Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 15:3
For even Christ pleased not himself: but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
3. For even Christ ] Here first in the Epistle St Paul explicitly quotes the Lord’s Example. He soon repeats the reference, Rom 15:7. The main burthen of the Epistle has been His Sacrifice; but the more the Sacrifice is apprehended, the more powerful will the Example be felt to be. It will emphatically be “not merely a model, but a motive.”
pleased not himself ] “Not My will, but Thine be done.”
To Messiah Himself, as to His people, suffering was in itself “not joyous, but grievous;” and, in that sense, it was against His will. The doing of His Father’s will involved sufferings; and in those sufferings He “pleased not Himself,” while yet He unutterably “delighted to do the will of Him that sent Him.” (Psa 40:8; Joh 4:34.)
as it is written ] Psalms 69 (LXX. 68):9. The quotation is verbatim with LXX. It has been doubted whether we are meant in this passage to view the Saviour as preferring the Father’s pleasure, or Man’s salvation, to His “own will.” The context (Rom 15:1-2) favours the latter; the words of the quotation favour the former. But as the two objects were inseparable in our Lord’s work, both may well be in view here. His “bearing reproach” was the necessary path, alike to “finishing His Father’s work,” and to saving the lost.
Does not St Paul here allude specially to the conflict of Gethsemane, and to the outrages which our Lord patiently bore just afterwards? He had scarcely said “ Thy will be done,” when the awful “reproaches” of His night of shame and insult began.
reproached thee ] God was “reproached” in effect, by those who, while claiming to act in His Name, were teaching and practising all that was alien to His love and holiness. Such persons, when they beheld His true Likeness in His Son, inevitably hated and rejected it.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For even Christ – The apostle proceeds, in his usual manner, to illustrate what he had said by the example of the Saviour. To a Christian, the example of the Lord Jesus will furnish the most ready, certain, and happy illustration of the nature and extent of his duty.
Pleased not himself – This is not to be understood as if the Lord Jesus did not voluntarily and cheerfully engage in his great work. He was not compelled to come and suffer. Nor is it to be understood as if he did not approve the work, or see its propriety and fitness. If he had not, he would never have engaged in its sacrifices and self-denials. But the meaning may be expressed in the following particulars:
(1) He came to do the will or desire of God in undertaking the work of salvation. It was the will of God; it was agreeable to the divine purposes, and the Mediator did not consult his own happiness and honor in heaven, but cheerfully came to do the will of God; Psa 40:7-8; compare Heb 10:4-10; Phi 2:6; Joh 17:5.
(2) Christ when on earth, made it his great object to do the will of God, to finish the work which God had given him to do, and not to seek his own comfort and enjoyment. This he expressly affirms; Joh 6:38; Joh 5:30.
(3) He was willing for this to endure whatever trials and pains the will of God might demand, not seeking to avoid them or to shrink from them. See particularly his prayer in the garden; Luk 22:42.
(4) In his life, he did not seek personal comfort, wealth, or friends, or honors. He denied himself to promote the welfare of others; he was poor that they might be rich; he was in lonely places that he might seek out the needy and provide for them. Nay, he did not seek to preserve his own life when the appointed time came to die, but gave himself up for all.
(5) There may be another idea which the apostle had here. He bore with patience the ignorance, blindness, erroneous views, and ambitious projects of his disciples. He evinced kindness to them when in error; and was not harsh, censorious, or unkind, when they were filled with vain projects of ambition, or perverted his words, or were dull of apprehension. So says the apostle, we ought to do in relation to our brethren.
But as it is written – Psa 69:9. This psalm, and the former part of this verse, is referred to the Messiah; compare Rom 15:21, with Mat 27:34, Mat 27:48.
The reproaches – The calumnies, censures, harsh, opprobrious speeches.
Of them that reproached thee – Of the wicked, who vilified and abused the law and government of God.
Fell on me – In other words, Christ was willing to suffer reproach and contempt in order to do good to others. tie endured calumny and contempt all his life, from those who by their lips and lives calumniated God, or reproached their Maker. We may learn here,
(1) That the contempt of Jesus Christ is contempt of him who appointed him.
