Bible Commentaries
Romans 16

Verses 1-16

Now in chapter 16, the Apostle Paul is through exhorting the Christians at Rome; and he has a few words of salutation.

Romans 16:1. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

Romans 16:2. That you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.

Romans 16:3. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ Je­sus:

Romans 16:4. Who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gen­tiles.

Paul names a great number of people. I call them “the notables of God.” This is God’s hall of fame. Wherever the Word of God has gone for the last nearly 2000 years, people have read about these unknown men and women.

My, how precious of Paul to remember them!

May I say just a word to you who think you are unknown. It is true, you may not be known by very many on earth. You have been serving the Lord faithfully, some of you for 20, 30, 40, 60 years; and you think, “Well, I’m not very well known. Possibly I’m one of the least saints the Lord has on earth.”

But, my friend, you are well known to God. I like what Paul writes here about these people. He calls them “servants of the church . . . the helpers of many . . . fellow-workers in Christ Jesus.” They are “beloved in the Lord.” They are “chosen.” They are “fellow prisoners.” They are “approved in Christ.”

In fact, one is reminded of David’s notable men way back there in 2 Samuel 23:1-39. There were 37 of them, all mentioned by name.

How glad I am that the frailest, the weakest, the simplest child of God is well known by the Saviour. And if the Apostle Paul is manifesting such a heart of love to them, my, how much more the Lord Jesus must love every one whom He has received, every one that He has bought for Himself. Isn’t it wonderful to know that you belong to Him?

And so what, whether the world knows you or not? That’s neither here nor there, just as long as you know the Lord and He knows you.

You notice also in this list of notables a number of women are mentioned—Phebe, Priscilla, Mary, Julia. You have the mother of Rufus and Paul and the sister of Nereus. I think there are 10 or 11 women in this Hall of Fame. Now let’s look at one or two of them for just a moment.

Take this woman Phoebe in the first two verses. She’s called “a servant of the church.” She was possibly a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea.

And Paul said, “Now you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many.” She has been a helper not only to the church in Cenchrea, but she has been a real helper “of myself as well.”

In fact, there are those who believe that Paul gave her this epistle to take to Rome. He had had fellowship with her, and he wants them to have fellowship with her. I’m glad for this.

Possibly very few knew who this woman was; but, believe me, she has a real place in the 16th chapter of Romans, among the notables, among God’s known people whom He loves.

And then you have Priscilla and Aquila. You remember, you met them in the Book of Acts. You find them there with the Apostle Paul at the end of chapter 18. They were tentmakers and, wherever they went, they radiated the presence of Christ; and they communicated the wonderful gospel of the grace of God. They even risked their lives for the Apostle Paul. They were willing to die that he might be free to preach the gospel of Christ to the churches and the people in Europe.

It’s an amazing thing, as you go down through these names, who they are. In fact, there are five kinsmen of Paul mentioned here. He even men­tions his mother among the notables. How thoughtful of him to do a thing like that.

And then in Romans 16:5 and in Romans 16:14-16, he mentions the churches, “the church that is in their house” and “all the churches of Christ greet you.”

Romans 16:5. Also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epae­netus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

Romans 16:6. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.

Romans 16:7. Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fel­low-prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

Romans 16:8. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

Romans 16:9. Greet Urbanus, our fellow-worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

Romans 16:10. Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

Romans 16:11. Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

Romans 16:12. Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord.

Romans 16:13.Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.

Romans 16:14. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren with them.

Romans 16:15. Greet Philologus, and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Romans 16:16. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Note that Paul knew who all these people were, where they were, what they were, what they had done and what a tremendous interest they had in the people of God. I just wonder if we today couldn’t reflect the great yearning this man Paul had for the people of God—these people who had helped him, who were humble ones, who were not great leaders but who had labored much in the gospel.

They were approved in Christ, and possibly some of them had gone through great testings and afflictions for the gospel’s sake.

Wouldn’t you like to be approved in Christ?

Then Paul talks about Rufus, his chosen. He stood out in Paul’s mind as one who had proved his position.

