What is the meaning of Romans 15:3? For even Christ did not please Himself • Paul has just urged us to “please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (Romans 15:2). The ultimate reason? Jesus Himself lived that way. • Throughout His earthly ministry the Lord consistently sidelined personal comfort: – “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45). – “I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30). – He “emptied Himself… becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). • By spotlighting Christ’s self-denial, Paul presses us toward the same posture—bearing with the weak, sacrificing preferences, and choosing love over liberty (Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 5:2). but as it is written • Paul immediately anchors his appeal in Scripture, underscoring that Christian ethics flow from God’s revealed Word, not human opinion (Romans 4:3; Acts 17:2; 2 Timothy 3:16). • This phrase signals that what follows is not a mere illustration; it is prophecy fulfilled, confirming both the Messiah’s mission and the authority of the Old Testament (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.” • Quoted from Psalm 69:9. David’s lament becomes Messianic prophecy: reproach aimed at God lands squarely on His Anointed. • Jesus experienced this throughout His life and climactically at the cross: – “Those who passed by heaped abuse on Him” (Matthew 27:39-44). – “They hated Me without reason” (John 15:25, echoing the same psalm). – He “bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:21-24). • By absorbing hostility meant for the Father, Christ defended God’s honor and purchased our redemption (Isaiah 53:3-5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 13:12-13). • Paul’s point: if our Lord willingly carried contempt that wasn’t His, we can certainly carry inconveniences, misunderstandings, and self-denial for the good of fellow believers (Romans 12:17-21). summary Romans 15:3 shows that our Savior chose self-sacrifice over self-pleasure, fulfilling Scripture by taking on the insults directed at God. His example grounds the call to bear with others, prioritize their spiritual welfare, and live for God’s glory instead of our own. |
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