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SECTION d -
Intended Journey (15:22-29)
Balanced by SECTION D - Intended Journey
(1:10-13)
Romans Fifteen – Verses 22 to 33
22. Wherefore
I was much hindered also in coming to you.
Paul had been facing many
obstacles that had so far prevented him from carrying out his intention of
visiting the Roman ecclesia. Having completed the evangel of Christ, and
now about to embark on a new phase in his ministry, he was still firm in
his plan to visit them while en route
to Spain.
But things were not going the way he had
purposed. In accord with His purpose, God had other plans for Paul
and He was controlling the factors that determined the course and
schedule of his experience. God has many ways at His disposal to effect
such control over all that happens in creation.
Rom.1:13 Now I do not want you to be
ignorant, brethren,
that often I purposed to come to you (and was prevented hitherto)
that I should be having some fruit among you
also,
according as among the rest of the nations.
1Thes.2:17,18 Now we, brethren,
being bereaved of you for the period of an hour,
in face, not in heart, endeavor the more
exceedingly to see your face,
with much yearning, 18 because we want to come to you,
indeed, I, Paul, once--even twice--and Satan hinders us.
Act.16:6,7 Now they passed through
Phrygia and the Galatian province,
being forbidden by the holy spirit to speak the word in
the province of Asia.
7 Yet, coming about Mysia, they tried
to go into Bithynia,
and the spirit of Jesus does not let
them.
Act.16:8-10 Yet they, passing by Mysia,
descended into Troas.
9 And during the night a vision was seen by
Paul.
A certain man, a Macedonian, was standing and
entreating him, and saying,
"Cross over into Macedonia! Help
us!"
10 Now as he perceived the vision,
we immediately seek to come out to Macedonia,
deducing that God has called us to bring
the evangel to them.
Truly, man proposes, God
disposes. Men must come to grasp the fact that He is the El (Subjector)
and the Theos (Placer).
These incidents are just a
few examples of God’s absolute control over the affairs of our
lives. And they take the wind out of the sails of those who claim that man
has been given a free will which even God will not interfere with. What an
irresponsible god they worship; a god who ties his own hands and
makes himself impotent to set things right - for that would immorally
thwart the free-will determinations of his creatures, no matter how
stupid or destructive those decisions may be.
Isa.55:8,9 "For not as My devices
are your devices,
and not as your ways are My ways,"
averring is Yahweh.
9 "For as the heavens are loftier
than the earth,
so are My ways loftier than your ways, and My devices than
your devices.
Rom.1:22 Alleging themselves to be wise, they
are made stupid,
1Cor.1:20 Where is the wise?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the discusser of this eon?
Does not God make stupid the
wisdom of this world?
1Cor.3:19,20 for the wisdom of
this world is stupidity with God.
For it is written, "He is clutching the
wise in their craftiness."
20 And again, The Lord knows the
reasonings of the wise, that they are vain.
Lk.16:15 And He said to them,
"You are those who are justifying
yourselves in the sight of men,
yet God knows your hearts,
for what is high among men is an abomination
in the sight of God.
This sacred cow belief that man possesses a free will
is just a figment of man’s imagination that is steeped in pride and
self-aggrandizement. But, all the free will in the world cannot change the
fact that man is a dying creature by God’s determination. Scripture
leaves no place for man’s presumptuous propositions. Only innate pride
keeps him knocking his head against the ramparts of God’s supremacy.
Isa.14:24 Sworn has Yahweh of hosts, saying,
"Should it not, as I
likened it, so come to be, and as I counseled it, be
arising?
Isa.14:26,27 This is the counsel counseled by
Yahweh over the entire earth,
and this is the hand stretched out over
all the nations of the habitance.
27 For Yahweh of hosts has
counseled, and who will annul it?
And His hand is outstretched, and who
will reverse it?
Job.42:2 I know that You can do
all things,
And no plan of Yours can be thwarted.
Rom.8:20 For to vanity
was the creation subjected,
not voluntarily, but because of Him Who
subjects it,
Isa.46:10 Telling from the beginning,
the hereafter,
and from aforetime, what has not
yet been done.
Saying, `All My counsel
shall be confirmed, and all My desire will I do.'
Scripture insists that God will not surrender His
Sovereignty to any creature. He is the only One Who can work everything out
in accord with His intention. Nothing moves without His having
pre-determined it.
Eph.1:11 …being designated beforehand
according to the purpose of the One
Who is operating all in accord
with the counsel of His will,
Jn.17:3 Now it is eonian life
that they may know Thee, the only true God,
and Him Whom Thou dost commission, Jesus
Christ.
