Ro 15:1–13. Same
Subject Continued and Concluded.
1.
We then that are strong—on such
points as have been discussed, the abolition of the Jewish distinction of meats
and days under the Gospel. See on Ro 14:14; Ro 14:20.
ought
… not to please ourselves—ought to
think less of what we may lawfully do than of how our conduct will affect
others.
2,
3. Let every one of us—lay
himself out to
please
his neighbour—not indeed for his mere gratification,
but
for
his good—with a view
to
his edification.
3.
For even Christ pleased not—lived not
to please
himself;
but, as it is written—(Ps 69:9).
The
reproaches, &c.—see Mk 10:42–45.
4.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning—“instruction”
through, &c.—“through the comfort and the patience of the
Scriptures”
might
have hope—that is, “Think not that because
such portions of Scripture relate immediately to Christ, they are inapplicable
to you; for though Christ’s sufferings, as a Saviour, were exclusively His own,
the motives that prompted them, the spirit in which they were
endured, and the general principle involved in His whole
work—self-sacrifice for the good of others—furnish our most perfect and
beautiful model; and so all Scripture relating to these is for our instruction;
and since the duty of forbearance, the strong with the weak, requires
‘patience,’ and this again needs ‘comfort,’ all those Scriptures which tell of patience
and consolation, particularly of the patience of Christ, and of the
consolation which sustained Him under it, are our appointed and appropriate
nutriment, ministering to us ‘hope’ of that blessed day when these shall
no more be needed.” See on Ro 4:7, Note 7. (For the same connection
between “patience and hope” see on Ro 12:12, and 1Th 1:3).
5,
6. Now the God of patience and consolation—Such
beautiful names of God are taken from the graces which He inspires: as “the God
of hope” (Ro 15:13), “the God of peace” (Ro 15:33).
grant
you to be likeminded—“of the same mind”
according
to Christ Jesus—It is not mere unanimity which the
apostle seeks for them; for unanimity in evil is to be deprecated. But it is “according
to Christ Jesus”—after the sublimest model of Him whose all-absorbing
desire was to do, “not His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him” (Jn
6:38).
6.
That, &c.—rather, “that with one
accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ”; the mind and the mouth of all giving harmonious glory to His name.
What a prayer! And shall this never be realized on earth?
7.
Wherefore—returning to the point
receive
ye one another … to the glory of God—If
Christ received us, and bears with all our weaknesses, well may we receive and
compassionate one with another, and by so doing God will be glorified.
8–12.
Now—“For” is the true reading: the
apostle is merely assigning an additional motive to Christian forbearance.
I
say that Jesus Christ was—“hath
become”
a
minister of the circumcision—a
remarkable expression, meaning “the Father’s Servant for the salvation of the
circumcision (or, of Israel).”
for
the truth of God—to make good the veracity of God
towards His ancient people.
to
confirm the—Messianic
promises
made unto the fathers—To cheer the Jewish believers, whom
he might seem to have been disparaging, and to keep down Gentile pride, the
apostle holds up Israel’s salvation as the primary end of Christ’s mission. But
next after this, Christ was sent.
9.
that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy—A number of quotations from the Old Testament here follow,
to show that God’s plan of mercy embraced, from the first, the Gentiles along
with the Jews.
as
it is written—(Ps 18:49).
I
will confess to—that is, glorify
thee
among the Gentiles.
10.
And again—(De 32:43, though there is some
difficulty in the Hebrew).
Rejoice,
ye Gentiles—along
with
his people—Israel.
11.
And again—(Ps 117:1).
Praise
the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people—“peoples”—the various nations outside the pale of Judaism.
12.
And again, Esaias saith—(Is
11:10).
There
shall be a—“the”
root
of Jesse—meaning, not “He from whom Jesse
sprang,” but “He that is sprung from Jesse” (that is, Jesse’s son David). See
Rev 22:16.
and
he that shall rise, &c.—So the Septuagint in
substantial, though not verbal, agreement with the original.
13.
Now, &c.—This seems a concluding
prayer, suggested by the whole preceding subject matter of the epistle.
the
God of hope—(See on Ro 15:5).
fill
you with all joy and peace in believing—the
native truth of that faith which is the great theme of this epistle
(compare Ga 5:22).
that
ye may abound in hope—“of the glory of God.” (See on Ro
5:1).
through
the power of the Holy Ghost—to whom,
in the economy of redemption, it belongs to inspire believers with all gracious
affections.
