성경 주석서

Romans 15:18, Romans 15:19

In these verses the apostle explains more fully what he had intended by saying he gloried, or exalted. It was that God had born abundant testimony to his claims as a divinely commissioned preacher of the gospel: so that he had no need to refer to what others had done; he was satisfied to rest his claims on the results of his own labors and the testimony of God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me. That is, ‘I will not claim the credit due to others, or appeal to results which I have not been instrumental in effecting.’ According to another view, the meaning is, ‘I will not speak of any thing as the ground of boasting which Christ has not done by me.’ The contrast implied, therefore, is not between what he had done and what others had accomplished, but between himself and Christ. He would not glory in the flesh, or in any thing pertaining to himself, but only in Christ, and in what he had accomplished. The conversion of the Gentiles was Christ’s work, not Paul’s; and therefore Paul could glory in it without self-exaltation. It is to be remarked that the apostle represents himself as merely an instrument in the hands of Christ for the conversion of men; the real efficiency he ascribes to the Redeemer. This passage, therefore, exhibits evidence that Paul regarded Christ as still exercising a controlling agency over the souls of men, and rendering effectual the labors of his faithful ministers. Such power the sacred writers never attribute to any being but God. To make the Gentiles obedient, i.e. to the gospel; compare Romans 1:5, where the same form of expression occurs. The obedience of which Paul speaks is the sincere obedience of the heart and life. This result he says Christ effected, through his instrumentality, by word and deed, not merely by truth, but also by that operation which Christ employed to render the truth effectual. It was not only by the truth as presented in the word, but also by the effectual inward operation of his power, that Christ converted men to the faith.

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Romans 15:18, Romans 15:19

In these verses the apostle explains more fully what he had intended by saying he gloried, or exalted. It was that God had born abundant testimony to his claims as a divinely commissioned preacher of the gospel: so that he had no need to refer to what others had done; he was satisfied to rest his claims on the results of his own labors and the testimony of God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me. That is, ‘I will not claim the credit due to others, or appeal to results which I have not been instrumental in effecting.’ According to another view, the meaning is, ‘I will not speak of any thing as the ground of boasting which Christ has not done by me.’ The contrast implied, therefore, is not between what he had done and what others had accomplished, but between himself and Christ. He would not glory in the flesh, or in any thing pertaining to himself, but only in Christ, and in what he had accomplished. The conversion of the Gentiles was Christ’s work, not Paul’s; and therefore Paul could glory in it without self-exaltation. It is to be remarked that the apostle represents himself as merely an instrument in the hands of Christ for the conversion of men; the real efficiency he ascribes to the Redeemer. This passage, therefore, exhibits evidence that Paul regarded Christ as still exercising a controlling agency over the souls of men, and rendering effectual the labors of his faithful ministers. Such power the sacred writers never attribute to any being but God. To make the Gentiles obedient, i.e. to the gospel; compare Romans 1:5, where the same form of expression occurs. The obedience of which Paul speaks is the sincere obedience of the heart and life. This result he says Christ effected, through his instrumentality, by word and deed, not merely by truth, but also by that operation which Christ employed to render the truth effectual. It was not only by the truth as presented in the word, but also by the effectual inward operation of his power, that Christ converted men to the faith.

Romans 15:19

Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, i.e. by miracles, and by the influences of the Holy Ghost. The Greek is, ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καὶ τεράτων, ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος ἁγίου, that is, by the power of (i.e., which comes from) signs and wonders, and, the power which flows from the Holy Spirit. It was thus Christ rendered the labors of Paul successful. He produced conviction, or the obedience of faith in the minds of the Gentiles, partly by miracles, partly and mainly by the inward working of the Holy Ghost. That Christ thus exercises divine power both in the external world, and in the hearts of men, clearly proves that he is a divine person. Signs and wonders are the constantly recurring words to designate those external events which are produced, not by the operation of second causes, but by the immediate efficiency of God. They are called signs because evidences of the exercise of God’s power, and proofs of the truth of His declarations, and wonders because of the effect which they produce on the minds of men. This passage is, therefore, analogous to that in 1 Corinthians 2:4, “My speech and preaching was not in the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” That is, he relied for success not on his own skill or eloquence, but on the powerful demonstration of the Spirit. This demonstration of the Spirit consisted partly in the miracles which He enabled the first preachers of the gospel to perform, and partly in the influence with which he attended the truth to the hearts and consciences of those that believed; see Galatians 3:2-5; Hebrews 2:4.

So that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Round about, καὶ κύκλῳ, in a circle. Jerusalem was the center around which Paul prosecuted his labors. He means to say, that throughout a most extensive region I have successfully preached the gospel. God had given his seal to Paul’s apostleship, by making him so abundantly useful. I have, fully preached, expresses no doubt, the sense of the original, (πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον) to bring the gospel (i.e., the preaching of it) to an end, to accomplish it thoroughly; see Colossians 1:25. In this wide circuit had the apostle preached, founding churches, and advancing the Redeemer’s kingdom with such evidence of the divine cooperation, as to leave no ground of doubt that he was a divinely appointed minister of Christ.

