1. Past labors 15:14-21

 

Paul had been somewhat critical of the strong and the weak in the Roman church (14:1-15:13). He now balanced those comments by pointing out other strengths in the church beside the faith of his Roman brethren (1:8).

15:14 Paul's knowledge of the church in Rome had come to him through sources other than personal observation (vv. 22-24).

"Goodness"is moral excellence that comes through the working of God's Spirit (Gal. 5:22; cf. Rom. 5:13). Goodness is necessary to apply the truth to life as is knowledge. This was a self-taught church (6:17), and the believers were able to instruct one another. "Admonish"or "instruct"means to inculcate (cf. Col. 3:16; 1 Thess. 5:14).

"Morally, they were full of goodness,' intellectually they were complete in knowledge,' and functionally they were competent to instruct one another.'"⁴⁰⁰

15:15 The apostle gave his readers credit for some knowledge of what he had written in the foregoing chapters. Nevertheless they needed reminding as do all God's people.

15:16 Paul had a special obligation to this primarily Gentile congregation (1:13) since God had sent him to minister to Gentiles primarily. As a priest, it was his duty to bring people to God with the gospel. He regarded the Gentiles who were coming to faith and growing through his ministry as his offering to God. These Gentiles would be acceptable to God as the Holy Spirit set them apart to God as His possession (cf. 1 Cor. 6:11). Positional sanctification is in view rather than progressive sanctification.

15:17-18 Paul had grounds to boast because Gentiles had come to Jesus Christ through his ministry. Notwithstanding he gave all the credit for what had happened to Jesus Christ. He had worked through His servant to bring the Gentiles to obey God in word and deed.

15:19 Signs and wonders, standard biblical phraseology for miracles, accredited the messenger of God and validated the message that he proclaimed (Acts 2:22; 5:12).⁴⁰¹The Holy Spirit enabled people to see the connection between the miracle and the message and therefore to believe the gospel and experience salvation.

Paul's arena of ministry when he wrote this epistle stretched about 1,400 miles from Jerusalem to the Roman province of Illyricum. Illyricum lay on the east side of the Adriatic Sea opposite Italy. This is modern northern Albania, much of Yugoslavia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. There is no record in Acts of Paul having gone there though he may have done so on the second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9) or during the third journey (Acts 21:1-2). Paul's claim to have "fully"preached the gospel means that he had faithfully proclaimed it in that area, not that he had personally delivered it to every individual.

15:20 This verse along with verses 18-19 explains why Paul had not yet been able to visit Rome. His desire to do pioneer missionary work grew out of his zeal to reach as many unsaved people as possible (cf. 1:14). Notice that he went to unreached people with the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). He did not wait for them to come and enquire about it.

15:21 Paul seems to have found encouragement to pursue this goal in this prophecy from Isaiah, which describes the mission of the Servant of the Lord (Isa. 52:15).