Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 3 · Subsection 31
31. Quest. Of the meaning of the 24. verse.
v. 24. When I shall take my iourney. The Greeke words foreign, some translate quandocun que whensoeuer, as Origens and Chrysostomes translator, and the Greeke Scholiast: the Ecclesiasticall expositor, si quando, if at any time: Pareus, quod si, but if: Erasmus, vt si, that if: in all these readings, S. Paul should speake vncertenly, and doubtfully of his comming into Spaine: the Latin interpreter readeth, cum, when, so Beza, quando, when, and so foreign, is taken 1. Cor. 11.34. Other things will I set in order, when I come.
Into Spaine. 1. Erasmus thinketh, that the Grecians following S. Paul, fraudant Hispaniam prima syllaba, doe curtall the first syllable, calling it foreign, for Hispania: but other nations beside so vse to call it, as the Germanes, Spanica, the Italians Spagnia, and so in English we call it Spaine. 2. The reason, why he purposeth to goe into Spaine, 1. Gorrhan thinketh to be this, because it was tributarie to the Romans, 1. Machab. 8.3. and therefore it would be acceptable to them, Tolet. 2. Ambrose, quia pseudapostolos praeoccupare festinat, he would make hast, to forestall the false-apostles, that eueryevery where attempted to creepe in. 3. but Lyranus better toucheth the cause, that as S. Paul had preached in the East, ita desiderabat hoc facere in occidente, so he desireth to doe the like in the West where Spaine was: & nihil adhuc in Hispanos collatum est, and it should seeme, that nothing yet had bin bestowed vponupon the Spanyards, Mart. the gospel had not yet bin preached vntounto thē.
I will come to you, &c. 1. Lyranus thinketh, that S. Paul had such an earnest desire to see Rome, quia erat civitas capitanca, because it was the captaine or chiefe citie of the whole world. 2. but the reason was, because of the report of their great faith, published ouer the world, that he might be mutually comforted with them, Rom. 1.12. 3. and he tooke this to be a fit occasion to visit them, when he went into Spaine, for that his iourney could not be conveniently vndertaken by land, for then he was to goe a great circuit about thorough Dalmatia, Hungaria, Germanie, France: but the speediest and nearest passage was by sea, and so he might visit Rome by the way.
I trust: he is not sure, but hopeth well: thus he writeth for two reasons. 1. in respect of the diuine prouidence, which ordereth and directeth all things; because all times are in Gods hand: ex me nihil possum, I can doe nothing of my selfe. 2. and the other reason was in respect of the second causes; because he knew not how his navigation should fall out, whether he might be carried by a streight cut, by the Ionian and African Sea directly vntounto Gades in Spaine, or to strike vp, fetching a bought or compasse by the Sicilian and Tyrrhene Sea to Rome.
To see you in my iourney, &c. 1. He saith he will see them in the way, ne istud eos inflaret, least this might puffe them vp, that he had expressed his great desire to see them, observa quomodo illos constringat, obserue how he doth hold them in, saying, when I goe into Spaine: so he both is willing to shew his louelove and desire vntounto them, as also to stay them, ne nimium glorientur, that they glorie not therein too much, Chrysost. 2. Origen further noteth, least that the Romanes might thinke, that he would see them onelyonly in transitu, as he passed by, intending his iourney to an other place, and visiting them onelyonly by the way, he addeth; after I hauehave beene somewhat filled with you: that vntill such time, as they were mutually filled and satisfied one with an other, he intended not to leaue them. 3. Lyranus thinketh that Paul intended not to stay long in Rome, but to visit them in the way; because Peter with his disciples was at this time in Rome, & sic non erat eius praedicatio ibitam necessaria, &c. and so his preaching should not be there so necessarie, as in Spaine. But Peter was not at this time in Rome, for then it is not like that S. Paul would hauehave left him out in his salutation, c. 16. 4. Haymo obserueth, following Origen, that S. Paul moderatius praesentiam suam pollicitus, doth more sparingly promise his presence: because we doe with greater desire receiue those things, quae cito metuimus auferenda, which we are afraid will be soone taken from vsus, and we vse to neglect such things, quae nos diutius retenturos credimus, which we hope to hold longer.
And to be brought in my way thitherward by you, &c. 1. Chrysostome noteth, that hereby the Apostle excuseth his former speach, that he intended onelyonly to see them in his passage: for they should be his witnesses, that not by any contempt or neglect of them, sed ipse necessitate tractus transcurram, but that beeing so drawne by necessitie I passe thorough. 2. S. Paul requesteth this of them, as the fittest guides for him in his iourney, for the Romanes were well knowne in those cities and places, by the which he should passe into Spaine, (as beeing Lords of that countrey, Lyran.) & sic aditus facilior pateret, and so a better way should be made for his preaching, Martyr. 3. And hereby the Apostle signifieth, quantum sibi de illis promittat, how much he doth promise himselfe of them, to insinuate himselfe the better into their louelove: for the more trust one seeth to be reposed in him, the more he taketh himselfe to be bound, Calvin. 4. he desireth not to be lead by them in any pompous manner, but that they by the way might receiue some profit by S. Pauls companie, and thereby the better edifie themselues, and others at their returne, Par. 5. neither doth the Apostle herein seeme to arrogate any thing to himselfe, in requiring this dutie; seeing he brought vntounto them, omnium spiritualium honorum fructum, the fruit of all spirituall good things: and this might be easily performed by them, and that to their singular profit.
After I hauehave beene in part filled with you. 1. parentis hoc potius est, quàm praeceptoris, this indulgent affection is of a father, rather then a teacher, Oecumen. 2. to be filled in part. some vnderstand, ex parte vestri, in that part of you, which was at variance, but is now reconciled, Hugo: some referre it to the time, ex parte temporis, a little time, glosse interlin. Chrysostome thinketh it is so said, because he could neuer be fully satisfied with their companie: but it signifieth no more, then aliquantulum, to be somewhat filled, according to the shortnes of the time of his aboad, as it is taken before, v. 15. Par. 3. and thus morationem suam in ipsorum arbitrio collocat, the time of his stay he permitteth to their iudgement: not to depart till they be mutually satisfied, Origen.