Romans Part 42
Paul can confidently say that he had not held anything back in fulfilling his responsibility. His ministry had included signs and wonders, the power of God's Spirit, and the fullness of the gospel message. He had given the people everything God had entrusted to him.
In Romans 15:17–18, Paul is careful to clarify that he is not taking credit for the work God had accomplished through others. His ministry was part of a much larger work that God was orchestrating through His servants. Others, including Peter and the other apostles, had also labored faithfully in spreading the gospel. Paul is simply explaining what God had accomplished through his particular ministry.
In verse 19, Paul can confidently say that he had not held anything back in fulfilling his responsibility. His ministry had included signs and wonders, the power of God's Spirit, and the fullness of the gospel message. He had given the people everything God had entrusted to him. There were no hidden teachings or secret pieces of the gospel that another apostle would eventually have to reveal. This is important because serious problems would later arise from people claiming to have additional knowledge or teachings that the apostles had supposedly failed to provide.
Verses 20–21 describe Paul's particular focus in his ministry. He made it his ambition to preach where Christ had not already been known. This was a different aspect of ministry from simply feeding and caring for an established congregation. Paul was primarily going after those who had never heard the message, taking the gospel into places where people had not yet heard it. His desire was to establish the truth in new areas rather than build on another person's foundation. Isaiah had foretold that those who had not been told about Him would see and understand, and Paul saw his ministry as part of that fulfillment.
Verses 22–26 explain why Paul had not yet been able to visit Rome. He had been occupied with his work of preaching the gospel in other regions, but now that those areas had been sufficiently reached, he hoped to travel to Rome and eventually continue to Spain. Before doing so, however, he had an important responsibility to fulfill in Jerusalem.
A famine had created significant hardship in the capital city, and the Gentile churches had collected financial assistance for the believers in Jerusalem. This is consistent with the logistical details recorded elsewhere in the New Testament, including Acts 20:6 and 1 Corinthians 16:1.
Verses 27–29 emphasize that this collection was more than simply a financial transaction. The Gentile Christians had received spiritual blessings through the Jewish believers, so they considered it right to provide physical assistance in return. Paul viewed this as an expression of love and unity within the Body of Christ. He planned to deliver the contribution personally before continuing his journey to Rome.
Paul's plans unfolded in an unexpected way. In verses 30–32, he asks the Roman Christians to strive together with him in prayer. He knew that opposition awaited him in Jerusalem and specifically asked them to pray that he would be delivered from those who were disobedient and that his service to Jerusalem would be accepted by the saints. His prayer for deliverance was answered in an important sense. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, eventually transported to Rome, and placed under house arrest. His circumstances did not turn out as he had envisioned, but God continued to use him and his life was ultimately preserved through those trials.
Verse 33 sounds almost like the conclusion of the letter: “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” Paul may have thought he had finished his letter, only to remember that he wanted to add some personal greetings and final remarks. This leads naturally into the concluding chapter of Romans, where Paul turns from his teaching and ministry plans to the people he personally knows and loves in Rome.
Epistles of Paul is a course taught at ABC by Mr. Steve Myers. Recordings from the 2023–2024 class year are available on the ABC website.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
