And again: praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles: and magnify him, all ye people.
και παλιν αινειτε τον κυριον παντα τα εθνη και επαινεσατε αυτον παντες οι λαοι
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Apostle brings all this forward to prove that all must be united and glorify God. At the same time he humbles the Jew, so that he not exalt himself over the Gentile, since all the prophets also call the Gentiles. He also teaches modesty to the Gentile, showing that he has benefited more from grace.
He humbles them so that they not exalt themselves over those called from among the Gentiles, for all the prophets called them. He again persuades those called from among the Gentiles not to be puffed up, showing that they owe more to God, since they received greater mercy. For they, who were not a people, have been joined to the people.
Paul shows how God once declared that, through the action of His mercy, Jews and Gentiles would be united. See Ps 116:1-2. Mercy would be shown to the Gentiles, so that they might become allies of the Jews, who long before had been called the people of God by grace. When the Jews were glorified, the Gentiles remained without glory. But by the mercy of God they too were glorified, so that all might rejoice in the knowledge of the truth.
(10 - Deut 32:43) (11 - Ps 116:1). (12 - Isa 11:10). The Apostle cited these testimonies to teach the believers from among the Jews not to be grieved at the salvation of the Gentiles, but to believe the prophecies concerning them.
Finally, justice itself requires that the strong accommodate themselves to the weak, and not the reverse (Rom 15:1-13). “We who are strong,” that is, who understand the true meaning of food and drink, “ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,” that is, of those who have not risen to such understanding, “and not to please ourselves. For even Christ did not please Himself.”
Therefore Christians from the Jews, still weakened by attachment to Old Testament ritual, and Christians from the Gentiles, free from this attachment, must receive one another. They must not avoid one another, but have communion among themselves, “that with one mind and one mouth they may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” “as Christ also received” both “to the glory of God.”
“I mean,” the Apostle adds, “that Jesus Christ became a minister to the circumcised for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and for the Gentiles according to mercy, that they might glorify God,” as the prophets foretold.
The Apostle Paul himself offered in himself a living example of how one must bear the infirmities of the weak. As Chrysostom notes, “he himself circumcised, cut his hair, offered a Jewish sacrifice, and so forth.” Or, as the Apostle says of himself, “I became all things to all men,” certainly in matters indifferent, “that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor 9:22).
Again persuading Christians to act with love toward all the weak, the Apostle reminds them that Jesus Christ received us when we were unworthy. He received some for the sake of the promise made to the fathers, and others solely according to mercy. Therefore He received both, not because of their personal perfections.
So believers also must treat one another with condescension. In particular, they must not give weight in their relations to distinctions of nation. The conversion of the Gentiles is as foreordained and prepared by God as the justification of the Jews.
If anything is lacking in any of them, one may hope that God will supply what is lacking by the power of His Holy Spirit. He guides into all truth and comforts in all things with the highest hope. In that hope all our present deficiencies will be covered, and all the perfections and gifts of God given to us in abundance will be fulfilled.
That the Gentiles were called by God according to mercy, the Apostle confirms by many prophecies. In them, according to Chrysostom, “he brings everything as proof that all must be united and glorify God. At the same time, by this he wishes to humble the Jew, so that he not exalt himself over the Gentile. For all the prophets call the Gentiles to the glorification of God. He also teaches modesty to the Gentile, showing that he is bound to give God greater thanks.”
At the close of his exhortation, the Apostle prays to the Lord Himself. He asks that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He fill the Romans with the spirit of joy, peace, and complete hope. Concerning this prayer, Bishop Theophan observes: “This prayer, verbally attached to the prophet’s words just cited, corresponds in its content to the whole preceding section, chapters 14 and 15. The object of the prayerful good wish is an abundance of hope. For this to exist, he wishes the heart to be filled with joy and peace. Faith is indicated as the source of these gifts. Faith begets joy and peace. Joy and peace multiply hope. All this comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit engenders spiritual life. It sustains it and leads it to perfection. From it come all movements and changes in spiritual life. In view of the Romans’ condition, the Apostle especially wishes them joy and peace. When these are present, the slight differences in convictions of which he speaks will no longer have the evil consequences that now arise from them. Joy and peace will suppress every quarrel, division, and estrangement, and will no longer allow them to arise.”
Through hope in the Lord and in His Christ, all things will be ordered in the best way for our good and salvation.
The third prophecy is taken from the Psalms. See Ps 116:1. The Prophet calls all nations generally to praise and hymn the Lord, because "His mercy is confirmed" (Ps 116:2) upon us all. It has been confirmed, firmly established, made unshakable and inalienable. When was this accomplished, if not at the coming to earth of Christ the Lord? By its power all were enlightened with true knowledge of God and sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Church of God was built and appointed guardian of these good things until the end of the age. Knowing this, O nations, praise and hymn the Lord of great mercy.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 14 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS