May 31 2020 - Introduction to Paul's Letter to the Romans
Paul followed up his second letter to the Corinthians with a personal visit to Corinth where he stayed for some months (Acts 20:2). It was towards the end of this period that Paul appears to have written this letter to the Christians at Rome. Although he had never visited the church, Paul seems to have known many of the members whom he greets by name in chapter 16. Many of these Christians knew and had worked with Paul: the whole church was probably familiar with his ministry.
The origin and character of the church at Rome
We have no clear information concerning the origins of the church at Rome. Clearly it was not founded by Paul, neither would it seem likely that it had been founded by another apostle or person of apostolic standing – Paul is sensitive about building on another person's labours and yet seems keen to forge closer links with the church at Rome.
It is possible that the church at Rome could have its origins in Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2 tells us that there were, gathered at Jerusalem, Jews and converts to Judaism from every part of the Mediterranean world, including some from Rome (Acts 2:10). It is possible that some of those three thousand who believed and were baptised on that day were 'visitors from Rome' who then took back with them the message of the gospel. The movement of trade between Rome and the rest of the Roman world may also have brought Christians to Rome.
Whatever the precise origin of the church, it would initially have consisted mainly of Jews who would probably also have continued to participate in the life of the synagogue. But the character of the church appears to have changed twice between the time of its origin and when Paul wrote this letter.
In 49 AD the Emperor Claudius banished all Jews from Rome. Suetonius tells us that Claudius did this because "the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus." C K Barrett comments, "This is a not uncommon name, but it is possible that the disturbances were caused by Jewish-Christian controversy" (The New Testament Background: Selected Documents p.15). It is possible, therefore, that Jews and proselytes who had embraced Christianity were the cause of arguments within the Jewish community in Rome, just as similar controversy affected the Jewish communities with which Paul had been involved. As a result, Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, including the Jewish Christians. Among those expelled from Rome were Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2).
In the wake of such banishment, the church in Rome must have become almost entirely Gentile, and probably remained so for some years. During this period it would have developed Gentile leadership and a character, perspective and practices which would have reflected its Gentile membership – perhaps even extending to a particular understanding of the relationship between 'church' and 'state.'
Claudius died in 54 AD and his decree banishing Jews from Rome lapsed. Jews, including Christian Jews, began to return to the city. The reference to Priscilla and Aquila in Romans 16:3, along perhaps with reference to several others whom Paul had previously worked with is probably a reflection of such migrations.
It is not difficult to imagine the tensions that must have developed between Jewish and Gentile Christians at Rome. The returning Jews must have felt that the church was theirs; they had been the founding members and the gospel message concerned the Christ, the Jewish Messiah, the one who had come to fulfil all the promises of the Old Testament. The Jewish Christians were therefore keen to emphasise the continuity of Judaism and Christianity.
On the other hand, the Gentile Christians had functioned effectively as a church without the Jews. They must have felt that the church at Rome was now their church, a church with a distinctively Gentile outlook. They probably emphasised the distinction between Judaism and Christianity – they may even have thought that God had written Jews out of his covenant. Since Claudius had expelled the troublesome Jews from Rome, they probably wanted to distance themselves from Jews and perhaps emphasised that the Christian message was no threat to Roman government. They may well have laid little emphasis on the Old Testament, perhaps even suggesting that it was no longer relevant in the light of Jesus and his teaching. In particular they would not have followed Levitical law regarding food and days.
Much of this picture is necessarily conjectural but it is given credibility by many of the things Paul has to say in his letter to the Romans.
Why did Paul write his letter to the Romans?
Paul wrote the letter to prepare the way for a visit he planned to make to them (Rom 1:11-13). He considers that his ministry in Asia Minor, Macedonia and Achaia is now complete: there are significant churches planted in each of these regions and the continuing task of propagating the gospel in these areas can be left to them. Paul must now move on to new areas where the gospel has not yet been preached (Rom 15:17-22). He has decided that this new region will be Spain and he plans to go there via Rome (Rom 15:23-29). He hopes that the church in Rome may take a real interest in this work and, just as the church at Philippi supported Paul in his ministry in Achaia, so he hopes that the church in Rome may offer practical support for his ministry in Spain (see particularly 15:24).
But Paul's plan to visit the Christians at Rome is not merely a means to an end: Paul wants to visit them and to enjoy fellowship with them, encourage them and be encouraged by them (Rom 1:11-12). Paul clearly knew a number of the members of the church (see Romans 16) and had often wanted to come and visit them (Rom 1:13).
Since Paul knows something of the church at Rome, his letter seeks also to address some of the hot issues within the church. In particular he is anxious to heal the division between Jewish and Gentile believers within the church.
