8 Now G1161 I say G3004 that Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 was G1096 a minister G1249 of the circumcision G4061 for G5228 the truth G225 of God, G2316 to G1519 confirm G950 the promises G1860 made unto the fathers: G3962
But G1161 he answered G611 and said, G2036 I am G649 not G3756 sent G649 but G1508 unto G1519 the lost G622 sheep G4263 of the house G3624 of Israel. G2474
For G1063 all G3745 the promises G1860 of God G2316 in G1722 him G846 are yea, G3483 and G2532 in G1722 him G846 Amen, G281 unto G4314 the glory G1391 of God G2316 by G1223 us. G2257
Ye G5210 are G2075 the children G5207 of the prophets, G4396 and G2532 of the covenant G1242 which G3739 God G2316 made G1303 with G4314 our G2257 fathers, G3962 saying G3004 unto G4314 Abraham, G11 And G2532 in thy G4675 seed G4690 shall G1757 all G3956 the kindreds G3965 of the earth G1093 be blessed. G1757 Unto you G5213 first G4412 God, G2316 having raised up G450 his G846 Son G3816 Jesus, G2424 sent G649 him G846 to bless G2127 you, G5209 in G1722 turning away G654 every one G1538 of you G5216 from G575 his iniquities. G4189
He came G2064 unto G1519 his own, G2398 and G2532 his own G2398 received G3880 him G846 not. G3756
But G1161 ye G5210 are a chosen G1588 generation, G1085 a royal G934 priesthood, G2406 an holy G40 nation, G1484 a peculiar G1519 G4047 people; G2992 that G3704 ye should shew forth G1804 the praises G703 of him who hath called G2564 you G5209 out of G1537 darkness G4655 into G1519 his G846 marvellous G2298 light: G5457 Which G3588 in time past G4218 were not G3756 a people, G2992 but G1161 are now G3568 the people G2992 of God: G2316 which G3588 had G1653 not G3756 obtained mercy, G1653 but G1161 now G3568 have obtained mercy. G1653
But G1161 when G3753 the fulness G4138 of the time G5550 was come, G2064 God G2316 sent forth G1821 his G846 Son, G5207 made G1096 of G1537 a woman, G1135 made G1096 under G5259 the law, G3551 To G2443 redeem G1805 them that were under G5259 the law, G3551 that G2443 we might receive G618 the adoption of sons. G5206
For G1063 as G5618 G2532 ye G5210 in times past G4218 have not believed G544 God, G2316 yet G1161 have G1653 now G3568 obtained mercy G1653 through G5130 their unbelief: G543
Behold G1492 therefore G3767 the goodness G5544 and G2532 severity G663 of God: G2316 on G1909 them which fell, G4098 G3303 severity; G663 but G1161 toward G1909 thee, G4571 goodness, G5544 if G1437 thou continue G1961 in his goodness: G5544 otherwise G1893 thou G4771 also G2532 shalt be cut off. G1581
Who G3748 are G1526 Israelites; G2475 to whom G3739 pertaineth the adoption, G5206 and G2532 the glory, G1391 and G2532 the covenants, G1242 and G2532 the giving of the law, G3548 and G2532 the service G2999 of God, and G2532 the promises; G1860 Whose G3739 are the fathers, G3962 and G2532 of G1537 whom G3739 as concerning G2596 the flesh G4561 Christ G5547 came, who G5607 is over G1909 all, G3956 God G2316 blessed G2128 for G1519 ever. G165 Amen. G281
And G2532 other G243 sheep G4263 I have, G2192 which G3739 are G2076 not G3756 of G1537 this G5026 fold: G833 them also G2548 I G3165 must G1163 bring, G71 and G2532 they shall hear G191 my G3450 voice; G5456 and G2532 there shall be G1096 one G3391 fold, G4167 and one G1520 shepherd. G4166
That I G3165 should be G1519 G1511 the minister G3011 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 to G1519 the Gentiles, G1484 ministering G2418 the gospel G2098 of God, G2316 that G2443 the offering up G4376 of the Gentiles G1484 might be G1096 acceptable, G2144 being sanctified G37 by G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost. G4151
Now G1161 this G5124 I say, G3004 that G3754 every one G1538 of you G5216 saith, G3004 I G1473 G3303 am G1510 of Paul; G3972 and G1161 I G1473 of Apollos; G625 and G1161 I G1473 of Cephas; G2786 and G1161 I G1473 of Christ. G5547
And G2532 that G2443 he might make known G1107 the riches G4149 of his G846 glory G1391 on G1909 the vessels G4632 of mercy, G1656 which G3739 he had afore prepared G4282 unto G1519 glory, G1391 G3739 Even G2532 us, G2248 whom G3739 he hath called, G2564 not G3756 of G1537 the Jews G2453 only, G3440 but G235 also G2532 of G1537 the Gentiles? G1484
