Romans 1:7

All that be in Rome. By this Paul evidently means all Christians in Rome (see v. 8).

Beloved of God. God loves all men (John 3:16; Eph. 2:4, 5), but for Christians, who have been reconciled to God through the death of Christ, the barrier that once separated them from God’s love has been removed (Rom. 5:10; see on John 16:27).

Saints. Gr. hagioi, literally, “holy ones.” The term is common in the NT to describe Christians (Acts 9:32, 41; 26:10; Eph. 1:1; etc.). It does not necessarily denote persons who are already perfect in holiness (see 1 Cor. 1:2; cf. 1 Cor. 1:11), but rather those who by their profession and baptism may be assumed to be separate from the world and consecrated to God.

The basic idea of hagios is “separated from a common to a sacred use.” It was in this sense that the equivalent Hebrew term qodesh or qadosh was used in the OT and applied, for example, to the tabernacle and its furniture (Ex. 40:9). It was used of the Jewish people as a nation (Ex. 19:5, 6; Deut. 7:6), not that they were individually perfect and holy, but that they were separate from other nations and set apart to the service of the true God, whereas other nations were devoted to the worship of idols. Thus it is used here of the Christians in Rome, who have been called to be separated from other men and other ways of life and consecrated to the service of God.

Grace. Gr. charis, “good will,” not the usual word of greeting used in a Greek letter. The ordinary term was chairein, which expressed a wish for health and prosperity.

Chairein occurs in the NT in the letter of Lysias to the Roman governor Felix; (Acts 23:26), and in James’s epistle (James 1:1). In each of these instances it is translated “greeting.” Chairein, as used in 2 John 10 (“God speed,” KJV), indicates that Christians were accustomed to greeting one another in this manner (see Matt. 26:49; 27:29; 28:9; Mark 15:18; Luke 1:28; John 19:3, where chaire and chairete are translated “hail”).

But instead of chairein, “greeting,” with its prevailing idea of temporal prosperity, Paul used charis, “grace,” a word that was beginning to take on a uniquely Christian meaning (see on Rom. 3:24).

Peace. The usual Hebrew form of greeting was shalom, “peace,” or shalom leka, “peace to you” (see Gen. 29:6; 43:23; Dan. 10:19; Luke 10:5, 6; etc.). Jesus so greeted His assembled disciples after the resurrection (John 20:19, 26).

The life, death, and resurrection of Christ had brought new meaning to both these old familiar terms. “Grace” was now understood as the redeeming love of God in Christ (see 2 Tim. 1:9). “Peace” was now peace with God through redemption (Rom. 5:1). With this Christian significance, “grace” and “peace” became Paul’s customary greeting in all his epistles (1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:2; Philemon 3; cf. 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4). Peter and John also used similar greetings (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2; 2 John 3; Rev. 1:4).

God our Father. As the Creator, God is the Father of all men (Acts 17:28, 29), but especially of Christians, who have been born of God (John 1:12, 13; 1 John 5:1; cf. 1 John 3:1, 2), who have been adopted into His family (Rom. 8:15), and who are becoming like Him (Matt. 5:43-48).

Paul’s greeting is really a prayer that God would grant grace and peace to the believers in Rome. Thus in all his epistles his greetings are more than a passing courtesy. They have been transformed by Christian love into a prayer for heavenly blessing.

Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus and the Father are placed together, both being considered the source of grace and peace. This is evidence of Paul’s recognition of the divinity of Christ (see Phil. 2:6). In the NT Jesus is frequently referred to as the One who has brought peace to man (John 14:27; 16:33; Acts 10:36; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:17).