Romans 1:11-13 That I may
Stamina 11 For I long to see you . . . I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented) Paul’s affection for them was evident. He longed to be with them, having never met them his heart went out to them. The original word is one of very intense yearning. (McLaren) In AD 49 Claudius expels Jews from Rome. In AD 54 Paul, while in Ephesus, expresses his desire to go to Rome (Acts 19:21) Paul wrote the Letter to the Romans in Greece about 56 AD. In 57AD, while Paul was being held in Jerusalem in a Roman barracks to protect him from the Jews who were trying to kill him, the Lord stood next to him and told him that that he would share the gospel in Rome (Acts 23:11). Paul’s journey to Rome began with an army of Romans escorting him to Felix in Caesarea (23:23-24:23), where he stayed in prison for 2 years (Acts 24:26). In 59AD Paul is brought before Festus (who succeeded Felix) and appeals to go to Caesar (now Nero since Claudius was poisoned by his wife in 54AD) (Acts 25:10-12), Paul eventually leaves for Caesarea for Rome (Acts 27:1) (57AD). Paul is reassured that he will make it to Rome by an angel while on a destressed ship (Acts 27:23-24). Paul finally makes it to Rome in AD 60 after a 5 month journey because of a shipwreck which caused a 3 month stay on the island of Malta (Acts 28:1-11). It probably wasn’t Paul’s first choice for the path that would take him to Rome, but it was God’s choice.
Service 11 that I may impart to you some spiritual gift
The word that is used here Gk charisma, is never used of what one man could give to another, but always of the result of the grace of God bestowed upon men. Paul was not saying that he was the giver, but simply a channel through which was communicated what God had given (MacLaren). He is not speaking here of any extraordinary gift of the Spirit; but spiritual light, knowledge, peace, and comfort, through the exercise of his ministerial gift: whence it may be observed, that that which qualities men for the preaching of the word to the profit of others, is a gift, a gift by grace; a spiritual one, which comes from the Spirit of God and is to be imparted to others (Gill) Paul wants to come to serve the Romans. He’s not there to exploit them. He’s not there to get something out of them. He is there to give them something. Paul’s desire is to minister, to serve. He wants to impart something to them. When he looks at the church, he sees not a resource for his own personal gratification or for his own personal enrichment, he sees an opportunity for ministry. We must also look at the local church (and any Christian ministry) that way. Often times we look at the church as a resource for us. It provides this. It provides that. It provides the other. Paul doesn’t look at the local church that way. He looks at the local church and he says there’s an opportunity to serve. There’s an opportunity for me to minister, for me to give, not to get, but to give. The reason that I wanted to be in their midst was he want to serve you. I want to impart some spiritual gift that will establish you. (Ligon Duncan) It is quite probable that Paul is talking about utilizing one of his spiritual gifts to strengthen them, rather than imparting a spiritual gift or gifts to them. This is most likely because he had not used his gifts of teaching, preaching, healing, etc among them, so that is why he wants to come to them to use his gifts to strengthen them as he had done in the churches he had established. Also, Paul encourages them to us the gift they have in Rom 12:3-8, so why would impart to them a gift or gifts if they already possessed? Paul doesn’t give gifts, the Holy Spirit does (Rom 12:6, 1 Cor 12:4-11). Paul is more likely saying, God has given me giftedness in teaching the Word and I desire to come among you to utilize my gift to strength or establish you. Spiritual gift here is not referring to the gifts of 1 Cor 12, but to such an operation of the Holy Spirit when Paul, with his message should come among them to enlarge and settle their faith. As an Apostle, Paul’s presence and ministry of the Word would “impart the gift’ or spiritual blessing to them. As with great Godly men of old who by their presence through the spirit of faith that has given them, and through the anointing of the Spirit conferred upon them, have in a wondrous way banished the spirit of unbelief in great audiences, and made it easy for the saints to run rapidly the way of the Lord, to become “mutually comforted” (encouraged) by each other’s faith, with the result that saints become strengthened in the truth and their walk, as never before. (Newell). One truth we can take from this is no Christian teacher has any business opening his mouth, unless he is sure that he has received something to impart to men as gift from the divine spirit. (MacLaren).