And then, as I say, you have those who suffered for the gospel’s sake—Andronicus and Junia, his fellow prisoners. Here are two men who are Paul’s relatives, and they became Christians before he did.

Now they are fellow prisoners with him. You know, they may have been among the group in Acts 9:1-43 when Paul went about trying to put all the Christians in prison. It may be that he turned on these relatives of his. And now they are fellow prisoners.

My, what a transformation in Paul, trans­formed from a persecutor to a humble servant of the Lord. And he is not backward in recognizing that these men know the Saviour he knows.

And then you will notice 11 times in this pas­sage the phrases “in the Lord” and “in Christ.” This shows the oneness of the believers.

Being in Christ, they were knitted together. They were in union with Him, and they were in union with each other.

Did you ever think of it? Here are masters and slaves. Here are rich and poor. Here are Jews and Gentiles, and yet they are all one in Christ. You have variety, but you have unity. They were un­known to the world, I say again, but known to God. They were not leaders nor great outstanding speakers; but they were helpers, they were be­loved, they were approved of God. And, you know, they are all in glory now.

I tell you, one of these days, you and I who love the Saviour are going to meet all these men and women of whom we read here.

I couldn’t help but spend a moment on this be­cause it is so wonderful when you think of the marvelous, marvelous grace of God in picking up these different people and approving them and calling them His beloved. They were called the “off-scouring of the world.” They were unknown and unwanted by the world; yet they are well known in glory, well known in Christ.

Am I talking to you, my Christian friend? Some­times you become discouraged because you are not doing very much for the Lord.

May I again remind you that God never re­wards greatness. He rewards faithfulness in the task He has given you to do.

You say, “But, Mr. Mitchell, I don’t know what He wants me to do.”

It may be just to live for Christ and magnify Him right where you are under the circumstances in which He has put you.

The best place for us to serve and please the Lord is right where we are.

I’ve had Christians say, “My, if I were only in some other city or if I were only in some other church or if only I were in some other country— my, what a person I would be for the Lord.”

Oh, no. Oh, no. God has put you right where you are. He knows every detail of your life. He knows your strength, and He knows your frailty and your weakness; and He put you in the best place where you can serve Him.

I’m so glad that the Apostle Paul took the time out to write these names in this passage.

Verses 1-27

Verses 17-21

Now let’s go right on down to the end of the chapter. Paul first gives us a warning.

Romans 16:17. Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

Romans 16:18. For such men are slaves not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.b

Yes, God puts us in the best place where we can serve Him; but sometimes situations change, and what was once a fertile harvest field for you comes under the control of someone else. Sometimes, false teachers emerge.

Paul here calls for separation from those who would bring in false teaching and who would cause divisions among God’s people. We cannot tolerate error. You must be a stickler for doctrine as I am. And, sometimes, you have to leave a situation rather than compromise your testimony. But leave in love. As Paul would say in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “The love of Christ controls us,” so that whatever he did, he did it because of his love for the Saviour. The Spirit of God in him mani­fested the very character of Christ through to oth­ers.

We see so much division today, sometimes on something that doesn’t matter a thing. It’s amaz­ing how quickly someone can come along and break up the unanimity of spirit and the purpose and the fellowship the saints have in Christ.

We are not asked to separate from those who love the Saviour, but we are called to put out those who bring in false doctrine.

Don’t you leave the church you’ve paid for. Put the newcomers out. And, if you have no au­thority to put them out, pray them out!

And then he goes on to say the lives of false teachers usually measure up to their doctrine for they do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ. They serve themselves. They’re out for themselves. And “by their smooth and flattering speech, they de­ceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” They come for the purpose of deception.

They come for the purpose of breaking up the unanimity of spirit among God’s people.

And, as someone has said, “False teaching and vile living often go together.”

Mark them; watch them.

Peter speaks of these in 2 Peter 2:1 when he says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them.”

And God is going to bring upon them swift de­struction just as surely as angels fell and came under the judgment of God, just as surely as the old world fell and came under His judgment, and just as surely as Sodom and Gomorrah fell and came under His judgment.

Likewise these false teachers shall also come under the sure judgment of God.

