Romans 16:18

16:17-20 How earnest, how endearing are these exhortations! Whatever differs from the sound doctrine of the Scriptures, opens a door to divisions and offences. If truth be forsaken, unity and peace will not last long. Many call Christ, Master and Lord, who are far from serving him. But they serve their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. They corrupt the head by deceiving the heart; perverting the judgments by winding themselves into the affections. We have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. It has been the common policy of seducers to set upon those who are softened by convictions. A pliable temper is good when under good guidance, otherwise it may be easily led astray. Be so wise as not to be deceived, yet so simple as not to be deceivers. The blessing the apostle expects from God, is victory over Satan. This includes all designs and devices of Satan against souls, to defile, disturb, and destroy them; all his attempts to keep us from the peace of heaven here, and the possession of heaven hereafter. When Satan seems to prevail, and we are ready to give up all as lost, then will the God of peace interpose in our behalf. Hold out therefore, faith and patience, yet a little while. If the grace of Christ be with us, who can prevail against us?

Belly Compare Philippians 3:19. Good words (χρηστολογίας) Only here in the New Testament. Lit., good speaking. The compounded adjective χρης τός is used rather in its secondary sense of mild, pleasant. So Rev., smooth speech. Deceive (ἐξαπατῶσιν) Better, as Rev., beguile. It is not merely making a false impression, but practically leading astray Simple (ἀκάκων) Only here and Hebrews 7:26. Lit., not evil. Rev., innocent. Bengel says: "An indifferent word. They are called so who are merely without positive wickedness, when they ought to abound also in prudence, and to guard against other men's wickedness."

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by {g} good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. (g) The word which he uses signifies a promising which accomplishes nothing, and if you hear any such, you may assure yourself that he who promises to you is more concerned about receiving from you than he is concerned about giving to you.

In this verse you have a reason of the foregoing admonition, together with a description of the seducers, whom they should mark and avoid. He says, they are such as serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; i.e. they serve themselves rather than Christ. Though they pretend to be the servants of Jesus Christ, and give themselves out for his ministers, yet they aim at nothing but their own commodity and advantage. A further account you have of such persons in Philippians 3:19 1 Timothy 6:5 Titus 1:11 2 Peter 2:3 . By good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple: q.d. As Satan insinuated into Eve, by pretending he wished her good; so these seducers pretend they aim at nothing but the good and benefit of those with whom they have to do: with smooth and flattering words, they praise both the persons and doings of those whom they would insnare, (so much the word eulogia, here used, imports), and by this means they impose upon the simple, i.e. the over credulous and unwary, who do not mistrust any deceit or hurt. The word here rendered simple, properly signifies such as are not evil, or that are incautious, and not suspicious.

(18) Their own belly. —Compare the description in Philippians 3:18-19 , where the Apostle is also denouncing certain persons who made “a god of their belly.” It is not, however, quite clear that the class of persons intended is precisely the same. There the Apostle is condemning Antinomian extravagances which professed to be based on his own teaching; here he would seem to have in view some more radical divergence of doctrine, “contrary to” that which they had learned. Selfish indulgence is unfortunately a common goal, to which many diverse ways of error will be found to lead. By good words and fair speeches.—The difference, perhaps, is between “insinuating” or “specious” address, and “fine phrases” in a rhetorical sense. Simple.—Literally, guileless. Those who have no evil intentions themselves, and do not readily suspect others of them.

Romans 16:18 . οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι κ . τ . λ . Christians must not associate with those who do not serve the one Lord. τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Χριστῷ : this combination occurs here only in N.T. τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ : cf. Php 3:19 , ὧν ὁ θεὸς ἡ κοιλίᾳ . The words need not mean that the teachers in question were mere sensualists, or that they taught Epicurean or antinomian doctrines: the sense must partly be defined by the contrast—it is not our Lord Christ whom they serve; on the contrary, it is base interests of their own. It is a bitter contemptuous way of describing a self-seeking spirit, rather than an allusion to any particular cast of doctrine. διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας : according to Grimm, χρηστολογία refers to the insinuating tone, εὐλογία to the fine style, of the false teachers. Examples from profane Greek bear out this distinction ( εὔαρχός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος καὶ πολλὴν τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος καὶ εὔλεξις ), but as εὐλογία in Biblical Greek, and in Philo and Josephus invariably has a religious sense, Cremer prefers to take it so here also: “pious talk”. ἐξαπατῶσι : Romans 7:11 , 1 Corinthians 3:18 , 2 Thessalonians 2:2 . ἀκάκων : all the English versions, except Gen[40] and A.V., render “of the innocent” (Gifford). See Hebrews 7:26 . In this place “guileless” is rather the idea: suspecting no evil, and therefore liable to be deceived. [40] genitive case.

