Verse by Verse

³⁰ Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,

³¹ that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

³² that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.

³³ Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

love of the Spirit — probably referring to the results of the Spirit’s work in them

do not believe — disobedience in unbelief

God of peace — in contrast to the dangers Paul faced

Paul’s prayer:

1. safety from unbelievers — didn’t work out according to Paul’s plan

2. acceptance by Jewish believers — didn’t work out according to Paul’s plan

3. see Roman believers — it happened, but not as Paul expected

4. be in God’s will — this was accomplished

In the New Testament the word Amen is found in 127 verses. In many of these it occurs twice because the Lord Jesus Christ frequently said, “Amen, amen, I say unto you.” The older version translates it, “Verily, verily;” the revision, “Truly, truly.” In any case, it is Christ’s affirmation that He is uttering divine truth.

In 76 verses the word Amen occurs at the beginning of a sentence, in 48 others it is found at the end. It is always God who uses the word at the beginning and always man who uses it at the end. God says, “I solemnly affirm the truth of what I am about to say,” and His people reply, “We believe that what God has said is true.” The truth of God is the foundation, and the superstructure is our faith in His reliability. His truth and our faith go together like father and child. — Barnhouse, page 118

²⁵ But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.

²⁶ For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.

²⁷ It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

²⁸ Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.

²⁹ But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Macedonia and Achaia — the churches all over Greece

minister (verse 25) — as a deacon, not as a priest

poor in Jerusalem — contrast with Acts 4:34. (Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold.) The kingdom was rejected by the Jews and now, only 20 or so years later, they were suffering.

Paul did make it to Rome, but in chains, and he was shipwrecked on the way. But while in prison there, he was able to write Philippians 1:12 — But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.

²² For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.

²³ But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you

²⁴ whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

for which cause — Paul’s efforts to visit where Christ had not been preached.

Spain — under Roman rule since 133 BC. It had a large Jewish population. (Some think Paul made it to Spain, but there is no biblical evidence that he did so.)

filled with your company — refreshed (see verse 32)

¹⁷ Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.

¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—

¹⁹ in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

²⁰ And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation,

²¹ but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard shall understand.”

Paul takes satisfaction that his ministry is in Christ and about God.

sign = token or indication — it expresses a purpose and appeals to understanding

wonder = something exceptional that makes the viewer marvel — it appeals to imagination

power — declares the source to be supernatural

Spirit of God — responsible for signs and wonders and Paul’s preaching (verse 18)

Quote in verse 21 is from Isaiah 52:15 (in the Septuagint) — … for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

I think that God let Paul’s plans go awry and his hopes fail, in order to give great comfort to believers of all generations. If the great apostle could form plans that seemed most holy and most spiritual, most unselfish and most desirable, only to see them fail, shall we not expect that our plans, too, may fail? The Christian who grieves over broken plans does not comprehend the sovereignty of God. But he who says, “It is all right, Lord; do whatever you please with me and mine,” is the Christian who is filled with joy. — Barnhouse, page 101.

¹⁴ Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,

¹⁶ that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

goodness — not moral excellence, but a disposition to be kind to others

Goodness and knowledge are both necessary for admonition.

minister = the word for priestly service

offering up = believers giving themselves

being sanctified = having been sanctified, by a divine act at the moment of salvation.

Paul is the minister by divine call. The believers are offering themselves as sacrifices. These sacrifices (believers) are cleansed by the Holy Spirit.

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God is the author of hope — assurance

Should read God of the hope.

This is Paul’s final reason for unity — we share the hope.

Trinity: God authored the hope, Christ embodied the hope, the Holy Spirit empowers us to embrace it.

This verse is a great summary of the blessed life in the brotherhood formed by our oneness in Jesus Christ. The source of that life is the God of hope. The measure of that life is that we shall be filled “with all joy and peace.” The quality of that life is joy and peace which He desires for us. The condition of that life is faith — we enter by believing. The purpose of that life is that we might abound. The enabling of that life is divine power. And the director of that life is the Holy Spirit. These seven aspects sum up the Christian life. — Barnhouse, page 72-73.

¹⁰ And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”

¹¹ And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!”

¹² And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

Quote in verse 10 is from Deuteronomy 32:43 — Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people: for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will be merciful unto His land, and to His people. This is from the song of Moses, referring to the defeat of the Antichrist and the start of the kingdom.  The blessings of the Gentiles are dependent upon the deliverance of Israel.

The quote in verse 11 is from Psalm 117:1 — Praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise Him, all ye people.

The quote in verse 12 is from Isaiah 11:1, 10 — And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots … And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious. This prophecy specifically points to Christ.

Paul quotes from the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets.

Verse 11 should read “people”, referring to Israel.

⁸ Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,

⁹ and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.”

Paul has been encouraging unity among believers. Here he gives another reason — Christ has ministered to all, Jews and Gentiles.

Verse 8 is saying that He came primarily for the Jews. Verse 9 explains that His ministry was a necessary foundation for the salvation of all nations.

The quote in verse 9 is from Psalm 18:49 — Therefore will I give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto Thy name.

This verse has three levels:

1. David celebrating his defeat of other nations.

2. Gentiles thanking God for salvation.

3. Ultimate fulfillment in the Millennium

was a minister — past tense. Christ’s earthly ministry. But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). While He was on earth, Christ was confirming the promises made to Israel.

Promises to Israel, mercy to Gentiles — but even this fulfilled a promise to Israel — And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

Verses 9-12 are all confirmation of God’s promise to Israel that all Gentiles would be blessed. Paul’s ministry confirms this promise, but it won’t be fulfilled until the Millennium.

⁵ Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,

⁶ that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

“the patience” and “the comfort” from Scripture (verse 4) is here seen to be authored by God.

according to Jesus Christ — according to His example as seen in verse 3

Unity will bring glory to God.

Christ’s reception of us was for God’s glory as is our reception of each other.

Philippians 2:4-5 — Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

receive = receive to one’s self-embrace

1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

² Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

³ For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”

⁴ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

ought — in old English, this was the past tense of “owe.”

for his good — The point isn’t to satisfy another person’s selfish desires, but to look out for his best interests.

The quote in verse 3 is from Psalm 69:9 —  For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon me.

Christ voluntarily allowed man’s hostility to fall on Him. Our suffering for others is insignificant in comparison, especially when our suffering is for a weaker brother while His was for an enemy.

The quote in verse 3 is about Christ, but it was written for our benefit, so we can be comforted and so we can have the same mind as Christ.

Patience and comfort — should be “the patience and the comfort of the Scriptures.” It should also read “the hope,” specifically referring to the hope of Christ’s return.

comfort = consolation, encouragement