The Apostle John speaks of it in 1 John 4:1-6, especially verse 3: “And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist.”

Romans 16:19. For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.

Our safeguard is our simplicity in Christ. I need not know all the ramifications of all the false doctrines. One thing I ask is what place do they give to the person of Christ?

Our safeguard against false teachers who come in and split the assembly and divide God’s people is our simplicity in Christ.

As someone has well said, “We shoot mad dogs. We quarantine infectious diseases; but we tolerate evil teachers, false teachers in the body of Christ.”

Make Christ, His shed blood, His atoning work at the cross for us, His burial, His resurrection and exaltation the very center of your life and your fellowship and your worship.

Oh, that we might determine “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ (that’s His person), and Him crucified . . . that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 2:5).

What I’m concerned about is that we rejoice in the fact that whether we are known or not known by men, we are known of God who has knitted us all together in one bond in Christ Jesus. Oh, that we might enjoy the fellowship and the communion of God’s people. And you will when Christ Jesus is your center of attraction.

And then we have a promise:

Romans 16:20. And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

You remember, way back in Genesis 3:15 when Adam and Eve sinned, we had the promise given that the seed of the woman would bruise the ser­pent’s head. Now Paul encourages these Roman Christians, who were suffering for their testi­mony’s sake. He gives them this promise that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan” under their feet.

In other words, the one who hates God’s people, the one who causes persecution against God’s people is going to come under the judgment of God and under the feet of God’s people.

The enemy of their souls is going to be defeated and be crushed under their feet. This was to en­courage them because of the days in which they were living.

Verses 21-24

Romans 16:21. Timothy my fellow-worker greets you; and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

Romans 16:22. I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Romans 16:23. Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.

Romans 16:24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Paul usually had friends and fellow workers around him, and these now take the opportunity to send their greetings to the believers in Rome. Timothy, of course, was Paul’s close companion and helper during many of his missionary jour­neys. Paul usually dictated his letters, and Tertius served as secretary for this letter to Rome.

Romans 16:25-27

Romans 16:25. Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,

Romans 16:26. But now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedi­ence of faith;

Romans 16:27. To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

Only God can establish us. No religious system can ever establish any of God’s people. God must do this.

Remember in the first chapter, Paul said (Romans 16:11), “I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be estab­lished.” But he also recognizes this must be done by God Himself. And notice in Romans 16:25, it’s going to be done, says Paul, according to “my gospel.”

In the very first verse of the epistle to the Ro­mans, you have Paul “a bond-servant of Christ Je­sus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” In Romans 1:16, you have “I am not ashamed of the gospel,” and in verse Romans 2:16, God is going to judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ “according to my gospel.”

“Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Mitchell, that Paul has a message all his own?”

No, I would say this, that God’s message has so taken hold of the Apostle Paul that it has become his own gospel. I am reminded of the Prophet Elijah, who said to King Ahab in 1 Kings 17:1, “There shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Now do you mean to tell me that Elijah’s word was going to close the heavens? No. He believed what God had said to Moses that, if the people of Israel ever left God and fol­lowed idols and became idolators, He would shut up the heavens to them. He would withhold the rain from them. Hence, they would have no crops.

Elijah had taken the Word of God, the promise of God, and made it his own.

This is what Paul is doing. He is taking the gos­pel of Christ which, of course, is “the good news from God concerning His Son.” He is so wrapped up in it, it has become so much the part and par­cel of his life, that he could say, “According to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

You know, it would be a wonderful thing if you and I could take the Word of God and make it our own.

I am reminded of 1 Thessalonians 1:5, where the Apostle Paul writes, “Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”

In 2 Corinthians 4:3, he could say, “If our gospel (our good news from God) is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.”

What I’m trying to get to your heart is, are you so in love with the Saviour, so trusting Him, is He so much the center of your affec­tions that His Word becomes your word? Has His gospel become your gospel so that as you min­ister the Word to others, as you bear testimony for the Lord, it becomes a vital, living reality in your heart?

