ACC ~ Romans 15 v23 - 33

OVERVIEW:

Paul did not mean to suggest that he was only going to drop in on the Romans in passing, for he had longed to see them. Though delayed, he looked forward to being refreshed in their company. Paul first had to go to Jerusalem with aid for the saints, and he wanted the Romans to understand the importance of this. The Greeks had been generous in their almsgiving. The Fathers suggested that Paul was trying to spur the Romans to a similar effort. In any case, we know that when Paul got to Jerusalem he was arrested and was eventually sent to Rome to plead his case before Caesar. So he got his wish in the end, if not quite in the way he had originally intended.

15:23 | Longing to Visit the Romans

NO ROOM FOR WORK IN THESE REGIONS. ORIGEN: “These regions” refer to Achaia, where Paul then was, and to the neighboring Macedonia, where he had been the first to preach the gospel. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

I HAVE LONGED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. CHRYSOSTOM: He wrote to say he was coming to them but not because he wanted any glory from them. He was coming because he had … always wanted to visit them. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 29.

PELAGIUS: Where all the people have already heard the gospel, Paul has no reason for laying a foundation. Observe from this that there are some desires which are good! PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:24 | Go On by Way of You

I HOPE TO SEE YOU IN PASSING. ORIGEN: This must not be understood to mean that Paul had so little love for the Romans that he was only going to drop in on them briefly while passing through on his way elsewhere. Look what he says [in the next few verses] and you will see that this cannot be right. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

AS I GO TO SPAIN. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: Paul instructed imperial Rome and extended the zeal of his preaching even to Spain, sustaining countless conflicts and performing signs and wonders. CATECHESIS 17.26.

SPED ON MY JOURNEY. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul expresses himself in this way in order to keep the Romans from feeling proud. They were not used to being a mere stopover on a journey. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 29.

ONCE I HAVE ENJOYED YOUR COMPANY FOR A LITTLE. PELAGIUS: It is not certain whether Paul ever got to Spain. … The reason he says that he will enjoy their company “for a little” is that they did not need to come to faith but only to be strengthened in faith. Or it may mean that no amount of time can satisfy love. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:25 | Aiding the Saints in Jerusalem

WITH AID FOR THE SAINTS. AMBROSIASTER: Paul wants the Romans to understand that they ought to be concerned with this sort of thing, for those who live because of mercy and who are justified before God ought to show their devotion to their brothers. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CHRYSOSTOM: Paul explains his delay and in the process takes the opportunity to teach the Romans about the importance of almsgiving. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 30.

I AM GOING TO JERUSALEM. PELAGIUS: In Jerusalem there were saints who had sold all their possessions and laid them at the feet of the apostles, devoting themselves to prayer, reading and teaching. It is clear from this text that their character was such that Paul is traveling in order to attend them in person, and he hopes that his offering will be received by them … thereby showing that it is more blessed to give than to receive. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:26 | Contributions for the Poor

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE POOR OF JERUSALEM. ORIGEN: Note how Paul subtly exhorts the Romans by praising the believers of Macedonia and Achaia. For if they could make some contribution, why could the Romans not do likewise? Most people think that Paul wanted the Romans to give to the same purpose as those of Macedonia and Achaia had done, but this interpretation seems to me to be too narrow. There were poor saints all over the place, and Paul wanted the Romans to develop a spirit of generosity toward them all. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

PELAGIUS: They thought it would be good for them to make some collection for the expenses of the saints who had voluntarily become poor for their edification. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

REMEMBER THE POOR. THEODORET OF CYR: When St. Barnabas and St. Paul took on the task of preaching to the Gentiles, they made an agreement with Peter, James and John, promising them that they would encourage Gentile believers to come to the aid of believers in Judea. Paul mentions this in his epistle to the Galatians: “When they perceived the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised; only they would have us remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do.” INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

SERVICE IN MATERIAL BLESSINGS. AMBROSIASTER: In this way the believers among the Jews would rejoice at God’s providential saving of the Gentiles through their ministry. For these Gentiles, by giving themselves completely to the service of God and not caring at all about the things of this world, offered an example of good behavior to believers. Then too, the apostle wants us to be sympathetic and merciful so that we might feel obliged to give alms and to do good works with a willing heart, because whoever hopes for mercy from God must be merciful, in order to prove that he has some reason for his hope. For if a man is merciful, how much more is God! For this is the payment or reward, that those who receive mercy should be merciful. As the Lord said: “Blessed are the merciful, for God will be merciful to them.” COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE GENTILES SHARE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. PELAGIUS: By example Paul incites the Romans to a similar effort, indicating that there was a good reason why it seemed good to them. The Gentiles had obtained teachers from the Jews and so … they ought to share their abundance with them. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:28 | Journeying to Spain

TO SPAIN. JEROME: Mark well the swiftness of the Word. It is not satisfied with the East but desires to speed to the West as well! HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 57.

