Homilies on Romans — Homily 30

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

Rom. XV. 25-27

But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are.

Since he had said that I have no longer more place in these parts, and, I have a great desire, these many years, to come unto you, but he still intended to delay; lest it should be thought that he was making a jest of them, he mentions the cause also why he still puts it off, and he says, that I am going unto Jerusalem, and is apparently giving the excuse for the delay. But by means of this he also makes good another object, which is the exhorting of them to alms, and making them more in earnest about it. Since if he had not been minded to effect this, it had sufficed to say, I am going unto Jerusalem. But now he adds the reason of his journey. For I go, says he, to minister to the saints. And he dwells over the subject, and enters into reasonings, and says that they are debtors, and that, if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things, that they might learn to imitate these. Wherefore also there is much reason to admire his wisdom for devising this way of giving the advice. For they were more likely to bear it in this way than if he had said it in the form of exhortation; as then he would have seemed to be insulting them, if, with a view to incite them, he had brought before them Corinthians and Macedonians. Indeed, this is the ground on which he does incite the others as follows, saying, Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the Churches in Macedonia. [[2 Corinthians 8.1]] And again he incites the Macedonians by these. For your zeal, he says, has provoked very many. [[2 Corinthians 9.2]] And by the Galatians in like manner he does this, as when he says, As I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, even so do ye. [[1 Corinthians 16.1]] But in the case of the Romans he does not do so, but in a more covert way. And he does this also in regard to the preaching, as when he says, What? Came the word of God out from you? Or came it unto you only? [[1 Corinthians 14.36]] For there is nothing so powerful as emulation. And so he often employs it. For elsewhere too he says, And so ordain I in all the Churches; [[1 Corinthians 7.17]]; and again, As I teach everywhere in every Church. [[1 Corinthians 4.17]] And to the Colossians he says, that the Gospel increases and brings forth fruit in all the world. [[Colossians 1.6]] This then he does here also in the case of alms. And consider what dignity there is in his expressions. For he does not say, I go to carry alms, but to minister ( διακονὥν ). But if Paul ministers, just consider how great a thing is doing, when the Teacher of the world undertakes to be the bearer, and when on the point of travelling to Rome, and so greatly desiring them too, he