Romans 15:22 – Submitted and Committed
For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.
Truth to Learn
Doing God’s will often means not doing what we want to do.
Behind the Words
“For this reason” is from the Greek word dio. This is made up of a form of dia, meaning “for” or “through” and the relative pronoun hos, meaning “which.” So, literally, the word dio means “through which,” or “because of this.”
The word “hindered” is translated from the verb engkoptō, which is made up of en, meaning “in” and koptō, meaning “to cut.” So, literally this word means “to cut into.” Figuratively, however, it means “to impede” or “to hinder.”
“Much” is from the Greek words ta polla, which literally means “many things.” From this we know that Paul was not saying “there was a strong hindrance,” but “there were many hindrances.”
Meaning Explained
Paul starts off this verse with “For this reason.” So, we have to ask ourselves, “For what reason?” The answer is, “because he was so focused on preaching the gospel where Christ had not been named.” Because Paul was so intent on doing what God had called him to do, he was not able to do those things that he himself really wanted to do, like go to Rome to meet the Christians there.
As we will see in the next verse, Paul had a strong desire to travel to Rome, but because of the calling that he had from God he had thus far been prevented from traveling there. Instead, he had traveled throughout modern day Turkey and Greece, responding to God’s leading. A dramatic example of his receiving direction from God occurs in Acts chapter sixteen:
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10)
Not only was Paul submitted to God’s lordship over him, but he was also committed to doing what God called him to do. In fact, Paul was so compelled to follow God’s calling for him that he said the following of himself in his first letter to the Christians at Corinth:
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! (1Corinthians 9:16)
This is the kind of commitment to doing God’s will instead of his own that enabled Paul to be so powerfully used of God
Application
Do you want God to use you? Are you willing to do whatever He calls you to instead of what you want to do?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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