“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly . The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
My Notes
What Does Romans 16:20 Mean?
Paul delivers a promise and a benediction: the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The crushing of Satan — promised in Genesis 3:15 — will be accomplished through the people of God. The ancient promise is being fulfilled through you.
"The God of peace" — the one who crushes Satan is characterized by peace. The destruction of the enemy is an act of peace — removing the disruptor, ending the war, establishing wholeness.
"Shall bruise Satan under your feet" — the language echoes Genesis 3:15 where the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head. The bruising is now placed under the feet of believers. The victory of Christ is executed through his people.
"Shortly" (en tachei) means quickly, without delay, soon. The crushing is not distant. It is imminent. The defeat of Satan is approaching at speed.
The benediction follows: the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. The crushing is accomplished not by human strength but by grace. The power that bruises Satan is the grace of Jesus accompanying the people of God.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the bruising being 'under your feet' extend Christ's victory through believers?
- 2.What does the 'God of peace' crushing Satan reveal about the nature of the victory?
- 3.How does 'shortly' create urgency and hope about the defeat of the enemy?
- 4.Where do you need the confidence that Satan's activity in your life has an imminent expiration date?
Devotional
The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The God of peace. Not the God of war. Peace — because the crushing of Satan IS the establishment of peace. The enemy's removal is the peace's arrival.
Shall bruise Satan. The promise from Eden — the serpent's head crushed — is being fulfilled. Not just by Christ on the cross. Under your feet. The victory Christ won is executed through his people. The bruising happens beneath the feet of believers.
Under your feet. Your feet. The enemy who has been harassing, accusing, tempting, and opposing you — will be bruised under your feet. Not Christ's feet alone. Yours — because you are in Christ and his victory extends through you.
Shortly. Soon. Quickly. The crushing is not a distant eschatological event only. It is approaching now. The defeat of Satan in your life, in your circumstances, in your spiritual battles — shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. The power for the bruising is not yours. It is grace — the unmerited, supernatural empowerment of Jesus Christ. The bruising is accomplished not by your strength but by his grace operating through your life.
The serpent that was cursed in Eden is being crushed under the feet of God's people — shortly, by grace, through the God of peace. Whatever the enemy is doing in your life has an expiration date. And the expiration is shorter than you think.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Timotheus my work fellow,.... Now follow the salutations of the friends and companions of the apostle: we may imagine…
And the God of peace - The God who promotes peace; Rom 15:33. Will bruise - The “language” here refers to the prediction…
The God of peace - Who neither sends nor favors such disturbers of the tranquillity of his Church.
Shall bruise Satan -…
The apostle having endeavoured by his endearing salutations to unite them together, it was not improper to subjoin a…
the God of peace See on Rom 15:33. Here the sacred Title seems to refer to the miseries of the strife ("divisions and…
Cross References
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