Even Christ, the Son of His love, exercises a
delegated authority - and Christ will return that authority to Him in
accord with His Father’s set schedule.
1Cor.15:25-28 For He must be reigning
until He should be placing all His enemies under
His feet.
26 The last enemy is being abolished:
death.
27 For He subjects all under His
feet.
Now whenever He may be saying that all is
subject,
it is evident that it is outside of Him Who
subjects all to Him.
28 Now, whenever all may be subjected to
Him,
then the Son Himself also shall be
subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him,
that God may be All in all.)
Jn.3:27 John answered and said,
"A man can not get anything
if it should not be given him out of heaven.
Mt.11:27 All was given up to Me by My
Father.
And no one is recognizing the Son except the Father;
neither is anyone recognizing the Father except
the Son
and he to whom the Son should be
intending to unveil Him.
2Tim.1:9 Who saves us and calls us with a
holy calling,
not in accord with our acts, but in accord
with His own purpose
and the grace which is given to us in Christ
Jesus before times eonian,
Phil.2:12,13 … be carrying your own salvation
into effect,
13 for it is God Who is operating in you
to will as well as to work for the sake
of His delight.
If God has somehow bestowed a free will on man, then
by that given right, He cannot call him to account on any
grounds whatever. Man’s intentions and actions would be beyond question and
he would be beyond subjection.
Rom.14:10-12 … For all of us shall be
presented at the dais of God,
11 for it is written: Living am I, the Lord is
saying,
For to Me shall bow every knee, And every tongue shall be
acclaiming God!
12 Consequently, then, each of us shall
be giving account concerning himself to God.
Isa.45:22,23 Face to Me and be
saved, all the limits of the earth,
for I am El, and there is none else. 23 By Myself I swear.
From My mouth fares forth righteousness, and My
word shall not be recalled.
For to Me shall bow every knee, and every
tongue shall acclaim to Elohim."
23. Yet now,
having by no means still place in these regions,
yet having for many years a longing to come
to you,
Paul had completed his evangelic mission (from
Jerusalem unto Illyricum) and, expecting to have some time on his hands, he
intended to fulfill his long-held desire to visit the ecclesia in Rome.
Act.19:21 Now as these things were fulfilled, Paul
pondered in spirit,
passing through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to
Jerusalem,
saying that, "After my coming to be there I must see Rome also."
Paul appreciated the fellowship he had been privileged
to have with the believers in the ecclesias he had founded. He remembered
them, even mentioning individuals by name at the end of his letters,
and longed to be with them for the continued growth in the faith.
Phil.1:3-5 I am thanking my God at
every remembrance of you,
4 always, in every petition of mine for
you all, making the petition with joy,
5 for your contribution to the evangel from
the first day until now,
Col.1:3,4 We are thanking the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
always praying concerning you, 4 on hearing of your faith in Christ Jesus
and the love which you have for all the
saints,
1Thes.3:9,10 For what thanksgiving are we
able to repay to God concerning you
for all the joy with which we are rejoicing
because of you in front of our God,
10 night and day superexcessively beseeching
to see
your face
and to adjust the deficiencies of your faith?
2Tim.1:3-5 Grateful am I to God, to Whom
I am offering divine service
from my ancestors with a clear conscience,
as I have an unintermittent
remembrance concerning you in my petitions,
night and day, 4 longing to see you,
remembering your tears, that I may be filled
full of joy,
5 getting a reminder of the unfeigned faith
which is in you,
which first makes its home in your grandmother
Lois, and in your mother Eunice.
Now, I am persuaded that it is in you also
Not having met with the believers in Rome, but having
heard of their exercised faith in God through Christ, he had, for a long
time, held a desire to be with them sometime, somehow.
24. as ever I
may be going into Spain (for I am expecting, while going
through,
to gaze upon you, and by you to be
sent forward there,
if I should ever first be filled, in part,
by
you) --
Spain:
Paul expresses his intention (Rom.15:24,28) to visit
Spain. There is, however, no evidence that he ever carried it into effect,
although some think that he probably did so between his first and second
imprisonment. (Easton Bible
Dictionary)
On his way to
Spain, he planned a stopover at Rome to spend some time with the believers,
and hoped that they would even participate in the evangel through
contributions towards his passage to Spain.
Rom.1:10-13 beseeching, if somehow,
sometime,
at length I shall be prospered, in the will of
God, to come to you.
