Romans 15:29

"The fullness of the blessing" refers to the miracles through which the blessing is confirmed.

After these things he says: "When therefore I shall have completed this, and shall have consigned to them this fruit, I shall set out by way of you into Spain. For I know that coming to you, I shall come in the abundance of the blessing of Christ." See with how great caution he promises that he will seal the fruit of those who offer. With what seal do you suppose the Apostle seals the fruit of a holy work? With that one, I think, by which the image of God is expressed, that is, that in completing the work there be no admixture of an alien thought, that praise be not sought from men, but that he who gives may give in simplicity of heart, and not out of sadness: for "God loves a cheerful giver." And whoever observes these and similar things in the work of God, seals his work with the seal of the divine image. "When therefore," he says, "I shall have completed this, then I shall set out by way of you to Spain." Indeed he promises a great gift to the Romans, and says: "For I know that coming to you, I shall come in the abundance of the blessing of Christ": which he promises only through the Holy Spirit and the grace of prophecy. For it is above man to know these things about the future, that he would come to them not only in the blessing of Christ, but even in the abundance of the blessing. In which both the grace of him who comes, and equally the merits of those who receive him, are indicated.

Wherefore instruction, which reveals hidden things, is called illumination, as it is the teacher only who uncovers the lid of the ark, contrary to what the poets say, that "Zeus stops up the jar of good things, but opens that of evil."

"And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ." What is the force of, "In the fulness of the blessing? Either he speaks of alms (Gr. money), or generally of good deeds. For blessing is a name he very commonly gives to alms. As when he says, "As a blessing and not as covetousness." (2 Cor. ix. 5.) And it was customary of old for the thing to be so called. But as he has here added "of the Gospel," on this ground we assert that he speaks not of money only, but of all other things. As if he had said, I know that when I come I shall find you with the honor and freshness of all good deeds about you, and worthy of countless praises in the Gospel. And this is a very striking mode of advice, I mean this way of forestalling their attention by encomiums. For when he entreats them in the way of advice, this is the mode of setting them right that he adopts.

Then when he says, but I know, he foretells the fruit of his visit, saying: but I know, namely, from my confidence in God's grace, that when I come to you, I shall come in the abundance of the blessing of Christ, i.e., Christ will …