CHAPTER XV. _The strong should bear the infirmities of the weak, and each_ _strive to please, not himself, but his neighbour, after the_ _example of Christ_, 1-3. _Whatsoever was written in old times was written for our_ _learning_, 4. _We should be of one mind, that we might with one mouth gl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:2. _LET EVERY ONE OF US PLEASE_ HIS _NEIGHBOUR_] For it should be a maxim with each of us to do all in our power to please our brethren; and especially in those things in which their spiritual edification is concerned. Though we should not indulge men in mere whims and caprices, yet... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:3. _FOR EVEN CHRIST PLEASED NOT HIMSELF_] Christ never acted as one who sought his _own ease_ or _profit_; he not only bore with the weakness, but with the insults, of his creatures; as it is written in Psalms 69:9: _The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me_-I not only... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:4. _FOR WHATSOEVER THINGS WERE WRITTEN AFORETIME_] This refers not only to the quotation from the 69th Psalm, but to all the _Old Testament_ scriptures; for it can be to no other scriptures that the apostle alludes. And, from what he says here of them, we learn that God had not inte... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:5. _NOW THE GOD OF PATIENCE AND CONSOLATION_] May that God who endued them with _patience_, and gave them the _consolation_ that supported them in all their trials and afflictions, _grant you_ _to be like-minded _- give you the same mode of thinking, and the same power of acting towa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:6. _THAT YE_ - JEWS AND GENTILES - _MAY WITH ONE MIND_] Thinking the same things, and bearing with each other, after the example of Christ; and _one mouth_, in all your religious assemblies, without jarring or contentions, _glorify God_ for calling you into such a state of salvation,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:7. _WHEREFORE RECEIVE YE ONE ANOTHER_] Προσλαμβανεσθε. Have the most _affectionate regard_ for each other, and acknowledge each other as the servants and children of God Almighty. _AS CHRIST ALSO RECEIVED US_] Καθως και ὁ Χριστος προσελαβετο ἡμας· In the same manner, and with the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:8. _JESUS CHRIST WAS A MINISTER OF THE CIRCUMCISION_] To show the Gentiles the propriety of bearing with the scrupulous Jews, he shows them here that they were under the greatest obligations to this people; to whom, in the days of his flesh, Jesus Christ confined his ministry; givin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:9. _AND THAT THE GENTILES MIGHT GLORIFY GOD FOR_ HIS _MERCY_] As the Jews were to glorify God for his _truth_, so the Gentiles were to glorify God for his _mercy_. The Jews received the blessings of the Gospel by _right_ of _promise_, which promise God had most punctually and circums... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:13. _NOW THE GOD OF HOPE_, c.] Ὁ δε Θεος της ελπιδος, _May the God of this hope_-that God who caused both Jews and Gentiles to hope that the gracious promises which he made to them should be fulfilled and who, accordingly, has fulfilled them in the most punctual and circumstantial m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:14. _AND I - AM PERSUADED OF YOU_] This is supposed to be an address to the Gentiles; and it is managed with great delicacy: he seems to apologize for the _freedom_ he had used in writing to them; which he gives them to understand proceeded from the authority he had received by his a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:15. _NEVERTHELESS - I HAVE WRITTEN_] Not withstanding I have this conviction of your extensive knowledge in the things of God, I have made bold to write to you _in some sort_, απο μερους, _to a party_ among you, as some learned men translate the words, who stand more in need of such... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:16. _MINISTERING THE GOSPEL OF GOD_] ιερουργουντα, _Acting as a priest_. Here is a plain allusion, says Dr. Whitby, to the Jewish sacrifices offered by the priest, and _sanctified_ or made acceptable by the _libamen_ offered with them; for he compares himself, in preaching the Gospe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _I HERE THEREFORE WHEREOF I MAY GLORY_] Being sent of God on this most honourable and important errand, I have matter of great exultation, not only in the _honour_ which he has conferred upon me, but in the great _success_ with which he has crowned my ministry.