The Grace of Our Lord

Romans 16:20-24 And the God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city salute you, and Quartus a brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 

‘And the God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly.’ This is the 4th and last New Testament prophecy in Romans unfulfilled. It will happen when he devoured by fire that will come down from God out of heaven and he will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:9-10).

‘Bruise’ [Greek: suntribo] crush in pieces, utterly defeat and bring to helplessness (Matt. 12:20; Mark 5:4; 14:3; Luke 4:18; 9:39; John 19:36; Rev. 2:27). Satan will be finally defeated at the second coming and the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:1-10).

‘Timotheus’ – converted by Paul on his first trip (Acts 14:6-7 with 1Tim. 1:2). Part Jew and Greek, uncircumcised, but a good Christian (Acts 16:1-3). A miracle worker like Paul (1Cor. 16:10). Paul’s companion from Derbe and Lystra on (Acts 16:1-3; 17:14-15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Rom. 16:21; 1Cor. 4:17; Php. 2:19). On a mission (Heb. 13:23). It is believed by some that he was Paul’s scribe in writing Hebrews and Galatians. He had the gifts of the Spirit (1Tim. 4:14; 2Tim. 1:6). He was a great student of Scripture (2Tim. 1:5; 2:15; 3:15).

‘Lucius’ probably the one in Acts 13:1, or it could be Luke the evangelist and the writer of Luke and Acts who might have been the same person.

‘Jason’ – unknown, might have been the same one as in Acts 17:5, 7.

‘Sosipater’ – may be the same as in Acts 20:4. The third time Paul refers to kinsmen (16:7, 11).

‘Tertius, who wrote this epistle’ – some unknown scribe who wrote the epistle at Paul’s dictation.

‘Gaius’ – may be the same as the one in Acts 19:29, or of Derbe in Acts 20:4, but almost certainly the one in 1Corinthians 1:14.

‘Erastus the chamberlain of the city.’ Perhaps the same as the one in 2Timothy 4:20 and Acts 19:22. He was chamberlain (treasurer) at Corinth.

‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ’ there are four secrets of continued grace: Live and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:5; 16-26; Rom. 8:1-13; Col. 3:5-10). Be patient in hope (Gal. 5:5; Rom. 8:24; Heb. 3:6, 12-14; 6:19), continue in Christ (Gal. 5:6; John 15:1-8; Col. 2:6-7; Heb. 3:14) and continue in faith (Gal. 5:6; Col. 1:23).