11 For I
am longing to see you, that I may be sharing some spiritual grace with
you,
for you to be established: 12 yet this is to be
consoled together among you
through one another's faith, both yours and
mine.
13 Now I do not want you to be ignorant,
brethren,
that often
I purposed to come to you (and was prevented hitherto)
that I should be having some fruit among you
also,
according as among the rest of the nations.
Act.15:3 They indeed, then, being
sent forward by the ecclesia,
passed through Phoenicia as well as Samaria,
detailing the
turning about of the nations.
And they caused great joy to all the brethren.
Phil.4:15,16 Now you Philippians also are aware
that,
in the beginning of the evangel, when I came out
from Macedonia,
not one ecclesia participates with me in the
matter of giving and getting,
except you only, 16 for in Thessalonica also, you send, once and twice, to my need.
25. yet now I
am going to Jerusalem, dispensing to the saints.
But, first, he had committed himself to bringing much
needed material relief to the believers in Jerusalem.
At the time of writing this letter to the Roman ecclesia,
there was a famine in Judea.
With no pressing matters to attend to, Paul
volunteered for a journey to Jerusalem to distribute to the poor believers
of the Circumcision there, some contribution from the ecclesias in
Macedonia and Achaia. He would then make his way to Rome.
Meanwhile he hurried to Jerusalem. (Pentecost was one
of the three religious festivals of Israel at which it was mandatory for
all males in the land to convene at Jerusalem.) It would, therefore, be an
opportune time to resume fellowship with the old acquaintances and
believers, especially the other apostles of Christ.
Act.20:16 for Paul had decided to sail
by Ephesus,
so that he may not be coming to linger in the
province of Asia, for he hurried,
if it may be possible for him to be in Jerusalem by the day of
Pentecost.
Deut.16:16 Three times in the year
all your males shall appear
before Yahweh your Elohim
in the place that He shall choose:
at the celebration of unleavened cakes,
[Passover, or Unleavened Bread]
at the celebration of weeks [Pentecost]
and at the celebration of booths…. [Tabernacles]
Act.24:17,18 "Now after the lapse of more
years,
I came along doing alms for my nation,
and bringing approach presents,
18 in which they found me, purified, in the
sanctuary,
not with a throng, nor with tumult.
Paul was unaware, when writing this letter, of what
was in store for him in Jerusalem. But, soon, he was given insight into the
danger he was moving into.
Act.20:22,23 And now, lo! I, bound in
spirit, am going to Jerusalem,
not being aware what I will meet with in
it, 23 more than that the holy
spirit,
city by city, certifies to me, saying that
bonds and afflictions are remaining for me.
Act.21:10-14 Now at our staying on
more days,
a certain prophet came down from Judea, named
Agabus.
11 And coming to us and picking up Paul's
girdle,
binding his own feet and hands, he said,
"Now this the holy spirit is saying,
`The man whose girdle this is, shall the Jews
in Jerusalem be binding thus,
and they shall be giving him over into
the hands of the nations.'"
12 Now as we hear these things,
both we and those in the place entreated him not
to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered and said,
"What are you doing, lamenting and
unnerving my heart?
For I hold myself in readiness, not only
to be bound,
but to die also in Jerusalem for the name
of the Lord Jesus."
14 Now, as he was not persuaded, we are
quiet,
saying, "Let the will of the Lord be
done!"
26. For it delights Macedonia
and Achaia to make some contribution
for the poor of the saints who are in
Jerusalem.
Macedonia
In New Testament times it was a Roman province lying
north of Greece. It was governed by a propraetor with the title of
proconsul. Paul was summoned by the vision of the "man of
Macedonia" to preach the gospel there (Act.16:9). Frequent allusion is made to this event (Act.18:5; Act.19:21; Rom.15:26;
2Cor.1:16; 2Cor.11:9; Phil.4:15). The history of Paul's first journey
through Macedonia is given in detail in Act.16:10
to 17:15. At the close of this
journey he returned from Corinth to Syria. He again passed through this
country (Act.20:1-6), although
the details of the route are not given. After many years he probably
visited it for a third time (Phil.2:24;
1Tim.1:3). The first convert made by Paul in Europe was (Act.16:13-15) Lydia (q.v.), a
"seller of purple," residing in Philippi, the chief city of the
eastern division of Macedonia. (Easton
Bible Dictionary)
Achaia
In Roman times the term Achaia was used to include the
whole of Greece, exclusive of Thessaly. In 146 BC …the whole of Greece,
under the name of Achaia, was transformed into a Roman province, which was
divided into two separate provinces, Macedonia
and Achaia, in 27 BC. Today
Achaia forms with Elis one district, and contains a population of nearly a
quarter of a million. In Act.18:12
we are told that the Jews in Corinth made insurrection against Paul when
Gallio was deputy of Achaia, and in Act.18:27
that Apollos was making preparations to set out for Achaia In Rom.16:5, "Achaia" should
read "ASIA" as in the Revised Version (British and American). In Act.20:2 "Greece" means
Achaia, but the oft-mentioned "Macedonia
and Achaia" generally means the whole of Greece (Act.19:21; Rom.15:26; 1Thes.1:8).
