MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Seven Baptisms
Written by: Max Klein
Baptism means identification or association:
Introduction:
1. This meaning began in Homer's time. Homer wrote of the one-eyed giant, Cyclops who had trapped Ulysses and his men in a cave and was eating them one at a time. The ingenious Ulysses devised a plan. He had his men sharpen a large log and together they rammed this log into the eye of the one-eyed Cyclops rendering him blind. They identified (baptized) the sharpened log with Cyclops’ eye which changed Cyclops from a seeing giant to a blind giant. Having blinded the Cyclops, they were able to maneuver their way out of the cave. Another example by Homer: Homer's Odyssey, book 9, used baptism for hot metal identified (baptized) with water when a smith dipped a piece of hot iron into water. This is how a blacksmith would temper swords in the ancient world. After this identification, the sword was made stronger and so less likely to bend.
2. Xenophon said that the Spartan military recruits after finishing infantry training would identify (baptize) their spears with pig’s blood. They would run by a barrel of pig’s blood and thrust their spears into this blood. This ritual, identified their spears with killing and the soldier’s readiness for combat with the enemy.
3. Euripides used the word for a ship identified with the bottom of the sea when it sank. Before sinking, the ship was valuable; after sinking it had no value at all.
4. So "baptize" in the classical Greek meant to identify one thing with another so that the characteristics of the original thing were altered. Therefore, the interpretation of the word "baptism" is identification with something that brings about a change.
5. There are a number of cognates related to this Greek word such as bapto, baptizo, baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and embapto. A few examples follow:
6. John 13:26, “Jesus then answered, ‘That is the one for whom, I shall dip [the future of the Greek word bapto] the morsel and give it to him. So, when he had dipped [the aorist participle of bapto; the sop now takes on a new meaning that of honor] the sop [the morsel], He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”
To give someone a sop [a special bit of food usually a piece of bread or meat with a tasty sauce] was the highest honor of a banquet. At a banquet a special piece of bread or meat was prepared along with a special sauce for the guest of honor who would then honor someone by giving it to that person. Jesus as the guest of honor took this sop and dipped it into a special sauce and gave it to Judas. In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ honored Judas as a member of the family of God, and for his ministry as an apostle to the Lost Sheep of Israel. This honor should have given Judas second thoughts regarding his plan to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin.
7. Matthew 3:7, “but when he [John the Baptizer] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism [identification: the Greek word baptisma], he said to them, “You brood of vipers [poisonous snakes], who warned you to flee from the wrath to come [Baptism of Fire: identification with the fire of Torments and then the Lake of Fire]?”
8. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ, let us advance to maturity, not laying again the foundation [of the basics such as]: a change of thinking about dead works [just as an unbeliever must have a change of mind about Christ to obtain salvation, so the believer must have a change of mind about legalism (dead works) in order to obtain the spiritual life], and of faith toward God [Faith-Rest Drill], (2) doctrine of baptisms [the Greek word baptismos; a reference to the seven types of baptism as found in Scripture] as well as the laying on of hands [ritual rebound in the age of Israel], and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment [the Great White Throne Judgment].
9. Matthew 3:1, “In those days John the Baptizer [the Greek word baptistes; when John baptized someone into the Jordan River, the converts were identified with the plan of God and his kingdom.] came proclaiming [as a herald] in the desert of Judea.”
There are two categories of identification in Scripture namely an actual identification or a real baptism and a representative identification or a ritual baptism which uses water.
The four real or actual identifications with something that has significance.
1. The Baptism of Moses: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 presents the baptism of Moses, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were baptized [the Greek word baptizo] into Moses in the cloud [the Lord] and in the sea." This was a real identification in which Moses was identified with the Lord and the open path through the Red Sea and the Jews were identified with Moses. By the way, none of the Jews got wet, only Egyptian unbelievers who were immersed in the water as a means of death.
2. The Baptism of the Cross is found in Matthew 20:22, “But Jesus answered [Salome by addressing her sons] and said, “You [plural: a reference to James and John] do not know what you [James and John] ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink of the cup [bear the punishment of all the sins of the world] that I am about to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism [the sins of the world identified with Christ followed by the Father judging them] that I am baptized with [identified with]?” They [James and John] said to Him, “We are able. [the dumbest statement that James and John ever made]” [I selected the longer text as did Jerome.]
3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Retroactive Positional Truth and Current Positional Truth) occurs at salvation for Church Age believers only.
Colossians 2:12. Having been buried [aorist participle] with Him [Jesus Christ] by means of the baptism [God the Holy Spirit identified us with the burial of Jesus Christ as part of our salvation] by means of which [Baptism] you have been raised up [main verb] with Him [in union with Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father] through faith [at the point of salvation] in the operational power from the source of God who has raised Him [the humanity of Christ was given a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].
Romans 6:3-9:
Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven], have been baptized into His death [Retroactive Positional Truth and so identified with his substitutionary spiritual death on the cross]?
Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, sonship etc. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus. The plural correlative hosoi (ὅσοι) means that if we were identified with Christ in heaven and we were, then also we have been identified with Christ in his substitutionary spiritual death in which he removed the power of sin nature. Thus, the sin nature should not have power over our lives.
A few more points will be noted:
1. Note that the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation enters the believer into union with Christ at the right hand of God the Father which union is called current positional truth.
2. This verse also mentions identification with Christ in His spiritual death on the cross which identification theologians call retroactive positional truth. Retroactive positional truth also includes identification with Christ in His physical death and burial as well.
3. Identification with Christ in His death, then, has a two-fold connotation namely all personal sins were judged at the cross and since that is the case, God the Father is free to provide in grace, the Recovery Procedure. The second connotation is that good and evil were rejected by Jesus on the cross since good and evil are a part of Satan’s policy and plan. On the cross, Jesus relied on the proto-type spiritual life which operated under the two power options namely God’s power system.
4. So, the old sin nature’s ruling power over the Christian has been broken since all sins were judged on the cross and the Recovery Procedure has been provided. So, Retroactive Positional Truth has destroyed the sovereignty of the old sin nature over the life of the Christian.
5. Also, since Jesus rejected the good and evil policy of Satan so should the believer reject Satan’s policy of good and evil as the believer applies Retroactive Positional Truth.
Romans 6:4: Therefore, we have been buried together with Him through the identification [Baptism of the Spirit] into His death [physical], in order that just as Christ has been raised up from the dead [on Resurrection Sunday], through the glory of the Father [through the Father’s power], [So also we, the dead in Christ, will be raised from the dead by the power of the Father, and those alive at the Rapture, by the power of the Holy Spirit.] in this manner we also might walk in newness of life [Experiential sanctification should reflect our future ultimate sanctification.].
Christ had to die physically “and Jesus having shouted clearly with a loud voice said, Father, into your hands I deposit my [human] spirit, and having said this, he exhaled” (Luke 23:46). This last exhale caused His soul and spirit to depart from his mortal body resulting in physical death. Just as Christ had to die physically in order to obtain his resurrection body, so we must depart from our body of corruption, or mortality in order to receive our eternal body called our resurrection body.
The Newness of Life:
1. The newness of life provided through the baptism of the Spirit includes positional freedom from producing good and evil. Not only are we free from the tyranny of good and evil but we are also free from having to produce good and evil.
2. The believer has no obligation to improve the devil’s world through social action, socialism, welfare state, communism, environmentalism, or any social gospel, social action, getting involved, etc.
3. The human race is protected from Satan’s policy of good and evil through the laws of divine establishment which promote freedom instead of improvement at the cost of freedom.
4. In addition to the Laws of Divine Establishment the believer is insulated from good and evil positionally through the baptism of the Spirit.
5. Divorced from the Old Sin Nature positionally and its useless activity of human good and the function of evil, the life of the believer can be devoted to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ through maximum knowledge and application of Bible doctrine.
Romans 6:5: For if we have become united with Him [Christ, the new husband] in the likeness of His death [the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross], and we have, and not only this, but also, we shall be [united in the likeness] of His resurrection [Current Positional Truth: in union with the resurrected Christ].
Romans 6:6: Be knowing this [through Retroactive Positional Truth], that our old man [our former husband, the sin nature dates back to the Garden] has been crucified together [with Him], in order that the [human] body, with reference to its sin nature, [the sin nature located in the body] might be rendered powerless [when we use Recovery Procedure and the two power options], that we should no longer be slaves to the sin nature.
