Lange Commentary - Romans 15:5

Lange Commentary - Romans 15:5 - 15:13

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Lange Commentary - Romans 15:5 - 15:13

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Sixth Section.—Exhortation to unanimity on the part of all the members of the Church, to the praise of God and on the ground of God’s grace, in which Christ has accepted both Jews and Gentiles. Reference to the destination of all nations to glorify God, even according to the Old Testament, and encouragement of the Roman Christians to an immeasurable hope in regard to this, according to their calling

Rom_15:5-13

⁵Now the God of patience and consolation [comfort] grant you to be likeminded [of the same mind] one toward another according to Christ Jesus:⁶That ye may with one mind and one mouth [with one accord ye may with one mouth] glorify God, even the Father [or, the God and Father] of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us ⁸[you], to the glory of God. Now [For] I say that Jesus [omit Jesus] Christ was [hath been made] a minister of the circumcision for the truth [for the sake of God’s truth] of God, to [in order to] confirm the promises madeunto the fathers: ⁹And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written,

For this cause I will confess [give thanks] to thee among the Gentiles,

And sing unto thy name.

^{10, 11}And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again,

Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles;

And laud him, all ye people.

¹²And again, Esaias [Isaiah] saith,

There shall be a root of Jesse,

And he that shall rise [riseth] to reign over the Gentiles;

In him shall the Gentiles trust [hope].

¹³Now [And may] the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through [ ἐí , in] the power of the Holy Ghost.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The positive destination of the Christian Church at Rome.

Rom_15:5. Now the God of patience, &c. [ ὁäὲ Èåὸò ôῆò ὑðïìïíῆò , ê . ô . ë . “God, who is the author of patience,” &c. So Hodge, Meyer, and most. Luther: “Scriptura quidem docet, sed gratia donat, quod illa docet.” Comp. Calvin on the patience of the Christian. De Wette, Meyer, and others, understand by ὑðïìïíÞ , constancy. Hodge takes consolation as the source of patience.—R.] God is the common, inexhaustible source of all the matured patience of the New Testament, and of all the preparatory comfort of the Old Testament; and it is from Him that believers must derive the gift of being of the same mind one toward another according to Christ Jesus (not according to His example and will merely, but according to His Spirit).

Rom_15:6. It is only in this path of self-humiliation that they shall and can attain to the glorious way of glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—Him who has glorified Jesus as Christ, after Christ passed through the Jesus-way of humiliation, and whom they glorify in the anticipation that He will glorify them with Him, as He has already glorified them in Him. The terms Christ Jesus and Jesus Christ are here reversed with remarkable acuteness and effect.—With one accord, ὁìïèõìáäüí , is not explained by the phrase: with one mouth [ ἐí ἑíὶ óôüìáôé ], but the former is the source of the latter, as Meyer has correctly observed, against Reiche. [“When God is so praised that the same mood impels every one to the same utterance of praise, then party-feeling is banished, and unanimity has found its most sacred expression” (Meyer).—R.]

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ [ ôὸí Èåὸí êáὶ ðáôÝñá ôïῦ êõñßïõ ἡìῶí Ἰçóïῦ ÷ñéóôïῦ .] He is not only the Father, but also the God, of Christ, in the highest specific sense (thus Grotius [Bengel, Reiche, Fritzsche, Jowett], and others, in opposition to Meyer). Comp. Eph_1:17.

[God, even the Father, &c. The E. V. thus renders, disconnecting “of our Lord Jesus Christ” from “God.” So De Wette, Philippi, Meyer, Stuart, Webster and Wilkinson. Hodge, Tholuck, and Alford, leave the question undecided. It would seem that either view is admissible grammatically; êáß is often used epexegetically, even, and the article (standing before èåïῦ only) may merely bind the two terms, “God” and “Father of Christ” (Meyer). At the same time, the article might be looked for before ðáôÝñá , were êáß explicative. Nor is there any doctrinal difficulty occasioned by either view. The only reason in my own mind for preferring the interpretation of the E. V. is, that those exegetes, who are most delicate in their perceptions of grammatical questions, adopt it. See Meyer in loco.—R.]

Rom_15:7. Wherefore receive ye one another [ äéὸ ðñïóëáìâÜíåóèå ἀëëÞëïõò ]. In the intensive sense. An exhortation to both parties.

