 86.

[61] ct. contrast

Χάριν καὶ ἀποστολήν. The close connexion of the words, and the immediate context, prove that χάρις is here used in the specially Pauline sense of the favour of GOD as extended to all mankind, with especial reference to S. Paul’s commission to the Gentiles, cf. Gal 1:15 f., a decisive parallel; Gal 2:7 f. cf. Robinson, Eph. pp. 224 ff., “the freeness and universality of the Gospel.” S. Paul felt that his commission was a signal instance of GOD’S free favour. Cf. also Rom 15:15; Php 1:7; 1Co 15:10. ἀποστολή = commission.

εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως, to promote obedience (to GOD) springing from or belonging to faith in Him (not from keeping of law). The phrase corresponds to εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ in Rom 1:1 and indicates the attitude of recipients of the Gospel; their faith accepts and brings them to obey Him who reveals Himself in the Gospel as their GOD. The genitive is then a genitive of ‘derivation or foundation’ as in Rom 4:13; cf. Hort, 1 Pet. p. 89 (see the whole note). With ὑπακοή the genitive seems never to be objective in N.T. (not even 2Co 10:5). Obedience will be the sign of the coming in of the Gentiles as disobedience was the cause of the rejection of Israel; cf. Rom 10:21; Isa 65:12; Isa 66:4. It is the proper outcome of faith, the acceptance of GOD’s offer; cf. 1Pe 1:2.

ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Cf. Rom 15:12; Rom 16:26 = Gentiles: the πᾶσιν added to emphasise the universality of the commission, cf. 13.

ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ, i.e. of the Lord Jesus Christ. The name, both in O.T. and N.T., stands for the Person as revealed for man’s acknowledgment; cf. Act 9:15. 3Jn 1:7 (where see Westcott’s add. note) is an exact parallel; Act 5:41; Act 9:16; Act 21:13, of suffering on behalf of the Name they proclaimed. The full force comes out Php 2:9-11. The idea, not the word, is present 2Co 5:20; Eph 6:20. ὑπὲρ then = to gain acknowledgment of Him as revealed.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. διʼ οὗ] as in Gal 1:1; 1Co 1:9, designating the Lord Himself as the Agent in conferring the grace and Apostleship.

ἐλάβομεν] not’ all Christians,’—but we, the Apostle himself, as he not unfrequently speaks. No others need be here included in the word. Those to whom he is writing cannot be thus included, for they are specially contrasted with the subject of ἐλάβομεν by the following ὑμεῖς. Nor can the aor. ἐλάβομεν refer to any general bestowal of this kind, indicating, as it must, a definite past event, viz. the reception of the Apostleship by himself. To maintain (as Dr. Peile, Annotations on the Epistles, vol. i. Appendix) that the subject of ἐλὰβομεν must be the same as the ἡμῶν which has preceded, is to overlook, not only the contrast just noticed, and the habit of Paul to use indiscriminately the singular or plural, when speaking of himself,—but also the formulary character of the expression, ‘Jesus Christ our Lord,’ in which the ‘we’ alluded to in ‘our’ is too faintly indicated to become the subject of a following verb.

χάριν] Hardly, as Augustine, “gratiam cum omnibus fidelibus, apostolatum autem non cum omnibus communem habet” (Olsh.): for he is surely speaking of that peculiar χάρις, by which he wrought in his apostleship more than they all; see reff.

ἀποστολήν] Strictly, apostleship, ‘the office of an Apostle,’see reff.: not any mission, or power of sending ministers, resident in the whole church, which would be contrary to the usage of the word. The existence of such a power is not hereby denied, but this place refers solely to the office of Paul as an Apostle. Keep the χάρ. κ. ἀποστ. separate, and strictly consecutive, avoiding all nonsensical figures of Hendiadys, Hypallage, and the like. It was the general bestowal of grace, which conditioned and introduced the special bestowal (καί, as so often, coupling a specific portion to a whole) of apostleship: cf. 1Co 15:10.

εἰς] with a view to,—‘in order to bring about.’