“Our old man has been crucified with Him” meaning that the power of the sin nature has been broken on the cross. Since the power of the sin nature was broken by the work of the cross, we as believers have no excuse for not executing the spiritual life. We will not be able to say to Christ at our evaluation that our sin nature was too powerful for us to execute the spiritual life.
A few points for further clarification:
1. Retroactive positional truth is that phase of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation which identifies the believer with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and his burial.
2. In the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross all the personal sins in human history were imputed to Christ, but at the same time the other two trends of the old sin nature were not imputed for judgment.
3. Good and evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life. In fact, the sin nature functions as the agent of Satan.
4. Good and evil were not imputed for judgment on the cross. Hence, in the spiritual death of Christ on the cross they were rejected to remain an issue in the angelic conflict, rejected to be perpetuated in human history as an issue every believer must face, and either overcome through the intake of doctrine or be entrapped by ignorance of doctrine and therefore lose out in glorifying God in time.
5. We are identified with Christ in His spiritual death, which means that we must understand that our sins have been judged and that good and evil has been rejected.
6. It all adds up to the fact that the sovereignty of the old sin nature over human life has been made powerless through retroactive positional truth.
7. The imputation of all personal sins of the human race to Christ on the cross means that the believer through the rebound technique is instantly forgiven sins, cleansed from all wrong doing which includes Satanic good and evil, restored to fellowship and filled with the Spirit.
Romans 6:7: For we who have died [the Christian is identified with the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ: theologically called Retroactive Positional Truth] have been acquitted [positional deliverance] from [the power of] the sin nature.
A few points for further clarification:
1. A dead person is discharged from the obligations of his former sphere of life. This is why the word “death” is used in this context. It is not a literal, physical death we are discussing but identification with Christ in His death.
2. As unbelievers we were under the authority of Satan as the ruler of this world, and under the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
3. Both the power of Satan and the old sin nature have been abrogated through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
4. This passage, then, emphasizes the annulling of the power and the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
5. Positionally, the power of the sin nature has been broken. Experientially, the old sin nature controls to the extent that we fail to understand and utilize the provision and support of logistical grace.
Romans 6:8: Now if we have died with Christ, and we have [retroactive positional truth], we also believe that we shall live in association with Him [the instrumental of association; a reference to Current Positional Truth].
In this verse, the 1st Class conditional sentence shows the relationship between Retroactive Positional Truth with Current Positional Truth. The protasis, the ‘if’ clause states the reality of Retroactive Positional Truth and the apodosis, the concluding clause states the doctrinal inference and the reality of Current Positional Truth. While Retroactive Positional Truth presents positional rejection and separation from good and evil as the policy of Satan and the function of the old sin nature, Current Positional Truth relates the believer to the function of the royal family of God. In other words, they have separate functions.
Romans 6:9: Knowing that because Christ has been raised from the dead [He received a resurrection body], no longer can He die; [physical] death is no longer a master over Him.
Analysis:
1. Retroactive positional truth destroys the sovereign authority of the old sin nature over human life. Current positional truth, on the other hand, destroys the limited authority of physical death in human life.
2. Instead of being ruled by the old sin nature located in the cells of the human body and influencing our souls toward sin, good and evil, we now have a new sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are identified with Him in His deaths, in His burial, resurrection, ascension and session.
3. Before salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit our lives were under the absolute rule of Satan who is the ruler of this world and under the rule of the old sin nature which is the ruler of life, and under the limited rule of physical death. All of that, of course, has been changed since salvation.
4. Now both retroactive and current positional truth have abrogated the authority and power of these former rulers. The power of Satan over our lives has been broken through identification with the rejection of good and evil namely Satan’s policy and plan and through our position in union with Christ. The power of the old sin nature is broken through retroactive positional truth and the power of physical death is broken through current positional truth.
5. Therefore, having studied these things by principle and by implication we are now ready for application, verses 12 & 13 specifically.
6. Having been positionally liberated from the sovereignty of the old sin nature as an absolute ruler, and the authority of physical death, we must recognise and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in verses 11-13.
Galatians 3:25-28, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the authority of [have need of] a school bus. (26) For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ [identified with Christ through union with Him] have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek [no racial distinction], there is neither slave nor free man [no social or economic distinction], there is neither male nor female [no gender distinction]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [All Christians have the same privileges and opportunities to execute the spiritual life.]”
Current Positional Truth, Elaborated:
In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ as opposed to religion. It refers to the Church Age believer in union with Christ and is the key to understanding the Church Age and how the royal family came into being. Therefore, it is the basis for distinguishing between Christianity and religion. Christianity is a relationship with God without merit whereas religion is a system of works to gain the approbation of God. Never shall the twain meet!
The mechanics of Current Positional Truth is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Spirit enters us into union with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For also by agency of the one Spirit we are all baptized [identification resulting in becoming a new spiritual species] into one body [in union with Christ], whether Jews or Greeks [racial distinctions are removed], whether slave or free [class and economic distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [the aorist passive, the voice of grace] the one Spirit [The Holy Spirit did not ask us whether we wanted to be put into union with Christ or not.].” Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord [becomes our Lord positionally at Salvation]), one faith [faith alone in Christ alone; Acts 16:31], one baptism [Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation].”
Current Positional truth guarantees that there will be no judgment for believers in eternity, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Thus, the condemnation which occurred at the first birth was removed at the 2nd birth. As a result of being born with the sin nature and the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin, we were condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity, but now that has been removed. Romans 5:12, “For this reason just as through one man [Adam] the sin [nature] entered into the world [procreation], and so spiritual death through the sin [the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin to the sin nature], and so spiritual death spread to all mankind, because all sinned when Adam sinned [since we were all genetically in Adam when he sinned, we will receive Adam’s Original Sin].” However, at our spiritual birth, the 2nd birth, our pre-salvation sins were all forgiven including Adam’s Original Sin. After which, the Spirit entered us into union with Christ where there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
Current Positional truth qualifies the believer to live with God forever. To live with God forever, the believer must have eternal life and God’s perfect righteousness, 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his son [Since we are in union with Christ, we share this life.]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And He [the Father] made Him who knew no sin [perfection] to be a sin offering [imputation of sins on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [current positional truth].” To live with God forever means you must have His life, and you must be as righteous as He is.
Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven] nor depth [nothing in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life in Christ is for all eternity!
Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers whether they be apostate, mature, immature, spiritually adult, or carnal. Since Current Positional Truth occurs at the point of salvation before experience in the Christian life begins, it doesn’t depend on that experience. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [at salvation], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.” So, even though you may be carnal or in reversionism, you still have positional truth. Being in union with Christ has nothing to do with what you do [experiential righteousness], or don’t do [failure to execute God’s plan]. Current Positional sanctification is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit and so is not based upon our volition, but on the sovereign decision of God. We make the decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we don’t make the decision to enter into union with Christ “all were made to drink the one Spirit” as per 1 Corinthians 12:13. God the Holy Spirit graciously did that for us and so it cannot be undone.
Current Positional truth creates a new spiritual species in Christ as per 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come to pass.” You become a new spiritual species at salvation by being put into union with Christ. It is what God does for you, and therefore it is grace. It is not what you do after salvation, such as the self-righteous works of legalism. The “old things” have to do with spiritual death and those things related to that death; the “new things” refer to things you receive at salvation such as the 40 assets and the unique spiritual life.
Positional truth should motivate the production of divine good and a pattern of life compatible with royalty as per Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his creation, having been created in Christ Jesus [a new spiritual species with many assets] for the purpose of divine good production [via experiential sanctification] which the God [the Father] has prepared in advance [in eternity past, God the Father provided election and predestination as part of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets], that we in the sphere of them [election and predestination] may pattern our lives.”
Even though a Christian may die the Sin on to Death, he will not lose his position in union with Christ (1 John 5:18-20), and so cannot lose his salvation. In order for a believer to lose his position in Christ, he would have to sin in that status, but since the believer cannot sin in union with Christ, he cannot lose his position in Christ and so cannot lose his salvation. Thus, it is comforting and reassuring to a believer to know that even though a loved one may have died the ‘sin on to death’, he has not lost his salvation.
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life [At salvation, God the Father imputes this life to the human spirit], and this life is in his son [The Christian also shares the life of Christ through union with Him]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth and the life [eternal life]; no person [in human history] comes face to face with the Father [having an eternal relationship with the Father] except through Me.’”
