Romans 15:3

Romans 15:3 For Christ also pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me.

'also pleased not himself' -'Summing up the life of Christ, Peter (Acts 10:38), speaks of him as going about "doing good". Paul here scans his life and says, "He pleased not himself". The first words ever recorded of Christ were, "I must be about my Father's business" (Luke 2:49)....Some of the things Christ did were utterly astounding. Think of his feeding five thousand with so little. Think of his walking on the sea and think of his calm rebuke of the winds and the waves. Some of the things he didn't do are equally astounding. He refuses to feed his hungering body with bread he could have make out of stones. He stopped. twelve-year flow of blood for. poor miserable lady but bled himself dry in suffering. He pleased not himself! He angrily protested the abuse of people by the servants of Annas in the temple and painfully endured the abuse the son-in-law and servants of Annas heaped on him before and during the crucifixion.'

We don't like to hear what Paul said in verses Romans 15:1-2. We are always thinking about "our rights". We don't like our liberties to be limited by the conscience of another. We don't like to give up anything in matters of indifference. We feel that if we give in once, people will abuse us and take advantage of us and that we'll be the one's doing all the sacrificing. Well, are those fears going to stop us?. can think of many reasons why. shouldn't apply what Paul taught in Romans 15:1-2. But verse 3, makes all those reasons look so selfish and weak. Verse. is the make it or break it verse. Am. simply pretending to be. Christian, or, am. willing to follow Christ all the way? Are we First Century Christians in name only? Or do we act like true disciples of the Master?

'as it is written'. Psalms 69:9. This Psalm is used over and over again in the New Testament in application to Jesus. See John 2:17.

'the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me'

'reproaches' -3679. oneidizo on-i-did'-zo; from 3681; to defame, i.e. rail at, chide, taunt: -cast in teeth, (suffer) reproach, revile, upbraid. 'The abuses of those who abused you fell on me.' (Ber)

Points to Note:

1. 'Christ was willing to suffer reproach and contempt in order to do good to others.' (Barnes p. 320)

2. Christ was so willing not to please himself, that abuse and violence didn't even deter him from serving and dying for others. What insignificant things are we unwilling to give up for others? What 'small' things do we allow to come between us and our brethren?

'If we think that we are making some monumental sacrifice when we give up some little liberty for the sake of another's welfare, let's try measuring our effort by the cross of our Lord!' (Green p. 14)

3. Christ so identified himself with those in need, that he was ridiculed for it. (Luke 15:1)

'He was bearing the reproaches for God that were being directed at God....It is not bearing the weaknesses of the weak to walk with them and at the same time berate them so that onlookers can see that we are "slumming" with the weak. No, he who would bear the weaknesses of the weak identifies himself with the weak; refuses to isolate him...' (McGuiggan p. 411)

Jesus endured much ridicule for associating "too closely" with people who needed salvation. (Matthew 9:10; Matthew 11:19)