Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 1:13

"And I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles." — Romans 1:13 (ASV)

The apostle confesses to a great desire to see his readers, not simply in order to know them personally, but especially to minister to them. By “spiritual gift” (GK 5992) we should probably not understand some “charismatic” gift as in 1Colossians 12, since Paul does not specify any particular gift and avoids the plural. Moreover, his own prominence in this contemplated gift hardly makes room for the specialized gifts of the Spirit (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:7). But no sooner has this sentiment been expressed than it is halfway recalled, being revised because it seems to suggest that a blessing will flow only one way, from Paul to the church. So he alters his language to make room for mutual encouragement and up-building. Seeing faith at work in one individual after another adds zest to Christian fellowship. Paul himself needed this.

As he had prayed constantly for the Romans, so he had planned many times to visit them, but the plan often had to be set aside. Presumably his work in the East had involved him so completely that he did not see his way clear to break away for the projected trip to Rome.

His hope to have “a harvest” among his readers should not be interpreted narrowly as though he is hinting that some in their ranks are not genuinely saved. His use of the word “Gentiles” instead of “churches” may be a pointer for us, hinting that “among you” is a reference to the community rather than to the church specifically, and that the fruit he envisions is the reaching of the unsaved. This would not, of course, exclude fruitbearing in the sense of developing the saints in character (Galatians 5:22–23).