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he (God the Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin (perfection) to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth]. Sharing the righteousness of Christ, we become the objects of God the Father’s love as per Romans 8:39.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world [in eternity past], that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father].”
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5, “By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons to Himself through Christ Jesus our Lord according to the grace purpose of His will.”
5. Sonship, Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
6. Heirship, Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies together [bears witness] with our [human] spirit, that we are the children of God. (17) Now, if we are children and we are, also heirs, on the one hand heirs of God [the Father], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [pass all three stages of undeserved suffering], that also we might be glorified with Christ.”
7. Sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.”
8. Priesthood, Hebrews 7:12-19, “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change in the Law also. (13) For the One [the Lord Jesus Christ] concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe [the tribe of Judah] from which no one has officiated at the altar. (14) For it is evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests, (15) and this is clearer still, if another priest arises similar to Melchizedek, and there has, (16) who has become a priest not on the basis of physical requirement [a reference to the Levitical Priesthood] but on the basis of indestructible life [the Lord’s priesthood is forever]. (17) For this reason, it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest forever similar to the order of Melchizedek.’” [We are in union with Christ. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever. We represent ourselves before God as royal priests.] (18) For, on the one hand, there is a rescinding of the former commandment [the Mosaic Law that authorized the Levitical priesthood] because of its weakness and uselessness (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope [the second door of hope for the Church Age believer—a personal sense of destiny—by which we enter the adult spiritual life] through which we draw near to God.”
Hebrews 7:26-28, “For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, impeccable integrity, the One who cannot do evil, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; (27) Who does not need daily, like those Levitical priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself. (28) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His [God the Father’s] oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has become perfect forever [Jesus Christ is a perfect high priest].”
9. Royalty, 1 Peter 2:9, “ But you and only you are an elect [elect by God the Father] race [as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [God’s entity: a nation of priests: every Christian is a priest], a people for God’s own possession [a protected people], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him [Christ] who has called [in eternity past] you out of darkness [spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light [his plan];”
10. New Spiritual Species, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power [Old Covenant]; behold, new things have come to pass [This would include the New Covenant to the Church.].”
Current Positional Truth changes our relationship with Angels.
1. Through current positional truth the believer is higher than angels positionally.
2. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so superior to all angels. By virtue of being in union with Christ, every believer is now positionally superior to angels.
3. Positional truth has fulfilled the believer’s triumph with Christ in the angelic conflict. We are victorious with Him already.
4. Furthermore, positional truth demands compatibility with experiential righteousness. Therefore, the believer’s walk on this earth must be compatible with positional truth since we have perfect security in Christ, we have the freedom to choose for Jesus Christ, to love Jesus Christ, to respond to His love, and to fulfill our purpose on this earth.
What positional truth is not?
1. It is not an experience, emotions or ecstasies.
2. It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.
3. It is not related to human merit or ability.
4. It cannot be changed by God, man or angels. It is eternal in nature.
5. It is not obtained gradually as you grow in grace, but in toto at salvation.
6. It is not known apart from the metabolization of doctrine.
7. From understanding the doctrine of positional truth, we progress in our spiritual life, but we cannot improve it since it is perfect at salvation.
8. We are not in Christ because of what we do (execution of the spiritual life) or fail to do (fail to execute the spiritual life), but because of what God has done.
A few points of explanation:
1. The conclusion from positional truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life.
2. In Romans 7:1-4 where we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is what actually happens to us as believers at salvation. The old sin nature is the husband up to the point of salvation, but at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ positionally the sin nature is dead, as it were, the first husband has died and we have a new husband through union with Christ. Retroactive Positional Truth removes our first husband, the sin nature whereas Current Positional Truth enters us into union with Christ, our new husband.
3. The old sin nature-husband is still around, still seeking to regain his control over his former wife, the believer. But union with the second husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, has broken the first husband’s authority over the former wife.
4. The Baptism of Fire:
Matthew 3:11, “On the one hand I [John the Baptizer] baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to lace [loosen, remove]. He himself will baptize by means of the Holy Spirit [a reference to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age] and by means of fire [a reference to the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].”
Baptism of Fire: The baptism of fire (identification with fire) is defined as the judgment of unbelievers both Jew and gentile at the Second Advent. They will be removed from the earth and placed in fire for 1000 years until the Last Judgment, Luke 3:16-17; Mathew 25:31, 33. The analogy to the Baptism of Fire is found in Matthew 24:36-41. The one left in the field is the mature believer; the one taken is the unbeliever.
Parables of the Baptism of Fire:
1. The wheat and the tares (the unbelievers), Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.
2. The good and bad fish (unbelievers), Matthew 13:47-50.
3. The ten virgins: five wise, five foolish (the unbelievers), Matthew 25:1-13.
4. The sheep and the goats (the unbelievers), Mathew 25:31-46.
5. The talent test, Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man represents the unbeliever.
If Jesus Christ had not been rejected by the Jewish people, then the age of Israel would have continued until its completion (the Tribulation completes the age of Israel). (However, they did reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah and so the client nation was destroyed, and the Church age was intercalated that is inserted before the age of Israel was complete.) After the completion of the age of Israel at the end of the Tribulation, comes the wrath of God namely the Baptism of Fire when the Lord removes both Jewish and gentile unbelievers from the earth and identifies them with fire forever. After which, the Millennial reign begins.
The Three Ritual Baptisms. None are extant at the present time. They are representative identifications in which water is used as a training aid to represent some principle of doctrine.
1. The Baptism of John is found in Matthew 3:2-6, “Saying, ‘Change your thinking [regarding Christ] for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ [The future king was already on the earth] (3) For this is what was communicated through Isaiah, the prophet saying, ‘The voice of one [John the Baptizer] proclaiming loudly in the desert [of Judea]. Prepare [the aorist tense is a one time-decision] the way of the Lord [an idiomatic expression for salvation]. Keep on making upright [the use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’ (Isaiah 40:3) (4) Now, John himself kept on having a garment of camel’s hair [very uncomfortable] and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then [after John went where God wanted him to be] Jerusalem kept on going out to him [face to face] and all Judea and all the districts around the Jordan. (6) and they were being baptized [identified with the kingdom] by him [under John’s authority] in the Jordan River [where Israel crossed when they entered the land], and they kept on confessing their sins [post-salvation confession of sins].”
MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
Romans Chapter Sixteen
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Philippians 3:20a. For our privileged citizenship [though living in a foreign country: a hapax legomena: found only once in the Bible] exists in heaven [the source of our politeuma, all the privileges of heaven forever]
ἡµῶν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευµα ἐν οὐρανοῖς
The Politeuma Metaphor: A Roman colony in a foreign country having all the privileges of a citizen living in Rome. For example, the Emperor Augustus made Philippi of Macedonia, a ‘Politeuma’ protected under Roman Law and giving every citizen of that city tremendous rights and privileges such as no taxes. Paul as a Roman citizen functioning under the concept of ‘politeuma’ had great privileges which saved him on a number of occasions.
As Americans, we have a dual citizenship one in heaven based on ‘politeuma’ and one as citizens of the United States. We as Christians retain the rights, protection and privileges of heaven under our heavenly citizenship though we are living in a foreign country namely the United States. So, we as Americans have responsibilities to our country which responsibilities we should fulfill and as Christians we are to utilize our privileged heavenly citizenship to advance spiritually.
Romans Chapter 16
1–16: Apostolic salutations to honorable believers with great integrity;
17–19: The exception to the Honor Code function;
20–27: The ultimate triumph of the Royal Family of God;
Romans 16:1
Now, I recommend to you Phoebe [her name means ‘radiant’ or ‘attractive’], our sister [a fellow lady believer], who is a helper [with the gift of ministry] of the church which is at Cenchrea [the eastern port of Corinth],
Συνίστηµι δὲ ὑµῖν Φοίβην τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡµῶν, οὖσαν [καὶ] διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς,
Romans 16:2
That you receive her in the Lord, in a manner worthy of saints [functioning under the honor code], and that you stand by to help her in any undertaking [possibly a business transaction] in which she might have need of you [since she is not familiar with Rome]; for she has also been of great assistance to many including myself.
ἵνα προσδέξησθε αὐτὴν ἐν κυρίῳ ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ παραστῆτε αὐτῇ ἐν ᾧ ἂν ὑµῶν χρῄζῃ πράγµατι, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὴ προστάτις πολλῶν ἐγενήθη καὶ ἐµοῦ αὐτοῦ.
