The Last Chapter of Romans: Avoid Those Causing Division (Romans 16:17-20)

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve” (Romans 16:17-18, ESV). 

For the third time in the letter Paul employs his customary παρακαλῶ formula, “I appeal to you, brothers” (cf. 12:1; 15:30), marking a subject change and revealing another major purpose.¹ With such an abrupt excursus in the midst of his closing greetings, it seems as though Paul, deeply committed to his apostolic duty, is having a hard time finishing the manuscript.² Having fought unrelenting battles against divisive instigators over the years (with more to come),³ he issues an existential warning to his readers. This flows naturally from the previous verse, where the enjoined atmosphere of holiness and peace is susceptible to disrupting influences, and reference to “all the churches of Christ” would surely call to mind the serious challenges they faced of which Paul was personally and painfully aware (cf. 2 Cor. 11:28). 

The appeal “to watch out” is a present infinitive [σκοπεῖν] meaning “to keep on watching” or “to constantly be alert”⁴ with respect to certain ones persistently “causing” [ποιοῦντας] the “divisions” [τὰς διχοστασίας] or “dissentions” (NASB, NET, N/RSV)⁵ and the “obstacles” [τὰ σκάνδαλα], “offenses” (N/KJV, NRSV), “hindrances” (NASB), or “occasions of stumbling” (ASV) (cf. 14:13b). Such troublesome behavior is “contrary to” [παρά]⁶ “the doctrine” [τὴν διδαχὴν] or “the teaching,”⁷ which “you” [ὑμεῖς] the Roman brethren “have been taught” [ἐμάθετε] or “learned” (most other versions).⁸ Paul takes for granted that these faraway Christians have received the same standard teaching that he and his fellow-laborers embrace (cf. 1:12; 6:17), not so-called Pauline doctrine but “common primitive Christian teaching.”⁹ Whether or not they have already encountered “such persons,” the plea is to “avoid” or “turn away from” [ἐκκλίνατε ἀπ’],¹⁰ i.e., keep your distance from them.¹¹

Jesus as “our” [ἡμῶν] (Paul and the Roman saints’)¹² “Lord Christ” is not the messianic master of the troublemakers, who do not “serve” him (regularly as slaves) [δουλεύουσιν] (cp. 6:16-20).¹³ Instead, they are enslaved to their own “appetites” [κοιλία], lit. “organ in the abdomen,” “stomach” or “belly,”¹⁴ describing a motive of self-interest and self-indulgence.¹⁵ As to the manner of their activity, it is through “smooth talk” [χρηστολογίας]¹⁶ and “flattery” [εὐλογίας]¹⁷ that presently and repeatedly “they are deceiving” [ἐξαπατῶσιν] (cf. 7:11).¹⁸ The victims of their misconduct are not the mature and strong (15:1) but “the hearts” [τὰς καρδίας] (cf. 1:21, 24; 2:5; 10:6) “of the naïve” [τῶν ἀκάκων].¹⁹ That Paul is speaking prospectively rather than to a current situation in Rome is indicated by the next statement. 

Observable Obedience

“For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil” (Romans 16:19). 

The “obedience” [ὑπακοή] that is “known to all”²⁰ is parallel to the letter’s opening observation, “your faith [πίστις] is proclaimed in all the world” (1:8), reaffirming the letter’s inclusio of “obedience of faith … among all the nations” (1:5) and “made known to all nations … obedience of faith” (16:26). As Paul dictates these words he is currently rejoicing [χαίρω] (cf. 12:12, 15) “over” [ἐπί] (“on the basis of”) the faithful obedience of the Romans (cf. 15:14), in contrast to easily-deceived naïve persons, “but” [δέ] this warning is included as a precaution. The desire or intention [θέλω] is for these believers to be “wise” [σοφός], according to divine wisdom (v. 27; cf. 1:14, 22), “for” [εἰς]²¹ the “good” [τὸ ἀγαθόν], a repeated theme throughout the letter.²² On the negative side is to be “innocent” [ἀκεραίους]²³ “for” [εἰς] the “evil” [τὸ κακόν], another major emphasis in Romans.²⁴

Satan’s Defeat

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20a).

