Romans 15:3

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. FOR EVEN CHRIST PLEASED NOT (LIVED NOT TO PLEASE) HIMSELF; BUT, AS IT IS WRITTEN ( ), THE REPROACHES OF THEM THAT REPROACHED THEE FELL ON ME - (see the notes at , p. 181.)...

3._For even Christ pleased not himself, etc. _Since it is not right that a servant should refuse what his lord has himself undertaken, it would be very strange in us to wish an exemption from the duty of bearing the infirmities of others, to which Christ, in whom we glory as our Lord and King, submitted himself; for he having no regard for himself, gave up himself wholly to this service. For in him was really verified what the Prophet declares in Psalms 69:9 : and among other things he mentions this, that “zeal for God’s house had eaten him up,” and that “the reproaches of those who reproached God fell on him.” By these words it is intimated, that he burned with so much fervor for God’s glory that he was possessed by such a desire to promote his kingdom, that he forgot himself, and was, as it were, absorbed with this one thought, and that he so devoted himself to the Lord that he was

1-7 Christian liberty was allowed, not for our pleasure, but for the glory of God, and the good of others. We must please our neighbour, for the good of his soul; not by serving his wicked will, and humouring him in a sinful way; if we thus seek to please men, we are not the servants of Christ. Christ's whole life was a self-denying, self-displeasing life. And he is the most advanced Christian, who is the most conformed to Christ. Considering his spotless purity and holiness, nothing could be more contrary to him, than to be made sin and a curse for us, and to have the reproaches of God fall upon him; the just for the unjust. He bore the guilt of sin, and the curse for it; we are only called to bear a little of the trouble of it. He bore the presumptuous sins of the wicked; we are called only to bear the failings of the weak. And should not we be humble, self-denying, and ready to consi...

Verse Romans 15:3. _FOR EVEN CHRIST PLEASED NOT HIMSELF_] Christ never acted as one who sought his _own ease_ or _profit_; he not only bore with the weakness, but with the insults, of his creatures; as it is written in Psalms 69:9: _The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me_-I not only bore their insults, but bore the punishment due to them for their vicious and abominable conduct. That this Psalm refers to the Messiah and his sufferings for mankind is evident, not only from the quotation here, but also from John 19:28, John 19:29, when our Lord's receiving the vinegar during his expiatory suffering is said to be a f...

FOR EVEN CHRIST - The apostle proceeds, in his usual manner, to illustrate what he had said by the example of the Saviour. To a Christian, the example of the Lord Jesus will furnish the most ready, certain, and happy illustration of the nature and extent of his duty. PLEASED NOT HIMSELF - This is not to be understood as if the Lord Jesus did not voluntarily and cheerfully engage in his great work. He was not “compelled” to come and suffer. Nor is it to be understood as if he did not “approve” the work, or see its propriety and fitness. If he had not, he would never have engaged in its sacrifices and self-denials. But the meaning may be expressed in the following particulars: (1) He came to do the will or desire of God in “undertaking” the work of salvation. It was the will of God; it was agreeable to the divine purposes, and the Mediator did not consult his own happi

EXPOSITION ROMANS 16:1 IV. SUPPLEMENTARY. Questions have been raised and much discussed as to the connection of the last two chapters, 15. and 16., with the rest of the Epistle. The facts and the opinions founded on them may be summarized as follows. (1) There is sufficient proof that in early times copies of the Epistle existed without these two chapters. The evidence is this— (A) Origen (on Romans 16:25) speaks of some copies in his time being without the concluding doxology, and also without any part of these two chapters, attributing the omission to Marcion, for his own purposes, having mutilated the Epistle. His words are, "Caput hoc (_i.e._...

FOR EVEN CHRIST PLEASED NOT HIMSELF,.... He sought not his own ease, pleasure, profit, honour, and glory, but to do his Father's will and work, John 4:34; and he always did the things which pleased him, in his obedience, sufferings, and death; and sought not his own, but his glory: moreover, what he did and suffered were not for himself, but for us; he became incarnate for us; he obeyed, suffered, and died for us; he came not to be ministered to, to be attended upon as an earthly prince, enjoying his own ease and pleasure, things grateful to nature, but to minister to others, Matthew 20:28; hence he appeared in the form of a servant, did the work of one in life, and at last became obedient to death, even the death of the cross,...

Romans 15:1. _We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves._ When we are free from scruples upon any point, and feel that there are things that we may do because we are strong, yet let us not do them if thereby we should grieve others who are weak. Let us think of their infirmities; and whatever liberty we may feel entitled to claim for ourselves, let us look at the matter from the standpoint of other people as well as from our Own, that we may bear the infirmities of the weak, and not seek to please ourselves. Romans 15:2. _Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ_ Our Master, and Lord, and great Exemplar: «For even Christ»...

CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The Example of Christ. (Romans 15:1 .)_ 2. The Ministry of Christ. (Romans 15:8 .) 3. Paul's Personal Ministry. (Romans 15:14 .) Romans 15:1 An additional motive is brought in why the strong should bear the infirmities of the weak and not please themselves. It is Christ. He did not please Himself, but bore in great meekness and patience the reproaches with which men reproached God, and these reproaches fell on Christ Himself. It was the reproach of God He bore in perfect meekness. We are therefore to be likeminded one to another according to Christ Jesus. Wherefore receive ye one another

HARMONY THROUGH SELF-RENOUNCEMENT. Romans 15:1 f. Strength carries with it the duty of bearing others-' weaknesses, not of pleasing oneself (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 10:33). The strong are men of robust faith, in contrast with the weak of Romans 14:1. The Christian is to please his neighbour not by humouring his failings, but by aiming at his good, with a view to building him up in faith and character (_cf._ Romans 14:19). Romans 15:3. So the Christ bore Himself, according to Psalms 69 (quoted above in...