Apparently, Paul entrusted Phoebe with the transportation of this epistle and certifies her as the bearer of this portion of the Word of God. Phoebe was a wonderful believer in the Church in Corinth. Paul therefore, expects the Romans to treat her as such and to help her in any way they can.
Though this is a man’s world, it does not detract from the woman, on the contrary it raises the woman to a higher level of respect and honor which elicits the response of love, honor, and respect. There is no creature more loved, more honored, than the woman who has attained spiritual maturity. The inner beauty of the mature woman believer is an inspiration to virtue and honor in any gentleman.
A few more points for clarification:
1. Just as believers are designed by regeneration to respond to God, so women are designed by creation to respond to men.
2. The responding woman is the greatest of all creatures, while the reacting woman is the worst of all creatures.
3. Though the woman is under the authority of the man, she plays a far greater role than the man. More is demanded of the woman than the man in the man’s world. While this is a man’s world, it is a desert without women.
4. The woman has the potential, then, of being uniquely magnificent as the glory of the man. This potential only becomes a reality through regeneration and advance in the plan of God to maturity.
5. Phoebe was such a magnificent woman that she was able to provide great assistance to Paul. In addition to whatever assistance she had provided, she as a very honorable believer provided inspiration from her soul, hospitality from her actions, and honorable companionship. Phoebe represents everything which is great in Christian womanhood.
Romans 16:3
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν τοὺς συνεργούς µου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,
Paul only once ever entrusted a woman, Phoebe a single person, with something as valuable as this epistle to the Romans. Now, he moves on to another woman who was magnificent in marriage. Acts 18:1-3, “And after these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth. (2) And finding a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, recently having come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) Paul came to them. (3) And because he was of the same trade, he stayed [in their house] and worked with them [they provided a job]; for they were tentmakers by occupation.” Acts 18:18-19a, “And Paul having remained many days more [18 months], taking leave of the brethren [in Corinth] and put-out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea, he had his hair cut for he was keeping a vow. (19a) And he came to Ephesus and left them there [Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus].” 1 Corinthians 16:19, “The churches of Asia [Minor] greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you [from Ephesus] heartily in the Lord along with the church which is in their home.” In Romans 16:5, we find Aquila and Priscilla now back in Rome. In summary, the couple were initially in Rome, then they moved to Corinth and then to Ephesus and back to Rome and just before Paul’s death were again living in Ephesus.
Here is a marriage between a Jew, Aquila and a Gentile, Prisca which was not only the quintessence of domestic tranquility in compatibility, but a marriage which establishes the record for personal and impersonal love which provided a haven for all who were encompassed in their sphere. Prisca was a Roman citizen and Aquila was a Jew who came to Rome from Pontus. They somehow met in Rome and after a courtship, got married. When Claudius in A.D. 49 banished the Jews from Rome, Prisca, a Roman citizen chose to go with her husband, rather than to remain in Rome her native city. Almost ten years later Paul sends greetings to them, now residing in Rome after the death of Claudius. When Paul is imprisoned in the Mamertine Dungeon, Prisca and Aquila will have returned to Ephesus and are included in Paul’s last greeting, 2 Timothy 4:19, “Acclaim (give special recognition to) Priscilla and Aquila [mature believers], also the family of Onesiphorus.”
Romans 16:4
Who [Aquila and Priscilla] have risked their own necks for my life [in Ephesus: maximum function of the Honor Code]; to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles [this couple has impacted the lives of many believers].
οἵτινες ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς µου τὸν ἑαυτῶν τράχηλον ὑπέθηκαν, οἷς οὐκ ἐγὼ µόνος εὐχαριστῶ ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῶν ἐθνῶν,
Aquila and Priscilla saved Paul’s life from the mob in Ephesus:
All effective mobs are created by a small organized group who use a mob as a weapon of violence against their opposition. However, nothing honorable or lasting is ever accomplished by a mob for all true problem solving involves thinking, not emotion. Group, city and national problems etc. must be discussed and debated. (This is why England became so great for issues were always debated in Parliament.) There must be rational, logical, incisive debate. Mob activity forestalls any such activity, but only produces mass hysteria. In hysteria, mobs destroy property, privacy and lives. Mobs are anti-freedom, and their cause no matter how just becomes evil.
It appears that Demetrius led the mob to the home of Priscilla and Aquila where Paul was resting or sick in bed in hopes of seizing and murdering him. At that point, Priscilla and Aquila went out from their home and faced down the mob to save the life of Paul.
The information below on Aquila was taken from Unger’s Bible Dictionary. (a good summary)
AQ´UILA (akʹwi-la; “eagle”). A Jew and a native of Pontus, and by occupation a tentmaker. Fleeing from Rome in consequence of an order of Claudius commanding all Jews to leave that city, he went to Corinth, where he was living when Paul found him, and, being of the same handicraft, lived with him. Sometime after, being opposed by the Jews and perhaps to remove any obstacle to his acceptance by the Gentiles, Paul left the house of Aquila and dwelt with one, Titius Justus. It is not certain when Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, were converted to Christianity, but it was before Paul left Corinth, for they accompanied him to Ephesus. While there they instructed Apollos in “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18) and appear to have been zealous promoters of the Christian cause in that city (1 Cor. 16:19). At the time of Paul’s writing to Corinth, Aquila and his wife were still at Ephesus (16:19), but in Rom. 16:3–5 we find them again at Rome and their house a place of assemblage for Christians. Some years after they appear to have returned to Ephesus, for Paul sends salutations to them during his second imprisonment at Rome (2 Tim. 4:19), as being with Timothy. Nothing further concerning them is known.
Romans 16:5
Also pay my respects to the church in their home [they had moved back to Rome after the death of Claudius; possibly Aquila was the pastor.]. Greet Epaenetus [a Christian in Rome who never stopped learning God’s word from the time he was first saved in Asia Minor], my beloved friend, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
καὶ τὴν κατí οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν. ἀσπάσασθε Ἐπαίνετον τὸν ἀγαπητόν µου, ὅς ἐστιν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀσίας εἰς Χριστόν.
Though Epaenetus was presently living in Rome, he was the first person that Paul led to Christ in Ephesus.
A few points regarding this honorable believer:
1. Epaenetus represents the principle of plugging or plodding.
2. Spiritual growth is not the flight of a rocket; rather it is the slow, steady, continuous trot of a good horse.
3. The flash-in-the-pan Christian fizzles out, but the consistently positive volition type gains momentum, a little at a time.
4. Epaenetus started with doctrine and continued with doctrine. Even though he did not continue under Paul’s ministry, but moved to Rome where he continued to learn doctrine in the home of Prisca and Aquila.
Romans 16:6
Pay my respects to Mary [a Christian lady in Rome] who has worked hard for you with reference to many things.
ἀσπάσασθε Μαριάµ, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς ὑµᾶς.
She is a woman who, like Phoebe and Prisca, is listed among the great women of the Bible, women with inner beauty. Mary was motivated to work hard in her Christian service because of her love for the Lord.
A few points for clarification:
1. Being a woman does not hinder the believer from advancing to maturity or having maximum production. Being a woman is no hindrance to progress or function in the Christian way of life.
2. While Christian women do not possess the gift of pastor-teacher, they are not hindered from having a ministry.
3. Mary was apparently a single woman which means that she not only had less distractions in the advance to maturity but also had greater opportunity for Christian service.
Romans 16:7
Pay my respects to Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen [appears to be a married couple], and fellow prisoners, who are prominent among the missionaries [apostolos], who also have been in Christ [positional sanctification] before me.
ἀσπάσασθε Ἀνδρόνικον καὶ Ἰουνιᾶν τοὺς συγγενεῖς µου καὶ συναιχµαλώτους µου, οἵτινές εἰσιν ἐπίσηµοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, οἳ καὶ πρὸ ἐµοῦ γέγοναν ἐν Χριστῷ.
In Romans 16, Paul mentions a long list of great believers about whom we would not know apart from this chapter. There were probably many other great believers whom were never mentioned in Scripture. It doesn’t matter since they will receive their rewards at the Evaluation Platform of Christ just as those who were more well known.
While Paul would be imprisoned many times, recorded in the book of Acts and elsewhere, it is only here that we have a reference to an earlier imprisonment of some sort. At which time, it appears that Paul and this couple were in the same prison cell.
