Romans 1:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Among all the nations, among whom you also are, called to belong to Jesus Christ." What is this? Did Paul preach to all nations?

From the Epistle to the Romans it is clear that he traveled from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and from there again reached the farthest limits of the earth.

Even if he had not been among all nations, what he says is not at all false. He speaks not of himself alone, but also of the twelve Apostles and of all who preached the word after them.

Yet these words cannot be considered disputed even with regard to Paul himself, if one keeps in mind his zeal and the fact that after his death he does not cease preaching throughout the whole world.

Here he crushes the arrogance of the Romans. You have received no more than the other nations, over whom you consider yourselves rulers. Therefore, as we preach to the other nations, so also we preach to you. Do not be vainglorious. Or else: you too have been called, anticipated by grace, and did not come by yourselves.

Paul showed here that salvation had not come only to the Jews, as some of them supposed while trying to dispute this.

And you, Romans, being among those who are called, will not be deprived of the grace that sent us to you.

This means that we, the envoys, preach in the name of Jesus Christ to all nations. Among them you also have been called, because the gift of God has been sent to all. Hearing that they are called together with others, they thus learn that they must not act according to the law. For the other nations received the law of Christ without the law of Moses (cf. Acts 8:14, Acts 11:1, Acts 15:1-30, Acts 17:11, 1 Thess. 2:13).

You also are among those nations whose cultivation has been entrusted to me. Do not think that I claim what belongs to another, or seize fields assigned to others. The Master appointed me preacher among all nations.

By what right does the Apostle take the Romans under his care? (Rom 1:5-7). "We have received grace and apostleship, to bring all nations to obedience to the faith in His name," that is, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

"Among these nations you also are found. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Thus St. Paul bases his right over the Romans on his apostleship, to which he was called by Jesus Christ Himself.

"You Romans also are among those nations whose enlightenment has been entrusted to me," Blessed Theodoret paraphrases the apostolic words. "Do not think that I appropriate what belongs to another, or seize fields assigned to others. The Master appointed me preacher to all nations."

Explaining the word "called," the Right Reverend Theophan says: "A calling to something great is not a reason for pride, but an impulse to labor with all one's strength." One should count as called the one who, hearing the voice that calls, follows it, comes through the Lord to the One who calls, and is united with Him. In such persons the Father's love also rests. Therefore the Apostle Paul calls the Romans beloved of God and saints. They are not yet pure and holy, but they are to love purity and holiness, and to become, by the grace of the Spirit, holy and blameless.

"Among whom you also are." If, when speaking earlier of apostleship, "we have received grace" and so forth, St. Paul meant only himself, then by the words "among whom you also are" he says: you also belong to my domain.

Among you too I must exercise apostleship, bringing you to obedience to the faith and confirming you in it. Theodoret writes: "You also are among those nations whose cultivation has been entrusted to me.

Do not think that I appropriate what belongs to another, or seize fields assigned to others. The Master appointed me preacher to all nations."

The Apostle addresses them in order to show that the Romans also, who belong to the nations inhabiting the whole world, rightly receive his apostolic preaching.