Romans 15:14-16:27

What’s Happening?

Paul concludes his letter to the Roman church by explaining why it's taken him so long to visit, confirming his future travel plans, and offering some parting encouragement. Paul says that he is encouraged and excited by the faithfulness of the Christians in Rome. But Paul also knows his letter is full of deep and difficult truths. Paul explains that the only reason he has been so free and forceful in his teaching to them is that he is confident that God has chosen him for that task (Romans 15:14-17). His primary goal is to preach the good news of the Gospel to Gentiles and to teach them to obey God’s commands (Romans 15:18). He’s spent the last twenty years planting churches all along the Mediterranean coast in towns and cities that had never heard the good news about Jesus (Romans 15:19-21). Ultimately, this is why it’s taken him so long to visit Rome.

Now that his ministry from Jerusalem to Italy has been completed, he’s finally ready to make a stop in Rome on his way to Spain (Romans 15:22-24). Sadly, his arrival will be slightly delayed. First, he needs to return to Jerusalem. He needs to deliver a large donation he’s received from churches in Greece for poor followers of Jesus in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-26). Paul mentions this is a particularly appropriate cause for Gentile believers to contribute to. Without the Jewish people, Gentiles would have no access to the spiritual blessings available in Jesus. It only makes sense that Gentile believers should financially bless their Jewish brothers and sisters when they are in need (Romans 15:27). Once the donation is delivered, Paul will finally make his way to Rome, where Paul hopes they will consider supporting him on his mission to Spain. As they wait for his arrival, he encourages them to pray for him. Paul has many enemies in Jerusalem and needs God’s protection (Romans 15:28-32).

Paul then asks the Roman believers to convey his special greeting to no less than 26 different people, two families, and three house churches (Romans 16:1-16, 21-23). What’s most striking about the names mentioned is their diversity. There are Greek names and Jewish names, names of aristocratic families and slaves, and both male and female names. Paul’s greetings are a demonstration of the unifying power of the good news he has spent his letter explaining. Because of Jesus, both Jews, Gentiles, men and women, slaves, and those who employ them are all included in God’s church. Paul also warns the Roman church of false teachers who might undermine the teachings they’ve received in this letter and attempt to cause division where Jesus has brought unity (Romans 15:17-20). Paul ends his letter with a prayer of encouragement. It reminds them that God himself will strengthen them to obey God’s commands as they commit themselves to the preaching of Jesus (Romans 16:25-27).

Where is the Gospel?

Paul has spent his whole letter unpacking what the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection means for the world. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God's Kingdom has come on the Earth, and Jesus has rescued his people from the power of Sin and Death. Now, both Jewish and non-Jewish people have become a united family. These truths demand a radical change in how believers relate to one another. Rather than basing our interactions with one another on some sort of moral and ethnic calculus, followers of Jesus sacrificially love one another just as Jesus has loved and died for them (Romans 12:1-2).

The call to sacrificially love one another is a high and difficult one. Perhaps this is why Paul reminds us of one of the most important points about the Christian life in his closing prayer. The prayer asks God to “establish” us in the good news Paul has spent his letter describing (Romans 16:25). It’s a request for God to ground us in the good news of a Gospel that is easy to forget. Paul’s parting prayer is that we will not forget that Sin and Death no longer control us. Paul doesn’t want us to forget that God’s Spirit lives in us, and through Jesus, God has given us everything we need to obey him and love another. So if you feel discouraged by the difficulty of obeying Jesus, remember the Gospel. Jesus has forgiven you, Jesus is with you, and Jesus will empower you.

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who has given you his Spirit. And may you see Jesus as the one who has died to free us from the power of Sin and Death forever.