Rom. 15:30-33 - Strive with Me

30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints;
32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Pray for Me. Pray With Me.

V. 30 - “strive together with me in your prayers to God for me“ - Not asking for prayer telegrams. He asking for a dedicated commitment of prayer. Founded in the power of Jesus, and fueled by the Holy Spirit - prayer that lifts Paul and encourages him.

V. 31 - “I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea” - Ironic isn’t it - the Christian church (Side note: don’t know if synagogues were ever called ‘churches’, nor if any pagan religion has groups of believers called churches) was started in Jerusalem, and the epicenter of hatred against the church of a Jesus Christ was also Jerusalem. Paul knew he was going to the worst possible place for him to be. The Jewish high priests and leaders must have felt betrayed, that Paul was a traitor. They must have felt scorned, and they were seeking revenge.

“my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints” - Paul, risking his life to bring alms to the believers in Jerusalem - how could that not be acceptable?

V. 32 - “I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest“ - Just get through this one task, then he could come to Rome. He would be refreshed by their faith and joy in Christ. What a blessing they would be to him. Paul has been on the road for about 25 years, preaching the gospel, building up the faithful, and dodging ‘bullets’.

V. 33 - “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” - I suspect this verse should have been included in chapter 16 (see note 1). This blessing fits nicely with the greetings and acknowledgements making up most of chapter 16.

Note 1: Chapter numbers/divisions were identified in the 1200s AD. Verse numbers came about 1555 AD.

End of Chapter Romans 15:1-33 (NASB)

Rom. 15:22-29 - Paul’s journey

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.

I Am Finally Getting to Come to You!

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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Rom. 15:17-21 - Paul’s ministry

17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 
18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed,
19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation;
21 but as it is written, "THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND."

Aspiring to Preach the Gospel

V. 17 - “I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God” - It is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
Not boasting about his education, or his zeal, or the superiority of Jewish worship, sacrifices, tabernacles or temples, but that salvation is in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone. It is He who saves us, and not we ourselves. (See: 2 Cor 3:5, 4:7)

V. 18 - “For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me” This reminds me of the verse in Jeremiah, “The LORD says, ‘Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich. If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the LORD, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,’ says the LORD.” (Jer 9:23-24)
Paul is boasting, “Christ did this!”

“the obedience of the Gentiles” - The result was Gentiles came to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus called them. They responded. The obedience was not pertaining to rules and rituals, but to accepting and believing. See: John 6:28-29: “Therefore they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’ “

V. 19 - ‘In the power of the Holy Spirit” - Not by Paul’s power, but by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, with manifestations and signs which reinforced the actions of the Lord, and seen by others, accepted as proof their lives were changed.

“Jerusalem... as far as Illyicum” - (Illyricum - an area east of the Adriatic Sea, the sea east of the Italian ‘boot’ between the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea.) Paul’s ministry did not start in Jerusalem. He first spread the Gospel in Damascus. He travelled to Jerusalem to meet with the Church leaders there. (Acts 9:20-25) He and Barnabas went to Tarsus and Antioch (Acts 11:19-26). It was there that believers were first called "Christians!" They returned to Jerusalem to make the case for evangelism to the Gentiles, and were sent out with blessings from the leaders of the Jerusalem church. (Acts 15:1-35)

V. 20 - “I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named” - Paul was always seeking new territories in which to preach Jesus Christ. He was not here on earth to pirate believers from other evangelists. His goal was to witness to those who had never heard of Jesus. He wanted to reach as many people as possible.

V. 21 - “but as it is written” - A quote from Isa 52:15, which is a Messianic prophecy stating that finally, as mankind is totally amazed at what they hear and see, they will begin to understand what God has done for them. Many nations will hear, Gentiles and Jews, will hear the Gospel. People will be gobsmacked. Their jaws will drop, and then snap closed, silenced in total awe of what has happened.
They have never heard of anything so amazing as Christ’s resurrection.
They have been astounded beyond understanding that God would die for our sin.
And then understanding will dawn. They will see! They will understand! To God be the glory!

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Rom. 15:13-16 - Paul’s ministry

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.
15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God,
16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

We Have Hope, Joy, and Peace by the Power of the Holy Spirit

V. 13 - This verse is a bridge between the discussion of Christian community and the windup of the letter.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” - Paul’s prayer for them. God gives us hope for eternal life and eternity with Him. We have the joy of knowing Jesus and the peace with God and the peace of God. (See: Phil 4:7, 9; Col 1:20-23)

“You will abound in hope” - The hope is not generated by our efforts, but is a gift of God through the Holy Spirit. Paul is praying the believers will not have ‘just a little bit’, but they will be overflowing with hope. We can face each day with no diminution of hope.

“by the power of the Holy Spirit.” - One of the big difference between Judaism and Christianity is that Christians have the Holy Spirit. When you read through the Old Testament, you will see that the Holy Spirit is given in only a limited number of instances. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit for all who believe in Him. “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7) And, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,” (John 15:26) Jesus asks the Father to give us the Holy Spirit; “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” (John 14:16) The Holy Spirit will lead us, guide us, teach us what we need to know to live as Christians. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

V. 14 - “you yourselves are full of goodness... all knowledge” - Paul sees that his prayer for them is being fulfilled even as he writes this letter to them. They should be filled with hope, joy, and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit (vs. 13), and he sees it happening.

“Admonish one another” - Not knowledge for knowledge’s sake, nor goodness for that warm, fuzzy feeling, nor peace - but all of these are so that they can help each other grow in Christ. Our faith in Christ is very personal - your faith cannot save your neighbor. It can only save you! At the same time, Christianity is not a solitary faith. Can you imagine getting to heaven, look around and say, “Hey! What are all these people doing here? I thought it was just me!” You know better. Christianity is a community of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The community is to come together and worship Him, and help each other, and encourage each other, and teach, preach and build up each other. (See: Heb. 10:24-25)

V. 15 - “I have written very boldly to you” - Paul takes the responsibility of teaching and admonishing seriously (see his letters: all of his letters, all 13, about half of the NT). He has every reason to be proud of what he has done. That is not the message from Paul here. Paul is writing to them because the grace of God has given Paul all.

V. 16 - “minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles” - Paul, a devout Jew, a learned fervent Jew, was called by God to go to those who did not know God. It might be easy to say the Jews did not know God, either. While in reality that may have been true, at least the Jews had the revelation of God to them. The Gentiles did not have this revelation directly to them, They had the witness of the Jews to reveal God to them.

God’s choice of Paul gave the Gentiles a witness who could explain, in marvelous detail, how God revealed Himself to the world. He could explain the reason for the Law - not to kill lots of animals in sacrifices, but to teach and show us we needed God. We need God’s grace. We need His forgiveness.

“Ministering as a priest the gospel of God” - Not a priest of the Jewish Covenant Law, performing the duties of that priesthood, but serving Jesus Christ by spreading the Good News. Not all Jews could become a priest in the Judaism, only Levites.  Reading Leviticus, chapters 21 and 22, we see the priests were “sons of Aaron”, Moses’ brother - all Levites. God chose the Levites as priests - the priests were to be holy to the Lord. Earlier the Lord said that all first born were His, holy to Him. But God was gracious, and separated the tribe of Levi to be priests, so that the first-born males of each household would not be taken from the families. The Levites did not get a portion of land as did the other tribes. They did not get land, because their portion was the Lord. They got to serve Him in the community and in the tabernacle. 

“ My offering of the Gentiles” - What a wonderful image! The Levitical priests performed the sacrificial and offering rituals. The priests offered up the lamb to God, the ox, the grain to God in the tabernacle or temple. Part of the priests’ job was to verify the animal being offered to God was pure, unblemished, and thereby acceptable to be sacrificed.

Paul may be praying, “Here, O Lord, are the Gentiles that have come to believe in You because of You working in and through me. They have trusted You, Lord. They have trusted the message given them through me. May I have done Your will, and their faith in You is acceptable, May they be sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are sealed by the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory!”

I understand those are my words, not Paul’s, but hope they express the flavor of what he wrote.

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Rom. 15:7-12 - Praise among Gentiles

7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.
8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,
9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, "THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME."
10 Again he says, "REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE."
11 And again, "PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM."
12 Again Isaiah says, "THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE."

 

Servant to Both Jews and Gentiles

V. 7 - “Therefore, accept one another” - None have an advantage on another with respect to salvation - neither of us has earned it. Christ has gifted us eternal life. Christ has brought us into the presence of God, blameless and without blemish. (See: Eph 5:27; Phil 2:15; Col 1:22; Jude 1:24). As noted in verses 1-6 above, don’t let peripheral issues like food, or holy days, or festivals, etc., break down any fellowship of the believers.

V. 8 - “Christ has become a servant to the circumcision” - Jesus was sent first to the Jews. His service? To bring them back to God. They thought they were God’s own people. They did not recognize their sin and rebellion created a gap (actually, the gap was always there: a chasm of sin that no man can bridge or cross. They were so blinded by their pride they could not see the gap!). Jesus offered the clear and safe path to the throne room of God Almighty.

“on behalf of the truth of God” - God loves you and wants to save you. “Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?'” (Eze 33:11). That is the truth of God - He wants us to respond to His offer to save us! God does not coerce; He only woos. “For I know what I have planned for you,' says the LORD. 'I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,' says the LORD.” (Jer 29:11-14)

“to confirm the promises given to the fathers” - Promises to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and David (to name a few).

