1We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Verses 1-13 of this chapter continue the topic of chapter 14. As we understand from verse 1, Paul counted himself among the strong. Most of the “strong” that he spoke of were Gentiles who had never lived under the Law of Moses. Paul said they were strong because they felt free to eat all foods and not to keep calendar observances found in the Old Testament. Those that Paul called the “weak” were mostly Jewish believers who still felt bound by conscience to keep dietary laws and observe special days as they’d done before they were saved. Paul said that the strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those believers who do not yet feel the freedom to lay down the restrictions and patterns they were used to. The fact that Paul says “bear” their weaknesses tells us that doing it will be like carrying a heavy load.
There really can’t be a situation today that is an exact parallel of what Paul was talking about. No one in the church today has ever lived under an active covenant of God that was later annulled. Yet, in the last 2000 years of church history, there have come to be observances which are particular to cultures or groups within the body of Christ. When Paul says, “bear the infirmities of the weak,” he does not mean that we should be accepting of doctrinal error or moral compromise. He is only talking about observances which are not specifically taught in Scripture but which are not wrong in themselves. One possible example might be an observance of liturgical seasons in the calendar year. It seems likely that Paul would say that it is a weakness for a believer to feel obligated to observe these liturgical seasons. If so, Paul would also say that when believers of different backgrounds come together, those who do not feel obligated in this way should bear in others what may seem to themselves to be unnecessary.
In verse 2, Pauls says that the strong, rather than seeking to please themselves, should each one “please his neighbour for his good to edification.” This verse gives us a good guide for what to accept and what not to accept. The goal in each decision is that which is good for edification. In 14:1, Paul said to accept the weak, but not for arguments. In the case of Jewish believers who felt obligated to continue certain observances based on the Law, the short-term right path is to accept them as they are and put no stumbling-block in their path. The long-term right path is to help them embrace the fulness of New Testament truth.
3For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
In verse 3, Paul cites the example of Christ as One who did not seek to please Himself. Paul quotes Psalm 69:9, which says, “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.” John records that when Jesus cleansed the temple from the money-changers and sellers of oxen, sheep, and doves, His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (John 2:17). Thus, the reproaches that fell on Christ were those of the Jews. With this example, Paul tells the Gentile believers in Rome to endure antagonism from the Jewish believers, to take encouragement from the Scriptures, and thus to find hope in an imperfect situation.
In verse 5, Paul speaks of God as “the God of patience and consolation.” He is the One who can make us able to endure antagonism and can give us encouragement. Then, by His grace we can “be likeminded one toward another.” The likemindedness that Paul speaks of is probably not one of being in agreement on every issue but rather of having a mutual acceptance of one another as brothers and sisters and of care for one another’s spiritual wellbeing. Then, even though we still disagree on some things, we can together glorify God, who has given all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever we do accept one another as Christ accepted us, God is glorified. His work of grace in us all is made evident to the watching world.
8Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 12And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. 13Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
In verse 7, Paul summarized the message which he began in 14:1 : “receive ye one another.” He is specifically urging the Gentile believers and the Jewish believers in Rome to accept one another. Now, in verses 8-12, he emphasizes the rightness of this exhortation by saying that Christ came both for the Jews and for the Gentiles.
First, in verse 8, he says that Christ came for the Jews “to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.” The New Covenant was given as a restatement and amplification of the promises that God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That covenant was inaugurated by the blood of Christ. Jesus made this clear when He said on the night before He was crucified, “This cup is the new testament in my blood” (I Corinthians 11:25). By the blood of Christ, all of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be fulfilled.
The first part of verse 9 says that Christ also came so that the Gentiles might receive mercy and glorify God for that mercy. The rest of verse 9 and verses 10-12 contain four quotes from the Old Testament which indicate that salvation for the Gentiles was in God’s plan all along.
There seems to be a progression of increasing nearness for the Gentiles in these four quotations. First, in II Samuel 22:50 and in Psalm 18:49, David says that he would praise God among the nations. Second, in Deuteronomy 32:43, Moses tells the nations to rejoice with Israel concerning the deliverance that God would give to Israel. Third, in Psalm 117:1, the Psalmist invites the nations themselves to praise Yahweh. Fourth, in Isaiah 11:10, Isaiah prophesies that during the future reign of Christ, the Gentiles will hope in Him.