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Romans 15:20, Romans 15:21

In further confirmation of this point, Paul states that he had not acted the part of a pastor merely, but of an apostle, or founder of the church, disseminating the gospel where it was before unknown, so that the evidence of his apostleship might be undeniable; compare 1 Corinthians 9:2; “If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord;” and 2 Corinthians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 3:3. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation; that is, ‘I have been desirous of not preaching where Christ was before known, but in such a way as to accomplish the prediction that those who had not heard should understand.’ Φιλοτιμεῖσθαι, so to prosecute an object as to place one’s honor in it. The motive which influenced him in taking this course was lest he should build upon another man’s foundation. This may mean either lest I should appropriate to myself the result of other men’s labors; or, lest I should act the part not of an apostle, (to which I was called), but of a simple pastor.

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Romans 15:20, Romans 15:21

In further confirmation of this point, Paul states that he had not acted the part of a pastor merely, but of an apostle, or founder of the church, disseminating the gospel where it was before unknown, so that the evidence of his apostleship might be undeniable; compare 1 Corinthians 9:2; “If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord;” and 2 Corinthians 3:2, 2 Corinthians 3:3. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation; that is, ‘I have been desirous of not preaching where Christ was before known, but in such a way as to accomplish the prediction that those who had not heard should understand.’ Φιλοτιμεῖσθαι, so to prosecute an object as to place one’s honor in it. The motive which influenced him in taking this course was lest he should build upon another man’s foundation. This may mean either lest I should appropriate to myself the result of other men’s labors; or, lest I should act the part not of an apostle, (to which I was called), but of a simple pastor.

Romans 15:21

But, as it is written, To whom he has not spoken of, they shall see; and they that have not heard shall understand. That is, I acted in the spirit of the prediction, that Christ should be preached where He had not been known. It had been foretold in Isaiah 52:15, that Christ should be preached to the Gentiles, and to those who had never heard of His name; it was in accordance with this prediction that Paul acted. There is, however, no objection to considering this passage as merely an expression, in borrowed language, of the apostle’s own ideas; the meaning then is, ‘I endeavored to preach the gospel not where Christ was named, but to cause those to see to whom he had not been announced, and those to understand who had not heard.’ This is in accordance with the apostle’s manner of using the language of the Old Testament; see Romans 10:15, Romans 10:18. But as, in this case, the passage cited is clearly a prediction, the first method of explanation should probably be preferred. A result of this method of interweaving passages from the Old Testament, is often, as in this case and Romans 10:3, a want of grammatical coherence between the different members of the sentence; see 1 Corinthians 2:9.

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Romans 15:22

For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. That is, his desire to make Christ known where he had not been named, had long prevented his intended journey to Rome, where he knew the gospel had already been preached. Much, τὰπολλά, plerumque, in most cases. The pressure of the constant calls to preach the gospel where he then was, was the principal reason why he had deferred so long visiting Rome. Hindered from coming, ἐνεκοπτόμην τοῦ ἐλθεῖν, the genitive following verbs signifying to hinder.

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Romans 15:23

But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you, etc. Great desire, ἐπιποθίαν, summum desiderium. The expression, having no more place (μηκέτι τὸπον ἔχων,) in this connection, would seem obviously to mean, ‘having no longer a place in these parts where Christ is not known.’ This idea is included in the declaration that he had fully preached the gospel in all that region. Others take the word (tόπον) rendered place, to signify occasion, opportunity, ‘Having no longer an opportunity of preaching here;’ see Acts 25:16; Hebrews 12:17.

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Romans 15:24

Whensoever 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. Whensoever (ὡς ἐάν for ὡς ἄν), as soon as; ‘As soon as I take my journey,’ etc. The words in the original, corresponding to I will come unto you, for are omitted in many MSS.‹80› The sense is complete without them: ‘As soon as I take my journey into Spain, I hope to see you on my way.’ If the word for be retained, the passage must be differently pointed: ‘Having a great desire to see you, as soon as I go to Spain, (for I hope on my way to see you, etc.) but now I go to Jerusalem.’ Spain, the common Greek name for the great Pyrenian Peninsula, was Ἰβηρία, although Σπανία was also used. The Romans called it Ἱσπανία. Whether Paul ever accomplished his purpose of visiting Spain, is a matter of doubt. There is no historical record of his having done so, either in the New Testament, or in the early ecclesiastical writers; though most of those writers seem to have taken it for granted. His whole plan was probably deranged by the occurrences at Jerusalem, which led to his long imprisonment at Cesarea, and his being sent in bonds to Rome. To be brought on my way. The original word means, in the active voice, to attend any one on a journey for some distance, as an expression of kindness and respect; and also to make provision for his journey; see Acts 15:3; Acts 20:38; 1 Corinthians 16:6; 2 Corinthians 1:16.

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Romans 15:25

But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints, i.e. to supply the wants of the saints, distributing to them the contributions of the churches; see Hebrews 6:10; compare also Matthew 8:15; Mark 1:31; Luke 4:39. The word διακονέω is used for any kind of service. The present participle is used to imply that the journey itself was a part of the service Paul rendered to the saints at Jerusalem.

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