(Which he had promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
All Commentaries on Romans 1:2 Go To Romans 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
For the Lord, says he, shall give the word to them that proclaim glad tidings with great power Psalm 68:12, Septuagint; and again, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace. Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15 See here both the name of the Gospel expressly and the temper of it, laid down in the Old Testament. For, we do not proclaim it by words only, he means, but also by acts done; since neither was it human, but both divine and unspeakable, and transcending all nature. Now since they have laid against it the charge of novelty also, He shows it to be older than the Greeks, and described aforetime in the Prophets. And if He gave it not from the beginning because of those that were unwilling to receive it, still, they that were willing did hear it. Your father Abraham, He says, rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad. John 8:56 How then comes He to say, Many prophets desired to see the things which you see, and have not seen them? Matthew 13:17 He means not so, as you see and hear, the Flesh itself, and the very miracles before your eyes. But let me beg you to look and see what a very long time ago these things were foretold. For when God is about to do openly some great things, He announces them of a long time before, to practise men's hearing for the reception of them when they come.
In the Holy Scriptures. Because the Prophets not only spoke, but also writ what they spoke; nor did they write only, but also shadowed them forth by actions, as Abraham when he led up Isaac, and Moses when he lifted up the Serpent, and when he spread out his hands against Amalek, and when he offered the Paschal Lamb.
