John Calvin Commentary Romans 1:5

"through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name`s sake;" — Romans 1:5 (ASV)

Through whom we have received, etc. — Having completed his definition of the gospel, which he introduced to recommend his office, he now returns to speak of his own call; and it was a significant point that this should be proven to the Romans.

By mentioning grace and apostleship separately, he adopts a form of speech that must be understood as meaning gratuitous apostleship, or the favor of the apostleship. By this, he means that it was wholly through divine favor, not through his own worthiness, that he had been chosen for so high an office.

For although in the world's estimation it has hardly anything connected with it except dangers, labors, hatred, and disgrace, yet before God and His saints, it possesses a dignity of no common or ordinary kind. It is therefore rightly considered a favor. If you prefer to say, “I have received grace that I should be an Apostle,” the meaning would be the same.

The expression on account of His name is interpreted by Ambrose as “in His name,” as if it meant that the Apostle was appointed in Christ’s place to preach the gospel, according to that passage, We are ambassadors for Christ, etc. (2 Corinthians 5:20). However, the opinion of those who understand name as knowledge seems better, for the gospel is preached for this purpose—that we may believe in the name of the Son of God (John 3:23). And Paul is said to have been a chosen vessel to carry the name of Christ among the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). On account then of His name means the same as if he had said, that I might make known what Christ is.

For the obedience of faith, etc. — That is, we have received a command to preach the gospel among all nations, and they obey this gospel by faith. By stating the purpose of his calling, he again reminds the Romans of his office, as if he said, “It is indeed my duty to discharge the office committed to me, which is to preach the word; and it is your duty to hear the word and willingly to obey it. Otherwise, you will make void the vocation which the Lord has bestowed on me.”

From this we learn that those who irreverently and contemptuously reject the preaching of the gospel perversely resist God’s authority and overturn all that He has ordained; for the purpose of the gospel is to compel us to obey God.

We must also notice here what faith is: the name of obedience is given to it, and for this reason—because the Lord calls us by His gospel, and we respond to His call by faith. Conversely, the chief act of disobedience to God is unbelief. I prefer rendering the sentence “For the obedience of faith,” rather than “In order that they may obey the faith,” for the latter phrase is not strictly correct, except taken figuratively, though it is found once in Acts 6:7. Faith is properly that by which we obey the gospel.

Among all nations, etc. It was not enough for him to have been appointed an Apostle unless his ministry pertained to some who were to be taught. Therefore, he adds that his apostleship extended to all nations. He afterwards calls himself more distinctly the Apostle of the Romans when he says that they were included in the number of the nations to whom he had been given as a minister.

Furthermore, the Apostles had in common the command to preach the gospel to all the world, and they were not, like pastors and bishops, set over specific churches. But Paul, in addition to the general undertaking of the apostolic function, was constituted by a special appointment to be a minister to proclaim the gospel among the Gentiles.

It is no objection to this that he was forbidden to pass through Macedonia and to preach the word in Mysia, for this was done not because limits were prescribed for him, but because he was for a time to go elsewhere, as the harvest was not yet ripe there.

You are the called of Jesus Christ, etc. He assigns a reason more directly related to them: because the Lord had already shown evidence in them that He had called them to participation in the gospel. From this it followed that if they wished their own calling to remain sure, they were not to reject the ministry of Paul, who had been chosen by the same election of God.

I therefore understand this clause, “the called of Jesus Christ,” as explanatory, as if the particle “even” were inserted, for he means that by their calling they were made partakers of Christ. For those who will be heirs of eternal life are chosen by the heavenly Father to be His children in Christ; and when chosen, they are committed to His care and protection as their shepherd.