As Christ also received you [ êáèὼò êáὶ ὁ ÷ñéóôὸò ðñïóåëÜâåôï ὑìᾶò . See Textual Note².] This is more definitely explained in Rom_15:8-9.

To the glory of God [ åἰò äüîáí ôïῦ Èåïῦ . See Textual Note³.] This must be referred to Christ’s reception of them, and not to the exhortation: receive ye one another, according to Chrysostom, and others. That God might be glorified. Not immediately, in order that we may share the Divine glory with Christ (Grotius, Beza, and others), although the glorification of God shall consist in that. As the self-humiliation of Christ, which was proved by His receiving men into His fellowship, led to the glorification of God (see John xvii.), so also, according to the previous verse, shall the same conduct of self-humiliation on the part of Christians have the same effect. But how has Christ received us into His fellowship? Answer:

Rom_15:8. For I say [ ëÝãù ãÜñ . See Textual Note⁴.] The Apostle now explains how Christ received the Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians into fellowship with himself.—That Christ [ ÷ñéóôüí . See Textual Note⁵.] The reading Christ, as a designation of God’s Son, in view of the incarnation. In this view He hath been made a minister of the circumcision [ äéÜêïíïí ãåãåῆóèáé ðåñéôïìῆò . See Textual Note⁶. Dr. Lange, in his German text of this verse, thus explains this phrase: “from a higher, Divine-human, ideal point of view, receiving the Jews into His fellowship, by submitting himself to circumcision.”—R.] His concrete incarnation as a Jew, in which He became subject to the Jewish law (see Php_2:7; Gal_4:4), must be distinguished from His incarnation in the more general sense. By this means, He, as the heavenly Strong One, through voluntary love entered into the fellowship of the infinitely weak in both a human and legal sense, and accordingly received them into His fellowship. It seems far-fetched to regard the circumcision here (with Meyer [Philippi, Hodge], and others) as an abstract idea for the circumcised. The circumcision denotes the law; and as He freely became a minister of the law, He also became a ministering companion of the Jews; Mat_20:28. Therefore it is not the theocratic “honor of the Jews” which is emphasized here (Meyer) [Philippi], but the condescension to serve them. [So Hodge. ÄéÜêïíïí is in emphatic position. The view of the emphasis taken by Meyer seems confirmed by what follows, which sets forth an advantage of the Jews.—R.]

For the sake of God’s truth [ ὑðὲñ ἀëçèåßáò Èåïῦ . For the sake of the truthfulness of God, in order to justify and to prove it by means of the fulfilment of the promises of the Old Testament.—R.] This undoubtedly seems to express the advantage of the Jews; but it also indicates their perilous condition. His condescension had a twofold cause: God’s mercy, and His promises resting upon it. Principially, His mercy took the precedence; but historically, the promise preceded. The truthfulness of God had to be sealed; He must confirm the promises given to the fathers by fulfilling them, however unfortunate the condition of the posterity; must confirm them in a way finally valid, for, as such sealed promises, they still continue in force, according to chap. 11., especially to believers (see 2Co_1:20; Rev_3:14).

Rom_15:9. And that the Gentiles, &c. [ ôὰ äὲ ἒèíç ὑðὲñ ἐëÝïõò äïîÜóáé ôὸí Èåüí .] Christ had to receive the Jews, acting as a minister to them through His whole life; and He had to confine himself to historical labors among them, not so much because they were worthy of it, as to fulfil the promises given to the fathers. But the Gentiles were now the object of utterly unmerited mercy. The thought that Christ has redeemed the Gentiles through pure mercy, which was not yet historically pledged to them (for the promises in the Old Testament in relation to the Gentiles were not pledges to the Gentiles themselves), now passes immediately over into the representation of the fact that the Gentiles have already come to glorify God as believers, in which they have an advantage on their side also. The meaning of ὑðὲñ ἐëÝïõò is, that mercy could not help satisfying itself for its own sake, by redemption. The äïîÜóáé has been translated by Rückert [De Wette, Hodge, Alford], and others: have glorified; by Köllner [Calvin, Tholuck], and Philippi: should glorify. See Meyer on this point, p. 517. The aorist says, at all events, that they have decidedly begun to glorify God.

