John Calvin Commentary Romans 16

I commend to you, etc. The greater part of this chapter is taken up with salutations; and as they contain no difficulties, it would be useless to dwell long on them. I will only touch on those things that require some explanation.

He first commends Phoebe to them, to whom he gave this Epistle to be brought to them. In the first place, he commends her on account of her office, for she performed a most honorable and a most holy function in the Church. Then he adduces another reason why they ought to receive her and show her every kindness: because she had always been a helper to all the godly.

Since she was an assistant of the Cenchrean Church, he instructs that on that account she should be received in the Lord. By adding, as it is meet for saints, he intimates that it would be unbecoming for the servants of Christ not to show her honor and kindness.

And since it behooves us to embrace in love all the members of Christ, we certainly ought to regard, and especially to love and honor, those who perform a public office in the Church.

Furthermore, as she had always been full of kindness to all, so he instructs that help and assistance should now be given to her in all her concerns. For courtesy requires that one who is naturally disposed to kindness should not be forsaken when in need of aid. To incline their minds further, he numbers himself among those whom she had assisted.

He teaches us in another place, 1 Timothy 5:9, about this service he speaks of and what it entailed. For as the poor were supported from the public treasury of the Church, they were also taken care of by those in public office. For this responsibility, widows were chosen who, being free from domestic concerns and unencumbered by children, wished to consecrate themselves wholly to God through religious duties. They were therefore received into this office as those who had wholly given themselves up and became bound to their charge, much like one who, having hired out his own labor, is no longer free or his own master.

Therefore, the Apostle accuses those who renounced the office they had once undertaken of having violated their faith. And as it behooved them to live in widowhood, he forbade them to be chosen under sixty years of age (1 Timothy 5:9, 11), because he foresaw that under that age the vow of perpetual celibacy was dangerous, indeed, liable to prove ruinous.

This most sacred function, so very useful to the Church, when the state of things had become worse, degenerated into the idle order of Nuns. This order, though corrupt at its beginning and contrary to the word of God, has nevertheless so fallen away from what it was at its commencement that there is no difference between some of the sanctuaries of chastity and a common brothel.

Salute Prisca and Aquila. The commendations that he offers here in favor of some individuals were partly intended for this purpose: that by honoring those who were faithful and worthy, faithfulness itself might be honored, and that those who could and would do more good than others might have authority; and partly so that they themselves might strive to act in a manner consistent with their past life, and not falter in their religious course, nor ever grow weary in their pious ardor.

It is a remarkable honor that he ascribes here to Prisca and Aquila, especially with regard to a woman. The modesty of the holy man therefore shines forth more clearly, for he did not disdain to have a woman as his associate in the work of the Lord, nor was he ashamed to confess this. She was the wife of Aquila, and Luke calls her Priscilla (Acts 18:2).

To whom not only I, etc. Since Prisca and Aquila had not spared their lives to preserve Paul's life, he testifies that he himself was individually thankful to them; he adds, however, that thanks were given to them by all the Churches of Christ, and he added this so that he might, by such an example, influence the Romans. The life of such a man was deservedly dear and precious to all the Gentiles, as it was an incomparable treasure; it was therefore no wonder that all the Churches of the Gentiles considered themselves indebted to his preservers.

What he adds concerning the Church in their house is noteworthy; for he could not have adorned their household more splendidly than by giving it the title of a Church. I do not approve of the word congregation, which Erasmus has adopted, for it is plainly evident that Paul, as a mark of honor, had used the sacred name of Church.

Who is the first-fruit, etc. This is an allusion to the rites of the law. For as people are sanctified to God by faith, those who first offer themselves are aptly called the first-fruit.

Whoever, then, is called first in time to the faith, Paul allows that person the prerogative of honor. Yet, such a person retains this eminence only when the end corresponds with the beginning.

And undoubtedly, it is no common honor when God chooses some as first-fruits. In addition, there is a greater and fuller trial of faith over a longer period, provided that those who were first to begin do not grow weary in their course.

He again testifies his gratitude, in recording the kindness of Mary to him. Nor is there any doubt that he commemorates these praises, in order to recommend those whom he praised to the Romans.