This study must begin with Verse 7, "Receive ye one another." Welcome into your hearts, communion, and fellowship all believers in Christ whether weak or strong, poor or prosperous, male or female, bond or free, JEW OR GENTILE. Welcome and love them all as Christ loved and received you into Himself for the glory of God!
(Vs. 8) It is true that the Lord Jesus WAS BORN A JEW, made under the Law, circumcised and obedient to the laws of Moses. He was the promised Jewish Messiah, the seed of woman, of Abraham, and of David. This was to CONFIRM and FULFILL every promise, prophecy, and type given to Israel regarding the Messiah. But this was NOT to indicate (as some thought) that His mercy and salvation were not for the Gentile. He disproved this Himself in Luke 4:25-27.
(Vs. 9-12) These prophecies from the 01d Testament reveal that the Gentiles were included in the purpose and redemptive work of Christ. "That the Gentiles might glorify God." This is the highest object of all of God's work–HIS GLORY!
Another word here is MERCY. All believers glorify God for His mercy in Christ. There is not a word in the Scripture anywhere to encourage either Jew or Gentile in hoping for salvation through his own merit or righteousness. Salvation is GOD'S MERCY to the unworthy. These prophecies are from II Sam. 22:50, Deut. 32:43, Psalm 117:1, and Isa. 11:10. Also read Rev. 5:9.
(Vs. 13) Paul (as in Verse 5) expresses another prayer for us.
"Now the God of hope." God is called the God of hope because all true hope with respect to forgiveness of sin and divine favor is from God and is effected in the human heart by God Himself. Any hope of which He is not the Author and Giver is false and fatal!
"Fill you with all joy and peace in believing." True joy and peace are the gifts of God in Christ and are not the natural effects of human nature. Joy and peace generated by human philosophy and fleshly comforts are temporary. ("There is pleasure in sin FOR ONLY A SEASON.") The joy of redemption and the peace of Christ ARE ETERNAL and ARE REAL even in the midst of human misery and severe trial.
"That you may abound in hope." The more believers know the joy and peace of Christ, the greater will be their hope. Joy and peace, as well as all spiritual blessings, come from God through faith and in proportion to faith. The more we are able to rejoice in our blessings in Christ and enter into the peace of Christ, the stronger will be our confidence and hope of future glory.
"Through the power of the Holy Ghost." The Father gives hope. He is the God of hope; but He gives it through the agency and power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18).
(Vs. 14) "I am fully persuaded and confident that you are FULL OF GOODNESS," not naturally (for Paul himself said, "In my flesh dwelleth no good thing"); but what they had was of the Holy Spirit, whose fruit is love, joy, peace, goodness, and kindness (Eph. 4:32). We are filled with all knowledge–knowledge of our own infirmities, of our own dependence on His mercy, of our completeness in Christ. This being known, we are able to counsel, admonish, encourage, and sympathize with one another.
(Vs. 15) Nevertheless, though I know you are aware of these things and are concerned for the glory of Christ, as the minister of Christ Jesus, I boldly write all these things to you to remind you of them. A person may be acquainted with them but still require a minister of Christ to exhort him TO PRACTICE THEM.
(Vs. 16) I was made a minister of Christ to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15) of the gospel of God, ministering NOT the service of the tabernacle, nor the law of Moses, nor the tradition of the fathers, but the gospel of Christ that the GENTILES THEMSELVES might be acceptable to God, through Christ, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. We are "accepted in the Beloved," the Holy Spirit setting us apart and calling us to faith in Him through the preaching of the gospel (Rom. 10:17).
(Vs. 17) In Christ Jesus I have reason to rejoice and glory in the things which God has accomplished through me. God does use men. He uses these vessels of clay to preach the gospel, to take the gospel to those He shall call (Rom. 10:13-15); and we can rejoice in what God is pleased to do through these human instruments. But I will not take to myself any of the praise for the work of others. I have preached and God had been pleased to bless the Word (Phil. 1:14-18).