Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 16:27
To God only wise, [be] glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
27. to God only wise ] So certainly; though the Gr. equally allows the rendering to the only wise God. But the assertion of His glory as the Only (absolutely) Wise Being is far more in harmony with the height and fulness of the language here, than the assertion that among all Divinities, real or supposed, He only is wise. The eternal Wisdom is here emphasized because the Gospel is its supreme expression. See especially the profound words of Eph 3:10, and 1Ti 1:17 (with its connexion). Cp. also “Christ the wisdom of God,” 1Co 1:24. In Jude 25, the word “wise” is probably to be omitted.
be glory, &c.] The lit. order and rendering of the remaining words is through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen. Here the construction becomes involved by the use of the relative, “ to whom; ” and this is equally so whether the relative refers to God or to Christ. That it refers to God seems to be proved, (1) by the opening words of Rom 16:25, which lead us to expect, through the whole passage, an ascription of praise to the Father; (2) by the name of Christ occurring in a phrase (see next note) which indicates His mediatorial work, as the Channel through which praise rises to the Father.
through Jesus Christ ] Meyer connects these words closely with the phrase “to God only wise,” and explains them to mean that the absolute Wisdom of God acts and is revealed through Jesus Christ. But this, though in itself eternally true, involves a grammatical construction sufficiently peculiar to recommend the more obvious one which takes the words “through Jesus Christ” to refer to the Son of God as our Channel of thanks and praise. Cp. ch. Rom 1:8. We now explain the abrupt construction (see last note) as if St Paul had fully written, “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you, &c., we give thanks; even to God Only Wise, through Jesus Christ; to whom (i.e. to God) be the glory for ever.”
The construction of this Doxology is remarkable not only in itself, but in the fact that it was evidently left unaltered by St Paul and his friends. No various reading of the least importance occurs throughout it.
for ever. Amen ] See on Rom 1:25, and on Rom 11:33, &c. Justly does the great Epistle end with the highest of all thoughts, the Glory of God everlastingly manifested and confessed. Amen, so be it.
The Subscription
Written to the Romans, &c.] Lit. To the Romans [i.e. The Epistle to the Romans ] was written from Corinth, by means of Phbe the servant of the Cenchrean church. This ancient “Subscription” is no doubt true to fact. In this it differs from those appended to 1 Cor., Galat., 1 Tim., which are contradictory to the contents of the respective Epistles; and from those appended to Thess. and Titus, which are difficult to be reconciled with the contents.
These “Subscriptions” (to St Paul’s Epistles) are said to be the work of Euthalius, a Bishop of the fifth century. They thus possess an antiquarian interest, but no historical authority. (See Scrivener’s Introduction to the Criticism of the N. T., ed. 1874, p. 60.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To God only wise – The apostle here resumes the doxology which had been interrupted by the parenthesis. The attribute of wisdom is here brought into view, because it had been particularly displayed in this plan which was now revealed. It evinced, in an eminent degree, the wisdom of God. That wisdom was evinced in devising the plan; in adapting it to the renewing of the heart; the justification of the sinner; his preservation, guidance, and sanctification; and in the manner in which the divine attributes had all been seen to harmonize. All this the apostle had illustrated in the previous parts of the Epistle; and now, full of the convictions of this wisdom, he desires that all the praise and honor should be to God. The tendency of the plan is to promote his glory. The obligation on all who are benefitted by it is to give him praise.
Be glory – Praise; honor.
Through Jesus Christ – By means of the work which Jesus Christ has performed; through him now as mediator and intercessor in the heavens.
The subscription, written to the Romans, etc. is evidently added by some other hand, but by whom is unknown. Paul assuredly would not write this to inform the Romans that it was sent by Phebe, whom he had just commended to their kindness. It has been shown, moreover, that no reliance is to be placed on any of the subscriptions to the Epistles. Some of them are known to be false. By whom they were added is unknown. In this case, however, the fact which it states is correct, that it was written from Corinth and sent by Phoebe.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. To God only wise] This comes in with great propriety. He alone who is the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, had all this mystery in himself; and he alone who knew the times, places, persons, and circumstances, could reveal the whole; and he has revealed all in such a way as not only to manifest his unsearchable wisdom, but also his infinite goodness: therefore, to him be glory for his wisdom in devising this most admirable plan; and his goodness in sending Christ Jesus to execute it; to Him, through Christ Jesus, be glory for ever! Because this plan is to last for ever; and is to have no issue but in eternal glory.
