Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (2) (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures), (3) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; (4) And declared the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (5) By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name; (6) Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (2) (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures), (3) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; (4) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (5) By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name; (6) Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
The Apostle very properly begins his address to the Church, with his own name and character, by way of grounding his authority in writing to them. He declares himself to be not only a servant of Jesus Christ, but called to be an Apostle, and separated to this service by God. So that, here is indirectly, an acknowledgment of the whole Persons of the Godhead; and not unsimilar to what we meet with in the writings of the other Apostles. See Jud 1:1-25; 1 Peter 1:2. And here, once for all, let it be observed, that the distinguishing office of an Apostle, made it necessary for Paul, to make out his just claim to that character. An Apostle, was not only one who received his authority immediately from Christ; but the very name and office implied, in the person executing it, one that was a witness of Christ's resurrection. So Peter, at the election of Matthias, in the room of the traitor Judas, declared it to be the design of the office, Acts 1:21-22. Now, Paul was qualified to be an Apostle, having seen, and heard Christ, from heaven, Act 9:4; 1 Corinthians 15:8; 1 Corinthians 15:8. And his ordination also, was by the Holy Ghost. See Acts 13:1-4 and Commentary there. And he was separated, or set apart, by God the Father, from the womb for that purpose. See Galatians 1:15; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Luke 1:15-17
The Apostle next most properly adverts, to the design of his ministry, and the particular object, for which he wrote to the Romans, The whole is of Christ, God-Man, and the momentous things connected with the revelation of the Son of God, from heaven. This had been indeed the sum and substance of all the writings and preachings of the Prophets of God, in all ages: but now, by the open manifestation Christ hath made of' himself, in substance of our flesh, it became more fully known. And Paul dwells upon that feature of character, in this grace, the resurrection of Christ from the dead; because, this glorious act, not only most compleatly proved his own eternal power, and Godhead, but also, as decidedly manifested his oneness, and union, in all the perfections, and distinguishing characters, which constitute Godhead, in common with the Father and the Holy Ghost: each glorious Person, in that act of the resurrection, having put their Almighty hand to the work. Paul saith, that Christ is declared to be the Son of God with power by this very deed. But, had Christ been raised from the dead, by the power of God the Father only; or by the Spirit of holiness only; or by both, without Christ having an hand in it: the resurrection, in either case, would not have declared him thereby to have been the Son of God with power. There would have been then no more a proof of Godhead, in the resurrection of Christ, than in the resurrection of any other body. But if, as was the case, when Jesus laid down his life which no mart could take from him, he himself took it again; and when put to death in the flesh, he quickened himself by his Spirit; even his own eternal power and Godhead: here, his Godhead was compleatly proved. And hence, as this scripture states it, and is confirmed elsewhere, he was declared to be the Son of God with power; meaning, his own power, for nothing of the power of any other could have declared his Godhead, John 10:18; 1 Peter 3:18; John 11:25-26; John 11:25-26. And, in further proof of the union of the divine nature, Christ's resurrection is declared to have been the express act of the Holy Three in One, who bear record in heaven. Here it is ascribed to the Son of God himself, and to the Spirit of holiness; and elsewhere to God the Father, whose grace in raising Christ's body is spoken of as a pledge of raising up his members by his own power also, 1 Corinthians 6:14. Reader! do not hastily dismiss this view of the subject, for it is blessed. Jesus! (your Jesus, if so be the Spirit of Jesus dwells in your heart), first offered himself without spot to God the Father through his own eternal Spirit, without spot to God for your offences; and then, by his own power, with the same Spirit of holiness, quickened himself, to rise again, for your justification, Hebrews 9:14; Romans 9:25.