In the prologue to the 1534 edition of his English New Testament, William Tyndale calls the letter to the Romans "the principal and most excellent part of the New Testament" and "an introduction unto all the Old Testament."[1] Why? First, because the letter is the most thorough statement of the gospel that God has given us, and second, because it draws together the whole intent of the Old Testament to explain that gospel.
Tyndale goes on to say, "No man verily can read it too oft or study it too well: for the more it is studied the easier it is, the more it is chewed the pleasanter it is, and the more groundly it is searched the preciouser things are found in it, so great treasure of spiritual things lieth hid therein." How did such a treasure come to be?
LOOKING WESTWARD
In 57 AD, Paul had been a missionary apostle for about twenty years. He had spent the past ten years evangelizing Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece (Achaia), and he felt his work there was fulfilled. Now that local leaders were equipped to care for the churches Paul had planted, Paul was looking westward to Spain--the farthest end of the Empire, which had never heard the gospel (Romans 15:23-24). On the way to Spain, Paul hoped to satisfy a longing to visit Rome. Although he was legally a citizen of Rome (Acts 22:27-28), Paul had never seen the famed capital of the Empire. A stay there would be a chance to meet members of the network of churches already flourishing in Rome. Paul hoped that the Roman Christians would help provide funds and a base of operations for his mission to Spain. However, Paul had met only a few of the hundreds of Christians now living in Rome. Also, he could not journey westward immediately. He had collected a gift of money for the poor Christians in Jerusalem from the gentile Christians in Greece, and he felt he should deliver it to Jerusalem personally (Romans 15:25-26). For these reasons, he decided to send a letter of introduction to the Roman Christians to prepare them for his visit. The letter Paul wrote from Greece in the early spring of 57 AD (Acts 20:2-3) turned out to be his greatest treatise on the gospel.
SAUL THE PHARISEE
To understand Paul's letter, we should know at least a few of the things the Romans may have heard about the apostle. He was born in the first decade AD in Tarsus, a prosperous harbor city on the trade route from Syria to Asia Minor. Tarsus was known for its schools of philosophy and liberal arts, and Paul may have had some contact with these. Like most cities in the Empire, Tarsus probably contained synagogues of Greek-speaking Jews who were often as devout as their Hebrew-speaking brethren.[2] However, in Philippians 3:5, Paul calls himself "a Hebrew of Hebrews," which probably means that his parents spoke Hebrew and raised him in a strict Jewish home, isolated as much as possible from the pagan city around them.[3] They named their boy "Saul" after Israel's first king, for the family belonged to King Saul's tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5). They must have owned property and had some importance in the community, for Saul was born not only a citizen of Tarsus (Acts 21:39) but also a citizen of Rome.[4]
Saul was sent to study Jewish Law in Jerusalem under the foremost rabbi of his day, the Pharisee Gamaliel (Acts 22:3, Galatians 1:14). The Pharisees (the Hebrew word means "the separated ones") felt God had set them apart to live by the Torah (the Law, or teaching, of Moses). For them, that meant following the interpretations of the Torah laid down by generations of Jewish teachers. Some Pharisees held that a man was righteous if he had done more good than bad, but Saul apparently followed the more strict group that insisted that every least implication of the Law must be kept.[5]
The Pharisees expected a Messiah (Hebrew for "Anointed One"; Greek meaning "Christ"), who would deliver them from foreign oppression and rule with justice. However, Jesus of Nazareth had infuriated many Pharisees by interpreting the Law differently and acting like God. Thus, when some Jews began to proclaim Jesus as Messiah and Lord (a term usually reserved for God), strict Pharisees opposed them vehemently.
Saul helped to lead the fight against the proclaimers of Christ in Jerusalem (Acts 7:60-8:3, Galatians 1:13). When some were driven out, Saul obtained permission to pursue them to Damascus. But on the way there, Jesus confronted Saul in a blinding encounter (Acts 9:1-19), revealing to Saul that he was persecuting the very God He professed to worship. Saul's life now turned from Pharisaic observance of God's Law to a devoted obedience to Jesus Christ, the revealed Messiah. He joined the Jews who were urging other Jews to believe in Jesus, and shortly thereafter God called him to proclaim Jesus as Savior to Gentiles (non-Jews) also. Saul took the Greek name Paul when he turned to work among Gentiles.