Verses 18-20. - For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly (cf. Philippians 3:18, 19 ). Had St. Paul thought these people sincere though mistaken, he would doubtless have treated them with the tenderness he shows towards the weak brethren. But he regards them as self-interested, and of the flesh; and against such disturbers of the Church's peace he is, here as elsewhere, indignant (el. Galatians 1:7, 8 ; Galatians 2:4 ; Galatians 3:1 ; Galatians 5:11, 12 ). In speaking of them as serving, or being slaves to, their own belly, it cannot be concluded certainly that he attributed to them habits of sensuality. He may only mean that it is the gratification of the lower part of their nature that they have in view; and there may be allusion to the motive of such persons being the desire of eating and drinking at the cost of the Churches. In 'The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles' (alluded to under Romans 12:6, seq .) the desire to live without working at the cost of the Church is set down as one of the marks of a false apostle or a false prophet. And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (rather, innocent , or harmless. So the word ἄκακος is translated in Hebrews 7:26 . It is different from ἀκέραιος in ver. 19, though the Authorized Version makes no difference). For your obedience is come abroad unto all men .

This is apparently adduced as a reason for his exhorting them to beware of those seducers, with a confidence that they will not be seduced by them, ver. 19 being thus dependent on ver. 17. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, but simple ( ἀκεραίους ) concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Romans 16:18

18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ—"our Lord Christ" appears to be the true reading. but their own belly—not in the grosset sense, but as "living for low ends of their own" (compare Php 3:19). and by good words and fair speeches deceive the simple—the unwary, the unsuspecting. (See Pr 14:15).

Romans 16:18 . οἱ τοιοῦτοι ) such as these. The substance with its quality is denoted.— κοιλίᾳ , the belly ) Php 3:19 .— χρηστολογίας ) as concerns themselves by promising.— εὐλογίας ) as concerns you, by praising and flattering.— τῶν ἀκάκων ) פתי , a word of a middle signification, μέσον , for the sake of euphemy (end.); which the LXX. translate ἄκακος , and which occurs more than once in Proverbs. They are called ἄκακοι , who are merely free from badness, whereas they should also be strong in prudence, and be on their guard against the κακίαν , the badness of others.

18 . serve not ] Perhaps these words (lit. do not bondservice to,) allude to the professed “ liberty ” of the erring teachers. Q. d., “they decline, indeed, the bondage of Christ, but they are in bondage to their own appetites all the while.” Cp. 2 Peter 2:19 .—With a similar emphasis, probably, he writes “our Lord ( Master ) Jesus Christ.” their own belly ] Cp. Php 3:19 . The words indicate sensual self-indulgence generally, whether grosser or lighter. by good words , &c.] Lit. by their sweet-speech and fair-speech . The first word denotes the seeming piety, the second the seeming reasonableness, of their doctrine. the simple ] Lit. the evil-less; people unconscious of bad intentions, and hence unsuspicious of them. Meyer remarks that St Paul did not write thus severely till after long and full experience.

Serve not - Obey not. Though they are professedly, yet they are not his real friends and followers. But their own belly - Their own "lusts;" their own private interests; they do this to obtain support. The authors of parties and divisions, in church and state, have this usually in view. It is for the indulgence of some earthly appetite; to obtain function or property; or to gratify the love of dominion. And by good words - Mild, fair, plausible speeches; with an appearance of great sincerity, and regard for the truth; compare Colossians 2:4; 2 Peter 3:3. People who cause divisions commonly make great pretensions to peculiar love of truth and orthodoxy; and put on the appearance of great sincerity, sanctity, and humility. And fair speeches - Greek εὐλογίας eulogias, eulogy, praise, flattery. This is another very common art. "Flattery" is one of the most powerful means of forming parties in the church; and "a little special attention," or promise of an office, or commendation for talents or acquirements, will secure "many" to the purposes of party whom no regard for truth or orthodoxy could influence a moment. Deceive the hearts of the simple - The minds of the unsuspecting, or those who are without guile τῶν ἀκάκων tōn akakōn. The apostle means to designate those who are simple-hearted, without any disposition to deceive others themselves, and of course without any suspicions of the "designs" of others.