(2) We may see the kindness of the Lord Jesus in being willing thus to throw himself between the sinner and God; to intercept, as it were, our sins, and to bear the effects of them in his own person. He stood between us and God; and both the reproaches and the divine displeasure due to them, met on his sacred person, and produced the sorrows of the atonement – his bitter agony in the garden and on the cross. Jesus thus showed his love of God in being willing to bear the reproaches aimed at him; and his love to men in being willing to endure the sufferings necessary to atone for these very sins.
(3) If Jesus thus bore reproaches, we should be willing also to endure them. We suffer in the cause where be has gone before us, and where he has set us the example; and as he was abused and vilified, we should be willing to be so also.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rom 15:3
For even Christ pleased not Himself.
The self-denial of Christ
I. Its exemplification.
1. He had the right to please Himself.
2. He ceded it.
(1) Seeking not His own case.
(2) Bearing the reproach of others.
3. For the benefit of mankind.
II. Its design.
1. For faith.
2. For imitation.
3. For motive. (J. Lyth, D.D.)
Imitation of Christ
makes a trifle the highest virtue. (T. Robinson, D. D.)
Self-forgetfulness
Amongst the Roman Christians there was a great strife about a very small matter. Might a Christian eat meat, or must he live on herbs? And we maybe certain that there would be the loud assertion of individual rights, and everywhere self would be very conspicuous. It must have grieved the apostle to be compelled to take part in any such strife. He must have been conscious of a deep descent when he came down from the heights of chap. 8 into the arena where professed Christians were engaged in such a dispute. But he brought the power of the Cross to bear upon it, and instantly lifted it into a higher region. He showed the contending men that in connection with their very differences there were glorious possibilities of maintaining Christs own spirit and growing up into Christs own likeness (Rom 8:1-3). Note–
I. The spirit of Christ. The motto of selfish human nature is Every man for himself, and God for us all; and there are some of us who would change the latter part of the motto, and whose joy would be greater if they could believe that God is a great deal more for them than He is for others. The spirit of Christ was the very reverse of this. With Him thoughts of others were first, thoughts of self were last. He came into this world of which He had been the Creator, and of which He was the rightful ruler, not to be ministered unto, etc. Wherever He was found He was there for the good of others.
1. Look at His miracles. Who can fail to discern there a care for others that never sleeps? In connection with this it is very significant that our Lords first temptation was to work His first miracle for His own relief. A little while afterwards the Jews were in the wilderness. They had not fasted forty hours, and we do not read that any of them complained of hunger. But Christ made a feast for five thousand who would not turn one stone into bread for Himself. He that came to minister, etc., must not strike the wrong keynote of His life by making His first miracle a miracle for His own personal relief. In our Lords triumph over the next temptation you can see the same thoughtful love for the good of others. He could have cast Himself from the pinnacle of the temple, and no doubt it would have brought Him great applause, but whose tears would it have wiped away? So He kept His Divine resources in all their virgin freshness and fulness till presently the lepers crossed His path and He could cleanse them. We remember where the glory first broke forth. He who the other day would not turn stones into bread to appease His own hunger turned the water into wine to relieve His friends from embarrassment. Put the first temptation and the first miracle side by side, and how there flames out this ever blessed truth, Even Christ pleased not Himself.
2. After His first journey of mercy He went back again to Nazareth. He had gone to Capernaum, etc., and had conferred many blessings; but He returned as poor as He had left it. The people had heard what He had done: He knew what was in their hearts. He said, Ye will say to Me, Physician, heal Thyself. Why did not He who had done so much for others better His own circumstances? We must not be astonished at their incredulity. Here was a new thing in the earth. Here was a man unspeakably rich in resources, unspeakably lavish in His gifts; and He lived and died in deepest poverty.
3. As in life, so in death Christ pleased not Himself. When His burden of woe was becoming so heavy that His heart was like to break, the soldiers led by Judas went to seize Him; He put forth His power and they fell to the ground. He soon made it manifest that the deed of gentle violence had not been wrought for His own deliverance, but for the deliverance of others. Take Me and let My disciples go their way. The daughters of Jerusalem dropped their tears upon His way of grief. He bade them stay their tears, not because He spurned their sympathy, but because He would have them keep their energies for their own sorrow. How many more instances there are in that crucifixion that one might cite to the same purport! The cup of sorrows was held up to Him. Many and diverse were the elements in that cup. Judas put into it all the poison of his treachery, Peter the bitterness of his denial, the people the foul stream of their ingratitude, the soldiers their cruelty, the priests and Pharisees their deadly malignity, Herod his mockery, Pilate his unrighteousness, and the crowd, aided by the malefactor, their brutal and blasphemous revilings. And there were other bitter elements there, the reality and terribleness of which are testified to by Scripture. Yet He drank that cup that sinners might live.
