Chapter 15:
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| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Luther
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
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| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Acts 1 Corinthians
Romans 15
Verse 1. We who are strong - Of a clearer judgment, and free from these
scruples. And not to please ourselves - Without any regard to
others.
Verse 2. For his good - This is a general word: edification is one species
of good.
Verse 3. But bore not only the infirmities, but reproaches, of his
brethren; and so fulfilled that scripture. Psalm lxix, 9
Verse 4. Aforetime - In the Old Testament. That we through patience
and consolation of the scriptures may have hope - That through
the consolation which God gives us by these, we may have
patience and a joyful hope.
Verse 5. According to the power of Christ Jesus.
Verse 6. That ye - Both Jews and gentiles, believing with one mind, and
confessing with one mouth.
Verse 7. Receive ye one another - Weak and strong, with mutual love.
Verse 8. Now I say - The apostle here shows how Christ received us.
Christ Jesus-Jesus is the name, Christ the surname. The latter was
first known to the Jews; the former, to the gentiles. Therefore he
is styled Jesus Christ, when the words stand in the common,
natural order. When the order is inverted, as here, the office of
Christ is more solemnly considered. Was a servant - Of his Father.
Of the circumcision - For the salvation of the circumcised, the
Jews. For the truth of God - To manifest the truth and fidelity of
God.
Verse 9. As it is written - In the eighteenth psalm, here the gentiles and
Jews are spoken of as joining in the worship of the God of Israel.
Psalm xviii, 49
Verse 10. Deut. xxxii, 43.
Verse 11. Psalm cxvii, 1.
Verse 12. There shall be the root of Jesse - That kings and the Messiah
should spring from his house, was promised to Jesse before it was
to David. In him shall the gentiles hope - Who before had been
"without hope," Eph. ii, 12. Isaiah xi, 10
Verse 13. Now the God of hope - A glorious title of God, but till now
unknown to the heathens; for their goddess Hope, like their other
idols, was nothing; whose temple at Rome was burned by
lightning. It was, indeed, built again not long after, but was again
burned to the ground.
Verse 14. There are several conclusions of this Epistle. The first begins
at this verse; the second, chap. xvi, 1; the third, chap. xvi, 17; the
fourth, chap. xvi, 21; and the fifth, chap. xvi, 25; Ye are full of
goodness - By being created anew. And filled with all knowledge
- By long experience of the things of God. To admonish - To
instruct and confirm.
Verse 15. Because of the grace - That is, because I am an apostle of the
gentiles.
Verse 16. The offering up of the gentiles - As living sacrifices.
Verse 17. I have whereof to glory through Jesus Christ - All my glorying
is in and through him.
Verse 18. By word - By the power of the Spirit. By deed - Namely,
through "mighty signs and wonders."
Verse 20. Not where Christ had been named - These places he generally
declined, though not altogether, having an holy ambition (so the
Greek word means) to make the first proclamation of the gospel in
places where it was quite unheard of, in spite of all the difficulty
and dangers that attended it. Lest I should only build upon another
man's foundation - The providence of God seemed in a special
manner, generally, to prevent this, though not entirely, lest the
enemies of the apostle, who sought every occasion to set light by
him, should have had room to say that he was behind other
apostles, not being sufficient for planting of churches himself, but
only for preaching where others had been already; or that he
declined the more difficult part of the ministry
Verse 21. Isaiah lii, 15.
Verse 22. Therefore I have been long hindered from coming to you -
Among whom Christ had been named.
Verse 23. Having no longer place in these parts - Where Christ has now
been preached in every city.
Verse 24. Into Spain - Where the gospel had not yet been preached. If
first I may be somewhat satisfied with your company - How
remarkable is the modesty with which he speaks! They might
rather desire to be satisfied with his. Somewhat satisfied -
Intimating the shortness of his stay; or, perhaps, that Christ alone
can throughly satisfy the soul.
Verse 26. The poor of the saints that are in Jerusalem - It can by no
means be inferred from this expression, that the community of
goods among the Christians was then ceased. All that can be
gathered from it is, that in this time of extreme dearth, Acts xi, 28,
29, some of the church in Jerusalem were in want; the rest being
barely able to subsist themselves, but not to supply the necessities
of their brethren.
Verse 27. It hath pleased them; and they are their debtors - That is, they
are bound to it, in justice as well as mercy. Spiritual things - By
the preaching of the gospel. Carnal things - Things needful for the
body.
Verse 28. When I have sealed to them this fruit - When I have safely
delivered to them, as under seal, this fruit of their brethren's love.
I will go by you into Spain - Such was his design; but it does not
appear that Paul went into Spain. There are often holy purposes in
the minds of good men, which are overruled by the providence of
God so as never to take effect. And yet they are precious in the
sight of God.
Verse 30. I beseech you by the love of the Spirit - That is, by the love
which is the genuine fruit of the Spirit. To strive together with me
in your prayers - He must pray himself, who would have others
strive together with him in prayer. Of all the apostles, St. Paul
alone is recorded to desire the prayers of the faithful for himself.
And this he generally does in the conclusions of his Epistles; yet
not without making a difference. For he speaks in one manner to
them whom he treats as his children, with the gravity or even
severity of a father, such as Timothy, Titus, the Corinthians, and
Galatians; in another, to them whom he treats rather like equals,
such as the Romans, Ephesians, Thessalonians, Colossians,
Hebrews.
Verse 31. That I may be delivered - He is thus urgent from a sense of the
importance of his life to the church. Otherwise he would have
rejoiced "to depart, and to be with Christ." And that my service
may be acceptable - In spite of all their prejudices; to the end the
Jewish and gentile believers may be knit together in tender love.
Verse 32. That I may come to you - This refers to the former, With joy -
To the latter, part of the preceding verse.
Chapter 15:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Luther
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Acts 1 Corinthians
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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