Romans 15 verses 22 through 33. Paul's planned journey to Rome, verse 22," For this reason, I have been considerably hindered from coming to you." Paul explains why he has not been able to come to Rome. It is because he was called to minister in places where the gospel had not yet been preached. The church in Rome was planted before Paul began his ministry, so it did not meet that criterion.
Up until now, Paul had been prevented from traveling to Rome because he was fully engaged in fulfilling his divine commission, verses 23 and 24. But now having no more places to visit in these parts and having a great desire for many years to come to you, when I take my journey to Spain, I will come to you. For I trust to see you on my journey and to be sent on my way there by you. If first, I might be filled with your company for a while. Paul explains why he is now free to journey to Rome.
It is because he has no more places to visit in these parts. That is, he has completed the assignment given to him by God. His final missionary journey in the East has now been completed. Paul again expresses his deep love for those in Rome, saying he has had a great desire these many years to come to you. Yet Paul wants to make it clear that he is not abandoning his divine commission to preach Christ in those places where his name has not been heard.
Therefore, he plans on coming to Rome on his way to Spain, another place where the name of Christ has not been heard. If first I might be filled with your company for a while. Paul adds this statement because he does not want it to appear that he is slighting those in Rome, although he will be seeing them on his way to Spain. And even though he will only be with them for a while, he still wants to be filled with their company. Origen comments, notice what he says and what is added.
Once I have been filled with your company for a little while, he seems to be leaving to their discretion how long he should stay with them before continuing his proposed journey. Thus, he elicits and fosters their love for him. If they develop a great affection for the apostle, he wants them to know that he is prepared to stay with them and to go on to others only once he has fully enjoyed the gift of their love.
Chrysostom explains the significance of the phrase," Be filled with your company." He writes," His use of words in such a warm-hearted way is a sign of Paul's great affection for them, for he does not merely say," I will see you." Rather, he says that I might be filled. Here he is imitating the language parents use. Nevertheless, as Origen explains, Paul adds the qualifier for a while, for he senses that he will need to leave for Spain before their affection for each other has been fully satisfied.
From reading Acts, we know that Paul eventually did reach Rome, but under different circumstances than he expected. He came to Rome as a prisoner after spending two years in captivity in Caesarea. Nevertheless, Paul ended up spending at least two years in Rome, for Luke tells us, then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house and received all who came to him.
Verses 25 and 26," But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, for it has pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints who are at Jerusalem." Paul tells the Romans that instead of heading directly to Rome, he is first going to deliver a collection taken for the poor Christians in Jerusalem. This donation was from the churches in Achaia and Macedonia. Achaia was a Roman province in Western Greece, bordering Macedonia on the south.
When Paul was in Ephesus, he had spoken of his plans to go to Jerusalem and then to Rome. When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to go to Jerusalem, saying," After I have been there, I must also see Rome." The contribution Paul was taking to Rome is apparently the same gift of which Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians. Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia.
For according to their power, I testify, yes, and beyond their power they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty to receive this gift. Concerning the donation from Achaia, Paul wrote," It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints. For I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to those of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for the past year. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them.
Verse 27," It has truly pleased them as they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty, therefore, is to minister to them in material things." Earlier, Paul had said that the Gentiles had been grafted onto the cultivated olive tree and had participated in the fatness of that tree. The Gentiles were the spiritual debtors of the Jews. For one thing, Jews had written the entire Old Testament under inspiration.
The prophets were all Jews, and Jesus had come in the flesh as a Jew. Likewise, Paul and the 12 apostles were all Jews. More than likely, Jews had even planted the church in Rome. So indeed, the Gentiles had been partakers of the spiritual things of the Jews. That being the case, as Origen comments, they had a duty to minister to the Jews with their material possessions.
Most of the early Christian commentators remarked that by mentioning the donations he was carrying to Jerusalem, Paul was subtly encouraging the Romans to follow the example of Macedonia and Achaia. Origen writes," Devout minds are more easily persuaded to do good by examples than by words.
If the Achaeans and Macedonians are debtors to the needy saints in Jerusalem by the same logic, the Romans are too." Chrysostom adds," There is good reason to admire Paul's wisdom for using this method of offering advice, for the Romans were more likely to receive it in this manner than if he had stated it in the form of a direct request." On numerous occasions, Jesus had spoken about the necessity for Christians to help the poor.