Apostleship:
The Greek word, ‘apostolos’ (apostle) is an Attic Greek word which was already 500 years old when used in the New Testament. First, it was used for the highest-ranking naval admiral in command of both the Athenian fleet and the army. The ‘apostolos’ was chosen by a special council and was given absolute authority in time of war. This would be equivalent to the authority given to the twelve apostles sent to evangelize the unbelievers of Israel and to the twelve apostles commissioned in the Church Age for the primary function of evangelizing, training pastors, establishing Churches and writing the New Testament Canon. Regarding its secondary meaning, the Athenian government would delegate authority to a person for the purpose of governing an Athenian Colony. This new governor of the colony was called an ‘apostolos’ as well. Paul, for example, delegated authority to many young men that they might become pioneer missionaries. These were called ‘apostoloi’ and given the necessary power to execute their responsibilities. Both uses of this word are found in the New Testament.
Who were the apostles to the Lost Sheep of Israel?
Jesus had approximately 5000 disciples at one point in his ministry. Out of whom only a small number would be promoted to the position of apostleship. Jesus realizing that he needed to promote some of his students to apostleship and desiring God the Father’s guidance, went up to a mountain and prayed all night regarding this matter. The next morning, he came down with a promotion list. Twelve disciples were promoted to the temporary rank of apostleship. It was temporary since they would hold this position and rank only until 30 A.D. at which time, the Church Age would begin. As believers taught by Christ himself, their primary responsibility was to give the gospel to the “Lost Sheep of the House of Israel”.
Luke 6:12-16, “And it was at this time that he went off to the mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When he returned, he called his disciples (approximately five thousand) to him and chose twelve from among them whom he named his apostles: Simon whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.”
What was their responsibility? Jesus gave these twelve the authority and responsibility to evangelize the unbelievers of Israel (Matthew 10:5, 6) and to announce that the rule of the Messiah was coming nearer (Matthew 10:7). They were given the gifts of healing and miracles to identify themselves as the Lord’s apostles. (These sensational gifts of healing and miracles were never designed to remove suffering. If so, they would have healed all and performed miracles to benefit all, but they didn’t.) These gifts of healing and miracles were designed to gain an audience and then to give those in the audience the gospel message.
Who were the apostles in the early church?
In the Church Age in order to become an apostle, one had to see the resurrected Christ. “One of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:22). The resurrected Christ appeared to the eleven disciples, and finally to Paul conferring on them the permanent rank of apostleship in the Church Age.
“And that he appeared to Cephas (Peter) then to the twelve (the twelve is a title, actually there were only eleven). After that he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now (still alive), but some have fallen asleep (died); Then he appeared to James (Lord’s half-brother), then to all the apostles (the eleven) and last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me (Paul) also.” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8)
What was their responsibility? These twelve men had absolute power and authority to teach the spiritual life of the Church Age, to establish churches, to train men for the ministry and to write the New Testament epistles (Also, a few others wrote who were closely associated with apostles). They had rank with absolute power to get the Church Age started.
As the Athenian Commander had absolute power over the Athenian Navy so the twelve apostles had absolute power over the Churches. To illustrate their power, Paul had the authority and power to turn a Christian over to Satan for the purpose of being tortured to death (1 Corinthians 5:1, 5).
Others were called apostles in the early church!
The second meaning of the Greek word ‘apostolos’ was used for pioneer missionaries who were under the authority of the apostles. This meaning is similar to the colonial governors of Athens. These pioneer missionaries had tremendous powers, but they were delegated powers. They did not possess the spiritual gift of apostle, but held such gifts as pastor-teacher, evangelism, prophets etc. Since Barnabas helped Paul on some of his missionary journeys, Paul delegated to him authority to function as a pioneer missionary. “But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting out” (Acts 14:14).
ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Βαρναβᾶς καὶ Παῦλος, διαρρήξαντες τὰ ἱµάτια αὐτῶν ἐξεπήδησαν εἰς τὸν ὄχλον, κράζοντες
Also, Epaphras, Andronicus, Junias, Timothy, Silvanus were called pioneer missionaries (In the Greek: apostolos) just to mention a few.
“But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your spiritual ruler (in the Greek: apostolos), a minister to my needs.” (Philippians 2:25)
Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ ἡγησάµην Ἐπαφρόδιτον τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ συνεργὸν καὶ συστρατιώτην µου, ὑµῶν δὲ ἀπόστολον καὶ λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας µου, πέµψαι πρὸς ὑµᾶς,
“Pay my respects to Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and fellow prisoners who are prominent among the missionaries (in the Greek: apostolos), who also have been in Christ before me.” (Romans 16:7)
ἀσπάσασθε Ἀνδρόνικον καὶ Ἰουνιᾶν τοὺς συγγενεῖς µου καὶ συναιχµαλώτους µου, οἵτινές εἰσιν ἐπίσηµοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, οἳ καὶ πρὸ ἐµοῦ γέγοναν ἐν Χριστῷ.
“Nor did we (Paul, Silvanus, Timothy) seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles (Paul, Silvanus and Timothy) of Christ we might have asserted our authority.” (1 Thessalonians 2:6)
οὔτε ζητοῦντες ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν, οὔτε ἀφ’ ὑµῶν οὔτε ἀπ’ ἄλλων, δυνάµενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι.
Romans 16:8
Greet [pay your respects to] Ampliatus, my beloved friend in the Lord.
ἀσπάσασθε Ἀµπλιᾶτον τὸν ἀγαπητόν µου ἐν κυρίῳ.
To be Paul’s personal friend meant mutual enthusiasm in one’s attitude toward learning and applying God’s Word. Ampliatus may be unknown to history, but he is well-known to God. Nothing we ever do in our spiritual life is ignored by God.
Romans 16:9
Greet [pay your respects to] ‘Urbanus’ [a freed Gentile slave], our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachus, my beloved friend.
ἀσπάσασθε Οὐρβανὸν τὸν συνεργὸν ἡµῶν ἐν Χριστῷ καὶ Στάχυν τὸν ἀγαπητόν µου.
Paul did not know Urbanus personally but knew him by reputation as a great believer. On the other hand, Stachus was known by Paul. ‘Stachus’ means “ear of corn” which means nothing and tells us nothing. Just a name. He was a doctor in training in Rome and eventually became a mature believer and went out as a missionary to Byzantium where he would at a later time become a great pastor. Stachus was known by Paul and had become a close friend; somewhere their paths had crossed.
Ampliatus, Urbanus and Stachus all died as martyrs, according to extra-biblical records. These people made doctrine the issue of their life. Therefore, whatever hard knocks came their way, whatever difficulties, whatever problems, nothing stopped their spiritual advance, not even martyrdom.
A few points for clarification:
1. These salutations are a part of the Word of God. Therefore, they require understanding and analysis.
2. Certain lessons from the salutations are obvious namely that special honor and recognition was extended by the Holy Spirit to these Christians. This was to make known that believers in all circumstances of life have honor and integrity from doctrine resident in the soul.
3. Just as we learn history from tombstones and graveyard inscriptions, so we learn doctrine from the names engraved in this passage.
4. These three believers died as true martyrs under ‘dying grace’ since dying grace applies just as much to violent death as to a peaceful one. There is dying blessing for the mature believer no matter what way God has chosen for him to die.
5. Obviously then, the way to prepare for death is the same way one prepares for life—persistent positive volition toward doctrine, resulting in the accumulation of the inner resources of grace for every circumstance of life and death. For the believer, dying is a part of living.
6. Obviously, Christian friendship is based upon capacity for life, love and happiness rather than flattery, attraction, social status etc.
7. While doctrine resident in the soul is capacity for friendship, the integrity from the honor code cements the relationship into something honorable and permanent.
8. Note also that Paul’s friendships extended to Christian women where true rapport existed. His rapport with women was honorable and enjoyable. The honor code keeps the man from being predatory in his friendships with women.
Romans 16:10
Pay my respects to Apelles, the approved one in Christ [The Greek word ‘dokimos’: tested under undeserved suffering: most likely Apelles passed the first two undeserved suffering tests] [Positional Truth]. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
ἀσπάσασθε Ἀπελλῆν τὸν δόκιµον ἐν Χριστῷ. ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἀριστοβούλου.
From a line in Horace’s satires: “Let the Jew, Apelles believe it, I do not.” According to tradition, Apelles was the bishop of Smyrna at a later time. In the evaluation of the church at Smyrna by the Lord in Revelation 2:8-11, we know that he must have been very successful.
