PAUL: HIS MINISTRY AND OURS

Romans 1:5

Romans 1:5 is one that we tend to overlook: “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake.” It is not as simple as it looks. It challenges the Bible student and reveals more than what is on the surface. It reveals the gifts, object, and motive of ministry in Paul.

The first challenge for the student is to determine the identification of “we.” To whom does it refer? Is it all believers, or certain believers, or the author himself? There are a few who hold that the “we” refers to believers or to his church. However, the majority of scholars hold that Paul is speaking of himself in the plural form.

What we have here, therefore, the plural of category, which the Greeks readily use when they wish to put the person out of view, and to present only the principle which he represents, or the work with which he is charged [F.L. Godet, ROMANS, 82].

Wuest says the “we” refers to Paul “since it is qualified by the sphere of his ministry, to the nations or the Gentiles” [ROMANS, 16]. Thus, what we have is a statement of summary concerning Paul’s ministry. This summary involves three distinct elements:

HIS GIFT OF MINISTRY

The first thing to notice about the gifts is their SOURCE. The Source is identified in the words “by whom.” They refer back to the Lord Jesus Christ (1:4).[1]  It is the Lord Jesus Christ “by whom” the gifts are given. It is through the mediation of the glorified Christ that the gifts were given (cf. Ephesians 4:7-13).

What were these gifts? The text identifies them as “grace and apostleship.” There are two views as to the exact IDENTIFICATION of “grace and apostleship.” The first view holds that it is two gifts. This can be supported by the text. The word “and” does appear. Godet identifies the two gifts as personal salvation and apostleship (p. 82). The second view holds that this is a hendiadys, meaning “one concept is expressed by two nouns connected by and” [Hendricksen, ROMANS, 44]. They identify this as one gift, the grace (or gift) of apostleship.

Both views are possible. However, the second view is the most likely because the stress of the verse is upon Paul’s apostleship. In Romans, grace is often used in connection with apostleship. Paul seems to speak of his apostleship in Romans 15:15-16 and Galatians 2:9. Also the reference to the Gentiles places the emphasis on his apostleship. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). His apostleship was toward the Gentiles, while Peter and the eleven’s apostleship was to the circumcision, a fact recognized in Galatians 2:7-8. Nygreen correctly declares:

When the Lord revealed Himself on the Damascus road, Paul received his double call at one and the same time, by that one act and in that one revelation. The Lord had chosen him for a special mission. For the reason he received that extraordinary revelation, given only to him [ROMANS, 55].

HIS PURPOSE OF MINISTRY

The aim or purpose of Paul’ apostleship is “for obedience to the faith among all nations.” This phrase also has divided Bible students. The controversy is the meaning of the phrase. The Greek text simply reads eis hupakoen pisteos; literally translated “unto the obedience of faith.” There is no definite article before the word faith. The exact phrase is also found in Romans 16:26 where the KJV translated it “obedience of faith.” In both references it is used in the context of the purpose of Paul’s apostleship.

What was that purpose? Many views have been given concerning this, but they seem to settle into one of two categories:

• First, those who hold that the genitive is objective. These hold that the faith is a body of truth, or the gospel. Haldane takes this view, declaring that the obedience “signifies submission to the doctrine of the gospel” [ROMANS, 31]. However, this view seems to be held by a minority.
• Second, others take it as a subjective genitive. A.T. Robertson says this means, “the obedience which springs from faith [WORD PICTURES, 4:324]. In Romans the two are equivalent, as seen from 1:8 with 16:10, 10:16 and Romans 15:18 is equivalent to the phrase in Romans 1:5. Little doubt that this is the correct view. The word obedience if not commitment. But most importantly, obedience always is an act of faith.

Paul’s great purpose was DIRECTED toward the Gentiles to bring them unto obedience of faith. He was the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). This does not mean that he forgot the Jews, for their salvation was dear to him (Romans 10:1). Yet in spite of this, he had to turn to the Gentiles because they judged themselves “unworthy of eternal life” (Acts 13:46) and because he was called by God to “open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may received forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18). According to his last words in this epistle, they came to faith because of “his gospel”—“the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of mystery” (Romans 16:25). The mystery is defined in Ephesians 3:6—Gentiles and Jews are equal participants in the Church, the Body of Christ.

HIS MOTIVE OF MINISTRY

Paul’s motive was not self, nor selfishness, but for the SAKE of Christ. Cranfield says:

…is better understood as meaning ‘for the sake of His Name” in the sense of ‘for the glory of His name’ (i.e. in order that He Himself may be know and glorified) than as meaning ‘in His name’ [ROMANS, 1:67].

Paul’s motive, that which drove him to labor night and day, was not for his own name or glory. It was for the person, dignity, authority, and glory of Christ that Paul ministered.

OUR MINISTRY

As one studies this much overlooked verse, there are some vital truths that every believer can draw from for our own ministry:

• First, to recognized that we are all ministers of reconciliation and ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 12:7, 11).
• Second, that each of us individually are given gifts of ministry for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11).
• Third, was we minister in our own sphere of ministry, our aim is to bring all to the obedience of faith.
• Fourth, our motive of ministry is to bring glory to Christ alone.

May we all follow the model of ministry as Paul did, as he followed Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:9).

Sources:

C.E.B. Cranfield, ICC: THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, Vol. 1, T & T Clark, London, 1975.

F.L. Godet, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Reprint 1956

Robert Haldane, AN EXPOSITION OF ROMANS, Mac Donald Publishing, Grand Rapids, n.d.

William Hendricksen, NTC: ROMANS, Baker, Grand Rapids, 1986.

Anders Nygren, COMMENTARY ON ROMANS, Muhlenberg Press, Philadelphia, 1949.

A.T. Robertson, WORD PICTURES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: THE EPISTLES OF PAUL, Vol 4, Broadman, Nashville, TN, 1931.

Kenneth S. Wuest, WUEST’S WORD STUDIES FROM THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT: ROMANS, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1955.

---

[1]  The phrase Jesus Christ in the Greek text is found at the end of verse 4, not at the beginning of verse 3 as in the KJV. Most modern texts place it at the end of verse 4.