The Chief Subject of the Epistle: the Righteousness of God Revealed From Faith to Faith (Romans 1:15–17)

Rom. 1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The Apostle begins a new section of his epistle, marking a transition from the personal introduction of himself to the Romans and the explanation of his apostolic zeal, to the exposition of the subject itself—the Gospel of Christ. Before directly expounding the Gospel, however, he gives a preface setting forth its power and importance. “This preface was necessary,” says St. Chrysostom, “for the Romans did not yet believe. Many of them were still pagans, and even among the believing, there were those infected with Judaizing errors, who looked down upon the Gospel and considered the Law more important. Therefore, the Apostle needs to prove the power of the Gospel, so that they would abandon their prejudices and embrace it with faith and respect.” τό κατ᾿ έμέ πρόθυμον

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Why does he say this? Because the Gospel was esteemed as foolishness and weakness by worldly wisdom. The philosophers despised it, the Romans mocked it, the Jews rejected it and considered it a stumbling-block. “Notice,” explains St. Chrysostom, “how he does not say: ‘I am proud of the Gospel,’ but only: ‘I am not ashamed.’ Why? Because he is speaking to those who, either from ignorance or from false shame, might be tempted to abandon the Gospel. It is not necessary to boast—it is only necessary not to be ashamed. Once a person is not ashamed, he will not abandon the truth, even if the whole world opposes him.”

“For it is the power of God to salvation.” This is the reason why he is not ashamed: because the Gospel possesses the power of God, the power of the Almighty. The Gospel is not merely a teaching; it is a force, an active power that truly transforms people and leads them to salvation. “It is the power of God,” says St. Chrysostom, “because through it God works; because it effects what it promises; because its effects are not merely words and teachings, but the transformation and salvation of those who believe in it.” Rom. 1:16

“To every one that believes.” This is the condition for the Gospel’s power to be effective in a person: faith. The power of God operates in salvation only for those who believe. This shows that although the Gospel is God’s power, it does not work automatically or by force. God respects human freedom; salvation comes to those who freely receive the Gospel through faith. Those who do not believe do not experience the saving power of the Gospel, not because it lacks power, but because they shut themselves off from it through their unbelief.

“To the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” This indicates the order in which the Gospel was to be preached. The priority given to the Jew is not because he is more worthy than the Greek, but because God’s redemptive plan in the Old Testament was directed toward the Jewish people, and the Messiah came from them. The Messianic hope was alive among the Jews, making them in some sense prepared for the Gospel’s reception. Thus, it was fitting that the Gospel be preached first to them, even though many rejected it. After the Jews, the Gospel extended to the Greeks, that is, to the Gentiles, to all peoples without distinction of race or culture 1 Cor. 1:23.

St. Chrysostom explains this priority thus: “Why does he mention the Jew first? (1) Because the Messiah came from the Jews; (2) because God made covenants with them; (3) because the Law and the prophets were given to them as preparation for the Gospel; (4) because in the Apostles’ preaching practice, the Gospel was indeed preached first in Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious life; (5) because this was a token of honor to the Jews, even though many of them rejected the Gospel; (6) to indicate that the God of the Jews is also the God of the Greeks—there is no separate God for the Gentiles, but One God, One Gospel, One salvation for all.”

This verse establishes the fundamental themes that will occupy the Apostle throughout the epistle: (1) the power of the Gospel in salvation; (2) the centrality of faith for receiving this salvation; (3) the universality of salvation—it is for all, without regard to nation, culture, or prior religious status; (4) the continuity and yet transformation of God’s plan—the Jews first, yet now in equality with the Gentiles. All of this will be expounded in the following chapters as the Apostle proves that justification comes by faith in Christ, not by the works of the Law.

The mention of the Gospel’s power “to salvation” raises a crucial question: What is salvation? In what sense can the Gospel be called the power of God to salvation? St. Paul will answer these questions throughout the epistle. Salvation, in the deepest sense, means restoration of fallen humanity to communion with God—justification before God, sanctification in life, and final glorification. The Gospel accomplishes this through the death and resurrection of Christ, which it proclaims, and through the faith of believers in this proclamation.

It is notable that the Apostle does not begin his exposition with a philosophical argument or with a display of the Gospel’s rational coherence. He begins with an assertion of faith: “I am not ashamed”—a personal testimony to the power that has worked in his own life. He does not argue that the Gospel should not be ashamed of; he affirms that it is indeed the power of God. This sets the tone for the entire epistle: the Gospel is not defended by mere intellectual demonstration, but is proclaimed as the living power of God at work in history and in the hearts of believers Rom. 1:17.

The words “power of God to salvation” also contain an implicit contrast with human power. The world esteems power in terms of military might, political influence, intellectual superiority, and wealth. But the Gospel operates through different means: through preaching and faith, through the working of the Holy Spirit, through the transformation of the human heart. Its power is not evident to those who look only at external circumstances, but is real and effective for those who have eyes to see and hearts to believe.