Paul commends the churches of Achaia for their liberality (2Cor.9:13). (ISB Encyclopaedia)
The ecclesias of
the Uncircumcision in these areas were happy ‘to make some contribution’
towards the needy believers of the Circumcision ecclesias in Jerusalem.
Gal.2:9,10 and, knowing the grace
which is being given to me,
James and Cephas and John, who are supposed to
be pillars,
give to me and Barnabas the right hand of
fellowship,
that we, indeed, are to be for the nations, yet
they for the Circumcision--
10 only that we may be remembering the poor,
which same thing I endeavor also to do.
1Cor.16:1-4 Now, concerning the collection
for the saints,
even as I prescribe to the ecclesias of Galatia,
thus do you also.
2 On one of the sabbaths let each of you
lay aside by himself in store
that in which he should be prospered,
that no collections may be occurring then,
whenever I may come.
3 Now whenever I may be coming along,
whomsoever you should be attesting through
letters,
these shall I be sending to carry away
your grace to Jerusalem.
4 Now if it should be worth while for me
also to be going,
they shall be going together with me.
2Cor.8:1-5 Now we are making known to
you, brethren,
the grace of God which has been bestowed in the
ecclesias of Macedonia,
2 for, in a test of much affliction, the
superabundance of their joy
and the corresponding depth of their
poverty
superabounds to the riches of their
generosity,
3 for, according to their ability, I am
testifying, and beyond their ability,
of their own accord, 4 with much entreaty beseeching of us
the grace and the fellowship of the
service for the saints;
5 and not according as we expect,
but themselves they give first to the Lord, and
to us through the will of God.
This is not the
first time that relief was sent to the Jerusalem ecclesias.
Act.11:27-30 …in these days prophets
came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 Now one of them, named Agabus, rising,
signifies through the spirit,
the great famine which is about to be on
the whole inhabited earth,
which occurred under Claudius.
29 Now according as any of the disciples
thrived,
each of them designate something to send
to the brethren dwelling in Judea,
for dispensing; 30 which they do also,
dispatching to the elders through the hand of
Barnabas and Saul.
Act.12:25 Now Barnabas and Saul
return out of Jerusalem,
completing the dispensing,…
27. For they are delighted,
and they are their debtors,
for if the nations participate in their
spiritual things,
they ought to minister to them in fleshly things also.
These ecclesias of the nations felt indebted to
the Circumcision ecclesia in Jerusalem for the privilege of sharing their
spiritual benefits from God. So they were happy to share their material
blessings with these believers in their hour of need.
Paul uses this principle on the subject of material
support for the ministry. The Temple system in Israel had its prescribed
care for the priesthood through tithing and participation in the
sacrificial offerings.
1Cor.9:11-13 If, in expectation, we
sow the spiritual in you,
is it a great thing if we shall reap of
your fleshly things?…
13 Are you not aware that the workers at the
sacred things
are eating of the things of the sanctuary?
Those settling beside the altar have their
portion with the altar.
There is no such prescribed support for the ministry
of the Circumcision or for that of the Uncircumcision, either. It is gross
misrepresentation of God and outright theft that invokes the law of tithing
(which is reserved for the sons of Israel and only applicable to the
produce of the land of Israel – Deut.12:1-6, etc.) to finance the
‘Christian’ ministry.
Deut.12:1 These are the statutes and the
judgments
which you shall observe to obey in the
land
that Yahweh Elohim of your fathers gives
to you
to tenant it all the days that you
are alive on the ground.
Deut.12:5,6 But rather
for the place that Yahweh your Elohim
shall choose from all your tribes,
to establish His name there, you shall
inquire for His tabernacle,
and there will you come. 6 You will bring there
your ascent offerings and your
sacrifices,
your tithes and the heave offerings
of your hand,
your vows offerings and your voluntary
offerings,
and the firstlings of your herd and your
flock.
