The life and work of St. Paul

508 THE LIFE AND WORK OF ST. PAUL.
emancipate himself from these scruples, however needless, and exhibits in his own
conduct the same freedom in defiance of his scruples, then he stands self-condemned.
Why f Because in that case he is acting falsely to that faith which is the ruling
principle of his Christian life, and whatsoever is not of faith, whatsoever involves
the life of self, and not the life of Christ is sin. 1
The true principle, then, is that we ought not to please ourselves, even as Christ
pleased not Himself, but to bear the infirmities of the weak, and aim at mutual
edification. This is the lesson of Scripture, and he prays that the God of that
patience and comfort which it is the object of Scripture to inspire, may give them
mutual unanimity in Jesus Christ. And addressing alike the " weak " Judaizers
and the " strong" Gentiles, he concludes his advice with the same general precept
' '
with which he began, AVherefore take one another by the hand, as Christ also
took us by the hand for the *
glory of God."
And Christ had thus set His example of love and help to both the great divisions
of the Church. He had become the minister of the circumcision on behalf of
God's truth, to fulfil the promise made to the fathers and to the Gentiles out of
;
compassion. Christ therefore had shown kindness to both, and that the Gentiles
were indeed embraced in this kindness which, perhaps, in their pride of liberty
they did not always feel inclined to extend to their weaker brethren he further
proves by an appeal to Deuteronomy, Isaiah, and the Psalms. 8 The last citation
ends with the words "shall hope," and he closes this section with yet another
prayer that the God of hope would fill them with all joy and peace in believing,
that they might abound in hope in the power of the Holy Ghost.
But once more he takes up the pen to assure them of his confidence in
them, and to apologise for the boldness of his letter. His plea is that Lr
wished to fulfil to the utmost that ministry to the Geutiles which he here call's
a priestly ministry, because he is as it were instrumental in presenting the
Gentiles as an acceptable offering to God. 4 Of this Apostolate (giving all
the glory to God) of the signs by which it had been accompanied of the
width of its range, from Jerusalem to Illyricum he may make a humble
boast.
And he is still ambitious to preach in regions where Christ has not been named.
He will not stay with them, because he has seen enough of the evil caused by tho.%
who built on a foundation which they had not laid but he has often felt a ;
strong
desire to visit them on his way to Spain, 8 and after a partial enjoyment of their
society, 8 to be furthered on his journey by their assistance. He has hitherto been
prevented from taking that journey, but now since for the present his duties in the
feast are over he hopes to carry it out, and to gratify his earnest desire to see them.
At present, however, he is about to start for Jerusalem, to accompany the deputies
who are to convey to the poor saints there that temporal gift from the Christians of
Macedonia and Achaia which is after all but a small recognition of the spiritual
gifts which the Gentiles have received from them. When this task is over he will
1 xiv. 22, 23. It is at this point that some MSS. place the doxology of xvi. 25 27 ;
but this would be a most awkward break between the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters,
and the reasons for regarding the fifteenth chapter as spurious seem to me to be wholly
inconclusive.
2 rr. 18. 3 Deut. xxxii. 43 ; Ps. xviii. 49 ; cxvii. 1 ; Isa. xl. 10.
4 xv. 16, It is a 'lepovfrfovvT-a.
in. teyofievov not due to any sacrificial conception of the
Christian ministry (of which there is not in St. Paul so much as a single trace), but to
the particular illustration which he here adopts.
6 xv. 24 omit fXevVo^ai jrpbs u/aa? with all the best MSS.
"
Having a desire for
years past to come to you whenever I journey into Spain."
"
uon quantum vellem sed quantum hceret " (Grofc,),