Written to the Romans from Corinthus, c.] That this epistle was written from Corinth is almost universally believed. That Phoebe was a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea, we have seen in the first verse of this chapter and that the epistle might have been sent by her to Rome is possible; but that she should have been the writer of the epistle, as this subscription states, , is false, for Ro 16:22 shows that Tertius was the writer, though by inserting the words and sent, we represent her rather as the carrier than the writer. This subscription, however, stands on very questionable grounds. It is wanting in almost all the ancient MSS.; and even of those which are more modern, few have it entirely, as in our common editions. It has already been noted that the subscriptions to the sacred books are of little or no authority, all having been added in latter times, and frequently by injudicious hands. The most ancient have simply To the Romans, or the Epistle to the Romans is finished. The word Amen was seldom added by the inspired writers, and here it is wanting in almost all the ancient MSS. As this was a word in frequent use in religious services, pious people would naturally employ it in finishing the reading or copying of this epistle, as they would thereby express their conviction of the truth of its contents, and their desire that the promises contained in it might be fulfilled to them and to the Church at large; and in this sense the word is not only harmless but useful. May the fulness of the Gentiles be brought in, and may all Israel be saved! This is treated of at large in this epistle; and to this prayer let every pious reader say AMEN! Often this word seems to be used as we use the word finis, i.e. the end. See the observations on this word at the end of the Gospel of John.
BEFORE I conclude this work, I shall beg leave to add several important observations, chiefly extracted from Dr. Taylor.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The second attribute in the description of God, is his wisdom; he is said to be
wise, and
only wise. See the like, 1Ti 1:17; Jud 1:25. So he is said to be only true, Joh 17:3, and to be the only Potentate, 1Ti 6:15, and only to have immortality, 1Ti 6:16. And this doth not exclude the wisdom of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, but the wisdom of the creatures. He is said to be only wise, because none is as wise as he, and all the wisdom of others is from him; the wisdom of men and angels is but a ray from his light. Again, he is said to be only wise, because he is originally wise; his wisdom is of himself; yea, his wisdom is himself.
Be glory through Jesus Christ for ever: here he ascribes eternal glory to God. You had the same before, Rom 11:36. Only here is added, through Jesus Christ, to show that our praise and thanksgiving is accepted of God through him: see Rom 1:7; Eph 3:20,21.
Amen: this word is six times before used in this Epistle; Rom 1:25; Rom 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; 16:20,24. It is a Hebrew word, but retained in all languages. It cannot be translated without losing much of its weight. It may be taken three ways:
1. As a name, and so it is a name of Christ, Rev 3:14.
2. As an adverb: so it is used in the beginning of speech, and signifies verily; or in the end of speech, and so it notes assent. Therefore it was used of old by the Jews, not only at prayer, but at all the sermons and expositions of their rabbins, to testify that they assented and agreed to all that they taught: see 1Co 14:16.
3. As a verb; and so it is as much as: So be it, having the nature of a prayer: hence Jeremiah said Amen to the prophecy of Hananiah, though false, concerning the sudden return from the Babylonish captivity, to show how earnestly he desired it might be so, Jer 28:6.
Written to the Romans from Corinthus, (and sent) by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.
This was not added by the apostle Paul, nor by Tertius his amanuensis, but by a later and unknown hand; yet there is nothing in the Epistle itself, nor in any ancient or modern writer, that may induce us to question the verity thereof.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. To God, c.”To theonly wise God through Jesus Christ, be”literally, “towhom be” that is, “to Him, I say, be the glory for ever.Amen.” At its outset, this is an ascription of glory to thepower that could do all this; at its close it ascribes gloryto the wisdom that planned and that presides over thegathering of a redeemed people out of all nations. The apostle addshis devout “Amen,” which the readerif he has followedhim with the astonishment and delight of him who pens thesewordswill fervently echo.
