ACC ~ Romans 1 v7

GRACE AND PEACE. ORIGEN: The blessing of peace and grace, which the apostle Paul gives to all God’s beloved to whom he is writing, is, I think, analogous to the blessing of Noah on Shem and Japheth, which was fulfilled in the Spirit toward all those who were blessed in the same way. It is comparable to the blessing with which Abraham was blessed by Melchizedekand Jacob by his father Isaac, and the twelve patriarchs who were blessed by their father Israel; or the blessing of Moses, with which he blessed the twelve tribes of Israel. I do not think that the blessing of the apostle’s, by which he blessed the churches of Christ, is inferior to any of these. … The apostle writes in the Spirit of God and blesses in the Spirit. Therefore it is through the same Spirit that those who are blessed by the apostle receive their blessings, as long as those on whom the blessing comes are found to be worthy of it. Otherwise it will happen as it is written: “And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you.”What is written about peace will also be the case with grace, because Paul aligns grace with peace. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

FATHER AS GOD, SON AS LORD. TERTULLIAN: I will not speak of gods at all, nor of lords, but I shall follow the apostle, so that if the Father and the Son are both to be invoked, I shall call the Father “God” and invoke Jesus Christ as “Lord.” AGAINST PRAXEAS 13.

TO ALL GOD’S BELOVED IN ROME. AMBROSIASTER: “To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints.” Although Paul is writing to the Romans, nevertheless he indicates that he is writing to those who are in the love of God. Who are these, if not those who believe rightly concerning the Son of God? These are the ones who are holy and who are said to have been called. For someone who understands incorrectly is not said to have been called, just as those who act according to the law have not rightly understood Christ and have done injury to God the Father, by doubting whether there is full salvation in Christ. Therefore they are not holy, nor are they said to have been called.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul says that grace and peace are with those who believe rightly. It is grace by which sinners have been cleansed and peace by which former enemies have been reconciled to the Creator, as the Lord says: “Whatever house you enter and they receive you, say: Peace be to this house.” And so as to teach that without Christ there is no peace or hope, Paul added that grace and peace are not only from God the Father but also from the Lord Jesus Christ. He says that God is our Father because of our origin, since all things are from him, and that Christ is Lord, because we have been redeemed by his blood and made children of God. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. AMBROSE: There is one grace on the part of the Father and the Son, and there is one peace on the part of the Father and the Son, but this grace and peace is the fruit of the Spirit. THE HOLY SPIRIT 11.125.

FEW ARE CHOSEN. SEVERIAN: Paul does not say “to the saints” lightly—for “many are called but few are chosen” and not all have remained in their calling—but so that he would not be throwing holy things to dogs. … According to the heretics, if Christ is the Lord and God is our Father, then the Father will be a servant of Christ, for as the son is, so is the father. But it is not like that at all. Paul said that God is our Father, in order to show his grace, and that Christ is Lord, in order that the Romans should not become proud and think that because they too were sons of God they could despise the glory of the Son or raise themselves up beyond what was natural. Paul called God “the Father” because he judges no one, but the Son he called “Lord,” because he is the judge.He calls God “the Father” so as to point out his guardianship over us. He calls the Son “Lord” so that we might understand that we are called sons by the goodness of God but that Jesus is the true God by nature and our Lord. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

CALLED TO BE SAINTS. CHRYSOSTOM: See how often Paul uses the word called! … And he does so not out of longwindedness but out of a desire to remind them of the benefit which calling brings. For since it was likely that among those who believed there would be some consuls and rulers as well as poor and common men, Paul casts aside inequality of rank and writes to them all under one common heading. But if in the most important and spiritual things everything is laid out as common to both slaves and free men, e.g., the love of God, the calling, the gospel, the adoption, the grace, the peace, the sanctification, etc., how could it be other than the utmost folly to divide those whom God had joined together and made to be of equal honor in the higher things, for the sake of things on earth? For this reason, I presume, from the very start this blessed apostle casts out this mischievous disease and then leads them to the mother of blessings—humility.

“Grace and peace!” Christ told his apostles to make peace their first word when entering into houses. So it is from this that Paul always starts also, for it was no small war which Christ put an end to, but a many-sided and enduring conflict. And it was not because of anything we had done, but by his grace. Since then love presented us with grace and grace with peace … he prays over them that they may abide constant and unmoved, so that no other war may ever break out, and he beseeches the God who gave this peace to keep it firmly settled. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 1.

INCLUSION. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Paul says to all because with Christ everyone is equal. When he says: “to those beloved of God, called to be holy,” he cuts out unbelievers. The forgiveness of sins and the gift of sonship may be what he means by “grace,” and the defeat of the invisible enemies, from whom Christ has delivered us, may be what he means by “peace,” as well as the refusal of the body to rebel against the reasonings of the soul and godly agreement with one another. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

THE SPIRIT’S GIFTS. [PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: “Called to be saints” because he was writing to those who possess the grace of the Holy Spirit, and he therefore preaches that gifts from the Father and the Son are to be bestowed on them. In saying this he is not overlooking the Holy Spirit but showing that the gifts of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are common to all three. Moreover, Paul the apostle himself frequently demonstrates that the spiritual gifts which are given to men come from the Holy Spirit. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

EMPHASIZING GOD’S GRACE. AUGUSTINE: Here again Paul has emphasized God’s grace rather than the saints’ merit, for he does not say “to those loving God” but rather “to God’s beloved.” RUDIMENTARY EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 7.

FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION. AUGUSTINE: Instead of saying “greetings,” Paul says “Grace to you and peace.” Grace then is from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, by which our sins, which had turned us from God, are forgiven; and from them also is this peace, whereby we are reconciled to God. Since through grace hostilities dissolve once sins are remitted, now we may cling in peace to him from whom our sins alone had torn us. … But when these sins have been forgiven through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall have peace with no separation between us and God. RUDIMENTARY EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 8.

RECALLING GOD’S BENEFITS. PELAGIUS: Paul is called to be an apostle to all believers, whom God loves impartially, without showing any preference for Jew or Greek. They are saints because of God’s calling, not because of their own holiness. Paul’s greeting is designed to recall God’s benefits and to pray that they may remain perfect in us, because our sins have been freely forgiven. … Paul also insists that Jews and Gentiles live in peace, since both of them have received the same grace. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

PEACE RESTORES VIRTUE. GENNADIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE: First Paul prays that the Romans might receive the grace of God, by which all believers enjoy salvation. Then he asks for peace, by which God gives to all the restoration of virtue. For the one who accepts the gospel way of life has peace with God. The one who serves him is amenable to everyone. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.