From the opening verses of the letter he is keen to stress both the continuity and discontinuity between Judaism and Christianity: Jesus has come in fulfilment of the Old Testament Scriptures and is the promised son of David, the Messiah (Rom 1:3). But Jesus is one who also has brought in a new age through his resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4). The gospel message which characterises this new age calls Gentiles and Jews together to submit to the Christ of God (Rom 1:5).
Paul shows that both Jews and Gentiles are by nature rebels against God and are the subjects of God's wrath (1:18-2:16). Though Jews have the privilege of having been entrusted with God's revelation, this is of no benefit apart from faith. And for Paul, faith is, by definition, faith in Jesus Christ. In particular, Paul focusses on the Jews possession of the law: there is no virtue in possessing and knowing the law if you do not live by it; the Old Testament itself bears witness to the fact that, far from commending them to God, the law condemns those who live under it (2:17-3:20).
The people of God are those who have been redeemed through the atoning sacrifice of God's Son. They are defined then not by parentage or ethnicity but simply by faith in Christ. God is God both of Jews and Gentiles (3:21-31). Paul shows that God accepted Abraham, the patriarch of the people of God, through faith, a faith analogous to the faith of the Christian who believes in one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead. Abraham is the father of both Jewish and Gentile believers (Rom 4).
In the latter half of Romans 5 Paul draws an analogy between Adam and Christ. Just as Adam's sin affected the whole human race, so also the work of Christ is of universal significance. He is the second Adam, the head of a new humanity. His work is as relevant to the Gentile as it is to the Jew. Paul forces Jewish believers to read the Old Testament against the opening chapters of Genesis. From the beginning, the Old Testament was concerned with the plight of the world and the salvation of the world. Abraham and the Jews were chosen for the sake of the world.
Romans 7 is a notoriously difficult chapter but, reading it against the context of tension between law-keeping Jewish believers and Gentile believers at Rome, it may be seen as Paul's comment on a life lived by the principle of law-keeping. In contrast, Romans 8 describes the Christian life as God intended it to be lived – life in the Spirit. It is clear that, despite his Jewish origins, Paul's sympathies do not lie with Jewish believers who seek to live by the law. This leads Paul into Romans 8, in which he asserts that Christian believers live not by the law but by the power of the Spirit of the risen Christ and in sure and certain hope of resurrection glory that will transform every element of creation.
In Romans 9-11 Paul provides us with a panoramic view of the purposes of God. At the moment the Jews (by and large) have rejected the Messiah. Though this is immensely painful to Paul he understands that this is all part of the great purpose of God. Their rejection of the Messiah was necessary since Christ had to die as an atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Their continuing rejection of Christ has forced the gospel to be taken to and preached to the Gentiles. But Paul believes that the day will come when the Jews will be so moved to envy over God's blessing upon the Gentiles that they too will turn to Christ. Then God's saving plan will be complete as the full number of Jews and Gentiles will be included together among his people. The Gentile believers are not to look down on the Jews but are to remember that the gospel message has its roots in Judaism and will have its consummation in Jews turning to Christ.
In the first part of Romans 13, Paul addresses the issue of how the Christian should view and behave towards civil authority. Here again, he may be addressing issues which formed part of the tension or disagreement between Gentile and Jewish believers. Jewish believers may have had an over negative view of the Roman authorities. Paul's instruction here is rooted in Old Testament passages such as Daniel, Isaiah and even Esther.
In chapter 14 Paul addresses conflicts between the 'weak' and the 'strong.' In context, the 'weak' would appear to be Jewish believers who continued to observe the Levitical laws and who were sensitive about food and the observance of certain days. Paul's sympathies again lie with those who feel no need to observe the Levitical law, but he calls on both sides to respect and accept one another just as Christ has accepted them all (15:7).
Paul's letter to the Romans is therefore not an abstract treatise concerning the gospel. It is a letter written to a particular group of people, a letter which seeks to address specific issues of debate among these people. However, since it also addresses issues which have been at the heart of Paul's own ministry and personal history it is not wholly incorrect to suggest that Romans is also Paul's gospel manifesto: it expounds his understanding of the gospel, its relationship to the Old Testament and the nature of the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ; it is a declaration and exposition of the 'righteousness of God', God's faithfulness to his covenant and fulfilment of its promises in Jesus the Christ. In making the nature of his ministry and preaching clear, Paul is seeking not only to minister to the Christians in Rome and heal some of the divisions among them, but is also seeking their support in taking this same gospel to those in Spain who have not yet heard of Jesus Christ. Paul is animated by a vision of empire which rivals and dwarfs that of Rome; it is not Caesar but Jesus who is Lord, and it is his kingdom or empire, characterised by righteousness and peace, which is destined to dominate the world.
Welcome to Paul's great Letter to the Romans.
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Peter Misselbrook