#11. Romans 1:11-13 – It’s All About the Journey

 Part I: Introductions

For I am longing to see you, that I may be sharing some spiritual grace with you, for you to be established: yet this is to be consoled together among you through one another’s faith, both yours and mine.

The following three verses are headed by A.E. Knoch as Paul’s “Intended Journey.” This is mostly true. The first two verses are necessary, but transitional. They serve the function of providing why Paul prays for them and thanks God concerning their faith, and provides the purpose of the journey which Paul will lay out in verse 13.

Before we begin, let’s take a brief look at the structure of verses 8-12, which you can see in the photograph on the right. The binding thought is Paul’s concern for the Roman saints – thanking God for their faith, offering divine service for both his and their sake, praying over them, longing to see them, and seeking consolation to and from them.

This personal fondness begins to get tied up here in these two verses, serving as a book-end to Paul’s “first” statement. The center of the passage is prayer, by which every other statement revolves. Why is Paul longing to see them? Because it ties back to his place as an apostle – offering divine service in his spirit. It is the conscious desire (and relief) to share everything he’s about to impart – from the actual evangel itself, but his own self as well.

This is not exclusive to Paul’s writings here in Romans. He says later to the Thessalonians that he is “delighting to share not only the evangel of God, but our own souls also” (1 Thess. 2:8.) This dedication is, like the evangel itself, a passion that stems from Christ’s feelings and attitude alone. If it were up to Paul, he would have remained persecuting those that followed Christ until his death. Yet here, this ex-murderer writes an impassioned paragraph about how much he loves the Roman saints (again, without having met them!!)

Those in Christ long to be together… this may only be my simple perspective, but out of each relationship I’ve had, romantic, familial, or otherwise, the desire to find those in Christ, or bring those that don’t understand into this knowledge, still (and likely always will) overpower me. This is just an aside, but I really feel his mixture of pain and longing. Lord willing, the saints won’t have to endure this world’s trials much longer.

Paul then says what has probably become one of the most ambiguous statements in Scripture: that the purpose of his seeing them is to share “some spiritual grace.” With this, three major questions come to mind:

1)    What is this grace?

2)    Why is it “spiritual?”

3)    How much is “some?”

Let’s cover each of these questions in the order that the words appear. The word “some” is indefinite, so, in truth, we don’t immediately know how much “some” is. However, we can grasp from this that there are different kinds of “graces” that can be imparted. For example, Paul speaks of “spiritual” graces here, but there are undoubtedly other kinds of “graces.” The book of Acts is full of “graces” that are not necessary spiritual (that is, not visible,) but goes into much detail concerning signs conducted in grace (which are very much visible.) There seem to be different strengths to each grace, and while I won’t go overboard in claiming how strong I find each grace, I will say for certain that the spiritual grace is much stronger than the rest (1 Cor. 13:12-13.)

I will be reminding you throughout this series that Romans, though cohesive, is a part of a much larger whole. The highest unfoldings of the evangel of God are laid out in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. Thus Paul shares “some” spiritual grace, here – but not all. It should also be noted that Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Galatians are in a unique position as being the letters that establish the grace of God during this transient period, where the evangel was not yet fully completed, but Israel is notably being sidelined for the sake of God’s evangel. This is hinted at with the word “some,” but will be exemplified at later points in the letter.

The word “spiritual” is a word that many have used metaphorically; not just in this passage, but in hundreds of others. This word “spiritual” is even added in places where it doesn’t belong, and has been the victim of abuse by man’s logic for thousands of years. When something doesn’t make sense to them, they just add the word “spiritual” in front of it, and boom! You have a new doctrine!

Man has trouble accepting the great things to follow in this letter, and as a result, they turn this word “spiritual” into this twisted mess, something that it’s not. The spiritual here is going to be a point of contention, I’m sure, throughout this study. I touched on the word’s root, “spirit,” before – that  the spirit itself is invisible (John 4:24, Col. 1:15,) and is the core essence of life (Gen. 2:7.) Apart from your spirit, your body can’t function, move, or exist.

The term spiritual, then, simply means that it has the quality of the spirit. It is the living, invisible quality by which the noun is described. The noun itself is translated ‘grace’ in the Concordant Literal, but many versions translate this as ‘gift.’ There is a reason for this discrepancy, and you can turn to the study on Rom. 5:15-17 to learn more about this.

In summary, the Greek word charis is “grace,” and its element is “JOY.” However, this word, “spiritual grace,” is not charis, but charis-ma. The suffix is different, and this is shown in the elements of the word, which instead read “JOY-effect.” This is why it is translated as a ‘gift’ in other literal translations. Paul is saying that he wishes to celebrate some of the spiritual grace-gifts with Rome, as obtaining grace and apostleship allows this.

