ACC ~ Romans 15 v16

JUSTIN MARTYR: We are the true high priestly people of God … for everywhere among the Gentiles well-pleasing and pure sacrifices are presented to God. DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO 116.

IN THE PRIESTLY SERVICE OF THE GOSPEL. ORIGEN: The priests had to make sure when they offered sacrifices that there were no blemishes on the sacrificial victim nor faults of any kind, so that the sacrifice might be acceptable and pleasing to God. So also the one who makes a sacrifice of the gospel and preaches the Word of God must ensure that there is no blemish in his preaching, nor fault in his teaching, which might make him blameworthy at the judgment. Rather, he ought first of all to sacrifice himself, to strangle his own faults and to put to death the sins in his members, so that not only by his teaching but also by the example of his life he may make his sacrifice, which is the salvation of his disciples, acceptable to God. The Holy Spirit is the source of sanctification, and therefore the offering of the Gentiles which is made by Paul, in the role of priest, is said to be made acceptable to God by the Holy Spirit and not by the observance of the law. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

PAUL’S FORM OF PRIESTLY SACRIFICE. CHRY-SOSTOM: Now Paul raises his discourse to a loftier tone, speaking no longer of mere ministry only but of “priestly service” also. For Paul, his preaching and evangelizing were a priestly service. It was his form of sacrifice. Nobody would reproach a priest for desiring to offer the most perfect sacrifice possible. Paul says this both to lift up their thoughts and show them that they are a sacrifice and to explain his own part in the matter, because he was appointed to this office. My sacrificial knife, he says, is the gospel, the word of my preaching. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 29.

THAT THE OFFERING OF THE GENTILES MAY BE AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE. AUGUSTINE: The Gentiles are offered to God as an acceptable sacrifice when they believe in Christ and are sanctified through the gospel. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 83.

SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. PELAGIUS: By his example Paul was showing that what he performed with so much fear is holy. For some pass off as human what they proclaim as divine, with the result that what is holy seems to be unholy, since it is not done in a holy way. … Following Paul, however, the Gentiles become an acceptable sacrifice to God, sanctified and exalted not by fire but by the Holy Spirit. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

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