While the Greek word dokimos generally means “approved” it also has the following meanings: genuine, respected, and esteemed. It connotes a person who has been in some form of undeserved suffering and has passed the test without any of the usual mental attitude sins.
James 1:12. Happy is the believer who endures testing [passes the three categories of undeserved suffering] for having become approved [at his evaluation after the Rapture], he shall receive the wreath of life, which he [the Lord] has promised to those who love Him [enduring devotion and respect for the Lord Jesus Christ].
The greatest happiness comes to the believer who completes the spiritual life, because in doing so he obtains the happiness which God has designed for the mature believer. The happiness of spiritual maturity is a system of integrity and thinking, a happiness not dependent upon people or things, but related to loving God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Since the mature believer has both enduring devotion and respect for God, he has the power, the inner strength to handle any test or suffering in life. After the believer develops a personal love for Jesus Christ, he will receive his final test in life, then upon passing this test he will be approved by the Lord and receive “The Wreath of Life”. This decoration is awarded to invisible heroes for maximum production of divine good through the execution of the plan of God. Therefore, the wreath (crown) of life is related to the invisible hero's (mature believer’s) production from his spiritual gift, his ambassadorship, and his royal priesthood. The wreath of life is awarded for consistent filling of the Holy Spirit, consistent perception of doctrine, and consistent use of the Problem-Solving Devices resulting in the completion of the spiritual life.
“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Note that the devil is about to cast some of you in prison that you may be tested, and you will have special persecution ten times. Keep on being faithful even until death, and I will give you the wreath of life." (Revelation 2:10)
When a military man or athlete received a wreath in the Greek world or in the Roman Empire, he would also receive great benefits and tremendous wealth. Each wreath included monetary reward, freedom from taxes, children educated at public expense, and a statue of the person erected in the public square. The wreath is used by analogy for the greatest honors and blessings God can give to believers.
Many Christians associate happiness with success, wealth, travel, sex, marriage, children, or with some other pleasure in life. If the believer is ever going to understand the happiness that God wants him to have, he must eventually discard these false ideas.
In Christ [Positional Truth]: Romans 6:3a, “Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven] . . .” Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, and sonship. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus.
Regarding Aristobulus, no one knows for sure who this man was although there are a number of guesses. He could have been the son of Herod the Great which son Herod murdered. Others speculate that he was the brother of Barnabas etc. All we know for sure is that a man called Aristobulus had some great believers within his household whether they be members of his family or slaves is unknown and that this household lived in Rome in 58 A.D.
Romans 16:11
Greet Herodion [a freed slave of Herod], my fellow countryman. Greet those slaves of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
ἀσπάσασθε Ἡρῳδίωνα τὸν συγγενῆ µου. ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ναρκίσσου τοὺς ὄντας ἐν κυρίῳ.
Herodion was a Jewish slave who had been freed, a believer who had advanced to maturity. Apparently, he took this name in honor of the person who had freed him. The slaves of Narcissus also advanced to spiritual maturity under slavery.
Note that Paul makes no suggestion that the slaves should revolt or seek their freedom. Solving social problems neither advances one spiritually nor fulfils the plan of God for his life. Christians getting into social action produce good and evil, not spiritual advance. Adverse circumstances or social injustice do not hinder spiritual advance. In fact, circumstances are never the issue. What counts is positive volition and Bible doctrine in the soul. Hence revelation, not revolution, is the panacea of life. Revolution and social reform are not related to the spiritual advance in the plan of God.
Romans 16:12
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa [twins] who have worked [articular participle] in the Lord to the point of exhaustion. Pay my respects to Persis, my beloved friend such a one who has worked [a relative pronoun introducing a specific category followed by an indicative] in the Lord [positional sanctification] to the point of exhaustion with reference to many things.
ἀσπάσασθε Τρύφαιναν καὶ Τρυφῶσαν τὰς κοπιώσας ἐν κυρίῳ. ἀσπάσασθε Περσίδα τὴν ἀγαπητήν, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν ἐν κυρίῳ.
Paul mentions three great lady-believers. The purpose is to recognize these honorable believers in Rome, who had attained spiritual maturity. There is clear indication that these two ladies, Tryphena and Tryphosa were twins since they had names with exactly the same root, names given to twins. Tryphena means dainty; Tryphosa means delicate implying that these ladies were quite beautiful. However, Paul is not interested in their overt beauty, but only their great inner beauty. However, the point is that overt beauty does not need to hinder inner beauty. In the case of these twins, their inner beauty motivated them to work very hard to the point of exhaustion in whatever Christian service they were involved. Bible doctrine resident in the soul, which is the source of the woman’s inner beauty, was the source of their incentive, their drive to keep on going when mentally and physically exhausted. The wording introducing Persis “such a one” as opposed to the wording related to the twins would indicate that she had even a greater spiritual life than did the twins. Maturity exploits production; maturity produces honor in production; the mature woman never falls or fails in a time of exhaustion.
Romans 16:13
Greet Rufus [son of Simon of Cyrene], the elected one in the Lord, also pay my respect to his mother and mine [she treated Paul as if he were her son].
ἀσπάσασθε Ῥοῦφον τὸν ἐκλεκτὸν ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ τὴν µητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐµοῦ.
Rufus who had become a great believer is found in another passages of Scripture as well. Mark 15:21, “They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.” Though Simon departed to be with the Lord, his wife was still alive and a great believer with whom Paul had a close relationship.
‘The elected one in the Lord’: Under the printout of Election, the sovereign of God in eternity past elected all Church Age believers and placed them into His plan as royal priests with logistical support. This plan calls for the believer to receive highest and best from God. That highest and best is to receive the Escrow Blessings which he had deposited in eternity past. These blessings will not only glorify to the maximum the three members of the Trinity, but also bring great glory to the individual believer as well.
Now, that we have been elected, we must fulfill this election via the assets provided in Predestination. We have been predestined in Christ, the privilege to share in the destiny of Christ. The spiritual life provides us with the opportunity to maximize this destiny. Having executed this spiritual life fully that is having completed our destiny in time, we will receive our Escrow Blessings for both time and eternity.
Election, along with foreknowledge, predestination, justification and glorification, are all printouts from God’s computer. As it were, the omniscience of God in eternity past made a folder for each person who would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in time. Within that folder, he put the following files: foreknowledge, election, predestination, justification, and glorification.
Ephesians 1:3-5: Worthy of praise and glorification, the God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who [the Father] has blessed [escrow blessings] us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ [the escrow officer], (4) just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world, that we may be set apart [positional and experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father]. (5) By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption [into the royal family of God] as adult sons [adult sons then heirs; if heirs then a destiny]to Himself through [the person and work of] Jesus Christ according to the grace purpose of His will.
Romans 8:29-30: “[We know] that whom He foreknew [acknowledges what is certain in the Divine Decree; foreknowledge deals only with the actual, not the probable], He also predestined conformed ones to the image of His Son [via positional, experiential and ultimate sanctification], that He [the humanity of Christ] might be the first-born [as the head of the Church] among many brethren [Church age believers]. And whom He predestined, these same ones He also elected, and whom He elected, these same ones He also justified, and whom He justified, these same ones He also glorified.”
Romans 16:14
Greet Asyncritus [name means a ‘great judge’], Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas [Hermogenes of 2 Timothy 1:15] and the brethren [other believers, but unknown to Paul] associated with them [a second local church in Rome].
ἀσπάσασθε Ἀσύγκριτον, Φλέγοντα, Ἑρµῆν, Πατροβᾶν, Ἑρµᾶν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφούς.
A little information regarding these believers: Asyncritus means incomparable as a judge. Outside of his name we know nothing about him except that he was a mature believer otherwise Paul would not have mentioned him. Asyncritus is unknown to us, but then we are unknown to Asyncritus. The point is, God knows him and God knows us. We have something in common; we are all known by God. It means that every person is an individual to God, and God has an individual plan tailor made for each life. So, the importance of every believer as an individual in the plan of God. This emphasizes again the importance of Bible doctrine in the so-called ordinary life. There is no ordinary life as far as the Lord is concerned. Phlegon means burning, and connotes being full of energy. Even though we do not know whether his name reflected his personality, we do know from extra-biblical history that he became a pastor in a Greek town called Marathon. At this time, Hermes was probably a businessman in Rome though later he would be a pastor in Dalmatia. He represents to us the believer who while in business discovers that he has the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher and prepares himself in a local church to eventually go out as a pastor himself. Patrobas, a wealthy freed man of Nero who was finally put to death sometime after Paul wrote this epistle. Hermas, the nickname for Hermogenes who is mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:15, “You know this that all the ones in Asia turned away from me [had no courage to support Paul in his trial with Nero], among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.” Hermogenes (Hermas) represents the believer who reaches maturity, but failed to apply under this pressure and failed to retain his honor and integrity. Whether he recovered from this or not, we do not know. However, if he was the writer of ‘The Shepherd of Hermas’, a great Christian literary work, then he recovered.
