Rom 15:19, 1Cor 15:43 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 19. Through mighty signs and wonders . By stupendous and striking miracles. . Paul here refers, doubtless, to the miracles which he had himself wrought. See , "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, ( ) 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. . 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 , ( ) 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. . It means, that he had faithfully diffused the knowledge of the gospel in all that immense country. (a) "signs and wonders" (b) "I have fully preached"

Romans 15:19

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

1 Corinthians 15:43

Verse 43. It is sown in dishonour. In the grave, where it is shut out from human view; hurried away from the sight of friends; loathsome and offensive as a mass turning to decay. There is, moreover, a kind of disgrace and ignominy attending it here, as under the curse of God, and, on account of sin, sentenced to the offensiveness of the grave.

It is raised in glory. In honour; in beauty; honoured by God by the removal of the curse, and in a form and manner that shall be glorious. This refers to the fact that everything like dishonour, vileness, ignominy, which attends it here, shall be removed there, and that the body shall bear a resemblance to the glorified body of Jesus Christ, Eph 3:21. It shall be adapted to a world of glory; and everything which here rendered it vile, valueless, cumbersome, offensive, or degraded, shall be there removed. Of course, every idea which we can get from this is chiefly negative, and consists in denying that the body will have there the qualities which here render it vile or loathsome. The word glory (δοξη) means dignity, splendour, honour, excellence, perfection; and is here used as denoting the combination of all those things which shall rescue it from ignominy and disgrace.

It is sown in weakness. Weak, feeble, liable to decay. Here disease prostrates the strength, takes away its power, consigns it to the dust. It denotes the many weaknesses, frailties, and liabilities to sickness, to which we are here exposed. Its feeble powers are soon prostrate; its vital functions soon cease in death.

It is raised in power.

This does not denote power like that of God, nor like the angels. It does not affirm that it shall be endued with remarkable and enormous physical strength, or that it shall have the power of performing what would now be regarded as miraculous. It is to be regarded as the opposite of the word "weakness," and means that it shall be no longer liable to disease; no more overcome by the attacks of sickness; no more subject to the infirmities and weaknesses which it here experiences. It shall not be prostrate by sickness, nor overcome by fatigue. It shall be capable of the service of God without weariness and languor; it shall need no rest as it does here, (Rev 7:15, 22:5;) but it shall be in a world where there shall be no fatigue, lassitude, disease; but where there shall be ample power to engage in the service of God for ever. There is, however, no improbability in supposing that the physical powers of man, as well as his intellectual, may be greatly augmented in heaven. But on this point there is no revelation.