II. The duty of the disciple. Lay stress on the word even.
1. Surely if any one could have done it wisely, and safely, and beneficially, He could have done it. He had no thought but what was wise, no will but what was good, no fear but what was sinless, no desire but what was honourable, and yet He hesitated not to take His thoughts, desires, and will, and bind them with cords for sacrifice, and lay them upon the altar. If Christ could deny Himself, what passion of ours is too noble, what pleasure too precious, what desire too honourable, what prejudice and prepossession too precious to be fastened to the Cross for ever, if the will of God and the claims of brotherly kindness and charity demand the sacrifice?
2. A Christ without self-denying love could not have saved the world. A church without self-denying love cannot carry on the work of Christ.
(1) And if our selfishness give birth to uselessness He will visit it with the punishment of perpetual uselessness. The man that did not use his talent, that did not employ his power for doing good, was punished in part by having the capacity for doing good taken away.
(2) On the other hand, if our generous love give birth to usefulness, our usefulness shall be rewarded by greater capacity and wider sphere for service. The man that had turned his talent into six talents, he was not welcomed into rest, he was welcomed into wider work. (C. Vince.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. For even Christ pleased not himself] Christ never acted as one who sought his own ease or profit; he not only bore with the weakness, but with the insults, of his creatures; as it is written in Ps 69:9: The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me-I not only bore their insults, but bore the punishment due to them for their vicious and abominable conduct. That this Psalm refers to the Messiah and his sufferings for mankind is evident, not only from the quotation here, but also from Joh 19:28, Joh 19:29, when our Lord’s receiving the vinegar during his expiatory suffering is said to be a fulfilling of the scripture, viz. of verse 21 of this very Psalm; Ps 69:21 and his cleansing the temple, Joh 2:15-17, is said to be a fulfilment of Ps 69:9: For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up, the former part of which verse the apostle quotes here.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For even Christ pleased not himself: he backs his exhortation in Rom 14:1, with an argument taken from the practice of our Lord himself, who is our perfect pattern, and hath left us an example, that we should follow his steps: see Joh 13:15,34; 1Pe 2:21; 1Jo 2:6; 4:17. By Christs not pleasing himself, is meant his not indulging or sparing himself; he did not seek his own ease, nor to satisfy inclination of the human nature, which abhorreth pain, and the destruction of itself. He took such a course all along as sufficiently demonstrated that he respected our benefit, and not his own.
But; here is an ellipsis, something must he supplied to fill up the sense: either the meaning is, he pleased not himself, but others; or, he pleased not himself, but bore our infirmities and reproaches: or else, he pleased not himself, but it happened to him; or he so carried himself that it might be truly applied to him, which is written, &c.
As it is written; viz. in Psa 69:9. That David uttered these words in the person of Christ, or as a type of him, may appear from Joh 2:17. Interpreters are divided about accommodating this testimony to the occasion for which it is brought. Either the meaning is, that Christ did willingly expose himself to all the reproaches and contumelies of men, in obedience to his Fathers will; or else, that he and the same concernments with God the Father, so that what befell God did also befall him; he was as tender of the Fathers honour as of his own: or else, that the sins of men, which are things that cast reproach upon God, were taken by Christ upon himself, and he bore them in his body upon a tree. Seeing then that Christ hath done so much for our sakes, and hath not sought his own ease and benefit, we ought also to seek the good of others, and to deny ourselves: see Phi 2:6-8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. For even Christ pleased notlivednot to please
himself; but, as it iswritten (Ps 69:9).
