0' (Luther) to suggest to the Romans that they should likewise bestow alms on those at Jerusalem, is very improbable, inasmuch as no reason is perceivable why he should not have ventured on a direct summons, and seeing, moreover, that he looked upon the work of collection as concluded, ver. 25," Meyer.-G. B. S.
2 leitourgia, in Classical Greek, is performing a public service at one's own expense.
3 2 Cor. ix. 5. Mosheim de Rebus Christianorum ante Const. p. 118, also Diss. ad Hist. Eccl. pert. vol. 2, 1. St. Chrys. speaks at length of wealth on 1 Cor. xiv. 19, Hom. 35, p 499, O. T. He thinks it lawful, but dangerous, and recommends alms almost without limitation.
4 A. V. bounty, but margin, blessing.
5 It is certain that Chrys. is incorrect in his interpretation of the statement: "When I come unto you I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ." (29.) The meaning is not that he shall find them abounding in this blessing, but that he (Paul) will come to them furnished with the fulness of this blessing. The joyful hopes of Paul respecting his journey to Rome and labors there, were not, indeed, wholly thwarted, but how different were the experiences of his journey and life there from what he had expected. He went thither a prisoner and such missionary labors as he was permitted to perform were accomplished while he was kept in ward by the civil authorities of Rome. And, yet, notwithstanding these hardships, who can doubt that his prayer was answered? He found joy in the saints at Rome who came out from the city as far as Appii Forum and the Three Taverns to welcome him (Acts xxviii. 15); he was permitted for two years, at least, to occupy his own hired house and freely to "preach the kingdom of God and teach the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him" (Acts xxviii. 30, Acts xxviii. 31); this preaching was crowned with signal success extending to the conversion of some of the members of Caesar's household (Phil. iv. 22). It is propable that we owe to this same period of imprisonment at Rome the four epistles to the Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon, and Philippians; if so, we have in them a reflection of the manifold activities and profound spiritual experiences of the apostle during his stay in Rome which constitute a genuine providential fulfilment of his desires, although it proved that as in the case of an earlier visit to Jerusalem, he went not knowing, the things that should befall him there (Acts xx. 22).-G. B. S.
6 2 mss. add, So directing them to do this.
7 See Bingham, b. ii. c. 22, for a full account of the office of the widows, deaconesses, etc., also Cave, Prim. Christ. part i. c. 8. Theodoret thinks it a sign of there being a considerable Church at Cenchrea, that they had a deaconess there.
8 sulleitourgouj. Afterwards the common term by which Bishops spoke of each other. As the Nicene Fathers of Alexander. Ep. Synod. v. fin. Theod. i. 9.
9 By "the church in the house" of Priscilla and Aquila, Chrys. understands the pious family which constituted the household. Such was the view of many of the older interpreters. The more probable view is that the "churches in the houses" (cf. 1 Cor. xvi. 19; Col. iv. 15; Philem. 2) were assemblies of a part of the collective church of the city, formed for the sake of convenience of meeting, especially in the largest towns. There is no reason to believe that all the persons named below were members of the household-church of Priscilla and Aquila.-G. B. S.
10 Omitted by most mss.
11 thn proj ton xorton filoneikian. See Matt. vi. 30; Luke xii. 28; Clem. Al. (Port.) p. 232.
12 katanucai, see p. 487, and p. 448.
13 See the use made of such recollections at the close of the 32d Homily.
14 He seems to have some place at Antioch in his mind, but we do not know that St. Paul was ever hound there.
15 filosofian, he means their simple habits; as in keeping: sheep, and the character perhaps implied in Moses' choice.
16 kataklan, Phryn. ap Bek. Anec. p. 45.
17 The remaining leaves of the Bodl. ms. are lost.
18 periderraiwn thus spelt. Jul. Poll. 5, 56.