The God of the Jews and Gentiles (3:29) is “the God of endurance and encouragement” (15:5), “the God of hope” (15:13), and “the God of peace” (15:33),²⁵ the latter repeated here as “peace” [εἰρήνη], with God and others, is another recurring feature of Romans.²⁶ While the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s purveyor of peace (1:7; 5:1; 14:17-19; 15:13),²⁷ this does not mean all will be peaceable as a result of his work, particularly in view of resistant and antagonistic forces disrupting the peaceable environment intended for the church (2:9-10; 3:17; 8:6-8). 

The impact of divisive evildoers (vv. 17-19) is ultimately the work of “Satan” [ὁ Σατανᾶς],²⁸ operating through the agency of deceitful workers (2 Cor. 11:12-15).²⁹ That God will “crush Satan under your feet” is reminiscent of the earliest messianic prophecy (Gen. 3:15) and of Jesus’s purpose to bring about not only peace³⁰ but division with respect to those choosing spiritual darkness over light.³¹ The obedient and the good (v. 19) will always be victorious over Satan’s power.³² The phrase rendered “soon” [ἐν τάχει] can mean either “in a short time” or “quickly”³³ as to whenever the problem presents itself.

Prayer for Divine Grace

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Romans 16:20b).³⁴

Another prayer-wish is presented (cf. 15:5-6, 13, 33), this time involving the “grace” [χάρις]³⁵ of the³⁶ “Lord Jesus Christ.” The full triple title “denotes the Lord Jesus Christ’s special status and dignity. Likewise the fact that Paul speaks so often of Christ simply as ‘the Lord’ indicates an already ingrained attitude to the exalted Christ as simply ‘the Master,’ for Paul as for all Christians.”³⁷ As a concluding benediction this is most fitting in that it explicitly and concisely affirms the essential nature of how God reaches out to and works with his human creation.³⁸

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Cf. 1 Cor. 1:10; 4:16; 16:15; 2 Cor. 2:8; 6:1; 10:1; Eph. 4:1; Phil. 4:2; 1 Thess. 4:1, 10; 5:14; 1 Tim. 2:1; Philem. 9, 10. 

     ² Note also Phil. 3:1-3; 4:8. “When a writer has very much to say, when he is full of zeal and earnestness, there must be much which will break out from him, and may make his letters somewhat formless. To a thoughtful reader the suppressed emotion implied and the absence of regular method will really be proofs of authenticity” (W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 429).

     ³ Judaizers in Syria, Judea, Galatia, and prospectively Philippi, eschatological preterists in Thessalonica, local disruptors and intruding pseudo-apostles in Corinth, and other false teachers at Ephesus and Colosse.

     ⁴ The verbal σκοπέω (“fix eyes upon,” “take notice of”), cognate with the noun σκοπός (“a mark aimed at”), is always used in the NT in the present (continuous action) tense, elsewhere by Paul in participial form (2 Cor. 4:18; Gal. 6:1; Phil. 2:4) and verb form (Phil. 3:17); only once outside of Paul (Luke 11:35).

     ⁵ Paul’s only other use of this noun labels it a work of the flesh as opposed to fruit of the S/spirit (Gal. 5:20).

     ⁶ The preposition παρά (lit. “near, beside”) is used here in the metaphoric sense of “beyond” or “contrary to” (cf. 1:25, 26; 4:18; 11:24).

     ⁷ Outside of Romans, the noun διδαχή is applied to Paul’s teaching ministry (Acts 13:12; 17:19) and four other times in Paul’s writings (1 Cor. 14:6, 26; 2 Tim. 4:2; Tit. 1:9).

     ⁸ Cf. 1 Cor. 4:6; 14:31, 35; Eph. 4:20; Phil. 4:9, 11; Col. 1:7; 1 Tim. 2:11; 5:4; 2 Tim. 3:14; Tit. 3:14.

     ⁹ C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:798. See also 1 Cor. 15:1, 11; Gal. 1:6-12; 6:16.

