Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 16

1. After mentioning certain personal matters concerning himself to the Romans, the Apostle now presents personal matters pertaining to others.

In this regard, he does three things:

1. He suggests what they should do for others.
2. He tells what others do for them, at the phrase all the churches.
3. He ends the epistle with thanksgiving, starting at but to him that is able (Romans 16:25).

Concerning the first point, he does two things:

1. He indicates whom they should welcome.
2. He shows whom they should avoid, starting at now I beseech you (Romans 16:17).

Concerning the welcoming of others, he does three things:

1. He requests that certain persons in particular be welcomed.
2. He points out in a general way how to greet them, at the phrase greet one another.
3. He greets them on behalf of the faithful, at the phrase all the churches of Christ.

2. Regarding the first point, he mentions a certain Corinthian woman who went to Rome. He recommends her to them, describing her in three ways:

1. He describes her by name, saying, I commend to you Phoebe. Although devoted to God, she did not have enough influence to avoid needing letters of recommendation, as Paul once said of himself: do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation? (2 Corinthians 3:1).
2. He describes her religion and faith, calling her our sister. For all female believers were called sisters and all male believers were called brothers: you are all brothers (Matthew 23:8).
3. He describes her by her pious activity, when he says, who is in the ministry of the church that is in Cenchreae. Cenchreae was a port city of the Corinthians where some Christians were gathered, whom this woman had served. This is just as it was said of Christ himself that certain women provided for him out of their means (Luke 8:3). And concerning the widow to be enrolled, 1 Timothy says: if she has shown hospitality and has washed the feet of the saints (1 Timothy 5:10).

3. Then he mentions two things he wants done for her. The first is that she be honorably received. This is what he says: that you receive her in the Lord, that is, for the love of God, as is fitting for the saints. This means to receive her in a way that is appropriate for saints, for it says in Matthew: he who receives a just man because he is a just man shall receive a just man’s reward (Matthew 10:41).

Instead of as is fitting for the saints, some manuscripts have worthily enough, meaning “fittingly,” but those texts do not agree with the Greek.

The second is that they be diligent in helping her. He adds, and that you assist her, meaning by offering advice and aid in any matter where she might need them. It is possible she had business to settle in Caesar's court.

4. However, 1 Thessalonians seems to contradict this recommendation, for it says, take care of your own business (1 Thessalonians 4:11). This seems to mean: do not get involved in other people’s affairs.

The answer is that one can help in another’s affairs in two ways. First, one can help in a worldly way, that is, for human favor or for personal gain; this is not fitting for God’s servants. No soldier of God gets entangled in civilian pursuits (2 Timothy 2:4).

Second, one can help in another’s affairs out of piety, for example, to help the needy and the miserable. This is religious, according to James: Religion pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from this world (James 1:27). It is in this second way that the Apostle is speaking here.

5. Finally, the Apostle explains why this is owed to her, saying, for she has assisted many, and myself as well. As Isaiah says, tell the just that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds (Isaiah 3:10); and, blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7).

6. Next, he recommends that other people connected with him be greeted, saying, greet Prisca and Aquila. Aquila was her husband, but Paul mentions her first, perhaps because of her greater devotion and faith. He calls them my helpers in Christ, that is, in preaching the faith of Christ.

For he had stayed with them in Corinth, as is found in Acts (Acts 18:1–3).

7. He continues, Who for my life laid down their own necks, meaning they put themselves in danger of death to save his life, which is an indication of the greatest love: greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

This seems to have happened in Corinth, where Paul suffered persecution, as is found in Acts (Acts 18:6). Or perhaps it is better to understand that it was others who exposed themselves to danger for the Apostle. The event mentioned in Acts (Acts 18:21) occurred after Prisca and Aquila had left Rome for Corinth, but the Apostle wrote this letter when he believed they were still in Rome.

The Apostle’s life was necessary not so much for himself as for others, as he says in Philippians: but to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account (Philippians 1:24). Therefore, he continues, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles, whose apostle and teacher I am: a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth (1 Timothy 2:7). He adds, greet also the church in their house, for they had many believers assembled in their home.

