God is For Us (eBook)

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The Journey Begins

We have fifty-two chapters ahead of us. Why is it worth spending so long studying this epistle so closely? When anyone asked that question over the many months of Sundays that I preached on it, my answer was simple: “Because we don’t have any longer.”

As I began this study, a former graduate student, who had attended the distinguished New Testament professor Howard Marshall’s Greek language class at Fuller Theological Seminary, told me that he began his study on Romans with these words: “First, never teach a course on Romans; second, if you have to teach a course on Romans, never try to teach all of Romans.” Why so reluctant?

Well, intellectually and theologically, Romans is massive. It is Paul’s magnum opus, his masterpiece, and also the longest church epistle in the New Testament. The question of which is the best route to scale such a mountain has entertained the church for centuries – many of its greatest theologians have attempted it. In heaven I suspect there’s a Bible-study group with Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, Wesley, Barth, Lloyd-Jones and many others all debating it.

Let’s consider some introductory questions.

Authorship

Romans begins, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle…” The letter claims to be from Paul and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise. Despite the tendencies of historical critical theology to not take everything biblical at face value, Paul’s authorship of this epistle has never seriously been in question, and, unlike certain other New Testament epistles, there is no scholarly assertion that it could be pseudonymous. It is true that in 16:22 it states, “I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord” but most scholars assume that Tertius was the scribe to whom Paul dictated the letter, despite the odd one or two scholarly claims to the contrary.

Some commentators have questioned whether Romans 16 was part of the original letter at all. Some speculate that that particular chapter, at least, was written by Tertius. But the major reason for suggesting the last chapter has been added on is that the author seems fully acquainted personally with at least twenty-six people in the Roman church, whom he names and to whom he sends personal greetings. It is therefore asked: how could Paul know so many people there if he had not founded or even visited the church? (Paul’s known visits to Rome were made after this letter was written.)

This is not a problem that should cause any serious questioning. Rome was the centre of the empire – an empire in which many moved quite freely for trade. Paul could well have known or met some of those named in other major cities as they were about their trade, before they found themselves in Rome (notably Epaenetus (16:5) who is called “the first convert to Christ in Asia”). We are well aware that all Jews were expelled from Rome some years prior to Paul writing, and some of those named may have been Jewish believers who fled to cities and joined the churches where Paul was ministering. While Paul names twenty-six individuals, he does not claim to know all of them personally: three he says are “relatives”; two “dear friends”; three he calls “fellow workers”; one he “loves in the Lord” and one has been a “mother” to him. It is possible the rest he knew about, had heard of, and as apostle to the Gentiles was daily in prayer for, as he says: “God … is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times” (1:9–10). Such constant carrying of them in his heart before God in prayer meant he knew them, loved them, and wanted to greet them – even if he had never met them!

The occasion

In 15:25–26 we read that Paul is shortly to take a trip to Jerusalem, where he will hand over funds raised by the churches in Macedonia and Achaia to assist the struggling saints in Israel (Acts 19:21). Paul says he intends afterwards to go on apostolic mission to Europe, starting in Spain, visiting the Roman church on the way, and hopes they will furnish his mission trip – presumably with prayer support, financial backing, and even colleagues to accompany him.

We may triangulate this statement with two other passages to pinpoint the time and occasion of this letter. In 2 Corinthians 1:16 Paul states that he intends to visit the Corinthian church before going to Judea, collecting their contribution to the gift for the struggling church in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8). In Romans 16:1–2 Paul commends Phoebe to them; she is part of the leadership in the church of Cenchreae and is entrusted with carrying this letter to the church in Rome. Cenchreae is a seaport in northern Corinth. So we may deduce that Paul wrote this letter on his visit to Corinth, just before his visit to Rome, at the end of his third missionary journey. This would date the writing of the letter sometime between AD 55 and 57. He was arrested in Jerusalem, and after appealing to Caesar was taken to Rome, placed under house arrest and, we believe, eventually executed around AD 62. Interestingly we have two very early manuscripts with scribal ascriptions saying the letter was written by Paul from Corinth.

The recipients

Chapter 1, verse 7, addresses the letter “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints”. This is the only letter in Scripture that Paul wrote to a church he didn’t found. There had never been a formal apostolic mission to Rome. The origins of this church – or more accurately a network of house churches in Rome4 – are not presented in Scripture, although we may attempt some reasonable deductions about it. We know there was a large Jewish community in Rome in the early first century AD with upwards of 50,000 members, including many who had been taken there as slaves following Pompey’s subjugation of Palestine in 62 BC. Some made the major pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the sacred Pentecost festival – Acts 2:10 tells us that there were visitors from Rome present on the day of Pentecost. They would have witnessed the Spirit being poured out and heard Peter’s sermon, and we may naturally assume they were among the 3,000 converted that day. If so, these would form the nucleus of the church or churches on their return to Rome. Acts 8:1 informs us of a severe persecution that broke out following Stephen’s stoning in Jerusalem, and the church was scattered; again it is plausible that some of those Christians found their way to Rome and either founded or supported the embryonic church there.

An important insight into the origins of the church in Rome is offered by the fourth-century writer Ambrosiater:

This is significant. Jewish believers had passed on the faith to Roman Gentiles, but with a Jewish bent – keeping the law! It’s possible that issues raised by this provoked Paul’s writing of this letter and shaped its particular content. At times Paul is clearly addressing Jewish believers (2:17; 4:1; 7:1) and at other times Gentile believers (11:13), and he probably has Jewish believers in mind in 2:1 – 3:8 and 7:1–6; and is addressing Gentile believers in 9–11. In chapter 14 he appears to be saying to both groups who have been squabbling, “Come on, shake hands, play nice.”

The purpose

As with many letters or emails we might write, there is often more than one motive behind them and more than one message contained within them. I think Paul has several reasons in writing to the Roman church.

First, as the “apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13; see also Acts 9:15) it would be appropriate that he should be connected to the church in the capital of the Gentile empire. This letter serves as a formal introduction to the church and a preparation for his hoped-for coming (1:11, 15:29).

Secondly, Paul intends to embark on a fourth mission, up into Spain, and needs to establish a support base for that in Rome. This letter serves to introduce himself and his intention to them for consideration of support (15:24).

Thirdly, Paul wants to commend Phoebe to the Roman church leadership (16:1) and he exhorts them to assist her. We do not know the nature of the assistance she requires, but his letter, delivered by Phoebe’s hand, with so many personal greetings attached to it, would hopefully mean that their hearts and hands would open to her.

Fourthly, Paul states that he has wanted to come and preach the gospel to them but has been hindered from doing so (1:13–15). Unable at this moment to come and preach personally, he may well be dictating something of his gospel, so that at least he will be heard, and his message conveyed, as it is read aloud to the congregations.

Fifthly, and centrally, Paul is writing to resolve a pastoral tension in the church, precipitated by theological disagreement between Gentile and Jewish camps, which he has caught wind of...