1898)
p. 169 ff.

[39] The subject comes forward especially in connexion with chapters
ix-xi.

[40] I know that any brief statement about Luther's doctrine may be
disputed, for his own statements vary considerably. But I think the
tendency of his teaching is fairly represented above.

[41] 'Acceptance' is already acquittal; but only in view of the new
life of the body of Christ which is to emancipate man from the power of
sin. Thus it is only as incorporated into Christ that he finds his
former sin 'put away.' 'I believe in one baptism for the remission of
sins.'

[42] He should say, if he would represent St. Paul, 'works,' not 'good
works.'

[43] Essay on 'Righteousness by Faith,' in _Epistles of St. Paul_
(Murray, 1894), vol. ii. p. 264. The whole essay is very
characteristic and very interesting, but not very Pauline.

[44] Rom. v. 1.

{46}

THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER I. 1-7.

_Salutation._

It was the custom in the days of the Romans to begin a letter with a
brief indication from whom it came and to whom it was addressed, in the
form of a complimentary salutation, thus--to take an example from the
New Testament--'Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix,
greeting[1].' We are familiar in our day with the like forms for
beginning and ending letters, serving the same purpose and generally no
other. St. Paul then accepts the epistolary form of his day, but pours
into it an increasing wealth of personal meaning[2]. Thus in this
place the necessary address--'Paul the apostle {47} to the believers in
Jesus Christ which are in Rome, greeting'--is expanded into a
salutation extraordinarily full of meaning, explaining (1) who it is
who writes the letter; (2) with what justification; (3) to whom; and
(4) with what greeting.

(1) It is Paul who is writing, and he describes himself both personally
and officially. Personally, since the day when he surrendered himself
on the road to Damascus, he has been 'the slave of Jesus Christ,' bound
in all things to do His will, and exulting all the time in the moral
liberty which that bondage gave him. Officially, he has received a
commission and an office equal to that of the older apostles in the
kingdom of Christ: he has been 'called to be an apostle, separated to
proclaim the good tidings of God.'

(2) It is then this glorious commission that justifies his writing.
These good tidings of God are the fulfilment of an age-long prom