An Affectionate Appeal

“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” -Romans 15:30–33

Paul concludes the heart of his letter with a strong appeal. Referring to the church at Rome as his brothers, he makes the affectionate appeal in the name of their mutual redeemer, the Lord Jesus, and by the love of the Spirit by whom he also appealed for the church’s own affectionate unity earlier in the letter (Romans 14:17; 15:13,16).

It was a heavy burden Paul carried, knowing that the Jews, particularly those in Judea, had it in for him. He was even warned by the Spirit of God that he would be in danger if he went: “except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me” (Acts 20:23). As he indicated early in his letter, there were slanders who believed Paul taught false doctrine (i.e., doing evil so good will come Cf. Romans 3:8) but there were also the Jews who believed he taught departure from the Mosaic Law (Cf. Acts 21:20-21).

His appeal is that they would strive together with him in prayer about his situation. By strive together, Paul means to be of one mind with him concerning Christ and concerning his three-fold petition (Cf. Philippians 2:1-8, Colossians 1:7-8; 4:12; 2:1-2; 2 Corinthians 1:11).

His three-fold petition is that he would be delivered from the zealous Jews, that his ministry of taking financial means from the Grecian churches to the church at Jerusalem would be an acceptable blessing, and that he might finally make it to Rome to see them and be refreshed by their fellowship.

As he concludes his appeal with a benediction—May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.—we are able to see the heart of the Apostle, a man of God who not only risked his life for the gospel but carried with him everyday, the burden of caring for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28).