For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.
All Commentaries on Romans 15:22 Go To Romans 15
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
1178. After excusing himself for the presumption which could have been ascribed to him for instructing and correcting the Romans [n. 1163], the Apostle now explains why he has postponed visiting them. In regard to this he does three things: first, he mentions a past hindrance; secondly, his intention to visit [v. 23; n. 1180]; thirdly, he promises some fruit from his visit [v. 29; n. 1187]. 1179. First, therefore, he says: It has been stated that I have preached the Gospel in many places in which the name of Christ had not been known. This is the reason why up to now I have so often been hindered by such an occupation from coming to you. 586 This hindrance has continued until now; hence he adds: and am prevented up to the present moment. This can refer to the vast number of occupations he had had in other places or even to divine providence, through which the Apostle was prevented from visiting them and also directed toward the salvation of others: "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia" (Ac 16:6). Hence above (1:13) he had said: "I often intended to come to you, but thus far have been prevented." And this is what is said in Jb (37:12) about the clouds, by which preachers are signified: "They turn round and round by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them." 1180. Then when he says, but now, he clarifies his intention to visit them: first, he promises to visit them; secondly, he tells why he must delay [v. 25; n. 1183]; thirdly, he mentions the goal of his visit [v. 28; n. 1186]. 1181. First, therefore, he says: Until now I have been prevented, but now since I no longer have any room for work, i.e., any need to remain in these regions, in which the faith was established by me, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, as he said above (1:11): "I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift." As I go to Spain—whither he planned to go in order to lay the foundations of the faith even in such a faraway place: "I will give you as a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (Is 49:6) -- hope to see you in passing. Thus, he gives them to understand that he wasn’t planning to go to them principally, because he considered that they had been sufficiently instructed by the teaching of Peter, who was the first apostle to preach to the Romans. 587 38 Augustine, On Christian Doctrine, book 1, chapter 4. And because the Romans then held dominion over the entire west, he hoped with their help and guidance to set out for Spain; hence, he adds: and to be sped on my journey there by you. Yet he intended to spend some time with them, because he adds: if I shall have enjoyed you, i.e., been consoled, as he said in (1:12): "that we may be mutually encouraged." And this in part, i.e., a part of time, because he planned to be consoled with them for a time. 1182. But against this is what Augustine says in his book On Christian Doctrine, that only those things should be enjoyed that make us blessed, namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.38 Therefore it is unfitting for the Apostle to say that he will enjoy the Romans. The answer is that, as Augustine says in the same place, a man should not be enjoyed in himself but in God, in line with the letter to Philemon (v. 20): "Yes, brother, I will enjoy you in the Lord," which means to delight in a man on account of God. And this is how we should understand what is said here, if I shall have enjoyed, namely in God. Or in part can refer to the good, whom he could enjoy in God. For the other part, namely, the wicked, he could not enjoy but could grieve over, as it says in 2 Cor (12:21): "Lest when I come God may humble me before you and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned before." 1183. Then when he says, At present, however, he tells why he must postpone his visit. 588 In regard to this he does three things: first, he gives the reason, saying: At present, however, I am setting out, i.e., I am not coming to you at once, because I am setting out for Jerusalem to minister to the saints. In this regard what is written in Ac (4:34ff) should be noted, namely, that the Jews converted to the faith at the very beginning sold their possessions and lived in common from the revenue which, when it was exhausted and a great famine was imminent (Ac 11:27), the disciples, i.e., Christians, from different parts of the world, according to the amount each had, proposed to send help to the brethren residing in Judea. This they did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Paul. Therefore, the alms which the faithful brought to Jerusalem he calls ministering to the saints: "When I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me" (I Cor 16:3). 1184. Secondly, he explains what he had said about the ministry to the saints, saying: For Macedonia and Achaia, i.e., the faithful from both regions converted by him, have been pleased to make a collection, i.e., to collect something, for the poor of Christ, i.e., fore the use of the poor who are among the saints: "Give to the godly man, but do not help the sinner" (Sir 12:4), who are in Jerusalem living in poverty: "It is superfluous for me to write to about the suffering of the saints. For I know about your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia: (2 Cor 9:1). 1185. Thirdly, he assigns the reasons, the first of which is good pleasure; hence he says: For they were pleased to do it: Each must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion" (2 Cor 9:7). 589 The second cause is debt; hence he adds: and indeed they are in debt to them: "Pay all of them their due" (Rom 13:7). He assigns the reason for the debt, saying: for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, i.e., of the Jews, namely, the blessings of divine knowledge and of the promises and of grace, as he says above (9:4): "To them belong the sonship and the glory" and in (11:17): "You were grafted in their place to share the richness of the olive tree." They were also made partakers of their spiritual blessings, because the Jews had sent them preachers. They ought also to be of service to them in material blessings: "In dividing by lot, give and take" (Si 14:15); "Take a psalm," i.e., spiritual things, "and give the timbrel," i.e., temporal things (Ps 81:2). From this is taken the argument that expenses are owed not only to those who preach but also to those who send preachers. 