Teks -- Romans 16:17 (NET)

16:17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rom 16:17 - Mark

Mark ( skopeite ).

Keep an eye on so as to avoid. Skopos is the goal, skopeō means keeping your eye on the goal.

Robertson: Rom 16:17 - Divisions

Divisions ( dichostasias ).

Old word for "standings apart,"cleavages. In N.T. only here and Gal 5:20.

Robertson: Rom 16:17 - Those which are causing

Those which are causing ( touṡ̇poiountas ).

This articular participle clause has within it not only the objects of the participle but the relative clause hēn humeis emathete (which you learned), a thoroughly Greek idiom.

Vincent: Rom 16:17 - Divisions - offenses

Divisions - offenses ( τὰς διχοστασίας - τὰ σκάνδαλα )

The article with each noun points to some well-known disturbances. The former noun occurs only in Paul.

Vincent: Rom 16:17 - Avoid

Avoid ( ἐκκλίνατε )

Better, as Rev, turn aside . Not only keep out of their way, but remove from it if you fall in with them.

Wesley: Rom 16:17 - Mark them who cause divisions

Such there were, therefore, at Rome also.

Wesley: Rom 16:17 - Avoid them

Avoid all unnecessary intercourse with them.

JFB: Rom 16:17 - Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned

"which ye learned."

JFB: Rom 16:17 - and avoid them

The fomentors of "divisions" here referred to are probably those who were unfriendly to the truths taught in this epistle, while those who caused "offenses" were probably those referred to in Rom 14:15 as haughtily disregarding the prejudices of the weak. The direction as to both is, first, to "mark" such, lest the evil should be done ere it was fully discovered; and next, to "avoid" them (compare 2Th 3:6, 2Th 3:14), so as neither to bear any responsibility for their procedure, nor seem to give them the least countenance.

Clarke: Rom 16:17 - Mark them which cause divisions

Mark them which cause divisions - Several MSS. read ασφαλως σκοπειτε, look sharply after them; let them have no kiss of charity nor peace, because they strive to make divisions, and thus set the flock of Christ at variance among themselves; and from these divisions, offenses ( σκανδαλα, scandals) are produced; and this is contrary to that doctrine of peace, unity, and brotherly love which you have learned. Look sharply after such that they do you no evil, and avoid them - give them no countenance, and have no religious fellowship with them.

Calvin: Rom 16:17 - And I beseech you, etc

17.And I beseech you, etc He now adds an exhortation, by which all Churches have often need of being stirred up; for the ministers of Satan are ever ready to take occasion to disturb the kingdom of Christ: and they attempt to make disturbances in two ways; for they either sow discord, by which the minds of men are drawn away from the unity of truth, or they occasion offenses, by which men are alienated from the love of the gospel. ⁴⁸⁰ The former evil is done when the truth of God is mixed with new dogmas devised by men; and the latter takes place, when by various arts it is made odious and contemptible. He therefore bids all, who did either of these two things, to be observed, lest they should deceive and catch the unwary; and also to be shunned, for they were injurious. Nor was it without reason that he required this attention from the faithful; for it often happens through our neglect or want of care, that such wicked men do great harm to the Church, before they are opposed; and they also creep in, with astonishing subtlety, for the purpose of doing mischief, except they be carefully watched.

But observe, that he speaks of those who had been taught the pure truth of God. It is indeed an impious and sacrilegious attempt to divide those who agree in the truth of Christ: but yet it is a shameful sophistry to defend, under the pretext of peace and unity, a union in lies and impious doctrines. There is therefore no ground for the Papists to seek countenance from this passage, in order to raise ill-will against us; for we do not impugn and tear asunder the gospel of Christ, but the falsehoods of the devil, by which it has been hitherto obscured: nay, Paul clearly shows, that he did not condemn all kinds of discords, but those which destroyed consent in the orthodox faith; for the force of the passage is in the words, which ye have learnt; for it was the duty of the Romans, before they were rightly taught, to depart from the habits of their fathers and the institutions of their ancestors.

Defender: Rom 16:17 - divisions and offences

These two problem areas mean literally "dissension and scandal" (the Greek for "offenses" is skandalon). These would be caused by deviations from sound Biblical doctrine and behavior, respectively. The church has been under attack by Satan with these two weapons ever since its beginning (Rom 16:20), and Paul was warning the Roman Christians to watch out for these before they appeared (note also Paul's warning to the Ephesian elders in Act 20:27-31)."

