Romans 15:25-33 Bible Teaching

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Romans 15.25-16.16
December 12th 2021

So, we left off last week with Paul telling the Saints at Rome that he planned on seeing them when he was able to make a trip to Spain first.

And he continues at Romans 15:25 saying:

25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

We don’t know if he ever got to Spain but from what I can tell it’s doubtful.

Some of the early church fathers, Theodoret (and others) say that after he was released from his captivity, when he was brought before Nero, he spent two years in Spain. But we just don’t know . . . just like I personally don’t believe Peter ever made the 2800 mile round trip from Jerusalem to Rome and back to establish the church there. (verse 25)

25 But now (he writes) I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

We find Paul mentioning this intended journey to Jerusalem in several other places in scripture and his mentioning it here is one of the big indicators that the letter to the Romans was genuinely from Paul. A supportive cross-reference is found in Acts 19:21 where Luke writes:

“Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Then in Acts 24:17, when Paul is defending himself against attack while standing before the Roman Procurator Felix, he says, recanting his history:

“Now after many years, I came to bring aims to my nation, and offerings.”

The Bible is, among other things, a historical book – as we know, based in real history, of real peoples, in real time.

The older I get the more I appreciate this about it – how it is NOT a fantasy, a fiction, or a science book . . . it is God communicating to real men, in real places, doing real things.

You can have your bagvegita, your Urantia, your Pearl of Great Price or your Koran – I want narrative from an actual people who loved God, recorded their real life activities – ugly and not – from places in real material history.

Without these places and persons being authentic all we are left with is the fanciful imaginations of fallen men.

So, Paul says he is going to Jerusalem to “minister’ to the Saints. Remember last week he called himself a minister to the Gentiles but used a unique Greek word that referred to an office – here he uses “dee ahk kon eho” or “DEACON” meaning a “runner,” “a messenger,” “a servant” – really, a table servant or slave.

There was a felt jealousy between the Jews who spoke the language of Israel, Jerusalem, or “Palestine,” if you will (which was Hebrew), and the “Hellenists” who were Jews that spoke Greek and read the Septuagint version of the Old Testament (the Greek translation) instead of from the Hebrew.

This jealousy popped up really early in the Christian church or bride.

Well, the Hellenist converts claimed that “their widows” were being overlooked in the daily distribution of alms by the Jerusalem deacons of the church.

In response, the apostles told the elder Christians in the church (who were really just the older, more mature men) to keep an eye out for seven men “of good reputation, full of the Holy Ghost, and of practical wisdom.”

Such would oversee the distribution of good and make certain it was fair, leaving the apostles free to devote themselves entirely to the spiritual functions of their office. We can read all about this in Acts 6.

Well, seven men were chosen, and from their names it appears that they were all Hellenist converts (instead of Jews) and they were initially called “the Seven” (not deacons).

The actual name “deacon” is nowhere assigned to them in the New Testament; just “the seven.” (Acts 21:8).

Their office was at first secular, but it grew into an office with spiritual implications.

By the time Paul was writing letter, this is how he described the office of diaconea, table servant, minister, or deacon:

1st Timothy 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

It was in the spirit of diakonas that Paul traveled to Jerusalem. And he writes at verse 26

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

Paul worked hard to petition care for the Saints in Jerusalem and called out to the Galatians and Corinthians to support them. In 1st Corinthians 16 he wrote:

1st Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

We don’t know the tone of Paul’s approach to collection but there are places where he puts on some pressure in scripture – particularly in 2nd Corinthians 8 – which is an approach that I personally find troubling IF it was applied today.

But in that day I trust the approach was needed and necessary. It was not by law or compulsion or percentage, but that chapter is one of the more difficult chapters in all of the Record.

Notice what he reports here in verse 26. He had been to Macedonia and Achaia and brought with him contributions given for the believers in Jerusalem.

Why the believers in Jerusalem specifically? It was VERY difficult living to have once been a Jew in the City of Peace, and to have converted to Christ.

The Sanhedrim would have been after you, the devoutly driven adherents of Judaism would have had nothing to do with you – except to maybe kill you.

No business dealings, no friends from your former faith and having been excommunicated from the synagogue all commerce for you would have come to an end.

With Paul being the apostle to the Gentiles, and interacting with those who were able to receive the Gospel, relatively speaking, with joy, these converts felt an obligation to help their suffering family in Jerusalem.

Take careful note of what Paul says about their giving contributions

“26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

The basis of the English word pleased (eudokeo) is in the mind of a person – “they have decided there is good reason to act.”

This personal liberality might naturally come with some other adjectives when it comes to giving or supporting others –

Voluntarily (meaning without contrivance or compulsion) and cheerfully (truly out of a joyful heart).

Speaking of the church at Macedonia Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 8:1-6

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”

Again, speaking of giving to the collection Paul took in Macedonia, he says:

2nd Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Adding to this, Paul said, again relative to the gathering from the saints in Macedonia, that giving and support is a matter solved in the mind of man. Listen to 2nd Corinthians 8:12-14:

“For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality.”

