Rom 15:18-22 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 18. For I will not dare to speak . I should be restrained; I should be afraid to speak, if the thing were not as I have stated. I should be afraid to set up a claim beyond that which is strictly in accordance with the truth. Which Christ hath not wrought by me . I confine myself strictly to what I have done. I do not arrogate to myself what Christ has done by others. I do not exaggerate my own success, or claim what others have accomplished. To make the Gentiles obedient . To bring them to obey God in the gospel. By word and deed . By preaching , and by all other means; by miracle, by example, etc. The deeds , that is, the lives of Christian ministers are often as efficacious in bringing me to Christ as their public ministry. (z) "make the Gentiles obedient"

Romans 15:18-22

Verse 18. For I will not dare to speak. I should be restrained; I should be afraid to speak, if the thing were not as I have stated. I should be afraid to set up a claim beyond that which is strictly in accordance with the truth.

Which Christ hath not wrought by me. I confine myself strictly to what I have done. I do not arrogate to myself what Christ has done by others. I do not exaggerate my own success, or claim what others have accomplished.

To make the Gentiles obedient. To bring them to obey God in the gospel.

By word and deed. By preaching, and by all other means; by miracle, by example, etc. The deeds, that is, the lives of Christian ministers are often as efficacious in bringing me to Christ as their public ministry.

(z) "make the Gentiles obedient" Verse 19. Through mighty signs and wonders. By stupendous and striking miracles. Acts 2:43. Paul here refers, doubtless, to the miracles which he had himself wrought. See Acts 19:11,12, "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul," etc.

By the power of the Spirit of God. This may either be connected with signs and wonders, and then it will mean that those miracles were performed by the power of the Holy Spirit; or it may constitute a new subject, and refer to the gift of prophecy, the power of speaking other languages. Which is its true meaning cannot, perhaps, be ascertained. The interpretations agree in this, that he traced his success in all things to the aid of the Holy Spirit.

So that from Jerusalem. Jerusalem, as a centre of his work; the centre of all religious operations and preaching under the gospel. This was not the place where Paul began to preach, (Gal 1:17,18) but it was the place where the gospel was first preached, and the apostles began to reckon their success from that as a point. Comp. Lk 24:49.

And round about. (καικυκλω) In a circle. That is, taking Jerusalem as a centre, he had fully preached round that centre until you come to Illyricum.

Unto Illyricum. Illyricum was a province lying to the northwest of Macedonia, bounded north by a part of Italy and Germany, east by Macedonia, south by the Adriatic, west by Istria. It comprehended the modern Croatia and Dalmatia. So that, taking Jerusalem as a centre, Paul preached not only in Damascus and Arabia, but in Syria, in Asia Minor, in all Greece, in the Grecian Islands, and in Thessaly and Macedonia. This comprehended no small part of the then known world; all of which had heard the gospel by the labours of one indefatigable man. There is nowhere in the Acts express mention of Paul's going into Illyricum; nor does the expression imply that he preached the gospel within it, but only unto its borders. It may have been, however, that when in Macedonia, he crossed over into that country; and this is rendered somewhat probable from the fact that Titus is mentioned as having gone into Dalmatia, (2Ti 4:10) which was a part of Illyricum.

I have fully preached. The word here used means, properly, to fill up, (πεπληρωκεναι), to complete, and here is used in the sense of diffusing abroad, or of filling up all that region with the gospel. Comp. 2Ti 4:17. It means, that he had faithfully diffused the knowledge of the gospel in all that immense country.

(a) "signs and wonders" Acts 19:11 (b) "I have fully preached" Rom 1:14-16 Verse 20. Yea, so have I strived. The word used here (φιλοτιμουμενον) means, properly, to be ambitious, to be studious of honour; and then to desire earnestly. In that sense it is used here. He earnestly desired; he made it a point for which he struggled, to penetrate into regions which had not heard the gospel.

Not where Christ was named. Where the gospel had not been before preached.

Lest I should build, etc. That is, he desired to found churches himself; he regarded himself as particularly called to this. Others might be called to edify the church, but he regarded it as his office to make known the name of the Saviour where it was not before known. This work was particularly adapted to the ardour, zeal, energy, and bravery of such a man as Paul. Every man has his proper gift; and there are some particularly fitted to found and establish churches; others to edify and comfort them. Comp. 2Cor 10:13-16. The apostle chose the higher honour, involving most danger and responsibility; but still any office in building up the church is honourable.

(c) "lest I should build" 2Cor 10:13-16 Verse 21. But as it is written. Isa 52:15. This is not literally quoted but the sense is retained. The design of quoting it is to justify the principle on which the apostle acted. It was revealed that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles; and he regarded it as a high honour to be the instrument of carrying this prediction into effect.

(d) "To whom he was not spoken of" Isa 52:15 Verse 22. For which cause. I have been so entirely occupied in this leading purpose of my life, that I have not been able to come to you.

Much hindered. Many ways; not many times. I had so frequent and urgent demands on my time elsewhere, that I could not come to you.

From coming to you. Where the gospel has been preached. I have desired to come, but have been unable to leave the vast region where I might preach the gospel to those who had never heard it.

(1) "much hindered" or, "many ways" or, "oftentimes" (e) "from coming to you" 1Thes 2:18