The phrase “to every one that believes” also deserves meditation. It shows that the power of God is not imposed but offered; not coercive but persuasive; not determining fate but calling to freedom. Those who believe receive the power; those who do not believe do not receive it. This establishes a fundamental principle: divine salvation works through and with human consent and response. God’s grace does not eliminate human responsibility; rather, it enlists it. Faith is the human response to God’s offer of grace, the acceptance of His power working to salvation.

Rom. 1:17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

This verse is the key to the entire epistle. Here, the Apostle introduces what will be his central theme: the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel, and the manner of its revelation—from faith to faith, through faith and faith alone. The phrase “therein” refers to the Gospel just mentioned. It is in the Gospel that the righteousness of God is revealed.

What is meant by “the righteousness of God”? This is one of the most important terms in Pauline theology, and it has been understood in different ways. Some interpret it as God’s own righteousness, His attribute of justice. Others interpret it as the righteousness that God gives to believers, or the state of being right before God—what we call justification. The context of the epistle suggests both meanings are present: God’s righteousness is manifested through His justifying action, through which He makes sinners righteous before Him.

The revelation of God’s righteousness is “from faith to faith.” This phrase indicates a progression, a dynamic movement. Some interpret it as meaning: from the faith of the Old Testament saints to the faith of New Testament believers. Others understand it as: faith producing more faith, or the Gospel calling forth faith in those who already have some faith. The most common interpretation is that righteousness is revealed in such a way as to evoke faith—it is revealed to faith and through faith, as faith apprehends it.

“As it is written” introduces a proof from Scripture. The Apostle cites from the prophet Habakkuk: “The just shall live by faith.” This quotation from Habakkuk 2:4 is central to Pauline theology. It affirms that the righteous—those justified before God—live by faith. This is not faith as mere intellectual assent, but faith as trust in God, as reliance upon God’s word and God’s promise. To “live by faith” means to orient one’s entire existence toward God, to depend upon Him, to trust Him in all circumstances Eph. 3:9 1 Cor. 2:7.

“The just shall live by faith.” Notice the word “live.” The justified person does not merely exist; he lives—he has true life, fullness of life, spiritual life that transcends mere biological existence. This life comes through faith. In the context of Paul’s theology, this means: the person who is justified by faith in Christ lives a new life, a life no longer under the condemnation of the Law, but under the grace of God, a life animated by the Holy Spirit Matt. 5:16.

St. Paul uses this text from Habakkuk to establish a crucial point: justification and life come through faith, not through works of the Law. This will be one of the primary arguments of the epistle. The Law cannot justify; only faith can. Why? Because the Law demands what it cannot give—the power to fulfill its demands. Faith, on the other hand, receives from God what the Law demands: righteousness, or the right standing before God, through Christ.

The movement in these verses is striking: from the Gospel as the power of God to salvation (verse 16), to the revelation of God’s righteousness in the Gospel (verse 17), to the call to faith as the means of receiving this righteousness and this salvation. The Gospel is not merely a message about God; it is God’s action, God’s power working in history and in human lives. And it addresses human beings as beings capable of faith—it calls forth faith, it awakens faith, it enables faith through the work of the Holy Spirit Lk 17:5.

The quote from Habakkuk also carries historical resonance. Habakkuk, the prophet, lived in a time of crisis and injustice, when he saw the righteous suffering and the wicked prospering. His faith was tested. Yet he affirms: “The just shall live by faith.” This means: even in times of trial, even when God’s righteousness is not apparent, the righteous person holds to faith in God. This is relevant to the Romans, who may have been tempted by the apparent worldly success of paganism and the apparent weakness of Christianity.

The entire epistle will unpack and expound what is compressed in these two verses. The Apostle will show: (1) the reality of human sin and its universal scope; (2) the impossibility of justification through the Law; (3) the revelation of God’s righteousness through faith in Christ; (4) the role of faith as the sole means of receiving justification; (5) the consequences of justification—peace with God, sanctification, hope of glory; (6) the continuation of God’s faithfulness in history, shown in the election of the remnant of Israel.

This verse establishes the hermeneutical principle that will guide the Apostle’s interpretation of Scripture throughout the epistle. The Law is understood in light of faith; the Old Testament promises are fulfilled in the Gospel; the righteousness that God demanded under the Old Testament is now revealed as a gift offered through faith in Christ. This is not a rejection of the Old Testament but its proper fulfillment and interpretation.

Oecumenius also brings other interpretations of the meaning of the words: “from faith to faith”. “This also means that the work of holy and righteous life, just as it begins by faith, so should be characterized by faith and stand upon it. Having entered into the gospel order, one should not curiously investigate everything perceived in it, but receive all by faith. Or thus: one must believe the Prophets and from them draw guidance toward gospel faith. Or differently: the believer in Christ the Lord and having received the grace of baptism is thereby guided to believe without doubt in future blessings—the resurrection of the dead, eternal life, and the Kingdom of Heaven. For one must believe that God appeared on earth in the flesh—which is the beginning—and that the inheritance of the believing will be the Kingdom of Heaven—which is the end of faith. (These last two interpretations are taken word for word from the Blessed Theodoret.) Or thus: ‘from faith to faith’—for the Jew, from the faith under the Law into the faith of Jesus Christ, and for the Greek from natural faith into that same faith of Jesus Christ (the interpretation of Akakios)”.