On this concluding section of theEpistle, Note, (1) In the minute and delicate manifestationsof Christian feeling, and lively interest in the smallest movementsof Christian life, love, and zeal, which are here exemplified,combined with the grasp of thought and elevation of soul which thiswhole Epistle displays, as indeed all the writings of our apostle, wehave the secret of much of that grandeur of character which has madethe name of Paul stand on an elevation of its own in the estimationof enlightened Christendom in every age, and of that influence whichunder God, beyond all the other apostles, he has already exercised,and is yet destined to exert, over the religious thinking and feelingof men. Nor can any approach him in these peculiarities withoutexercising corresponding influence on all with whom they come incontact (Ro 16:1-16).(2) “The wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of thedove”in enjoining which our apostle here only echoes theteaching of his Lord (Mt 10:16)is a combination of properties the rarity of which amongChristians is only equalled by its vast importance. In every age ofthe Church there have been real Christians whose excessive study ofthe serpent’s wisdom has so sadly trenched upon their guilelesssimplicity, as at times to excite the distressing apprehension thatthey were no better than wolves in sheep’s clothing. Nor is it to bedenied, on the other hand, that, either from inaptitude orindisposition to judge with manly discrimination of character and ofmeasures, many eminently simple, spiritual, devoted Christians, havethroughout life exercised little or no influence on any section ofsociety around them. Let the apostle’s counsel on this head (Ro16:19) be taken as a study, especially by young Christians, whosecharacter has yet to be formed, and whose permanent sphere in life isbut partially fixed; and let them prayerfully set themselves to thecombined exercise of both those qualities. So will their Christiancharacter acquire solidity and elevation, and their influence forgood be proportionably extended. (3) Christians should cheer theirown and each other’s hearts, amidst the toils and trials of theirprotracted warfare, with the assurance that it will have a speedy andglorious end; they should accustom themselves to regard allopposition to the progress and prosperity of Christ’s causewhetherin their own souls, in the churches with which they are connected, orin the world at largeas just “Satan” in conflict, asever, with Christ their Lord; and they should never allow themselvesto doubt that “the God of peace” will “shortly”give them the neck of their Enemy, and make them to bruise theSerpent’s head (Ro 16:20). (4)As Christians are held up and carried through solely by divine power,working through the glorious Gospel, so to that power, and to thewisdom that brought that Gospel nigh to them, they should ascribe allthe glory of their stability now, as they certainly will of theirvictory at last (Ro16:25-27). (5) “Has the everlasting God . . . commanded”that the Gospel “mystery,” so long kept hid but now fullydisclosed, shall be “made known to all nations for the obedienceof faith” (Ro 16:26)?Then, what “necessity is laid upon” all the churches andevery Christian, to send the Gospel “to every creature!”And we may rest well assured that the prosperity or decline ofchurches, and of individual Christians, will have not a little to dowith their faithfulness or indifference to this imperative duty.
The ancient subscription at theend of this epistlethough of course of no authorityappears tobe in this case quite correct.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ,…. This may be understood of God the Father, who is the only wise God, originally, essentially, and infinitely; though not to the exclusion of the Son and Spirit; and whose infinite wisdom appears in the works of creation and providence, in redemption and salvation by Christ, and in the whole scheme of the Gospel so largely commended in the foregoing verses: and the glory of all is displayed in, and to be given to him through Christ as Mediator; as the glory of his power and wisdom, particularly mentioned, who is the wisdom of God and the power of God; and the glory of the Gospel, of which Christ is the sum and substance; and the glory of salvation by him, and indeed of all his perfections; which is most illustriously manifested in it, in the contrivance, impetration, and application of it; and this glory is to be ascribed to him
for ever, throughout the endless ages of eternity, as it will be by angels and men; to which the apostle sets his
Amen, as wishing that so it might be, and as firmly believing that so it will be: the subscription of the epistle runs thus, “written to the Romans from Corinthus”, and sent “by Phebe, servant of the church at Cenchrea”: which though it is not in every copy, nor are the subscriptions at the end of the epistles always to be depended upon; yet this seems to be a right and true one, both with respect to the place from whence, and the person by whom it was sent, as well as with respect to the persons to whom it is inscribed, of which there is no doubt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To the only wise God ( ). Better, “to God alone wise.” See 1Ti 1:17 without .
To whom (). Some MSS. omit.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
To whom. God, who, through Christ, appears as “the only wise.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “To God only wise “ (mono sopho theo) “To or toward (the) only wise God;” All others are deaf, dumb, blind, insensitive, helpless, Psa 115:1-8; 1Co 8:6; Eph 3:8-12; 1Ti 1:17; Jud 1:25.
2) “Be glory forever,” (ho he doksa eis tous aionas ton aionon. Amen). “To or toward him (is) the glory into the ages of the ages, without end or cessation”; Let it be in and thru the church, Mat 16:18; Eph 3:21; Rev 5:9-13. Let eternal praise be ascribed to him for everlasting salvation by Grace and the establishment of his church as a media of worship service, and praise forever, Eph 3:21; Rev 19:5-9.
