this instance the singular modesty of this holy man, to whom nothing was more acceptable than to
be thought of no account, provided the doctrine he preached retained its authority.
There was much pride in the Romans; the name even of their city made the lowest of the people
proud; so that they could hardly bear a teacher of another nation, much less a barbarian and a Jew.
With this haughtiness Paul would not contend in his own private name: he however subdued it, as
it were, by soothing means; for he testified that he undertook to address them on account of his
Apostolic office.
Ye are full of goodness, being filled with knowledge, etc. Two qualifications are especially
necessary for him who gives admonitions: the first is kindness, which disposes his mind to aid his
brethren by his advice, and also tempers his countenance and his words with courtesy, — and the
second is skill in advice or prudence, which secures authority to him, inasmuch as he is able to
benefit the hearers whom he addresses. There is indeed nothing more opposed to brotherly
admonitions than malignity and arrogance, which make us disdainfully to despise the erring, and
to treat them with ridicule, rather than to set them right. Asperity also, whether it appears in words
or in the countenance, deprives our admonitions of their fruit. But however you may excel in the
feeling of kindness, as well as in courtesy, you are not yet fit to advise, except you possess wisdom
and experience. Hence he ascribes both these qualifications to the Romans, bearing them a testimony,
— that they were themselves sufficiently competent, without the help of another, to administer
mutual exhortations: for he admits, that they abounded both in kindness and wisdom. It hence
follows, that they were able to exhort.
15.The more boldly, however, have I written to you, etc. The excuse follows, and in adducing
this, that he might more fully show his modesty, he says, by way of concession, that he acted boldly
in interposing in a matter which they themselves were able to do; but he adds that he was led to be
thus bold on account of his office, because he was the minister of the gospel to the Gentiles, and
could not therefore pass by them who were also Gentiles. He however thus humbles himself, that
he might exalt the excellency of his office; for by mentioning the favor of God, by which he was
elevated to that high honor, he shows that he could not suffer what he did according to his apostolic
office to be despised. Besides, he denies that he had assumed the part of a teacher, but that of an
admonisher,^452
16.Consecrating the gospel, etc.This rendering I prefer to that which Erasmus in the first place
adopts, that is, “Administering;” for nothing is more certain than that Paul here alludes to the holy
mysteries which were performed by the priest. He then makes himself a chief priest or a priest in
the ministration of the gospel, to offer up as a sacrifice the people whom he gained for God, and
in this manner he labored in the holy mysteries of the gospel. And doubtless this is the priesthood
of the Christian pastor, that is, to sacrifice men, as it were, to God, by bringing them to obey the
gospel, and not, as the Papists have hitherto haughtily vaunted, by offering up Christ to reconcile
men to God. He does not, however, give here the name of priests to the pastors of the Church simply
as a perpetual title, but intending to commend the honor and power of the ministry, Paul availed
(^452) It does not clearly appear what meaning Calvin attached to the words μ , which he renders ex parte. Some, like Origen,
connect the expression with the verb, “I have written to you in part,” that is, not fully, which seems to have no meaning consistently
with the evident tenor of the passage. Others, as Chrysostom, Erasmus, and Pareus, connect the words with the adjective, “I have
in part (or somewhat) more boldly (or more freely, or more confidently) written to you.” Macknight connects them with the
following clause, “partly as calling things to your remembrance.” Doddridge and Stuart render them “in this part of the Epistle.”
The most suitable view is to consider them as qualifying the adjective. — Ed.