TEACHING NOTES Introduction In this session we will begin our verse-by-verse study of Romans. First, we will review the overall context/situation of the letter. Second, we will walk through the text of Rom. 1:1-17. Lastly, we will review the themes that Paul introduces and will explain throughout the rest of the letter. ‌ Romans is NOT a theological treatise. We have many ancient documents from Jewish, Christian, and pagan authors which are in the literary genre of treatise. Romans is definitively not in this literary genre or style. Paul is not writing a book detailing a systematic theology of Christian doctrine. In fact, none of the documents in the New Testament are treatises. The Gospels are in the genre of biography, Acts is historical narrative, Revelation is apocalyptic, and the rest are letters (epistles). ‌ Romans is an Epistle/Letter. An Epistle/Letter is written to… - A specific place, people, time - A specific situation/occasion/reason ‌ All of Paul’s letters are situational or occasional letters. ‌ The Situation (Context) of Romans: - Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in AD 49 (Acts 18:1-2). - The Roman church becomes predominately Gentile. - Claudius died in AD 54 and the Jews were able to return. - Jewish Christians return to a very Gentile church. - Romans is addressing Jew vs. Gentile division. ‌ A Jewish Literary Feature: Patterns Paul is a Jew and his writings have a common literary feature of ancient Jewish literature that we will refer to as patterns. In the Torah, Genesis 1-11 introduces certain words and phrases that appear throughout the rest of the Torah. These patterns create a kind of hyperlinked text. In the same way, Paul’s letters usually begin with an introduction that contains words and phrases that are threaded throughout the letter. ‌ Romans 1:1–4 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ‌ Paul, servant of Christ = Literally, “Paul, a slave of Messiah Jesus.” Paul uses the term “servant” (Grk. doulos) six times in this letter (Rom. 1:1; 13:4; 14:4; 15:8; 16:1). ‌ Called = Grk. kletos - from the root kaleo meaning “called out, summoned.” Paul uses “call, called, calling” 18 times in Romans. ‌ Apostle = Grk. apostolos - sent one, messenger. ‌ Set apart = Grk. aphorismenos - appointed for a particular purpose. ‌ The gospel of God = Paul mentions the gospel 11 times in Romans. The word gospel (Grk. euangelion) refers to the message that Jesus Christ is risen, is King of the whole world, is coming again to judge the world, and we need to repent and be faithful to Jesus. ‌ Promised beforehand = The message of the New Testament is not a new message. The gospel was “promised beforehand” in the Old Testament. This idea that God has pre-planned the way of salvation will come up again in Rom. 8:29-30. The theme of God keeping His promises to Israel is the main subject Paul addresses in Rom. 9-11. ‌ In the holy Scriptures = Paul mentions this in his introduction to let us know that we can expect many quotations from the Old Testament in this letter. In fact, Paul quote and paraphrase passages from the Old Testament at least 84 times in Romans alone. ‌ Descended from David = Jesus was a descendant of David from the tribe of Judah (Matt. 1:1; Rev. 5:5). The Old Testament prophesied that the Messiah would be a descendant of David and Judah (Gen. 49:8-10; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5). ‌ Declared the Son of God by his resurrection = The miracles Jesus performed did not prove His identity as the Son of God. Everyone knew that evil spirits could also empower humans to do miracles (like the magicians in Exodus). It was the resurrection of Jesus that confirmed His identity as Messiah and Son of God. Other would-be messiahs had come before and were killed. None of those false messiahs were resurrected. ‌ Romans 1:5–7 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ‌ We received grace and apostleship = Much of time in Paul’s writings he uses “we, us” pronouns to refer to the Jewish apostles or the Jewish people in general and he uses “you, you also” to refer to the Gentiles. This is important in Romans as we will see throughout this study. ‌ Obedience of faith = This phrase alone proves that Paul does not teach faith without works. Paul teaches faith and works or “the obedience of faith.” Paul does not define faith as belief, but as allegiance or loyalty or faithfulness. The late Dr. Michael Heiser defined faith as “believing loyalty to Christ.” The Greek word translated “faith” is pistis or pisteuo. This word can mean to believe or it can mean allegiance/faithfulness. In the Bible, the context tells us when it