Because of this I also was repeatedly hindered from coming to you.
Truth to Learn
Doing God’s will often means not doing what we want to do.
Behind the Words
“Because of this” 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.”
“Repeatedly” 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 “Because of this.” So, we have to ask ourselves, “Because of what?” 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:
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And coming up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God 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. 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 © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved
