Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

15:14 The church in one sense did not need to hear what Paul wrote since they already knew the truths in the letter. Instruct translates Greek noutheteō, "instruct, admonish, warn, counsel," which is often used of warning against wrong conduct (Acts 20:31; 1 Cor. 4:14; Col. 1:28; 1 Thess. 5:12, 14; 2 Thess. 3:15). Paul encourages ordinary Christians (no doubt esp. those who have greater maturity and wisdom) to give one another practical, real-life wisdom and counsel.

15:16 Paul functions, so to speak, as priest relative to the gospel, and the offering he presents to God is Gentile converts. This offering is pleasing to God since it is set apart into the realm of the holy (sanctified) by the Holy Spirit.

15:17-18 Paul in a certain sense actually boasts of his ministry, for in doing so he glorifies not himself but Christ, who has worked through him in his ministry to the Gentiles.

15:18 Paul summarizes his entire ministry up to this point by saying that Christ accomplished his work through him by word and deed, that is, both by Paul's preaching about Christ and by Paul's actions (lifestyle, with mighty works) that accompanied those words.

15:19 By the power of signs and wonders refers to the miracles that accompanied Paul's gospel proclamation throughout his entire ministry. Such miracles gave a "sign" of (or pointed to) the power of God, the divine origin and truth of the gospel, and God's mercy and love for people. They were "wonders" in that people were amazed by them (cf. Acts 4:30; 5:12; 14:3; 15:12; 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4). Paul has fulfilled his mandate to preach the gospel among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum (roughly comprising what is now Albania and was formerly Yugoslavia). How can Paul say that his work has been complete when many still have not heard the gospel in this area? It can be seen from the following verses that churches have been planted in key centers, and from there Paul's coworkers will bring the gospel to outlying areas (e.g., Epaphras in Colossae, Col. 1:7).

15:20-21 Paul's aim was to preach the gospel in areas where no churches existed. His calling was not to plant churches where they already existed. Thereby he was fulfilling the prophecy of Isa. 52:15.

15:22 Paul had been prevented from coming to Rome because his work of planting churches in unreached areas in the eastern part of the Roman Empire (key cities from which the gospel radiated outward) had not been completed.

15:23-24 Paul now feels that his work in the east has come to an end. So he hopes to see the Roman church, and desires that they would function as his base of support for his mission to Spain. By the first century a.d. Spain was firmly a part of the Roman Empire. Spain provided significant crops to the empire, and it was the fatherland of several important Roman authors (and a few later emperors); thus it would have been a strategic location for Paul to evangelize. No visit of Paul to Spain is recorded in the NT, but it is possible that he went there after his release from prison in Rome (after Acts 28:30-31). There is some historical evidence after the NT suggesting that Paul did preach in Spain, but it falls short of clear proof.

15:25 The trip to Rome cannot be carried out immediately. Paul's next task is to travel to Jerusalem to bring the money he had collected for the poor saints there (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9).

15:26 Christians from the Roman provinces of Macedonia and Achaia had gladly contributed to the collection. These provinces are roughly equivalent to northern and southern Greece today. This collection would include gifts from such cities as Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth.

15:27 they were pleased. The gladness of the Gentiles in providing for the needs of Jewish Christians is fitting. They stand in debt to the Jews, for they enjoy the spiritual blessings of the Jewish people and hence should happily assist them financially. Paul assumes that financial aid for needy Christians is a normal part of the Christian life.

15:28 After the collection has been delivered in Jerusalem, Paul plans to travel to Rome and then on to Spain. Paul was imprisoned, however, after he arrived in Jerusalem. Paul's plan to come to Rome was realized (Acts 22-28), but not in the way he intended, since he arrived in Rome as a prisoner.

15:31 Two prayer requests are found here: (1) that Paul would be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and (2) that his offering would be acceptable to the saints in Jerusalem. Some think the first request was not answered since Paul was arrested in Judea at the impulse of the Jews. But it seems his prayer was answered, for the Jews desired to put him to death (Acts 22-28), and this desire was frustrated, so that Paul did go to Rome, even if not in the way he anticipated. Further, Acts suggests that the offering was accepted in Jerusalem (Acts 24:17).

15:32 Paul arrived in Rome in an unexpected way (as a prisoner), but he did come with the joy of Christ and as an encouragement for fellow Christians (cf. Acts 28:15-16).