Romans 16:15
Greet Philologus, also Julia [his wife], Nereus and his sister even Olympas [name of his sister unknown except for her mention here], and all the saints associated with them [third local church in Rome].
ἀσπάσασθε Φιλόλογον καὶ Ἰουλίαν, Νηρέα καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ὀλυµπᾶν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους.
Philologus was a freed slave and a very old man at this time. Bible doctrine in his soul and that of his wife, Julia gave them capacity to enjoy old age together and to provide a church in their home. Apparently, the home of this couple was the site of this third local church. You understand that when the Bible refers to the Church in Rome or in Ephesus, it is not referring to one Church location in one large building, rather the Christians in Rome, in Ephesus etc. met in many different homes each with their own pastor. Acts 20:17, “From Miletus he [Paul] sent to Ephesus and called to him the old men [a term for the authority of the pastors of the many local churches in Ephesus]” Romans 16:5, 14, 15, appear to mention local churches in the homes of Aquila and Priscilla, of Asyncritus and finally in the home of Philologus and Julia.
In the verse of Acts 20:17 the word ‘presbuteros’ is used, a designation for the authority of the pastor. Since it is translated as ‘elders’ and since there is a group of these, some assume that it refers to a special group of men in the church in Ephesus. These theologians reason incorrectly that since the Ephesian Church is one church with one or two pastors, then this group of men who met Paul could not have been pastors. Not realizing that the Church at Ephesus contained many local churches since people met in homes, not in some large building in one location. So, there is no such thing as plurality of elders in one church. Elders are pastors with emphasis on their authority over a specific local church. The elders who met Paul in Ephesus were not elders of one local church but were pastors of different congregations.
Nereus, a famous believer who not only attained maturity and glorified the Lord by such attainment, but became a very famous Christian martyr in the reign of Nerva. He was very young at the time of writing because he was martyred somewhere around 96-98 A.D. This is all we know about him.
Romans 16:16
Greet each other with a holy kiss [set apart only for this occasion: also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12 and in 1 Thessalonians 5:26]. All the churches of Christ [local churches in Corinth where Paul was] greet you [local churches in Rome].
Ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήµατι ἁγίῳ. Ἀσπάζονται ὑµᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι πᾶσαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Kissing the foot or hand became a matter of homage, while kissing the cheeks became a matter of greeting. The Chaldeans (Babylonians), the Greeks and the Romans all used the kiss. For example, kissing the foot in the coronation ceremony of the Babylonian kings was the way of recognizing a new king. Alexander the Great used the kiss as the means of identifying his friends and relatives. The kiss of honor and the kiss of recognition came to Rome by way of the Seleucids and Ptolemies, the Hellenistic monarchies. Augustus instituted the kiss as a part of good manners in the royal court. It was also used for the greeting of relatives as well as the greeting of friends in the Roman world.
The kissing of our Lord’s feet was a recognition of his deity as well as His kingship. Luke 7:37-38, “And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner [a former prostitute]; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, (38) and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.” Luke 7:44-46, “Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. (45) You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. (46) You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.”
The kiss of Judas Iscariot was the kiss of hypocrisy and betrayal. Luke 22:47-48, “While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
The kiss also expressed the close relationship between members of a royal family, and since the church, the body of Christ, is royal family it was so used at the inception of this dispensation. The kiss was used for respect as well as love, therefore it became the customary greeting in the royal family of God under the title of “holy kiss.” The holy kiss, then, was the expression of impersonal love in honor code function. It was a greeting of respect for the imputed righteousness of God residing in another believer. In effect, the holy kiss was recognition that the believer you were kissing also had the same righteousness of God which you had. It was also a demonstration of great respect and love as per Acts 20:36, 37, “When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. (37) And they [the pastors of the local churches in Ephesus] began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him,”
There is instant rapport among believers where doctrine has priority in the lives of the royal family. We are 2000 years from this custom of kissing used in the ancient world and since we have a different culture, this “holy kiss” is no longer necessary. Therefore, we portray this custom in a very simple way: The command to greet each other with a holy kiss is simply a command to love the brethren impersonally.
Romans 16:17
Now I urge you, brethren, look out [have discernment through doctrine resident in your souls] for those [the weak Christians who have black-out and scar tissue of the soul] who are causing dissensions and apostasies [causing one to stumble or fail in his spiritual life] contrary to doctrine, which you indeed have learned from a teacher; in fact, be separating from them [the ones who refuse to learn the spiritual life via the two power options].
Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑµᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑµεῖς ἐµάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνετε ἀπí αὐτῶν·
The weak Christian is the one who rejects the spiritual life whereas the strong believer learns the spiritual life. The more you learn doctrine the more you know what is a weak believer; what is a strong believer. You understand that the strong believer has maximum doctrine resident in his soul, the believer who has fulfilled the Plan of God Rationale namely X+Y+Z. On the other hand, the weak Christian has substituted either emotionalism or legalism for the spiritual life.
The strong believer always functions under the royal family honor code and has the ability to rightly divide the Word of truth; he understands personal and impersonal love, and has great discernment with regard to those who do not. Therefore, the strong believer can spot the weak believer in a moment and without judging him without maligning him, without in any way running him down separate from him while maintaining his impersonal love, his toleration. In so doing, he does not in any way detract or hinder the weak believer’s recovery if the weak believer so determines.
The strong believer must separate from the arrogantly weak believer and why is that? Flexibility with regard to the essentials causes a weak believer to get involved in some emotional movement such as the tongues-movement or in some legalistic cause. In so doing he becomes an arrogant person divorced from reality. In losing touch with reality, his thinking and opinions are mostly erroneous, inaccurate, and incompatible with Bible doctrine. He becomes very self-righteous which he often covers with a façade of sweetness and light. Regarding his motives, he is often motivated to bear grudges and to function under revenge functions and sooner or later becomes a sociopath. So, there is no Biblical reason for the strong believer to socialize with this arrogant believer who can only influence him in a negative way.
A few more points for clarification:
1. Note that this passage infers that negative volition toward doctrinal teaching from a pastor is the source of both dissention in the body of Christ, the royal family, as well as the source of apostasy.
2. Lack of authority orientation, as well as arrogance, causes the believer to resist the teaching of doctrine from another human being.
3. Since arrogance and inordinate ambition sets up a revolutionary group, classified as a mutual admiration society. It is quite obvious that those who resist doctrine always look for others who resist doctrine; Those who resist authority look for those who resist authority. These in mutual admiration for each other, often form cliques to oppose the authority of the pastor.
Romans 16:18
For such believers do not serve our Lord Christ but their own emotions serving themselves; and by their smooth and flattering speech they [false teachers] deceive the stream of consciousnesses of the unsuspecting [believers ignorant of doctrine].
οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι τῷ κυρίῳ ἡµῶν Χριστῷ οὐ δουλεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ, καὶ διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας ἐξαπατῶσιν τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων.
Philippians 3:18-19, “For many [the majority] keep walking concerning whom I have told you many times [Paul’s warnings], and now even weeping [in private] I tell you that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ [when the Christian rejects the spiritual life, he will serve Satan and in so doing will become the enemy of Christ] (19) whose end [of their life] is destruction [the Sin unto Death], whose god is their emotion [their lifestyle], and whose glory [in their resurrection bodies] associated with shame [at the Evaluation Throne of Christ, these believers will experience shame], who keep thinking about earthly things [their priorities which lead to their distraction from the intake of Bible doctrine].
A few points for clarification:
1. It must be constantly emphasized that the weak, apostate believer is not authority oriented and so is arrogant and is controlled by his emotions. He rejects the authority of both the Word and the pastor who communicates the Word. Therefore, he is incapable of serving the Lord.
2. Therefore, it is inevitable that the weak, apostate in his arrogance will be a slave to his emotions, and thereby serve himself. The weak, apostate believer seeks to build a mutual admiration society. He does so through developing pleasant personality and through smooth flattering speech. Believers ignorant of doctrine are impressed by this type of shallow personality and often join his mutual admiration group. Only doctrine resident in the soul is a defence against flattery which is used by the arrogant to get their way.
