Untitled

THE BOOK OF ROMANS
INTRODUCTION-CHAPTER ONE:

I. INTRODUCTION:

A. THE CHURCH IN ROME:

'When Paul wrote this epistle he had not been to Rome (1:15), but had often wished to go (1:13; 15:23), and now purposed to do so (15:24,28). How, then, was the church there brought into being? That it had originated early we deduce from the fact that when Paul wrote this epistle, the faith of those Roman believers was already "spoken of throughout the world" (1:8)'

1. It's Origin:

The tradition that the Church in Rome was founded by the apostle Peter fails to find supporting evidence in the New Testament. (a) In Paul's letter to the church in Rome he makes no mention of Peter, even though he mentions many Christians by name (16:1ff). (b) His letters written while imprisoned in Rome never mention Peter (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon). (c) Up to the conference in Jerusalem (Acts 15-A.D. 52), Peter was still there (15:7, Gal. 2:1) The probability is, either some of those present on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10 'sojourners from Rome') returned to plant the religion of Christ in that city, or in the dispersion of Jewish Christians from Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; 11:19). Moreover, the ever-busy intercourse between Rome and the provinces would almost certainly bring Christian converts to the capital, not only from Judaea, but from other parts as well.

2. It's Composition:

From the Roman letter we learn that the Church here was composed of both Gentile and Jewish elements. (1:13; 7:1; 11:13). Twenty-six persons are greeted in this letter, and two-thirds of the names are Greek. 'There was a Jewish community in Rome as early as the second century B.C. It was considerably augmented in consequence of Pompey's conquest of Judaea in 63 B.C.. In 59 B.C. Cicero makes reference to the size and influence of the Jewish colony in Rome. In A.D. 19 the Jews of Rome were expelled from the city by decree of the Emperor Tiberius, but in a few years they were back in as great numbers as ever. Not long after this we have the record of another mass-expulsion of Jews from Rome, this time by the Emperor Claudius (A.D. 41-54). This expulsion is briefly referred to in Acts 18:2 (late summer A.D. 50). Aquila and Priscilla appear to have been Christians before they met Paul, and were probably members of the original group of believers in Jesus resident in Rome.'

B. DATE AND OCCASION OF WRITING:

'In the epistle itself we learn that Paul was about to go to Jerusalem with the collection by churches of Macedonia and Achaia "for the poor among the saints" (15:25-27). He frequently stressed this collection in the earlier letters to Corinth (1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8,9). Romans..must have been written later than 2 Corinthians, for he was on the verge of departing for Jerusalem (15:25 'but now, I am going to Jerusalem'). 2 Corinthians was written from Macedonia; from Macedonia he went to Greece (Acts 20:1-2) to collect the collection from Corinth (2 Cor. 9:1-5). Other details inside the letter suggest that Romans was written from Corinth, just prior to Paul's departure for Jerusalem. He refers to Cenchrea (Corinth's western seaport-16:1), he commends Phoebe to the Romans (possibly the one who personally took the letter to Rome). He is entertained by Gaius (16:23); he had baptized a man by this name in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:14). Erastus seems to have lived in Corinth also (16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20).

From Acts Chapter 20 we learn that after leaving Corinth Paul back-tracked through Macedonia (a slight change of plans-20:3) and crossed over to Troas (Acts 20:3,5-6). He was trying to make it to Jerusalem by Pentecost (50 days after Passover) (Acts 20:16). Hence the date for this epistle must have been in the early spring. The shipping season in this part of the world, resumed in March. Hence Romans was written from Corinth, in the early spring of 57 or 58 A.D.

C. THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER:

1. A Discussion of Serious Questions:

'The need for such a treatise is clear. When Paul wrote it the Gospel had been preached through the Roman world for a quarter of a century, and many communities of Christians had come into being. It was inevitable that the wide-spreading new faith should evoke momentous questions. What about the doctrine of God's righteousness if, as this new preaching says, sinners everywhere may be freely pardoned through grace? What about the relation of this "Gospel" to the Law of Moses? Does it not repudiate Moses? How can the admission of Gentiles to equal privilege with the Jews be reconciled with the O.T.? And what is going to become of morals if God is now going to deal with men on the ground of grace instead of holding them accountable to a righteous law? Will not people sin more than ever, that grace may abound? And what about Israel's special covenant-relation with God? Does not the new "Gospel" imply that God has now cast off His people?'

