Romans 15:12

Esaias - Before.

Gentiles - A people; nations other than Israel.

Esaias saith - Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah 11:10.

There shall be a root - A descendant, or one that should proceed from him when he was dead. When a tree dies, and falls, there may remain a "root" which shall retain life, and which shall send up a sprout of a similar kind. So Job says Job 14:7, "For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease." So in relation to Jesse. Though he should fall, like an aged tree, yet his name and family should not be extinct. There should be a descendant who should rise, and reign over the Gentiles. The Lord Jesus is thus called also the "root and the offspring of David;" Revelation 22:16; Revelation 5:5.

Of Jesse - The father of David; 1 Samuel 17:58. The Messiah was thus descended from Jesse.

He that shall rise - That is, as a sprout springs up from a decayed or fallen tree. Jesus thus "rose" from the family of David, that had fallen into poverty and humble life in the time of Mary.

To reign over the Gentiles - This is quoted from the Septuagint of Isaiah 11:10. The Hebrew is, "Which shall stand up for an ensign of the people;" that is, a standard to which they shall flock. Either the Septuagint or the Hebrew would express the idea of the apostle. The "substantial" sense is retained, though it is not literally quoted. The idea of his "reigning" over the Gentiles is one that is fully expressed in the second psalm.

In him ... - Hebrew, "To it shall the Gentiles seek." The sense, however, is the same. The design of this quotation is the same as the preceding, to show that it was predicted in the Old Testament that the Gentiles should be made partakers of the privileges of the gospel. The argument of the apostle is, that if this was designed, then converts to Christianity from among the "Jews" should lay aside their prejudices, and "receive" them as their brethren, entitled to the same privileges of the gospel as themselves. The "fact" that the Gentiles would be admitted to these privileges, the apostle had more fully discussed in Romans 10-11.

15:12 There shall be the root of Jesse - That kings and the Messiah should spring from his house, was promised to Jesse before it was to David. In him shall the gentiles hope - Who before had been "without hope," Ephesians 2:12 . >Isa 11:1015:13Now the God of hope - A glorious title of God, but till now unknown to the heathens; for their goddess Hope, like their other idols, was nothing; whose temple at Rome was burned by lightning. It was, indeed, built again not long after, but was again burned to the ground.15:14There are several conclusions of this Epistle. The first begins at this verse;Chapter Overview: the third, Romans 16:17 ; the fourth, Romans 16:21 ; and the fifth, Romans 16:25 ;Ye are full of goodness - By being created anew. And filled with all knowledge - By long experience of the things of God.To admonish - To instruct and confirm.15:15Because of the grace - That is, because I am an apostle of the gentiles.15:16The offering up of the gentiles - As living sacrifices.15:17I have whereof to glory through Jesus Christ - All my glorying is in and through him.15:18By word - By the power of the Spirit.By deed - Namely, through "mighty signs and wonders." 15:20Not where Christ had been named - These places he generally declined, though not altogether, having an holy ambition (so the Greek word means) to make the first proclamation of thegospel in places where it was quite unheard of, in spite of all the difficulty and dangers that attended it. Lest I should only build upon another man's foundation - The providence of God seemed in a special manner, generally, to prevent this, though not entirely, lest the enemies of the apostle, who sought every occasion to set light by him, should have had room to say that he was behind other apostles, not being sufficient for planting of churches himself, but only for preaching where others had been already; or that he declined the more difficult part of the ministry 15:21 Isaiah 52:15 .15:22Therefore I have been long hindered from coming to you - Among whom Christ had been named.15:23Having no longer place in these parts - Where Christ has now been preached in every city.15:24Into Spain - Where the gospel had not yet been preached.If first I may be somewhat satisfied with your company - How remarkable is the modesty with which he speaks! They might rather desire to be satisfied with his. Somewhat satisfied - Intimating the shortness of his stay; or, perhaps, thatChrist alone can throughly satisfy the soul.15:26The poor of the saints that are in Jerusalem - It can by no means be inferred from this expression, that the community of goods among the Christians was then ceased. All that can be gathered from it is, that in this time of extreme dearth, Acts 11:28 ,29, some of the church in Jerusalem were in want;the rest being barely able to subsist themselves, but not to supply the necessities of their brethren.15:27It hath pleased them; and they are their debtors - That is, they are bound to it, in justice as well as mercy. Spiritual things - By the preaching of the gospel. Carnal things - Things needful for the body.15:28When I have sealed to them this fruit - When I have safely delivered to them, as under seal, this fruit of their brethren's love. I will go by you into Spain - Such was his design; but it does not appear that Paul went into Spain.There are often holy purposes in the minds of good men, which are overruled by the providence of God so as never to take effect. And yet they are precious in the sight of God.15:30I beseech you by the love of the Spirit - That is, by the love which is the genuine fruit of the Spirit. To strive together with me in your prayers - He must pray himself, who would have others strive together with him in prayer. Of all the apostles, St. Paul alone is recorded to desire the prayers of the faithful for himself. And this he generally does in the conclusions of his Epistles; yet not without making a difference. For he speaks in one manner to them whom he treats as his children, with the gravity or even severity of a father, such as Timothy, Titus, the Corinthians, and Galatians; in another, to them whom he treats rather like equals, such as the Romans, Ephesians, Thessalonians, Colossians, Hebrews.15:31That I may be delivered - He is thus urgent from a sense of the importance of his life to the church. Otherwise he would have rejoiced "to depart, and to be with Christ." And that my service may be acceptable - In spite of all their prejudices; to the end the Jewish and gentile believers may be knit together in tender love.15:32That I may come to you - This refers to the former, With joy - To the latter, part of the preceding verse.