PAUL THE MISSIONARY
Paul's conversion may have marked his first move outward from cloistered Judaism into pagan culture. He spent ten years in Cilicia and Syria (Galatians 1:21), probably preaching Jesus along with Greek-speaking Jewish Christians. Then Barnabas brought Paul from Tarsus to Syrian Antioch, where by this time the church was more gentile than Jewish.[6]
After some time, the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to evangelize Cyprus and Galatia for about two years. The missionaries then returned to Antioch, until some teachers came, saying that gentile Christians must be circumcised and follow the Jewish laws. Paul and Barnabas strongly opposed this teaching, and eventually both they and the Judaizers went to Jerusalem to have the apostles pronounce on the matter. The apostles embraced Paul's view that gentile Christians had to be moral and avoid idolatry but did not have to keep Jewish customs (Acts 15:1-35). Sadly, this was not the end of the controversy; Paul struggled against Judaizers for years thereafter.
Paul launched another missionary campaign after the Jerusalem council. With Silas and some other companions, Paul spent four years in Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia (Greece). After a quick trip to Jerusalem and Antioch, Paul took a third journey to Ephesus, through Macedonia, and finally to Corinth (Acts 15:40-20:3). In Corinth or the nearby port of Cenchrea, while staying with a man named Gaius (Romans 16:23, 1 Corinthians 1:14), Paul probably wrote to Rome. Shortly thereafter he left Corinth for Jerusalem.
ARRIVAL IN ROME
Paul got to Rome, but not in the way he planned. When he appeared in Jerusalem with the alms from his gentile converts, some Jewish enemies incited the Roman authorities to arrest him. He spent two years in prison in Caesarea, but when a new Roman governor suggested sending Paul to stand trial in a Jewish court, Paul appealed for trial before Caesar (Acts 21:17-25:12).
The trip to Rome took nearly a year because of a storm and shipwreck (Acts 27:1-28:16), so Paul arrived about three years after he sent the letter announcing his plan to come. For two years the apostle was under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:30), supported at least partly by members of the churches he had planted rather than by the Christians in Rome (Philippians 1:12-18, 2:25, 4:18). Paul was probably released from this first imprisonment in Rome and may even have gotten to Spain, but some years later he was arrested, tried, and executed in Rome.
TIMELINE OF PAUL'S MINISTRY
(All dates are approximate, based on F.F. Bruce, "Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free," page 475.)
Public ministry of Jesus 28-30 AD
Conversion of Paul (Acts 9:1-19) 33
Paul visits Jerusalem to see Peter (Gal 1:18) 35
Paul in Cilicia and Syria (Acts 9:30, Gal 1:21) 35-46
Paul visits Jerusalem to clarify the
mission to the Gentiles (Gal 2:1-10) 46
Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus
and Galatia (Acts 13-14) 47-48
Letter to the Galatians 48?
Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) 49
Paul and Silas travel from Antioch to
Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia (Acts 16-17) 49-50
Letters to the Thessalonians 50
Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-18) 50-52
Paul visits Jerusalem 52
Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19) 52-55
Letters to the Corinthians 55-56
Paul travels to Macedonia, Dalmatia,
and Achaia (Acts 20) 55-57
Letter to the Romans early 57
Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-23:22) May 57
Paul imprisoned in Caesarea (Acts 23:23-26:32) 57-59
Paul sent to house arrest in Rome
(Acts 27:1-28:31) 59-62
Letters to Philippians, Colossians,
Ephesians, and Philemon 60?-62
Letters to Timothy and Titus ?
Paul executed in Rome 65?