3. Fundamental Christianity has traded its doctrinal heritage for that mess of pottage, emotion as the criterion and arrogance as the motivator of the soul. This is why the tongues movement of the 20th century is so popular today. When a vacuum is created in the soul through lack of doctrine, it is replaced by emotion as the criterion and arrogance as the motivator.
Romans 16:19
Certainly the report of your obedience [the Christian must have authority orientation] had become known to all. Therefore, because of you, I am delighted, but I want you to be wise [learned, sagacious] with reference to the good [persistence in perception of doctrine], and unharmed with reference to the evil.
ἡ γὰρ ὑµῶν ὑπακοὴ εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο· ἐφí ὑµῖν οὖν χαίρω, θέλω δὲ ὑµᾶς σοφοὺς εἶναι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀκεραίους δὲ εἰς τὸ κακόν.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, “Test all things, hold fast to the good [truth]. (22) Abstain from every category of evil.” There are many categories of evil such as any sexual activity outside of marriage between one male and one female, socialism, Marxism, redistribution of wealth, confiscatory taxes, violation of privacy, any attack on freedom, anti-Semitism etc.
A few points for clarification:
1. Understanding the plan of God and its objectives eliminates involvement with evil which is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world.
2. Momentum in the plan of God depends on doctrine resident in the soul. That doctrine resident in the soul applied to circumstances eliminates energy of the flesh modus operandi which detracts from the attainment of the objective designed by God for each one of us in eternity past.
3. Doctrine resident in the soul defines the honor code principles and functions resulting in royal family integrity. Royal family integrity avoids compromise with Satanic good and evil.
4. The plan of God excludes involvement in social action, the welfare state, socialism, distortion of legislation to solve social problems, and other forms of evil which often distract the believer from the function of his priesthood, as well as his ambassadorship.
5. Note the implication that authority orientation without doctrine can result in loss of integrity and influence of evil. So even though the Roman believers have authority orientation, they are still in danger of being influenced by evil. Authority orientation is absolutely necessary for proper use of freedom and the advance to maturity, but authority orientation must combine with identification of one’s right pastor to continue spiritual growth.
Verses 20-27, the ultimate triumph of the royal family of God.
Romans 16:20
In fact, the God of prosperity [a reference to God the Father’s deposition of Escrow Blessings] will soon [a reference to the 2nd Advent] crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Amen.
ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης συντρίψει τὸν Σατανᾶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ὑµῶν ἐν τάχει. ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡµῶν Ἰησοῦ µεθí ὑµῶν.
‘Crush Satan under your feet’ This is a statement of the ultimate victory of Christ when Satan and his demons are removed from the earth which immediately precedes the Millennial reign of Christ on the earth, the one thousand years of perfect environment before history is terminated. It is merely the statement of the first victory
God’s grace is designed not only to glorify God in time and eternity, but also is designed to protect us from demon influence. This also implies that demon influence includes legalism, and anything by which man alleges to gain blessing from God, anything that man can do or say or think to get blessing from God, when in reality it is God who blesses man totally apart from man’s ability. Grace is what carries the believer during Satan’s rule of this world.
Romans 16:21
Timothy, my co-worker [since he was a pastor and so in the same profession], greets you [believers in Rome]; also, Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow countrymen [a fellow Jew who was mentioned only this time].
Ἀσπάζεται ὑµᾶς Τιµόθεος ὁ συνεργός µου, καὶ Λούκιος καὶ Ἰάσων καὶ Σωσίπατρος οἱ συγγενεῖς µου.
Timothy was a good pastor, a good teacher, but he wasn’t great like Paul and who is, so should he quit? No. Every person who has a spiritual gift, has it for a reason which is related to the plan of God. Every believer, male and female, has at least one spiritual gift and is to be faithful to the Lord by functioning under that spiritual gift, whatever it is.
Lucius was one of the prophets and teachers who ordained Paul and Barnabas as missionaries in Acts 13:1-2, “Now, there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (2) While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’" Though Lucius is older man than Paul, he was completely relaxed and happy, and was not guilty of inordinate ambition.
Though Jason was a businessman, he never put business above doctrine. He lived in Thessalonica and Paul was a guest in his home. During the riot against Paul, Jason’s home was attacked. Paul escaped but Jason was seized by the mob and taken to court where he was accused of treason. The charges were dropped after he gave his testimony as per Acts 17:5-9. He was at that time retired and functioned as part of Paul’s team. You do not have to be a pastor-teacher, an evangelist, etc. to be a part of the team. Full time Christian service is not the monopoly of a few, it is the privilege of all believers.
Rapport is the obvious reason for grouping these four together. They all did different things in life; they all had different personalities and abilities, but they all had in common the thing that draws them together namely rapport through doctrine. These were believers who were not only advancing in the plan of God but men with whom Paul had great fellowship. All people who are great must have a circle of friends around them with whom they can be totally relaxed.
Romans 16:22
I, Tertius [Paul's amanuensis who took dictation from Paul as Paul was almost blind] who wrote this epistle, pay my respects to you in the Lord.
ἀσπάζοµαι ὑµᾶς ἐγὼ Τέρτιος ὁ γράψας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐν κυρίῳ.
In Galatians 6:11 we see the problem. Galatians was one of the earlier Pauline epistles, and Paul says as he started to write, “See with what large letters I have written to you in my own hand.” So, it seems likely that Paul after writing Galatians always had an amanuensis.
Romans 16:23
Gaius, my host and also of the entire church, greets you. Erastus, the city comptroller [It’s possible to be in politics and government, whether local or national, and to be honourable, and even to advance to maturity.] greets you, also the brother, Quartus.
ἀσπάζεται ὑµᾶς Γάϊος ὁ ξένος µου καὶ ὅλης τῆς ἐκκλησίας. ἀσπάζεται ὑµᾶς Ἔραστος ὁ οἰκονόµος τῆς πόλεως καὶ Κούαρτος ὁ ἀδελφός.
Gaius was an inhabitant of Corinth, the host of Paul, and in whose house the Christians were accustomed to assemble (Romans 16:23). He was baptized by Paul, 1 Corinthians. 1:14, “I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius.”
Paul mentions Erastus as a member of the team. Acts 19:22, “And sending Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, two who ministered to him [in Ephesus], he [Paul] stayed in Asia for a time” At the time Paul writes this, both Timothy and Erastus were with Paul in Corinth, and ten years later when Paul writes to Timothy in Ephesus, Erastus was still located there. In 2 Timothy, one of the last people Paul mentions before dying was Erastus, a man who became successful in the function of city government. 2 Timothy 4:20, “Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus, I left sick at Miletus.”
Though we do not know much about Quartus, we do know that he was a mature believer. There is a tradition that he eventually became a pastor in Syria, north of Sidon, but there is no way of knowing whether this is true.
Romans 16:24
This verse is not found in the original manuscript.
Romans 16:25
Now, to Him who is able to establish [stabilize] you [in the spiritual life] according to my good news [the spiritual life as taught by Paul] and the proclamation of Jesus Christ [regarding the mystery doctrines], on the basis of the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret [concealed] for long ages past [in past dispensations].
Τῷ δὲ δυναµένῳ ὑµᾶς στηρίξαι κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν µου καὶ τὸ κήρυγµα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν µυστηρίου χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγηµένου
Romans 16:26
But now [in the Church Age, the mystery] has been revealed through the prophetic Scriptures [of the New Testament epistles] by the decree of the eternal God, having been made known to all the Gentiles, for the purpose of obedience to doctrine [to the plan of God].
φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν διά τε γραφῶν προφητικῶν κατí ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου θεοῦ εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη γνωρισθέντος,
This refers to the New Testament canon which was in the process of formation at the time that Paul wrote. The New Testament Scriptures are called prophetic because they were not completed. However, Paul anticipates in A.D. 58 the completion of these messages and their permanence as the heritage of the royal family.
Doctrine resident in the soul is not only the means of executing the plan of God but it is the very vigour and reality and capacity for life on this earth. Therefore, we must learn them and obey them.
Romans 16:27
To God alone wise [omniscience] through Jesus Christ [the revelation of the wisdom of God], to whom is the glory forever and ever. Amen.
µόνῳ σοφῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ [ᾧ] ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀµήν.