“For your OBEDIENCE has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:19-20, NKJV).
Other versions have the words, “shall BRUISE satan under your feet” (KJV), or other variations. The KJV and NKJV translate the Greek word akeraios as “simple” (“concerning evil”) in verse 19. This Greek adjective rendered “simple” is also translated “harmless” elsewhere in Scripture (see Matthew 10:16; Philippians 2:15; etc.). Some translations use “innocent” here (or a rendering of the word offering the meaning of “having nothing to do with evil”).
Here, Paul tells his readers/listeners that satan will be CRUSHED/BRUISED under their feet shortly! … because, I assume, of their obedience. Question: Where do we find God doing this for the disobedient?
Paul starts his epistle to the Roman ekklesia with “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8). Their strong faith/obedience was noted. Paul wants them “to be wise in what is good, and simple (or innocent) concerning evil.” Jesus spoke, “Behold, I send you (disciples) out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Here the word “harmless” (NKJV) means “innocent.” Philippians 2:15 reads, “that you may become blameless and harmless (i.e., ‘innocent’) children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation…” Well, folks, we do live in a most CROOKED AND PERVERSE generation NOW!!!
The admonition is, do not be guilty of doing evil things because evil is all around. We are to remain harmless/innocent, trying as hard as we can.
Another point is that Paul was warning the Christians in Rome to “note those who cause division and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words of flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple (innocent)” (Romans 16:17-18). Sounds like today’s politicians!
There are “ministers” today (secular/“Christian”) who are immoral to the core, deceiving the people and telling them it is okay to do certain evil things which are contrary to Scripture.
God wants us to be innocent concerning evil. Just take the issue of abortion, aka, “womb HOMICIDE.” There are churches/denominations/organizations promoting this MURDER. We could go on and name all the other evils – that Scripture condemns! – that they practice, and it would take up a LOT of room!
What Paul means in 16:20 is debated. This is the only place in Romans where satan is mentioned. It is God who will use His people’s feet to CRUSH/BRUISE satan. This imagery, in other places in Scripture, is an act of dominion.
Paul uses the name satan in 1 Corinthians 5:5; 7:5; 2 Corinthians 2:11;11:14; 12:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Timothy 1:20; 5:15. So, Paul was not ignorant concerning “the accuser” (Greek, satanas), i.e., the devil.
Paul writes: “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:24-25, NKJV).
Paul continues with the “feet” theme: “For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (vv. 27-28).
Confused yet?
For years I have studied and written about DOMINION, which is the subject here. Look up the word “dominion” in Hebrew and Greek. There are shades of meanings in both original languages. Paul uses the “D” word in Romans 6:9,14; 7:1; 2 Corinthians 1:24; Ephesians 1:21. Peter uses it in 1 Peter 4:11; 5:11. Jude uses it in vv. 8, 25. John uses it in Revelation 1:6. Matthew uses it in 20:25.
There are 4 Greek words defining “dominion”:
- Katakurieuo = “to lord against, i.e., control, subjugate, lord over, overcome” (Matthew 25:25)
- Kratos = “vigor (lit. or fig.), might, power, strength” (1 Peter 4:11; 5:11; Jude v. 25; Revelations 1:6)
- Kurieuo = “to rule over, lord over, exercise lordship over” (Romans 6:9, 14; 7:1; 2 Corinthians 1:24)
- Kuriotes = “to rule (rulers), government; supreme in authority (kurios), controller, master, lord/Lord, sir” (“dominion” in Ephesians 1:21)
All this has to do with the feet. Paul wrote about God CRUSHING satan under the feet of the obedient; he also wrote about beautiful feet in Romans 10:15 – “How beautiful are the FEET of those who bring (the) good news!” The faithful and obedient minister of God/Christ brought the “Good News” to the lost!
Where do we find the unfaithful and rebellious bringing the “Good News”? You see, Christ must REIGN in and thru His foot soldiers “until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25), that is, under the feet of the faithful/obedient. We ARE His FEET in earth; He is the Head!
In 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Paul writes about the cosmic dimensions, and he describes the climax of history, the END! The language Paul uses is both royal and military (vv. 25-28). Paul alludes to Psalm 110:1 and 8:6 – “The LORD said to my (David’s) Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool’” (a footstool is for resting the feet); “You have made Him to have DOMINION over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet” (NKJV).
Both Old Testament and New speak of this DOMINION power. God IS the ULTIMATE POWER, who grants DOMINION: it is all intertwined in the soteriological, for salvation leads us to DOMINION – we are the beneficiaries of all God’s actions! … that is, if we keep true till the END!
“The LAST enemy” (15:26; see 2 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 20:14; 21:4), wrote the Apostle, “that will be destroyed is DEATH.” This text is described as the “parenthesis that specifies the FINAL fulfillment of the two Old Testament texts, Psalm 110:1 and 8:6.” Death is not just one “cosmic power” among many, but the ultimate effect of SIN in the universe (1 Corinthians 15:56 says, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law”; see also Roman 5:12, where sin entered the world, and death thru sin). Biblically speaking, the destruction of the last enemy is concretely our “coming to life,” “for just as in Adam (1st) all die, so too as Christ (2nd Adam) shall all be brought to life” (1 Corinthians 15:22). But before one can be brought to life (as in verse 23), one has to be born again, as Jesus taught in John 3:3,5 – via repentance, as seen in Matthew 4:17, “REPENT.”
So, we see and understand, “the Father is the Ultimate Agent in life’s saga/drama, and the FINAL END of the process, to whom the Son and everything else is ordered” (1 Corinthians 15:24 and 28). Again, it is said, “The Father’s Reign is a dynamic exercise of Creative power, a spiritual outpouring of LIFE AND ENERGY thru the universe, with no further satanic resistance [once it is fully realized on this earth].” Praise God! This is the supremely positive meaning of “subjection”/”dominion”: that God may FULLY be GOD!
The truth is, we have DOMINION POWER NOW! We can put demon power under our feet. “In the Name of Jesus!” we can CRUSH/BRUISE satan under our feet as we walk in DOMINION.
“Bruise” in Romans 16:20 is translated from the Greek verb syntrino, a strong term that describes COMPLETE SHATTERING OR BREAKING INTO PIECES. We can shatter his machination, his plots against us NOW!!!
“Walk in dominion, enemies under our feet.”
— Gen. Jim, POW