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Gennadius of Constantinople

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 53 passages across 3 books

Commentary

41–53 of 53
Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Paul said this in criticism of those brothers who were running after charismatic gifts. God did not give us his gift in order that we should hate each other or that spiritual things should become an excuse for warfare, but so that we should enjoy harmony and friendship and the common salvation of all. None of you has anything by right, but the one who is worthy of the greatest, as well as the one who is worthy of the least of the charismatic gifts, has been given it by God. Knowing this he ought to use it according to the measure of his faith.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 12:6

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

“In proportion to our faith” not only applies to prophecy but may be extended by analogy to all the gifts.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 12:12

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

God’s mercy does not abandon you in these circumstances, but you are constantly and everywhere helped by him in all things.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 12:13

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Paul calls the believers “saints” because they have been called to be holy.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 12:14

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Paul wants them to exhibit such brotherly love that those who want to persecute them will have no excuse for doing so.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 12:18

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Paul says that he wants Christians to have the right spirit, even if others think differently.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 13:7

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

“Taxes” and “revenue” are the same thing.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 13:11

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Every day the end comes closer, and we are already on the threshold of the resurrection.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 14:1

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

Who would be so inhumane as to lay aside any sympathy for the weak and trample on them, not even offering them the help they need in adversity? Paul makes this an absolute command and accompanies it with the teaching that the law and all the behavior it entailed has been abolished in Christ. Yet he was conscious that the ethnic heritage weighed more heavily on the Jew, who felt that he would be sinning against his brothers if he went against the law.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 14:10

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Once again Paul takes up his earlier theme and by adding the word brother shows how inappropriate this kind of judging is.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 14:15

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

Look at how wonderfully Paul develops his argument. He starts off at the bottom, by referring to food. Then he goes on to call the person who is sinned against a “brother.” Then he calls what has been done to him “destruction.” Fourth, he says that this outrage has been committed against someone “for whom Christ died.” Fifth, he says that someone who does this causes godliness to be blasphemed, and sixth, that we have not come to faith in Christ in order to be able to enjoy this or that but in order to be able to share in righteousness, which means in sinlessness, peace and joy.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

By “the God of all hope” Paul means that God has blessed us with the hope of things to come.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 15:20

Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

The explanation as to why Paul had not yet managed to visit the Romans seems to be that he believed that Peter had already come to them as their teacher, so he went to places where as yet no one had preached the gospel of Christ.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

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