God’s provision for both Gentiles and Jews to glorify Him: (15:8-13):
Paul concludes that Christ has received us in His communion, not because we deserve anything but when we were yet sinners. In the same way we should be willing to give up some of ours, so people will praise God. Reconciliation with God should lead us toward reconciliation with other people. When Jews and Gentiles cordially receive each with harmony and oneness, God is glorified.
God had no covenantal promises to confirm with the Gentiles. However any spiritual blessings to come to the Gentiles would solely by the mercies of God. But God in His sovereign plan had eternal blessings to the Gentiles through the Lord Jesus as their Messiah and through His covenants with Israel. Since God had made covenants only with Israel and not with Gentiles, the Lord Jesus had two objectives to accomplish through Jesus’ ministry.
- The first objective was to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs.
- The second objective was in Christ’s ministry, the Gentiles may glorify God in His mercy.
God’s two purposes in the ministry of Christ are being achieved while the church is being formed of both Jews and Gentiles (Eph.2:14-22). And finally Israel will restored to her place as head of the nations and becomes a means of blessing to everyone. So only through Christ, both Jews and Gentiles would be forgiven and thereby receive the Patriarchal blessings. To confirm the promises made to both Jews and Gentiles, Paul now presents four- OT prophesies from great leaders of OT, David, Moses and Isaiah where Gentiles are joining with Jews in worshipping God. Significantly these 4-quotes are taken from all 3-divisions of OT viz. Torah (the Law), the Prophets and the Writings. From (15:9b-12) we see:
- “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name” (Ps.18:49). David praised God among Gentiles.
- “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people” (Deu.32:43). Moses exhorted Gentiles to rejoice with His people.
- Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to Him, all you peoples (Ps.117:1). The Psalmist (probably a collection by Hezekiah) commanded the Gentiles to praise the Lord.
- The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in Him (Isa.11:10; Rev.5:5). The Prophet Isaiah predicted that Gentile will be ruled under the Root of Jesse (the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ).
The OT has not directly presented anywhere that Gentiles would also become heirs together with Israel. But through the work of Christ every Gentile can hope to become heir and co-heir not only with Israel but also with the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom.8:16).
A Trinitarian prayer for blessings: (15:13):
The apostle Paul ends his thought of blessings to both Jews and Gentiles, makes a benedictory prayer. Our God is God of hope to everyone who believes. The God (Father) of hope will fill us with joy and peace as we trust Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) so that we may overflow with the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. We know that Joy relates to the delight of anticipation in seeing one’s hope being fulfilled and peace provides us the assurance that God will fulfil those hopes we are longing for. Therefore through faith in Christ, we have tremendous hope.
Paul is convinced of ministry to Gentiles: (15:14-22):
Paul uses his interpersonal skills while communicating powerfully to the members. He had the high opinion of the members of the church of Rome that they are full of knowledge not in absolute sense, that they have good understanding of the Biblical and spiritual truth, they are competent to instruct, or counsel or admonish one another. Paul defends that although his letter had basic Christian doctrines, they are a reminder and a manual for them to lead a true Christian life. Even the Apostle Peter had also given such themes (2 Pet.1:12; 3:1-2).
- Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles was purely of God’s grace: (15:15-16): Paul knew his past life when as Saul of Tarsus was a terror to the Christians and the church. But after his conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6), by the grace of God, he became the most obedient servant and received the grace of Apostleship. He became a public servant to the Gentiles and received special grace to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. In preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, he compares himself as a priest performing his functions as preparing the sacrifices. The Gentiles who are converted through him and dedicated to the service of God are his sacrifices and oblation. The sacrifices are sanctified and made acceptable to God. Just as the prophet Isaiah says: “And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels, says the They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels” (Isa.66:20). Paul portrays a pictures that the plan of the Holy Spirit is to unite Jews and Gentiles in one body in the Church Age. Further he shows the involvement of Trinity in making him the Apostle to the Gentiles where, Paul was the servant and minister of Jesus God, to preach the Gospel of God, with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Triune God who puts us into His ministry to win the souls.