8. Then he wants another person, joined to him by love, to be greeted: greet Epenetus, my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Asia in Christ. This status gave him great dignity: you have come to the assembly of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:23). At that time, however, he was in Rome.

9. Then he says, greet Mary, who has labored much among you. This labor was to restore concord among them, and when she failed in her effort, she notified the Apostle. As it is written, the fruit of good labors is renowned .

10. Then he says, greet Andronicus and Junias. He describes them in four ways:

1. From their race, when he says, my kinsmen. This shows that they were Jews, about whom he said above, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh (Romans 9:3).
2. From the suffering they endured for Christ, saying, and fellow prisoners. For they had been in prison with the Apostle at one time: with far more imprisonments (2 Corinthians 11:23).
3. From their authority, when he says, who are of note among the apostles, that is, noble among the preachers: her husband is honorable in the gates (Proverbs 31:23).
4. From the timing of their conversion, when he says, who also were in Christ before me. For they had been converted before the Apostle and thus were owed greater respect: do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as you would a father (1 Timothy 5:1).

11. Then he says, greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord, beloved with the love of charity, which is in Christ: God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:8).

12. Then he says, greet Urbanus, our helper in Christ, that is, in preaching the faith: a brother helped is like a strong city (Proverbs 18:19), and Stachys, my beloved. He mentions them together, perhaps because they lived together or were connected in some other way.

13. Then he says, greet Apelles, approved in Christ, perhaps approved through certain tribulations: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10).

14. Then he says, greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. This refers to his family, in whose house many believers were gathered. Paul does not greet Aristobulus himself, perhaps because he was absent for some reason. Then he says, greet my kinsman Herodion, who, from this designation, is understood to be Jewish.

Next, he says, greet those who are of the household of Narcissus. Narcissus is said to have been a presbyter who wandered through desert places to comfort the faithful. Therefore, the Apostle, knowing he was away, did not ask that Narcissus be greeted, but only his household.

Yet there were some unbelievers in this household, and so to note the difference, he adds, who are in the Lord. He did this because he was asking only for believers to be greeted: if anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting (2 John 1:10).

15. Then he says, greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord, that is, in ministering to the saints. The Lord regards this as being done to himself, as it says in Matthew: as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40).

Then he says, greet Persis the dearly beloved, whom the Apostle especially loved for her devotion. Therefore, he adds, who has labored much in the Lord. This means by exhorting others, ministering to the saints, and even enduring poverty and other spiritual works: in toil and hardship... in hunger and thirst (2 Corinthians 11:27).

16. Then he says, greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, that is, chosen in the grace of Christ: he chose us in him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He also says to greet his mother and mine. She was Rufus’s mother according to the flesh, but Paul’s mother in the sense that she was a benefactor to him. For she had served the Apostle at one time, although she was not in Rome: older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity (1 Timothy 5:2).

17. Then he says, greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren who are with them. He greets them together because they lived together in harmony: God gives the lonely a home to live in (Psalms 68:6).

18. Then he says, greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. The “saints” are those sanctified in the faith of Christ: you were washed, you were sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11).

19. Then he shows them in a general way how to greet others, saying, greet one another with a holy kiss. He specifies a “holy” kiss to distinguish it from a sensual kiss, about which Proverbs says, she seizes him and kisses him (Proverbs 7:13), and also to distinguish it from a deceitful kiss, about which Proverbs says, better are the wounds of a friend than the fraudulent kisses of an enemy (Proverbs 27:6).

The holy kiss is given as a sign of the Blessed Trinity: O that he would kiss me with the kiss of his mouth (Song of Solomon 1:2). From this, the custom arose in the Church for the faithful to give one another the kiss of peace during the solemn rites of the Mass.

20. Finally, he greets them on behalf of the other churches, saying, All the churches of Christ greet you. This refers to those churches assembled in the name and faith of Christ, because they all desire your salvation and pray for you: pray for one another, that you may be saved (James 5:16).

After indicating who they should greet, the Apostle now shows them who to avoid.