is used to mean belief or allegiance. This word is also used in Greek literature outside of the Bible and often refers to allegiance. ‌ Among all the nations = The Greek word translated “nations” and “Gentiles” is ethnos. Paul wrote Romans to address tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers in the Roman church. Paul is going to speak to the Jewish believers in Rom. 1-8 and to the Gentile believers in Rom. 9-11. In both of these sections Paul is explaining how God is keeping His promises to the Jews by bringing the Gentiles into His family. ‌ Including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ = Paul is saying “we Jews are called to belong to Jesus and you Gentiles are too.” ‌ All those in Rome loved by God, called to be saints = Romans is written to the church in Rome who are already Christians. Romans is not written as a gospel presentation to the lost. Christians are “called to be saints” meaning that we are called to be holy ones who are set apart in devotion to God. ‌ Romans 1:8–10 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. ‌ I thank my God = Many of Paul’s letters begin with his prayer for the church to which he is writing. One big exception is Paul’s letter to the Galatians. There is no prayer of thanksgiving in that letter. ‌ Whom I serve = The Greek word for “serve” is latreuo, which is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) for Israel’s priestly role as they were created to lead the nations back to God. Paul, as the apostle to the Gentiles, is fulfilling this role as a priest reaching the nations. ‌ Your faith is proclaimed in all the world = This line is further proof that faith is not about what you believe in you head. Think about it: How would the Romans’ belief be proclaimed in all the world? Did the Romans believe harder than other churches? No, it is their faithful obedience that is being proclaimed in all the world. ‌ Asking that I may succeed in coming to you = Paul is praying that he will be able to visit the church in Rome. When Paul wrote this letter he had not yet been to Rome. This makes Romans unique among Paul’s letters as the other letters are written to churches that Paul had planted and/or visited. This is also why Paul doesn’t address specific people in Romans as he does in other letters. More information about Paul’s later visit to Rome in the notes below. ‌ Romans 1:11–12 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. ‌ Impart some spiritual gift = The Greek word for impart is metado from metadidomi means “to share or contribute.” The Greek for “spiritual gift” is pneumatikon charisma which refers to abilities or skills that the Holy Spirit gives to the church to unify and edify (build up) the church family. ‌ To strengthen you = The Greek word sterizo (strengthen) means to make someone more resolved. Paul hopes that his work and message will help to make the Roman believers more faithful and more convinced in their faith. ‌ Mutually encouraged by each other’s faith = Paul gives his own interpretation of “impart some spiritual gift” here as mutual encouragement. A group of believers practicing their faith together will strengthen the faith of each member. ‌ Romans 1:13–15 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. ‌ Prevented from coming to you = Acts 19:21 tells us that Paul intended to visit the church in Rome. However, Paul tells us in Rom. 15:14-33 that he has been prevented from going to Rome because his work was needed in other areas first. Acts 28 tells us Paul eventually made it Rome, but it was under arrest. The Jews had him arrested in Jerusalem, but since Paul was a Roman citizen he is able to appeal to the emperor. Eventually, Paul was beheaded under emperor Nero around AD 67. ‌ Reap some harvest among you = Literally, “in order that I might have fruit also among you.” Paul’s missionary work all over the Gentile world had produced much fruit (results). Paul hopes that this will also occur in Rome. ‌ Under obligation to Greeks, barbarians = Barbarians (Grk. barbaroi) is a title that was given for non-Greek speaking Gentiles. One of Paul’s experiences with barbarians is described in Acts 28:1-10 when he floated on pieces of shipwreck to the island of Malta/Melita. This is where Paul was bitten by a viper yet the poison had no effect on him. This caused the islanders to think Paul was a god. ‌ Eager to preach the gospel to you also = Why would Paul be eager to preach the gospel to a group of people who are already Christians? This question should make us pause to reconsider how we define preaching the gospel. We often think that preaching the gospel is about getting