Therefore G1223 G5124 it is of G1537 faith, G4102 that G2443 it might be by G2596 grace; G5485 to the end G1519 the promise G1860 might be G1511 sure G949 to all G3956 the seed; G4690 not G3756 to that only G3440 which is of G1537 the law, G3551 but G235 to that also G2532 which is of G1537 the faith G4102 of Abraham; G11 who G3739 is G2076 the father G3962 of us G2257 all, G3956
To G4314 declare, G1732 I say, at G1722 this G3568 time G2540 his G846 righteousness: G1343 that G1519 he might be G1511 just, G1342 and G2532 the justifier G1344 of him G846 which believeth G4102 in G1537 Jesus. G2424
For G1063 what G5101 if G1487 some G5100 did not believe? G569 G3361 shall G2673 their G846 unbelief G570 make G2673 the faith G4102 of God G2316 without effect? G2673
Then G1161 Paul G3972 and G2532 Barnabas G921 waxed bold, G3955 and said, G2036 It was G2258 necessary G316 that the word G3056 of God G2316 should G2980 first G4412 have been spoken G2980 to you: G5213 but G1161 seeing G1894 ye put G683 it G846 from you, G683 and G2532 judge G2919 yourselves G1438 unworthy G3756 G514 of everlasting G166 life, G2222 lo, G2400 we turn G4762 to G1519 the Gentiles. G1484
As G2531 he spake G2980 by G1223 the mouth G4750 of his G846 holy G40 prophets, G4396 which G3588 have been since G575 the world began: G165 That we should be saved G4991 from G1537 our G2257 enemies, G2190 and G2532 from G1537 the hand G5495 of all G3956 that hate G3404 us; G2248 To perform G4160 the mercy G1656 promised to G3326 our G2257 fathers, G3962 and G2532 to remember G3415 his G846 holy G40 covenant; G1242 The oath G3727 which G3739 he sware G3660 to G4314 our G2257 father G3962 Abraham, G11
He hath holpen G482 his G846 servant G3816 Israel, G2474 in remembrance G3415 of his mercy; G1656 As G2531 he spake G2980 to G4314 our G2257 fathers, G3962 to Abraham, G11 and G2532 to his G846 seed G4690 for G1519 ever. G165 And G1161 Mary G3137 abode G3306 with G4862 her G846 about G5616 three G5140 months, G3376 and G2532 returned G5290 to G1519 her own G846 house. G3624
Thou wilt perform H5414 the truth H571 to Jacob, H3290 and the mercy H2617 to Abraham, H85 which thou hast sworn H7650 unto our fathers H1 from the days H3117 of old. H6924
Wherefore glorify H3513 ye the LORD H3068 in the fires, H217 even the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 in the isles H339 of the sea. H3220 From the uttermost part H3671 of the earth H776 have we heard H8085 songs, H2158 even glory H6643 to the righteous. H6662 But I said, H559 My leanness, H7334 my leanness, H7334 woe H188 unto me! the treacherous dealers H898 have dealt treacherously; H898 yea, the treacherous dealers H898 have dealt very H899 treacherously. H898
The LORD H3068 hath made known H3045 his salvation: H3444 his righteousness H6666 hath he openly shewed H1540 in the sight H5869 of the heathen. H1471 He hath remembered H2142 his mercy H2617 and his truth H530 toward the house H1004 of Israel: H3478 all the ends H657 of the earth H776 have seen H7200 the salvation H3444 of our God. H430
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Romans 15
Commentary on Romans 15 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 15
The apostle, in this chapter, continues the discourse of the former, concerning mutual forbearance in indifferent things; and so draws towards a conclusion of the epistle. Where such differences of apprehension, and consequently distances of affection, are among Christians, there is need of precept upon precept, line upon line, to allay the heat, and to beget a better temper. The apostle, being desirous to drive the nail home, as a nail in a sure place, follows his blow, unwilling to leave the subject till he has some hopes of prevailing, to which end he orders the cause before them and fills his mouth with the most pressing arguments. We may observe, in this chapter,
Rom 15:1-4
The apostle here lays down two precepts, with reasons to enforce them, showing the duty of the strong Christian to consider and condescend to the weakest.