Lev.27:30-34 As for all the tithe
of the land, of the seed of the land and
of the fruit of the tree,
it is Yahweh's; it is holy to
Yahweh…. 34 These are the
instructions
with which Yahweh instructed Moses for
the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai.
The tithing system is advocated by most of the fastest
growing churches as it provides the means to finance their expansion
projects and to provide the high remunerations of the ministers. Shame!
Paul rejected adopting the Mosaic Temple System for such provision, citing other
principles to raise the needed support.
Gal.6:6-8 Now let him who is being
instructed in the word
be contributing to him who is
instructing, in all good things.
7 Be not deceived, God is not to be
sneered at,
for whatsoever a man may be sowing, this shall
he be reaping also,
8 for he who is sowing for his own flesh,
from the flesh shall be reaping corruption,
yet he who is sowing for the spirit, from
the spirit shall be reaping life eonian.
Phil.4:17,18 Not that I am seeking for a
gift,
but I am seeking for fruit that is increasing
for your account.
18 Now I am collecting all, and am
superabounding.
I have been filled full, receiving from
Epaphroditus the things from you,
an odor fragrant, a sacrifice acceptable, well
pleasing to God.
1Tim.5:17,18 Let elders who have
presided ideally
be counted worthy of double honor,
especially those who are toiling in word and
teaching,
18 for the scripture is saying: "A
threshing ox you shall not be muzzling,"
and "Worthy is the worker of his wages."
Paul was in want on many an occasion. But he did not
invoke the tithing law which would have ensured his sustenance. In its
dispensation, the priestly Levites were also beneficiaries of the tithe as
reward for their tour of duty in the Temple. As a law there were no
options in the giving or the receiving of the tithe. This law of tithing
only applied under the Mosaic system, alien to our evangel.
Under our evangel of grace there are no imperatives
concerning the support of the ministry. Instead, it is left to the
individual to abide by the principles cited above. Any material support
provided to ministers is in appreciation for the spiritual blessings being
received through their ministry.
And, even though he was entitled to receive the
essentials to continue with his ministry, Paul chose not to exercise his
right. Instead, so as not to compromise the evangel he was commissioned
for, he worked with his own hands to support himself and of those with him.
1Cor.9:12 …Nevertheless we do not use
this right, but we are forgoing all,
lest we may be giving any hindrance to
the evangel of Christ.
1Cor.9:15 Yet I do not
use any of these things….
1Cor.9:18 What, then, is my wage? That, in
bringing the evangel,
I should be placing the evangel without
expense,
so as not to use up my authority in the
evangel.
2Cor.11:7-9 … seeing that I bring the evangel
of God to you gratuitously?
8 Other ecclesias I
despoil, getting rations for dispensing to you.
9 And, being present with
you and in want,
I am not an encumberance to anyone
(for the brethren coming from Macedonia
replenish my wants),
and in everything I keep and shall be
keeping myself
that I be not burdensome to you.
Act.20:33,34 "I covet no one's silver or
gold or vesture. 34 You know
that these hands subserve my needs, and
of those who are with me.
2Cor.2:17 For we are not as the
majority, who are peddling the word of God,
but as of sincerity, but as of God, in
the sight of God in Christ, are we speaking.
But this course that Paul applied to himself was left
to the option of the individual minister. His advice to Timothy on this
subject reiterates the principles of our evangel concerning the support of
the ministry.
1Cor.9:6,7 Or have only I and
Barnabas no right not to be working?
7 Who is warring at any time supplying
his own rations?
Who is planting a vineyard and not eating of
its fruit?
Or who is tending a flock and not eating of
the milk of the flock?
2Tim.2:3-7 Suffer evil with me, as
an ideal soldier of Christ Jesus.
4 No one who is warring is involved in
the business of a livelihood,
that he should be pleasing the one who enlists
him.
5 Now if anyone should be competing in the
games also,
he is not given a wreath if ever he should
not be competing lawfully.
6 The toiling farmer must be the first
to partake of the fruits.
7 Apprehend what I say, for the Lord will be
giving you understanding in it all.
1Cor.9:14 Thus the Lord also prescribes
that those who are announcing the evangel are to be living of the evangel.
28. When, then, performing this, and sealing to
them this fruit,
I shall be coming away through you into
Spain.
