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Romans 15:23
Verse
Context
Paul’s Travel Plans
22That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.23But now that there are no further opportunities for me in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to visit you,24I hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip me for my journey.
Sermons
Jack HibbsSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
But - having no more place in these parts - Having nothing farther at present that I can do - for τοπον εχειν signifies not merely to have a place of residence, or the like, but convenience, opportunity; which is a frequent meaning of the phrase among the best Greek writers - having no large place or city, where Christianity has not yet been planted, in which I can introduce the Gospel. The apostle was then at Corinth; and having evangelized all those parts, he had no opportunity of breaking up any new ground.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
But now having no more place--"no longer having place"--that is, unbroken ground, where Christ has not been preached. and having a great desire--"a longing" these many years to come unto you--(as before, see on Rom 1:9-11).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Whensoever I take my journey into Spain,.... Which he had now meditated and resolved upon, being a place, as before observed, where it is very likely the Gospel as yet had not been preached, which made him desirous of going thither; but whether he ever went thither, or not, is not certain; some think he never performed the intended journey; others affirm he did, some time between his two appearances before Nero. Sepharad, in Oba 1:20, is taken by the Jewish writers for this country; and is by the Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra on that place, called "Aspamia"; a name not greatly different from Hispania, by which it usually goes among the Greeks and Latins; but Kimchi calls it "Spania", the very word used in this place, and by us rendered "Spain", as it is usually called: it was called "Span" in the language of the Celtic, who first inhabited it, which signifies a companion; it was formerly called Iberia, from the river Iberus; afterwards Hesperia, from Hesperus, the brother of Atlas; and then Hispalia, from the city Hispalis, or Sevil; and from thence corruptly Hispania; there are some that derive it from from the roughness of some places in it, barren, uncultivated, and uninhabited: it has on the east the Pyrenean mountains, by which it is divided from France, on the west the Atlantic ocean, on the north the Cantabrian, and on the south the Herculean sea, and the straits of Gades: now as the apostle intended a journey into this country; he mentions it, in order to raise their expectations of seeing him; since in his way thither, he would have a fair opportunity of coming to them; yea, he assures them, that whenever he went thither, he would come: I will come to you: it was his real intention, a settled resolution and determination in his mind so to do; but whereas everything of this kind depends not upon the will of man, but upon the will and providence of God, and so many unforeseen things fall out which prevent the fulfilling of human purposes, therefore he adds, for I trust, or "hope" to see you in my journey: he could not be certain that he should see them, but he hoped he should, for nothing was more desirable to him; his wish was not to see their emperor, their senate, or their famous city, but them, the church of Christ there; and a beautiful and delightful sight it is, to see a church of Christ in Gospel order, walking together in the faith and fellowship, and ordinances of it, and in peace one with another: and to be brought on my way thitherward by you; he not only hoped to see them, but that he should have the company of some of them along with him, in his way to Spain; from whose conversation he might expect much spiritual pleasure and refreshment; and by whom he might be directed in his way, as well as supplied with all necessaries for his journey; in which sense the phrase of bringing on in the way, is sometimes used; see Tit 3:13; though before he should depart from them, he hoped to have abundance of satisfaction in his conversation with them together as a church: if first I be somewhat, or in part, filled with your company; or with you, meaning that before he should set forward from them to Spain, that he should be greatly delighted with beholding their order, and the steadfastness of their faith, hearing their sweet experiences, and observing their holy life and conversation, and their peace and concord among themselves; not that he expected entire satisfaction, a satiety of pleasure, fulness of joy, which are only to be had in the presence of God, and communion with angels and glorified saints; though perhaps he might expect more than he had, for at his first answer before Nero, all these Romans forsook him and fled; saints are often disappointed in their raised expectations of what they shall enjoy in each other's company.
Romans 15:23
Paul’s Travel Plans
22That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.23But now that there are no further opportunities for me in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to visit you,24I hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip me for my journey.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
But - having no more place in these parts - Having nothing farther at present that I can do - for τοπον εχειν signifies not merely to have a place of residence, or the like, but convenience, opportunity; which is a frequent meaning of the phrase among the best Greek writers - having no large place or city, where Christianity has not yet been planted, in which I can introduce the Gospel. The apostle was then at Corinth; and having evangelized all those parts, he had no opportunity of breaking up any new ground.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
But now having no more place--"no longer having place"--that is, unbroken ground, where Christ has not been preached. and having a great desire--"a longing" these many years to come unto you--(as before, see on Rom 1:9-11).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Whensoever I take my journey into Spain,.... Which he had now meditated and resolved upon, being a place, as before observed, where it is very likely the Gospel as yet had not been preached, which made him desirous of going thither; but whether he ever went thither, or not, is not certain; some think he never performed the intended journey; others affirm he did, some time between his two appearances before Nero. Sepharad, in Oba 1:20, is taken by the Jewish writers for this country; and is by the Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra on that place, called "Aspamia"; a name not greatly different from Hispania, by which it usually goes among the Greeks and Latins; but Kimchi calls it "Spania", the very word used in this place, and by us rendered "Spain", as it is usually called: it was called "Span" in the language of the Celtic, who first inhabited it, which signifies a companion; it was formerly called Iberia, from the river Iberus; afterwards Hesperia, from Hesperus, the brother of Atlas; and then Hispalia, from the city Hispalis, or Sevil; and from thence corruptly Hispania; there are some that derive it from from the roughness of some places in it, barren, uncultivated, and uninhabited: it has on the east the Pyrenean mountains, by which it is divided from France, on the west the Atlantic ocean, on the north the Cantabrian, and on the south the Herculean sea, and the straits of Gades: now as the apostle intended a journey into this country; he mentions it, in order to raise their expectations of seeing him; since in his way thither, he would have a fair opportunity of coming to them; yea, he assures them, that whenever he went thither, he would come: I will come to you: it was his real intention, a settled resolution and determination in his mind so to do; but whereas everything of this kind depends not upon the will of man, but upon the will and providence of God, and so many unforeseen things fall out which prevent the fulfilling of human purposes, therefore he adds, for I trust, or "hope" to see you in my journey: he could not be certain that he should see them, but he hoped he should, for nothing was more desirable to him; his wish was not to see their emperor, their senate, or their famous city, but them, the church of Christ there; and a beautiful and delightful sight it is, to see a church of Christ in Gospel order, walking together in the faith and fellowship, and ordinances of it, and in peace one with another: and to be brought on my way thitherward by you; he not only hoped to see them, but that he should have the company of some of them along with him, in his way to Spain; from whose conversation he might expect much spiritual pleasure and refreshment; and by whom he might be directed in his way, as well as supplied with all necessaries for his journey; in which sense the phrase of bringing on in the way, is sometimes used; see Tit 3:13; though before he should depart from them, he hoped to have abundance of satisfaction in his conversation with them together as a church: if first I be somewhat, or in part, filled with your company; or with you, meaning that before he should set forward from them to Spain, that he should be greatly delighted with beholding their order, and the steadfastness of their faith, hearing their sweet experiences, and observing their holy life and conversation, and their peace and concord among themselves; not that he expected entire satisfaction, a satiety of pleasure, fulness of joy, which are only to be had in the presence of God, and communion with angels and glorified saints; though perhaps he might expect more than he had, for at his first answer before Nero, all these Romans forsook him and fled; saints are often disappointed in their raised expectations of what they shall enjoy in each other's company.