Romans 15:

[Preliminary Note: Continuing a brief summary of previous sections to provide present context:

• Part 1: Ch.1-8 Our lost state & God’s Justification & the New Life
• Part 2: Ch.9-11 Considering the State of Israel
• Part 3: Ch.12-15 Living the Christian Life  
• Part 4: Ch.15 & 16 About Paul himself

NOW in this chapter he finishes his teaching on living out the Christian life, and then moves on to talking about his ministry, his desires for them in Rome, his intent to come and visit them as he expands his travelling ministry, and finally he asks them to pray for him.

• v.1-7 Continuation of Teaching on Acceptance of One Another
• v.8-22 Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles
• v.23-33 Paul’s Plans to Visit Jerusalem, Rome & Spain

v.1-7 Continuation of Teaching on Acceptance of One Another

v.1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

v.2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

v.3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

v.4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

v.5,6 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

v.7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

[Note: Bear with one another’s weaknesses, indeed let our goal be to bless and build our neighbor for even Christ had this concern [Psa 69:9]. The scriptures were to teach and encourage us, for God seeks to strengthen & encourage us, so do that for one another, just accepting one another as Christ does us.]

Part 4: 15:8 – Ch.16 About Paul himself

v.8-22 Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

v.8,9 To the Gentiles

v.8,9 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”

[Note: Christ came to serve Israel to satisfy God’s promises yet knowing it would be the Gentiles who responded. [2 Sam 22:50; Psa 18:49]

v.10-12 The Scriptures testify to it

v.10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

v.11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”

v.12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.”

[Note: God loves the whole world [Deut 32:43] and sought to always reach them [Psa 117:1] and Isaiah saw God’s intent towards the whole world [Isa 11:10 (see Septuagint)]

v.13-17 Paul’s Pleasure & Goals

v.13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

v.14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

v.15,16 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

v.17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

[Note: So be blessed with His peace and joy, for I’m blessed how it has been working for you, but that doesn’t stop me reminding you of key issues for I desire to glorify God in all I do.]

v.18-22 Paul’s goal to keep on reaching out further and further

v.18,19 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

v.20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.

v.21 Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”

v.22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

[Note: I will only preach as He enables, confirming it with signs and wonders, and I desire to go where others haven’t been in order to fulfil the prophecies about it going further and further [Isa 52:15 (see Septuagint)] and this is what has held me back from coming to you.]

v.23-33 Paul’s Plans to Visit Jerusalem, Rome & Spain

v.23-28 Paul’s travel plans

v.23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you,

v.24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

v.25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there.

v.26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.

v.27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

v.28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.

[Note: But I’m running out of such places here so, as I’m planning to visit Spain, I’ll stop in with you on the way – but I’ve got to go to Jerusalem first. I’ve got a gift I’ve got to pass on to them, that the Gentiles had collected for them, but after I’ve done that my goal will be Spain

v.29-33 His requests for prayer

v.29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

v.30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

v.31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there,

v.32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed.

v.33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

[Note: I’m sure I’ll have God’s blessing when I come to you but in the meanwhile, please join in the struggle by praying for me, particularly that I will be safe and well received in Jerusalem. That way I can then come on to you. In the meantime, may God bless you with His peace.

Additional thought: It is interesting to note in Acts, that in Jerusalem all did not go well for Paul and he ended up being confined for the next couple of years, but eventually, after appealing to Caesar (Acts 25:11), that is exactly where he ended up.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: