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comes, full circle, at the close, to the reiterated expression of his desire to visit the saints
at Rome.
"But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many
years to come unto you; whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you"
(Rom. 15: 23, 24).
The word "place", which is a translation of topos, primarily means a portion of space
occupied by some object, a geographical area, but it is used figuratively in such phrases
"give place to the devil". So here in Rom. 15: 23 it is not the meaning of the Apostle, as
Weymouth has it, "As there is no more occupied ground in this part of the world", but
rather as the word is used in such expressions as "a place of repentance" (Heb. 12: 17) or
"license to answer" (Acts 25: 16). The meaning of the Apostle in Rom. 15: is that his
work in the parts mentioned was done; he had "fulfilled" his mission, as he had earlier
said, and he was now free to travel further afield in the cause of Christ. But, much as he
wished to fulfil his desire to "see Rome" (Acts 19: 21) he had one more visit to make to
Jerusalem (Acts 19: 21), of which he now apprises the Roman saints: "But now I go
unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints" (Rom. 15: 25).
Ever since the time when the Apostles at Jerusalem had asked Paul to "remember the
poor" he had desired with a great intensity that the Gentile churches should make a
definite contribution to the church at Jerusalem. Two chapters in II Corinthians contain
words on the subject that seem to burn. In these eighth and ninth chapters the Apostle
speaks of the contribution of the Gentile churches for the poor saints of Jerusalem. We
wish space could be afforded to print the whole passage, for the partial quotation of such
a gracious outpouring is too great a mutilation, but we trust the reader's interest will
compel a perusal of II Cor. 8: and 9: for only so will the statement of the Apostle in
Rom. 15: 25-33 be appreciated:
"For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for
the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily: and their debtors
they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty
is also to minister unto them in carnal things" (Rom. 15: 26, 27).
The close of the chapter makes it clear, that, while the Apostle fervently desired this
manifestation of fellowship and had laboured hard to bring it to pass, he nevertheless had
grave misgivings regarding its reception by the rulers of the church at Jerusalem. He
accordingly asks that prayer be made
"That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judæa; and that my service
which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints" (Rom. 15: 31).
"May be accepted": Here, once more, we reach the key thought of this section. The
Apostle had shown by a variety of ways that there could be no doubt of the Gentiles'
acceptance with God, but, Religion, how cruel it can be! God may condescend to accept,
but poor, puffed-up, religious flesh, may reject, and the Acts of the Apostles records the
justification there was for the Apostle's fears.