Paul’s point in these verses is that if Christ came for both the Jews and the Gentiles, then certainly the two groups of believers ought to accept one another. The word translated “trust” in verse 12 is the verb “hope.” That word provides a link to the next verse, where Paul describes God as “the God of hope.” Verse 13 tells us that God is the One who gives us joy and peace in believing. Through that joy and peace, he makes us to look forward more and more to the good things that He has prepared for us. His Spirit produces in us this hope. As Paul said in I Corinthians 2:9, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
14And 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. 15Nevertheless, 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, 16that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
We understand from the words of greeting that Paul sends in the next chapter that he had many acquaintances in the church at Rome, though he had never been there. In verse 14 he says emphatically that he himself is convinced that the believers in Rome are equipped both in spiritual maturity and in knowledge to address the spiritual needs of others. Yet, Paul still felt a responsibility to write to them the things in this letter because God had made him a minister of the Gospel of Christ, especially to the Gentiles. He wanted to fulfill this ministry in such a way that he might present the Gentiles as an acceptable offering to God. These words also tell us again that his readers in Rome were mostly Gentiles. Paul recognized that the work he was doing was much bigger than himself, that sanctification is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit.
17I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18For 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, 19through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 21but as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
In verse 17, Paul says “I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.” We remember that he said in 11:13-14 that he glorified his ministry to the Gentiles in order to make his fellow Jews jealous so that some of them might be saved. Yet, in verses 18-19, he quickly acknowledges that his work was not his own but was the work of Christ through him. As the author of Hebrews wrote, God bore joint witness with the apostles to the words of Christ both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost (Hebrews 2:3-4). These miracles were needed to give credibility to the apostles’ message during the period before the New Testament Scriptures were completed. Paul preached the Gospel from Jerusalem all the way to eastern Europe. He wanted to proclaim the Gospel where Christ was not yet known. In verse 21, he quotes Isaiah 52:15, where Isaiah said that kings would see and learn of the Messiah at His first coming. Thus, Paul recognized that the continuation of that worldwide awareness would come through evangelism.
22For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. 23But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 24whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.
Paul explains that he had been hindered in the past from going to Rome by his passion to go to the regions where the Gospel of Christ had not been proclaimed. But, perhaps amazingly to us, he said then that he had “no more place in these parts.” Acts 19:10 tells us that by means of Paul’s two-year ministry in Ephesus, everyone in that province heard the Word of the Lord Jesus. Thus, Paul did not seek to visit every part of every province. He said to the believers in Corinth, “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon” (I Corinthians 3:10). Paul’s ministry was to lay the foundation and then to move on.
At the time of his writing this letter, Paul’s goal was to present the Gospel in the Roman provinces of Hispania. He hoped to visit Rome en route to Spain. The word “company” in verse 24 is in italics, meaning that it was added by the translators. Paul probably also hoped that the believers in Rome would help him to acquire the supplies that he would need for the journey.
25But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. 26For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 27It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
At an earlier time, while Paul was still known as Saul, he and Barnabus brought help from the believers in Antioch to the believers in Judaea. At that time, Agabus had prophesied concerning an approaching famine (Acts 11:27-30). It is possible that there were continuing effects of that famine at the time of Paul’s writing this letter. Also, it is likely that persecution in Jerusalem had brought financial pressure on many Jewish believers who lived there. Paul’s gathering of monies to help meet the needs of these believers is the topic of II Corinthians 8 and 9.
In chapter 11 of this letter, Paul said that the olive tree of blessing, whose root is in the promises God made to Abraham, is even today still Israel’s olive tree (11:24). Gentiles who come to Christ today are grafted into that olive tree. Thus, Paul tells the saints in Rome that Gentile believers are indebted to believing Israel and ought to help the saints in Jerusalem.
28When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. 29And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
Paul planned to go first to Jerusalem to deliver the gift from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia. He calls this gift a “fruit.” One fruit of the life of Christ in us is love for other believers. Paul said that he would “seal” this fruit to the Jewish believers. He and the others traveling with him would be sure that the full amount of the gift reached those for whom it was intended. Afterward, Paul planned to go to Spain via Rome. He anticipated having ministry to and enjoying fellowship with the believers in Rome en route to Spain.
30Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; 31That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 32that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. 33Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Paul knew that his plans would bring him into danger. He implored the Roman believers to join him in fervent prayer that God would protect him from the Jews who opposed the Gospel and that the Jewish believers in Jerusalem would accept the gift from the Gentiles. He already recognized that he would be in need of rest when his task in Judaea was finished.
We don’t know whether or not Paul ever went to Spain. We know that he did reach Jerusalem. Luke wrote, “And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.” But, the Jews there who opposed the Gospel assaulted Paul in the temple and wanted to kill him. Roman soldiers protected him from the Jews, and he eventually went to Rome as a prisoner to appeal his case to Caesar (Acts 21:17,30-33; 25:11-12).
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.