During
Paul's first three ministries the nations were dependent on Israel, and
received of their spiritual things. Hence they were indebted to them and
sought to pay by sending them relief in time of famine. But after this Paul
makes known the present secret economy, in which the nations are no longer
guests of Israel (Eph.2:12,19) , but receive their own spiritual blessings
direct from God. Their destiny is a celestial one, where Israel has no
possessions. At the close of the book of Acts the pre-eminence of the Jew
vanished, and since then there is a new humanity in which all physical
distinctions are done away. Concordant Commentary
It was Paul’s intention to travel to Spain as soon as
this job of delivering these donations was concluded and he would then
fulfill his long nurtured desire to visit the Roman ecclesia.
29. Now I am
aware that, in coming to you,
I shall be coming with the blessing of Christ
which fills.
The
blessing of Christ which fills doubtless is an intimation of the
transcendent truths which were made public by Paul after his arrival at
Rome. None of the blessings before bestowed filled, in the sense of
completing and perfecting. The full-orbed presentation of truth in the
Ephesian epistle, written at Rome, fully meets the anticipation here
expressed by the apostle. Concordant Commentary
The Roman ecclesia had believed the evangel after
hearing it from visitors who were already believers. Not only did Paul
intend to ‘more accurately’ present, ‘filling in the gaps’ so to speak, of
the evangel they had come to know so far, he also intended to make known
other aspects of the evangel, fine-tuning their grasp of all that God had
been revealing to him.
Rom.1:11 For I am longing to see you,
that I may be sharing some spiritual grace with
you, for you to be established:
Eph.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who blesses us with every spiritual
blessing among the celestials, in Christ,
Eph.3:8-12 To me, less than the
least of all saints, was granted this grace:
to bring the evangel of the untraceable
riches of Christ to the nations,
9 and to enlighten all as to what is the
administration of the secret,
which has been concealed from the eons in
God, Who creates all,
10 that now may be made known
to the sovereignties and the authorities among
the celestials,
through the ecclesia, the multifarious
wisdom of God,
11 in accord with the purpose of the
eons,
which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord;
12 in Whom we have boldness and access
with confidence, through His faith.--
Eph.3:17-19 Christ to dwell in your
hearts through faith,
that you, having been rooted and grounded in
love,
18 should be strong to grasp, together with
all the saints,
what is the breadth and length and depth and
height--
19 to know the love of Christ as well which
transcends knowledge--
that you may be completed for the entire
complement of God.
Eph.4:12,13 toward the adjusting of the
saints
for the work of dispensing, for the upbuilding
of the body of Christ,
13 unto the end that we should all
attain to the unity of the faith
and of the realization of the son of God,
to a mature man,
to the measure of the stature of the
complement of the Christ,
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SECTION
c - Prayer (15:30-33)
Balanced by SECTION C - Prayer (1:08,09)
30. Now I am
entreating you, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ,
and through the love of the spirit,
to struggle together with me in
prayers to God for me,
Paul's
apprehension lest he should not be well received in Judea was well founded,
as events proved. Though he came bringing gifts to his people, his later
teaching seemed to them to be directed against the people and the law and
Jerusalem. Indeed, he did teach that God would be worshiped in any place,
and he did lead out from under the bondage of the law (Ac.21:28). Tens of
thousands of Jews believed, yet they were all zealous of the law
(Ac.21:20). They would not hear of blessing to the nations apart from the
law. Later, when Paul spoke to them, they did not object to his own call,
but could not bear to hear of his commission to the nations (Ac.22:22). Concordant
Commentary
Paul requests earnest prayers from those in Rome for
his welfare and towards the satisfactory completion of his present mission
to Jerusalem. Outside of direct involvement in evangelizing and of providing
material support, such prayer is one of the ways for believers to
participate in the spread of the evangel.
2Cor.1:11 you also assisting together by a petition for us,
in order that, from many faces He may be thanked
by many for us
for the gracious gift given to us
Eph.6:18-20 During every prayer and
petition be praying on every occasion
(in spirit being vigilant also for it with all
perseverance and petition
concerning all the saints, 19 and for me),
that to me expression may be granted,
in the opening of my mouth with boldness,
to make known the secret of the
evangel,
20 for which I am conducting an embassy in
a chain,
that in it I should be speaking boldly,
as I must speak.
Col.4:12 Greeting you is Epaphras, who
is one of you, a slave of Christ Jesus,
always struggling for you in prayers,
that you may stand mature and fully assured in
all the will of God.
1Thes.5:25 Brethren, pray concerning
us also.
