Rom. 16 Rom. 16:1–2 Paul commendeth Phebe to the Christians at Rome, Rom. 16:3–16 and sendeth salutations to many by name. Rom. 16:17–20 He warneth them to take heed of those who cause divisions and offences. Rom. 16:21–24 After sundry salutations, Rom. 16:25–27 he concludes with praise to God.

This chapter is in the nature of a postscript. The apostle begins it with the recommendation of a certain woman to them. She went upon some occasion to Rome, and by her (as some have supposed) this Epistle was sent to the church there.

Receive her in the Lord; i.e. in the Lord’s name, or for the Lord’s sake: see Matt. 18:5. Or else it is as if he had said: Receive her Christianly. As becometh saints; as it is fit that saints should be rcceived, or as it is fit for them, who profess themselves to be saints, to receive one another.

In the next place, he saluteth several persons by name; the first are Priscilla and Aquila. Sometimes she is called Prisca, 2 Tim. 4:19; and by a diminutive, Priscilla. This was usual amongst the Romans. So Livia was called Livilla; Tullia, Tulliola; Petrona, Petronella, &c.

Who have for my life laid down their own necks; i.e. they hazarded their own lives to save mine. The Scripture speaks of this as the duty of Christians, 1 John 3:16. He refers (it may be) to that uproar that was at Corinth, of which see Acts 18:12; or that in Asia, of which see Acts 19:23.

Likewise greet the church that is in their house; the word greet is supplied to fill up the sense: q.d. Declare my goodwill to them, and desires of their welfare. You have the same salutations, 1 Cor. 16:19; and the like in Col. 4:15, Philem. 2.

Greet Mary: this was a common name, but the person here meant was of special note. Ignatius highly commends one of this name, giving her an ample character for wisdom and godliness.

Salute Andronicus and Junia; it may be rendered Junius. Some think this Junia was a woman, and the wife of Andronicus; others take them both for men. My kinsmen; so he calls them, either because they were Jews, Rom.

Some translations call him Ampliatus; it is a Roman name. My beloved in the Lord; this is added, to show that he did not love him for his riches, or any outward respect, but for the Lord’s sake; for the grace of Christ, which appeared in him.

Urbane; this also is a Roman name; it was coveted afterwards by many bishops of Rome. Our helper in Christ; the same that was said of Aquila and Priscilla, Rom. 16:3. Possibly he might be one of their teachers. Stachys my beloved; this is a Greek name, which signifieth an ear of corn.

Origen supposeth this Apelles to be Apollos, of whom you read, Acts 18:24, and in other places. Epiphanius saith, he was teacher in the churches of Smyrna, before Polycarpus.

Salute Herodion my kinsman: see Rom. 16:7. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus: this Narcissus is reported by Suetonius to have been in great favour with Claudius the emperor, and to have abounded in wealth, so that he was worth ten millions.

He salutes several women as well as men: you read before of Priscilla, Rom. 16:3; of Mary, Rom. 16:6; and now he adds three more in this verse. He saith of the two first, that they laboured in the Lord; i.e. in the service of Christ and his church, according to their place and power.

Salute Rufus; the same (it may be) of whom you may read, Mark 15:21. Chosen in the Lord; a choice Christian, one eminent for gifts and graces. So, 2 John 1, you read of an elect lady: he is supposed not to speak here of eternal election.

i.e. The Christians that are their domestics, or that dwell with them.

Julia; probably the wife of Philologus. Olympas; this is thought to be the name of a man, rather than of a woman. All the saints which are with them; that are in their several families: see Rom. 16:14.

From greeting them himself, he proceeds to exhort them to greet or salute one another: this he adviseth them to do with an holy kiss. You have the same exhortation, in 1 Cor. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, 1 Thess. 5:26. This the apostle Peter calls a kiss of charity, 1 Pet. 5:14.

He shuts up the Epistle with a seasonable admonition, which he reserved to the last, that it might be the better remembered: it is, to beware of those that cause divisions and offences.

In this verse you have a reason of the foregoing admonition, together with a description of the seducers, whom they should mark and avoid. He says, they are such as serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; i.e. they serve themselves rather than Christ.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men: q.d. As for you, your ready embracing of the gospel, and conformity thereunto, is generally taken notice of by all that mind such things: see the like, Rom. 1:8, 1 Thess. 1:8.

And, &c.: q.d. And to encourage you to be watchful, I dare promise you shall be successful. The God of peace; so he is called, Rom. 15:33. Shall bruise Satan under your feet: the word signifies to bruise by treading: it imports the conquest that the Lord gives his people over Satan and all his…

As before he saluted divers persons himself, so now he sendeth the salutation of others to the church of Rome. This he doth to show the mutual amity and love that is and ought to be between Christians; though they are divided in respect of place, yet not in respect of affection and goodwill.

Tertius; this was the apostle’s scribe or amanuensis, who wrote this Epistle, either from his mouth, or from his papers: he put in this salutation by the apostle’s licence. Salute you in the Lord; i.e. I wish you safety from the Lord.

Gaius: we read of more than one that bore this name; there was Gaius of Macedonia, of whom you read, in Acts 19:29; there was Gaius of Derbe, of whom you read, Acts 20:4; he is most likely the person here meant. There was one of this name whom Paul baptized at Corinth, 1 Cor.

These words are the very same which you had, Rom. 16:20, only the word all is added. Some have thought, that the former was written with the hand of Tertius, the scribe or notary, and this with the apostle’s own hand.

He concludes all with an excellent doxology; wherein, first, he describes God, and then he ascribes eternal glory to him. He describes him by two of his attributes or perfections: the first is his power; He is able to establish you; i.e.

Concerning the revelation of this mystery, four things are further recorded: 1. The means whereby it was made known; viz. the Scriptures of the prophets; see Acts 10:43, Acts 16:32, Acts 28:23. 2. The authority by which it was made known; the commandment of the everlasting God. 3.

The second attribute in the description of God, is his wisdom; he is said to be wise, and only wise. See the like, 1 Tim. 1:17, Jude 25. So he is said to be only true, John 17:3, and to be the only Potentate, 1 Tim. 6:15, and only to have immortality, 1 Tim. 6:16.