Romans 1:5 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Grace and apostleship - The peculiar influence and the essential qualifications which such an office requires. Without the Grace, favor, and peculiar help of God, he could not have been an apostle: he had an extraordinary conversion, and an extraordinary call to preach the Gospel. Probably χαριν και αποστολην, grace and apostleship, mean the same as χαριν της αποστολης, the apostolical office; for so the word χαρις means in Romans 12:3; Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:8. See the various acceptations of the word grace, Romans 1:7.

For obedience to the faith - That by this office, which I have received from God, and the power by which it is accompanied, I might proclaim the faith, the Gospel of Jesus; and show all nations the necessity of believing in it, in order to their salvation. Here is:

1. The Gospel of the Son of God.

2. An apostle divinely commissioned and empowered to preach it.

3. The necessity of faith in the name of Jesus, as the only Savior of the world.

4. Of obedience, as the necessary consequence of genuine faith. And,

5. This is to be proclaimed among all nations; that all might have the opportunity of believing and being saved.

Romans 1:5

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedienceb to the faith among all nations, for his name: