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An Admonition to Patience and Harmony.
Christians should not please themselves:
v. 1. We, then, that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves.
v. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good, to edification.
v. 3. For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached Thee fell on Me.
v. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
v. 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus,
v. 6. that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the preceding section Paul had spoken of things indifferent and of the consideration which the strong in faith ought to show to the weak in this respect. He now extends the notion of strong and weak somewhat and speaks of the behavior of the Christians in general, with reference to the example of Christ. But it is the duty of us that are strong to tolerate the weaknesses of the weak and not please ourselves. The strong, or able, are the Christians that are enjoying a strong, vigorous Christianity, without, indeed, being perfect; the weak, on the other hand, are the unsteady, the feeble, that are weak in both knowledge and Christian life. Luther says of the latter: "Such weak ones are they that sometimes stumble in open sin, or those that we in German call strange heads and peculiar people, that fly up at a slight provocation or have other weaknesses, for which reason it is difficult to get along with them; as this may happen especially between husband and wife, between master and servant, between government and subjects. " It is the duty of the strong to tolerate, to bear, the weak, to hold them up in their weakness, in their prejudices, errors, and faults, the purpose of such kindness being to aid our fellow-Christian in getting rid of his faults, in being cured of his weakness. For the object and aim of a Christian's life and conduct is not to please himself, to live only for his own benefit; such behavior as aims only at its own edification is the height of selfishness and smug hypocrisy.
Paul teaches that a real Christian shows an altogether different disposition and conduct: Let every one of us please his neighbor unto good, for edification. Instead of being concerned about their own advancement in spiritual knowledge only, true Christians will always be ready, though not officious, in endeavoring to promote the spiritual life of their neighbors in the Church as well, for the good which we must chiefly have in mind is the religious improvement of others, especially if they have not had the advantages which we have enjoyed by the grace of God. In doing so we are inspired and urged onward by the highest possible example: For also Christ did not please Himself, but He acted according to what was written concerning Him: The reproaches, the vituperations, of them that reproached Thee have fallen on Me. The apostle here quotes from Psa_69:9, from a Messianic psalm; for the Savior Himself spoke through the inspired prophet and pictured some of the incidents of His suffering. See Joh_2:17; Joh_15:25; Joh_19:28; Act_1:20. Even Jesus, though exempt from such obligations by the fact of His being true God, did not live for His own pleasure only, did not live merely to enjoy the glory which had been imparted to His human nature, but was concerned without ceasing for the deliverance and salvation of sinful mankind, being undeterred in this object by all the blasphemous reproaches of all the enemies that attempted to frustrate His work. If Christ, therefore, laid aside all consideration of self and made the welfare of sinners the chief aim of His life, surely no Christian will consider himself too good to follow that example and endeavor in every possible way to aid in the edification of his neighbor unto eternal life. There can and must be no thought of burden, but only of privilege.
Paul now justifies his use of the Old Testament passage and shows that the facts recorded in Scriptures are designed for our instruction and may therefore readily be applied in their fulfillment. For all things written beforehand, in olden times, for our instruction were they written, in order that through the patience and through the consolation of the Scriptures we might have the hope, v. 4. The reference of the apostle is to the entire Old Testament as it was then in use. The books which were known under the collective title "The Scriptures" were not composed by their authors to serve only their own contemporaries, but the Holy Ghost, the Editor-in-chief, the real Author of the Bible, had in mind the conditions of all times to the end of time. The Bible, therefore, is the teacher, the instructor, of the Church after Christ as well as before Christ. Such an application of Scripture, then, as here made by the apostle is entirely in accord with the purpose of the holy Book; it should serve for strengthening Christians in their faith. One of the aims of Scriptures is named by the apostle, namely, to give us instruction, in order that we through the patience and the consolation which Scripture produces and works in us might have and hold firmly the hope of the future glory. This object may be attained in us because the Bible not only admonishes us to hold out patiently and steadfastly to the end, but also comforts us with the assurance of the help of the Holy Spirit, and thus works in us both patience and consolation to wait and to endure, since the realization of our hope is a matter of only a short time. If we use Scripture regularly and properly, then we draw out of it from day to day more strength, comfort, courage, and confidence, and thus ever keep before our eyes the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls.
The apostle now concludes his admonition with the cordial wish: But the God of patience and consolation give to you to think the same thing toward one another according to Christ Jesus, that you, of one mind and in one mouth, may praise God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, vv. 5-6. As the Scriptures were just called the instruction for our patience and consolation, so the same titles are here applied to God: He is the God of patience and comfort, inspiring steadfastness and encouragement in our hearts through the use of the Scriptures in which He reveals Himself. And if these gifts of God are found in us by the gift of God, then we and all Christians will be like-minded toward one another, then there will be God-pleasing harmony among us, then we shall consider one another as brothers and show a true brotherly spirit, free from all selfishness. Such brotherly harmony according to the spirit of Jesus Christ is presupposition and foundation of the mutual bearing, of the mutual furtherance and edification which should be found in every Christian congregation. That is the will of Christ, whose prayer for this gift should always be kept in mind by all believers, Joh_17:11. And thus it will follow that those who are really a unit in the Spirit of God will also, with one accord, unite in a chorus of praise to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom all these great spiritual gifts are derived, whose love in Christ Jesus has made them possible and transmitted them to us. Note: God is the God as well as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; it is a most singular relation, assumed, however, for the salvation of mankind.