Romans 15:22

15:22-29 The apostle sought the things of Christ more than his own will, and would not leave his work of planting churches to go to Rome. It concerns all to do that first which is most needful. We must not take it ill if our friends prefer work which is pleasing to God, before visits and compliments, which may please us. It is justly expected from all Christians, that they should promote every good work, especially that blessed work, the conversion of souls. Christian society is a heaven upon earth, an earnest of our gathering together unto Christ at the great day. Yet it is but partial, compared with our communion with Christ; for that only will satisfy the soul. The apostle was going to Jerusalem, as the messenger of charity. God loves a cheerful giver. Every thing that passes between Christians should be a proof and instance of the union they have in Jesus Christ. The Gentiles received the gospel of salvation from the Jews; therefore were bound to minister to them in what was needed for the body. Concerning what he expected from them he speaks doubtfully; but concerning what he expected from God he speaks confidently. We cannot expect too little from man, nor too much from God. And how delightful and advantageous it is to have the gospel with the fulness of its blessings! What wonderful and happy effects does it produce, when attended with the power of the Spirit!

For which cause also,.... By reason of being employed for so many years, in preaching the Gospel from Jerusalem, round about to Illyricum; taking so large a compass to minister in, and striving to introduce, propagate, and spread the Gospel, where Christ was never named before: I have been much hindered from coming to you; or he had been often, and by many ways, and upon many accounts, hindered from coming to them; the frequent calls to different and distant places, and the great work of preaching the Gospel in those dark parts of the world, and settling churches there, which was upon his hands, prevented his giving them a visit at Rome, which he much and often desired: as in the preceding verses the apostle excuses his freedom of writing to this church, so here his long delay of coming to them, assigning the reason of it.

{10} For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. (10) He writes in general to the Romans, and that familiarly, his singular good will towards them, and the state of his affairs, but in such a way that he does not swerve in the least way from the end of apostolic doctrine: for he declares nothing but that which appertains to his office, and is godly: and commending by a little digression as it were, the liberality of the churches of Macedonia, he modestly incites them to follow their godly deed.

Hitherto he hath excused his manner of writing, now he makes an apology for his not coming unto them. They at Rome might be ready to say: If he had travelled into so many countries, why could he not all this while give us a visit? To this he answers, it was not from any want of respect or good will to them, but for another cause, which he had already assigned, and that was, the preaching of Christ where he had not been named; for this cause, he says, he had been much hindered: he looked upon that as the more necessary work; the planting of churches is more than the watering of them. He told them, Romans 1:13 , of his being hindered from coming to them, and now he acquaints them lnore particularly with the reason, which he concealed before. The word (ta polla) rendered much, signifieth many; and it implies that he was many times hindered, and many ways; but this was the chief.

Romans 15:22-33 . The Apostle’s programme. He is at present on his way to Jerusalem with the gifts which his Gentile churches have made for the relief of the poor Christians there. The issue of this visit is dubious, and he begs their prayers for its success. After it is over, he means to proceed to Spain, and on the way he hopes to pay his long deferred visit to Rome.

22–33 . His work has hitherto kept him from personal visits to Rome: now it will lead him to the city: but first he must go to Jerusalem, on business of the Church. He requests prayer 22 . I have been much hindered ] Better, I was hindered for the most part ; i.e. hindrances outweighed facilities: he was more hindered than furthered by his active movements. from coming to you ] See Acts 19:21 for St Paul’s fixed purpose to visit Rome.

For which cause - I have been so entirely occupied in this leading purpose of my life, that I have not been able to come to you. Much hindered - Many ways; not many times. I had so frequent and urgent demands on my time elsewhere, that I could not come to you. From coming to you - Where the gospel "has been" preached. I have desired to come, but have been unable to leave the vast region where I might preach the gospel to those who had never heard it.

Romans 15:22 . Διό ] because, namely, my apostolic mode of working, just described ( Romans 15:20-21 ), did not yet permit me to depart from the districts mentioned, inasmuch as there was still work to do in founding. Comp. Beza: “dum huc et illuc avocor, interpellatus et ita prohibitus.” Incorrectly Bengel, Reiche, and others: because in Rome the foundation was laid by others. Romans 15:23 is decisive against this. τὰ πολλά ] more than πολλάκις , Romans 1:13 ( πολλά ): in the most cases ( πλεῖστα , Plat. Hipp. maj . p. 281 B), as a rule , not “ so often” (Th. Schott). The Vulgate renders correctly: plerumque . See Schaefer, ad Bos. Ell . p. 427; Ast, ad Plat. Legg . p. 62 f. Paul has had other hindrances also, but mostly such as had their ground in the above regulative principle of his working. Hofmann understands ἐνεκοπτ . of external hindrances ; so that Paul means that he, even if he would, could not come otherwise than in pursuance of that principle, to Rome (whither that principle did not lead him). This is at variance with the following νυνὶ δὲ κ . τ . λ ., which in μηκέτι τόπον ἔχων ἐν τ . κλ . τ . expresses the removal now of the hindrance meant by ἐνεκοπτ . τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ] genitive dependent on the verb of hindering. See Bornemann, ad Xen. Anab . i. 7. 20; Fritzsche, ad Matth . p. 845.