22 For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you;
23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you
24 whenever I go to Spain--for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while--
25 but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints.
26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.
28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.
29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
V. 22 - “For this reason” - Paul was ‘driven’ to spread the gospel to places and people who had not heard. He wanted to revisit Philippi, but was compelled to go to other places.
V. 23 - “with no further place for me in these regions” - Paul believes the gospel message has been shared, through his ministry and of others, throughout the area. He is looking for new places to evangelize (See below). Paul was a traveling evangelist. Sometimes he stayed in one place for a while to build up the believers so the local church would be strong, and he used that church as a hub to spread the gospel throughout a region.
“I have had for many years a longing to come to you” - He’s been constantly on the move, but still wants to come see them and find out first hand how they are growing in Christ. Paul had not been to Rome, nor started a church there. Perhaps the church was started by people converted around the day of Pentecost, when so many believers were joined to the body of Christ. I am sure Paul wanted to come to Rome to see this church in the center of the Roman empire. He knew the influence of this church would be massive, since it could spread from the capital of the empire to the outer edges - basically the whole known western civilization.
Some commentaries say that Paul was not writing a systematic theology treatise, yet they recognize the foundational principles of our faith are found here in this letter.
V. 24 - “whenever I go to Spain” - His next adventure for Christ. Rome was to be a stop-over on his way to Spain. There is no record in Acts or Paul’s letters of him being directed to go to Spain. Paul was told by the Lord to go to Rome (Acts 24:11). (See note 1)
“to see you... to be helped on my way... to enjoy your company” - As he passes through Rome on the way to Spain, he wants to visit with them, spend some time with them, and get some help from them to be able to complete his missionary journey. I think Paul is very interested in this church since it was started without apostolic imprimatur. And perhaps that is why Paul wrote this detailed instructive letter - in order to build them up in the faith.
V. 25-26 - “I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints” - But first Paul wants to go to Jerusalem, carrying gifts from churches to Jerusalem. The believers in Jerusalem were suffering, either from natural causes (famine, etc.), or from persecution. In any case, churches in Macedonia, Galatia, and Eur-Asia were sending help via Paul and his fellow workers. (Achaia is the part of Greece which has Corinth, Athens and Sparta.)
V. 27 - “they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them” - The far flung churches, hundreds of miles from Jerusalem, are pleased to help the brethren in Jerusalem.
How are the Gentile churches indebted to the Jerusalem churches? The Jerusalem church sent apostles and missionaries to spread the Good News! To make it personal: we are thankful and grateful that some people who don’t know us or know anything about us will care enough to about us to send a messenger with the Gospel. We gain eternal life because someone care enough to send a messenger!
“the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things” - They have shared the Good News of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ.
“indebted to minister to them also in material things” - In return for the generosity in sharing Jesus with the Gentiles, the Gentiles will share some of their wealth and physical goods.
V. 28 - “I have finished this... I will go on by way of you to Spain.” - After the offerings are delivered to Jerusalem, and the church there knows the Gentile churches care about them, he will stop in Rome as he passes through. We know from the account in Acts that Paul never got beyond Rome. In fact his trip to Rome was not exactly voluntary.
V. 29 - “I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.” - Even though Paul’s trip to Rome was not what, nor the way, he had planned.
*** Note 1: This letter was written in Corinth. Paul was there about three months. (On Paul’s third missionary journey - re-visiting some of the cities of the second missionary journey - see: Acts 20:1-2) He had not yet been instructed by the Lord about going to Rome. On the way from Greece to Jerusalem, to take some offerings to the church there, Paul tells the Roman soldiers and governors that he, Paul, was a Roman citizen. This simple statement, “I am a Roman citizen,” changed the demeanor of the governors and Roman commanders. All of a sudden, he was no longer someone they could beat and imprison as they wished. There was immediate deference to Paul as a Roman citizen. The Roman commander provided 270 soldiers to escort Paul to safety, on his way to Rome.***
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