The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 433

aphE-rM>f hiF rninietty the l\po!!tle is denoting time (11.11 wo have aeen, oh. xv. 111, Beq.) ib! l<X'8l ext-<'nt. rnther tb11.n t.he oourae he almost l\pologizing for doing eo; and, though hAd t'lken. He hnd. in raot., prearhed first he propoaos visiting them, it is not with at Da.mn!l<lus (Acb! ix. 20), 11.nd afterWR.rds the view of staying among them long, ao at Jern11&.lE-m (Acts ix. 29); but he mentions as to take up the superintendence of them, Jernl!ll.!.em first, as being the originnl home but only on his way to Spiiin for mutne.l of the g1"16pel in the EMt., and, indeed, the comfort and edification (soe oh. i. 11, 12: first scene of his own preaohing in fellow- xv. 24). ebip with the original apostles. Thence Vers. 21-24.-But as it is written, To he had extended it in various quarters whom he was not spoken of, they she.11 see : (for the mmming of n~,,._trans. "round and they that he.ve not heard aha.11 under- about "-of. Mark Ti. 6; Lnke ix. 12), and stand (Isa.. lii. 15, as in the LXX. The carriro it into Europe, Illyrioum being the pass:1ge is Messianic ; but St. Paul need wa,tern limit so fa.r reached. H is true be understood to be quoting it as predicti'fe that tbere is no mention in the Acts of or directive of tho rule he follows. Enough his harag actually visited Illyrio.. Iu the if it exprcssClB his meaning well). l!'or journey of Acts rni. he pli<inly got no which cause alao I have been muoh hindered further west than Be?CB&, which is, how- (or, was for th.o most part, or many times ernr, not fur off"; and he might possibly hindered) from ooming to you. The !Jin- mean here only to say that he had extended dra.nee had been, mainly e.t least, ns is evi- the gospel to the borders of Illyricum, but dent from .o.,b (ver. 22), the obligation he was for the word rnrA'flP"'tcwa.i., and his seeming under of completing his ministry in the first &o imply afterwards (ver. 23) that he had place in other qua.rte~ (see on oh. i. 13), gone as far as he could in those regions, But now J;.aving 110 longer ple.oe in theH and consequently contemplated e. journey regions (i.e., according to the context, there to Spain. Hence, the narrative of Acts being no e.dditional sphere for my activity not being an exhe.ustive history, it may be there. He J1e.d now ple.nted the gospel in supposed that he had on some occasion all the principe.l centres, lee.ving disciples e:nt:nded his operations from Macedonia to e.nd converts, and probably e.u ordained lllyricum, as he may well have done on his ministry, to carry on the work and extend visit to the latter mentiomd in Aot11 xx. it in the regions round. In this his proper 1-3, where li,.>..11.:,., .,.a P.E/''I E1tEiv11 allowa e.postolic work consisted: of. l Cor. i. 14-- for a rurit into lliyricnm. 17), and having e. gree.t desire these many Ver. 20.-Y• (or, but), ao striving (or, year11 to come- unto you; whensoever I take earwatly dairing, or fltDking it my aim. my journey into Spain, I will come to you : The word is <l:&All'T1µ,r{,,,_a.,, cf. 2 Cor. v. for I hope to see you 011 my journey, and 9; 1 Thea iv. 11) to preach the gospel, to .be brought 011 my way thitherward by JIDt where Christ WU DBmed, lest I should you, it first I be somewhat filled with your bllild 1lpOD. another man'■ foundation. In company. The sense of this verse is no way the compact between St. Pe.ul and the affected by the omission of " I will come apostles of the circumcision referred to in UDto you," which authorities are e.gll.llll!t Gal ii 1-7, it waa a.greed that he should retaining. H" for," after this omission, be con.fine hill apoBtolic ministry to the Gentiles. retained, the sentence is incomplete, as St. Consequently, we find him selecting as centres Paul'a sometimes are. The omission of" for" of his work the principal cities of the (for which there is some little authority) heathen world. But he wos further careful leaves the sentence improved. The apostle's to avoid placea, wherever they might be, selection of Spain as his next int.encled sphere in which Cbllr-'.'hee were a.I.ready foUDded. of labour might be due to the notoriety of It wu the fUDction of an e.postle to extend that Roman province, and the fooility of the gospel by founding new Churches, rather communication with it by see.. His omissiou tha.n to invade the provinces of other& of Italy, except for a passing visit, is Those founded by hi.msell, and thUB UDder accounted for by his principle, already hill immediate jurisdiction, u e.g. the enunciatrd, of not building on other men's Corinthi&n Church, he visited 88 need foundation, there being e.lready a flourishing a.rose, a.nd addressed them in authoritative Church at any rate at Rome. He hoped, as letters, comme.nding as well as exhorting. appears from this verse, the.t aome of tho But hit rule in this respect did not preclude members of it might join him in hill mission hie writing fWIO letters of general encoorage- to !;pain. For the word 11po11,µ,/)67111a.1 would lilf:nt and wimonition to any whom hi, imply their going all the way in the oo.se of peculiar CCIDJIUllaion u e.postle of the Gen- a sea-voyage. For the use of the word, of; til121 gave him a claim to be heard by. Acts xv. a; u. 88 ; xxi. 5: I Cor. xvi. 6: Tblll! he wrote to the CulOSl!ianB, though 2 Cor, i. 16. Observe the ohe.ro.oteriHtiu l,s: had never se<;n them (CoL i 4; ii. l); oourteHy of the concluding clause, which is 1u,d tbua b1lo tc, the Rouume, at the IIMOe literally, "ehould I be first in part" (i.e. not OR, xv.1-33.J THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 431