The reproaches, &c.seeMr 10:42-45.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For even Christ pleased not himself,…. He sought not his own ease, pleasure, profit, honour, and glory, but to do his Father’s will and work, Joh 4:34; and he always did the things which pleased him, in his obedience, sufferings, and death; and sought not his own, but his glory: moreover, what he did and suffered were not for himself, but for us; he became incarnate for us; he obeyed, suffered, and died for us; he came not to be ministered to, to be attended upon as an earthly prince, enjoying his own ease and pleasure, things grateful to nature, but to minister to others, Mt 20:28; hence he appeared in the form of a servant, did the work of one in life, and at last became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, Php 2:7: not but that he was well pleased in doing and suffering all this; it was his delight to do the will of God: it was his meat and drink to finish his work; yea, that part of it which was most disagreeable to flesh and blood, was most earnestly desired by him, even the baptism of his sufferings; and in the view of the salvation of his people, and of enjoying their company with him to all eternity, he endured the cross patiently, and despised the shame with pleasure, Heb 12:2: but then he met with many things which were far from being grateful to human nature; such as the hardness and unbelief of the Jews, with which he was grieved, their scoffs and insults, reproaches and jeers; the ignorance, frowardness, and moroseness of his own disciples, whose infirmities he bore; and at last the sufferings of death, that bitter cup, which he as man desired might pass from him; but, however, he submitted to his Father’s will, Mt 26:39; all which prove what the apostle here affirms. This instance of Christ, the man of God’s right hand, the son of man, whom he has made strong for himself, the head of the church, the leader and commander of the people, bearing the infirmities of the weak, and not pleasing himself, is very pertinently produced, to enforce the above exhortations; who is an example to his people in the exercise of every grace, and the discharge of every duty; as in beneficence, forgiving of injuries, mutual love, meekness and humility, suffering of afflictions, and patience. The proof of it follows,
but as it is written, in Ps 69:9;
the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me; which are the words of Christ unto his Father, as the whole psalm is to be understood not of David, but of the Messiah, as is clear from the citations out of it, and references to it in the New Testament; see Joh 2:17, compared with Ps 69:9, and the meaning of them is, either that the reproaches which were cast on the house, worship, and ordinances of God, affected Christ as much as if they had been cast upon himself; which stirred up his zeal to take the method he did, to show his resentment at such indignities; see Joh 2:15, or that the same persons by whom the name of God was blasphemed, his sanctuary polluted, and his ordinances reproached, also reproached him; and he bore in his bosom the reproach of all the mighty people, which were in great plenty poured upon him; they reproached him with being a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners, Mt 11:19; they said he was a Samaritan, and had a devil, Joh 8:48: charged him with blasphemy and sedition, Mt 26:65; and when on the cross, mocked, reviled, and wagged their heads at him, Mt 27:39; all which he bore patiently, and reviled not again: moreover, by “reproaches” may be meant the sins of his people, by which the name of God was blasphemed, his law trampled upon with contempt, and the perfections of his nature, as his justice and holiness, dishonoured; and which fell upon Christ, not by chance, but by the appointment of God, and according to his own voluntary agreement; and which he bore in his own body, and made satisfaction for; which though he did willingly, in order to obtain some valuable ends, the salvation of his people, and the glorifying of the divine perfections, the honouring of the law, and satisfying of justice, yet the bearing of them, in itself, could not be grateful to him as such; neither the charge of sin, nor the weight of punishment; and in this respect he pleased not himself, or did that which was grateful to his pure and holy nature.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Pleased not himself ( ). Aorist active indicative of with the usual dative. The supreme example for Christians. See 14:15. He quotes Ps 69:9 (Messianic Psalm) and represents the Messiah as bearing the reproaches of others.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1 ) “For even Christ pleased not himself,” (kai gar ho Christos ouch heauto eresen) “Because even Christ pleased not himself, sought not, did not just what pleased him; The good of others was his object of care continually, Mat 17:27; Luk 9:51; Php_2:5-8; Joh 4:34; Joh 5:30.
2) “But as it is written,” (alla kathos gegraptai) “But in direct contrast, just as it has been written, witnessed, verified or recorded;” Paul considered that fulfilled Old Testament prophecies regarding Christ, attested the inspiration, trust-worthiness, or accuracy of them, Psa 69:9.