2. To Get the Jump on Error:

This letter does contain one reference to false teachers (16:17-18). Throughout much of his Christian life Paul had constantly battled against those who wanted to blend Christianity with Judaism (Acts 15:1-2,5; Galatians 5:2; Colossians 2:16). Many of the arguments in Romans would check this error. (3:20-31; 4:1-25; 7:1-6; 8:1-4)

3. To put things to Proper Perspective:

'The purpose of the letter is to set forth, as Baur rightly expresses it, "both the relation of Judaism and heathenism to each other, and the relation of both to Christianity."'

4. How God Justifies the Sinner and the Jewish Problem:

In his commentary on Romans, Jim McGuiggan feels that Paul is dealing with three grand things in this letter. (1) To state and justify the doctrine of justification by faith apart from the works of the Law. (2) To defend that teaching against slanderous perversions of it (6:1). (3) To deal with the Jewish problem. Has the plan of God failed seeing that the vast majority of Jews remain unblessed and under condemnation before God? (Romans 9-11)

D. VARIOUS THEMES IN THE LETTER:

1. Man has always found favor with God on the basis of obedient faith.

2. Unbelief has always cut one off from God.

3. One will either feel God's wrath or God's mercy.

4. Error leads to depravity, doctrinal error cannot keep you morally pure.

5. All mankind needs Christ.

6. Salvation brings obligations to live a life of dedication to God.

7. The only system of justification that works is a system based on forgiveness and obedient faith.

8. The true Jew today is the faithful Christian.

II. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE WHOLE BOOK:

I. WHERE SHALL RIGHTEOUSNESS BE FOUND? 1:1-8:39

A. Salutation: 1:1-7
B. An explanation of his absence and delay: 1:8-15
C. How God makes man righteous is found in the gospel: 1:16-17 The correct response, as always, is obedient faith.

D. The Unrighteousness that God's wrath is revealed against: 1:18-3:20 Or, what doesn't make man right with God.

1. Heathenism/Idolatry/Natural Religion: 1:18-32
2. Hypocritical Religion: 2:1-29
2:28-29 hints at a concept that will be explored in further detail in Chapters 9-11.

3. The Jewish Condition under the Law of Moses: 3:1-20. The conclusion, both Jew and Gentile are under sin (3:9). The clear inference is all religion prior to Christianity failed to acquit man of his sins.

E. God's Righteousness is Found in a Relationship with Christ: (3:21-5:21)

1. Even the Law and the Prophets had predicted it: 3:21 In his arguments the Hebrew writer cites verses such as Jeremiah 31:31-34, to prove this point. (Hebrews 10:16-17)

2. It is for all, because all are in need of it: All previous religious systems have failed. (3:22-23)

3. The method of this justification: 3:21-31 One doesn't earn it, and yet it does have conditions-i.e. obedient faith.

4. Demonstration and proof that obedient faith is the condition that God has always required: 4:1-25 The just (righteous) have always lived by faith. (1:17)

5. The results of this justification: 5:1-11

6. Condemnation through Adam is not reversed in Christ: 5:12-21

E. MORAL RESULTS TO BELIEVERS: 6:1-8:39

1. Grace is no excuse to sin: 6:1-23 For being alive in Christ means being dead to the habitual practice of sin.

2. We have been released from a Law that we could never be justified under: 7:1-8:4

3. The Obligation and Blessed Future of those who walk after the Spirit: 8:5-39

II. UNDERSTANDING GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ISRAEL:

A. Grief Expressed for the lost condition of many Jews: 9:1-5

B. But this isn't inconsistent with the facts: 9:6-33

1. Physical lineage never made you a true Jew: 9:6-14. Same argument is found in 11:1-5.

2. Justice requires such a response from God: 9:15-24

3. Such a rejection was predicted by the Prophets: 9:25-29

4. The cause is in the fault of the Jews themselves: 9:30-10:21

5. The faithful have always been accepted, the disobedient always rejected: 11:1-36

III. EXHORTATION TO PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN LIVING: 12:1-14:23

A. The Foundation, a renewed mind and a body devoted to the service of God: 12:1-3

B. The fruit of such, use of one's talents, service to others: 12:4-21

C. The Christian Life as to Civil Obligations: 13:1-14

1. Conscientious submission to the laws of the land: 13:1-7

2. Neighbor love: 13:8-14

D. The Christian Life and Mutual Considerations: 14:1-15:13

1. People are more important that personal liberties and matters of opinion: 14:1-23

2. The incentive-the example of Christ: 15:1-13

IV. CLOSING THOUGHTS: 15:13-16:27

A. Paul's personal plans and requests: 15:14-32

B. Commendation of Phoebe: 16:1-2

C. Salutations and Exhortations: 16:3-27