The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 15

you. The word ,boPJr.o617tT&µ.a.,, translated in carrying the goepel into Europe (Act. xvi. the Authorized Version,•• he.ve a prosperous 9, 10), and having established it there in journey," though rightly so rendered with important centres of population, he ever roge.rd to Its etymology and original mee.n- kept in view an eventaal visit to the iag, does not necesearily imply being pros- imperial city iteelr, in the hope of ita pered in e. jour11e,y. It was commonly used thence permeating the whole western world. to denot? being prospered generally (cf. What hed so far hindered him appears 1 Cor. xvi. 2 ; 8 John 2). from eh. xv. 22 to have been principally Vor. 11.-J'or I long to see you, that I missionary work which had first t.o be may impart unto you some spiritual gift, e.ccomplished elsewhere. At laet Provi- to the end ye ma:, be eate.blilhed. Bengel, dence carried him there in e. way not or t11king xJ.p,tTµ.a. as the specie.I gift of the his own choosing. Thus man proposes, Holy Ghost consequent on apoetolio laying God disposes. In this verse the Roman on of ho.nds (cf. Acts viii. 17, 18), argues Church seems certainly to be regarded e.s from this verse that neither St. Peter nor a. Gentile one. What classes of converts any other apostle could have been at Rome probably a.t that time composed it has been so far. Though his conclusion is probably considered in the Introduction. Whatever true, it does not follow from his premiae ; its nucleus, St. Pe.ul plainly feels that, in for .,.1 xJ.p1tTµ.a. .,,,,,vp.a.'l'11cbv evidently mee.ns sending this Epistle to it, he iB carrying generally any gift of grace. All St. Paul out his especial mission of extending the implies is that he hopes to do them some gospel to the Gentile world, though at spiritual good, so as to settle 11,nd strengthen the same time he writes mainly from a. them ; and in the next verse, with charac- J ewiah standpoint, appealing frequently to teristic delicacy, he even modifies what he the Jewish Scriptures, with which he presnp- has ea.id, so as to guard against being sup- poses an acqua.inta.nce on the pa.rt of his posed to imply that the benefit would be all readers. But the latter fa.et iB not inconsis- on their side. tent with the supposition of their being, either Ver. 12.-That is, that I with you ma:, be then or prospectively, mainly of Gentile race. oomforted in you, ee.oh of us by eaoh other's The gospel we.a everywhere preached s.s faith, yours and mine. The spirit of delicate the fulfilment of J?:daism (see note on ver. courtesy here evinced, in addressing persons 2); and for understanding both its purport over whom one loss of a. Christian gentleman and its evidences, all would have to be to than St. Paul was might have assumed a some extent indoctrinated in the ancient lordly tone, is apparent' elsewhere in his Scriptures. It is to be observed, too, that Epistles (cf. eh. xv. 15; xvi. 19; 2 Cor. ii. 3; in the nerl verse the apostle implies a. iii. 1, seq. ; viii. 8 ; ix. 2), and eepeoially the sense of now addressing a. peculiarly whole Epistle to Philemun. civilized and cultivnted communitv; he Vt,r. 13.-JJut I would not have :,on seems to have before him the prospect of ignorant, brethren, that oftentimea I pur- his addres3 reaching the educated o.nd posed to come unto you (and was hindered intelligent classes of society in the imperial hitherto), that I might have some fruit city. And the Epistle, as it goes on, is in among :,on also, even as among the rest of accordance with such an aim. For iia the Gentiles. Some take the " but" at the arguments are addressed, not merely to heginniug of this verse (oo 6{>,., B,) 11s belieyers in the Old Testament, but &.Lio the apodosis to "'P"''l'ov µ.lw in ver. 8, with generally to philosophieal thinkers. The the meaning, "I am aware, and am thank- state of the world is reviewed, . human ful, thnt your faith is already notorious; consciousness is ane.lyzed, deep problems but still I wish you to know that I have which hau long exercised the minds of long h11d a desire to visit you." But the philosophers are touched on, a.nd the gos- µ,v nnd B, 11,re too for sepamted to commend pel is, in fact, commend.;d to the world as tl,is view. It is more after St. Paul's style God's answer io man's needs. th11t there should be no apodosis to ,rpii,.,.011 Vers. 14, 15.-Both to Greeks and Bar-- µev; his train of thought carries him on so bs.ri1U1S, both to wise and unwise, I am that he forgets how he begun his sentence; debtor. So, as much as is in me, to you and ver. IS comes naturol.ly ns the sequence also that are at Bome, I am resdy to preaah of var. 12, whether we render B, by " but," or the gospel The two divisions of =nkind (11e in the Authorized Version) by "now," or into (1) "EM'l•os KUl Bclp.Sa.po,, (2) <To~ol ira.l (as in the Revised Version) by" 11ud." The 41'01)'1'01, are intended to include all, inde- long-cherished intention here spoken of h11d pendently of nationl\lity nnd culture, re- boeu expressed by him when 11t Ephesus, garded from a Greek or Roman point of before his departure to M11oedonia (Acts viow. The Greeks, I\S is well kuown, xix. 21). Foelini himself to be peoulil\rly called l\ll others thlln themselves Bap/3apoL, the l\postlo to tho Geutilo world, 11ud so that •EAA,,,u '"'l Bd. •/:la.po, included the huving already boon the first agent in whole worhl. Hero toe .Romans tVe in-  THE EPISTLE OF PAUL T6 THE ROMANS. [ou. 1.1-82.