3) “Through Jesus Christ,” (dia lesou Christou) “Thru the person, instrument, media, and agency of Jesus Christ,” and his church, Gal 6:14; Eph 3:21; Joh 8:12; Col 3:17; 1Co 8:6. See similar doxologies by Paul. Gal 1:15; 2Ti 4:18; Heb 13:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(27) To God.Our English translation has evaded the difficulty of this verse by leaving out two words. The Greek stands literally thus, To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. To whom, if it refers to God, as it is decidedly more probable that it was intended to refer, is ungrammatical. If it is inserted, the words To him that is able . . . to God, the only wise, are left without government. This might, indeed, under ordinary circumstances be got over, as such broken constructions are frequent with St. Paul, but it is somewhat different in the last solemn words of an Epistle, and would be especially so if this doxology were composed by itself separately from the rest of the Epistle. There would not then be the usual excuse of haste; and for so short a passage it may be doubted whether the Apostle would even employ an amanuensis. The difficulty is heightened when we ask what is meant by the phrase, through Jesus Christ. Separated, as it would then be, from the ascription of glory, and joined to the only wise God, it would seem to be impossible to get any really satisfactory sense out of it. To God, who through Christ has shown Himself as the alone wise, is maintained, but is surely very forced. Our conclusion then, prior to the evidence, would be that there was a mistake in the reading, and that the words to whom had slipped in without warrant. And now we find that a single uncial MS., but that precisely the oldest and best of all the uncials, the Codex Vaticanus, with two cursives, omits these words. The suspicion would indeed naturally arise that they had been left out specially on account of their difficulty. But this is a suspicion from which on the whole, the Vatican MS. is peculiarly free. And, on the other hand, it is just as natural to assume that another common cause of corruption has been at work. Doxologies so frequently begin with the relative, To whom be glory, &c., that the copyist would be liable to fall into the phrase, even in places where it was not originally written. The probabilities of corruption may therefore be taken to balance each other, and it will seem, perhaps, on the whole, the most probable solution that the relative has really slipped in at a very early date, and that the English version as it stands is substantially right. There are some exceptions to the rule that the more difficult reading is to be preferred, and this is perhaps one.
The subscription in its present form hardly dates back beyond the ninth century. The earliest form of subscription up to the sixth century was simply To the Romans.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Glory Our translators smoothly glide over one Greek word, consisting, indeed, of a single letter, which is a thorn to all close commentators. Before be glory comes , to whom, giving us not only to God, through Jesus Christ, but also to whom be glory. No critical genius has ever furnished any better method than to consider to whom to be equivalent to to him, which is then pleonastic, but not ungraceful or unPauline. To God only wise through Jesus Christ to him be glory forever.
Very ingenious, in fact too purely ingenious, is Lange’s method. Let amen be a noun, (as in 2Co 1:20,) and then we have,
To God only wise through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory be an amen forever; the amen being, as it were, the response of an eternal liturgy from God’s Church into the only wise God. A sublime thought, expressing a most sublime reality! What heart does not respond with a prayer to be allowed its share in that eternal AMEN!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.’
‘To the only wise God — to whom be glory for ever and ever’. Paul finishes with praise to the One Who is the only God, the One Who is supremely wise (compare Rom 11:32-34), as he considers the wonder of His way of salvation. And this wisdom of God has especially been revealed in His way of salvation offered through Jesus Christ. As he says in 1Co 1:30, ‘Christ is made to us wisdom from God, even righteousness, and sanctification and redemption’. For ‘the only God’ we can compare 1Ti 1:17 where we read, ‘and now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ Compare also Jud 1:18. And that that praise is offered ‘through Jesus Christ’, through Whom alone we can approach God, is emphasised here and is significant. For it is a reminder that central to God’s way of salvation is Jesus Christ, and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection, and that there is no other through whom we can approach God.
Rom 16:27 . .] to be closely connected (without a comma after ): to the through Jesus Christ only wise God, i.e. to the God who through Christ has shown Himself as the alone wise , so wise, that in comparison with Him this predicate can be applied to no other being (comp. Luk 18:19 ; Joh 17:3 ; 1Ti 6:15-16 ; 1Ti 1:17 ; 2Ma 1:25 ), the absolutely wise. Comp. Plato, Phaedr . p. 278 D; Diog. Laert. i. 12; Philo, de migr. Abr . I. p. 457. 4. The connection: “to the alone wise God be the glory through Christ ” (Pesch., Chrysostom, Luther, Beza, Calvin, Estius, Grotius, Morus, van Hengel, and several others), is inadmissible because of , which indeed is omitted by Beza and Grotius after the Complut . edition, but is critically so certified (it is wanting merely in B) that it can only appear to have been omitted with a view to relieve the construction; although Rckert also sees himself forced to omit it, and Ewald (comp. Mrcker, p. 8), while retaining the , so translates as if it ran . . . Thus, too, Hofmann connects the words, seeking through the dative to bring them into government with , Rom 15:1 (see on Rom 16:25-27 ). Instances of such a prefixing of parts of sentences having an emphasis before the relative are found, indeed, in the Greek writers (Schaefer, App. ad Dem . IV. p. 462; Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaedr . pp. 238 A, 363 A; comp. on Act 1:2 ); yet in the N. T. we have no passage of this kind (wrongly Hofmann adduces 1Pe 4:11 , Heb 13:21 , as bearing on this); and it would not be easy to perceive any special reason why Paul should have so uniquely laid stress on . .
