Catholic Commentary on Romans 15

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

Christ the Servant

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbours for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. Paul quotes Psalm 69:9, applying to Christ the suffering of the faithful servant who bears reproach for God's sake. Everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance and encouragement the Scriptures give we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Christ became a servant of the circumcised to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. Paul chains together four Old Testament quotations from the Psalms, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah, all pointing to the Gentile mission as the fulfilment of Israel's Scripture. Then comes the benediction that is among the most beautiful verses in the letter: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul's Missionary Plans

Paul explains his principle of not building on someone else's foundation, citing Isaiah 52:15. He has fully proclaimed the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum, going where Christ was not known. He plans to visit Rome on his way to Spain, but first must go to Jerusalem with the collection for the poor saints there. He asks for their prayers: that he may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that his service may be acceptable to the saints, and that he may come to them with joy and be refreshed in their company. The collection for Jerusalem is Paul's gesture of Gentile solidarity with the mother church, a practical expression of the olive tree theology of chapter 11.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the God of hope fills you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow. The overflow is the point. Not just enough hope for yourself but enough to spill over into others. Hope is not a private resource. It is given generously so that it can be given away. Let the God of hope fill you to overflow today.

Prayer

God of hope, fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in you. Let us overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Make us servants of one another as Christ became servant of all, so that with one mind and one voice we glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

15
Accept One Another
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”* 15:3 Psalms 69:9 4 For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
 
5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you harmony with one another in Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ the Servant of Jews and Gentiles
 
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, 9 so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written:
 
“Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles;
I will sing hymns to Your name.Ӡ 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalms 18:49
 
10 Again, it says:
 
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”‡ 15:10 Deuteronomy 32:43
 
11 And again:
 
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and extol Him, all you peoples.Ӥ 15:11 Psalms 117:1
 
12 And once more, Isaiah says:
 
“The Root of Jesse will appear,
One who will arise to rule over the Gentiles;
in Him the Gentiles will put their hope.”* 15:12 Isaiah 11:10 (see also LXX)
 
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
 
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, brimming with knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 However, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God has given me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
 
17 Therefore I exult in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God.† 15:19 SBL the power of the Spirit; NE and WH the power of the Holy Spirit So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
 
20 In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written:
 
“Those who were not told about Him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”‡ 15:21 Isaiah 52:15 (see also LXX)
 
22 That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Paul’s Travel Plans
(1 Corinthians 16:5–9)
 
23 But now that there are no further opportunities for me in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to visit you, 24 I hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip me for my journey.
 
25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to minister to them with material blessings.
 
28 So after I have completed this service and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set off to Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing § 15:29 TR and BYZ include of the gospel. of Christ.
 
30 Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.
 
33 The God of peace be with all of you. Amen.* 15:33 Some manuscripts do not include Amen. One early manuscript places the text of Romans 16:25–27 here.

*15:3 15:3 Psalms 69:9

†15:9 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalms 18:49

‡15:10 15:10 Deuteronomy 32:43

§15:11 15:11 Psalms 117:1

*15:12 15:12 Isaiah 11:10 (see also LXX)

†15:19 15:19 SBL the power of the Spirit; NE and WH the power of the Holy Spirit

‡15:21 15:21 Isaiah 52:15 (see also LXX)

§15:29 15:29 TR and BYZ include of the gospel.

*15:33 15:33 Some manuscripts do not include Amen. One early manuscript places the text of Romans 16:25–27 here.

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