Romans 15:1-7--The Example of Christ

Romans 15:1-7
English Standard Version

The Example of Christ
15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

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We are back to the idea of "strong" and "weak" when it comes to our recognition of the place of the Law in the New Covenant.  Paul say we must bear with what we imagine to be the failings of the weak as we love them as Christ has loved them (and loved us).  Love is sacrificial in nature and desires to please others--it is not selfish, "[Love] does not insist on its own way." (1 Corinthians 13:5).  We are instead to try to please our neighbor, and act for his good in a way that will edify him (build him up).  This is the example that Christ left for us!

For Jesus did not act in a way that was self-serving when He was born of a virgin and took on the form of man, born into a poor family from a town that everyone said nothing and no one good could come out of.  He was not self-serving when He went through His temptation in the wilderness or His agony in the Garden, nor at the time of His betrayal and arrest, nor during the trials or His crucifixion.  He did it all for the glory of God and for the purpose of redeeming the Elect.  He hung on the cross as they hurled insults at him--He was naked, exposed, and shamed simply by hanging on the cross.  He was in excruciating pain (we get that word from the root word for "cross"--it is pain that is "of the cross").  He not only endured all this, but He took on our sin and became sin for us and the wrath of God that was stored up for us was poured out on Him so that He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?"

Paul then switches themes to go back to the purpose of the Scriptures.  They were given to us, "For our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."  So we are to learn and be encouraged by them.  While Jesus didn't have to learn the Scripture because He is the very Word of God in the flesh, He was encouraged by them in all that He had to suffer.  He was pointing people to the Scriptures to show what He was fulfilling in front of them--that it had to be this way and that it was always God's plan for this to happen--and that there was still reason to hope as there were even more prophecies that are to be fulfilled and are just as sure to come true as the ones that were being fulfilled in their midst in those days (and prophecies are being fulfilled in our midst today).

Paul then prays that God will use the Scriptures and the example of Christ to deepen the bonds of love between these Gentile and Jewish believers and that they have harmony and that they would be able to encourage and edify one another.  Why does Paul pray for this?  Because he desires for them to worship God together with one voice here and now--we shouldn't have to wait for heaven to do that.  We should again follow the example of Christ as He always sought to glorify the Father, and the Holy Spirit will help us to always glorify the Son in our worship.