This is well and good, but what is it? What is the charisma? In fact, it is the “evangel of God’s Son,” but what the heck is in this evangel? That Paul describes it, not as an “info-dump,” but as “spiritual grace,” indicates that this is a provision given by those God has called to Himself. We will read more about this as we study the letter itself, but I must ask once more for your patience – we’re just about there (for those who can’t wait, however, the ‘grace-effect’ is explained in Rom. 5:1-8:30.)

Even in fondness and love, Paul expresses intent. The reason he wants to share “spiritual grace-gifts” with the Roman saints is for them to be established. This is, literally, to stand fast, in this case on the evangel. Paul elaborates on what this means in verse 12, by clarifying that we stand by being consoled together. The word “console” is parakeleo, or “BESIDE-CALL.” In this use of the word, there is a prefix sum, which means that this word is sumparakeleo, or “TOGETHER-BESIDE-CALL.”

Paul is not speaking of any old faith. He is speaking of a faith in grace. This faith is special. It is not known to many. He is not talking to anyone who “just knows Jesus was there,” or that “Jesus existed and died and was risen and loves ya.” It’s for the people who are being given the word of God. It’s for a called group of people. These people have been selected for something. When were they selected? How were they selected? What were they selected for? And what truly is the nature and heart of the One selecting them?

These difficult questions, once again, find their answer in Romans. For now, we see that their measure of faith is what Paul has thanked God for (Rom. 1:8.) There is no “Catholic” label given, here. No “Methodist.” No “Lutheran” or “Pentecostal.” It’s a measure of one specific kind of faith, one only found in Scripture – not our architecture.

Paul makes it clear that he owns this faith, and the Roman saints also own their faith. They can take individual ownership for the measure of faith they have been given. This is not because they made it, but because God gives it to them. When He gives you something, it’s yours. Nowhere has Paul expressed that he is the root of his own faith, so we have no reason to pre-suppose this.

It is this faith through which they are together consoled. There are critical doctrines that God must educate us on before we reach the evangel, which is how we’re going to spend the better part of Romans’ early chapters. The evangel itself begins in Rom. 3:21, and we know this because Paul, between Rom. 1:18-3:20 (the beginning of the doctrinal portion of the letter,) does not mention faith at all during these verses, save calling God “faithful” in one verse. Before He explains the evangel, and the Source of the “faith” we are given, He contrasts man’s unrighteousness with His own faithfulness (Rom. 3:4.) Thus, we are dealing with a faith that has the quality of God. When we read through the entirety of the evangel in Romans 3 and 4, we will have a much fonder appreciation for the foreshadowing present in this verse.

Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that I often purposed to come to you (and was prevented hitherto) that I should be having some fruit among you also, according as among the rest of the nations.

This is the brief explanation of Paul’s intended journey. He begins by informing them that he does not want them to be ignorant. To us, today, in our modern dialect, this may sound rather derogatory. But because of the reverence and fondness which Paul has for the saints, it is increasingly apparent that he does not use this word as a personal spite (he hadn’t even met these guys, clearly,) but as a factual term.

The word “ignorant” is agnoeo in Greek. Its elements are “UN-KNOW.” This is, literally, for them to “not know” something. For you, and me, today, it is okay if we don’t know something. If you read through this study, and find something you’re factually wrong about, then own it! And if you see something in this study that is factually untrue, tell me, and I’ll own it! Being exposed as “ignorant” to something is fine, because you can then cease to be ignorant on that something. It is to learn. And whether we like it or not, we do it every day.

This is the first of a good number of times that Paul will use this word ‘ignorance.’ When he uses it, he is clearly stating the obvious directly afterward, statements that are direct, meaning exactly what they say. Just because he uses the word in a doctrinal portion of the letter doesn’t mean he’s any less direct there than he is here. He will use the word six times in this letter (the other places being in 2:4, 6:3, 7:1, 10:3, and 11:25 – all doctrinal portions of the letter.)

What does Paul want to clarify to the saints, that they are no longer ignorant? That he purposed to come to them. This word, “purposed,” is protithemi. Its elements are “BEFORE-PLACE.” This is, literally, to “place” a goal “before” your mind. Paul’s grand goal in his time on earth was to visit Rome. He did not step foot into Rome until Acts 28:16 – fifteen verses before the end of the book. This was late in Paul’s life, before his imprisonment, as he is writing this letter for a fair bit of time before Acts 28:16.

Do not mistake the word “purpose” with “will,” though they are very similar in meaning. The purpose is the goal that the will is tasked with achieving. Your will is bent toward your goal.

Alas, what happened? He was prevented by external forces in various attempts to reach Rome. This is evident in Paul’s journeys in Acts. In Acts 16:6-7, Paul evidently could not pass through the province of Asia, which at the time was owned by Rome. Paul later says in Acts 19:21 that he would like to go to Rome, but the events that transpired in Jerusalem shortly afterward severely delayed his departure. He is said to be imprisoned for two years under Jewish jurisdiction (Acts 24:27.) Paul later does set out for Rome in Acts 27:1-2, but the ship is shipwrecked, leaving them marooned for a short while on an island (Acts 27:13-44.)

This scenario, once again, paints a very telling picture of the true power of man’s will. This is the first presentation of “man’s will” in the evangel of God, and look at it: it fails! Sorry, bro. The contrast here is, of course, between the “will of God,” and his own will. The “will of God” is not prevented by anything. It prevents other things, sure! But it is not ‘preventable.’ There’s no magical way to delay the will of the all-knowing, all-seeing God. Some argue otherwise, yet God says in Is. 46:10–

For I am El, and there is no other! Elohim! And no other like Me! Telling from the beginning, the hereafter, And from aforetime what has not yet been done, Saying, ‘All My counsel shall be confirmed, and all My desire, shall I do.’

This, of course, is not in Romans, nor do we need to infer that Paul was referring (or even alluding to) the above verse, but I did want to cite it to add weight to just how powerful the will of God is. Few ever really think about it, but… like… guys. If there are eight billion people on the earth, and the majority of us have a 9^th grade education, and God, in contrast, not only made us to be what we are, but made the environment we need to sustain ourselves, the science we study, the history we consider, and the macro and microcosmic universes that we marvel at, that all function together in order to convey reality?? And we think our will could contend at all??

Puh-LEASE! Don’t make me laugh! God is ordaining things, and He is not “prevented.” He simply does things on His terms, at His allotted times. He can do this, because He is able in all things. He is God, and we are not. The first time we see the ‘will of God’ in Romans, it is because Paul is saying, “Look, I want to do this, and I know it would be fulfilling, but it’s just the will of God as to whether or not I can.” He then says “I have taken many measures to reach you, but I have been prevented until now to do so.” Paul’s will, here, is completely subject to His Subjector. He knows that The Placer will place his will wherever He sees fit, so much so that, even in the most dire of circumstances, he has been reconciled to The Placer.

A man’s heart devises his way, yet Yahweh establishes his steps. – Prov. 16:9

Anyway, this statement, that he was prevented from heading to Rome due to unforeseen troubles, is not dwelled on long. He spends very little time talking about himself throughout these epistles, with notable exception taken when his life experience and contrast contributes to making a point on the nature of God’s operations.

The goal of his reaching them is to ‘have some fruit among them also.’ The ‘fruit’ he wishes to share is a figure for that ‘spiritual grace’ we talked about a little earlier. ‘Fruit’ = ‘spiritual grace-effect.’ The fruits themselves are discussed in Gal. 5:22-23, and their kind will be discussed later in Rom. 6:15-23. There are fruits of ‘the flesh,’ and fruits ‘of the spirit,’ and Paul will be discussing the contrasts between the two by displaying the differences between the conduct of man, shortly, and the conduct of the saints, in chapter 12.

And, finally, the fruit is ‘as among the rest of the nations.’ This should clarify, again, that there is a radical difference in audience. Paul is not appointed to the circumcisionists, the twelve tribes of the dispersion, as Peter and James are. The message Paul gave is not exclusive to the Jews, as the message Peter and James gave is exclusive. The message Paul gives allows a spiritual grace to be shared with any who are gifted grace and apostleship, partaking of the blessings allowed by our Lord Jesus Christ.

*   *   *

This little section concludes what I would call “Introductions.” This is part one of the study. I plan on ten parts, which I will break down thus:

I.  Introductions (1:1-13)

II The Conduct of Humanity (1:14-3:20)

III. Our Justification, Confirmed (3:21-4:25)

IV. God’s Conciliation, Confirmed (5:1-8:30)

V.   God’s Sovereignty, Proven (8:31-9:29)

VI. Israel’s Justification, Confirmed (9:30-10:21)

VII. Israel’s Conciliation, Confirmed (11:1-11:36)

VIII. The Conduct of the Saints (12:1-15:7)

IX. The Detailed Conclusion (15:8-16:23)

X. Outro (16:25-27)

I don't really know what to say, because I'm kind of awkward, but... yay. That's the end of the introductions. Unless some glaring error is pointed out to me, grammatically or logically, I won't be returning to this part of the study, save for my own recollection and my fondness for any comments that are left. Thank you to any and all who find this and read its words. Your constructive input is very much appreciated, humbling, and warming. Thank you.

Join me in the next one, where we will, at last, get into the doctrine of Romans, and really put Paul's declarations to the test.

- GerudoKing