TSK: Rom 16:17 - mark // cause // offences // and

mark : Phi 3:17; 2Th 3:14, 2Th 3:15

cause : Act 15:1-5, Act 15:24; 1Co 1:10-13, 1Co 3:3, 1Co 11:18; Gal 1:7-9, Gal 2:4; Phi 3:2, Phi 3:3; Col 2:8; 2Pe 2:1, 2Pe 2:2; 1Jo 2:19; 2Jo 1:7-10; Jud 1:19

offences : Mat 18:7; Luk 17:1

and : Mat 18:17; 1Co 5:9-11; 2Th 3:6, 2Th 3:14; 1Ti 6:3-5; 2Ti 3:5; Tit 3:10; 2Jo 1:10,2Jo 1:11

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rom 16:17 - cause divisions and offences // Contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned // And avoid them

He shuts up the Epistle with a seasonable admonition, which he reserved to the last, that it might be the better remembered: it is, to beware of those that

cause divisions and offences By the former, some understand those that corrupt the doctrine of the church; by the latter, those that violate the discipline thereof: others refer divisions to faith, and offences to manners. There are that like neither of these distinctions, but, think he only cautions them against church dividers; and mentions scandal or offences as the effect or fruit of church divisions. He seems to aim more especially at those who, together with the Christian faith, did obtrude upon believers the ceremonies of the law, as necessary to salvation; of these he often complains as enemies to the gospel and cross of Christ: see Gal 1:7 Phi 3:2,18,19 Tit 1:10 .

Contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned i.e. that you have learned from those that first taught you and converted you to Christ: q.d. You have been instructed in the true doctrine of Christ; and there are some that would innovate and teach another doctrine, that broach opinions that are contrary, or, at least, beside the doctrine which is pure and apostolical, and so make divisions and factions amongst you: of such as those he speaks what follows.

And avoid them here are two precepts with respect to innovators and church dividers. The first is, that they should be marked. The word signifies such a marking, as a watchman useth that standeth on a tower to descry enemies; he marketh diligently all comers, and giveth notice accordingly, for the safety of the place. The second is, that they should be avoided, or declined: the like counsel is given, 2Th 3:6,14 1Ti 6:3-5 2Ti 3:5 Tit 3:10 2Jo 1:10 . The sum is, the church should excommunicate them, and all sound Christians should turn away from them, and shun their society, that they may be ashamed.

Haydock: Rom 16:17

The apostle does not here say that these men caused scandals, contrary to the Scripture; but contrary to the doctrine delivered to them: this place, therefore, is an argument in favour of tradition. (Estius)

Gill: Rom 16:17 - Now I beseech you, brethren // them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned // and avoid them

Now I beseech you, brethren,.... The apostle being about to finish his epistle, and recollecting that he had not given this church any instructions about the false teachers, who had been the cause of all their differences and uneasiness, inserts them here; or he purposely put them in this place, amidst his salutations, that they might be taken the more notice of; and very pertinently, since nothing could more express his great affection and tender concern for them; and these instructions he delivers to them, not in an authoritative way, as he might, and sometimes did, but by way of entreaty, beseeching them, and with the kind and loving appellation of brethren, the more to engage them to attend to what he was about to say to them:

them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned. The men he would have taken notice of were such who divided them in their religious sentiments, introducing heterodox notions, contrary to the doctrine of the Scriptures, of Christ and his apostles, and which they had learned from them; such as justification by the works of the law, the observance of Jewish days, and abstinence from meats, enjoined by the ceremonial law, and that as necessary to salvation; to which some gave heed, and others not, and so were divided; whereas the doctrine of faith is but one, the Gospel is one uniform thing, all of a piece; and those that profess it ought to be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment: hence their minds were alienated from each other, and they began to despise and judge one another, yea, to go into factions and parties, being unwilling to receive and admit each other to communion; and thus by these men they were divided in sentiments, affection, and worship; and which must needs cause offence to the church and the godly members of it, as well as cause many so to be offended, as to stumble and fall from the doctrine of faith, and profession of it, and greatly stagger and distress weak believers, and bring a scandal on religion, and the name and ways of Christ among the world, as nothing does more so than the jars and discords among Christians: wherefore the apostle advises to "mark" such persons, look out for, narrowly watch, strictly observe, and diligently examine them: the metaphor is taken from watchmen, who look out from their watch tower, and observe who are coming, or pass by, and take up suspicious persons, and carefully inquire who they are, and what they are about, and whether friends or foes. So both ministers of the Gospel, and members of churches, should not be asleep, which is the opportunity false teachers take to sow the seeds of false doctrine, discord, and contention, but should watch, and be upon their guard, and look diligently, that none among them fail of, or fall from, the doctrine of grace, or any root of bitterness, error, or heresy as well as immorality, spring up, which may be troublesome, and defile others; they should observe, and take notice of such who are busy to spread false doctrine, should watch their motions, follow them closely, take them to an account, examine their principles according to the word of God; and if found to be contrary thereunto, note them as false teachers:

and avoid them; shun their ministry, drop attendance on it, depart far from them, have no private conversation with them, receive them not into their houses, nor bid them God speed; with such do not eat, have no communion with them at the Lord's table, withdraw from them as disorderly persons, who act contrary to the doctrine and order of the Gospel, and after proper admonition reject them from all fellowship with you.