Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 3 · Subsection 25 – Subsection 29
Quest. 25. Of S. Pauls labours in preaching the gospel from Ierusalem vntounto Illyricum.
1. v. 19. So that from Ierusalem. 1. S. Paul setteth forth the effects of his ministerie and Apostleship, first extensive, shewing the extent thereof, from Ierusalem to Illyricum, then intensive, intensiuely, he preached, where none other had preached before, ver. 20. Lyranus.
2. Bucer whom Tolet traceth steppe by step, (though he conceale his name) doth here diligently set forth the places of S. Pauls peregrination, and trauell in preaching the Gospel: Paul beeing conuerted going from Ierusalem to Damascus, from thence went to Arabia, and after three yeares, returned to Damascus, and from thence to Ierusalem, Galat. 1.17.18. from Ierusalem he went to Cesarea, and so to Tarsus, Act. 29.30. from Tarsus, Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch, Act. 11. and from thence to Ierusalem, to carie releefe to the Iewes, Act. 11.30. from Ierusalem, they returned to Antioch, Act. 12.25. c. 13.1. from Antioch he and Barnabas were sent forth by the Church by the direction of the spirit, and went to Sele…cia, then to Cyprus, and to some cities of Pamphylia, and so to an other Antioch in Pisidia, Act. 13. and thorough certaine parts of Lycaonia, and then returned to Antioch, from whence they had beene commended by the Church, Act. 14.26. from Antioch they were sent to Ierusalem about the question of circumcision, and returned to Antioch with the Apostles decree, Act. 15.30. thence he returned and went thorough Syria, and Cilicia, visiting the Churches: then he went through Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia, then to Troas, wherein he was by a vision, leauing Asia, called into Macedonia, and so came into the parts of Europe: first to Philippi in Macedonia, Act. 16. then to Thessalonica, and from thence to Athens, Act. 17. and then to Corinth: thence to Ephesus, and going to visit the Church in Galatia and Phrygia, Act. 18.23. he returned to Ephesus, Act. 14. from Ephesus he returned into Macedonia, and Grecia, Act. 20.1.2. and from Philippi in Macedonia to Troas, and Miletum, Act. 20. and thence by Tyrus and Cesarea, and other cities, he came to Ierusalem, where he was taken and put in bonds, Act. 21. And thus S. Paul preached as he saith from Ierusalem, in all the regions round about Attica, Beotia, Achaia, Epirus, euen vntounto Illyricum.
2. And round about, foreign, and in a circuite. 1. which Chrysostome vnderstandeth backeward and forward, not onelyonly the cities on this side Ierusalem, sed quae retro sunt colliges, but thou shalt gather also the cities behind, as the Saracens, Persians, Armenians, and other Barbarians. 2. some do vnderstand it, that the Apostle went not on preaching recta linea, by a right and straight line, which beeing extended from Ierusalem, to Stridon a towne in Illyricum, where Hierome was borne, would containe 350. Germane miles, (which make thrice so many English miles, more then a thousand,) but he visited the coastes of the regions in Asia minor, as he went and so fetcht a compasse by Cilicia, Cappadocia, Pysidia, Bithinia, Pontus, Mysia, Macedonia, Pareus. 3. and this circuite also may signifie, that he went in and out, going and returning vntounto the same cities, as he visited Ierusalem, Antioch, Philippi, Ephesus, diuerse times, as is shewed before in the particular description.
3. VntoUnto Illyricum. 1. Which countrey Haymo saith, is finis Asiae, principium Europae, the ende of Asia, and beginning of Europe: Lyranus saith, it is in fine Graeciae, in the end and vtmost part of Greece, bordering vponupon the Sea, whereupon it is called Illyricum mare, the Illyrian Sea: the Greeke scholiast, and Theophylact, say it was the same countrey that is called Bulgaria: Osiander taketh ti for the lower Pannonia where is the riuer Danubius: Pareus thinketh it is the countrey now called Sclavonia, bordering vponupon Hungaria, Pellican. 2. But we must not suppose that S. Pauls labours here ended, for he returned backe againe from those parts neare vntounto Illyricum, and tooke infinite paines and trauaile beside in preaching the Gospel. 3. and whereas he maketh these two, Ierusalem and Illyricum the bounds and limits of his trauaile, we must not thinke that he preached no further, then as it were from the riuer Iordane to Danubius, for he preached also beyond Ierusalem in the parts of Syria and Arabia; some thinke that he beginneth at Ierusalem, because he went from thence first to Damascus, Faius: but at such time as he went first from Ierusalem, he was not then conuerted: but he nameth Ierusalem, whether he returned from these remote parts, and because from thence beganne after his returne, and so went forward preaching in the regions of Asia the lesse, and Europe.