And remember, that situation was dire and for the believers in Jerusalem which was headed for destruction. I’m not sure there has ever been or ever will be again a similar event requiring a similar response.

Paul repeats how much this giving pleased the Saints in Macedonia (which was in Greek near the Aegean Sea) and Achaia (which was essentially all of Greece) saying here in chapter 15:

27 It hath pleased them verily; (then he adds) and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

Now, back in chapter thirteen of Romans
Paul told us to “owe no man anything,” remember? However, he made an exception to this emphatic rule? Remember? He said:
“Owe no man any thing, but . . . to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

So here in verse 27 of chapter 15 Paul says of the believers in Macedonia that . . .

27 It hath pleased them verily; (the Macedonian Saints) and to their debtors (the Jewish converts in Jerusalem) they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their (the Jews) spiritual things (because, as we learned in Romans 3:2, it was through them that we received the Word (oracles) and the Messiah), their duty (the Gentile converts) is also to minister unto them (the Jewish converts) in carnal things.

Therefore, OUT OF A DEBT OF LOVE, and GRATITUDE, and ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ACCOMPANY REAL AGAPE LOVE . . . the Gentile converts in Macedonia were pleased – “convinced from their minds” (which in scripture is often synonymous with the heart) to contribute to the alleviation of their brothers and sisters suffering.

It’s a tremendous picture and principle to guide all giving we do (and consider doing) in the name and cause of Christ. Let it be done out of need, as a means to help contribute to the well-being of others. Let it be done cheerfully, in liberty and freedom, according to the dictates of a person’s conscience . . . let it be done in love, agape love, according to your reasonable ability, based on your abundance and increase.

(beat)

But listen up . . . if you are motivated by MANipulation . . . Guilt . . .
A desire to meet a “minimum percent”
A tax write off . . .
To be seen of men . . .
In the spirit of Simony, which means to buy a religious position . . .

DON’T DO IT.

Within the Church today there is a really lousy word that continues to fall from the lips of otherwise good men and women to summarize or describe Christian giving.

It is lousy on a number of accounts.

First, where we, by and through the shed blood of our Lord are made free, this word serves to once again entrap.

Where we are to be dead to the law, the word is “legalistic” in every sense.

And where we are to give cheerfully and from our individual mind, the word does the thinking for us. This word?

Tithing.

Its Old Testament. It is not used by Paul here in his description of the collection or by Peter or any other anywhere in the apostolic record to describe giving.

There are a whole hosts of reasons for this. But to me the most important reason is it is legalistic, therefore it binds, and therefore people are not free in Him. And it is abused by religionists world wide.

Alright, back to Romans 15:28 where Paul adds:

28 When therefore I have performed this (gone to Jerusalem and delivered this contribution), and have sealed to them this fruit (personally delivered the amount myself to them) I will come by you into Spain.
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

In other words, I request, my brethren, that as all things are done in and through and for Him, and because of your love for the Holy Spirit, that you will strive for me in prayer.

We’ve talked about that word, “strive” before but it related to intense effort, like that which would be exerted in a competitive sporting match but in this case Paul requests that the striving be done (with him) in prayer.

“Please wrestle on my behalf before the Lord in prayer,” he seems to say (verse 31)

31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

Paul was once a letter bearing Jew commissioned to persecute believers by the Sanhedrim. They now saw him with resentment and perceived him as a traitor to the faith, an apostate and, according to Acts 21:21, they were told that he “taught all the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake the laws of Moses.”

This would have put a major target on his back when he re-entered Jerusalem so he “trusts the believers in Rome would wrestle in prayer with God on his behalf as he goes to deliver help to the suffering saints.

Additionally, he requests that his service “which he had for Jerusalem might also be accepted of the saints.”

It seems that even among the believers in Jerusalem Paul’s offering to them might be rejected because these converted Jews may have maintained some great prejudice against Paul and his reputed person.

I can think of two reasons why even the converted believers might reject him.

First, rumors that He was out to “forsake the law of Moses” certainly reached these Jewish converts ears and that would have certainly troubled them.

In fact, as a means to show that he was not contemptuous of the Law of Moses Paul himself participated in Mosaic vow (in Acts 21) to prove he did not mean to treat the law with contempt.

This fact supports Paul’s later claims that he “becomes all things to all men as a means to save some.”

Secondly, I would suggest that many of the converts from Judaism might resist (at that time) receiving an offering made to them by Gentiles because they might have thought it was polluted or unwashed.

It is by slow degrees that old traditions die and Paul was certainly going to meet some resistance as a result of theirs.

He wraps this part of the letter up saying that in the event their prayers are effectual, he looks to the time (verse 32-33)

(Verse 32) That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

With the exception of a few verses in chapter 16, this ends Paul’s theologically driven letter to the Romans, written in the apparent face of a great deal of unrest existing between the converts from Judaism and Gentiles at Rome.

Most of the remaining passages are salutations and expressions of gratitude as we enter into chapter 16 of Romans.

The names which occur in this chapter are mostly Greek and the persons named had probably been resident of Greece at one time (who moved to Rome for business) or they were Hellenized Jews.

