Romans 1:13

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. NOW I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT, BRETHREN, THAT OFTENTIMES I PURPOSED TO COME UNTO YOU, BUT WAS LET ('HINDERED') HITHERTO - chiefly by his desire to go first to places where Christ was not known (see Romans 15:20), THAT I MIGHT HAVE SOME FRUIT (OF MY MINISTRY) AMONG YOU ALSO, EVEN AS AMONG OTHER GENTILES. The GENTILE origin of the Roman Church is here so explicitly stated, that those who conclude merely from the Jewish strain of the argument, that they must have been mostly Israelites, decide in opposition to the apostle himself. (But see Introduction to this Epistle.)...

13._I would not that you should be ignorant_. What he has hitherto testified — that he continually requested of the Lord that he might visit them, might have appeared a vain thing, and could not have obtained credit, had he neglected to seize the occasion when offered: he therefore says, that the effort had not been wanting, but the opportunity; for he had been prevented from executing a purpose often formed. We hence learn that the Lord frequently upsets the purposes of his saints, in order to humble them, and by such humiliation to teach them to regard his Providence, that they may rely on it; though the saints, who design nothing without the Lord’s will, cannot be said, strictly speaking, to be driven away from their purposes. It is indeed the presumption of impiety to pass by God, and without him to determine on things to come, as though they were in our own power; and this is what J...

8-15 We must show love for our friends, not only by praying for them, but by praising God for them. As in our purposes, so in our desires, we must remember to say, If the Lord will, James 4:15. Our journeys are made prosperous or otherwise, according to the will of God. We should readily impart to others what God has trusted to us, rejoicing to make others joyful, especially taking pleasure in communing with those who believe the same things with us. If redeemed by the blood, and converted by the grace of the Lord Jesus, we are altogether his; and for his sake we are debtors to all men, to do all the good we can. Such services are our duty....

Verse Romans 1:13. _BUT WAS LET HITHERTO_] The word _let_, from the Anglo-Saxon, [Anglo-Saxon] to _hinder_, signifies _impediment_ or _hinderance_ of any kind: but it is likely that the original word, εκωλυθην, _I was forbidden_, refers to a _Divine prohibition_:-he would have visited them long before, but God did not see right to _permit_ him....

THAT OFTENTIMES I PURPOSED - See Romans 1:10. How often he had purposed this we have no means of ascertaining. The fact, however, that he had done it, showed his strong desire to see them, and to witness the displays of the grace of God in the capital of the Roman world; compare Romans 15:23. One instance of his having purposed to go to Rome is recorded in Acts 19:21, “After these things were ended (namely, at Ephesus), Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to go to Jerusalem; saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” This purpose expressed in this manner in the Epistle, and the Acts of the Apostles, has been shown by Dr. Paley (Horae Paulinae o

EXPOSITION ROMANS 1:1 I. INTRODUCTORY. ROMANS 1:1 A. _Salutation_ with long interposed parenthesis, suggested by "gospel of God." The parenthesis, expressing thoughts of which the writer's mind is full, intimates the purport of the coming treatise. It also intimates his claim, afterwards more fully asserted (Romans 15:15, seq.), to demand a hearing from the Roman Church. It is St. Paul's way, when full of an idea, thus to interrupt his sentences at the suggestion of a word. Somewhat similar interpositions are found in the opening salutations of Galatians and Titus, especially in the latter; but this is peculiar for its l

NOW I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT, BRETHREN,.... The apostle calls them brethren, because many of them were Jews, his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, and all of them were his brethren in a spiritual relation; and this he does to express his affection to them, and engage their attention and credit to him, and particularly to this matter which he now acquaints them with, being unwilling they should be ignorant of it; THAT OFTENTIMES I PURPOSED TO COME UNTO YOU: it was not a sudden start of mind, or a desire that lately arose up in him, but a settled resolution and determination, and which he had often made: BUT WAS LET HITHERTO; either by God, who had work for him to do in other places; or by Satan, who sometimes by divine permission has had such power and influence; see 1 Thessalonians 2:18, or through the urgent necessities

Romans 1:1. _Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,_ Paul has many titles, and he delights to mention them in writing to these Christians at Rome. He puts first his highest title: «A servant of Jesus Christ.» He glories in being a servant of the crucified Christ, a servant of him who was despised and rejected of men; so do we. Paul was called out from among men, effectually «called» of God «to be an apostle, separated» set apart «unto the gospel of God.» He believed that he was separated for that purpose at his birth; but he was specially «separated unto the gospel of God» on the road to Damascus. It is a happy thing when a minister feels that he has nothing to do with anything else but the gospel; that commands all his thought, all his talent, all his time....

ROMANS 1:13 ouv qe,lw {A} The reading of D* G itd, g Ambrosiaster Pelagius, ouvk oi;omai (“I do not suppose”), was regarded as a scribal modification limited to Western witnesses; ouvk oi;smai is still more limited (Dd Dabs1). The reading ouv qe,lw, which is supported by the great mass of the manuscripts (î26vid a A B C Dc K P Y 88 614 1739 _Byz_ itar, mon vg syr(p), h cop(sa), bo arm _al_), is not only in accord with Paul’s usage elsewhere ( Ro...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. DOCTRINAL. THE SALVATION OF GOD. Chapter 1-8. CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Apostle and the Gospel of God. (Romans 1:1 .)_ 2. The Greeting. (Romans 1:7 .) 3. The Apostle's Prayer and Desire. (Romans 1:8 .) 4. The Great Theme Introduced. (Romans 1:16 .) Romans 1:1 The introduction to the Epistle is unsurpassed by any other Epistle. Every word should be carefully studied. The writer introduces himself first of all as a servant (literally: slave) of Jesus Christ and called an apostle. Notice that in...