3) “The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me,” (hoi oneidismoi ton oneidizonton se epepesan epi eme) “The reproaches of those reproaching you fell, came down upon me;” At no time was this more evident perhaps than when he was nailed to the cross, 1Pe 2:23-24; Isa 53:7. The punishment of, or that was due the wicked, was laid on Jesus, as he bare our sins in his body on the tree, Joh 6:38; Gal 3:13.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. For even Christ pleased not himself, etc. Since it is not right that a servant should refuse what his lord has himself undertaken, it would be very strange in us to wish an exemption from the duty of bearing the infirmities of others, to which Christ, in whom we glory as our Lord and King, submitted himself; for he having no regard for himself, gave up himself wholly to this service. For in him was really verified what the Prophet declares in Psa 69:9 : and among other things he mentions this, that “zeal for God’s house had eaten him up,” and that “the reproaches of those who reproached God fell on him.” By these words it is intimated, that he burned with so much fervor for God’s glory that he was possessed by such a desire to promote his kingdom, that he forgot himself, and was, as it were, absorbed with this one thought, and that he so devoted himself to the Lord that he was grieved in his soul whenever he perceived his holy name exposed to the slandering of the ungodly. (439)
The second part, “the reproaches of God,” may indeed be understood in two ways, — either that he was not less affected by the contumelies which were heaped on God, than if he himself had endured them, — or, that he grieved not otherwise to see the wrong done to God, than if he himself had been the cause. But if Christ reigns in us, as he must necessarily reign in his people, this feeling is also vigorous in our hearts, so that whatever derogates from the glory of God does not otherwise grieve us than if it was done to ourselves. Away then with those whose highest wish is to gain honors from them who treat God’s name with all kinds of reproaches, tread Christ under foot, contumeliously rend, and with the sword and the flame persecute his gospel. It is not indeed safe to be so much honored by those by whom Christ is not only despised but also reproachfully treated.
(439) The intention of producing Christ’s example here is to enjoin disinterestedness. He denies himself for the sake of glorifying God in the salvation of men: so his followers ought to show the same spirit; they ought to inconvenience themselves, and undergo toil, trouble, suffering, and reproaches, if necessary, in order to help and assist their fellow-Christians. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) The reproaches. . . .Literally, after the LXX. version of Psa. 69:9, one of those Psalms of suffering which, like Isaiah 53, afford a type of the sufferings of the Messiah.
Reproached thee fell on me.The insults directed against God Himself fell upon His servants.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Even Christ And the strong Christian has before him the mightiest of all models. Entirely transcendent in unselfishness was the birth, the life, the death of Christ.
Written Psa 69:9. This is one of the psalms predictive of the sufferings of the Messiah, and it indicates the very summit of Christ’s history of unselfishness. Thee refers to God. It was the height of Christ’s unselfishness patiently to endure on the cross the insults of the reproachers of God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘For Christ also did not please himself, but, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” ’
And in so pleasing others for the good of all, we will be following the example of Christ Who also did not please Himself in order that He might achieve the good of others. The citation from Psa 69:9 b is from a Davidic Psalm. Such Psalms were regularly seen as Messianic, and thus as referring to Jesus, the greater David. And the main point being drawn from this Psalm is the example of the One Who was willing to take reproaches on Himself, rather than pleasing Himself, because He was seeking to achieve the good. He thus allowed men’s reproaches of God to fall upon Himself, and it was because He stood firm for what was good (the zeal of your house has eaten me up – Psa 69:9 a). If the Messiah could demonstrate such self-abnegation, then those whom He has made strong should also be willing to do so.
Paul probably had in mind here the reproaches that Christ suffered at the cross as those gathered around railed on Him. They did not realise that they were reproaching God, says Paul, but in fact they were. And the reason that He suffered those reproaches was for our sakes, so that we, the powerless, might be made strong. Some would also include in this the reproaches that He suffered throughout His earthly life, which were also because He defended the truth of His Father, and were also for us.
