ROMANS CHAPTER 1
Romans 1:1-7 Paul, commending to the Romans his calling, greets them,
Romans 1:8-15 and professes his concern for, and desire of coming to
see them.
Romans 1:16,17 He shows that the gospel is for the justification of
all mankind through faith.
Romans 1:18-32 And having premised that sinners in general are
obnoxious to God's wrath, he describes at large the
corruption of the Gentile world.
A servant of Jesus Christ, is a higher title than monarch of the world: several great emperors styled themselves Christ's vassals. He so calls himself, either in respect of his condition, which was common with him to all true Christians; or else in respect of his office. Of old, they who were in great offices were called the servants of God: see Joshua 1:1 Nehemiah 1:6 Psalms 132:10. Or else in respect of his singular and miraculous conversion: by reason of which, he thought himself so obliged to Christ, that he wholly addicted or devoted himself to his service.
Called to be an apostle; appointed to that high office by the immediate call of Christ himself: see Galatians 1:1 Titus 1:3. The history of this call you have in Acts 9:15.
Two things are couched in this phrase:
1. That he did not take this honour to himself, but was thereunto appointed and called of God.
2. That this apostolical dignity was not by any desert of his, but by grace only, and the free gift of him that calleth.
It was formerly matter of admiration, and so it became a proverb in Israel: Is Saul also among the prophets? And we may say, with great astonishment, Is Saul also among the apostles? He that a little before had seen him doing what he is recorded to have done, Acts 26:10,11, would never have dreamed of any such thing.
Separated; either from his mother's womb, in the purpose of God, Galatians 1:15; so Jeremiah of old, Jeremiah 1:5. Or else it may have respect to Acts 13:2, where the Holy Ghost did actually order he should be separated for the work to which he had called him. The Greek word, in both places, is the same. Or else it may respect the more immediate commission he had from Christ himself, Acts 9:15, Acts 26:16-18. Some think he alludes to the name of Pharisee, which is from separating: when he was a Pharisee, he was separated to the law of God; and now, being a Christian, he was separated to the gospel of God.
Unto the gospel of God; that is, to the preaching and publishing of it. The gospel is sometimes called the gospel of God, as in this place; and sometimes the gospel of Christ, as in Romans 1:16: it is said to be the gospel of God, because he is the author of it, it is not a human invention; and it is said to be the gospel of Christ, because he is the matter and subject of it.