Romans 15:31

f. ἵνα ῥυσθῶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπειθούντων : from the disobedient, i.e., from the Jews who had not received the Gospel, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, chap. Romans 11:30. καὶ ἡ διακονία μου κ. τ. λ. It was not the unbelieving Jews only who hated Paul. To them he was an apostate, who had disappointed all their hopes; but even Christian Jews in many cases regarded him as false to the nation's prerogative, and especially to the law. There was a real danger that the contribution he brought from the Gentile Churches might not be graciously accepted, even accepted at all; it might be regarded as a bribe, in return for which Paul's opposition to the law was to be condoned, and the equal standing of his upstart churches in the Kingdom of God acknowledged. It was by no means certain that it would be taken as what it was a pledge of brotherly love; and God alone could dispose “the saints” to take it as simply as it was offered. Paul's state of mind as seen here is exactly that which is revealed in Acts 20:17-38; Acts 21:13, etc. ἵνα ἐν χαρᾷ ἐλθών … συναναπαύσωμαι ὑμῖν. συναναπ. here only in N.T. but cf. συνπαρακληθῆναι, Romans 1:12, and συναγωνίσασθαι Romans 15:30. “Rest after the personal danger and after the ecclesiastical crisis of which the personal danger formed a part” (Hort). The ἵνα here seems to be subordinate to, not co-ordinate with the preceding one. Paul looks forward to a time of joy and rest beyond these anxieties and dangers, as the ultimate end to be secured by their prayers. διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ : it depends on this whether Paul is to return or how. He did reach Rome, by the will of God (Romans 1:10), but hardly in the conditions anticipated here.