Paul is deliberately arguing form the higher to the lower. In view of the greatness of what the Messiah was willing to suffer for us, how can we possibly cavil at having to undergo a few voluntary restrictions on our liberty, for the good of those for whom Christ died (Rom 14:15).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rom 15:3. As it is written In Psa 69:9. That this psalm was undoubtedly spoken of the Messiah, we learn from Rom 15:22 applied to Christ, Joh 19:28-29 and from the former part of the verse here cited; namely, The zeal of thine house hath confirmed me, applied to Christ, Joh 2:17. And the Jews themselves confess that the things contained in this psalm shall be accomplished in the days of the Messiah. The passage maybe paraphrased respecting our Saviour, “I have placed myself in a world, where I have been afflicted with the wickedness of mankind; which I have continually seen and heard about me, and which has been, through the whole course of my life, my continual grief and burden.” See Whitby, and on Psa 69:9.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rom 15:3 . Establishment of this duty by the pattern: for Christ also , etc.
, . . .] but, as it is written, the reproaches of those reproaching thee fell on me . After a comma only is to be placed, and nothing is to be supplied, neither sibi displicuit with Erasmus, nor fecit with Grotius and others, nor (Borger) and the like. Had Paul desired to express himself in purely narrative form, he would have written instead of : , and instead of : . But he retains the scriptural saying, which he adduces, literally, enhancing thereby the direct force and vivacity of the discourse. Comp. 1Co 1:31 ; Winer, 534, 556 [E. T. pp. 719, 749].
The passage is Psa 69:10 (literally after the LXX.), where the suffering subject is a type of the Messiah (comp. Rom 11:9 ; Joh 2:17 ; Joh 15:25 ; Joh 19:28 ).
That the reproaches of the enemies of God fell on Christ , i.e. that the enemies of God vented their fury on Christ , proves that Christ was bent on pleasing not Himself (for otherwise He would have abstained from taking these His sufferings upon Himself; comp. Heb 12:2-3 , Phi 2:6-8 ), but men , inasmuch as He in order to their redemption surrendered Himself, with full self-renunciation of His , to the enmity against God of His adversaries. Calvin and others: “Ita se Domino devovisse, ut descinderetur animo, quoties sacrum ejus nomen patere impiorum maledicentiae videret,” so that the idea of self-denying devotion to the cause of God (so also de Wette and Philippi) is expressed. But according to the connection, it is the devotion of Christ, not for the cause of God, but for the salvation of humanity (see Rom 15:2 ), into fellowship of suffering with which He entered, that is to be proposed as an example. Comp. Mat 20:28 .
belongs to later Greek. See Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 512.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Ver. 3. For even Christ ] And we should express him to the world, preach abroad his virtues by our practice, 1Pe 2:9 . Our lives should be as so many sermons upon the life of Christ. This is to walk in Christ, Col 2:6 , as Christ, 1Jn 3:6 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3. ] , , , , Chrys. Hom. xxvii. p. 721
The citation is made directly , without any thing to introduce the formula citandi, as in ch. Rom 9:7 , where even the formula itself is wanting: there is no ellipsis. The words in the Messianic Psalm are addressed to the Father , not to those for whom Christ suffered: but they prove all that is here required, that He did not please Himself ; His sufferings were undertaken on account of the Father’s good purpose mere work which He gave Him to do .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rom 15:3 . . . . The duty of not pleasing ourselves is enforced by the example of Christ: He did not please Himself either. If this required proof, we might have expected Paul to prove it by adducing some incident in Christ’s life; but this is not what he does. He appeals to a psalm, which is in many places in the N.T. treated as having some reference to Christ ( e.g. , Joh 2:17 = Psa 69:9 , Joh 15:25 = Psa 69:4 , Mat 27:27-30 = Psa 69:12 , Mat 27:34 = Psa 69:21 , Rom 11:9 = Psa 69:22 , Act 1:20 = Psa 69:25 : see Perowne, The Psalms , i., p. 561 f.); and the words he quotes from it words spoken as it were by Christ Himself describe our Lord’s experiences in a way which shows that He was no self-pleaser. If He had been, He would never have given Himself up willingly, as He did, to such a fate. It is hardly conceivable that in Paul’s quotation indicates the man whom Christ is supposed to address: it can quite well be God, as in the psalm. Some have argued from this indirect proof of Christ’s character that Paul had no acquaintance with the facts of His life; but the inference is unsound. It would condemn all the N.T. writers of the same ignorance, for they never appeal to incidents in Christ’s life; and this summary of the whole character of Christ, possessing as it did for Paul and his readers the authority of inspiration, was more impressive than any isolated example of non-selfpleasing could have been.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Christ. App-98.