     ¹⁰ The compound verb ἐκκλίνω is comprised of ἐκ (“from”) + κλίνω (to “bend” or “recline”), used earlier by Paul in a scripture quotation concerning those who have turned away from God (3:12). The word appears only one other time in the NT in another scripture quotation about turning away from evil (1 Pet. 3:11).

     ¹¹ Although this is not necessarily a matter of internal church discipline, the avoidance or severing of ties is comparable to Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14; Tit. 3:10.

     ¹² Perhaps also the entire brotherhood (C. E. B. Cranfield, Shorter Romans 374-82; J. D. G. Dunn, Romans 2:886). Four first person plurals occur in chap. 16 (vv. 1, 9, 18, 20).

     ¹³ Note the verbal δουλεύω (6:6; 7:6, 25; 9:12; 12:11; 14:18; 16:18) and the noun form “slave” [δοῦλος] (1:1; 6:16-20).

     ¹⁴ If Judaizers are in view (cf. chap. 14), this might include “their preoccupation with food laws” (C. K. Barrett, Romans 285).

     ¹⁵ Their priority is their inner desires, indulging the flesh, submitting to selfish and/or sensual appetites (cf. 1 Cor. 6:12-13; Phil. 3:17-19; Col. 3:20-23; Jude 10-19).

     ¹⁶ This noun is a hapax legomenon in the NT. 

     ¹⁷ Lit. “praise” but in an insincere and deceptive sense (cf. Jas. 3:10). Compare Job 17:5; Psa. 12:2-3; Prov. 6:24; 7:21; 26:28; Dan. 11:32; Acts 24:1-9; 1 Thess. 2:5; Jude 16.

     ¹⁸ Note also 1 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor. 11:3; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 2:14.  

     ¹⁹ In a positive sense the adj. ἄκακος could refer to the “innocent,” “guileless,” or “harmless” (Heb. 7:26), but here it conveys the sense of “simple,” “gullible,” “naïve.”

     ²⁰ The phrase εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο is lit. “has come to all.”

     ²¹ In this passage the preposition εἰς can mean “with respect/reference/relation to, in, about, for” (M. J. Harris, Prepositions and Theology 85; BDAG 291).

     ²² Twenty-one occurrences of the adj. ἀγαθός in Romans (2:7, 10; 3:8; 5:7; 7:12, 13, 18, 18; 8:28; 9:11; 10:15; 12:2, 9, 21; 13:3, 4; 14:16; 15:2; 16:19); the noun ἀγαθωσύνη (“goodness”) once (15:14)

     ²³ Besides here, the adj. ἀκέραιος appears in the NT only once more in Paul (Phil. 2:15) and once outside of Paul (Matt. 10:16).   

     ²⁴ The adj. κακός occurs in the letter fifteen times (1:30; 2:9; 3:8; 7:19, 21; 12:17, 21; 13:3, 4, 10; 14:20; 16:19); the noun κακία (“evil” or “wickedness”) once (1:29).

     ²⁵ See also Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Thess. 3:16; Heb. 13:20.

     ²⁶ The noun occurs ten times in the letter (1:7; 2:10; 3:17; 5:1; 8:6; 14:17, 19; 15:13, 33; 16:20), and the participial form of εἰρηνεύω (“be at peace”) once (12:18).

     ²⁷ See also Eph. 2:13-17; Col. 3:15.

     ²⁸ The designation ὁ Σατανᾶς (“the Satan”) is of Hebrew derivation, meaning “the adversary” and used as a proper name for the Lord’s ultimate enemy, the devil. He is variously described as “the tempter” (1 Thess. 3:5), “the evil one” (2 Thess. 3:3), and “the prince of the air” (Eph. 2:2). He is also called “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4; cf. John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 John 5:19) in that he is extremely influential in the present age (Gal. 1:4; cf. 1 Cor. 1:20; 2:6, 8; 3:18; 1 Tim. 6:7; 2 Tim. 4:10; Tit. 2:12), in contrast to “the age to come” (Eph. 1:21; Heb. 6:5). He “has blinded the minds of the unbelieving [ones], lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, shines forth” (2 Cor. 4:4b). Unbelievers have allowed themselves to fall into “the snare of the devil, having been captured by him [to do] his will” (2 Tim. 2:26; cf. 1 Tim. 3:7; 6:9). But believers, who are open to and enlightened by the gospel, “are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). Paul was commissioned to help sinners turn “from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:20), with numerous references to Satan in his writings (Rom. 16:20; 1 Cor. 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Thess. 2:18; 2 Thess. 2:9; 1 Tim. 1:20; 5:15).

