Romans 1:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Showing the Romans that he is not doing them any favor, but fulfilling the commandment of the Lord, and also teaching them to give thanks to the God of all. The Apostle says: "I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise." He wrote about this also in the Epistle to the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor. 9:16). He says this because he attributes everything to God.

This too is a work of modesty. I am not granting some favor, he says, but fulfilling the commandment of the Master. You ought to thank God, for He is the benefactor, while I am a debtor. He said the same to the Corinthians: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor. 9:16).

As I have had fruit among other nations, among the wise and the ignorant, that is, among those who agree to obey us and others who refuse. But whether they obey or not, my duty is to preach.

Paul calls himself a debtor to all those whom he mentions and to whom he was sent to preach. Through this he places all among debtors: all must believe in God the Creator, from Whom are all things and through Whom are all things.

This debt is both the honor and the salvation of the believer. Paul wrote "Greeks" instead of "Gentiles." This includes those called Romans, whether by birth or by assimilation.

It also includes barbarians, who are not Romans, are hostile to the Romans, and are likewise Gentiles.

He says that they are wise because they are trained in earthly sciences and are called wise men in this world. Such are astrologers, geometers, mathematicians, grammarians, rhetoricians, and musicians.

I have been appointed teacher of all nations. Therefore I am obliged to pay the debt of teaching to all, not only to Greeks, but also to barbarians. For this reason the grace of the Spirit granted us various tongues, and this debt must be paid both to those who think highly of their education and to those not initiated into the arts of speech. By "wise" he means those who boast in skill with words. By "unwise" he means those whom their so-called wise men call such because of their lack of education.

"I am a debtor to Greeks and barbarians." In the understanding of the ancient Greeks, the world was divided into two halves: the Greeks, the educated, to whom the Romans were added out of respect for their rule, and the barbarians, the uneducated, to whom all other nations belonged. The Apostle wishes to indicate the chief motive for his desire to come and strengthen in the faith those who had already believed, and to preach to all without exception. Having received from God various spiritual gifts, especially the gift of tongues, he was obliged to put them to work and turn them to increase. This is like the servants who received talents from their master (Mt 25:15 and following), or better, like gratitude for his own salvation: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Mt 10:8).

What prevented the Apostle from fulfilling his intention to come to Rome? (Rom 1:13-17).

This is clear from his following words to the Romans. I desired "to have some fruit among you also, as among the other nations. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise men and to the ignorant," that is, I am obliged to preach Christ to all.

"Therefore I am ready to preach the Gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then also for the Greek."

Thus the desire for the success of the preaching concerning Christ among all peoples is what chiefly delayed the Apostle's arrival in Rome.

It was by no means a bashful fear that the enlightened inhabitants of the world's capital would treat his preaching with indifference. The Apostle Paul's further concluding words in the preface to the epistle deserve special attention.

Having shown in verses 5 and 6 that the Romans, in a certain sense, formed part of his flock through the grace of the apostleship given him by Christ, the Apostle Paul bears witness to his affection for the Romans.

He says that he had long desired to preach among them and had prayed that God would permit him to come to Rome. There he wished to be comforted by the faith whose renown had spread far, and to impart to them something that would strengthen them still more in the faith.

This would also give him the opportunity to spread the true teaching among new peoples, and in this way to be fully the Apostle of the Gentiles.

God appointed him Apostle not for the Hebrews alone, but for all nations, for all times, and for all the Churches of Christ. As he himself says of himself: "I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise" (Rom. 1:14). That is, he is obliged to preach the saving teaching to all nations, and to people of every kind and rank.

Having rounded out his desire to see the Romans by indicating its intensity, purpose, and obstacles, he now sets forth its chief foundation: the consciousness of his duty to preach to all. "I am a debtor."

I am a steward, he says. My task is to distribute to all, in due season, their measure of grain (cf. Lk 12:42, Slavonic text).

The Lord was pleased to clothe me with the rank of apostleship and to furnish me with its graces, so that I might pass them on to men. In this transmission is my life. In withholding it is death.

I strive to transmit it to all, because this is my urgent duty. "The Apostle says this, explaining to the Romans that he is not showing them some favor, but fulfilling the Lord's command, teaching them to give thanks to the God of all" (St. Chrysostom).