The description of God, begun on the side of His power in Rom 16:25 , passes over at the conclusion of the doxology into the emphasizing of His wisdom , to which the representation of the gospel as involuntarily led him in a very natural process of thought; for so long as the mystery was covered by silence, the wisdom of God in its highest potency was not yet brought to light, a result which took place by the very means of that . Comp. Rom 11:32-34 . This at the same time applies against Reiche, who believes to be unsuitable here and to be taken from Jud 1:25 var. (the spurious addition , Jud 1:25 , as also in 1Ti 1:17 , has manifestly flowed from our passage ).
] i.e. through the appearance and the whole work of Jesus Christ . Thereby God caused Himself to be practically recognised as the alone wise. Comp. Rom 11:33 ff.; Eph 3:8 ff. Similarly, in Jud 1:25 , . . . is connected, not with the following , but with the preceding . Too narrowly, Fritzsche limits . ., in accordance with Col 2:3 (but see in loc .), to the contents of His teaching . It is precisely the facts which bring to light the wisdom of the divine measures in the execution of the plan of redemption through Christ, the death and the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus (Rom 4:24-25 , Rom 8:34 , et al .), that form the sum and substance of the conception of our .
] In the lively pressure of the great intermediate thoughts connected with the mention of the gospel, Rom 16:24-25 , the syntactic connection has escaped the apostle. Not taking note that and the resumptive are still without their government, he adds, as though they had already received it at the beginning of the over-full sentence (through . . . or the like), the expression still remaining due of the praise itself by means of the (critically certain) relative , so that now the above datives are left to stand as anacoluthic. Comp. Act 24:5-6 , and the remark thereon. See also Winer, p. 528 [E. T. p. 710]; Buttmann, neut. Gr . p. 252. Others, indeed, think that Paul allowed himself to be induced by the intermediate thoughts to turn from the doxology to God at first designed, and to direct the tribute of praise to Christ instead, the Mediator and Revealer of the wisdom of God, so as thereby mediately to praise God Himself. See especially Philippi, also Reithmayr, Baumgarten-Crusius, and Tholuck (doubtfully). Such doxologies as if to God, are found addressed to Christ doubtless in Heb 13:21 , 2Ti 4:18 , Rev 1:6 , and later in Clement et al ., but in the really apostolical writings nowhere at all (see on Rom 9:5 ); and that Paul here still, even after the intermediate observations, retained the idea of praising God , so that must accordingly be referred not to Christ, but to God , is quite clearly proved by the resumptive . For a formally quite similar anacoluthon [56] in the doxology, see Martyr. Polyc . 20: . , , , , .
] sc . , not , according to 1Pe 4:11 (Hofmann), where the connection is different and must be written (Lachm.), and its emphasis is to be noted. The article designates the befitting honour , as in Rom 11:36 .
[56] For the suggestion that in this passage from the Martyr. Polyc . . is dependent on the preceding (Hofmann), is simply a violent and very unsuitably devised evasion. Dressel has the unbiassed and correct punctuation.
REFLECTIONS
May the faithful Ministers of Christ here learn from Paul, how near, and dear, to the heart, must ever lie the Church of Christ, when the Spirit of Christ dwells in the heart. Not content with is dressing the whole mystical body of Christ, the Apostle here particularly mentions one by one, in name, as members of Christ’s body, his flesh, and his bones. Oh! how infinitely more to be valued is this record of Christ’s people in the book of God, than the being enrolled among all the great ones of the earth.
Reader! do not overlook what Paul hath said, in honorable testimony of those, who by awakening, and regenerating grace, were in Christ before him. How sweet is early grace! How blessed to know the Lord from our youth! Little children! if peradventure the Lord should, put this Poor Man’s Commentary in the way of any such, who like Josiah, or Timothy, have been brought acquainted with the Lord God of your fathers from your youth; do not fail to mark and bless God for the distinguishing grace! And you no less of upper years, who even like Paul, can observe those that were in the knowledge of Christ before you; yea, if even at the eleventh hour! Oh! bless God for his distinguishing mercy. He that came in at the eleventh hour, was made equal with him which had borne the burden and heat of the day! And why so, but because it is all of free grace. He that is called early, is not called for his deservings. And he that is called late, is called then for God’s grace, and not his merit. All is to the praise of the glory of his grace who hath made us accepted in the beloved.
And now, for the moment, we take leave of the Apostle. Farewell Paul! We have cause to thank thee for thy ministry. But we bless Paul’s Lord infinitely more, who appointed it. Oh! for grace, mightly to value and love the servant; but to pass by the servant, and love and adore the Master. Precious Jesus! he is indeed thy minister. Oh! make those sweet writings blessed to the souls of thy people. And may they minister in thine Almighty hand, to all the Churches, to bring glory to the Father, Son, and Spirit, now, and forever.
