- Salutat vos Gaius, hospes meus et
Ecclesiae totius. Salutat vos Erastus, quaestor
aerarius urbis, et Quartus frater. - Gaius mine host, and of the whole church,
saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city
saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. - Gratia Domini nostri Iesu Christi sit cure
omnibus vobis. Amen. - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you all. Amen. - Ei vero qui potens est vos confirmare
secundum evangelium meum, et praeconium - Now to him that is of power to stablish
you according to my gospel, and the preaching
scilicet Iesu Christi, secundum revelationem
mysterii, quod temporibus secularibus taciturn,
of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secret since the world
began,- Manifestatum nunc fuit, et per scripturas
propheticas, secundum aeterni Dei ordinationem, - But now is made manifest, and by the
scriptures of the prophets, according to the
in obedientiam fidel ad omnes gentes
promulgatum, —
commandment of the everlasting God, made
known to all nations for the obedience of faith:- Soli sapienti Deo per Iesum Christum
gloria in secula. Amen. - To God only wise, be glory through Jesus
Christ for ever. Amen.
Ad Romanos missa fuit a Corinthe per
Phoeben, ministram Cenchreensis ecclesiae.
Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and
sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.
21.Timothy, etc. The salutations which he records, served in part to foster union between those
who were far asunder, and in part to make the Romans know that their brethren subscribed to the
Epistle; not that Paul had need of the testimony of others, but because the consent of the godly is
not of small importance.
The Epistle closes, as we see, with praise and thanksgiving to God. It indeed records the
remarkable kindness of God in favoring the Gentiles with the light of the gospel, by which his
infinite and unspeakable goodness has been made evident. The conclusion has, at the same time,
this to recommend it, — that it serves to raise up and strengthen the confidence of the godly, so
that with hearts lifted up to God they may fully expect all those things which are here ascribed to
him, and may also confirm their hope as to what is to come by considering his former benefits.^483
But as he has made a long period, by collecting many things into one passage, the different clauses,
implicated by being transposed, must be considered apart.
He ascribes first all the glory to God alone; and then, in order to show that it is rightly due to
him, he by the way mentions some of his attributes; whence it appears that he alone is worthy of
all praise. He says that he only is wise; which praise, being claimed for him alone, is taken away
from all creatures. Paul, at the same time, after having spoken of the secret counsel of God, seems
to have designedly annexed this eulogy, in order that he might draw all men to reverence and adore
the wisdom of God: for we know how inclined men are to raise a clamor, when they can find out
no reason for the works of God.
(^483) This conclusion bears an evident reference to the point the Apostle had especially in view — the reconciling of the Jews
and Gentiles. He connects the gospel with the ancient Scriptures, and mentions the gospel as being in unison with them. Then
the Jews had no reason to complain. As in Romans 16:17 to 20 inclusive, he reproved the Gentiles who caused divisions; so in
these verses his special object is to put an end to the objections of the Jews. — Ed.