KPrST^.E TO THE ROMANS \t 



CHAPTER 11 



THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 



1. The first passage 1 shall produce from this epistle, 

 and upon which a good deal of observation will be founded, 

 is the following : 



" But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the 

 saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia 

 to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are 

 at Jerusalem." Rom. 15 : 25, 26. 



In this quotation three distinct circumstances are stated : 

 a contribution in Macedonia for the relief of the Christians 

 of Jerusalem, a contribution in Achaia for the same purpose, 

 and an intended journey of St. Paul to Jerusalem. These 

 circumstances are stated as taking place at the same time, 

 and that to be the time v/hen the epistle Avas written. Now 

 let us inquire whether we can find these circumstances else- 

 where ; and whether, if we do find them, they meet together 

 in respect of date. Turn to the Acts of the Apostles, chap. 

 20, ver. 2, 3, and you read the following account : "When 

 he had gone over those parts," namely, Macedonia, "and 

 had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 

 and there abode three months. And when the Jews laid 

 wait for him, as he ivas about to sail into Syria, he pro- 

 posed to return through Macedonia." From this passage, 

 compared with the account of St. Paul's travels given before, 

 and from the sequel of the chapter, it appears that upon St. 

 Paul's second visit to the peninsula of Greece, his intention 

 was, when he should leave the country, to proceed from 

 Achaia directly by sea to Syria ; but that to avoid the Jews, 

 who were lying in wait to intercept him in his route, he so 

 far changed his purpose as to go back through Macedonia, 

 embark at Philippi, and pursue his voyage from thence tow- 

 ards Jerusalem. Here therefore is a journey to Jerusalem, 



