Romans 15:14-21

The Present Juncture in Paul's Ministry. Paul resumes the thread dropped at Romans 1:15.

Romans 15:14. He does not think the Roman Christians in need of correction; he has written, however, and in part of the epistle (in Romans 6:12, and much of Romans 12, 14) somewhat boldly, by way of further reminder of familiar truths (cf. Romans 6:17) a liberty warranted by the special grace he had received (cf. Romans 1:2, Romans 12:3). That grace had constituted him a sacred-minister (cf. Romans 13:6) of Christ Jesus for the nations, sacrificially ministering the gospel of God, to the end that the offering up of the nations, etc. (cf. Isaiah 66:19 f.). By anticipation Paul presents, like a priest at the altar, the sanctified nations to God; all his labours tend toward this world-offering.

Romans 15:17. The earnest of the consummation is already realised; so that the apostle has his glorying therein a boast not overstepping the limits nor exaggerating the successes of his ministry (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 12:11 f.).In a circle (EV, round about): Paul's labours extended on both sides of the line of march defined (cf. Mark 3:34; Mark 6:6). In Jerusalem Paul had preached long ago (see Acts 9:26); to Illyria he had probably made an excursion during his recent sojourn in Macedonia.

Romans 15:20 f. Over this immense area Paul has fulfilled the Lord's command as stated, e.g., in Luke 24:24 his ambition being to tell the good news where Christ has not been named; he would not build on a foundation laid by another, but had pressed ever forward into unevangelised lands, making good the prophecy of Isaiah 52:15, which depicted the astonishment of nations at the tidings brought concerning Jehovah's Servant.