Amen.
27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.
Ver. 27. To God only wise, &c. ] So say I for these few notes thus finished. All that I shall now add is this distich, –
” Pars superat coepti, pars est exacta laboris:
Hic teneat nostras anchora iacta rates. 27. ] . . must by the requirements of the construction be applied to , and not (as Aug [127] [and E. V.]) to , from which it is separated by the relative . The quantity of intervening matter, especially the datives , prevent it from being referred (as c [128] , Theophyl.) to . It must then be rendered to the only wise God through Jesus Christ , i.e. Him who is revealed to us by Christ as such.
[127] Augustine, Bp. of Hippo , 395 430
[128] cumenius of Tricca in Thrace, Cent y . XI.?
On the construction of see above. It cannot without great harshness be referred to Christ , seeing that the words resume the chief subject of the sentence, and to them the relative must apply.
Rom 16:27 . : this description of God suits all that has just been said about His great purpose in human history, and the hiding and revealing of it in due time. The true text in 1Ti 1:17 has no . The absence of the article here indicates that it is in virtue of having this character that God is able to stablish the Romans according to Paul’s Gospel. : it is impossible to be sure of the reading here. If be omitted, there is no grammatical difficulty whatever: glory is ascribed to God through Jesus Christ, through Whom the eternal purpose of the world’s redemption has in God’s wisdom been wrought out. But its omission is almost certainly a correction made for simplification’s sake. If it be retained, to whom does it refer? (1) Some say, to Jesus Christ; and this is grammatically the obvious way to take it. But it seems inconsistent with the fact that in and Paul wishes unequivocally to ascribe the glory to God. And though it saves the grammar of the last clause, it sacrifices that of the whole sentence. Hence (2) it seems necessary to refer it to God, and we may suppose, with Sanday and Headlam, that the structure of the sentence being lost amid the heavily-loaded clauses of the doxology, the writer concludes with a well-known formula of praise, . . . (Gal 1:15 , 2Ti 4:18 , Heb 13:21 ). This might be indicated by putting a dash after . The thread is lost, and the writer appends his solemn conclusion as best he can.
27.] . . must by the requirements of the construction be applied to , and not (as Aug[127] [and E. V.]) to , from which it is separated by the relative . The quantity of intervening matter, especially the datives , prevent it from being referred (as c[128], Theophyl.) to . It must then be rendered to the only wise God through Jesus Christ, i.e. Him who is revealed to us by Christ as such.
[127] Augustine, Bp. of Hippo, 395-430
[128] cumenius of Tricca in Thrace, Centy. XI.?
On the construction of see above. It cannot without great harshness be referred to Christ, seeing that the words resume the chief subject of the sentence, and to them the relative must apply.
Rom 16:27. ) to the wise) The wisdom of God is glorified by means of the Gospel in the Church, Eph 3:10; who is of power [able] Rom 16:25, and to the wise [both predicated of God], are joined together in this passage, as 1Co 1:24, where Christ is said to be the power of God and the wisdom of God.-, to whom) is put for , to Him. So , ch. Rom 3:14; comp. 2Ti 3:11; Act 26:7; 2Co 4:6, note, LXX., Isa 5:28. There would be a hiatus in the sentence without a pronoun.[174]-, amen) and let every believing reader say, Amen.[175]
[174] ACD() Hilary and Vulg. read . B the oldest MS. omits it. Lachm. suggests we should adopt this omission and read with the Vulg. no between and and , cognito, for . To the only-wise God who is made known through Jesus Christ. Else he conjectures that if we retain , , and , we must read after , To the only-wise God be thanks through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, etc.-ED.
[175] Bengel, J. A. (1860). Vol. 3: Gnomon of the New Testament (M. E. Bengel & J. C. F. Steudel, Ed.) (J. Bryce, Trans.) (117-198). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
God: Rom 11:36, Gal 1:4, Gal 1:5, Eph 3:20, Eph 3:21, Phi 4:20, 1Ti 1:17, 1Ti 6:16, 2Ti 4:18, Heb 13:15, Heb 13:21, 1Pe 2:5, 1Pe 5:10, 1Pe 5:11, 2Pe 3:18, Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6, Rev 4:9-11, Rev 5:9-14, Rev 7:10-12, Rev 19:1-6
only: Rom 11:33, Rom 11:34, Psa 147:5, Eph 1:7, Eph 1:8, Eph 3:10, Col 2:2, Col 2:3, Jud 1:25
Reciprocal: Rom 6:11 – through 2Co 13:14 – Amen 1Pe 4:11 – to whom Rev 5:13 – blessing
:27
Rom 16:27. This is similar in sentiment to verse 24. God only wise means to give Him credit for the origin of all true wisdom. Such a Being is worthy of all glory, and it should be offered through the name of His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, and it should be attributed to him for all the coming ages. AMEN.