Strengthening 11, to strengthen you
They are indeed in a safe state and condition; they are encircled in the arms of everlasting love, they are fixed in the hands of Christ, secured in an everlasting covenant, established on the rock of ages, and settled in a state from whence they can never fall: yet, notwithstanding this, they are sometimes very unstable in their hearts, in their frames, in the exercise of grace, and the discharge of duty, and in professing and adhering to the doctrines of the Gospel; wherefore they need establishing (Gill). Paul tells them specifically my purpose for ministering, my purpose for serving, my purpose for preaching is so that you will be established (strengthened) in the faith. (Ligon Duncan). Here Paul wants to, as the Lord’s messenger, convey to them some new development of spiritual light and joy to open up to them fuller and deeper insights into the riches of Christ. . . . so that they might stand more boldly on the glorious certainties that they held (Moule). He says it’s some spiritual gift that he wants to impart. Whatever that gift is the apostle Paul sees that the function of this gift is to establish faith (Duncan).
Stimulation 12 that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine Ministers are comforted, as well as saints, as they; and while they are imparting their spiritual gifts for the use of others, they themselves are sometimes comforted of God in their work, and particularly when they find there is an agreement between their doctrine, and the experience of the saints: (Gill). Paul here is humbly acknowledging that if he goes to the Roman church with a desire to bless them, with a desire to build them up, with a desire to encourage them, with a desire to establish them, the strange and true reality of it is that he will be built up. He will be blessed, he will be encouraged. The irony of Christian service is that when you die to yourself, you find life. When you give yourself away, you find yourself. When you put yourself last, you find yourself first. It’s the irony, it’s the dynamic of Christian service. When you devote yourself to serving others, you always receive more than you could ever give. And so I want to say as Christians approach the church and feel that the church is not ministering to them as it ought, you know the answer is not for the church to do more for you. The answer is for you to determine that you are going to give yourself away. That you are going to serve, that you are going to minister, to develop a strategy, an agenda, a mindset to minister to give yourself away. And then in that context you will find that you are given more back than you have ever given. (Duncan). There is no one so void of gifts in the church of Jesus Christ who cannot in some measure contribute to our spiritual progress (Calvin). There is only one Giver who is only a Giver and that is God. All other givers are also receivers. Paul desired to see the Roman believers that he might be encouraged and when he did see them marching out to meet him, he thank God and took courage. (Acts 28:15). The sight of them strengthen him and prepared him for what lay before him. All earnest work of ministry has travelling with it as its shadow seasons of deep depression; and the Christian teacher does not escape these. Every Elijah after the mightiest effort of prophecy, is apt to cover his head with his mantle and say take me away I am no better than my fathers (1Kings 19:1-4) (MacLaren). We need each other. Every Moses needs an Aaron. Every David needs a Jonathan. Every Paul needs a Barnabas. Every believer needs their brothers and sisters (1 Thess 5:22). He sought the communion of saints; he expected to be himself edified and strengthened; and to be comforted by seeing their strength of faith, and their rapid growth in grace. We may remark here,(1) That one effect of faith is to produce the desire of the communion of saints. It is the nature of Christianity to seek the society of those who are the friends of Christ. (2) nothing is better suited to produce growth in grace than such communion. Every Christian should have one or more Christian friends to whom he may unbosom himself. No small part of the difficulties which young Christians experience would vanish, if they should communicate their feelings and views to others. Feelings which they suppose no Christians ever had, which greatly distress them, they will find are common among those who are experienced in the Christian life.(3) there is nothing better suited to excite the feelings, and confirm the hopes of Christian ministers, than the firm faith of young converts, of those just commencing the Christian life, 3 John 1:4.(4) the apostle did not disdain to be taught by the humblest Christians. He expected to be strengthened himself by the faith of those just beginning the Christian life. (Barnes)
Sharing 13 that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles By fruit he means, not any reward of his labor, either temporal or eternal; but the conversion of sinners, the edification of saints, and the fruitfulness of believers in grace and works. (Gill). Paul wants to see people converted to Christ, and he wants to see Christians built up. In other words, his aim is evangelism and edification. He knows that Christian discipleship entails both. It means bringing those into fellowship with Christ that aren’t in fellowship now. And as they are brought into fellowship with Christ, making them disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because you can’t be a follower of Christ and not be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t be saved by Christ and not be a disciple and so His work of edification is going to entail not only bringing people in the kingdom, but building them up in faith (Duncan). Paul’s deepest desire for coming to them was to bear fruit among them. To share Christ with them. To proclaim the gospel where it had not been named (Rom 15:20) This fruit was part of much fruit he had reaped already (Romans 15:18-21). Yet he yearned for more. He could have no rest while one field remained unplanted, and he knew that the most fruitful field yet remained. (Exell) “I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls to Christ. While I was asleep I dreamed of these things; and, when I waked, the first thing I thought of was this great work. All my desire was for the conversion of the heathen, and all my hope was in God.” (David Brainerd) “I am determined to preach the gospel wherever I can find a congregation of one.” (Judson).