For this cause I will give thanks to thee, &c. [ Äéὰ ôïῦôï ἐîïìïëïãÞóïìáé óïé , ê . ô . ë . Verbatim from the LXX., except that êýñéå is omitted here. On the verb, see Rom_14:11, p.—R.] Meyer aptly says: “The historical subject of the passage, David, is the type of Christ, and the latter (not the Gentile Christian, with Fritzsche; nor the collective term for the Gentile apostles, with Reiche; nor any messenger of salvation to the world, with Philippi) is therefore, in Paul’s sense, the prophetical subject; Christ promises that He will glorify God among the Gentiles (surrounded by believing Gentiles) for His mercy ( äéὰ ôïῦôï = ὑðὲñ ἐëÝïõò ). But this is the plastic description of glorifying on the part of the Gentiles themselves, which takes place in the name of the Lord Jesus, and through Him (Col_3:17).”

Rom_15:10. Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people [ ÅὐöñÜíèçôå ἒèíç ìåôὰ ôïῦ ëáïῦ áὐôïῦ . See Textual Note⁷, for the Hebrew text.—R.] Deu_32:43. From the LXX., which reads ìåôὰ ôïῦ ëáïῦ áὐôïῦ for òַîּåֹ , “probably following another reading: àֶúÎòַîּåֹ ;” Meyer. On the impossibility of understanding, by Goim, the single tribes of Israel, which De Wette does, comp. Tholuck, p. 730. [Also Philippi, whose remarks on this citation are unusually full and valuable.—R.] According to the theocratic idea, the definitions: rejoice to his people, or rather, make his people rejoice ( äַøְðִéðåּ ), ye Gentiles, and rejoice with his people, amount to the same thing.

Rom_15:11. Praise the Lord; Psa_117:1. [An exact citation from the LXX. See Textual Notes ⁸ and ⁹, however.—R.] A prophecy of the universal spread of salvation.

Rom_15:12. And again, Isaiah saith. [See Textual Note¹⁰.] In Rom_11:10 : According to the LXX., which, however, has translated the original text so freely that the twofold dominion of the Messiah is indicated, on the one hand, over the Jews (as the root of Jesse), and, on the other, over the Gentiles.

A root of Jesse [ ἡ ῥßæá ôïῦ Ἰåóóáὶ ]. See Isa_11:1. The tree of the royal house of David being cut down, the Messiah arose from the root of the house, which is symbolized by Jesse. In a higher sense, Christ was indeed the holy root of Jesse, and of the house of David itself.

Rom_15:13. And may the God of hope. A grand description of God here, where the object is to remind the Roman Christians to lead a life in perfect accordance with their universal calling. To this also belongs the duty of looking confidently and prayerfully to the God of hope, the God of that future of salvation which is so infinitely rich, both extensively and intensively.

With all joy and peace. From that hope, the highest possible evangelical, saving joy, shall spring; the result of this shall be the richest measure of peace, and the harmony and unanimity of faith. This shall take place in believing ( ðéóôåýåéí , it is not by unbelief, or by abridging our faith, that the unity of Christianity should be sought), and accordingly these two spiritual blessings shall ever produce a richer hope, not in human power and according to a human measure, but in the inward measure and divine power of the Holy Ghost.

Therefore the realization of hope should not be striven for by the aid of earthly and even infernal powers: one shepherd and one fold! According to Grotius, the end of this hope is harmony; according to Tholuck, the immediate end is the gracious gifts of God’s kingdom; while the ultimate end is the regnum gloriæ. However, there lies just between these the end which the Apostle here has in view—that by the aid of the Church at Rome, in their fellowship with Paul, all nations shall be brought, by the spread of faith, to glorify God; Eph_1:18 ff.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The great grounds of the profound and perfect harmony and unanimity of Christians, a. God as the God of patience and comfort; that is, as the God of the infinite power of passive and active love; b. The pattern, the spirit, the power, and the work of Christ; c. The design that Christians, by being like-minded, and by aiming at substantial fellowship in God and in Christ (as created and redeemed), should find also the ethical fellowship of harmony and unanimity.