ὑπακοὴν πίστεως] The anarthrous character above remarked (on εὐαγγ. θεοῦ, ver. 1) must be here borne in mind, or we shall fall into the mistake of supposing ὑ. π. to mean ‘obedience produced by faith.’ The key to the words is found in ref. Acts, πολύς τε ὄχλος τῶν ἱερέων ὑπήκουον τῇ πίστει, compared with Paul’s own usage of joining an objective genitive with ὑπακοή, see 2Co 10:5, εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ χριστοῦ. So that πίστεως is the faith; not = ‘the gospel which is to be believed’ (as Fritzsche, citing ch. 10:16), but the state of salvation, in which men stand by faith. And so these words form an introduction to the great subject of the Epistle.

ἐν πᾶσιν τ. ἔθν.] in order to bring about obedience to the faith among all (the) nations. The Jews do not here come into account. There is no inclusion, and at the same time no express exclusion of them: but Paul was commissioned as the Apostle of the Gentiles, and he here magnifies the great office entrusted to him.

ὑπὲρ τ. ὀν. αὐτ.] on behalf of His name, i.e. ‘for His glory:’ see reff. “In the name of Christ is summed up what He had done and was, what the Christian ever bore in mind, the zeal which marked him, the name wherewith he was named.” Jowett. See also Umbreit’s note. The words are best taken as belonging to the whole, from διʼ οὗ to ἔθνεσιν [as declaring the purpose for which the grace and apostleship had been received].

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. ἐλάβομεν. The best explanation of the plur. seems to be that St. Paul associates himself with the other Apostles.

χάρις is an important word with a distinctively theological use and great variety of meaning: (1) objectively, ‘sweetness,’ ‘attractiveness,’ a sense going back to Homer (Od. viii. 175); Psa_45. (44.), 3 ἐξεχύθη χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου: Ecc 10:12 λόγοι στόματος σοφοῦ χάρις: Luk 4:22 λόγοι χάριτος: (2) subjectively ‘favour,’ ‘kindly feeling,’ ‘good will,’ especially as shown by a superior towards an inferior. In Eastern despotisms this personal feeling on the part of the king or chieftain is most important: hence εὑρεῖν χάριν is the commonest form of phrase in the O. T. (Gen 6:8; Gen 18:3, &c.); in many of these passages (esp. in anthropomorphic scenes where God is represented as holding colloquy with man) it is used of ‘finding favour’ in the sight of God. Thus the word comes to be used (3) of the ‘favour’ or ‘good will’ of God; and that (α) generally, as in Zec 12:10 ἐκχεῶ ̣ ̣ πνεῦμα χάριτος καὶ οἰκτιρμοῦ, but far more commonly in N. T. (Luk 2:40; Joh 1:14, Joh 1:16, &c.); (β) by a usage which is specially characteristic of St. Paul (though not confined to him), with opposition to ὀφείλημα, ‘debt’ (Rom 4:4), and to ἔργα, ‘works’ (implying merit, Rom 11:6), ‘unearned favour’—with stress upon the fact that it is unearned, and therefore as bestowed not upon the righteous but on sinners (cf. esp. Rom 5:6 with 5:2). In this sense the word takes a prominent place in the vocabulary of Justification. (4) The cause being put for the effect χάρις denotes (α) ‘the state of grace or favour’ which the Christian enjoys (Rom 5:2), or (β), like χάρισμα, any particular gift or gifts of grace (πλήρης χάριτος Act 6:8). We note however that the later technical use, esp. of the Latin gratia, for the Divine prompting and help which precedes and accompanies right action does not correspond exactly to the usage of N. T. (5) As χάρις or ‘kindly feeling’ in the donor evokes a corresponding χάρις or ‘gratitude’ in the recipient, it comes to mean simply ‘thanks’ (1Co 10:30).

χάριν here = that general favour which the Ap. shares with all Christians and by virtue of which he is one; ἀποστολήν =the more peculiar gifts of an Apostle.

We observe that St. Paul regards this spiritual endowment as conferred upon him by Christ (διʼ οὖ)—we may add, acting through His Spirit, as the like gifts are described elsewhere as proceeding from the Spirit (1Co_12, &c.).

εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως: may be rendered with Vulg. ad obediendum fidei provided that πίστ. is not hardened too much into the sense which it afterwards acquired of a ‘body of doctrine’ (with art. τῇ πίστει Jud 1:3). At this early date a body of formulated doctrine, though it is rapidly coming to exist, does not still exist: πίστις is still, what it is predominantly to St. Paul, the lively act or impulse of adhesion to Christ. In confessing Christ the lips ‘obey’ this impulse of the heart (Rom 10:10). From another point of view, going a step further back, we may speak of ‘obeying the Gospel’ (Rom 10:16). Faith is the act of assent by which the Gospel is appropriated. See below on ver. 17.

ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Gif. argues for the rendering ‘among all nations’ on the ground that a comprehensive address is best suited to the opening of the Epistle, and to the proper meaning of the phrase πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (cf. Gen 18:18, &c.). But St. Paul’s commission as an Apostle was specially to the Gentiles (Gal 2:8), and it is more pointed to tell the Roman Christians that they thus belong to his special province (ver. 6), than to regard them merely as one among the mass of nations. This is also clearly the sense in which the word is used in ver. 13. Cf. Hort, Rom. and Eph. p. 21 f.

ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ. This is rather more than simply ‘for His glory.’ The idea goes back to the O. T. (Psa 106. [105], 8; Eze 20:14; Mal 1:11). The Name of God is intimately connected with the revelation of God. Israel is the instrument or minister of that revelation; so that by the fidelity of Israel the revelation itself is made more impressive and commended in the eyes of other nations. But the Christian Church is the new Israel: and hence the gaining of fresh converts and their fidelity when gained serves in like manner to commend the further revelation made of God in Christ (αὐτοῦ, cf. Act 5:41; Php 2:9).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We have received [ελαβομεν] . Aorist tense. Rev., we received. The categorical plural, referring to Paul, and not including the other apostles, since the succeeding phrase, among all the nations, points to himself alone as the apostle to the Gentiles Grace and apostleship. Grace, the general gift bestowed on all believers : apostleship, the special manifestation of grace to Paul. The connecting kai and, has the force of and in particular. Compare ch. 14 15, 16.

For obedience to the faith [εις υπακοην πιστεως] . Rev., unto obedience of faith. Unto marks the object of the grace and apostleship : in order to bring about. Obedience of faith is the obedience which characterizes and proceeds from faith.

Nations [εθνεσιν] . Or Gentiles. Not geographically, contrasting the inhabitants of the world, Jew and Gentile, with the Jews strictly so called, dwelling in Palestine, but Gentiles distinctively, for whom Paul 's apostleship was specially instituted. See on Luk 2:32, and compare on 1Pe 2:9.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vv. 5, 6: “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, with a view to the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for the glory of His name: among whom are ye, also, the called of Jesus Christ.” The words δἰ οὖ, by whom, exactly express the transition which we have just indicated. It is from His heavenly glory and from His state as Son of God that Christ has founded the new apostolate, and called him whom He has invested with it (comp. Gal 1:1).

