1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Romans 1:1 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, The author and penman of this epistle described:
1. By his name, Paul. Before his conversion he was called Saul, then Saul the persecutor; after his conversion, he was Paul the professor, Paul the preacher, and Paul the great doctor of the Gentiles. O wonderful power of the heart-changing grace of God! which can turn Sauls into Pauls; persecutors into professors; faithless sinners into faithful servants of Jesus Christ.
Observe, 2. He is described by his general office; a servant of Jesus Christ: a higher and more honourable title than that of the emperor of the whole earth. Servire Christo est regnare: to serve Christ, especially in the quality of an ambassador, is a greater honour than to have the monarchs of the world serve us, and bow the knee before us.
Observe, 3. He is described by his particular office, Called to be an apostle; that is, constituted and appointed by Christ to that holy function, without any merit or desert of his own. He did not assume the honour of an apostle till called; and when called, it was not any desert of his own, but the free and undeserved grace of God that called him.
Observe, 4. That as he was called to, so he is said to be separated for, the great work of preaching the gospel: separated unto the gospel of God; that is, set apart in the purpose and decree of God; separated from his mother’s womb, Ga 1:15. Immediately and extraordinarily called by Christ himself to this great work, Ac 9:15 and mediately by the officers of the church, Ac 13:2-3 &c.
The work of dispensing the mysteries of the everlasting gospel is to be undertaken by none but those who are solemnly separated and set apart for it, and regularly called to it. I would to God the herd of lay preachers on this day would consider this. These usurpers of the sacred function can neither pray in faith for a blessing upon what they undertake, because they have no promise to bottom their faith upon, nor can the people expect to profit by what they hear from them; for this would be to expect God’s blessing out of God’s way.
Read with trembling what God says, I sent them not, neither commanded them, therefore shall they not profit this people at all. Jer 23:32
Where mark, That the people’s not profiting by these men, is not charged upon their false doctrine, but upon their want of a call and commission. It is not said, that their doctrine is unsound, but they preach unsent; therefore they shall not profit this people at all. These men contradict the command of God, the universal practice of the Christian church, violate the rules of order and right reason, and expose a most awful and tremendous ordinance of God to contempt and scorn; yea, lay it open to the bold presumption of every ignorant and impudent pretender.
Observe, 5. The glorious title given to the gospel which St. Paul was called forth to preach: it is here styled the gospel of God, and elsewhere the gospel of Christ. It is the gospel of God, as he was the author and contriver of it; it is the gospel of Christ, as he is the subject matter and scope of it. As Jesus Christ was the sum of the law, so is he the substance of the gospel. Indeed St. Paul sometimes calls it his gospel, Ro 2:16, because he was the dispenser and promulger of it; it was Depositum fidei suae commissum; “A divine treasure committed to his care and trust.”
And if the gospel preached is the gospel of God, let us entertain it in our judgments, retain it in our memories, embrace it in our affections, hide it in our hearts, confess it in our mouths, and practise it in our lives.