Rom 15:5-6
The apostle, having delivered two exhortations, before he proceeds to more, intermixes here a prayer for the success of what he had said. Faithful ministers water their preaching with their prayers, because, whoever sows the seed, it is God that gives the increase. We can but speak to the ear; it is God's prerogative to speak to the heart. Observe,
Rom 15:7-12
The apostle here returns to his exhortation to Christians. What he says here (v. 7) is to the same purport with the former; but the repetition shows how much the apostle's heart was upon it. "Receive one another into your affection, into your communion, and into your common conversation, as there is occasion.' He had exhorted the strong to receive the weak (ch. 14:1), here, Receive one another; for sometimes the prejudices of the weak Christian make him shy of the strong, as much as the pride of the strong Christian makes him shy of the weak, neither of which ought to be. Let there be a mutual embracing among Christians. Those that have received Christ by faith must receive all Christians by brotherly love; though poor in the world, though persecuted and despised, though it may be matter of reproach and danger to you to receive them, though in the less weighty matters of the law they are of different apprehensions, though there may have been occasion for private piques, yet, laying aside these and the like considerations, receive you one another. Now the reason why Christians must receive one another is taken, as before, from the condescending love of Christ to us: As Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Can there be a more cogent argument? Has Christ been so kind to us, and shall we be so unkind to those that are his? Was he so forward to entertain us, and shall we be backward to entertain our brethren? Christ has received us into the nearest and dearest relations to himself: has received us into his fold, into his family, into the adoption of sons, into a covenant of friendship, yea, into a marriage-covenant with himself; he has received us (though we were strangers and enemies, and had played the prodigal) into fellowship and communion with himself. Those words, to the glory of God, may refer both to Christ's receiving us, which is our pattern, and to our receiving one another, which is our practice according to that pattern.
Rom 15:13
Here is another prayer directed to God, as the God of hope; and it is, as the former (v. 5, 6), for spiritual blessings: these are the blest blessings, and to be first and chiefly prayed for.
Rom 15:14-16
Here,
Rom 15:17-21
The apostle here gives some account of himself and of his own affairs. Having mentioned his ministry and apostleship, he goes on further to magnify his office in the efficacy of it, and to mention to the glory of God the great success of his ministry and the wonderful things that God had done by him, for encouragement to the Christian church at Rome, that they were not alone in the profession of Christianity, but though, compared with the multitude of their idolatrous neighbours, they were but a little flock, yet, up and down the country, there were many that were their companions in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. It was likewise a great confirmation of the truth of the Christian doctrine that it had such strange success, and was so far propagated by such weak and unlikely means, such multitudes captivated to the obedience of Christ by the foolishness of preaching. Therefore Paul gives them this account, which he makes the matter of his glorying; not vain glory, but holy gracious glorying, which appears by the limitations; it is through Jesus Christ. Thus does he centre all his glorying in Christ; he teaches us so to do, 1 Co. 1:31. Not unto us, Ps. 115:1. And it is in those things which pertain to God. The conversion of souls is one of those things that pertain to God, and therefore is the matter of Paul's glorying; not the things of the flesh. Whereof I may glory, echoµ oun kaucheµsin en Christoµ Ieµsou ta pros Theon. I would rather read it thus: Therefore I have a rejoicing in Christ Jesus (it is the same word that is used, 2 Co. 1:12, and Phil. 3:3, where it is the character of the circumcision that they rejoice-kauchoµmenoi, in Christ Jesus) concerning the things of God; or those things that are offered to God-the living sacrifices of the Gentiles, v. 16. Paul would have them to rejoice with him in the extent and efficacy of his ministry, of which he speaks not only with the greatest deference possible to the power of Christ, and the effectual working of the Spirit as all in all; but with a protestation of the truth of what he said (v. 18): I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me. He would not boast of things without his line, nor take the praise of another man's work, as he might have done when he was writing to distant strangers, who perhaps could not contradict him; but (says he) I dare not do it: a faithful man dares not lie, however he be tempted, dares be true, however he be terrified. now, in this account of himself, we may observe,
Rom 15:22-29
St. Paul here declares his purpose to come and see the Christians at Rome. Upon this head his matter is but common and ordinary, appointing a visit to his friends; but the manner of his expression is gracious and savoury, very instructive, and for our imitation. We should learn by it to speak of our common affairs in the language of Canaan. Even our common discourse should have an air of grace; by this it will appear what country we belong to. it should seem that Paul's company was very much desired at Rome. He was a man that had as many friends and as many enemies as most men ever had: he passed through evil report and good report. No doubt they had heard much of him at Rome, and longed to see him. Should the apostle of the Gentiles be a stranger at Rome, the metropolis of the Gentile world? Why as to this he excuses it that he had not come yet, he promises to come shortly, and gives a good reason why he could not come now.
Rom 15:30-33
Here we have,