     ²⁹ The human agents of Satan are his deceived and deceiving “servants” (2 Cor. 11:15; cf. Matt. 13:38; John 8:44; Acts 5:3; 1 John 3:10). 

     ³⁰ Luke 1:79; 2:14; John 14:27; 16:33; Acts 10:36.

     ³¹ Matt. 10:34-39; Luke 12:49-53; 19:41-44.

     ³² John 8:31-36; 1 Cor. 15:57-58; Eph. 6:10-18; Col. 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:8-12; Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8.

     ³³ Used elsewhere of a relatively brief time period (Acts 25:4; 1 Tim. 3:14), a speedy occurrence (Luke 18:8; Acts 12:7; 22:18), or either (Rev. 1:1; 22:6).

     ³⁴ The Western text omits the grace benediction in v. 20 and has an almost identical formula in v. 24.

     ³⁵ Cf. Rom. 1:5, 7; 3:24; 4:4, 16; 5:2, 15, 17, 20, 21; 6:1, 14, 15, 17; 7:25; 11:5, 6; 12:3, 6; 15:15; 16:20, 24. Every letter in the Pauline corpus concludes with a “grace” benediction in which the divine source of grace is the Lord Jesus, while the peace benedictions attribute the divine source of peace to God.

     ³⁶ The possessive pronoun “our” (cf. v. 18) is not in the original text.

     ³⁷ J. D. G. Dunn, Theology of Paul the Apostle 245.

     ³⁸ C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans 2:805.

Related Posts: Greetings Churches of Christ (Rom 16:14-16),  Greetings from Friends (Rom 16:21): Part 1

Image credit: https://heatonkent.com/2018/08/24/trouble-in-the-church/

Non-institutionalism (Part 1): Church Benevolence

My friend Doug Burleson has been engaged in a series of written and oral discussions with Kyle Pope about divisive issues among so-called “institutional” and “non-institutional” brethren, recently published in the October issues of Truth Magazine and Gospel Advocate.¹ Doug, with whom I wholeheartedly agree, has done a masterful job addressing these concerns, and it is not my intention to try to “improve” upon the material he has presented. Nevertheless, these men were allowed only limited words and space, and I find it helpful to think through and express my own convictions about these matters. 

On Church Benevolence

In defense of his view of saints-only congregational benevolence, Kyle writes, “the record of Scripture is that collective church benevolence (i.e. help provided from the collection taken upon the Lord’s Day) was always given only to Christians…. There is no example of church benevolence to non-Christians—but also in the name for this collection—it is the ‘collection for the saints’ (1 Cor.16:1-2)” (GA 30).

Kyle seems to be reading the biblical text proscriptively (cf. also GA 36), thinking Paul’s allusion to “the collection for the saints” informs his readers that using church funds to help anyone other than Christians is prohibited. Contextually, however, Paul employs this descriptive phrase because the particular collection of funds he has in mind was intended for a special need involving a particular group of saints, viz. impoverished mid-1st-century Judean Christians (see also Rom. 15:25-31; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 12). When Paul later directs his readers to pray “for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18), surely he is not implicitly forbidding prayers on behalf of the unsaved (note 1 Tim. 2:1). When he commends those who have “love for all the saints” (Col. 1:4; Philem. 5), it does not follow that godly love cannot be extended to anyone else.

If 1 Cor. 16:1-4 establishes the only acceptable usage of the Lord’s day collection, was the giving to stop when this particular need was met? If the weekly contributions continued, were the collected funds only to be used to help impoverished mid-1st-century Judean saints, or in principle could cooperative benevolence be extended to any needy saints, whether foreign or local, thus beyond the original intent and specific wording and application of these verses? Moreover, would usage of the funds also be limited to providing for material needs alone? When Paul goes on to invite the Corinthian church to assist him in his ongoing work (1 Cor. 16:6; 2 Cor. 1:16; cp. Rom. 15:24), where was this support to come from? If the Lord’s day collection was intended for saints-only benevolence, how could funds from the same source be used to assist Paul in ministering to unbelievers (Acts 20:22-24; cf. 1 Cor. 9:11-14)? It seems there has been a dichotomy created here that is neither demanded nor supported by the biblical text.