On the
foregoing portion, Note, (1) No Christian is at liberty to regard
himself as an isolated disciple of the Lord Jesus, having to decide questions
of duty and liberty solely with reference to himself. As Christians are one
body in Christ, so the great law of love binds them to act in all things with
tenderness and consideration for their brethren in “the common salvation” (Ro
15:1, 2). (2) Of this unselfishness Christ
is the perfect model of all Christians (Ro 15:3). (3) Holy Scripture is the
divine storehouse of all furniture for the Christian life, even in its most
trying and delicate features (Ro 15:4). (4) The harmonious glorification of the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by the whole body of the redeemed, as
it is the most exalted fruit of the scheme of redemption, so it is the last end
of God in it (Ro 15:5–7).
Ro
15:14–33. Conclusion: In Which the Apostle Apologizes for Thus
Writing to the Roman Christians, Explains
Why He Had Not Yet Visited Them, Announces
His Future Plans, and Asks Their Prayers for the Completion of Them.
14,
15. And, &c.—rather, “Now I am
persuaded, my brethren, even I myself, concerning you”
that
ye also yourselves are full of goodness—of
inclination to all I have been enjoining on you
filled
with all knowledge—of the truth expounded
and
able—without my intervention.
to
admonish one another.
15.
Nevertheless, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort—“measure”
as
putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God—as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
16.
that I should be the—rather, “a”
minister—The word here used is commonly employed to express the
office of the priesthood, from which accordingly the figurative language of the
rest of the verse is taken.
of
Jesus Christ—“Christ Jesus,” according to the
true reading.
to
the Gentiles—a further proof that the Epistle
was addressed to a Gentile church. (See on Ro 1:13).
ministering
the gospel of God—As the word here is a still more
priestly one, it should be rendered, “ministering as a priest in the Gospel of
God.”
that
the offering up of the Gentiles—as
an oblation to God, in their converted character.
might
be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost—the end to which the ancient offerings typically looked.
17.
I have therefore whereof I may glory—or
(adding the article, as the reading seems to be), “I have my glorying.”
through—“in”
Christ
Jesus in those things which pertain to God—the
things of the ministry committed to me of God.
18–22.
For I will not dare to speak of any—“to
speak aught”
of
those things which Christ hath not wrought by me—a modest, though somewhat obscure form of expression,
meaning, “I will not dare to go beyond what Christ hath wrought by
me”—in which form accordingly the rest of the passage is expressed. Observe
here how Paul ascribes all the success of his labors to the activity of the
living Redeemer, working in and by him.
by
word and deed—by preaching and working; which
latter he explains in the next clause.
19.
Through mighty—literally, “in the power of”
signs
and wonders—that is, glorious miracles.
by
the power of the Spirit of God—“the
Holy Ghost,” as the true reading seems to be. This seems intended to explain
the efficacy of the word preached, as well as the working of the miracles which
attested it.
so
that from Jerusalem, and round about unto—“as
far as”
Illyricum—to the extreme northwestern boundary of Greece. It
corresponds to the modern Croatia and Dalmatia (2Ti 4:10). See Ac 20:1, 2.
I
have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20,
21. Yea, &c.—rather, “Yet making it my
study (compare 2Co 5:9; 1Th 4:11, Greek) so to preach the Gospel, not
where Christ was [already] named, that I might not build upon another man’s foundation:
but (might act) as it is written, To whom no tidings of Him came, they shall
see,” &c.
22.
For which cause—“Being so long occupied with this
missionary work, I have been much (or, ‘for the most part’) hindered,” &c.
(See on Ro 1:9–11.)
23,
24. 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 Ro 1:9–11).
24.
whensoever I take my journey into Spain—Whether
this purpose was ever accomplished has been much disputed, as no record of it
nor allusion to it anywhere occurs. Those who think our apostle was never at
large after his first imprisonment at Rome will of course hold that it never
was; while those who are persuaded, as we are, that he underwent a second
imprisonment, prior to which he was at large for a considerable time after his
first, incline naturally to the other opinion.
I
will come to you—If these words were not originally
in the text, and there is weighty evidence against them, they must at least be
inserted as a necessary supplement.
in
my journey, &c.—“as I pass through by you,
to be set forward on my journey thither, if first I be somewhat filled with
your company”: that is, “I should indeed like to stay longer with you than I
can hope to do, but I must, to some extent at least, have my fill of your
company.”
25–27.
But now I go to Jerusalem to minister—“ministering”
to
the saints—in the sense immediately to be
explained.
26.
For, &c.—better, “For Macedonia and
Achaia have thought good to make a certain contribution for the poor of the
saints which are at Jerusalem.” (See Ac 24:17). “They have thought it good; and
their debtors verily they are”; that is, “And well they may, considering what
the Gentile believers owe to their Jewish brethren.”
27.
For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their
duty is also—“they owe it also”
to
minister unto them in carnal things—(Compare
1Co 9:11; Ga 6:6; and see Lu 7:4; Ac 10:2).