THE CHURCH IN ROME
The first Christians in Rome were probably Jews.[7] They may have become Christians after Peter's first Pentecost sermon in Jerusalem (Acts 2:5,10-11,41), or they may have heard the gospel sometime thereafter. Business, religious pilgrimage, and pleasure were constantly carrying Jews back and forth between Rome, Jerusalem, Antioch, and other cities. Some Jews probably heard the gospel in the East and carried the news back to Rome. When Paul met two Jews from Rome, Priscilla and Aquila, they were apparently already Christians (Acts 18:2-3).[8] Along with all the other Roman Jews, these two had been expelled from the capital by Emperor Claudius because of persistent rioting in the Jewish community "at the instigation of Chrestus."[9]
That expulsion took place in 49 AD, but a few years later both Christian and non-Christian Jews were back in Rome (Romans 16:3). By 57 AD there was also a substantial number of gentile Christians in Rome, for Paul addressed both Jews and Gentiles at length in his letter (Romans 2:17, 11:11-21). Because he said a great deal about relations between Jews and Gentiles, we infer that neither group was a tiny minority in the churches.
When Paul wrote this letter, his understanding of the gospel was not the norm throughout the Empire, as it is today. A few of the Christians in Rome, such as Priscilla and Aquila, were familiar with Paul's view of the faith. However, most of the Roman Christians had been converted by other apostles' teaching. Now they were working out the details of the gospel with the Holy Spirit and the Old Testament to guide them. Some of the Roman Christians approached their relationship with Jesus from an orthodox Jewish point of view, others from an idolatrous past, and others from one of the many Jewish sects with various interpretations of the Old Testament and Jewish tradition. Paul had to keep this variety among Christians in mind as he presented his gospel as the one accurate understanding of Jesus' work. When he described how Christians should live in light of the gospel, he emphasized unity and tolerance among Christians with different gifts and customs (Romans 12:1-15:13).
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
Paul's letter to the Romans systematically unfolds the gospel of God's Son, the revelation of the righteousness of God (Romans 1:16-17). In it, Paul deals with such huge and knotty issues as sin, guilt, salvation, grace, law, faith, works, righteousness, justification, sanctification, redemption, death, resurrection, the place of the Jews in God's plan of salvation, and the way we should live in light of our salvation. Martin Luther calls this book, "the daily bread of the soul."[10] Feast on!
NOTES
[1] F. F. Bruce, "The Epistle to the Romans" (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1963), page 9.
[2] A. T. Robertson, "Paul, the Apostle," THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPAEDIA, volume 4 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1956), page 2276.
[3] F. F. Bruce, "Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free" (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), pages 41-43.
[4] Bruce, "Paul," pages 32-40.
[5] Bruce, "Paul," pages 50-51.
[6] Bruce, "Paul," pages 127-133.
[7] Bruce, "Paul," pages 379-382.
[8] "The NIV Study Bible," edited by Kenneth Barker (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Corporation, 1985), page 1681.
[9] Suetonius, "Life of Claudius 25.4." Suetonius wrote seventy years after the expulsion and apparently thought Christ was a Jew present in Rome, but the riots were probably between Christian and anti-Christian Jews. See Bruce, "Paul," pages 381-382 for an explanation.
[10] Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans" (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1982), page xiii.
Rom 1:1-7
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--
2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,
4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
(NIV)
1. Note Paul's two credentials. First, and most important, he is a servant of Christ Jesus. We have read the words of Jesus, "apart from me you can do nothing." Any claim of church leadership. Any attempt to "serve the church" depends upon this first credential, service. Consider what it means to be a servant of Christ. Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commands." He also said, "By this shall all khow that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another." He gave this instruction, "If any would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.
What was Paul saying about his lifestyle and priorities when he said he was a servant of Christ Jesus? What could the Romans readers know of him at this point?
The second credential is "an apostle." This term means "one who is sent." The closest term we have today is missionary. We have seen how missionaries have a position of oversight for the new churches they found. Their leadership comes as they are the ones teaching new Christians how to walk "in the way." By the title Apsotle, Paul indicates a missionary thurst in his minisry. He I one who was sent out to carry the good news of Jesus. He was an ambassador for Christ. He is also "one who is set apart." This setting apart is for a purpose. We sometimes hear an emphasis upon being separate. Paul would ask, "for what?" He knew that it is not enough just to be separated, one must have a purpose. I have heard of one man who was asked in a job interview, "what is your goal in life?" His answer, "to go to heaven and take as many people as I can with me." This was what Paul was set apart to do. He was called to a ministry of good news.