In this regard, he does three things:

1. He teaches who they should avoid.
2. He gives the reason, beginning with the words, for they who are such.
3. He promises them divine help to implement this, beginning with the words, but may the God of peace.

Because those he wanted them to avoid crept in deceptively under the cloak of piety, as it says in Matthew, they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15), he urges them to be cautious, saying, I urge you, brothers, to mark those who make dissensions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have learned.

Here, it should first be noted that “to mark” means nothing more than to consider carefully. This can be understood in either a good or a bad sense.

It is taken in a bad sense when someone carefully considers another’s condition and progress in order to inflict harm, as it says in a psalm: The wicked plots against the just and gnashes his teeth at him (Psalms 37:12), and in Luke it says: and they were watching him (Luke 14:1).

It is taken in a good sense, first, when one considers God’s commands in order to obey them: observe him and listen to his voice (Exodus 23:21). Second, it is used when a person considers good people in order to imitate them, as it says in Philippians: Brothers, join in imitating me, and mark those who live as you have an example in us (Philippians 3:17).

Third, it is used when observing wicked people in order to avoid them, which is how it is meant here.

For there were certain Jewish converts to the faith who preached that the practices of the Law must be observed. This led to dissensions and factions in the Church, as some clung to their error while others remained in the true faith: dissension, factions (Galatians 5:20). Then followed the hindrances and stumbling blocks already discussed, where some would judge others and some would reject those who caused these divisions and obstacles: remove every obstruction from my people’s way (Isaiah 57:14). But he says, contrary to the doctrine you have learned from the true apostles of Christ, to show that such divisions and stumbling blocks stem from false doctrine: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:9).

Next, he warns that once these people are identified, they should be avoided. Therefore, he says, and avoid them, meaning to flee from their teaching and their company: Depart from me, you evildoers (Psalms 119:115).

Then, when he says, for they who are such, he gives two reasons for his instruction. The first reason concerns the people he wants them to avoid.

First, he describes their character, saying, for such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. They preached not for the glory of Christ but for financial gain, in order to fill their bellies: For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their god is their belly (Philippians 3:18).

Second, he describes their deception, saying, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive, that is, the innocent and inexperienced: the simple believes everything (Proverbs 14:15). With smooth talk, they pretend to be holy: they speak peace with their neighbor, while evil is in their hearts (Psalms 28:3). And by flattery, they bless and praise those who follow them: My people, those who call you blessed mislead you (Isaiah 3:12); I will curse your blessings (Malachi 2:2).

He gives the second reason based on a characteristic of the Romans, who were easily swayed toward both good and evil.

First, he commends them for their readiness to accept the good, saying, for your obedience is known to all, on account of the dominion the Romans exercised over other nations at that time. Therefore, anything done by the Romans was easily spread to others. Your faith is proclaimed in all the world (Romans 1:8). So I rejoice in you, because you obey the faith. He does this in charity, about which he says that love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Second, he cautions them against evil, saying, but I want you to be wise as to what is good, and simple as to what is evil, so that you might cling to what is good. Your simplicity should be such that you do not turn to evil through naivete or deceive anyone into doing evil: be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). On the other hand, it is said of certain people: They are skilled in doing evil, but how to do good they do not know (Jeremiah 4:22).

Then, when he says, but may the God of peace, he promises them divine help against such deceivers.

First, he makes the promise when he says, May the God of peace—that is, its author, who hates the dissensions they cause—crush Satan—that is, the devil, who is trying to deceive you through these false apostles—under your feet, because you will overcome him with your wisdom. And he will do this soon, namely, when he comes: Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19); you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet (Malachi 4:3).

Second, he offers a prayer to obtain this help, saying, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, which is sufficient to guard you: My grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Then, when he says, Timothy, he sends greetings from others, saying, Timothy, my co-worker, greets you: I have sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:17). He adds, so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen, who were Jews.

Tertius, Paul’s secretary, was allowed to greet the Romans personally with Paul’s consent. Hence he adds, I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Then he says, Gaius, who is host to me, was the person to whom John wrote his third letter, commending the charity he showed toward the saints, and to the whole church, meaning those who assembled in his house or who were in that region. Then he says, Erastus, the city treasurer, that is, the one who guarded the city’s money, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

Then he greets them himself, saying, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

He finishes the letter with thanksgiving, saying, Now to him, namely, to God who is the Trinity, who is able to strengthen you: after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:10). This strengthening is according to my gospel, that is, according to the gospel I preach: whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed (1 Corinthians 15:11); and also according to the preaching of Jesus Christ, who first preached the gospel, as it says in Hebrews: it was declared at first by the Lord (Hebrews 2:3). Hence, Matthew states that Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23).

Then he adds, according to the revelation of the mystery, that is, the secret. This can refer to what he had said, namely, according to my gospel, either because the secret of the divine Incarnation is revealed in the gospel, in accordance with what was said above: for in it the righteousness of God is revealed (Romans 1:17); or because the gospel was revealed to the Apostle himself: God has revealed to us through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). Regarding this secret, Isaiah says, My secret is for myself (Isaiah 24:16).

Alternatively, this phrase can be better connected to the word he had used, to strengthen you. It is as if he is saying: God can strengthen you in my gospel and preaching, and this is according to the revelation of the mystery—that is, the secret concerning the conversion of the Gentiles, as he says in Ephesians: to me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God (Ephesians 3:8–9).

Hence, he continues, which was kept secret for long ages past, because the fact that the Gentiles were to be converted to the faith had been hidden from humanity. He calls these “long ages,” as if they lasted for a very long time, because this was hidden from the beginning of the world: glorious are you, more majestic than the everlasting mountains (Psalms 76:4).

It can also be said that the “long ages” are eternity itself, about which Isaiah says, the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity (Isaiah 57:15). So, just as the simple essence of God is described using a likeness to physical dimensions, as Job says, Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea (Job 11:9), so His simple eternity is called “eternal times” insofar as it contains all times.

Then he continues, but now, this mystery, is disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known, just as the prophets foretold. Hence, he says in Ephesians, this mystery was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body (Ephesians 3:5 and following).

But it was made known by the fulfillment of a work proceeding from God’s command. Hence, it was according to the command of the eternal God, who by an eternal decree accomplishes His will in time. This command of God is made known to all nations, to bring about the obedience of faith—that is, so that all nations should obey the faith: to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations (Romans 1:5).

However, if we are speaking of the Incarnation, the text can be interpreted this way: The mystery, I say, was kept secret for long ages past because it was not so clearly revealed before. This mystery is now disclosed through the prophetic writings, which predicted it. This happened according to the command of the eternal God, who willed that the mystery of the Incarnation become known, and this was to bring about the obedience of faith among all nations.

This mystery, I say, was known to the only wise God, because He alone knew it and knew to whom He wished it to be revealed, for as it says in 1 Corinthians: no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). Or it can be understood of Him who alone is wise by His very nature, as it says in Mark: No one is good except God alone (Mark 10:18). This does not exclude the Son, because the perfection of the whole Trinity is the same. Likewise, when it is said, no one knows the Father except the Son (Matthew 11:27), the Father is not excluded from knowing Himself.

He adds, through Jesus Christ. This does not mean that the Father is wise through Jesus Christ. Since in God “to be wise” is the same as “to be,” it would follow that the Father would exist through the Son—which is false. Instead, this phrase must be connected to what was said earlier: the mystery is now disclosed, namely, through Jesus Christ. To whom—that is, to Jesus Christ—be honor and glory. Honor is given through the reverence paid by every creature: at the name of Jesus every knee should bow (Philippians 2:10). And glory is given in regard to His full Godhead, as Philippians says: and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11). This is not for a time, but forever and ever: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

To confirm its truth, he adds, Amen.

Alternatively, it can be interpreted this way: glory be to the only wise God... through Jesus Christ, who glorified God, as it says in John: I glorified you on earth (John 17:4).

It should be noted that this grammatical construction is incomplete and should be read as: “To him who is able... be honor and glory through Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory.” However, if the second “to whom” is omitted, the construction is clear.