The plural ἐλάβομεν, we have received, is explained by some: I and the other apostles; by Hofmann: I and my apostolical assistants (Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, etc.). But the first meaning is inadmissible, because the matter in question here is exclusively the apostleship to the Gentiles; and the second is equally so, because Paul, speaking here in his official character, can associate no one with him in the dignity which the Lord has conferred on him personally. What we have here is therefore the plural of category, which the Greeks readily use when they wish to put the person out of view, and to present only the principle which he represents, or the work with which he is charged. The words: χάριν καὶ ἀποστολήν, grace and apostleship, are regarded by some (Chrys., Philippi) as equivalent to: the grace of apostleship. But if this had been Paul’s meaning, it would have been easy for him to express it so. Hofmann applies the two terms to the ministry of the apostle, as presenting it, the former, in connection with his own person—it is a grace conferred on him; the latter, in its relation to others—it is his mission to them. But if the term grace be referred to Paul’s person, it seems to us much simpler to apply it to the gift of salvation which was bestowed on himself; the second term, apostleship, comes thus quite naturally to designate his mission for the salvation of the world. We have seen (Introd. p. 13) how these two gifts, personal salvation and apostleship, were, in Paul’s case, one and the same event. The object of Christ in according him grace and calling him to the apostleship, was to spread the obedience of faith. It is impossible to understand by this obedience the holiness produced by faith. For, before speaking of the effects of faith, faith must exist; and the matter in question is precisely the calling of the apostle destined to lay the foundation of it. Meyer’s meaning is still more inadmissible, submission to the faith. In that case, we should require to give to the term faith the meaning of: Christian truth (objectively speaking), a meaning the word never has in the New Testament, as Meyer acknowledges. So he understands obedience to the inward sentiment of faith! This is a form of speech of which it would be still more difficult to find examples. The only possible meaning is: the obedience which consists in faith itself. By faith man performs an act of obedience to the divine manifestation which demands of him submission and co-operation. The refusal of faith is therefore called, Rom 10:3, a disobedience (οὐχ ὑπετάγησαν). The clause following: among all the Gentiles, might be connected with the word apostleship, but it is simpler to connect it directly with the preceding, the obedience of faith: “an obedience to be realized among all Gentiles.” The term ἔθνη, which we translate by Gentiles, has been taken here by almost all critics who hold the Jewish origin of the Christians of Rome, in a wider acceptation. They give it the general meaning of nations, in order to include under it the Jews, who are also a nation, and consequently the Christians of Rome. This interpretation has been defended chiefly by Rückert and Baur. But it is easy to see that it is invented to serve an a priori thesis. The word ἔθνη undoubtedly signifies strictly: nations. But it has taken, like the word gojim in the Old Testament (Gen 12:3; Isa 42:6, etc.), a definite, restricted, and quasi-technical sense: the nations in opposition to the chosen people (ὁ λαός, the people). This signification occurs from beginning to end of the New Testament (Act 9:15; Act 11:1; Act 11:18; Act 28:28; Gal 1:16; Gal 2:7-9; Gal 3:14, Eph 2:11; Eph 3:6). It is applied in the most uniform manner in our Epistle (Rom 2:14-15, Rom 3:29, Rom 11:13, Rom 15:9; Rom 15:11). Besides, the context imperatively demands this limited sense. Paul has just been explaining the institution of a special apostleship to the Gentiles, by a transformation in the Lord’s mode of existence; the whole demonstration would be useless if his aim were to prove what the believers of Rome, though Jewish Christians, belong also to the domain of his mission. Mangold feels the difficulty; for, in order to remain faithful to Baur’s view as to the composition of the Roman church, without falling into his false interpretation of the word ἔθνη, he tries to take it in a purely geographical sense. He thinks that by the nations, Paul means to contrast the inhabitants of the world in general, whether Jews or Gentiles, with the Jews strictly so called dwelling in Palestine. The apostle means to say: “The church of Rome, though composed of Judeo-Christians, belongs geographically to the world of the Gentiles, and consequently comes within my domain as the apostle of the Gentiles.” But what in this case becomes of the partition of domains marked out in Galatians 2? It must signify that Peter reserved for himself to preach in Palestine, and Paul out of Palestine! Who can give this meaning to the famous passage, Galatians 2? Besides, as Beyschlag well says, this partition between the apostles rested on a difference of gifts, which had nothing to do with geography, and evidently referred to the religious and moral character of those two great divisions of mankind, Jews and Gentiles. It must therefore be allowed that the words: among all nations, refer to Gentiles, and to Gentiles as such. Baur has sought to turn the word all to account in favor of his interpretation; but Paul uses it precisely to introduce what he is going to say, Rom 1:6, that the Romans, though so remote, yet formed part of his domain, since it embraces all Gentiles without exception. It matters little, therefore, that they are still personally unknown to him, he is their apostle nevertheless.

The third clause: ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος, for, in behalf, or for the glory of His name, depends on the whole verse from the verb we have received. Paul does not forget that this is the highest end of his apostleship: to exalt the glory of that name by extending the sphere of his action, and increasing the number of those who invoke it as the name of their Lord. The words sound like an echo of the message of Jesus to Paul by Ananias: “He is a chosen vessel to carry my name to the Gentiles;” comp. 3Jn 1:7. By this word Paul reveals to us at once the aim of his mission, and the inward motive of all his work. And what a work was that! As Christ in His own person broke the external covering of Israelitish form, so he purposed to break the national wrapping within which the kingdom of God had till then been inclosed; and to spread the glory of His name to the very ends of the earth, He called Paul.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.