15:29 | Coming in the Fullness of Christ’s Blessing

I SHALL COME IN THE FULLNESS OF THE BLESSING OF CHRIST. ORIGEN: What does Paul mean by this? I think he is talking here about the image of God, by which he means that there will be no admixture of any alien thought in the fulfilling of his task and no praise sought from men. He simply will offer all he has done to God in the simplicity of his heart. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

AMBROSIASTER: “The fullness of the blessing” refers to the miracles through which the blessing is confirmed. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CHRYSOSTOM: Paul is speaking here either about alms or about good deeds. For blessing is a name he very commonly gives to alms. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 30.

[PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: The apostle would be taken to Rome in chains because of his preaching of Christ. He predicts that he will come in the fullness of blessing, as he was certainly aware that he did not have any less grace than the other apostles. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

PELAGIUS: If the Romans behave well, Paul will be full of good teaching for them, for the teacher is incited to teach to the extent that the student shows progress. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:30 | Praying on Paul’s Behalf

STRIVE TOGETHER WITH ME IN YOUR PRAYERS. AMBROSIASTER: Paul asks for their prayers … not because he deserves them but because he is following the principle that the church ought to pray for its pastor. For when many ordinary people come together and agree they become great, and the prayers of many cannot be ignored. Therefore, if the Romans want to see the apostle, let them pray earnestly that he may be set free so that they may receive him in the joy of brotherly love. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT. CHRYSOSTOM: Here Paul mentions Christ and the Spirit but not the Father. I say this so that when you find him mentioning the Father and the Son or just the Father you will not devalue either the Son or the Spirit on that account. Note that he does not just say the Spirit but “the love of the Spirit,” for the Spirit loves the world just as Christ and the Father do also. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 30.

WHEN MANY PRAY. PELAGIUS: Paul asks the whole church to pray for him, because he knows that when many people pray together their prayers have great effect. When James was killed, Peter was set free from prison by the prayers of the brethren, who prayed not so much for his good as for their own, so that they could be strengthened by his teaching. Spiritual love leads us to pray for one another. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:31 | Deliverance and Service

A GREAT STRUGGLE AHEAD. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul knew that a great struggle was about to befall him, and this was another reason why he asked for their prayers. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 30.

THAT I MAY BE DELIVERED FROM UNBELIEVERS. PELAGIUS: Paul says this either so that they may all believe or else so that he may not fall into the hands of unbelievers while he is trying to serve believers, with the result that it would be impossible for him to come to them. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

15:32 | Joy and Refreshing

DELIVERING GOD’S GIFTS. AMBROSIASTER: Because Paul’s mind is dedicated to delivering the gifts, he wants their mind to respond to him by the judgment of God so that, having understood his love for them, they might with one accord give thanks to God on his behalf. For he was a great blessing to them, in that by his ministry many were made happy and are now praising God. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THAT I MAY BE REFRESHED IN YOUR COMPANY. CHRYSOSTOM: Note again Paul’s humility. He does not say that he wants to come in order to teach them but in order that he may be refreshed by them! HOMILIES ON ROMANS 30.

THAT I MAY COME TO YOU WITH JOY. PELAGIUS: Paul will come to Rome in joy if his offering is accepted at Jerusalem and will then speak the Word of God with peace of mind. … For heaviness of heart is a great hindrance to teaching. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

THEODORET OF CYR: Paul has no desire to do the right thing apart from God’s will. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

15:33 | The God of Peace

LIVING PEACEFULLY IN THE TRUTH. AMBROSIASTER: The God of peace is Christ, who said: “My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you.” This is what he prays for them, knowing that the Lord said: “Behold I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Paul therefore wants them to be the kind of people in whom the Lord Jesus Christ dwells, who has shown them that all the discord caused by human sin has been taken away and who has given them what is true, that they may live peacefully in that truth. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CALLED TO PEACEFUL AGREEMENT. PELAGIUS: The God of peace dwells only in those who are peaceable. It is good that he has concluded with peace, because the two parties are here called back to peaceful agreement with each other. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

OVERCOMING SUSPICION. THEODORET OF CYR: Paul called God the “God of peace” here for a reason, because he was concerned about those at Rome who were battling one another or at least who were suspicious of one another. He wanted them to be at peace with each other because of the controversy which they were having over the observance of the law. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.