2. The universal fellowship into which Christ has entered with humanity, and the special fellowship in which He has pledged himself to the Jews, constitute the basis for the most special and real fellowship into which He, through His grace, has entered with believers. But it is a grievous offence to refuse communion with him whom Christ, by the witness of faith and of confession, has communion, or to abridge and prejudice hearty intercourse with those whom God, in Christ, deems worthy of His fellowship. [Rom_15:7 seems to be a dictum probans for what is termed “open communion.”—R.]

3. On the antithesis: Christ Jesus and Jesus Christ, see the Exeg. Notes.

4. It is also clear here (see Rom_15:8) that we must distinguish between the ideal incarnation of Christ in itself, and His concrete incarnation in Judaism, and, generally, in the form of a servant.

5. God is free in His grace, and yet also bound in His truth, for He has bound himself to His promises. But this obligation is the highest glory of His freedom. His truthfulness had to satisfy His word, but His mercy had to satisfy itself.

6. The riches of the Old Testament in promises for the Jews, and the high aim of these promises: a world of nations praising the Lord.

7. The God of patience, comfort, hope. All such terms define God to be infinite, and infinite as a fountain, as self-communicating life, and archetype of life. So also is the Holy Spirit defined as the Spirit of truth, &c. See the beautiful remark of Gerlach, below. But the highest thing for which we can praise God, according to Rom_15:6, is His being the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only is He His Father in the specific sense, but also His God; the glorious God of His consciousness and life is the true God in perfect revelation, and consequently shall become our God through Him.

8. On the development of hope, within the sphere of faith, into joy and peace, and, by means of peace, into an ever richer hope, see the Exeg. Notes. It is only in this way that irenics can be conducted in the power of the Holy Ghost, and not with the modern artifice of attempting them outside the sphere of faith, beyond all creeds, and with the theory of unconscious Christianity, or even with the violent measures of the Middle Ages. The Apostle says: In the power of the Holy Ghost.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Jewish and Gentile Christians should agree for Christ’s sake, who has received them both.—Christian harmony. 1. It comes from the God of patience and comfort; 2. It is shaped according to the pattern and will of Jesus Christ; 3. It expresses itself in harmonious praise of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom_15:5-6).—A harmonious and fraternal disposition is a source of the joyous praise of God, which is not disturbed by a discordant note (Rom_15:5-6).—Jesus Christ a minister of the circumcision. 1. Why? For the truth of God, to confirm the promise. 2. How? In obedience to the Divine law, for freedom from the law (Rom_15:8).—Receive one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Every thing to God’s glory, and not to our own (Rom_15:7).—The praise of God out of the mouth of Gentiles: 1. Established in God’s mercy; 2. Resounding in many tongues; 3. Ascending to heaven (Rom_15:9).—God’s mercy toward the Gentiles: 1. Present from the beginning; 2. Declared by the prophets; 3. Manifested in Christ (Rom_15:9-13). Rom_15:13 is an appropriate text and theme for addresses on occasions of confirmation or marriage.

Starke: In Christ, souls are worth so much that God receives them, just as men hoard gold and silver, pearls and gems; Isa_43:4 (Rom_15:7).—Müller: Patience does not increase in the garden of nature, but it is God’s gift and grace; God is the real Master who creates it (Rom_15:5).—Because Christ is a root, He must vegetate, bloom, and bring forth fruit in us (Rom_15:12).

Gerlach: God is the source of all good things, and since He not merely has them, but they are His real essence; since He does not have love and omnipotence, but is actually love and omnipotence themselves, so can He be denominated according to every glorious attribute and gift which He possesses. The advantage which the Gentiles thought that they possessed in their polytheism, when they, for example, worshipped a deity of truth, of hope, &c., is possessed in a much more certain and effective way by the believing Christian, when he perceives, in a vital manner, that the true God is himself personal faithfulness, hope, and love, and thus has all these attributes just as if He had nothing else but them (Rom_15:5).

Heubner: The harmony of hearts is the real soul and power of worship (Rom_15:6).—Christ is the centre of the Holy Scriptures (Rom_15:8).—Christ is the bond of all nations (Rom_15:12).—God alone is the source of all life and blessing in the Church. The means is faith, as the ever new appropriation of saving blessings; from this arises the enjoyment of peace and of all blessed joys—an overflow of hope. But every thing is brought to pass by the Holy Spirit (Rom_15:13).

Besser: The Scriptures are a book of patience and comfort (Rom_15:5.)—Every thing which is true joy in this life, is a foretaste of the joy of eternal life—joy in the Lord and His word, joy in all His blessings, which make body and soul happy, &c. … All true peace in this world of contention and anxiety, is a preliminary enjoyment of the peace in the kingdom of glory.

Schleiermacher: The limitation in the labors of our Saviour himself, when we look at His person, and the greater freedom and expansion in the labors of His disciples. 1. Treatment; 2. Application (Rom_15:8-9).

Rom_15:4-13. The Pericope for the Second Sunday in Advent.—Schultz: On the likeness of Christ and His redeemed ones. 1. In what respect has Christ become like us? 2. In what respect should we become like Christ? a. In patience and humility; b. In the respect and love with which He treated all men; c. In the joyful faith and peaceful hope with which He overcame the world.—Riemer: What must there be among Christians, in order that the Church of Christ may stand? 1. One foundation; 2. A harmonious mouth; 3. A common bond.—Brandt: To what does the season of Advent exhort us? 1. To the industrious examination of what has been written; 2. To the unanimous praise of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for all that has been already fulfilled; 3. To an attentive waiting for the future coming of God’s kingdom.—Heubner: The unity of the Christian Church. 1. In what does it consist? 2. What binds us to it?—The Bible the bond of the Christian Church. 1. Proof: It is the bond, a. In faith, or in doctrine; b. In the holy sense, or in love; c. In worship; d. In daily life. 2. Application, a. A warning against despising the Bible, and an admonition to maintain its authority; b. A dissemination of its use; c. Our own proper use of it.—The Bible the treasure of the evangelical Church.—The inward unity of true Christians amid outward diversity.

[Burkitt: The Christian’s hope: 1. God is its object, and therefore the sin of despair is most unreasonable; for why should any despair of His mercy who is the God of hope, who commands us to hope in His mercy, and takes pleasure in them that do ?Song of Solomon 2. The grace of hope, together with joy and peace in believing, are rooted in the Christian’s heart, through the power of the Holy Ghost—that is, through the sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost—enlightening the understanding, inclining the will, rectifying the affections, and reducing all the rebellious powers and faculties of the soul in concurrence with our endeavors under the government and dominion of reason and religion.

[Henry: The method of faith is: 1. To seek Christ as one proposed to us for a Saviour; 2. And, finding Him able and willing to save, then to trust in Him. They that know Him will trust in Him. Or, this seeking Him is the effect of a trust in Him, seeking Him by prayer and pursuant endeavors. Trust, is the mother; diligence in the use of means, the daughter.—What is laid out upon Christians is but little compared with what is laid up for them.—Doddridge: Nothing can furnish so calm a peace and so sublime a joy as Christian hope.—That is the most happy and glorious circumstance in the station which Providence may have assigned us, which gives us the greatest opportunity of spreading the honor of so dear a name, and of presenting praises and services to God through Him.

Kollock, Sermon on the patience of God: I. The nature of this patience, or slowness to anger: (1) It is a modification of the Divine goodness; (2) It is not the result of ignorance; (3) It is not the result of impotence; (4) It is not the result of a connivance at sin, or a resolution to suffer it with impunity; (5) But it is grounded on the everlasting covenant, and the blood of Jesus. II. Some of the most illustrious manifestations of it. III. The reasons why God exercises it: (1) He is patient because of His benignity; (2) In order that this perfection may be glorified; (3). In consequence of the prayers of pious ancestors; (4) Because the wicked are often mixed with the pious, and nearly related to them; (5) The number of His elect is not yet completed; (6) The measure of the sins of the wicked is not yet filled up; (7) That sinners may be brought to repentance; (8) That sinners who continue impenitent may at last be without excuse; (9) That His power may be displayed; (10) That He may exercise the trust of His servants in Him. IV. The effects that the belief and knowledge of it should produce upon our hearts and lives: (1) Because of God’s patience we should love Him; (2) We should repent; (3) We should imitate Him; (4) His patience should be our comfort; (5) We should grieve at the reproaches and insults cast upon God.