V. 9 - “and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy” - Jesus came as a servant for both the Jews and the Gentiles. Prophecies concerning the Gentiles: Isa. 60:1-14; Hos. 1:10, 2:23; Amos 9:12; Matt. 12:21, 22:2-14.

“As it is written” - Quoted from 2 Sam 22:50, Psa 18:49. - God is merciful - forgiving our sin and bringing us into His presence with great joy.

V. 10 - Quoted from Deut 32:43 - Who are those rejoicing? The Gentiles (that’s you and me) who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior.

V. 11 - Quoted from Psa 117:1 - Let everyone and everything sing praises to God for His mercy to us.

V. 12 - Quoted from Isa 11:10 - We were hopeless in our sin. He has saved us. We have hope.

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Rom. 15:4-6 - God gives perseverance

4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,
6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glorify Our Lord Jesus Christ

V. 4 - “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction” - What was written? A Messiah would come, provided by the Lord. (Gen 3:15, 12:2-3, 15:4-6; Isa 7:14, 11:1-5, 11:10;, e.g.) The Messiah would suffer for our sin. (See: Isa 52:13-53:12) He will be exalted. (Isa 53:10-11) These are not “secret knowledges”, only to be known by a chosen few. However, if you choose not to believe in Jesus as Lord, you will ‘blow off’ the scripture. It will seem silly to you.

“We might have hope” - The scriptures, written over hundreds of years - from Moses to Peter, John and Paul (about 1450 BC to 60 AD) - portray the Lord’s promise and fulfillment of same to bring mankind back into a personal relationship with Him. Christ came that we might have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) Christ promised we would have peace with God in this life, and also the life to come. Paul emphasizes that if peace in this life is all there is, our faith is pitiful. The best and greatest is yet to come. (See: 1 Cor 15:12-20)

V. 5 - “Perseverance and encouragement” - These words are repeated (verses 4 and 5). Hope and praise. Hope for us, and praise for Jesus Christ. God gives us the strength to go on when faced with trials and persecution, and builds us up at the same time.

“grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus” - God, through the Holy Spirit, gives us the perseverance and encouragement to withstand the attacks from Satan upon the believer. The ‘same mind’ is not urging ‘uni-think’ or ‘hive-mind’ type of surrendering self. We are not little robots, all programmed the same, obeying the imprinted commands. “Love one another” is the same mind Paul is urging. (See: John 13:34-35, 15:12, 17; Rom 12:10, 13:8; Gal 5:3; Eph 4:2; 1 Thes 3:12, 4:9; 2 Thes 1:3; Heb 10:24; 1 Pet 1:22, 4:8; 1 John 3:23, 4:7, 11-12; 2 John 1:5)

Why? Because God first loved us! (John 3:16; Rom 5:8; 1 John 3:1, 4:19)

V. 6 - “so that with one accord“ - That we all may sing out, “Praise the Lord!” And it will go on forever! (See: Rev 4:8-11, 5:8-10)

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Romans 15:1-3 - Don’t Work to Please Yourself

Outline Romans 15
15:1-3 - Not to please self
15:4-6 - God gives perserverance
15:7-13 - Praise among Gentiles
15:14-21 - Paul’s ministry
15:22-29 - Paul’s journey
15:30-33 - Strive with me

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1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.
2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.
3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME."

B.O.L.O.

V. 1 - “Now we who are strong” - This verse emphasizes the principle Paul has been preaching in the preceding verses (Rom 14:1-23). The focus is on the well-being of those around you, rather than yourself. (See: Phil 2:3-4) Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luk 19:10) He humbled Himself, became a human, and died in order for those who believe may live eternally. (Phil 2:5-8)

“Bear the weaknesses...” - For example: If it does not bother you to eat meat, and you know your friend is offended by the same - Don’t eat meat when you are eating with them. This is not saying that either eating meat or not eating meat is better or worse than the other.

V. 2 - “Each of us is to please his neighbor” - Be on the lookout (“B.O.L.O.”) for your fellow believers. Be confident that your behavior won’t lead them to doubt their faith or commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ!

V. 3 - “For even Christ did not please Himself“ - Jesus became a human for us, in order to accomplish God’s grander purpose for us. He said, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Matt 26:39) This verse ends with a quote from Psa 69:9. God’s judgement against sin fell upon the one and only sinless person. If people are offended by me as a believer, then God’s reputation is besmirched. May it never be! If my behavior causes another believer, or someone interested in God’s message of salvation, to question their belief or to reject Jesus. Shame on me! May it never be!

The psalmist says it best: “Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me, O sovereign LORD and king! Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me, O God of Israel!” (Psa 69:6)
Another side of this quote is that those who hate God and Jesus will express their hatred and anger out on Christian believers. Persecution of Christians is similar to that which has followed that of the Jews. Persecution of believers is not the emphasis here, but disdain for Christ easily feeds the desire to denigrate Jesus and His followers. 

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