people saved and going to heaven. But Paul thinks that explaining the gospel goes beyond salvation and going to heaven. As we will see in this study, Paul’s letter to the Romans lays out the gospel as a huge story of the faithfulness of God to His creation. Readers of Romans may be surprised that Paul doesn’t even mention going to heaven in Romans! ‌ Romans 1:16–17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” ‌ Not ashamed of the gospel = In the Roman church, as well as in many early churches, the Jewish believers were struggling with the idea that God was saving and including Gentiles in the family of God without requiring them to become Jewish. For many Jewish believers, being associated so closely with Gentiles was shameful to other Jews. Paul wants to correct this problem and states that the gospel of Jews and Gentiles being one family of God is nothing to be ashamed of and should rather be confidently celebrated. ‌ Power of God for salvation = We must remember that salvation means “to be rescued or delivered from slavery.” Trusting in and being faithful to the truth of the gospel is the only thing powerful enough to deliver people from slavery to sin in this life and to save us from slavery to death. ‌ Everyone who believes = Grk. panti to pisteuonti - all who are faithful. We are not saved by believing the right things. James tells us that even the demons believe. It is loyalty/allegiance/faithfulness to Christ that keeps us in the family of God. ‌ To the Jew first and also to the Greek = This line is loaded with meaning. In the Old Testament, God created Israel to be a light to the nations. In the same way, Jesus brought the gospel to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. And Paul is doing the same in Romans in that he addresses the Jews first and then the Gentiles. Paul’s literary structure in Romans follows the storyline of the gospel itself. Paul uses this phrase again in a negative sense in Romans 2:9 “There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek.” ‌ Righteousness of God is revealed = Righteousness is a major theme in Romans and appears 33 times in this letter. The phrase “righteousness of God” appears in Rom. 3:5, 21, 22, 25, 26; 10:3. The Greek word dikaiosyne can be translated as “righteousness” and as “justice.” Unfortunately, theologians in the last 500 years defined this term according to its pagan usage, which is focused solely on legal issues. Therefore, righteousness has often been limited to human ideas about justice. For example, in the middle ages it became popular to think of God’s justice in terms of the feudal justice system of that time. This where the idea that our sin has so offended God that He cannot forgive us without first punishing His innocent Son for our sins. In this view, the righteousness/justice of God has to be satisfied before He can forgive. However, this makes justice higher than God which dictates what God can and cannot do. All of this complexity can be simplified by defining righteousness/justice according to the authors of the Bible, not according to pagans nor theologians in the middle ages. Paul is a Jew raised and highly trained in the Hebrew scriptures. Therefore, Paul defines terms by their usage in the Old Testament—not by their usage in pagan Greek literature. Righteousness/justice in the Hebrew mind is defined as putting things right or to put in order, as opposed to things which are wrong and/or out of order. We think of justice as crime and punishment, but this is not how the biblical authors define justice. So, Paul is saying that the gospel reveals how God is putting things right and back in order. ‌ From faith for faith = Grk. ek pisteos eis pistin - This phrase can also be translated as “from faithfulness to faithfulness” or “beginning and ending in faithfulness.” Paul could be saying that the righteousness of God is revealed by showing His faithfulness in order to bring about our faithfulness to Him. ‌ “The righteous shall live by faith” = Paul is quoting Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” Paul is saying that those who are counted righteous by God are those who live in faithfulness to God. ‌ Patterns to Follow in Romans: - Servant/Slave of Christ - Called/Calling - Apostle/Sent - Set Apart/Holiness - The Gospel - Promised Beforehand - The Scriptures - Resurrection/Delivered from Death - Grace - Faith/Faithfulness - The Power of God - Salvation - To the Jew First, then the Greek - Righteousness ‌ Next Week: Romans 1:18-32 ‌ Homework: - Read all of Romans in one sitting - Read Romans 1:18-32 - How does Paul define God’s wrath? - Is Paul talking to Jews or Gentiles? ‌