not. App-105.
reproaches . . . reproached = revilings . . . reviled. Greek. oneidismos, oneidizo. The insulting with opprobrious language, when used against Christ and His people. The noun occurs here; 1Ti 3:7. Heb 10:33; Heb 11:26; Heb 13:13. The verb here, Mat 5:11. Mar 15:32.
on. App-104. Quoted from Psa 69:9. App-107.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3.] , , , , Chrys. Hom. xxvii. p. 721
The citation is made directly, without any thing to introduce the formula citandi, as in ch. Rom 9:7, where even the formula itself is wanting:-there is no ellipsis. The words in the Messianic Psalm are addressed to the Father, not to those for whom Christ suffered: but they prove all that is here required, that He did not please Himself; His sufferings were undertaken on account of the Fathers good purpose-mere work which He gave Him to do.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 15:3. , Christ) who alone was truly , strong, comp. Rom 15:1 with ch. 5 and 6: strong, weak.- , not Himself) Admirable , condescension! Not Himself but us, Rom 15:7-8; Psa 69:32 : Christ procured , what is well-pleasing to God for those, who see and are glad [Referring to Psa 69:32, which see].-) but, viz., He took that upon Himself, which is written.-, it is written) Psa 69:10, with which comp. Rom 15:11-12, in the latter hemistich of either, it matters not which.–) So the LXX.-, fell on) By right Christ might have borne Himself as God, and have enjoyed Divine honours, but He did not use His right, for our sakes, Php 2:6. He indeed thoroughly felt the reproaches, which wicked men cast upon God, with that sorrow, which they ought to have felt, who gave utterance to them; and He Himself bore and expiated those reproaches as patiently, as if He Himself had been the guilty person. His whole sufferings are here intended; He at that time performed the office of a minister [a servant], Mat 20:28. [At that time, He did not please Himself, but He interposed Himself, in order that in respect to [in the case of] all who had dishonoured GOD, GOD might receive what was well-pleasing [caperet beneplacitum. Or rather, that God might by the atonement, be enabled to exercise good-will consistently with justice]. It behoved Him to endure many things with patience, Rom 15:1; Rom 15:4.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 15:3
Rom 15:3
For Christ also pleased not himself;-Jesus is presented as an example which Christians should always follow. Jesus did not seek to please himself by doing what was pleasant to the flesh, but bore the infirmities of others. [The good of others was the great characteristic of his life.]
but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me.-He took on himself the reproaches of all who accept him. He bore the stripes that we deserved. He left heaven and suffered to help us. He became weak after the flesh that we might become strong spiritually. He became mortal that we might become immortal. So we must forego fleshly and temporal pleasures that we may bring spiritual and eternal joys to others. [This passage is cited to bring the example of Christ to bear upon us. So far from pleasing himself, Christ did all things and endured all things for Gods sake, even so far as to receive on himself, in his own person, the reproaches aimed at God. But when and how did Christ thus receive the reproaches aimed at God? Because the hatred with which the unbelieving Jews pursued Christ was caused by their deep-seated alienation from God, as he says: He that hateth me hateth my Father also. It was because he exhibited, as no one ever before had done, the holy character of God, that he could say: Now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. (See Joh 15:23-24).]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Christ: Psa 40:6-8, Mat 26:39, Mat 26:42, Joh 4:34, Joh 5:30, Joh 6:38, Joh 8:29, Joh 12:27, Joh 12:28, Joh 14:30, Joh 14:31, Joh 15:10, Phi 2:8
The: Psa 69:9, Psa 69:20, Psa 89:50, Psa 89:51, Mat 10:25, Joh 15:24
Reciprocal: Psa 31:11 – I was Psa 102:8 – Mine Psa 109:25 – a reproach Mar 6:34 – saw Luk 9:11 – and he Joh 8:48 – thou Rom 3:10 – As it is Rom 15:1 – please Rom 15:5 – according to 1Co 10:33 – General 1Co 11:1 – even Gal 5:22 – love Phi 2:5 – General Phi 2:7 – made
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:3
Rom 15:3. None of the things Christ did for man brought Him any selfish pleasure. The quotation is from Psa 69:9. Many of the passages of David are worded as if they pertained to his own experiences. To some extent they do so apply, but the main thought is that they are prophecies to be fulfilled in his illustrious descendant, Jesus the Christ. Thee and me in our verse means God and Christ. The reproaches that were aimed at the Father were like arrows that missed their mark and struck the Son.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 15:3. For Christ also, etc. Also is slightly preferable to even. The example of Christ is for the believer the new law to be made real (Gal 6:2); hence the for also (Godet).
