“This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.” -Romans 15:22–24
His apostleship and calling to take the gospel where it has not been heard is the reason Paul gives for having not visited the church at Rome sooner. However, since the gospel seed has been so planted in those regions that there remains no more fields to seed, and since he has desired to see them for many years, he is hopeful the opportunity to come to them has finally presented itself.
As a matter of fact, Paul adds, he can visit them on his way to Spain, a mission field he hopes to open up. And after he has enjoyed their company for a while, he is hopeful they will be able to help him get to Spain by means of prayer and financial support. After all, this seems to be the primary purpose for writing to the Church at Rome.
It also seems there are at least two noteworthy observations one can draw from this passage. First, Paul operates not only by faith but also by hope (Romans 8:25 Cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13). These are connected but not exactly the same. It is true he is hopeful by faith but it is hope that motivates his ministry. He is hopeful regarding eternity; he is hopeful regarding the power of the gospel; he is hopeful about the faith and generosity of God’s people; he is hopeful he will be able to go to Spain.
Second, there is no real evidence of Paul having made the journey to Spain. It seems the early church fathers and historians (i.e., Origin and Eusebius) have no knowledge of Paul making the journey to Spain and there are only much later historians that appear to have speculated or even invented stories about Paul’s journey.
In any event, while Christians have every reason to remain hopeful—“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)—we must also learn to manage our own expectations by trusting the Lord when our earthly desires don’t manifest in the ways we hoped.
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“ … hopeful by faith but it is hope that motivates …” Amen!