2Thes.3:1,2 … pray, brethren, concerning
us, that the word of the Lord
may race and be glorified, according as it is
with you also,
2 and that we should be rescued from abnormal and wicked men,
for not
for all is the faith.
2Tim.4:2-5 Herald the word. Stand
by it, opportunely, inopportunely,
expose, rebuke, entreat, with all patience and
teaching.
3 For the era will be when
they will not tolerate sound teaching,
but, their hearing being tickled, they will heap
up for themselves
teachers in accord with their own desires,
4 and, indeed, they will be turning their
hearing away from the truth,
yet will be turned aside to myths.
2Tim.4:5 Yet you be sober in all things;
suffer evil as an ideal soldier of Christ Jesus;
do the work of an evangelist; fully
discharge your service.
Phil.1:3-7 I am thanking my God at
every remembrance of you,
4 always, in every petition of mine for you
all, making the petition with joy,
5 for your contribution to the evangel
from the first day until now,
6 having this same confidence,
that He Who undertakes a good work among you,
will be performing it until the day of Jesus
Christ:
7 according as it is just for me to be
disposed in this way over you all,
because you, having me in heart,
both in my bonds and in the defense and
confirmation of the evangel,
you all are joint participants with me of
grace,
31. that I
should be rescued from the stubborn in Judea,
and my dispensation for Jerusalem
may be becoming well received by the saints,
Paul had experienced the
murderous attitude of the Jews in Jerusalem over his conversion and against
his claim that Jesus is the Son of God as well as God’s Christ. These were
among ‘the stubborn in Judea’ out of whose hands he sought deliverance
through prayers from the faithful.
Act.9:28,29 And he was with them,
going in and out, in Jerusalem.
29 Speaking boldly in the
name of the Lord Jesus,
he both spoke and discussed with the
Hellenists.
Yet they took in hand to assassinate
him.
Later on, it was this Jewish jealousy and anger that boiled
over into another attempt at assassinating Paul.
Act.23:12-15 Now, day coming on,
making a conspiracy, the Jews (in
Jerusalem) anathematize themselves,
saying that they would neither eat nor
drink till they should kill Paul.
13 Now there were more
than forty who make this cabal,
14 who, coming to the
chief priests and the elders, say,
"With an anathema we anathematize
ourselves
to taste nothing till we should kill
Paul.
15 Now then, you inform
the captain together with the Sanhedrin,
so that he may be leading him down to
you,
as being about to investigate more
exactly that which concerns him;
yet we, before he draws near, are ready
to assassinate him."
Act.25:1-3 Festus, then, stepping
into the prefecture,
after three days went up to Jerusalem
from Caesarea.
2 Besides, the chief
priests and the foremost of the Jews inform him against Paul,
and they entreated him, 3 requesting a favor against him,
so that he should send after him to
bring him into Jerusalem,
making an ambush to assassinate him by
the way.
Scripture records the many occasions when he faced the
innate obstinacy and irrational fanaticism of the Jews even during his
ministry outside the land of Israel.
In Damascus…
Act.9:22-25 Yet Saul was the more invigorated,
and threw the Jews dwelling in
Damascus into confusion,
deducing that this One is the
Christ.
23 Now as a considerable
number of days were fulfilled,
the Jews consult to assassinate him. 24 Yet known to Saul is their
plot.
Now they scrutinized the gates also, both
by day and by night,
so that they may be assassinating him.
25 Yet the disciples,
getting him at night,
let him down through the wall, lowering
him in a hamper.
In Pisidian Antioch…
Act.13:44,45 Now on the coming sabbath
almost the entire city was gathered to
hear the word of the Lord.
45 Yet the Jews,
perceiving the throngs, are filled with jealousy,
and they contradicted the things spoken
by Paul, blaspheming.
Act.13:49,50 …the word of the Lord was carried
through the whole country.
50 Yet the Jews
spur on the reverent, respectable women, and the foremost ones of the city,
and rouse up persecution for Paul and
Barnabas,
and they ejected them from their
boundaries.
In Iconium…
Act.14:1-5 Now in Iconium the same thing occurred
at their entering into the synagogue of
the Jews and speaking,
so that a vast multitude of both Jews and
Greeks believe.
2 Yet the stubborn
Jews rouse up
and provoke the souls of the nations against
the brethren….
5 Now as there came to be
an onset both of the nations and the Jews,
together with their chiefs, to outrage
and pelt them with stones,
In Lystra…
Act.14:19 Yet Jews from Antioch and
Iconium come on,
and, persuading the throngs, and stoning Paul,
they dragged him outside of the city,
inferring that he is dead.
