Paul's Plan to Visit Rome
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 15:27
debtors they are... Here Paul again states that Gentile Christians were debtors to the Jews who had been used of God to receive the Scriptures and through whom Christ came according to the flesh. Now he points out that it is only right to help the Jews in carnal things.
We see here, that they really do appreciate all of the hardships that these saints at Jerusalem have gone through to send them the word of God. We know that many of these saints gave up everything they had to follow Jesus. It is only fair that they should live of the gifts given to the ministry.
1Cor. 9:11 “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?”
partakers of their... The “things” were gospel truths first preached to the Gentile believers by the Jewish apostles, prophets, teachers and evangelists.
their duty is... You can see that they brought the salvation message unselfishly to these people at cost of their livelihoods. The spiritual gift is far greater than the carnal. They are happy to send gifts in appreciation to them.
The
voluntary nature of the contribution (koinōnian,
“fellowship”) is stressed by the repetition of the verb, were
pleased (cf. Rom. 15:26-27; 2Cor. 8:10-12). At the same time Paul
recognized the churches had an obligation: Indeed they owe it to them
(lit., “and they are debtors to them”). This sense of moral
obligation had undoubtedly prompted Paul to suggest the offering.
Since the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings
(lit., “in their spiritual things”; cf. Rom. 11:11-12, 11:17-18;
15:12; Gal. 3:14; Eph. 3:6), Gentile Christians certainly ought to
share with (leitourgēsai,
“to minister to, serve”; cf. leitourgon
in Rom. 15:16) the Jews their material blessings (lit., “in fleshly
things”; cf. Gal. 6:6).
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