In Romans 15, Paul describes his gospel teaching and preaching as priestly work. Surprisingly, what he offers up to God is people, the nations. I don’t know how many times I’ve read Romans before, but I felt like I saw this analogy in Paul’s words for the first time this week.

Romans 15:15–16

Here’s the passage. I’ll comment on each bold phrase below.

I have written to you, at certain points rather boldly, as a reminder because of the gift given to me by God that I might be a minister of Christ Jesus for the nations, doing the priestly work of the gospel of God so that the offering of the nations might become delightful, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Whose Priest?

Israel’s priests did their work as mediators between Yahweh and the people. They were Yahweh’s ministers to Israel. Paul describes himself as a minister of Christ Jesus. He does priestly work (ἱερουγοῦντα) for the nations (εἰς τὰ ἔθνη). It’s striking that the nations are in the slot of Israel, and Jesus is in the slot of Yahweh.

What Work?

Paul describes his priestly work as “the gospel of God” (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ). The “gospel of God” recalls chapter 1, where Paul similarly described himself as “set apart for the gospel of God.” In chapter 1, Paul described the gospel as “the power of God” for salvation (Rom 1:16). Here in chapter 15, he adds another layer to the image of how the gospel saves. It’s priestly imagery.

What Offering?

This is the most striking part of his priestly analogy: Paul says that through his priestly work the nations become an offering (προσφορά). Paul’s offers people to God. This is what caught my attention and kept this passage on my mind the past couple days. How can Paul present people as an offering? How can the nations be sanctified and pass into God’s presence?

How?

Paul’s offering is not sanctified by fire or anointing or sacrifice. The nations are sanctified by the Holy Spirit (ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ). Paul teaches and preaches the gospel and the nations enter God’s presence as they respond in faith (cf. Rom 1:16). Paul communicates the gospel, the Spirit sanctifies, the nations respond in faith, and as a result they enter God’s presence. This is how Paul’s gospel teaching is like priestly work; it’s how the nations become a delightful offering (γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπροσδεκτος, Rom 15:16).

Our Teaching

I think the analogy explained above is relevant and applicable to our own gospel teaching and preaching. Obviously, Paul had a special apostolic role to play in the early church. He’s a part of the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, but that’s a foundation upon which we stand as God’s household (Ephesians 2:20). We don’t have Paul’s special apostolic calling, but we have the same gospel and the same Spirit of Christ. It wasn’t Paul’s apostolic ministry that sanctified those to whom he taught the gospel. The nations were made an delightful offering through the gospel by the Spirit.

As we teach our lessons and explain how to read the Bible and hear the gospel, may the Lord, who is the Spirit, use our words to sanctify our students and usher them into true life in God’s presence. May we not forget that he has promised to do more than we can ask or imagine.