Jesus declared that this would be a key factor in separating the sheep from the goats on judgment day. On that day, he will say," Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in." The apostles took Jesus' teaching on this matter very seriously.
Paul relates that when he and Barnabas met with some of the apostles at the beginning of his ministry, they desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. By his actions in taking these donations to Jerusalem, Paul showed just how much importance he placed on helping the poor. After all, he was in Corinth and eagerly wanted to go to Rome. Although Rome lies northeast of Corinth, Paul traveled in the exact opposite direction.
He went southwest to Jerusalem to personally deliver the contributions to the saints there. Chrysostom writes," Consider just how great a thing Paul is doing here. He was ready to travel to Rome, and he was eager to be there. But instead, he, the teacher of the Gentile world, decides to be the bearer of alms, and he places this task above going to Rome.
Verse 28," When therefore I have performed this and have sealed this fruit to them, I will come to Spain by way of you." In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorted us," Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break in and steal." This is the precise thing that the Christians in Macedonia and Achaia were doing. Theodoret comments," Paul is saying, through the hands of the saints, I offer up to the right hand of God the contributions that were sent.
God will keep this fruit safe and uninjured." Chrysostom adds," Paul does not say alms, but fruit to show that those who gave it were the gainers by it." Verse 29," And I am sure that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ." And Ambrosiaster comments," Assured of the privilege and grace of God, Paul promises that he will come to them with an abundance of the blessings of Christ whom he preaches." Chrysostom adds," It is as if Paul had said," I know that when I come,
I shall find you with the honor and freshness of all good deeds about you and worthy of countless praises in the gospel."" Now I beseech you, brothers, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." Paul does not ask the Romans to merely pray for him, but to strive together in prayer.
Origen comments that Paul is making it known that he is engaged in a struggle, a prayer battle, against the evil forces that oppose him.
When writing to the Ephesians, Paul also spoke of such a contest, saying," For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Even though Paul was an eminent apostle, he still needed the intercessory prayers of ordinary Christians.
Verses 31 through 32," That I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service, which I have for Jerusalem, may be accepted by the saints, and that I may come to you with joy by the will of God and may be refreshed with you." Although Paul had requested the prayers of the Roman Christians for his general ministry, he is now specifically asking for their prayers that he will be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe.
Evidently, then, the Holy Spirit had already cautioned Paul that danger awaited him in Jerusalem. On his journey to Jerusalem, Paul told the elders from Ephesus," Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me." It should be noted that the Spirit did not forbid Paul to go to Jerusalem.
Rather, the Spirit informed him of what would await him, and he apparently left it up to Paul to decide whether to go or not. At first glance, it may seem that these prayers went unanswered, since Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. However, on further reflection, we can see that the prayers of the Roman Christians were favorably answered. Paul was delivered out of the hands of the Jews, and by the will of God, he ultimately did arrive safely in Rome.
During his lengthy stay in Rome, Paul was truly able to be refreshed with the brethren there. Did Paul reach Spain? Luke ends his Acts of the Apostles with Paul being under house arrest in Rome. Luke never states whether Paul reached Spain, nor does Paul address the matter in his later letters. However, Clement of Rome testifies that Paul reached the extreme limit of the West. Spain was the westernmost province of Rome on continental Europe.
Clement of Rome writes," Paul also obtained the reward for patient endurance after being seven times thrown into prison, compelled to flee, and being stoned." After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, for having taught righteousness to the whole world and having gone to the extreme limit of the West, he suffered martyrdom under the magistrates. Clement's testimony is weighty because Clement wrote together with the other leaders in the church at Rome.
Furthermore, he wrote those words in A.D. 96, only 30 years after Paul's death in Rome. It would seem likely that at such an early date, the church in Rome would have had a reliable tradition as to whether Paul went to Spain once he left Rome. The Muratorian fragment also specifically states that Paul went to Spain. Verse 33," Now the God of peace be with you all." Amen. Paul closes this passage with a prayer and blessing for the Christians in Rome.
Although there are many titles of God, Paul chooses to call him the God of peace. This was for good reason. Theodoret writes," It is not without cause that Paul here refers to God as the God of peace." First Paul himself was needing God's peace because of those who openly opposed him and those who regarded him with suspicion. Second, Paul was imploring peace for the Roman Christians because of the differences they had among themselves concerning observances of the law.