Rom 16:27. To the only wise God, etc. We give the literal rendering, which shows the difficult construction. Efforts have been made to avoid it by rejecting to whom; but a due regard for external authorities will not permit this. We regard the opening phrase as a resumption of the doxology begun in Rom 16:25, and the relative as an irregular construction. The difficult question still remains; does to whom refer to the only wise God, or to Jesus Christ? Explanations: (1.) It refers to God. This is grammatically most probable, since otherwise the entire passage is left without any logical form. A change of construction is common enough in Pauls writings; but we can hardly accept a logically incomplete doxology. Through Jesus Christ may then be explained as meaning that God through Christ appears as the absolutely wise God (Meyer). We indicate this connection by placing a semicolon (instead of a comma) before the relative clause. The view of the E. V. (and many older versions and commentators), which joins through Jesus Christ with be the glory, is opposed by the presence of the relative. (2.) Many refer the doxology to Christ. The Apostle might utter such a doxology, but it seems harsh to turn the reference from the leading Person in the entire passage. (3.) Godet refers the relative to both God and Christ, urging that it is difficult to separate them in a passage like this. In chap. Rom 1:7, the two substantives are placed under the government of one and the same preposition; they might therefore here be included in the same pronoun. Much such interpretation is precarious. The view of Meyer seems preferable.
Be the glory forever. The glory, which befits Him (see chap. Rom 11:36). Be is properly supplied, rather than is The latter would give a true sense, but this is an ascription of praise. The Apostle, who had dived so deeply into the riches of the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, might well close such an Epistle by declaring that God was revealed as absolutely wise through Jesus Christ, and ascribe to Him, as such, the glory forever. And when, through the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to this gospel, the mystery of Gods love in Jesus Christ shall be make known unto all the nations, and they, through the written revelation, become obedient to faith; then to Him at whose command the message is proclaimed, and who is therein revealed as the only wise God, to Him be the glory forever.
Amen. They only say Amen who labor for and await the final triumph of Him whose plan of saving grace is so fully set forth in this great Epistle.
Vv. 27. The dative , to Him that is able, in Rom 16:25, has not yet found the verb on which it depends. It is evidently this same dative which, after the long developments contained in Rom 16:25-26, reappears in the words: to God only wise. The idea of God’s power in Rom 16:25 was naturally connected with that of stablishing; and so the idea of the divine wisdom is joined here with the notion of the divine plan and its accomplishment, expounded in Rom 16:25-26. But on what does this dative of Rom 16:27, as well as that of Rom 16:25 which it takes up again, depend? Some answer: on the proposition following: To Him is (or be) the glory! But why in this case introduce the relative pronoun , to whom? Why not say simply , to Him? (Eph 4:20-21). To make this construction admissible, all that would be necessary would be to reject this pronoun, as is done by the Vatic. and some Mnn. But these authorities are insufficient. And the reason of the omission is so easy to understand! Must it then be held, as Meyer and many others do, that we have here, exactly in the last sentence of the Epistle, an inaccuracy? It is supposed that Paul, carried away by the great thoughts expressed in Rom 16:25-26, forgot the dative with which he had begun the sentence in Rom 16:25, and continues as if the preceding proposition were finished. But this remote dative, which Paul is thought to have forgotten, is evidently reproduced in this one: to God only wise! He has it therefore still present to his mind. Tholuck, Philippi, and others refer the relative pronoun , to whom, not to God, but to Jesus Christ; they hold that, according to the apostle’s intention, the doxology was originally meant to apply to God, the author of the plan of salvation, but that Paul, on reaching the close of the period, applied it to Christ, who executes the plan: To God powerful…and wise [be glory], by Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. This explanation would certainly be more tolerable than Meyer’s. But we doubt whether the apostle’s real meaning is thereby obtained. In fact, when he began his period with the words: To Him that is of power to stablish you, his intention was certainly not to terminate with this idea: To Him be glory! We glorify Him who has done the work; but as concerning Him who is able to do it, we look to Him to do it; we ask His succor; we express our confidence in Him and in His strength. Such was the inward direction of the apostle’s heart when he began Rom 16:25 by saying: To Him that is of power…, exactly as when he closed his discourse to the elders of Ephesus, Act 20:32, by saying: And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, to Him that is of power ( ) to build you up and give you the inheritance…The idea understood, on which the dative of Rom 16:25 depends, is therefore that of commendation and confidence: My eye, in closing, turns to Him who is able, and from whom I expect everything. This impulse God ward, in which he desires his readers to join him, is so lively within his soul that he does not even feel the need of expressing it; he includes it in this reduplicated dative and ). And hence the proposition may be regarded as complete, and as terminating without any real inaccuracy in the doxological formula which closes the period and the whole Epistle: whose is the glory…The full form would be: I look with you all to Him who can stablish you…to God only wise, through Jesus Christ whose is [or be] the glory!
