Ver. 1. Through the will of God] Not the faculty in God, whereby he willeth, but his act, the thing that he willeth. This will of God is either secret or revealed, Deuteronomy 22:29. And this revealed will is either of his pleasure, Placiti, or of his good pleasure, Beneplaciti. The former is also in things where the effect is evil; and so God willeth in respect of the end, but not of the means to the end; as in sin, and some miseries. The latter is in those things only where the effect is good, as here, and Romans 12:2. It was for the very great good of the Church that God would have Paul to be a chosen vessel, to bear his name before the Gentiles, &c., Acts 9:15. So that Cor Pauli est cor Christi, the heart of Paul is the heart of Christ, as Chrysostom hath it; for, “We have the mind of Christ,” 1 Corinthians 2:16. Sosthenes our brother] And companion in the kingdom and patience of Christ, Revelation 1:9 Ac 18:17. There he was despitefully entreated, here highly honoured. Christ is a liberal paymaster: never any did or suffered aught for his sake that complained of a hard bargain. It is to my loss (said that martyr) if thou bate me anything in my sufferings. Maiora certamina, maiora sequuntur praemia, After greater battles, greater rewards follow, saith Tertullian.
Ver. 2. Called to be saints] i.e. Either such as are sanctified by habitual infusion, or such as are sanctified by baptismal profession only, that are in covenant with God by sacrifice, Psalms 50:5, and are in Christ, though they bear no fruit, John 15:2. These two sorts of saints make up a true visible Church. With all that in every place] The apostles then wrote not their Epistles for the particular uses of those times only, as the Jesuits will have it.
Ver. 3. Grace be to you and peace] All peace that flows not from the sense of God’s love and favour, is as that of the Romans with the Samnites, unsound and uncertain. Pax infida, pax incerta. Peace with the treacherous is a dubious peace. (Livius.) [See Trapp on “Ro 1:7”]
Ver. 4. I thank my God] Thus he begins most of his Epistles. Deo gratias was ever in Austin’s mouth, who had Paul’s spirit. Every gracious man is a grateful man. The same Greek word (χαρις) signifieth grace and thanks. Only that part of Abraham’s seed that is as the stars of heaven, can in their courses sing a song of praise to God. True it is, that “all his works praise him”; that is, they give matter and occasion so to do; but his saints only bless him, in manner as Paul here doth, Psalms 145:10, and bring actual glory to him, Ephesians 1:11,12. Wicked men cannot say, I thank my God, for they have no true notion of God, but as of an enemy; and therefore all their verbal thanks are but as music at funerals, or as the trumpet before a judge, no comfort to the mourning wife or guilty prisoner. For the grace of God] Intending to chide them, he first commends them, that he may preserve in their hearts an opinion of his love, while he rebuked them sharply, that they might be sound in the faith.
Ver. 5. Ye are enriched] See here what is the Christian’s riches. And so David reckons of his wealth, Psalms 119:32. He cannot be poor in whom the word of God dwells richly, Colossians 3:16, especially if he be free of discourse, able and willing to communicate. A dumb Christian is to be blamed, as well as a dumb minister.
Ver. 6. The testimony of Christ] The gospel, called also the testimony, Isaiah 8:20. To the law, and to the testimony.
Ver. 7. So that ye come behind, &c.] Yet were babes and carnal, 1 Corinthians 3:2,3, and fell short in many graces. We must distinguish between gifts and graces, and covet these rather than those, 1 Corinthians 13:1.
Ver. 8. In the day of our Lord Jesus] Eleven times in these first ten verses (as Chrysostom well observeth) the apostle mentioneth the Lord Jesus Christ, who was to him, and should be to us, mel in ore, melos in aure, iubilum in corde, honey in the mouth, music in the ear, joy in the heart. (Bernard.) The Jews used to cast to the ground the Book of Esther, before they read it, because the name of God is not in it. This is ill done of them. But that is recorded to the commendation of Augustine, that he cast by Cicero’s writings (though otherwise very delightful to him) because he found not in them that mellifluous name of Jesus. Flowing with honey, honey dropping; sweetened with or as with honey. Now rare. ŒD
Ver. 9. Unto the fellowship] Union being the ground of communion: so that all is in him is for us. I give my goods to the saints, saith David, in the person of Christ.
Ver. 10. That there be no divisions] To break unity in the Church is to cut asunder the very veins and sinews of the mystical body of Christ. By the name of our Lord] Which is like to suffer by your dissensions, and whereof you ought to be as tender as of treading upon your parents that begat you. Perfectly joined] Schisms disjoint men; yea, shake them out of their senses, and frighten them out of their wits, 2 Thessalonians 2:2. [See Trapp on “2Th 2:2”]