8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. (Romans 1:8-15 KJV)
Desire to Visit Rome
We may here observe his thanksgiving for them (Ro 1:8): First, I thank my God. It is good to begin everything with blessing God, to make that the beginning and end of every song, in everything to give thanks. He speaks this with delight and triumph. In all our thanksgivings, it is good for us to look to God as our God; this makes every mercy sweet when we can say of God, “He is mine in covenant.” Through Jesus Christ. All our duties and performances are pleasing to God only through Jesus Christ, praises as well as prayers. For you all. We must express our love to our friends not only by praying for them but also by praising God for them. God must have the glory of all the comfort we have in our friends, for every creature is that to us, and no more, which God makes it to be. Many of these Romans Paul had no personal acquaintance with, and yet he could heartily rejoice in their gifts and graces.
When some of the Roman Christians met him (Acts 28:15), he thanked God for them and took courage; but here his true catholic love extends further, and he thanks God for them all; not only for those among them that were his helpers in Christ (Ro 16:3,6), but for them all. That your faith is spoken of. Paul traveled from place to place, and, wherever he came, he heard great commendations of the Christians at Rome, which he mentions not to make them proud, but to encourage them to live up to the general character people gave of them and the expectation people had from them. The greater reputation a man has for religion, the more careful he should be to preserve it, because “a little folly spoils him that is in reputation” (Ecclesiastes 10:1).
Throughout the whole world, that is, the Roman empire, into which the Roman Christians, upon Claudius’s edict to banish all the Jews from Rome, were scattered abroad, but had now returned, and left a very good report wherever they had been, in all the churches. There was this good effect of their sufferings: if they had not been persecuted, they would not have been famous. As the elders of old, so these Romans obtained a good report through faith (Hebrews 11:2). It is a desirable thing to be known for faith. The faith of the Roman Christians came to be thus spoken of not only because it was excellent in itself, but because it was so visible and remarkable in its circumstances. Rome was a city upon a hill; everyone took notice of what was done there. Thus those who have many eyes on them need to walk carefully, for what they do, good or bad, will be spoken of.
His prayer for them (Ro 1:9). Though a flourishing church, yet they needed prayer; they had not yet attained. Paul mentions this as an instance of his love to them. One of the greatest kindnesses we can do for our friends, and sometimes the only kindness that is in our power, is, by prayer, to commend them to the loving-kindness of God. From Paul’s example here we may learn constancy in prayer: Always without ceasing. He observed the same rules he gave to others (Eph 6:18; 1 Thess 5:17). Not that Paul did nothing else but pray, but he kept up regular times for the solemn performance of that duty, very frequently, and without fail. Charity in prayer: I make mention of you. Though he had no particular acquaintance with them, yet he prayed for them, not only for all saints in general, but by name for them. It is good sometimes to be specific in our prayers for particular churches and places; not to inform God, but to stir up our own hearts. We are likely to have the most comfort in those friends that we pray most for.
Concerning this he makes a solemn appeal to the searcher of hearts: For God is my witness. It was in a weighty matter, and in a thing known only to God and his own heart, that he used this declaration. It is very comforting to be able to call God to witness to our sincerity and constancy in prayer. God is especially a witness to our secret prayers, the matter of them, the manner of performance; then our Father sees in secret (Mt 6:6). God, whom I serve with my spirit. Those who serve God with their spirits may, with humble confidence, appeal to him; hypocrites, who rest only in outward exercises, cannot.
His particular prayer was that he might have an opportunity of visiting them (Ro 1:10): Making request, if by any means. Whatever comfort we desire to find in any creature, we must seek it from God by prayer; for our times are in his hand, and all our ways at his disposal. The expressions here show that he was very desirous of such an opportunity: if by any means; that he had long and often been disappointed: now at last; and yet that he submitted it to divine Providence: a prosperous journey by the will of God. As in our purposes, so in our desires, we must always remember to add this, “if the Lord will” (James 4:15). Our journeys are prosperous or otherwise according to the will of God.
His great desire to see them, with the reasons for it (Ro 1:11-15). He had heard so much of them that he greatly desired to be better acquainted with them. Fruitful Christians are as much the joy as barren professors are the grief of faithful ministers. Accordingly, he often purposed to come, but was hindered (Ro 1:13), for man purposes, but God disposes. He was hindered by other business, by his care of other churches whose needs were pressing; and Paul was for doing that first, not which was most pleasant, but which was most needful—a good example to ministers, who must not consult their own inclinations so much as the necessity of their people’s souls.
Paul desired to visit these Romans that they might be edified (Ro 1:11): That I may impart unto you. He received, that he might give. Never were full breasts so desirous to be drawn out to the infant as Paul’s heart was to impart spiritual gifts, that is, preaching to them. A good sermon is a good gift, so much the better for being a spiritual gift. To the end you may be established. Having commended their flourishing, he here expresses his desire of their establishment, that as they grew upward in branches they might grow downward in the root. The best saints, while in such a shaking world as this, need to be more and more established; and spiritual gifts are of special use for our establishment.
That he might be comforted (Ro 1:12). What he heard of their flourishing in grace was a joy to him, but to see it would be even more so. Paul could take comfort in the fruit of the labors of other ministers. By the mutual faith both of you and me, that is, our mutual faithfulness and fidelity. It is very comforting when there is mutual confidence between minister and people, they trusting him as a faithful minister, and he trusting them as a faithful people. Or, the mutual work of faith, which is love; they rejoiced in showing one another love, and sharing their faith with each other. It is very refreshing to Christians to compare notes about their spiritual concerns; thus they are sharpened, as iron sharpens iron. That I might have some fruit (Ro 1:13). Their edification would be his advantage, it would be fruit abounding to a good account. Paul cared for his work, as one who believed the more good he did, the greater his reward would be.
That he might discharge his trust as the apostle of the Gentiles (Ro 1:14): I am a debtor. His receivings made him a debtor, for they were talents he was entrusted with to use for his Master’s honor. We should think of this when we desire great things, that all our receivings put us in debt; we are but stewards of our Lord’s goods. His office also made him a debtor. He was a debtor as an apostle; he was called and sent to work, and had engaged to do it. Paul had used his talent, and labored in his work, and done as much good as ever any man did, and yet, reflecting on it, he still writes himself debtor; for when we have done all, we are still unprofitable servants. Debtor to the Greeks and to the barbarians, that is, as the following words explain it, to the wise and to the unwise.
The Greeks thought they had the monopoly of wisdom, and looked upon all the rest of the world as barbarians. Now Paul was a debtor to both, bound to do all the good he could to both. Accordingly, we find him paying his debt, both in preaching and in writing, doing good both to Greeks and barbarians, and suiting his message to each. You may observe a difference between his sermon at Lystra among the plain Lycaonians (Acts 14:15) and his sermon at Athens among the philosophers (Acts 17:22). He delivered both as debtor to each, giving to each their portion.
Though a plain preacher, yet as debtor to the wise, he spoke wisdom among those that were mature (1 Cor 2:6). For these reasons he was ready, if he had the opportunity, to preach the gospel at Rome (Ro 1:15). Though a public place, though a dangerous place, where Christianity met with much opposition, yet Paul was ready to run the risk at Rome, if called to it: I am ready. It shows a great readiness of mind, and that he was very eager to do it. What he did was not for money, but with a willing mind. It is an excellent thing to be ready to meet every opportunity of doing or receiving good.