It is probable that some of those named were converted directly or indirectly by the missional work of Paul at Corinth or other parts of Greece.

What is really interesting is that Paul does NOT, in his letter to the Church at Rome, mention Peter, who certainly would have been named (even just out of respect) had he had ANYTHING to do with establishing it like the Catholics maintain.

Amidst the salutations and recommendations, however, Paul cannot help but throw into the mix, after all the insights and advice he has already delivered to the Church at Rome, some final words of advice, which we will cover in a moment.

So, let’s read through the 16 verse text then we’ll come back and hit them verse by verse.

1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.
10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household.
11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.
12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.
13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.
15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

From my count, Paul lists thirty-two people by name here – but I am typically deficient when it comes to numbering things – so you may demand a recount.

And he starts off with talking about Phebe.

1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also.

It was common that anciently, when letters of instruction were sent from one place to another, that the actual letter introduced those who would receive it to those who bore it –in this case, Phebe.

Now the city of Cenchrea was a port of Corinth, and so it is believed that Paul wrote this letter there and either handed it off to Phebe, his sister in Christ, to deliver it to the church at Rome or he gave it to a group that included her.

Paul describes Phebe as a servant. The Greek word for servant? That’s right,
diaconos – translated by us to deacon.
A server in the strictest sense.

Can a woman be a deaconess? Of course. I think most women naturally are and in the body of believers they makes some of the best.

Paul goes farther, talking about Phebe, and says some remarkable things.

He asks that the Roman recipients of the letter to, like all Christians would, “acknowledge her as being in the Lord (or being a Christian) and then says, listen closely . . .

“ you assist her in whatsoever business she has need of you: for she hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also.

Right here Paul plainly gives Phebe, a woman, a recommendation as his sister in Christ, as a deaconess, and makes it clear that she has skill, and he also petitions the church at Rome to assist her in whatever business she requested, as she bears skill in having “succored many, Paul included.”

Take this in the spirit in which it thrives, folks. Then he says (at verse 3)

3 Greet (Salute) Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

This was a Christian couple mentioned in a couple of other places in the New Testament, with Priscilla being the wife of Aquila.

They both probably converted by the preaching of Paul and then Paul lived with them which seems to have given them the advantage of learning at his feet, so to speak.

This is how Paul describes their service to him –

4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

This probably refers to the time when Paul lived with them, was persecuted by the Jews, and they protected them with their own lives. Paul then expands his gratitude to all the (Gentile) churches for their support.

5 Likewise (he says at verse 5) greet the church that is in their house.

The beginnings of Christianity – house churches – and what may possibly be the ultimate end today as well.

(Paul continues in verse five, saying) “Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Greet Epaeneetus, a person who first embraced Christ under my preaching in Achaia.

6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us.

We don’t know any more about this woman but it seems she either was delivering this letter to Rome with Phebe OR she converted under Paul and had moved to Rome and Paul was saying, “Tell her hello for me.”

7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles (and listen to this), who also were in Christ before me.

Paul had been in prison many times and here he says that Andronicus and Junia, who could have been remote relatives of his or were simply converted Jews, were at some point imprisoned with him.

They were “in Christ” before Paul and it seems they had quite a reputation among the other apostles.

Some have tried to suggest that these two were also apostles as Paul was an apostle.
I would suggest that contextually this is incorrect.

8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

Got nothing here to say about Amplias – sorry Ampli.

9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household.

11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

Nothing – except some great names to consider . . . (like for a child you don’t like). ?

12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which labored much in the Lord.

Because the participle “who labor,” here in verse 12 is in the feminine gender of the Greek, Tryphena and Tryphosa were women and in all probability were deaconesses (in the event you were thinking of naming a son one of these).

Same with Persis (being a deacon or deaconess), though male or female we don’t know. (verse 13)

13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

I think Paul is literally saying, “his mother,” referring to Rufus here and then he is figuratively calling her “and mine . . .” unless Paul had a red-headed brother named, Rufus (which in Hebrew, by the way, means Red).
(verses 14-16)

14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.
15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.
16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

Can you sense the love, and camaraderie, and respect Paul has for those who have labored with him in the work of Christ?

There’s nothing like it – stronger than the bonds of unbelieving blood-relatives is this love believers share with one another.

Add in that in most eastern countries people – especially men – greet each other with a kiss on a single cheek, sometimes both, and in some place on the lips.

Christian affection is good. To shake hands, to hug, to love on each other but will you guys please leave the lips alone?
?

What Paul has done here is he has painted a wonderful picture of the church family that he obviously loves . . . and who love him.

Within their group we discern exceptional unity, those who labor in the Lord, who serve, and help in all types of ways and means. Paul says, send them my love, greet them with a holy kiss – to simply express his love for them all.

(beat)

Now contrast this picture he has presented us with in these first 16 passages with the next two verses, where Paul cannot help but return to giving a very pointed and important warning.

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

And we will address the rest of the chapter and book next week.

Comments/Questions/PRAYER