2. The apostles had an important message. the Gospel they preached was not new. It was promised beforehand by God. What we now call the Old Testament contains the gospel as a promise. It is hard sometimes to remember that the Old Testament was all the Bible the early Chrsitians had. When Paul says that somehting is proclaimed in Scripture he is refering to the Old Testament. Jesus Christ came as the promised one of God.pel is not here is a new Mesiah. The Gospel is he is the promised messiah.
3-4. These verses come from an early doctrinal statement of the church. When you visit my web page and click on the "I believe" section you do not find a new doctrine. You find the apsotle's creed. Paul, in the same way was stating his faith in a way familiar to his readers. he was saying that he was in agreement with the thrust of the gospel message. He knew that Jesus was the Son of God. He knew that Jesus was, in his flesh, descended from David. He knew that Jesus had shown power as he was risen from the dead. He could proclaim, "Jesus Christ our Lord."
Credentials are important. A man might be "ordained." He might be a career missionary. He might be well attested in many ways. But if that person is to teach us, we have a right to know what he believes. In the last few decades a thought has entered the church that "doctrine isn't important." Paul knew that doctrine is important because it forms the basis of action. What a person lives demonstates, more than words, what that person believes. In the same way, to let people know, up front, your operating beliefs is to let them know what to expect from you. A person who believes himself a servant of Christ will act one way. a person who believes that "I have to go where my needs are met." will behave differently. A person who truly believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God will behave diferently than one who thinks Jesus was a good man and a fine teacher. Paul knew Jesus as Lord. This shaped the form of his life.
5. Here return to purpose. Modern planning sees several steps Mission statement, Goal and Action statements. An action statement might be "we will open a pre-school." A goal might be "we want to reach families with young children." But a mission statment is we are here to carry the word of God to Napa Valley and beyond." So Paul had as a mision the "gospel of God." But he also had as a goal, "calling people to obedience that comes from faith." When those among whom he worked began living according to the Word of Christ. Then he know his work was bearing fruit. He was especially desirous of seeing such obedience grow out of faith.
Romans 1:1-7 Introduction
OPEN IT
1. What are some of the normal ways people begin a letter or a phone call?
2. When have you been startled by the opening paragraph of a letter?
3. If you were writing the initial letter to a pen pal, how would you introduce yourself?
EXPLORE IT
4. How did Paul introduce and identify himself to the Romans? (1:1)
5. What special calling on his life did Paul feel? (1:1)
6. In what ways has God revealed His gospel to people? (1:2-4)
7. Who is the focus of God's gospel? (1:2-4)
8. What credentials does Jesus have to confirm His claim as Son of God? (1:3-4)
9. What did Paul and others receive as a calling for their lives? (1:5)
10. Who were the new group of people being exposed to the gospel message? (1:5)
11. What were the Gentiles and all people being called to believe? (1:5)
12. How did Paul describe the people who were receiving this letter? (1:6)
13. To whom was this letter written? (1:7)
14. What kind of greeting did Paul send to his audience? (1:7)
GET IT
15. In what way do you feel God has placed a special calling on your life?
16. What purpose for living has God given you?
17. What words do you use to describe yourself to others as a follower of Jesus Christ?
18. How did you feel when you realized God's gospel was meaningful to you?
19. What do most people today believe about God's plan for the world?
20. What do most people today believe about God's plan for their personal salvation?
21. How have your beliefs about Jesus Christ changed during the various stages of your life?
22. In what ways would remembering in prayer each day God's calling on and plan for your life affect your daily walk with Christ?
APPLY IT
23. With whom could you share God's unfolding plan of salvation for the whole world?
24. How would you explain God's plan of salvation to a friend?
25. To what friend could you explain God's love and your response to His plan of salvation? How?