Some manuscripts indicate the content of this blessing as that “of the gospel of Christ” (e.g., KJV), and other manuscripts have the shorter and simpler “of Christ” (e.g., NASB). Either way, the context deals with Paul’s gospel ministry, so all the blessing that believers share together is thanks to Christ and stems from the gospel.

Have you recently used the phrase “the fullness of the blessing of Christ”? Probably not. What does it mean? And, to use it in the sense that it has in Romans 15:29, how does one come “in” it to someone else?

In context, Paul has just ended the body of his letter (Romans 1:16–15:13) and clarified his role as an apostle and thus the reason for boldness in his letter (Romans 15:14–21). Next, in our passage, he updates his readers about his travel plans (Romans 15:22–29). Having completed his current objectives for ministry (Romans 15:22-23; cf. 15:18–21), he hoped to visit the Romans (Romans 15:22–24), but only after delivering a financial gift to the poor among the saints in Jerusalem during a time of famine (Romans 15:25–29). Then he would come to the Roman believers “in the fullness of the blessing of Christ” (Romans 15:29). But again, what does this phrase mean?

“Fullness” describes the “completion” or “sum total” of something,1 and that something in this context is “the blessing.” What, then, was the nature of this blessing?

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