The clause: through Jesus Christ, is connected by Meyer with the word wise: to God whose wisdom is manifested in Jesus Christ, in His person and work. But the expression: only wise through Christ, would not signify: who has shown himself wise through Christ, but: who is really wise through Christ. And that is an idea which Paul could not enunciate. The words: through Jesus Christ, must therefore be referred to the understood thought which forms the basis of the whole preceding sentence: I look to God, I wait on Him, for all that concerns you, through Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus Christ that the apostle sends up his supplication, as it is through Jesus Christ that there will come down on the Romans the help of God only strong and only wise.
If it is so, the relative pronoun to whom refers rather to Jesus Christ than to God. But it must be added that in his view the author and executor of the plan of salvation are so closely united, that it is difficult in this final homage to separate God to whom He looks, from Jesus Christ in whose name he looks. In the passage Rom 1:7, the two substantives: God and Jesus Christ, are placed under the government of one and the same preposition; they may therefore be embraced here in one and the same pronoun.
The verb to be understood in the last proposition would certainly be , let it be, if Paul had used the word , glory, without article. But with the article (the glory) the verb , is, must be preferred: whose is the glory. It belongs to Him wholly throughout all eternity. For He has done everything in that work of salvation just expounded in the writing now closed.
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen. [Owing to difference in Greek and English construction, the long sentence beginning with Rom 16:25 is grammatically incomplete as rendered in English. If, however, the “to whom” of the last phrase be changed to read “to him,” the sense is complete and plain. “To him that is able. . . to him be the glory.” The whole passage, then, is an ascription of praise, with reasons for it injected in the form of a parenthesis. It is an implied prayer for the safety of the Roman church expressed in the form of a burst of confident praise to him in whom that safety lay. Of this benediction Gifford thus writes: “Comparing it with the introduction in chapter 1, we find in both the same fundamental thoughts of the Epistle: ‘the power of God unto salvation’ (Rom 1:16), the gospel entrusted to Paul for the Gentiles (Rom 1:5), the testimony of the prophets (Rom 1:2), the ‘obedience of the faith’ (Rom 1:5), the acceptance of all nations (Rom 1:5; Rom 1:14-16)–all these thoughts are here gathered up into one harmonious burst of ‘wonder, love and praise.'” Thus the conclusion of the Epistle swings back to the beginning, so that the whole instruction assumes the form of the circle, symbol of its divine perfection, its unending authority.]
27. To God alone wise, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory unto ages of ages; amen. In this beautiful and prolix benediction pronounced on the Roman saints, we have the phrase eternal God. The Greek word is aioonas, which occurs frequently in the New Testament. It is from aei always, and the participle oon, from the verb eimi to be. Hence it literally means being or existing always. Here you see it applies to God Himself, defining the duration of His existence (Heb 9:14). It is applied to the Holy Ghost, defining the duration of His existence, who is none other than very and eternal God (Heb 9:12). It is applied to the redemption we have in Christ, defining its duration (Mat 25:46).
The same word defines the duration of the life of the saints in glory. In the same verse the same word is used to define the duration of the punishment of the wicked. In v.41 it is used by our Savior to define the duration of the fire into which the wicked will be cast. Hence you see the lying nonsense of the dogmatism that would take eternal punishment out of the Bible; since the very identical word which tells how long the wicked will be punished in the fires of hell describes the duration of both the life and redemption enjoyed by the saints in glory; the same word also describing the duration of God Himself. Hence the only way to get rid of the teaching of eternal hell-fire is to throw away the Bible. In the last clause of this benediction, to God only wise, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory unto ages of ages; amen, I have eis tous aioonas toon aioonoon. That powerful Greek adjunct consisting of two nouns in the plural number, literally translated into ages of ages or unto eternities of eternities, here defines the duration of Gods glory. It repeatedly occurs in the Scriptures, defining the existence of God. This very same powerful adjunct tells how long the torment of the wicked in hell will continue to ascend up; vide Rev 14:11; Rev 19:3.
As the only God, He is the God of both Jews and Gentiles (cf. Rom 3:29-30). As the wise God, He is the author of the plan of salvation for all mankind that Paul had expounded (cf. Rom 11:33). God is worthy of all glory because of who He is and what He has done. Our access to Him is through His Son, Jesus Christ.
This doxology is similar to the others in Rom 8:31-39 and Rom 11:33-36.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)