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Romans 15:13-33 – Contributing to Fellowship
Your familiar with 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 about a collection for the saints; but how familiar are you? This is not the only time Paul spoke about this collection. Another is 2 Corinthians 8-9 which is rich in the gospel. A more neglected passage is Romans 15. I like word studies, so let’s “word up” on the richness of this collection!
In Romans 15:26, most every translation refers to the funds for needy saints (15:28) as a “contribution”. The etymology of the English word is, “with tribute”, which is interesting considering the context of Gentile material “obligation” to a Jewish spiritual origin – v.27. In time the meaning became, “the act of giving in common with others” from mid-15c; “that which is given toward a common end” is from c. 1600.
From the Greek, the word is koinonia, commonly translated as “fellowship”. In the sense of Romans 15, the collection for the saints was in recognition of the Gentiles and Jews fellowshipping one another in a common cause – Jesus Christ.
This high-minded meaning explains why Paul said, “Pray…that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,” (CSB’17 Romans 15:31). Would the Jewish believers accept the contribution as a sign that they accepted the Gentiles in fellowship? There was a lot more behind this contribution than mere money! May we today seek fellowship – and not control or condescension – with those for whom the contribution is made.
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