28,
29. When therefore I have … sealed—that
is, delivered over safely
to
them this fruit—of the faith and love of the
Gentile converts
I
will come—“come back,” or “return”
by
you into Spain—(See on Ro 15:24).
29.
And I am sure—“I know”
that
… I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ—Such, beyond all doubts, is the true reading, the words “of
the gospel” being in hardly any manuscripts of antiquity and authority. Nor was
the apostle mistaken in this confidence, though his visit to Rome was in very
different circumstances from what he expected. See Ac 28:16–31.
30.
Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love
of the Spirit—or, “by the Lord Jesus Christ, and
by the love of the Spirit”—not the love which the Spirit bears to us, but that
love which He kindles in the hearts of believers towards each other; that is
“By that Saviour whose name is alike dear to all of us and whose unsearchable
riches I live only to proclaim, and by that love one to another which the
blessed Spirit diffuses through all the brotherhood, making the labors of
Christ’s servants a matter of common interest to all—I beseech you.”
that
ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me—implying that he had his grounds for anxious fear in this
matter.
31.
That I may be delivered from them that do not believe—“that do not obey,” that is, the truth, by believing it; as
in Ro 2:8.
in
Judea—He saw the storm that was gathering
over him in Judea, which, if at all, would certainly burst upon his head when
he reached the capital; and the event too clearly showed the correctness of
these apprehensions.
and
that my service which I have for Jerusalem—(See
on Ro 15:25–28).
may
be accepted of—“prove acceptable to”
the
saints—Nor was he without apprehension
lest the opposition he had made to the narrow jealousy of the Jewish converts
against the free reception of their Gentile brethren, should make this gift of
theirs to the poor saints at Jerusalem less welcome than it ought to be. He would
have the Romans therefore to join him in wrestling with God that this gift
might be gratefully received, and prove a cement between the two parties. But
further.
32.
That I may come unto you with—“in”
joy
by the will of God—(Ac 18:21; 1Co 4:19; 16:7; Heb 6:3;
Jam 4:15)
and
may with you be refreshed—rather,
“with you refresh myself,” after all his labors and anxieties, and so be
refitted for future service.
33.
Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen—The
peace here sought is to be taken in its widest sense: the peace of
reconciliation to God, first, “through the blood of the everlasting covenant”
(Heb 13:20; 1Th 5:23; 2Th 3:16; Php 4:9); then the peace which that
reconciliation diffuses among all the partakers of it (1Co 14:33; 2Co 13:11;
and see on Ro 16:20); more widely still, that peace which the children of God,
in beautiful imitation of their Father in Heaven, are called and privileged to
diffuse far and wide through this sin-distracted and divided world (Ro 12:18;
Mt 5:9; Heb 12:14; Jam 3:18).
Note, (1) Did “the chiefest of the apostles” apologize for
writing to a Christian church which he had never seen, and a church that he was
persuaded was above the need of it, save to “stir up their pure minds by way of
remembrance” (2Pe 1:13; 3:1); and did he put even this upon the sole plea of
apostolic responsibility (Ro 15:14–16)? What a contrast is thus presented to
hierarchical pride, and in particular to the affected humility of the bishop of
this very Rome! How close the bond which the one spirit draws between ministers
and people—how wide the separation produced by the other! (2) There is in the
Christian Church no real priesthood, and none but figurative sacrifices. Had it
been otherwise, it is inconceivable that Ro 15:16 should have been expressed as
it is. Paul’s only priesthood and sacrificial offerings lay, first, in
ministering to them as “the apostle of the Gentiles,” not the sacrament with
the “real presence” of Christ in it, or the sacrifice of the mass, but “the
Gospel of God,” and then, when gathered under the wing of Christ, presenting
them to God as a grateful offering, “being sanctified [not by sacrificial
gifts, but] by the Holy Ghost.” (See Heb 13:9–16). (3) Though the debt we owe
to those by whom we have been brought to Christ can never be discharged, we
should feel it a privilege when we render them any lower benefit in return (Ro
15:26, 27). (4) Formidable designs against the truth and the servants of Christ
should, above all other ways of counteracting them, be met by combined prayer
to Him who rules all hearts and controls all events; and the darker the cloud,
the more resolutely should all to whom Christ’s cause is dear “strive together
in their prayers to God” for the removal of it (Ro 15:30, 31). (5) Christian
fellowship is so precious that the most eminent servants of Christ, amid the
toils and trials of their work, find it refreshing and invigorating; and it is
no good sign of any ecclesiastic, that he deems it beneath him to seek and
enjoy it even amongst the humblest saints in the Church of Christ (Ro 15:24,
32).
Excerpt from:
A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
Rick Meyers. e-Sword ®: www.e-sword.net
