Made to Lean on One Another (Romans 15:1-13)
Today’s Word
[The Strong and the Weak] (NIV)
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,
6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed
9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”
10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”
11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”
12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.”
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Background
The discussion from chapter 14 runs on into this passage — the strong and the weak, divided over food and holy days. But in chapter 15 Paul places the conclusion somewhere unexpected. He does not simply say “bear with each other” and stop. He points to Christ.
The quotation in verse 3 is from Psalm 69, the psalm of the suffering righteous one, a text the New Testament applies to Jesus repeatedly. What Paul emphasizes is that Christ did not please himself. Here is the pattern for the strong caring for the weak: the one with power gave up his own convenience.
Then verses 7 through 12 stack four Old Testament quotations, drawn evenly from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. Paul is proving one thing: the picture of Jew and Gentile praising God in the same room is not a new idea. It was the plan from the beginning.
So this paragraph is not an appeal to get along. It is a declaration that different people praising God with one voice is itself the goal of the gospel.
Key Terms Made Simple
- We who are strong: Those with a wider margin of freedom. Paul places himself in this group. Before asking anything of others, he includes himself.
- Bear with the failings: The Greek is closer to “carry.” Not so much putting up with as carrying together.
- Build them up: A construction term. The aim is to raise the other person like a structure.
- Accept: The same word as in 14:1. Not conditional tolerance but the hospitality of a shared table.
- The God of hope: An expression that appears only in verse 13. He gives hope, and he is hope.
Key Expressions to Notice
- “Not to please ourselves.” (v. 1)
- This does not make self-satisfaction a sin; it settles the direction the strong person’s freedom should face.
- Strength was not given to be spent on oneself.
- “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.” (v. 4)
- In the middle of a conflict, a statement about Scripture suddenly appears. That is not accidental.
- Endurance and encouragement are not squeezed out of our feelings; they are supplied by the Word.
- “Just as Christ accepted you.” (v. 7)
- The baseline for acceptance is not my preference but Christ’s acceptance.
- The force of this lies in the fact that he did not wait for me to meet the conditions first.
Main Points of the Text
- The strong carry the load (vv. 1-4) — Those with wider freedom carry the burdens of those with narrower freedom. Christ is the pattern, and the strength comes from the endurance and encouragement Scripture supplies.
- One mind, one voice (vv. 5-7) — Not uniformity, but a single direction. Accepting one another is itself glory given to God.
- This was always the plan (vv. 8-13) — Christ became a servant of the Jews to confirm the promises, and as a result the Gentiles glorify God. Four quotations testify to how old this plan is.
Applying to My Life
- Consider why God did not make you self-sufficient — Human beings were not designed to be complete on their own. Having a gap is not a defect; it is the design. It makes us lean on one another, and in that leaning we relearn that we cannot live without God either. Instead of being embarrassed by your gaps today, name the people currently filling them.
- See the weaknesses of those closest to you as your portion, not your burden — You see the shortcomings of someone you have lived with for years very clearly. This passage does not tell you to point them out; it tells you to carry them. Consider where your strength covers their weakness, and where their strength covers yours. The fact that you were made differently becomes a reason for gratitude rather than complaint.
- Widen the fence around your household a little — Learning to accept one another usually begins at home. But it must not end there. The “one another” of verse 7 has already moved out the front door. Ask whether your household, which has learned to accept its own members, can take in one more stranger.
Think About It
- Who is currently carrying one of your weaknesses for you? Have you ever told them so?
- Who are you spending your freedom and strength on?
- Measured by “just as Christ accepted you,” who have you still not accepted?
Tags: #Romans #Romans15 #StrongAndWeak #AcceptOneAnother #Edification #OneMindOneVoice #GodOfHope #EnduranceAndEncouragement #Gentiles #Community #Family #Interdependence #Devotional #DailyDevotional #BibleStudy #QuietTime #DevotionalGuide #Scripture #RomansDevotional #Faith #Paul