[Homiletical Literature on Rom_15:13 : Hugh Binning, Works, vol. iii. 249; R. Lucas, Joy, Peace, and Hope, the Christian’s Portion Here, Serm. (1709), vol. ii. 119; Bishop Moore, Excellency of the Christian Religion, Serm., vol. ii. 291; James Craig, Serm., vol. ii. 355; J. Dodson, Joy in Believing, Disc., 184; Daniel De Superville. (le fils), Les Fruits consolans de la Foi, Serm., vol. iii. 328; R. Moss, Nature and Qualification of Christian Hope, Serm., vol. vi. 325; Price, Peace of Conscience, Hope, and Holy Joy, Berry St. SS., vol. i. 419; S. Ogden, The Being of the Holy Ghost, Serm., 157; W. Mason, The Effects of the Divine Spirit, Works, vol. iv. 147; H. Hunter, The Belief of the Gospel a Source of Joy and Peace, Serm. (1795), vol. i. 227; David Savile, Present Happiness of Believers, Disc., 401; W. Gilpin, Sermons, 165; C. Simeon, The Holy Ghost the Author of Hope, Works, vol. xv. 553; G. D’Oyly, Joy and Peace in Believing, vol. i. 385; W. Blackley, Script. Teaching, 263; W. Gresley, Joy and Peace in Believing, Practical Serm., 41; E. Blencowe, Hope, Plain Serm., vol. ii. 80; H. Goodwin, The Young Man in Religious Difficulties, Four Serm., 35.—J. F. H.]

Footnotes:

Rom_15:6.—[On the two renderings given above, see the Exeg. Notes.

Rom_15:7.—[The Rec., with B. D¹.: ἡìᾶò ; à . A. C. D² ³. F. L., most versions and many fathers: ὑìᾶò . All modern editors adopt the latter. Besides the overwhelming MS. support, there is the additional reason, that ἡìᾶò might so readily enter as a correct gloss, since the reference is undoubtedly to both Jewish and Gentile Christians. See the Exeg. Notes.

Rom_15:7.—[The Rec., on very insufficient authority, omits ôïῦ before Èåïῦ ; inserted in à . A. B. C. D. F. G.

Rom_15:8.—[Instead of ãÜñ , which is found in à . A. B. C. D. F., versions and fathers, the Rec. (with L. and Peshito) reads: äÝ . The latter reading probably arose from a misunderstanding of the connection (Alford), or because ëÝãù äÝ is so common with Paul (Meyer). The former is now generally adopted (from Griesbach to Tregelles). Phillippi thinks a decision impossible!

Rom_15:8.—[D. F., Syriac versions, Rec., insert Ἰçóïῦí before ×ñéóôüí ; some authorities (including Vulgate), after ÷ñ .; omitted in à . A. B. C., fathers; rejected by Lachmann, Tischendorf, De Wette, Alford. The variation in position is decidedly against it, making an interpolation extremely probable. Dr. Lange thinks the connection favors the omission.

Rom_15:8.—[ à . A. C². D³. L., many fathers: ãåãåíῆóèáé ; adopted by De Wette, Philippi, Meyer, Alford, Lange. B. C¹. D¹. F.: ãåíÝóèáé , adopted by Lachmann and Tregelles. The former is to be preferred, because the ãå was likely to be omitted, and the latter might have been substituted as a correction.

Rom_15:10.—[From the LXX., Deu_32:43. The Hebrew text is: äַøְðִéðåּ âå ̇ éּí òַîּåֹ , literally, Rejoice, O ye nations. His people. It is not necessary, in order to defend the rendering of the LXX., to suppose that they read òִí òַîּåֹ or ãְòַîּãֹ or àֶúÎòַîּãֹ (although the last has been found). They could find the sense they have adopted in the Hebrew text as ft stands, by simply repeating the imperative (in thought) before òַîּãֹ . See Philippi in loco, and Hengstenberg, on Psa_18:50.

Rom_15:11.—[B. D. F. read Ë¸ÃÅÉ ; omitted in à . A. C. L., fathers. It was easily inserted from Rom_15:10. Lachmann adopts it, but it is generally rejected.—The order of the Rec.: ôὸí êýñéïí ðÜíôá ôὰ ἒèíç is probably a correction to conform with the LXX. à . A. B. D, Vulgate, Syriac, &c.: ð . ô . ἒè . ôὸí êýñéïí . So Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford, Tregelles.

