Romans 1:5

King James Version (KJV)

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

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

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:

The Gospel of the Son of God.

An apostle divinely commissioned and empowered to preach it.

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

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.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

By whom - The apostle here returns to the subject of the salutation of the Romans, and states to them his authority to address them. That authority he had derived from the Lord Jesus, and not from man. On this fact, that he had received his apostolic commission, not from man, but by the direct authority of Jesus Christ, Paul not infrequently insisted. Galatians 1:12, “for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 3:1-3.

We - The plural here is probably put for the singular; see Colossians 4:3; compare Ephesians 6:19-20. It was usual for those who were clothed with authority to express themselves in this manner. Perhaps here, however, he refers to the general nature of the apostolic office, as being derived from Jesus Christ, and designs to assure the Romans that “he” had received the apostolic commission as the others had. ‹We,” the apostles, have received the appointment from Jesus Christ. ‹

Grace and apostleship - Many suppose that this is a figure of speech, “hendiadys,” by which one thing is expressed by two words, meaning the grace or favor of the apostolic office. Such a figure of speech is often used. But it may mean, as it does probably here, the two things, grace, or the favor of God to his own soul, as a personal matter; and the apostolic office as a distinct thing. He often, however, speaks of the office of the apostleship as a matter of special favor, Romans 15:15-16; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:7-9.

For obedience to the faith - In order to produce, or promote obedience to the faith; that is, to induce them to render that obedience to God which faith produces. There are two things therefore implied.

(1) that the design of the gospel and of the apostleship is to induce men to obey God.

(2) that the tendency of faith is to produce obedience. There is no true faith which does not produce that. This is constantly affirmed in the New Testament, Romans 15:18; Romans 16:19; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:18-19. This was the special commission which Paul received when he was converted, Acts 9:15. It was important to show that the commission extended thus far, as he was now addressing a distant church which he had not seen.

For his name - This means probably “on his account,” that is, on account of Christ, John 14:13-14; John 16:23-24. The design of the apostleship was to produce obedience to the gospel among all nations, that thus the name of Jesus might be honored. Their work was not one in which they were seeking to honor themselves, but it was solely for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. For him they toiled, they encountered perils, they laid down their lives, because by so doing they might bring people to obey the gospel, and thus Jesus Christ might wear a brighter crown and be attended by a longer and more splendid train of worshippers in the kingdom of his glory.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The doctrine of which the apostle Paul wrote, set forth the fulfilment of the promises by the prophets. It spoke of the Son of God, even Jesus the Saviour, the promised Messiah, who came from David as to his human nature, but was also declared to be the Son of God, by the Divine power which raised him from the dead. The Christian profession does not consist in a notional knowledge or a bare assent, much less in perverse disputings, but in obedience. And all those, and those only, are brought to obedience of the faith, who are effectually called of Jesus Christ. Here is, 1. The privilege of Christians; they are beloved of God, and are members of that body which is beloved. 2. The duty of Christians; to be holy, hereunto are they called, called to be saints. These the apostle saluted, by wishing them grace to sanctify their souls, and peace to comfort their hearts, as springing from the free mercy of God, the reconciled Father of all believers, and coming to them through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

5. By whom. Or, “through whom.” Paul claims that his apostolic commission was from Christ Himself, not from men.

We have received. The plural is probably used for the singular, a not uncommon practice for men in authority. However, it is also possible that Paul is including the other apostles.

Grace and apostleship. Many interpreters take these two terms together as the equivalent of the grace, or favor, of apostleship. Paul often speaks of his call to apostleship as the “grace that was given” to him by God (Rom. 15:15, 16; Gal. 2:7-9; Eph. 3:7-9). Others, however, prefer to understand “grace” as referring especially to the personal grace of salvation, which Paul had first accepted on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-16; cf. 15:10). For the meanings of the term “grace” see on Rom. 3:24.

To Paul, his conversion and call to apostleship, occurring almost simultaneously, must have seemed as one event. From being “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious” (1 Tim. 1:13) he was called immediately to preach “the faith which once he destroyed” (Gal. 1:23). No wonder Paul could exclaim, “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10), not only a converted Christian, but also a commissioned apostle.

Obedience to the faith. The Greek phrase thus translated occurs again in ch. 16:26, where the KJV translates it “the obedience of faith.” This is the more literal rendering, for the definite article is not present in the Greek. In the absence of the article, “faith” is probably not equivalent here to “the faith,” that is, to a body of doctrine to be received and believed (see Acts 6:7; Jude 3, where the article does occur). Faith means rather that habit and attitude of mind by which the Christian shows his loyalty and devotion to Christ and his dependence on Him. Such faith produces obedience.

“Obedience of faith” may be understood as meaning either obedience to faith as a controlling principle or the obedience that characterizes or springs from faith. Either way, the significant fact is that Paul associates faith with obedience. The great message of the Epistle to the Romans is that righteousness comes by faith (ch. 3:22; etc.). This is the good news that Paul has been called to make known. He regards his apostleship as a commission to bring about the obedience that springs from faith among all the nations.

All nations. This phrase commonly refers to Gentiles as distinguished from Jews, and may point to Paul’s own special apostleship to the heathen (see Acts 22:21; Gal. 1:16; 2:7-9; Eph. 3:1, 8). Here, however, the phrase may reflect the original commission that Jesus gave to His disciples (Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15, 16), and the charge to Paul at the time of his conversion (Acts 9:15) to carry the gospel to the whole world.

For his name. Meaning, probably, “for the sake of his name.” The ultimate purpose of Paul’s mission was to promote the knowledge and glory of Christ. Particularly would the name of Christ be magnified by the obedience that comes from faith in Him. Paul was ready to risk his life for such a cause (Acts 15:26; 21:13; cf. Acts 9:16).

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