In Romans 14 Paul urged that those who were weak in faith (conscience) were to be received by those who were stronger in conscience. He showed that those who had no scruples about either eating meats sacrificed to idols or could, with good conscience, eat things the Law had forbidden them to eat, receive those who could do neither of these things. He warned that those who could eat things sacrificed to idols or meats once forbidden, to respect and love the weaker brother. He must be careful neither to urge him to eat what he had scruples against, nor should he eat food before the weaker brother that might lead him to do something he had doubts about. The stronger brother certainly was never to mock or laugh at the scruples of the weak brother.
He continued that same exhortation in chapter 15, urging, “Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1). He presented Jesus who was an example of such behavior saying, “For Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of those that reproached thee fell upon me” (Romans 15;2; cp. Psalm 49:9). The value of the Scriptures leading us in right paths is seen when he wrote, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). By the example of Jesus bearing the reproaches which were heaped upon God, we are taught that we must emulate the behavior of Jesus in our own dealings with others, and bear ourselves the reproaches others heap upon God. Through our unity in our work, and with “patience (steadfastness) and the comfort the scriptures” we can have hope.
The apostle, having cited the behavior of Jesus, then appealed to the Romans (and us) to follow His example. “Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind one with another” (Romans 15:4) that we might “with one accord,” be “able with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” concluding with, “Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ received you, to the glory of God” (Romans 15:7).
Receiving one another involved more than just differences in eating meats and observance of days. Receiving one another included Jews receiving Gentiles into the kingdom of God in their uncircumcised state. Christ had been born a Jew, a descendant of David that He might confirm (establish) the promises given unto the fathers — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those promises, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” was first given to Abraham, then repeated to Isaac, and then to Jacob. But that seed (Christ) was not just a blessing to Abraham’s descendants, it was a promise made to all nations. That included the Gentiles so Paul observed, “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:9). Jesus’ commission to His apostles was to a universal audience: “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20) Mark 16:15 says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Finally, Luke 24:47 adds, “… and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” But His words meant nothing to the Jews who did not believe His claims. Paul showed that the Gentiles, through Old Testament prophecy, would be included in the benefits of the gospel (Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 18:49; 117:1; Isaiah 11:10). The Jews could not dispute that the Old Testament foretold that the Gentiles were to be included in the promised blessing. This blessing came from the Seed to Abraham without rejecting the Scriptures they professed to believe.
The apostle concluded his appeal that both Jews and Gentiles receive one another in Christ with this benediction: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Jim McDonald