Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 2 · Chapter 15 · Section 3 · Subsection 38 – Subsection 41
Quest. 39. Of the Apostles request, that they would ioyne in prayer with him.
v. 30. I beseech you by our Lord Iesus, &c. 1. It appeareth how much the Apostle was troubled in spirit, vsing this vehement obtestation, as to entreate them by the Lord Iesus, and by the holy spirit: not that the Apostle was so carefull for his life, but because Ecclesia periculum in eo agisciebat, he knewe nothing could happen vntounto him, without great danger of the Church. 2. the force of this obtestation lieth herein, that if they did not pray for him, it would redound much to the dishonour of Christ, and of the holy Ghost: for …o entreat one by a thing, is to insinuate, that the thing which is most deare vntounto them, will thereby receiue hurt, or be wronged, if he prevaile not in his request, Pareus: or he entreateth them by the ende, which he propounded, it was the cause of Christ, which they ought to further by their praiers, and the by efficacie of charitie, whereby they were bound to performe this dutie toward him, Tolet: and in effect, be chargeth them by the louelove of Christ, wrought in them by the holy Ghost, to ioyne in prayer with him: as if he should hauehave said, si in eum creditis, if ye beleeue in him, if there be in you any charitie, gloss. interlin. as the Apostle, Phillip. 2.1. more at large vseth the like obtestation, if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of louelove, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any compassion and merciemercy, fulfill my ioy: so that he presseth and vrgeth them three wayes by this vehement obtestation: both in respect of their louelove vntounto Christ, whom they should seeme to neglect, in respect of the Apostle, to whom they were bound in charitie, and in regard of themselues, who should be found, not to hauehave those graces of the spirit in truth, not bringing forth the fruit of them.
2. For the louelove of the spirit. 1. Chrysostome obserueth, that the Apostle naming Christ, and the spirit, and not the father, doth insinuate, that we should not be troubled when in like manner, he nameth the Father and the Sonne without the spirit, or the father alone: because non semper eodem modo ponit sanctam Trinitatem, he doth not alwaies in one and the same manner set downe the Trinitie. 2. Chrysostome, further taketh the louelove of the spirit actiuely, for the louelove whereby the spirit hath loued vsus: for as the Father and the Sonne loued the world, so likewise the holy Ghost: but rather that louelove and coniunction is here signified, which is wrought by the holy Ghost in the members of Christ: Martyr will hauehave the louelove of the spirit, to be taken, for the spirit of louelove, as c. 9.31. the law of righteousnes, is put for the righteousnesse of the lawe: but this inversion of the words is not here necessarie.
3. To striue with me by prayers. 1. certamen vocat ferventem orationem, he calleth a feruent prayer a strife, he would hauehave them pray for him earnestly. 2. and they must pray with feeling and compassion, for they which pray, eorum in se recipiunt personam, &c. doe as it were take their person vponupon them, for whom they pray, Calvin: and make their case their owne. 3. and hereby is signified, that maximum praesidium fidelis oratio, that a faithfull prayer is the cheifest defense against the spirituall adversaries, Bucer. 4. Origen obserueth further, that the Apostle vseth this word of striuing together in prayer, because of the resistance of the spirituall adversarie, obsistunt enim daemones in oratione, &c. for the euill spirits doe resist in prayer, first that one be not found, such as the Apostle speaketh, to lift vp pure hands without wrath: and if one doe obtaine so much as to pray without wrath, vix est vt effugiat esse sine disceptatione, t. sine superfluis cogitationibus, yet that will hardly scape him, to pray without doubting, that is, without vaine and idle cogitations: for you shall hardly finde one, cui oranti aliquid inanis cogitationis non occurrat, &c. who in his prayer thinketh not of some vaine thing.
Quest. 40. Of the things which S. Paul would hauehave them pray for.
He willeth them to pray for these two reasons, first that he may be deliuered from the vnbeleeuers in Iudea. 1. S. Paul did knowe by the reuelation of the spirit, that many troubles should be raised against him in Iudea, by the adversaries of the Gospel, as he saith, Act. 20.23. The holy Ghost witnesseth that in euerie citie bonds and afflictions abide me: and although they persecuted all the Apostles, yet they had a speciall spite at Paul, as being the most earnest impugner of the ceremonies of the law: and like as they serued Christ his master, who after he had done all good to the Iewes, was put to death at Ierusalem, so he looked to be serued: hereby he sheweth how necessarie it was, that they should make request for his deliuerance, seeing he was to goe among so many wolues, magis feras rabidas quàm homine…, rather so many savage beasts then men. 2. he saith not, pray vt hos impugnem, & superem, that I may vanquish and ouercome them, but onelyonly be deliuered from them, not be hindered by them in his course, Theophyl. 3. and this he prayeth, non quod pati metuat, not that he was afraide to suffer, but that his course might not be hindered, in performing that seruice to the Saints, and in accomplishing his desire to see the Romanes, Origen: for otherwise S. Paul was readie in himselfe, not onelyonly to be bound, but to die at Ierusalem, Act. 21.13. 4. Neither was S. Paul heard altogether in this desire: for though he escaped death at Ierusalem, which was conspired by the Iewes, yet he was not deliuered out of bonds: so God heareth the requests of his Saints in temporall things, so farre forth, as it shall be for his glorie, Pareus.