Rom_15:11.—[ à . A. B. C.: ὲðáéíåóÜôùóáí . So Lachmann, Tischendorf, Meyer, De Wette, Alford, Tregelles, Lange. Rec., F. L., versions: ἐðáéíÝóáôå (so LXX., although the MSS. vary). Philippi adopts the latter, but he is a conservative as respects the Recepta.

Rom_15:12.—[The LXX. (Isa_11:10) is followed here. It differs somewhat from the Hebrew, which reads:

ãְäָéָä áַּéּåֹí äַäåּà ùֹׁøֶùׁ øִùַׁé àֲùֶׁø òֹîֵã ìְðֵí òַîִּøí àֵìָéã âּåֹéִí éִãְøùׁãּ .

Literally: “And in that day shall the root of Jesse which (is) standing (or set up) be for a signal to the nations; unto Him shall the Gentiles seek” (J. A. Alexander). But the LXX. only strengthens this into a form well suited to the Apostle’s purpose.

Rom_15:13.—[F. G. read: ðëçèïñÞóáé ὑìᾶò ðÜóῃ ÷áðᾷ êáὶ åὶðÞíῃ . So B., inserting ἐí before the datives. à . A. C. D. L.: ðëçðþóáé ὑìᾶò ðÜóçò ÷áñᾶò êáὶ åὶðῆíçò ; accepted by most editors.—R.]

[With this accords the view of Dr. Hodge: “The expression, to be like-minded, does not here refer to unanimity of opinion, but to harmony of feeling; see chaps. Rom_8:5; Rom_12:3.” The context favors this very decidedly.—Meyer thinks “the example of Christ (Rom_15:3) is still the ruling thought;” but it is certainly not the exclusive one. The verb äῴç is the latter Hellenistic form for äïßç .—R.]

[Dr. Hodge seems to prefer the other reference, while Dr. Lange really adopts both in his further remarks. Dr. Hodge does not decide which reading he adopts, ὑìᾶò or ἡìᾶò ; but says that, if the former he the true reading, Paul is “exhorting the Gentile converts to forbearance toward their Jewish brethren.” This view is rejected by most of the later commentators, for both parties are addressed, as the context shows. Because Paul often means Gentiles when he says ἡìåῖò , we need not hold that he always uses it in this sense.—R.]

[This view can scarcely be deemed “far-fetched,” when it is so readily suggested by the antithesis, ἒèíç (Rom_15:9). and when Paul so frequently uses the term in this sense (comp. Rom_3:20; Gal_2:7 ff.; Eph_2:11; Col_3:11).—R.]

[The aorist infinitive äïîÜóáé has occasioned some trouble among the grammarians.

1. It has been taken as dependent on ëÝãù (Rom_15:8). So Winer, p. 311, Hodge, Alford, De Wette, Philippi; but in different senses: (a.) I say that the Gentiles have praised God (at their conversion). So Alford, Hodge, De Wette. But this is both contrary to the usage with the aorist infinitive, and introduces a thought that does not seem to belong here naturally. (b.) I say that the Gentiles ought to praise God (Calvin, Philippi, Tholuck). But there is no idea of obligation introduced in Rom_15:8 which is parallel to this. (c.) I say that the Gentiles praise (indefinitely). So Winer, Fritzsche. But to this there are grammatical objections. Besides this, all these involve an incorrect view of the dependence of the infinitive.

2. The simplest, most natural view, is that of the E. V., Meyer, &c. The infinitive stands next to a clause where there is also an aorist infinitive ( âåâáéῶóáé ); it is therefore coördinate with this, depending also on åἰò ôý , though expressing the more remote purpose: Christ was made a minister, &c., in order to confirm the promises, and as a result of this, that the Gentiles might praise God for His mercy.—R.]

[Meyer renders: in virtue of the (inworking) power of the Holy Ghost. Our E. V., usually so apt, is peculiarly unfortunate in its treatment of the preposition ὲí , which it readers through in this case. The later revisions have by. But it is to be doubted whether ἐí ever has a strictly instrumental force. The peculiar meaning, in, always remains in it. So here, in believing, in the power of the Holy Ghost; the former expressing the subjective, and the latter, the objective means, yet the former sets forth the status, in which (gläubigsein) they are, and the latter an inworking power. Comp. Philippi.—R.]