All these understandings are not foreign to edification for the one who seeks it. But nonetheless they all amount to this: to impress upon us that in the matter of salvation all depends on faith—which, one may suppose, is also what the Apostle intended to impress upon us. For, bringing forth thereafter a prophetic testimony in confirmation of the thought he expressed, he brought such a passage in which it is spoken simply of faith: “as it is written: ‘the righteous’ ‘shall live by faith’ (Hab. 2:4). He is, as it were, saying: the Gospel is the power of God to salvation, but for the believer; through it appears in everyone the righteousness of God, or everyone becomes righteous, but from faith to faith. Therefore, believe and believe. Whoever believes shall live by a holy and righteous life; but the unbeliever remains in the domain of death, by sin which kills and destroys all (words of the Lord (Jn. 3:15–18)). True life is righteous life; but the righteous man can live righteously only by faith. Without faith there is no true righteous life, nor is there salvation. The Prophet confirms this too, when he says: ‘the righteous’ ‘shall live by faith.’”

The Prophet’s words require no special explanation; they are clear in themselves. Let us only add the following observation. A man can himself perform deeds of righteousness—not to wrong, not to appropriate what is another’s, to be temperate, to help the needy—and in all his conduct can appear righteous and honorable. But for all his righteousness, so long as he remains alone, he is like a statue, skillfully wrought, but without a soul. Faith breathes a soul into him, by drawing down grace, which gives life to all who are truly righteous. The righteousness that precedes this, if it exists at all, exists only as a preparation for receiving grace through faith, makes one a vessel capable of receiving the quickening of grace, but does not complete the whole work. Take a Jew who perfectly keeps his law: he must be reckoned righteous. Take a pagan living rightly by the principles of righteousness written on his heart—and he will be righteous. But neither the one nor the other should be considered quickened by true life. This life will appear in them when they are deemed worthy of quickening by Divine grace according to faith in the Lord Savior. The clearest testimony to this is given by Cornelius the centurion. He was righteous, but he became truly alive when the Holy Spirit descended upon him. Saint Chrysostom accompanies the words of the Prophet with the following observation: “Let the heretics hear this spiritual voice! Reasoning, like a labyrinth and riddles (A riddle is the Greek word: γρίφος—a puzzle), has nowhere an end, does not give thoughts a place to settle on stone, and originates from self-exaltation. Those who are ashamed to admit faith do not know the heavenly and are whirled in a vortex of countless reasonings. Miserable pauper, worthy of our constant tears! It is unbecoming for you to dispute and to be untimely curious. And what shall we say of the members of faith? From the very vices of the present life we are freed in no other way than through faith. By faith those who lived before shone: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. By faith the harlot (Rahab) was saved (Hebr. 11:31). She did not begin to reason how those captives, fugitives, wanderers could overcome a city fortified with walls and towers. If she had so reasoned, she would have destroyed herself and them, as in fact the predecessors of those saved by Rahab perished. For those, seeing men of great stature and might, began to seek means of overcoming them, and all perished without war or battle. Do you see what an abyss is unbelief and how firm is the wall of faith! Unbelief brought countless people to destruction, but faith not only saved a harlot woman, but made her a protector of the people of Israel. Knowing this and many other examples, let us never seek the reason for the works of God; but without inquiry and excessive curiosity let us receive the commandments of God, even though they should seem discordant with human reason. For tell me, what could seem more discordant than for a father himself to put to death his only and beloved son? Yet the righteous man, having received such a command, did not reason about it, but accepted the commandment solely on account of the worthiness of the one commanding and obeyed. But another, having received from God a command to strike a Prophet, pondered this deed and did not obey simply. For this he was punished with death, but he who struck pleased God (1King 20:35–37). And Saul, contrary to God’s will saving the lives of men, was deposed from the throne and subjected to severe punishment. It is not difficult to find many other examples which together teach us never to seek the reason for God’s commandments, but in simplicity to obey them without resistance. Now if it is dangerous to go deeply into what is commanded, and curiosity awaits extreme punishment, what excuse will those have who judge concerning matters incomprehensible and awesome—for example, how did the Father beget the Son? what is His essence? (How did He become incarnate and by His death save our race?). Therefore, knowing this, let us receive with all goodwill the mother of all good things—faith, so that we, like those sailing into a peaceful harbor, may preserve the true teaching, and directing our life with complete security, may obtain eternal blessings.”

Having thus fixed the attention of the Romans, and with them all of us, on faith, the Apostle then explains and sets forth at length its nature, with all things connected to it, which constitutes the doctrinal part of the Epistle.