Romans 15

Romans 15:1-3

Romans 15:1-3 : Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying. For Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me. Christ himself said, “I do always the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29). Concerning his teaching Jesus said, “For I spake not from myself but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” (John 12:49). And so, in both word and deed Jesus did his Father’s will.

Therefore in fighting against Jesus the Jews were in reality fighting against the Father, but all their fury fell on Jesus. The devoted Christian will now suffer persecution, but the sin of it is against God.

Romans 15:4

Romans 15:4 : For whatsoever things were written at foretime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Paul had just quoted a statement from Psalms 69:9. Romans 15:4 therefore refers to the Old Testament scriptures. The Old Testament scriptures were therefore not written alone for the benefit of those who then lived, but for us also. Patience is steadfastness–the quality of holding on under trying conditions. It does not seem that such a quality can be affirmed of the scriptures.

Besides, it seems that the repetition of the preposition “through” in each phrase indicates that the phrase “of the scriptures” modifies only the word comfort. Hence, by steadfast-ness and by the comfort of the scriptures the Christian can have, or maintain, hope. It is therefore important that the Christian study the Old Testament.

Romans 15:5-7

Romans 15:5-7 : Now the God of patience and of com-fort grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus: that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, even as also Christ received you, to the glory of God. Paul shifts the thought from the scriptures to God the author of the scriptures. Because he is the author of the scriptures, whatever is attributed to the scriptures is rightly attributed to him. Through the word of God the gospel which is God’s power for salvation, God gives us hope and develops within us steadfastness of character. Paul prays that unity of thought and conduct prevail among them, “according to Christ Jesus.” Jesus stirred up no confusion about such matters as Paul discussed in chapter 14; matters of no importance should never be allowed to disturb the fellowship of a church.

Though Jewish converts were slow to give up their customs, they wanted Gentile Christians to adopt their customs. This caused friction. Such confusion was a great hindrance to unity and Christian growth. To be of the same mind one to-ward the other meant that no one was to feel that he had superior rights over another; neither Jew nor Greek should feel any superiority over the other. This oneness is necessary if we would “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As Christ received us, so should we receive, or accept, one another, in spite of the fact that we do not all belong to the same race. The religion of Christ is designed to make peace between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Let no one destroy God’s purpose in this matter.

Romans 15:8

Romans 15:8 : For I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given unto the fathers. The fathers were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the promises are found in Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 22:15-18; Genesis 26:3-4; Genesis 28:13-14. The part of these promises that referred particularly to Christ is this: “In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed.” Paul makes this clear in Galatians 3:16 : “Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” In view of the scope of these passages, it seems to me that a number of commentators miss the point Paul had in mind when he said that Christ was a minister of circumcision for the truth of God (that is, that the truth of God might be established). Most commentators, it seems, take the meaning to be, that Christ’s personal ministry was confined to the Jews, the circumcision; but I cannot see how confining his personal ministry to the Jews would confirm the promise that all nations would be blessed in him. Just how a ministry confined to one nation would confirm a promise to all nations is more than I can see.

May not the phrase “a minister of the circumcision” indicate the source rather than object? We know that Jesus did come of the circumcision, and that he had to come of the circumcision in order to fulfill the promise made to the fathers. “For the truth of God” equals “on behalf of the truth of God,” or, “in favor of the truth of God.”

Romans 15:9-12

Romans 15:9-12 : “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy: as it is written, Therefore will I give praise unto thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; And let all the people praise him. And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be the root of Jesse, And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; On him shall the Gentiles hope. Christ became a minister of the seed of Abraham in behalf of the truth of God; and a part of the truth of the promise made to the fathers was, “that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.” The promised blessings were to be for all nations, with no difference between Jew and Gentile. Paul’s use of the promise made to the fathers would not please the exclusive Jewish Christians; and so he quotes some Old Testament Scriptures to show that it had been God’s plan all down the ages to include the Gentiles in the blessings of the promised seed.

This would show both Jew and Gentile that neither had any right to feel superior to the other, and such feeling would promote better fellowship between them. The passages in the order quoted are Psalms 18:49 (or 2 Samuel 22:50); Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 117:1; Isaiah 11:10.

The Gentiles as well as the Jews, would praise Jehovah for his mercy, and would also enjoy the blessings of his rule. Paul quotes the passages to show that they were then being fulfilled and that, as both Jew and Gentile were enjoying the same blessings and both were under the rule of the Messiah, there should be peace between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. It is strange that some Jewish Christians never would see the plain teaching of the promises and prophecies, and by their stubborn blindness created much confusion in many churches and gave Paul no end of trouble by their contention that all Gentile Christians had to be-come subservient to all things Jewish, or they could not be saved. But it is even stranger that some professed Christians today hold to that Judaizing notion, and project the fulfillment of the promises and prophecies to some future time. There is less excuse today for such heretical teaching than there was in the early churches.

Romans 15:13

Romans 15:13 : Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Concerning the Messiah Isaiah had said, “On him shall the Gentiles hope.” And so to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews God was the God of hope–he made hope possible even to those who formerly had been without God and without hope (Ephesians 2:12). Without this hope there could be no joy and no peace–no peace of mind and no peace with one another. But we are to be filled with joy and peace in believing, in continuous, active believing. And to be filled with joy and peace increases our hope. The power of the Holy Spirit made this hope and peace possible for the Holy Spirit revealed all we know about God and Christ and the plan of salvation, and confirmed that revelation by signs and wonders. And the things the Holy Spirit revealed to us is the source of all our knowledge, joy, peace, and hope.

Romans 15:14

Romans 15:14 : And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Here Paul takes up some personal matters. One or more brethren had made a report to Paul about conditions at Rome, and expressed confidence in the brethren there; otherwise why should he say, “And I myself also am persuaded of you….” Paul felt assured that they, even with their differences about observing days and eating meats, were good people. It is likely that only a small minority were disturbed about these things. In his words of praise Paul must have had the greater part of the church in mind. “Filled with knowl-edge” could not have been well applied to those who were so disturbed about the matters discussed in chapter 14. Spiritually gifted men in that church would be able to teach and admonish the weak.

Paul’s words of commendation would be encouraging to these brethren. Paul never flattered, but he did commend brethren when he had grounds for doing so. A preacher who scolds and criticizes all the time never brings out the best that is in men.

Romans 15:15

Romans 15:15 : But I write the more boldly unto you in some measure, as putting you again in remembrance, because of the grace that was given me of God. Paul gave his reason for writing so boldly to them–“because of the grace that was given me of God.” Paul speaks of his being made an apostle as grace bestowed upon him. On this point see also Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:7. The phrase, “in some measure,” is somewhat vague but some authorities tell us that the Greek phrase means, in part, or partly, or somewhat. Part of his purpose in writing to them was to put them again yin remembrance–to stir up their memories concerning things they had been taught, but he did not say this was his sole purpose in writing them. In fact, he had also discussed the great principles of God’s dealing with men and nations in the development of his plans.

Romans 15:16

Romans 15:16 : “…that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Paul was chosen as an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13; Galatians 1:16; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 2:7). The word here translated minister is not diakonos, the usual word for minister, or servant, but leitourgos, a word that usually had an official significance, one who performs a public service. Of its use here the Cambridge Greek Testament says, “The classical meaning of a public service performed to the community still colors the word. S. Paul adds here the name of the authority who orders the performance, and the persons to whose benefit it is directed. As compared with diakonos the pub-lic and representative character is emphasized. . . .

Here the context gives it the specially religious sense.” Paul was not only an apostle to the Gentiles, but also an apostle of the Gentiles; he was their apostle. By ministering the gospel to the Gentiles he converted many of them to God. These converts were his offering to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). There is no conflict, for the words Paul used were the words of the Holy Spirit. Besides, the many signs Paul wrought in connection with his preaching to the Gentiles showed that God approved his work, and that all Gentile converts were as acceptable to God as were Jewish converts, no matter what Judaizing teachers said to the contrary.

It was a decisive argument thrown in without seeming to have the Judaizers in mind at all.

Romans 15:17

Verse 17: I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. The “therefore” connects this verse with what Paul had just said. His ministering the gospel in making Gentile converts as his offering to God was the work in which he gloried. He thus reminded the Judaizers and all who might be influenced by them that he did not glory in his Jewish blood nor in anything that pertained to Judaism, but only in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God; “for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” That is, he had no confidence in his Jewish flesh–no confidence in the fact that he was a Jew. Christ Jesus was the center of all Paul’s preach-ing; the purpose of his life was to do all things that were pleasing to him. “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). “They desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But be it far from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:13-14).

Romans 15:18-19

Romans 15:18-19 : For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Many of Paul’s Gentile converts were effective workers in the Lord’s vineyard, and he might have claimed some credit for their successes; but he did not he would speak only of the things which Christ wrought through him, “for the obedience of the Gentiles.” His language does not fit in with, the theory that human agency has no part in the conversion of sinners, but it does fit in with what the Lord said to him in giving him his commission, namely, “to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:18).

 

An authority works through its agents or ambassadors. There is nothing mysterious about that. Paul was Christ’s agent for the purpose of bringing about obedience among the Gentiles; in that way Christ worked through him, “by word and deed”–by his preaching the gospel, and performing miracles to show that God was with him. The Holy Spirit enabled him to preach and to perform signs and wonders signs to confirm his preaching, and wonders to amaze the people. “From Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum,” shows the wide scope of territory Paul covered in his preaching.