You see, unless truth lives in you, it is not yours. Unless you are able to impart it to some­body else, it is not yours. But, when the truth gets hold of your heart and you speak with that au­thority, you speak with that certainty, with that assurance that this is the truth of God, it has be­come your word. This is what Paul is saying.

Now, what is this “secret”—“according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept se­cret for long ages past”? This is also found in Ephesians.

God gave Paul two revelations—the revelation of His grace which you find in Romans and the reve­lation of the Church, the body of Christ—a mys­tery hidden in God from past generations—which you find in Ephesians chapter 3.

Now in Romans, the Gentiles are brought in by the gospel. But what is their status?

You say, “Well, Mr. Mitchell, the Gentile Chris­tian is on the same ground as the Jew.”

This is what caused some of the problems in the early Church. It was no mystery in the Old Testa­ment that the Gentiles would be blessed. Isaiah and Hosea wrote that God would bless and even­tually save the Gentiles. Zechariah 8:23 tells about the ten men of every nation under heaven who lay hold of the skirt of a Jew and say, “God is with you.”

It was no mystery in the Old Testament that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would be born of a virgin. The Old Testament tells how He is to be born, where He is to be born—in Bethlehem of Judea—how He is going to live, how He is going to suffer and die and be raised again from the dead. That was no secret. And the Old Testament is very clear on the fact that Gentiles are going to be blessed.

So what is the mystery? The mystery, spoken of by Paul in Romans and established in Ephe­sians, is that Gentile Christians will be fellow heirs with the Jews. They will be members of the same body, with the same life and the same standing. They will be one in Christ, a company of people seated in the heavenlies in Christ, citizens of heaven.

It’s God’s desire to take all His children and bring them into His glory so that He may reveal Himself to them in all His love, in all His grace, and in all His compassion.

This was not made known to angelic beings. This has been made known to simple believers, Jews and Gentiles, whether known or not known in the earth.

The moment you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour you become a mem­ber of the Church, the Body of Christ. And it’s to this Church that God has revealed the wonders of His love and of His grace. He has revealed that the Church is going to share with Him in His glory.

Did you ever stop to think of it? To Israel He revealed His righteousness; He revealed His holi­ness. Israel and the nations are going to see the King in His glory. See Isaiah 33:17 and Revelation 1:7.

What about us in the Church? We are going to share with Him in His glory.

Let me give you some Scriptures just to encour­age your heart. We have this in Romans 8:18, where Paul says, “For I consider that the suffer­ings of this present time are not worthy to be com­pared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” In John 17:22, Jesus said, “The glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them.”

In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul says, “For momen­tary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory.” In Colossians 3:4, Paul says, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

What I’m also trying to get to your heart is that there is a company of people called “The Church” to whom Christ is going to reveal His purposes. He is going to share with them in His glory. This is not for angelic beings. This is not for the nations. This is not even for Israel. This is for you and me who love Jesus Christ as Saviour.

Then you have the purpose of it all in chapter 16, Romans 16:25-27. Let us read it once again.

Romans 16:25. Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,

Romans 16:26. But now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all nations, leading to obedience of faith;

Romans 16:27. To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

The book of Romans starts with Paul wanting fruitage among the Gentiles. He speaks of the fact, especially in chapter one, verse 5: “We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name’s sake.”

God has chosen to give us this tremendous re­sponsibility of making known to the nations, the millions who have never heard, the precious Word of God.

And I tell you, my friend, the time left to us to reach people with the Word of God is very brief. When I read my Bible in connection with the con­dition of the professing Church in the world, when I read my Bible with respect to Israel and to the nations of the earth, I tell you, my friend, we have very little time left for you and me to give to the world the wonderful story of Christ’s redemption.

God has taken you and me out of sin, and He has put us in Christ. He has taken us out of the kingdom of darkness, put us into His own king­dom and left us here on earth with this tremen­dous responsibility of bearing testimony to others that they might know Him, Jesus Christ, whom to know is life eternal.

May I plead with your heart, my Christian friend, to give everything over to Him.

Let Him, the only wise God, the One who has all ability and all authority and all power, use you in these final days for the praise of the glory of His grace and for the salvation of precious souls.

The Lord indeed bless you for His name’s sake.