of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought hy me. That is, * I will not claim the credit due to others, or appeal to results which 1 have not been instrumental in effecting.' It is to be remarked that the apostle represents himself as merely an instrument in the hands of Christ for the conversion of men ; the real efficiency he ascribes to the Re- deemer. This passage, therefore, exhibits evidence that Paul regarded Christ as still exercising a controlling agency over the souls of men, and rendering effectual the labours of his faithful ministers. Such power the sacred writers never attribute to any being but God. To make the Gen- tiles obedient, i. e. to the gospel ; compare ch. 1 : 5, where the same form of expression occurs. The obedience of which Paul speaks is the sin- cere obedience of the heart and life. This result he says Christ effected, through his instrumentality, hy word and deed, not merely by truth, but also by those means which Christ employed to render the truth effectual. What is to be understood by this expression, or how the truth was ren- dered effectual, is explained in the next verse.
(19') Through mighty signs and tvonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, i. e. by miracles, and by the influences of the Holy Ghost. This passage is, therefore, analogous to that in 1 Cor. 2:4," My speech and preaching was not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." That is, he relied for suc- cess, not on his own sjiill or eloquence, but on the powerful demonstra- tion of the Spirit. This demonstration of the Spirit consisted partly in the miracles which he enabled the first preachers of the gospel to per- form, and partly in the influence with which he attended the truth to the hearts and consciences of those that believed ; see Gal. 3 : 2 — 5. Heb. 2:4.
So that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. That is, I have been so aided and blessed of God, that throughout a most extensive region I have successfully preached the gospel. God had given his seal to Paul's apostleship by making him so abundantly useful. / have fully preached expresses, no doubt, the sense of the original, to bring the gospel (i. e. the preaching of it) to an end, to accomplish it thoroughly; see Col. 1 : 25. In this wide circuit had the apostle preached, founding churches, and advancing the Redeemer's kingdom with such evidence of the divine co-operation, as to leave no ground of doubt that he was a divinely appointed minister of Christ.
(20, 21) In further confirmation of this point, Paul states that he had not acted the part of a pastor merely, but of an apostle or founder of the church, disseminating the gospel where it was before unknown, so that the evidence of his apostleship might be undeniable; compare 1 Cor. 9: 2, " If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you ; for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord ;" and 2 Cor. 3 : 2, 3, Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man^s foundation; that is, ' I have been desirous