1:1 apostle. Lit. “a sent one.” Paul establishes his authority as an emissary of the Lord Jesus by God’s appointment (9:1; 15:8; cf. Acts 9:3–6, 17; 22:11–15), made especially necessary because so much of the message of this epistle is corrective (2:1–7). See notes on Rom. 1:1; Eph. 4:11. Since he was delegated by God to speak and write, resisting him was resisting God. Sosthenes. Probably Paul’s secretary, a former leader of the Corinthian synagogue who had become a brother in Christ. On one occasion,