4. I hauehave replenished the Gospel. 1. That is, plene praedicauerim, I hauehave perfectly and fully preached the Gospel, gloss. interlin. Gorrhan: non perfunctorie praedicavit, he preached not slightly, Mart. perfecte tradidit omnia, he perfectly deliuered all points of doctrine, Gualter: but he sheweth here onelyonly the largenes and extent of his preaching, not the perfection of his doctrine. 2. Beza doth vnderstand it of fulfilling his office in preaching the Gospel; but to make vp this sense many words must be supplyed. 3. There are in this speach three figures vsed, the first a Synedoche, he taketh Ierusalem and Illyricum the countrey for the people, the subiect for the adiunct, by a synecdoche, Pareus: then, in that he saith he hath replenished the Gospel, there is a figure called hypallage, which is the putting of one word in an others case, as to say, I hauehave filled the Gospel with them, for, I hauehave filled them with the Gospel, Iun. annot. as when it is said, trade rati ventos, giuegive the winds to the shippe, for giuegive the ship to the windes: the third figure is a metaphor, taken from the nets and fishing: that as when the nets are filled with fish, so the Apostle had filled the preaching of the Gospel, which was as the net with the aboundance of beleeuing Gentiles, Tolet annot. 11.
5. So thus the Apostle abridgeth his infinite labours and travailes in the Gospell: as in the former part of this verse, acervus miraculorum percurrit, he ranne ouer an heape of miracles, saying, in the power of signes and wonders, so here he comprehendeth infinitas vrbes, an infinite companie of cities, and people where he had preached: and this propter ipsos loquitur, he speaketh for their cause, to commend his Apostleship vntounto the Romanes, that he might hauehave some fruite among them, as among other of the Gentiles, as he saith, c. 1.13. Chrysost.
Quest. 26. Why the Apostle would not build vponupon an others foundation, v. 20. that is, preach where Christ had been preached alreadie.
1. Origen maketh this the cause, ne alieni operis gloriam surripere conaretur, least he should goe about to steale away the glorie of an others worke: But this is not all the reason: for then he should neuer hauehave preached in any place, where an other had preached before, and so neither in Iudea. 2. Chrysostome giueth this reason, least that he might seeme to hauehave challenged the reward of other mens labours, merces laborum, qui ab alijs desudati sunt aliena erat à Paulo, the reward of the labours, wherein others had sweat, did not belong vnPaul: But there was no feare, that S. Paul entring into other mens labours, should take away their reward: for God knoweth how to recompence both vntounto the first and second labourer, vntounto each man his due reward. 3. Ambrose, whom the ordinar. glosse followeth, thinketh the Apostle did preach, where Christ had not beene heard of, to prevent the false Apostles, and so he would not build vponupon their foundation, which was not rightly laid: but it is euident, that S. Paul speaketh of the true preaching, where Christ was named. 4. some thinke the Apostle did it, ne videretur laborem fugere, least he should seeme to shun labour and seeke his owne ease, if he had preached onelyonly where Christ had beene preached before, Osiander: but this is not all. 5. neither doth the Apostle commend his Apostleship onelyonly by the difficultie of the worke: because it was an harder enterprise, first to plant the Gospel, where nothing raigned but idolatrie, as at Athens, and Ephesus: Thus Pareus, Tolet. 6. And others doe thinke, the Apostle thus speaketh, to shewe his zeale and holy ambition, in seeking to propagate the Gospel of Christ, where he was not yet knowne, Bucer. 7. But the Apostle herein doth prooue his Apostleship, to whom this was peculiar, not to succeede in other mens labours: that the Romanes might hereby vnderstand illustrem esse propria nota Apostolatus, that he was commended by the proper and peculiar note of the Apostleship, Martyr: and so in effect S. Paul vseth this argument: it is peculiar and proper to the Apostles to preach vntounto them, where Christ is not knowne: but that hauehave I done, therefore you are not to make any doubt of mine Apostleshippe, Gualter: so then, the Apostle alleadgeth three reasons in all, why he preached vntounto those which had not yet heard of Christ. 1. because therein consisted the office of an Apostle properly. 2. and least he might seeme to arrogate vntounto himselfe, that should belong vntounto an other, to put his sickle as it were into an others haruest. 3. and to fulfill the prophesie of Isay, which he citeth in the next verse, that they should see Christ, to whom he had not beene spoken of: which place is taken out of the 52. of Isay v. 14. where the Prophet euidently speaketh of the calling of the Gentiles, Kings shall shut their mouthes at him, that is, shall not gainesay the preaching of the Gospell, but willingly receiue it: then follow these words here rehearsed by the Apostle, That which had not beene told them, shall they see, and that which they had not heard, shall they vnderstand.
Quest. 27. Whether this place of the Prophet be fitly alleadged by the Apostle.
There can be no doubt made hereof. 1. the argument there handled by the Prophet concerning the preaching of Christ vntounto the Gentiles, how that Christ should sprinkle many nations, agreeth with the Apostles purpose here: onelyonly that which is generally propounded by the Prophet, the Apostle in particular applyeth to himselfe, not as the sole, but as a principall instrument of this preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles.
2. The Apostle addeth (of him,) to whom it was not spoken of him, which words the Prophet hath not, both because he sheweth this Prophecie to be accomplished in the preaching of Christ: and he abridgeth compendiously that prophesie, which foretelleth two things, who should be preached, namely Christ, and to whom, to the Gentiles, who had not heard of him before, both which the Apostle here ioyneth together: and this is the cause of this small alteration, that whereas the Prophet speaketh of the thing, that which had not beene told them, shall they see, the Apostle turneth to the person, to whom it was told concerning him: Iunius in his parallels.
