Chapter 15:14-33
This last section is supplementary to the foregoing doctrine in the epistle. Paul apprises the Roman saints of his personal circumstances and his intentions in service in regard to the gospel in “the regions beyond” (2 Cor. 10:1616To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. (2 Corinthians 10:16)).
Thus, he closes the epistle by stating his reasons for writing to them and expresses his great desire to visit them. He explains that he did not write to them because of any particular lack on their part, but simply to communicate to them the gospel he preached among the Gentiles; promising that when he would come to them, he would give them “the fullness of the blessing of Christ” (vs. 29)—which he did not expound upon in this letter. This is a reference to the truth of “the Mystery” which was a special revelation given to him, and other apostles and prophets (Eph. 3:55Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; (Ephesians 3:5)), to communicate to the saints. He mentions this in chapter 16:25.
Vss. 14-15––He said, “I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God.” We see from this that Paul was convinced that the brethren in Rome were in a good state––“being full of goodness”––and thus would receive his admonitions. Therefore, he wrote with considerable boldness to them. He was also confident that they were mature Christians and well able to mutually admonish one another in love, and thus regulate themselves in regard to difficulties that might arise among them, without him being present to do it. This is a sign of a healthy assembly. Paul, therefore, had no intention of coming to them as an arbitrator or regulator. Damage can be done by those who imagine themselves to be such among the Lord’s people. It is not that an assembly cannot call for help and advice, but under normal conditions, local assemblies should work out their own difficulties in the fear of God (Phil. 2:1212Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)). An assembly that habitually has its trouble worked out by brethren from other localities could miss the practical blessing and spiritual education that the Lord intends for them in the trouble.
Note that he mentions “full of goodness” before being able to “admonish one another.” To be effective admonishers, we first must have hearts full of goodness toward those whom we seek to help, and we must also have the practical “knowledge” of the Scriptural principles concerning the person’s situation. Without this grace and knowledge, we could do damage to the person and exacerbate the problem.
Chap. 15:16-17—Paul had another reason for coming to them, and that was because he had been “officially employed” (J. N. Darby Trans. footnote) by God as an “administrator of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.” He had a special commission from God to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 22:2115But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: (Acts 9:15)
21And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. (Acts 22:21); Gal. 2:77But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (Galatians 2:7); Eph. 3:88Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8); Col. 1:2727To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)). Since they were predominantly a Gentile assembly––if not exclusively Gentile, for Claudius Caesar had expelled all Jews from Rome (Acts 18:22And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. (Acts 18:2))––Paul felt it incumbent upon himself to make sure that “the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable” to God. That is, that they would stand before God in all the truth of the gospel and the Mystery. He adds, “Through being sanctified by the Holy Spirit” because he fully understood that this work among the Gentiles was really a work of God by the Spirit, and he wanted to give God the credit for what He had wrought. Paul was, therefore, justified in his desire to “glory [boast] through Christ Jesus in those things.”
Vss. 18-19––If there was any question whether he really had this commission, such a notion could easily be put to rest by the proofs of it. He said, “I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed.” That is, he would not comment on what others were doing for the Lord but of what he had known firsthand by the Lord working through him. There had been a display of “mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.” And this had been in many places––“from Jerusalem, and in a circuit round to Illyricum (north of Macedonia on the Adriatic Sea). Essentially, it was in every place where he “preached the gospel of Christ.” This is an account of the geographical extent of his ministry, not the chronological order of it.
Vss. 20-21––Paul’s intention was to keep pressing further out among the Gentiles with the gospel, “where Christ was not named.” His ministry consisted more of breaking into new regions and leaving the work of shepherding and of teaching his converts to others. He had no intention of working where others had laboured and had built upon the “foundation”––which is Christ (1 Cor. 3:1111For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)). He quotes Isaiah 52:1515So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. (Isaiah 52:15) to show that the principle of reaching out to the Gentiles in this way was according to God—“As it is written, To whom He was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.” Paul’s ministry was not a fulfilment of this prophecy. He does not say that it was––stating only that the principle upon which he was acting was according to what had been “written” in the Old Testament. (As a general rule, when something from the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament, it will state that it is. See Matthew 1:22; 2:2322Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (Matthew 1:22)
23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23); John 19:36-3736For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (John 19:36‑37), etc.)
Vss. 22-24––Being thus occupied in service, Paul tells them that he had often sought for opportunities to come to them, but was “often hindered from coming” (compare chapter 1:13). However, having been specially commissioned with a ministry to the Gentiles, Paul expected that a way would open for him to come to them shortly. And now since his ministry of opening new areas with the gospel was largely completed in “these parts”––Asia Minor (Turkey) and Achaia (Greece)––he was free to push forward into new regions, and thus come to them on his way to Spain.
Vss. 25-27––But Paul had one last responsibility to take care of before he would go far hence unto the Gentiles. He was headed to Jerusalem with the collection from the brethren from “Macedonia and Achaia” (northern and southern provinces in Greece) to give to “the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.” We read about this in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul and Barnabas had delivered a similar gift to the saints of Jerusalem in their earlier days (Acts 11:29-3029Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea: 30Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:29‑30)). There appears to be two reasons for the poverty of the Jews in Judea:
The believing Gentiles were “well pleased indeed” to give their Jewish brethren this gift because they saw themselves as “debtors” to them. They had partaken of their “spiritual things” (the Scriptures, the presence of the Spirit of God, etc.) and felt that it was only right that they should send relief to them in temporal things.
Vss. 28-29––Having “sealed to them this fruit” (put the gift into their hands), Paul fully intended to come to the Roman saints on his way to Spain. And when he would come to them, he promised to give them “the fulness of the blessing of Christ” (vs. 29). The KJV adds, the “gospel” of Christ, but that word is not in the Greek text. Paul had just expounded the truth of the gospel to them in this very epistle. The “fulness” that he refers to here is the truth of “the Mystery,” which would “complete” the Christian revelation of truth (Col. 1:2525Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (Colossians 1:25)). He mentions it in chapter 16:25. It is a special revelation of truth concerning Christ and the Church. Mr. Darby mentions that there is no record that Paul ever got to Spain (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, on Romans 15).
A Threefold Prayer Request
Vss. 30-33––Lastly, Paul asks for the prayers of the Romans in view of this work. This, he says, would be for “the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake” and would be in accord with “the love of the Spirit,” which is the mutual fellowship of the saints. His threefold prayer request is predicated on the word “that.”
• “That” the gift he was bringing to the Jewish believers would be accepted in good grace and would be seen as a true expression of their Gentile brethren’s love. And, by it, they would be knit together as fellow believers in Christ. (Paul requested this because he knew that there were still some religious prejudice in the Jewish saints, and he hoped that this would flush those feelings out of them.)
• “That” he would get to Rome with joy and by the will of God, and that they would be mutually refreshed. This prayer was answered, but in a very different way than Paul anticipated; he arrived in Rome as a prisoner.
Paul ends the main part of the epistle by telling the Roman saints that he desired “the God of peace” would be with them, adding a hearty “Amen.”