Romans 15:20-21

Romans 15:20-21 : Yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man’s foundation; but, as it is written, They shall see, to whom no tidings of him came, And they who have not heard shall unde-stand. Paul did not seek easy places, nor places that paid the most money. He preached where the gospel was most needed, and where there appeared to be an opportunity to reap a harvest. At least, he was sometimes divinely guided to a field. Every place needed the gospel, but not every place was ripe unto harvest. His whole aim, was to preach where Christ had not been named. But this may be said: Paul had no family, no wife, to cause him to have a care for the material things of this world (1 Corinthians 7:32-33).

 

One who is not blinded by a theory can see how often Paul makes the point, that his preaching the gospel to Gentiles was a fulfillment of prophecies. But the Jew, in his feeling of superiority, interpreted these prophecies, as do some present-day theorists, to mean that Gentiles would be blessed only in subserviency to the Jews; but the Holy Spirit through Paul plainly contradicts such a theory. Till the gospel was preached to them, no tidings had come to Gentiles. Paul was sent to open the eyes of the Gentiles, to turn them from darkness to the light, that they might see (Acts 26:14-20). Hence, those who had never heard were made to understand.

Romans 15:22-24

Romans 15:22-24 : Wherefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you: but now, having no more any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come unto you, whensoever I go unto Spain (for 1 hope to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first in some measure 1 shall have been satisfied with your company). Paul’s purposes and plans were not always inspired. Over a period of many years he had a long-ing to visit the brethren in Rome, but had been hindered from doing so. (See also Romans 1:9-13). Every time he had planned to visit Rome other work pressed upon him; “but now, having no more any place in these regions,” the regions about Corinth, or perhaps all of Greece, he turned his mind again toward Rome. But Paul would not have it appear that he would force himself on them; he would visit them on his way to Spain. And he hoped that they would assist him on his journey into Spain. Paul knew he had enemies, the Judaizers, in many churches; and it seems that he had some doubts as to whether his association with the Roman brethren would be fully satisfactory–cer-tainly not, if there were in that church any of the Judaizers.

Romans 15:25-28

Romans 15:25-28 : But now, I say, I go unto Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints. For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem. Yea, it hath been their good pleasure; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by you unto Spain. Before visiting them on his intended journey into Spain, he had a mission to fulfill in Jerusalem.

For sometime he had been stirring up the churches of the Gentiles to make contributions for the poor saints in Judea. Many facts concerning this collection for the saints may be learned from 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15. Through the instrumentality of the Jews, yet in spite of some Jews, the Gentiles had received the gospel. These Gentile Christians felt an obligation therefore to do what they could to supply the material needs of the poor saints in Judea. Paul now promises to visit Rome on his way to Spain, after he had com-pleted the business of taking the contributions of the churches to Jerusalem. And he did go to Rome, but how he was to go had not been then revealed to him.

If he ever reached Spain, we have no record of it.

Romans 15:29

Romans 15:29 : And I know that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. Before a church, or an individual, can receive the “fullness of the blessings of Christ,” the heart must be open to receive such blessings. It seems that Paul felt sure that the brethren at Rome were ready in heart and mind to receive whatever additional blessings they needed. Perhaps this included Additional spiritual gifts.

Romans 15:30-33

Romans 15:30-33 : Now I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that are dis-obedient in Judea, and that my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints; that I may come unto you in joy through the will of God, and together with you find rest. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Paul knew he had bitter enemies in Jerusalem, who would kill him if they got a chance. Even amongst the saints whose needs he was preparing to supply, there were bitter enemies of Paul. But he believed the prayers of others would be helpful, and so he begs the Roman brethren to strive together with him in praying that no harm befall him.

People can sometimes be so antagonistic to others as to refuse all assistance from them. Paul feared the antagonism of the Jews to the Gentiles was so great his contributions from the Gentiles would not be accepted by the saints in Jerusalem. Therefore, he asked the saints at Rome to pray that his ministration would be accepted by the brethren at Jerusalem. This shows that the relations between Jewish churches and Gentile churches were much strained at the time. The theory has been advanced that one reason Paul was so anxious to collect much help for the poor saints in Judea was, to bring the Jewish churches to a better feeling toward Gentile churches. If the brethren of Judea would accept his gift, he could then go to Rome in joy through the will of God that is, if it was God’s will for him to go to Rome.

And if the Judean saints did accept his collected contributions, one cause of great worry would be removed from his mind, and he could find rest at Rome. “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”