3. Further it must be obserued, that the Apostle for breuitie sake leaueth the contrarie part to be supplyed, he preached, not where Christ was named, but where he was not named, which must be vnderstood, as may be gathered by the allegation of this prophesie: the like see before, v. 3.
4. They are said to see him, who was not spoken of, that is, to see Christ in the preaching of the Gospel, whom they had not seene in the flesh, as the Iewes had: for in the liuely preaching of the Gospell Christ is described, as though with their eyes they had seene him crucified, as S. Paul speaketh Galat. 4.1. and they which heard not shall vnderstand, that is, which had not the law nor the Prophers, they shal now heare the preaching of the Apostles, and vnderstand, that is, beleeue.
Quest. 28. How Saint Paul is not contrarie to Christ, which saith of his Apostles, that they entred into others labourers, Ioh. 4.38.
1. The Apostle denying, that he had built vponupon an others foundation, is not therein contrarie to Christ, Ioh. 4.38. I hauehave sent you to reape that, wherein you bestowed no labour, other men laboured, and yee are entred into their labours: for the Apostle denieth not, that he builded vponupon the foundation of the Prophets but acknowledgeth and confesseth it, Eph. 2.20. of whom our Sauiour speaketh in this place: that the Prophets laid the first foundation, and sowed the first seed of that doctrine, which afterward was more fully preached by the Apostles: but he compareth himselfe with the rest of the Apostles, that they had not preached first in those places, where he planted the Gospel.
2. And whereas it will be obiected, that Saint Paul did write vntounto the Hebrewes, that were conuerted before, and here to the Romans, that were alreadie instructed in the waies of Christ: the answer is: 1. that there is difference betweene the writing of Epistles and preaching: S. Paul might by his holy Epistles water that which an other had planted, and yet preach onelyonly, and thereby lay the first foundations, where Christ had not beene heard of. 2. neither must the Apostle be vnderstood to speake so generally, as though he had preached in no other places, but where Christ had not beene preached before, but cheefely and for the most part.
Quest. 29. Of the Apostles let, and of his purpose to visite the Romans.
As hetherto Saint Paul in his peroration beginning in the 14. v. excuseth his boldnes in writing: so here he excuseth his not comming, shewing his great desire thereunto.
v. 22. I hauehave beene oft letted. 1. The Apostle had diuerse lettes and impediments to hinder him from preaching, where he intended: sometimes he was forbidden by the Spirit, as Act. 16.17. sometime he was letted by Sathan and his ministers, as by the adversaries the Iewes. 2. Thess. 2.16.17. Ambrose addeth a third reason, he staied sometime, vt excluderet falsa commenta pseudapostolorum, to exclude and remooue the vaine fictions of the false Apostles: but here the Apostle sheweth an other cause beside all these, fundandi ecclesias occupatione detentus, he was deteined by the imploiment in founding of Churches, Origen: and so as Chrysostome noteth, he expresseth the cause of his stay, which he concealed before, in the beginning of the epistle, Rom. 1.13. 2. the word foreign, some vnderstand as well of the many impediments, as of the many times, wherein he was hindred, Faius: but the latter is more agreeable, as Chrysostome expoundeth, and so he said c. 1.13. that foreign, oftentimes he had beene purposed to come, but was letted hetherto.
v. 23. But now seeing I hauehave no more place: he by these two reasons putteth them in mind of his speedie comming: 1. because he had now no occasion to stay in those partes, to plant new Churches: for though all were not conuerted, yet he had ordained Pastors in eueryevery Citie to build further vponupon his foundation: Lyran. 2. where he saith in those quarters, foreign, climates, it is not taken strictly, according to the Astronomical account, which maketh a climate, to be a space of the earth betweene two parellels extended from the aequator to the pole, in which space the day is lengthened by halfe an houre, which climates Ptolome numbreth to be 15. the new Astronomers make 24. for in this sense the Apostle had gone ouer onelyonly two climates preaching the Gospel: but it is here taken in a larger sense, for these regions: Origen restraineth it to Achaia, where Corinthus was, from whence he thinketh this epistle was dated. 3. The other reason is his auncient and long desire many yeares of comming vntounto them: which desire, it seemeth the Apostle had at the least 10. yeares before: for he wrote this epistle about the 20. yeare of his conuersion, and the 55. of Christ: and long before that the Romans had receiued the faith, about the 3. yeare of Claudius, when the second persecution was begunne by Herod, at such time, as Iames was killed, and Peter imprisoned, which was in the 10. yeare of the Apostles conuersion, and the 45. of Christ: Pareus: But long before this the Romans had receiued the faith, for Andronicus and Iunia, whom S. Paul saluteth Rom. 16.7. were in Christ before Paul was conuerted, which was in the 2. yeare after the passion of Christ, and the 10. of Tiborius raigne, about tenne yeares before the 3. of Claudius: so that if Paul had this desire, to go to Rome so soone, as he heard of their faith, he had it aboue tenne yeares, nearer twentie: see qu. 29. vponupon the 1. Chapter.