Paul says his task is to go to unreached peoples — to go to new areas — to spread the good news to people who have not heard — to avoid treading on the turf of othes and simply begin new churches.
Paul says he has preached the gospel from Jerusalem (notice his beginning point) to Illyricum. As Wright observes, we don’t know when Paul went there — but that ought to remind us that we don’t know everything about Paul’s journeys.
What he says is that he wants to preach in new areas so he doesn’t build on someone’s foundation — and he summons Isaiah 52:15 (“Those who were not told about him will see…”) for support for his missional vocation.
In fact, Rom 15:23 says this: “with no further place for me in these regions.” Good grief, we have to say, there were lots of communities he hadn’t been to.
Four points from Wright: (1) his work has delayed his coming to Rome; (2) he has fulfilled his aims for the eastern Mediterranean; (3) Rome will be his base for work in Spain; (4) I don’t see that he gave it!
On to Spain! he says.