And that my service may be accepted of the Saints: this is the second thing that he would hauehave them pray for. 1. As S. Paul feared the practises of the incredulous Iews, so he doubted the sinister suspitions which might be conceiued of him euen among the brethren, which were zealous of the lawe, least his seruice herein should not be acceptable vntounto them. 2. Some vnderstand it otherwise, that it may be acceptable, that is, sufficiens, sufficient to releeue their necessities, Gorrhan: some, that my seruice acceptabile fiat apud Deum, may be acceptable vntounto God, Greek, scholiast. Lyran. but the first sense is the fittest, that his seruice be not preiudiced by the sinister opinions which might be conceiued of him: as Iames saith vntounto him, Act. 21.21. Thou seest brother, how many Iewes there are which beleeue, and they are all zealous of the lawe, and they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Iewes, which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses: vntounto such the Apostle prayeth, that his seruice might be welcome and accepted.
Quest. 41. Of the fruites of the prayer of the Romanes for S. Paul.
Here followe two effects of their prayer: The first in respect of themselues, that I may come vntounto you with ioy. 1. Chrysostome here noteth, that as the Apostle begunne his epistle, wishing that he might hauehave a prosperous iourney to come vntounto them, c. 1.11. so he concludeth. 2. it was for their profit, that he should come vntounto them, an effect of the first part of their prayer, that he might be deliuered, and that he might come vntounto them with ioy, a fruit of the other part, that his seruice might be accepted of the Saints, for otherwise he should come with heauie cheare. 3. he addeth, by the will of God, which condition he inferteth, c. 1.11. both to free himselfe from the suspition of inconstancie, if it should fall out otherwise, and to this ende, that if Gods will were otherwise that he should not come with such ioy, as indeede he did not, (in respect of his outward bonds) they might more patiently beare it.
The other effect and fruit is common to the Apostle with them, that I may be refreshed with you. 1. where Chrysostome noteth the modestie of S. Paul, he saith not to teach and instruct you, but to be comforted. 2. Haymo obserueth in the word to be refreshed, that he desireth refrigerium, refreshing, qui calore solis vritur, who is burnt with the heate of the Sunne, as they which striue or fight: so the Apostle had laboured in fighting against the profane Philosophers, vnbeleeuing Iewes, gainsaying heretickes, and now he desireth ease and refreshing: some referre it to the griefe and vexation, which the Apostle had by reason of the mutuall conflicts and contentions among the Romanes, as he saith elsewhere, Who is offended and I burne not: from the which he should finde ease and refreshing in their mutuall concord, Gorrhan: but Theophylact better vnderstandeth it, of the generall comfort, which they should hauehave one by an other: you in me ob doctrinam, for the spirituall doctrine which you shall receiue, and I in you, ob auctam fidem, for your faith encreased: Origen addeth, non corporalem requiem quaerit Paulus, Paul seeketh not corporall rest, but the spirituall comfort and rest in God.
Quest. 42. Of the Apostles salutation, The God of peace, &c.
1. As the Apostle beganne his epistle with the salutation of peace, so he endeth the same, as his manner is, consuevit auditoribus bene precari, he is accustomed to wish well vntounto his auditors after he hath instructed them.
2. He saith, the God of peace, giuing such titles vntounto God as best fit the present argument: as he said before, v. 5. the God of patience and consolation: and v. 13. the God of hope: so now, the God of peace: he meaneth Christ Iesus, whom he calleth the Lord of peace, 2. Thess. 3.16. who hath left the inheritance of peace vntounto his Church.
3. And he is called the God of peace, both passively, that they may finde peace with God, and hauehave God at peace with them, and actiuely, that God would preserue them in peace and vnitie among themselues.
4. He simply wisheth not vntounto them peace, but true peace, euen the peace of God, qui pax est vera, who is the true peace: that till he come, or whether he come or not, the God of peace may be with them.
5. And he wisheth vntounto them peace, both in generall, that they may be replenished with all spirituall benediction, and in particular, in respect of those diuisions and dissentions which were among them.