Paul’s travel plans – Kernbeisser

Paul writes to the church in Rome about his plans:

“That’s why I was prevented from coming to you many times. But now, since I no longer have room in these landscapes, but have been longing for many years to come to you as soon as I should go to Spain, I expect to see you as I pass through and to be equipped by you and sent on to you when I have first had some refreshment from you.

First of all, I am now going to Jerusalem to serve the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia approved of giving a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They approve of this because they are their debtors; for if the nations partake of their spiritual goods, they are also obliged to make a contribution to the carnal.

Therefore, as soon as I have completed this service and sealed this fruit for them, I will pass through you and then go to Spain. But I know that I will come (when I come to you) in the fullness of Christ’s blessing.

But I promise you, my brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to wrestle with me in prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be protected from the rebellious in Judea and that my service to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and find rest with you. But the God of peace be with you all! Amen!”
Romans 15:22-33

Travel plans

This passage tells of Paul’s travel plans. What are the areas and places that Paul hopes to go to next? In order of mention:

Rome, Italy (Rom 15:22, cf. Rom 1:7-9)
Spain (Rom 15:23, as hope)
Jerusalem (Rom 15:25)
Judea (Rom 15:31)

Paul writes from Corinth

When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he was staying in Corinth for a few months. The fact that he is in Corinth can be deduced from various clues.

The mention of Phoebe from Kenchraea in Rom 16:1 is one such reference. Kenchraea is the port of Corinth.
The mention of Prisca and Aquilla is also a clue. These had recently come from Rome to Corinth (Rom 16:3, cf. Acts 18:1-2). They were tentmakers by trade, as was Paul (Acts 18:3), and both later accompanied Paul on his travels (Acts 18:18).
The journey to Jerusalem mentioned in Acts 19,21 is taken as the goal, so that the letter was written beforehand. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke writes of this decision as a conclusion:“When this was fully accomplished, Paul resolved in spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. He said: “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
Acts 19:21

A turning point in Paul’s ministry

This verse is a turning point in Paul’s ministry. Up to this point, he has brought justification by faith to the nations in line with the messianic expectation. The nations were “debtors” of Israel (Rom 15:25-27). This statement is noteworthy because Paul never speaks of this dependency again later, but rather comes to the conclusion at the end of his life that the nations are now full members of the family of faith, and not guests of the covenant promise (to Israel). See Ephesians 2:13-18.

The New Testament is not a one-size-fits-all pulp. A development is taking place. We should learn to understand and appreciate this development, because we as a church from all nations are somewhere in this development. Where.

The Acts of the Apostles describes this development. At the beginning it is about the kingdom for Israel (Acts 1:6-8), while at the end salvation is to be brought to the nations because Israel once again rejects salvation (Acts 28:28). Peter is central at the beginning, while Paul is central from chapter 13 onwards. These and other elements can be found in the Acts of the Apostles.

Paul in the Acts of the Apostles and in his letters

What develops in the Acts of the Apostles is also reflected in the letters. In Romans, for example, Paul mentions two complementary realities that can only be interpreted as a development:

Rom 1:1-2: The gospel of God
The Gospel of God was previously promised through His prophets in holy scriptures. The topic was justification by faith.
Rom 16:25-26: My gospel
The gospel, which Paul calls “my gospel”, is based on the revelation of a mystery (i.e. it was not previously known). It was first made known through prophetic writings such as the letter to the Romans.

The journey to Jerusalem

Once again, the journey goes to Jerusalem, where Paul is later arrested. On the way there, he is warned several times by the brothers not to go up to Jerusalem.

In Tyre:
“They told Paul in the spirit not to go up to Jerusalem”
Acts 21:4

In Caesarea:
“A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to us, took Paul’s belt, bound his feet and hands with it and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “The man to whom this belt belongs will be bound like this by the Jews in Jerusalem and delivered into the hands of the nations. When we heard this, we spoke to him, as did those in the town, not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul took the floor and said: “Why do you make my heart so heavy with your complaining? For I am ready not only to be bound in Jerusalem, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus”. Since he could not be persuaded, we were silent about it and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Acts 21:10-14

The journey that Paul mentions in Romans 15 will be different than he thought. He does indeed come to Rome, but much later and as a prisoner. His wish to go to Spain was probably never fulfilled.

The church in Jerusalem

The church in Jerusalem is the church that is waiting for the Messiah and has the establishment of the Messianic kingdom as its prospect. There were in Jerusalem

“Tens of thousands among the Jews who have become believers, and they all belong to the zealots for the law”.
Acts 21:20

For Paul, this means conflict. Not with the Twelve Apostles (Gal 2:7-9), but with some who did not want to know anything about the nations. He asks the Romans for prayer:

“To wrestle with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be protected from the rebellious in Judea and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there.”
Rom 15:31

The apostle wants to carry out a ministry for the saints in Jerusalem, but at the same time feels resistance from some. This resistance is directed against the gospel of grace as proclaimed by Paul among the nations. However, they could also be Jews who neither belong to the church nor have anything to do with the good news for other nations.

From this journey onwards, a lot will change and develop in the letters of the Apostle Paul. It is a significant period of his travels. In “these landscapes” (today Turkey, Greece), he said, he has “no more room” (Rom 15:23). Hence the travel plans and the intention to travel to Spain via Rome. However, some things will develop in a more differentiated way. It is not yet known where we stand today. Believers from the nations are still “attached” to Israel. But that is about to change. Today we have free access to the Father (Eph 2:18), but Paul only writes about this in his last letters.