Romans Chapter 15 Breakdown

1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Those of us who are strong in our belief should be patient with the consciences of those who are weak in their faith.

2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

The more we work toward helping and pleasing our neighbor, the stronger in their faith they will become.

3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”

Psalm 69:9

Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

Paul quotes from the Old Testament, and says even Yeshua went out of His way to please others, ultimately bringing them closer to YHWH. He took on the accusations of all believers.

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Paul says everything in the Old Testament was written in order for us to learn. We can find hope in the comfort and patience of the Old Testament. We have to consider the fact that seems to be overlooked all too often. There was no New Testament when Paul wrote his letters. Every single time throughout the New Testament when the scriptures are being mentioned, it is always referring to the Old Testament. Paul never said, hold on, and let me check my letters to make sure what I say is correct. No. He says let me check the Torah, Prophets, and Old Testament writings. 

5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul is asking for the people to be like minded toward each other, following YHWH’s law.

7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

Accept each other, help each other to the glory of YHWH.

8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.”

2 Samuel 22:50

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

Psalm 18:49

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

Yeshua became a servant to the circumcision, as in the Sect of Jews who preached the requirement of circumcision for salvation, for the truth of YHWH. This was to confirm the promises made to the Jews, and the Gentiles, who are the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Paul is quoting from the Old Testament.

10 And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”

Deuteronomy 32:43

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.”

Paul quotes directly from Torah. The Torah is speaking about the gentiles. That’s right, the gentiles are not a New Testament idea in terms of being connected to YHWH.

11 And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!”

Psalm 117:1

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!

Again Paul quotes from the Scriptures about the inclusion of the gentiles.

12 And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

Isaiah 11:10

“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”

Paul pulls from the prophets to point to Yeshua and the plan for the lost sheep of the House of Israel, who became the gentiles.

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul requests YHWH fill all these newly converted believers with hope and joy from the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 119:74

Let those who respect you rejoice when they see me, because I put my hope in your word.

Psalm 119:14-16

I enjoy living by your rules as people enjoy great riches. I think about your orders and study your ways. I enjoy obeying your demands, and I will not forget your word.

Paul is saying, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you will have hope and joy, because the Holy Spirit causes men to obey His commands.

Ezekiel 36:27

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Paul says he is confident that these men were full of good, and had the knowledge to rebuke one another for sins they were committing. The knowledge Paul speaks of is the knowledge of the scriptures. The only way to rebuke someone is to know what they are doing directly or indirectly contradicts God’s given scripture. When we study the scriptures, we gain knowledge. This knowledge is how we get closer to YHWH. He is the word, and the word is God.

John 1:1

[ The Eternal Word ] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Psalm 119:160

The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

The Hebrew word used for endures forever is Strong's H5769 - `owlam and it literally means forever, always, and perpetual. This is the eternal word John is referring to. This is the knowledge Paul is referring to. Knowing the word is knowing YHWH, the Father. Obeying the word is obeying YHWH, the Father.

15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Paul states he was more brash for certain issues than others. The Gospel or good news, is what allows the gentiles, the lost sheep of the House of Israel, to return back to YHWH because they are purified by the Holy Spirit. Remember, the Holy Spirit causes men to keep YHWH’s commands and laws. By coming to YHWH with faith, and then following His laws and commands, the gentiles will be sanctified.

17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.

All things related to YHWH is reason to exalt Yeshua.

18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Yeshua did things, outside of the words of Paul, which would cause gentiles to be obedient. These things include, signs and wonders which were from the power of the Spirit of YHWH. Paul merely went about teaching, while in the background, these things were happening causing the gentiles, including the lost sheep of the House of Israel, to believe and have faith in YHWH’s ways and laws to be beneficial for them.

20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.”

Isaiah 52:15

So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.

Paul says it is his goal to preach Yeshua but not to the Jews, but rather to the gentiles and the lost sheep of the House of Israel.

22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.

Because he is preaching to those who do not believe they are allowed to return to YHWH, and to those who never knew Him, Paul is having a hard time coming back to the Romans.

23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

Paul states his plan to travel to Spain, and stop off in Rome on his way.

25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.

Before Paul heads to Spain, he is going to Israel first in order to preach to the Believers who are there.

26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.

The saints are pleased because the poor among the saints were being taken care of. Macedonia is where the believers of Philippi and Thessalonica lived. Achaia is where the believers of Corinth lived. Paul speaks of these contributions in 2 Corinthians to some extent.

2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 15

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.

Exodus 16:18

So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.

Paul always refers everything he says back to Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings.

27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

The poor were partaking in the spiritual things, it was up to the wealthy believers to ensure the poor had material things as well. The poor were not to lack of things they needed.

28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.

Once Paul delivers the money, or material items to the poor believers in Jerusalem, he plans to return to Rome on his way to Spain.

29 But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Paul stating a bit of his faith.

30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.

Paul asked the Romans to pray with him for him. He does not want to be caught by the non-believers, but he does want to be accepted by the saints. He also wants to ensure he makes it to Rome safely.

33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

He blesses the Romans as if he is ending the letter here. However, he finished the letter in the next chapter.