But, as it is written (Psa 69:9), the reproaches of them reproaching thee fell upon me. The citation is from the LXX., which literally reproduces the Hebrew. The clause may be connected directly with but; some supplying: it came to pass, before it is written. In the Psalm, thee refers to God, and me to the Messiah, or the person who is a type of the Messiah. The sufferings of Christ, according to the Psalm, were to fulfil the Fathers purpose; that this purpose was for the salvation of men gives the passage here its most appropriate application.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
For Christ also pleased not himself [The strong ought to give way to the weak because strength can yield better than weakness, since in so doing it in no way violates conscience and because this forbearance tends to build up the weak and make them strong. But this rule applies, of course, only to matters that are indifferent; in things that are erroneous or wrong we have no choice or discretion, but must stand for the right as God would have us. The only objection that the strong can urge against yielding to the weak is that to do so involves them in great sacrifice. In answer to this argument Paul sets forth the example of Christ. How can he that is self-pleasing, and that shrinks from sacrifice, make claim to be the disciple and follower of the One whose life was the supreme self-sacrifice of the annals of all time? Had Christ pleased himself hell itself might well shudder at the consequences]; but, as it is written [Psa 69:9], The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me. [When Christ bore the heavy burden of our reproaches and disgrace–our sin, and its consequences–can we not, as his disciples, cheerfully bear each other’s light foibles and infirmities? We must not only be unselfishly fair; we must be self-denyingly generous, if we would be Christlike.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
CHRIST THE SAVIOR BOTH OF THE JEWS AND GENTILES
3-13. As the Jews had established colonies in all the important cities of the Gentile world, sojourning in all lands for mercantile purposes, and the apostles, who were all Jews, invariably being to the synagogues and giving their consanguinity their first service in every land whither they peregrinated; as a result all the so-called Gentile churches throughout Christendom contained a large Hebrew element. Such was pre-eminently true in Rome, the worlds metropolis, twice as large as New York at the present day. Hence the pertinency of showing forth in this epistle the magnanimity of Christ and the perfect availability of His vicarious atonement and redemptive economy to reach both Jews and Gentiles, as in these verses Paul not only beautifully certifies but corroborates by the testimony of the prophets.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 3
Since Christ endured reproach and suffering for us, we ought to have a kind and tender regard for each other.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
15:3 {2} For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
(2) A confirmation taken from the example of Christ, who suffered all things, to bring not only the weak, but also his most cruel enemies, overcoming them with patience, to his Father.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The apostle illustrated the commitment to doing the will of God that he advocated with the example of Jesus Christ. In Him we can see the difference between a people pleaser and a people lover. Sacrificing His own preferences for the welfare of others did not make Him acceptable to everyone, but it did make Him acceptable to His Father. David voiced the testimony that Paul quoted here regarding his zeal for God’s house (Psa 69:9). Christians need to show as strong commitment to building up God’s spiritual house as David displayed in promoting His physical house.
"Convictions about what constitutes Christian conduct sometimes reflect ecclesiastical and social backgrounds, but the principles written in this passage are timeless. They may be stated as follows: Christians (1) are not to judge the practice of other Christians in respect to doubtful things (Rom 15:3); (2) are personally accountable to God for their actions (Rom 15:12); (3) are not to do anything that will put a stumbling block before their brethren (Rom 15:13); (4) have Christian liberty regarding what they do (Rom 15:14; Rom 15:20); (5) are to do what will edify their brethren (Rom 15:19); (6) should, for the sake of their weaker brethren, voluntarily abstain from certain practices (Rom 15:21); (7) are to do only what can be done without self-condemnation (Rom 15:22); and (8) are to follow the example of Christ, who did not live to please Himself (Rom 15:1-3)." [Note: The New Scofield . . ., p. 1228.]