If 1 Cor. 16:1-4 is proscriptive, what about needy families where one spouse is a Christian and the other is not (7:13-14)? Must congregational benevolent funds be withheld from destitute brethren to avoid helping non-Christian family members, or can church funds be used to assist these families inclusive of unbelievers? Is a specific example in scripture necessary to make this decision? There is no quandary here if 2 Cor. 9:12-13 is taken at face value, where brethren are commended for their liberal sharing with the saints and with “all.”² Kyle suggests the “all” is “likely” a reference to saints outside of Jerusalem (GA 36), but he makes an assumption not explicit in the text. Perhaps Paul’s letter to the Galatians provides a better commentary.

The churches of Galatia received the same instructions on giving as the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:1). As charitable provision is both personal and communal (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7-8), so too are the directives of Galatians chap. 6. Restoring the erring is an individual as well as a collective duty (Gal. 6:1; cf. 2 Thess. 3:13-15); burden-bearing is the shared responsibility of “one another” (Gal. 6:2) and oneself (Gal. 6:5); supporting gospel teachers is framed with singular terminology (Gal. 6:6), while cooperative applicability is not discounted (1 Cor. 9:11); the principle of sowing and reaping is worded in individualistic terms (Gal. 6:7-8) but is just as relevant communally (Hos. 8:7; 10:12-13; 2 Cor. 9:5-14). Doing good “to all,” beyond “those of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:9-10), cannot be restricted to an individual exercise that somehow prohibits collectivity. Six first person plurals are clustered together in these two verses, followed by the notation, “I have written to you [plural] …” (v. 11; cf. 1:2). Whether a non-Christian is helped by an individual donation or a pool of individual donations, the end result is the same and Gal. 6:9-10 is in no way compromised. 

Kyle says, “If something is authorized, but the exact mechanism to accomplish it is not specified we may consider something an expedient if it helps us accomplish the thing authorized” (GA 31). Charitable kindness “to all” is in fact biblically authorized, serving not only as a Christ-like evangelistic tool but as an expression of godly love.³

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Kyle Pope and Doug Burleson, “Distinguishing Expedients from Additions: Opening Statements, Church Benevolence, Institutions, Cooperation,” GA 161:10 (Oct. 2019): 28-40; also Truth Magazine 10:63 (Oct. 2019): 22-34.

     ² When Paul delivered the “collection for the saints,” there were multiplied thousands of believing and non-believing ethnic Jews in Jerusalem at the time (Acts 21:20). Later Paul reportedly describes the benevolent funds he delivered as “alms and offerings to my nation [éthnos]” (Acts 24:17), employing a descriptive phrase that earlier in the chapter (v. 2) and elsewhere in Luke’s writings (Luke 7:5; 23:2; Acts 10:22) is inclusive of non-Christian Jews. Further, the qualifiers “if you might approve” and “if it is suitable” in 1 Cor. 16:3-4 indicate some degree of flexibility in the process.

     ³ Doug expounds upon this last point, citing passages like Matt. 5:45; Rom. 2:4; 1 Tim. 2:4; Tit. 2:11; 3:4 (GA 32, 39).

ADDENDUM: Several years ago my wife and I were in Singapore, and the brethren wanted to take us out to eat every night of the week. The first night we were asked if we liked spicy food, to which we answered affirmatively. Each night thereafter we were taken to restaurants that only served spicy food. Apparently our positive response was interpreted proscriptively, assuming we liked only spicy food and therefore didn’t like non-spicy food. An inference was made that was not a necessary inference.

Related Posts: Part 2: Institutions and Cooperation, The Sunday Collection, Individualism vs Collectivism 

Related articles: Brian Kenyon, Examination of 'Non-institutionalism' Part 1, Part 2

Image credit: https://www.gostandrew.com/house-divided/