1186. Then when he says, when, therefore, he mentions the place from which he will come to them, saying: When, therefore, I have completed this, namely, ministering to the saints, and have delivered to them this fruit, i.e., the alms of the Gentiles, which is a fruit of their conversion: "Israel is an abundant vine that yields its fruit" (Hos 10:1); I shall go on by way of you to Spain. But the Apostle seems to be saying something false here; for there is no record of his ever being in Spain. For he had been arrested in Jerusalem and taken to Rome in chains, as it says in Ac (c. 28), where he was killed along with Peter. Some, therefore, say that as it says in Ac (28:16): "and when we come to Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier that guarded him," and later it says 590 39 Part 2, case 22, question 2, can. 5. that he remained for two whole years in his dwelling; during that time, they say, he went to Spain. But because this is not certain, it can be said better that the Apostle did not say something false, because he intended to do what he said. Consequently, his words must be understood as suggesting his intention and not a future event about which he was not certain. Hence he was not able to predict this except under the condition which James mentions: "Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills’ and ‘If we shall live, we shall do this or that’" (Jas 4:15). And so the Apostle excuses himself in 2 Cor (1:17) for not visiting them, as he had promised: "Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans like a worldly man, ready to say Yes and No at once?" (2 Cor 1:17). And so, since he failed to do from a just cause what he had promised, he declares himself immune from levity, carnality and falseness. And this is how Pope Gelasius resolves the question, as can be found in the decretals:39 "Blessed Paul therefore should not be thought to deceive—God forbid!—or to show himself an adversary because, although he had promised to go to Spain, he did not fulfill that promise, being occupied by divine providence with more important matters. As far as his own will was concerned, he said in truth that he wanted to do it. But as regards the secrets of God’s plan—which as a man he could know, even though we was filled with the spirit of God—he did not in fact do it, being prevented by the heavenly plan." For even though he had the prophetic spirit, not all things are revealed to the prophets, as is clear in 2 King 4(:27), where Elijah says, "Her soul is in bitterness, and the Lord has concealed it from me, and has not told it to me." 591 1187. Then when he says, and I know, he foretells the fruit of his visit, saying: and I know, namely, from my confidence in God’s grace, that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ, i.e., Christ will give His blessing more abundantly to you in my coming, about which it says in Ps 84 (v. 7): "They shall go from strength to strength," and which Laban said to Jacob (Gen 32:7): "I have learned that God blessed me because of you." 1188. Then [n. 1163] when he says, I appeal to you, brethren, he asks them for the favor of their prayers: first, he seeks their prayers; secondly, he prays for them [v. 31; n. 1192]. 1189. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he urges them to pray for him for three reasons. First, from divine charity when he says: I appeal to you, brethren: "For love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you" (Phlm 1:9). Secondly, from their reverence for Christ, of Whom he was a minister, saying: by our Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom we are all one as stated above (12:5). Thirdly, from the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was handed over to his ministry; hence he adds: by the love of the spirit, which the Holy Spirit pours forth in our hearts, as was stated above (5:5). 1190. Secondly, he asks the help of their prayers, saying: that you help me in your prayers for me to God, namely, poured out for me: "A brother helped is like a strong city" (Pr 18:19). 592 Bu as the Gloss [of Lombard, col. 1526] says, the Apostle does not say this because he has less merit than others inferior to him, but he follows due order. First, that prayer be said by the Church for its ruler, as he says in I Tim (2:1): "First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high position." Secondly, because many of the least, when they are assembled together, obtain more merit. Therefore, it is impossible that the prayers of many be ineffective" (Mt (18:19): "If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." Thirdly, that when many pray, many thanksgivings are heard, as it says in 2 Cor (1:11): "You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted. 1191. Thirdly, he mentions things he wishes to be obtained by him, the first of which pertains to the enemies he had in Judea; hence he says: that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, who particularly attacked and hated Paul, because he confidently preached the end of the legal observances: "They have been told about you that you teach that Moses should be forsaken" (Ac 21:21). The second pertains to those into whose ministry he want. And this is what he adds: and that my service, i.e., the alms I minister to them, may be acceptable to the saints who are in Jerusalem, i.e., that from this they may be induced to pray for the Gentiles from whom they receive. The third pertains to those to whom he was writing: hence he adds: so that I may come to you with joy, and this by God’s will, against which he wanted to do nothing: "Asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you" (Rom 1:10) and be refreshed in your company, i.e., that from your presence I may receive refreshment from my tribulations. 593 1192. Then when he says, the God of peace, he shows that he is praying for them, saying: The God of peace, i.e., the giver of peace, be with you all, by the fact that you are at peace with one another: "Agree with one another and the God of peace will be with you" (2Cor 13:11). He adds, Amen, i.e., let it be so: "Let the people say, ‘Amen’" (Ps 106:48).
