3. A warning 16:17-20Again Paul introduced his comments with a strong exhortation (cf. Romans 12:1; Romans 15:30). He warned the Roman Christians about false teachers who might enter the fold. His brief warning argues against thinking that false teachers were presently active in the church. read more
Paul was confident that his readers could handle this threat because they had a reputation for following the apostles’ instructions. The innocent among God’s people tend to accept false teachers, and the wise normally reject them. Paul wanted his readers to be wise concerning all good and innocent only regarding evil (cf. Matthew 10:16). read more
Satan is behind all evil ultimately, under God’s sovereignty. God desires peace among His people, not the antagonism that some in the church who chose to follow Satan’s spokesmen would create. "Soon" does not imply that Jesus Christ would return soon necessarily. Paul meant that the Roman Christians would frustrate Satan’s work among them soon as they rejected false teachers. His terminology suggests that he had Genesis 3:15 in mind.Paul’s benediction magnified God’s grace, as does this whole... read more
4. Greetings from Paul’s companions 16:21-24The men whom Paul mentioned in Romans 16:21 all seem to have been his fellow missionaries who were working with him in Corinth when he wrote this epistle. Lucius may have been Luke, the writer of Luke and Acts. [Note: See John Wenham, "The Identification of Luke," Evangelical Quarterly 63:1 (1991):38-41.] Jason (Romans 16:21) may have been Paul’s host in Thessalonica (cf. Acts 17:5-9). Sosipater (Romans 16:21) was probably Sopater of Berea who... read more
16:18 serve (a-3) Douleuo . 'to serve as a bondman' as chs. 12.11; 14.18. deceive (b-19) A strong form of the word, as in 1 Timothy 2:14 . read more
16:19 reached (c-5) i.e. 'come to the knowledge of.' read more
16:20 bruise (d-7) As Luke 9:39 , 'crushing;' Revelation 2:27 ; 'broken in pieces.' read more
Greetings and Warnings1-16. Commendation and greetings.Observe the number of women to whom the Apostle sends greeting. The fact is indicative of the change wrought in the position of women by the gospel, and of the honourable place taken by them in the Christian Church. Observe also the difference of nationality indicated by the names. St. Paul, a Hebrew, sends salutation to Greeks, Romans, and perhaps Asiatics, many of them probably slaves—marking the universality of the gospel: cp. Galatians... read more
(11) My kinsman.—See the Note on Romans 16:7.Them that be of the household of Narcissus.—A phrase similar to that which is translated, “Them which are of Aristobulus’ household,” above. Narcissus, too, is an historical name. There had been a famous Narcissus, a freed-man and favourite of Claudius, who had been put to death three or four years before this Epistle was written. His household would naturally pass into the hands of the emperor, though still keeping his name. In the case of... read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 16:17-18
False teachers were a danger to all the churches. Paul urged his Roman readers to avoid them. [Note: See Ted G. Kitchens, "Perimeters of Corrective Church Discipline," Bibliotheca Sacra 148:590 (April-June 1991):205-7.] "If Paul had one particular group [of false teachers] in mind, we cannot be at all certain which it was. But he may well have had more than one group in mind, or he may have been warning in a quite general way against a danger which he knew would always threaten the churches but... read more