TEXT.

XV. 1 We then that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me.

4 For whatsoever things were written, aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

5 Now the God of patience and consolation, grant you to be likeminded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus:

6 That ye may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Wherefore, receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

PARAPHRASE.

he is not fully persuaded in his own mind to be lawful, XV. 1 is sin. We, then, that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to indulge our own appetites, or inclinations, in such an use of indifferent 2 things, as may offend the weak. But let every one of us please his neighbour, comply with his infirmities for his S good, and to edification. For even Christ, our Lord, pleased not himself: but as it is written, "The reproaches "of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me." 4 For whatsoever was heretofore written, i. e. in the Old Testament, was written for our learning, that we through patience, and the comfort which the scriptures give us, 5 might have hope. Now God, who is the giver of patience and consolation, make you to be at unity one with 6 another, according to the will of Christ Jesus; That you may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify the God and 7 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, admit and receive one another into fellowship and familiarity, with

NOTE.

7Пpooλau Caves, "receive one another," cannot mean receive one another into church communion: for there is no appearance, that the convert jews and gentiles separated communion in Rome, upon account of differences about meats and drinks, and days. We should have heard of more of it, from St. Paul, if there had been two separate congregations, i. e. two churches of christians in Rome, divided about these indifferent things. Besides, directions can.

TEXT.

8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

9 And that the gentiles might glorify God, for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

PARAPHRASE.

out shyness, or distance, upon occasion of differences about things indifferent, even as Christ received us jews 8 to glorify God, (For' I must tell you, ye converted romans, that Christ was sent to the jews, and employed all his ministry' on those of the circumcision) for his truth, in making good his promise made to the fathers, i. e. 9 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; And received you, the gen

NOTES.

not be given to private christians to receive one another, in that sense. The receiving, therefore, here, must be understood of receiving, as a man doth another, into his company, converse, and familiarity, i. e. he would have them, jews and gentiles, lay by all distinction, coldness, and reservedness, in their couversation, one with another; and, as domestics of the same family, live friendly and familiar, notwithstanding their different judgments, about those ritual ob servances. Hence, v. 5, he exhorts them to be united in friendship one to another, that with one heart and one voice they might conjointly glorify God, and receive one another with the same good-will that Christ hath received us the jews, siç dokar r 8, to the glorifying of God for his truth, in fulfilling the promises he made to the patriarchs, and received the gentiles, to glorify God for his mercy to them. So that we have reason, both jews and gentiles, laying aside these little differences about things indifferent, to join together heartily, in glò. rifying God.

9 Eiç doğar Tu Os," to the glory of God;" i. e. to glorify God, by the same figure of speech that he uses is In," the faith of Jesus," for "be"lieving in Jesus," Rom, iii. 22 and 26. The thing, that St. Paul is exhorting them to here, is, to the glorifying God with one accord; as is evident, from the immediately preceding words, ver. 6, and that which follows, ver. 9, 10, 11, is to the same purpose: so that there is no room to doubt that his meaning, an these words is this, viz. Christ received, or took us, believing jews, to himself, that they might magnify the truth of God; and took the gentiles that believed to himself, that they might magnify God's mercy. This stands easy in the const: uction of his words, and sense of his mind.

8"Now I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision.” These words are plainly a parenthesis, and spoken with some emphasis, to restrain the gentile converts of Rome; who, as it is plain from chap. xiv. S, were apt bioba, to set at nought, and despise the converted jews, for sticking to their ritual observances of meats and drinks, &c.

• Diácover wefilquã, "a minister of, or to the circumcision." What it was, that Christ ministered to the jews, we may see, by the like expression of St. Paul, applied to himself, ver. 16, where he calls himself "a minister of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, ministering the gospel of God,"

TEXT.

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles, and laud bim, all ye people.

12 And again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the gentiles, in him shall the gentiles trust.

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believ ing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

PARAPHRASE.

tiles, to glorify God for his mercy to you, as it is written, "For this cause I will confess to thee among the 10 "gentiles, and sing unto thy name." And again, he 11 saith, "Rejoice, ye gentiles, with his people.'

And

again, "Praise the Lord, all ye gentiles, and laud him, 12 "all ye nations." And again, Isaiah saith, "There "shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign "over the gentiles, in him shall the gentiles trust." 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost".

NOTES.

12 t 'E' auty 10mn is," in him shall the gentiles trust," rather hope; not that there is any material difference in the signification of trust and hope, but the better to express and answer St. Paul's way of writing, with whom it is familiar, when he hath been speaking of any virtue or grace, whereof God is the author, to call God, thereupon, the God of that virtue, or favour. An eminent example whereof we have a few verses backwards, ver. 4, ira dà rñç iπoμOSÕS καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν γραφῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν, " that we through patience and comfort," rather consolation, "of the scriptures, might have hope;" and then subjoins, ὃ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως, “ now the God of "patience and consolation." And so here 10 miêon, à dì Crès inside, the gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope."

13 The gifts of the Holy Ghost, bestowed upon the gentiles, were a foundation of hope to them, that they were, by believing, the children, or people of · God, as well as the jews.

SECT. XIV.

CHAP. XV. 14-33.

CONTENTS.

IN the remaining part of this chapter, St. Paul makes a very kind and skilful apology to them, for this epistle: expresses an earnest desire of coming to them: touches upon the reasons, that hitherto had hindered him: desires their prayers for his deliverance from the jews, in his journey to Jerusalem, whither he was going; and promises that, from thence, he will make them a visit in his way to Spain.

TEXT.

14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you, in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace, that is given to me of God.

16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

PARAPHRASE.

14 As to my own thoughts concerning you, my brethren, I am persuaded that you also, as well as others, are full of goodness, abounding in all knowledge, and able to in15 struct one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written to you, in some things, pretty freely, as your remembrancer, which I have been emboldened to do, by the commission, which God has been graciously pleased 16 to bestow on me, Whom he hath made to be the minister of Jesus Christ to the gentiles, in the gospel of God, in which holy ministration I officiate, that the gentiles may be made an acceptable offering to God, sanctified

NOTE.

16" Offering." See Isai. lxvi. 29.

TEXT.

17 I have therefore whereof I may glory, through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain unto God.

18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the gentiles obedient, by word and deed.

19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation. 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see and they that have not heard, shall understand.

22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming

to you.

PARAPHRASE.

17 by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them. I have, therefore, matter of glorying, through Jesus Christ, 18 as to those things that pertain to God. For I shall not venture to trouble you with any concerning myself, but only what Christ hath wrought by me, for the bringing of the gentiles to christianity, both in profession and 19 practice. Through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Ghost, so that, from Jerusalem and the neighbouring countries, all along, quite to Illyricum, 20 I have effectually preached the gospel of Christ; But so as studiously to avoid the carrying of it to those places, where it was already planted, and where the people were already christians, lest I should build upon 21 another man's foundation. But as it is written, "To

"whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they, 22 "that have not heard, shall understand." This has

NOTES.

17 ↳ Tà após Cso, "Things that pertain to God." The same phrase we have, Heb. v. 1, where it signifies the things, that were offered to God, in the temple-ministration. St. Paul, by way of allusion, speaks of the gentiles in the foregoing verse, as an offering to be made to God, and of himself, as the priest, by whom the sacrifice, or offering, was to be prepared and offered; and then here he tells them, that he had matter of glorying, in this offering, i. e. that he had had success, in converting the gentiles, and bringing them to be a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to God; an account whereof he gives them, in the four fol lowing verses.