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _FOR I WILL NOT DARE TO SPEAK_] If the thing were not as I have stated it, I would not dare to arrogate to myself honours which did not belong to me. But God has made me the apostle of the Gentiles; and the conversion of the Gentiles is the fruit of my ministry, Christ having _wrought by m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _THROUGH MIGHTY SIGNS AND WONDERS_] This more fully explains the preceding clause: through the power of the Holy Ghost he was enabled to work among the Gentiles _mighty signs and_ _wonders_; so that they were fully convinced that both his doctrine and mission were Divine; and therefore the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _SO HAVE I STRIVED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL_] ουτω δε φιλοτιμουμενον. For I have considered it my _honour_ to preach the Gospel where that Gospel was before unknown. This is the proper import of the word φιλοτιμεισθαι; from φιλος, a _friend_, and τιμη, _honour_. As I am _not ashamed of the Gos... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _BUT AS IT IS WRITTEN_] These words, quoted from Isaiah 52:15, the apostle applies to his own conduct; not that the words themselves predicted what Paul had done, but that he endeavoured to fulfil such a declaration by his manner of preaching the Gospel to the heathen.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _FOR WHICH CAUSE_, c.] My considering it _a point of_ _honour to build on no other man's foundation_ and, finding that the Gospel has been long ago planted at Rome, I have been prevented from going thither, purposing rather to spend my time and strength in preaching where Christ has not, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _WHENSOEVER I TAKE MY JOURNEY INTO SPAIN_] Where it is very likely the Gospel had not yet been planted; though _legendary tales_ inform us that St. James had planted the Gospel there long before this time, and had founded many _bishoprics_! But this is as unfounded as it is ridiculous and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _NOW I GO UNTO JERUSALEM_] From this and the two following verses we learn that the object of his journey to Jerusalem was, to carry a contribution made among the Gentile Christians of Macedonia and Achaia for the relief of the poor Jewish Christians at Jerusalem. About this affair he had... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _FOR IF THE GENTILES HAVE BEEN MADE PARTAKERS_, c.] It was through and by means of the Jews that the Gentiles were brought to the knowledge of God and the Gospel of Christ. These were the _spiritual things_ which they had received and the pecuniary contribution was the _carnal things_ whic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _WHEN, THEREFORE, I HAVE PERFORMED THIS_] Service, _and have sealed_-faithfully delivered up, _to them this fruit_, of the success of my ministry and of your conversion to God, _I will_ _come by you into Spain_: this was in his desire; he had fully purposed it, if God should see meet to pe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _IN THE FULNESS OF THE BLESSING OF THE GOSPEL OF_ _CHRIST._] The words του ευαγγελιου του, _of the Gospel_, are wanting in almost every MS. of importance. _Griesbach_ has left them out of the text. There is no doubt they should be _omitted_. _The fulness of the blessing of Christ_ is reall... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:30. _FOR THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT_] By that love of God which the _Holy Spirit_ sheds abroad in your hearts. _THAT YE STRIVE TOGETHER_] συναγωνισασθαι _That ye agonize with_ _me_. He felt that much depended on the _success_ of his present mission to the Christians at Jerusalem, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:31. _THAT I MAY BE DELIVERED FROM THEM THAT DO NOT_ _BELIEVE_] He knew that his countrymen, who had not received the Gospel, lay in wait for his life; and, no doubt, they thought they should do God service by destroying him, not only as an apostate, in their apprehension, from the Je... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:32. _THAT I MAY COME UNTO YOU WITH JOY_] That his apprehensions of ill usage were not groundless, and the danger to which his life was exposed, real, we have already seen in the account given of this visit, Acts 21, Acts 22, Acts 23, and Acts 24; and that he had such intimations fro... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 15:33. _THE GOD OF PEACE BE WITH YOU_] The whole object of the epistle is to establish peace between the believing Jews and Gentiles, and to show them their mutual obligations, and the infinite mercy of God to both; and now he concludes with praying that the God of peace-he from whom it... [ Continue Reading ]