Romans 15:27

εὐδόκησαν γὰρ : they have resolved, I say. Paul felt bound to let this resolution affect his own conduct even to the extent of delaying his journey westward. Indeed he explains in 2 Cor., chaps. 8 and 9, that he expected great spiritual results, in the way of a better understanding between Jewish and Gentile Christianity, from this notable act of Gentile charity; hence his desire to see it accomplished, and the necessity laid on him to go once more to Jerusalem. ὀφειλέται : cf. Romans 1:14; Romans 8:12. The resolve of the Gentile Churches to help the poor Jewish Christians, though generous, was not unmotived; in a sense it was the payment of a debt. τοῖς πνευματικοῖς αὐτῶν : the spiritual things belonging to the Jews in which the Gentiles shared are the Gospel and all its blessings “salvation is of the Jews”. All the gifts of Christianity are gifts of the Holy Spirit. ἐν τοῖς σαρκικοῖς : the carnal things of the Gentiles, in which they minister to the Jews, are those which belong to the natural life of man, as a creature of flesh the universal symbol of these is money. There is the same idea in a similar connection (the support of the Gospel ministry) in 1 Corinthians 9:2 In neither place has σαρκικὰ any ethical connotation. λειτουργῆσαι is simply “to minister to”: no official, much less sacerdotal association. Cf. Philippians 2:30.