Romans 15:8-13 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he said, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; and laud him, all you people. And again, Esaias said, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
‘Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.’ Christ confined His ministry to the Jews to confirm the Scriptures, so the Gentiles should be able to bear with a few Jewish scruples and glorify God for mercy through Christ (15:8-9).
‘For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name’ this is the 15th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (15:9; Ps. 18:49). The gospel has been preached among the Gentiles.
‘Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people’ – this is the 16th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (15:10; Deut. 32:43). The Gentiles along with the Jews rejoice in the message [gospel] of the Redeemer of Israel.
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; and laud him, all you people’ – this is the 17th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (15:11; Ps. 117:1). The Gentiles accepted the gospel with great praise contrary to the Jews who rejected both the Messiah and the gospel.
‘Laud’ [Greek: epaineo] highly extol.
‘There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust’ – this is the 18th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (15:12; Isa. 11:10). Christ came from the house of David – whose father was Jesse and He rose to reign over the Gentiles and they trusted in Him..
‘Reign’ [Greek: archo] rule. All these prophecies (15:9-12) prove that both the Jews and the Gentiles were to become one in the worship of God, being equal in His mercies and grace (1Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11). The Jews could not deny such arguments from their own prophets
‘The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ The God of the hope of both Jews and Gentiles, who made the promises of eternal salvation to both; and, who has fulfilled them most punctually, fill you with joy and peace in believing you may abound in that same hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Living the Word 