\\INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 16\\

This chapter contains a recommendation of a single person, herein
mentioned; a list of the chief of the saints at Rome, who are saluted
by name, and some with singular encomiums; a caution to beware of false
teachers; various salutations of persons that were with the apostle
sent to the church at Rome; and the whole is concluded with a doxology,
or an ascription of glory to God. First, a commendation is given of a
woman, by whom this long letter was sent, who is described by her name,
Phebe; by her spiritual relation, a sister in Christ; by her office or
character, a servant of the church at Cenchrea, \\#Ro 16:1\\, who is
recommended to the saints at Rome, to receive her into their communion,
conversation, and affection, as became them, and to assist her in every
thing she might need from them; which is enforced by this reason,
because she had been a succourer of the apostle, and many others,
\\#Ro 16:2\\, and next follows a catalogue of the principal saints at
Rome, to whom the apostle sends his Christian salutations; and among
these stand, in the first place, Aquila and Priscilla, and the church
in their house, \\#Ro 16:3-5\\, who are described as greatly assisting
to him in the cause of Christ, and as having a strong affection for
him; which they showed by risking their lives on his account, for which
he gives them thanks, as did all the churches: Secondly, Epaenetus is
next saluted, as having a great interest in the apostle's affections,
and as being one of the first converts in Achaia, \\#Ro 16:5\\. Thirdly,
a woman named Mary, who did her utmost to serve the apostle, and those
that were with him, \\#Ro 16:6\\. Fourthly, a couple of saints,
Andronicus, and Junia, described by their relation to the apostle, his
kinsmen; by their sufferings with him, fellow prisoners; by the fame
and credit they were in among the Christians of the first rank, even
the apostles; and by their early conversion, being converted before the
apostle himself, \\#Ro 16:7\\. Fifthly, next in the list is Amplias,
who is saluted as in the Lord, and as beloved in him, \\#Ro 16:8\\.
Sixthly, two worthy men are joined together, Urban and Stachys; the one
is saluted as an helper in Christ, and the other as beloved by the
apostle, \\#Ro 16:9\\. Seventhly, Apelles is next named, and commended
as one approved in Christ. Eighthly, the family of Aristobulus is
greeted, \\#Ro 16:10\\. Ninthly, a kinsman of the apostle's, by name
Herodion: and, Tenthly, the household of Narcissus, said to be in the
Lord, \\#Ro 16:11\\. Eleventhly, two excellent women are greeted, who
had been indefatigable in the service of Christ: and, Twelfthly,
another woman, by name Persis, a person to be respected and loved, on
account of her labour in the Lord, \\#Ro 16:12\\. Thirteenthly, Rufus
is saluted as one chosen in Christ, and also his mother, and who was
the mother of the apostle, \\#Ro 16:13\\. Fourteenthly, five of the
saints are joined together, who are mentioned by name, and other
brethren with them, whose names are not set down, \\#Ro 16:14\\, and,
Lastly, five other saints, with all the brethren with them, are
likewise saluted, \\#Ro 16:15\\, and these, and all the members of the
church, are exhorted to salute one another in an affectionate and
chaste manner, who are told that all the churches saluted them,
\\#Ro 16:16\\, then follows the exhortation to take care of false
teachers, to mark them, and avoid them; who are described as
schismatics and heretics, making divisions in the church, and preaching
contrary to the Gospel taught and learned, \\#Ro 16:17\\. The arguments
or reasons made use of to enforce the exhortation, are taken partly
from the characters of these teachers, being selfish men, who served
not the Lord Jesus, but their own bellies; and deceivers, who by
smooth words and plausible doctrines imposed upon simple minds,
\\#Ro 16:18\\, and partly from the characters of the saints at Rome,
who were simple and credulous, and ready to give in to everything that
carried an appearance of truth; and though they were to be commended
for their ready obedience to the Gospel, yet it became them to mingle
wisdom and prudence with their simplicity and readiness to receive what
appeared to be truth, \\#Ro 16:19\\, and from a promise of victory over
Satan and his emissaries in a short time; to which the apostle annexes
his usual salutation, and "Amen", as if he had concluded the epistle,
\\#Ro 16:20\\, but adds various salutations of persons that were with
him, who desired to be remembered to the brethren at Rome, as Timotheus
a fellow worker, Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, his kinsmen, \\#Ro 16:21\\,
Tertius the writer of the epistle, \\#Ro 16:22\\, Gaius the host of the
apostle, and of the whole church; Erastus, chamberlain of the city of
Corinth, and Quartus a brother, \\#Ro 16:23\\, and then the apostle
repeats the above salutation, \\#Ro 16:24\\, and yet still has not
finished his epistle, but concludes with a doxology, \\#Ro 16:25-27\\,
in which is celebrated the power of God, in establishing his people
according to the Gospel, commended by its being the preaching of
Christ, and the revelation of the mystery hid from ages past; and the
goodness of God is also taken notice of, in giving orders to make it
manifest, and in making it manifest to the Gentiles, in order to bring
them to the obedience of faith; and likewise the wisdom of God is
observed, to whom wisdom alone belongs, and which is apparent in the
Gospel before mentioned, and in all the methods of his grace, as well
as providence; and glory to him, through Christ for ever, is wished and
prayed for; and so ends this excellent and valuable epistle.