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Ambrosiaster

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 1,043 passages across 16 books

On Romans

341–359 of 359
Romans 16:7

Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

They were Paul’s kinsmen in flesh and in Spirit, as the angel said to Mary: “Behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth.”

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:8

Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

Paul greets him as a friend but as a friend in the Lord, because he had not shared Paul’s work or his imprisonment.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:10

Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

Paul does not greet Apelles as a friend or fellow worker, but because he has been tried in temptations and found to be faithful to Christ. Aristobulus is to be understood as having assembled the brethren in Christ. Paul approves of this so much that he regards those whom he has gathered together to be worthy of greeting as well.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:11

Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

When Paul calls Herodion his kinsman and nothing more, he shows that he was faithful in the love of the new birth, but he does not mention his perseverance. Narcissus is said to have been a presbyter of the time, and this is what we find in other manuscripts.… This presbyter Narcissus went about encouraging believers by his preaching. And since Paul did not know what the merits were of those who had been with him, he asks the Romans to greet those of his household who had put their trust in the Lord and who were therefore worthy of his greeting.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:12

Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

Persis appears to be more honored than the other two, because she has worked hard in the Lord. This work is one of encouragement and of service to the saints for Christ’s sake when they are under pressure and in need, because they had fled their homes and were being attacked by unbelievers.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:13

Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

For he [Rufus] was chosen, that is, promoted by the Lord to do his work. Nevertheless he had such a holy mother that the apostle calls her his mother also.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:14

Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

Paul greets these together because he knew that they agreed with one another in Christ and were loyal friends. He also greets the brethren who were with them but omits their names.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:15

Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

These are understood to have been of one mind because it was for that reason that Paul greeted them together.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:16

Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

Paul asks that all those to whom he has written and whom he names be greeted with a holy kiss, that is, in the peace of Christ, not in the desire of the flesh, because these kisses are spiritual, not physical.By saying “churches of Christ” Paul is saying that there is a church which is not Christ’s. For David called the company of evildoers an assembly of the wicked.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:17

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Now Paul goes on to mention the false apostles, whom he warns against throughout the epistle just as he does here as well. But he attacks their teaching without saying what it is. They were forcing believers to become Jews and thereby making the benefits of God worthless.… They compiled long genealogies and used them to support their teaching, by which they were deceiving the hearts of the simple.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:19

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

Being “wise as to what is good” means doing good works, while being “guileless as to what is evil” means avoiding unrighteous deeds.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:20

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Paul says this about his own coming to them, for then he will crush the devil so that they will be able to receive spiritual grace. Satan gets angry at that, because he wants people to remain in sin. The grace which he has promised he will give them when he comes he now prays that they will have. For if they deserve to receive that grace, then he is already with them in spirit.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:21

Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

Timothy was a fellow worker of Paul’s as a cobishop, and he governed the church with great care. The Jews hated him to the point that he was circumcised because of it, in that his mother was Jewish and he could not be a teacher without being circumcised. Paul calls these people his kinsmen, partly by blood and partly by faith.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:22

I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

Tertius was his name, not a number [third]. He was the scribe who wrote the epistle, and Paul allowed him to send his own greetings to the Romans.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:23

Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

I think that this is the same Gaius to whom John wrote rejoicing in the love which he showed to the brethren by being always ready to meet their needs.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:24

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Paul places Christ, through whom we were made and again remade by his grace, at the end of his epistle so that he might stick in our minds, for if we are mindful of his benefits he will always look after us, as he said: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:25

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

Paul gives glory to God the Father, from whom are all things, that he might be pleased to fill the congregation of the Romans with his grace, as he can do by confirming their minds in faith for the advancing of the gospel and the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages, which has now been made manifest in Christ.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:26

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

The mystery which is eternally hidden in God was revealed in the time of Christ, for God is not alone, but from all eternity he has his Word and the Paraclete with him. God decreed that every creature was to be saved by coming to a knowledge of this truth. For the truth of this mystery had been indicated by the prophets in symbols, and it was known only to God.… This wisdom is Jesus Christ, who is from God and was with God forever.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 16:27

To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Without Christ nothing is complete, because all things are through him. It is acknowledged that praise is given to God the Father through him, because it is understood that “through Christ” means “through his wisdom,” in whom he has saved believers. Therefore glory to the Father through the Son is glory to both in the Holy Spirit, because both are in the one glory.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

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