In Corinth…
Act.18:5,6 Paul was pressed in the word,
certifying to the Jews that Jesus is
the Christ.
6 Now at their
resisting and blaspheming, shaking out his garments,
he said to them, "Your blood be on
your head! Clear am I!
From now on I shall go to the
nations."
Act.18:12,13 Now, Gallio being proconsul of
Achaia,
the Jews with one accord assaulted Paul,
and they led him to the dais,
13 saying that, "Aside
from the law, is this man inducing men to revere God."
In Ephesus…
Act.19:8,9 Now, entering the
synagogue, he spoke boldly for three months,
arguing and persuading as to that which
concerns the kingdom of God.
9 Now, as some were hardened
and stubborn,
saying evil things of the way before the
multitude,
withdrawing from them, he severs the
disciples,…
Having committed himself to
bring the material relief collected from the ecclesias of the nations, Paul
hoped he would not have trouble with the stubborn unbelieving Jews in
Jerusalem this time around.
And he also hoped that the
Circumcision ecclesia in Jerusalem would be appreciative enough to accept
the contributions, in fellowship, from ecclesias of the nations. Earlier,
they had expressed a distinct aloofness from those who were under the
evangel of the Uncircumcision.
3John1:5-7 Beloved, you are doing a
faithful thing
whatsoever you should work for the brethren,
and this for strangers,
6 who testify to your love in the sight of
the ecclesia,
to whom you will be doing ideally by sending
them forward worthily of God,
7 for they come out for the sake of the
Name,
getting nothing from those of the
nations.
None of the unbelieving Jews would
venture to contribute to their welfare, and neither would the unbelieving
of the nations even think of supporting these ‘Christian’ Jews. So,
these ‘those of the nations’ can only be fellow believers in God and in
Christ but who did not come under the Circumcision evangel given
through the Twelve.
32. that I may
be coming to you with joy through the will of God,
and I should be resting together with you
If his mission turned
out well, he would be able to visit Rome with joy and with peace of mind.
Though it was Paul’s
desire to visit the Roman ecclesia, the pressing needs of the ecclesia in
Jerusalem had his prior attention. Little did he know, however, that God
was executing a program to facilitate his journey to Rome. He would would visit Rome for a ministry without having to pay for his
journey and without having to
hire an escort to ensure his safety, and that he would even have access to
Caesar’s household.
Rom.1:10-13 beseeching, if somehow, sometime,
at length I shall be prospered, in the will
of God, to come to you.
11 For I am longing to see you,
that I may be sharing some spiritual
grace with you, for you to be established:
12 yet this is to be consoled together among
you
through one another's faith, both yours and
mine.
13 Now I do not want you to be ignorant,
brethren,
that often I purposed to come to you (and was
prevented hitherto)
that I should be having some fruit among you
also,
according as among the rest of the nations.
33. Now the God of peace be with all of
you! Amen!
The world grants peace only at its
convenience and advantage, and as a matter of contingency. It is tentative
at best, and will be brushed aside at the drop of a hat. Hence, the world
is continually a cauldron of confusion and turmoil in spite of all the
peace talks and truces and pacts. Being dying creatures and, therefore,
selfish, men cannot make peace or keep it.
The peace of God that Christ brings, on
the other hand, is in accord with the wisdom of God and is for believers
now, and for the rest of creation eventually. Only confidence in God as
GOD can bring on this true peace.
Rom.5:1 Being, then, justified
by faith,
we may be having peace toward God,
through our Lord, Jesus Christ,
Col.1:20 and through Him to reconcile
all to Him
(making peace through the blood of His cross),
through Him, whether those on the earth
or those in the heavens.
1Cor.14:33 For God is not for
turbulence, but peace,
as in all the ecclesias of the saints.
2Cor.13:11 Furthermore, brethren,
rejoice, adjust,
be entreated, be mutually disposed,
be at peace, and the God of love and of peace will be with you.
Phil.4:9 What you learned also, and accepted
and hear and perceived in me,
these be putting into practice, and the God of peace will be with you.
1Thes.5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself be hallowing you wholly;
and may your unimpaired spirit and soul and body
be kept blameless in the presence of our Lord
Jesus Christ!
Rom.16:20 …the God of peace will be crushing
Satan under your feet swiftly. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!
2Thes.3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself
give you peace continually by every means. The Lord be with you
all!
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