of not preaching where Christ was before known, but in such a way as to accomplish the prediction that those who had not heard should under- stand.' The motive which influenced him in taking this course was, lest he should build upon another man* s foundation. This may mean either, lest I should appropriate to myself the result of other men's labours; or, lest I should act the part, not of an apostle (to which I was called), but of a simple pastor.
(21) But^ as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see; and they that have not heard shall understand. That is, I acted m the spirit of the prediction, that Christ should be preached where he had not been known. It had been foretold in Isa. 52 : 15, that Christ should be preached to the Gentiles, and to those who had never heard of his name ; it was in accordance with this prediction that Paul acted. There is, however, no objection to considering- this passage as merely an expression, in borrowed language, of the apostle's own ideas ; the mean- ing then is, ' I endeavoured to preach the gospel not where Christ was named, but to cause those to see to whom he had not been announced, and those to understand who had not heard.' This is in accordance with the apostle's manner of using the language of the Old Testament; see ch. 10: 15, 18. But as, in this case, the passage cited is clearly a pre- diction, the first method of explanation should probably be preferred.
(22) For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. That is, his desire to make Christ known where he had not been named, had long prevented his intended journey to Rome, where he knew the gospel had already been preached.
(23) But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you, &c. The expression having no more place, in this connexion, would seem obviously to mean 'having no longer a place in these parts where Christ is not known.' This idea is included in the declaration that he had fully preached the gospel in all that region. Others take the word rendered place to signify occasion, opportunity, ' Having no longer an opportunity of preaching here;' see Acts 25 : 16. Heb. 12 : 17.
(24) Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I tvill come to you ,* for I trust to see you on my journey, and to be brought in my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. Whensoever, as soon as ; ' As soon as I take my journey,' &c. Whether Paul ever accomplished his purpose of visiting Spain is a matter of doubt. There is no historical record of his having done so, either in the New Testament or in the early ecclesiastical writers ; though most of those writers seem to have taken it for granted. His whole plan was probably deranged by the occurrences at Jerusalem, which led to his long imprisonment at Cesarea, and his being sent in bonds to Rome. To be brought on my way ; the original word means, in the active voice, to attend any one on a journey for some distance, as an expression of kind-