Introduction to Romans
Author - The Apostle Paul
Audience - Christians in Rome
Setting -
probably written around AD 57
From Corinth during Paul’s third mission trip
Theme - The judgment and mercy of God demonstrated in the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for our lives
Romans contains all of the standard features of a biblical epistle, including the salutation, thanksgiving, body, paraenesis (list of moral exhortations), personal greetings, and benediction.
What distinguishes the letter is its long and carefully constructed body, which presents a sustained theological argument. Romans is perhaps the most tightly organized of all the NT letters, which helps explain why it reads as much like a theological treatise as it does a letter.
Romans provides the fullest expression of Paul’s theology, though it is doubtful that he intended it to be a complete summary statement. It is more likely that Paul wrote the letter to address particular issues of concern to the Roman church. Specifically, he addressed matters of interest for a church that included both Jewish and Gentile Christians.
Can one be right with God through obeying the law (Rom. 1:1–3:20)?
What can be learned from Abraham, and is he the father of both Jewish and Gentile Christians (Rom. 4:1–25)?
What role does the law play with reference to sin (Rom. 5:20; 7:1–25)?
What does the salvation of Gentiles indicate about the future of Israel as God’s people (Rom. 9:1–11:36)?
Should Christians observe OT food laws, and how should they relate to fellow believers on such matters (Rom. 14:1–15:13)?
Paul’s selection of themes (gospel and law; the significance of Abraham; the future of Israel) suggests significant tensions between the Jews and Gentiles in Rome. Paul wrote Romans so that they would be united in the gospel he preached, and so that they would comprehend how the gospel spoke to the issues that divided them.
Paul’s letter to the Romans provides the New Testament’s most carefully developed exposition of the Christian gospel. It sets out in a progressive and orderly arrangement the theological basis of the message of salvation that Paul preached.
The church in Rome was already well established when Paul wrote this letter to it. Paul did not found the church in Rome, and at the time of writing he had not even visited the city.
Rome was the center of the Empire, and Paul saw that if the Roman church was firmly established in the gospel and keenly aware of its missionary responsibilities, Christianity would spread throughout the Empire. He therefore wrote to help the church understand its mission and to prepare it for the additional teaching he would give when he arrived.
In writing to the church, Paul sometimes spoke specifically to the Jews (Romans 2:17-19; Romans 3:9; Romans 4:1), other times specifically to the Gentiles (Romans 1:13-16; Romans 11:13; Romans 15:14-16). He warned against anti-Jewish feelings in the church (Romans 11:17-24; Romans 15:27), and encouraged Jews and Gentiles to be tolerant of each other (Romans 14:1-23). Whether Jews or Gentiles, they can be saved only by God’s grace (Romans 2:9-11; Romans 3:9,Romans 3:23; Romans 10:12; Romans 11:32; Romans 15:8-9).
It is almost universally agreed that Paul wrote Romans from the city of Corinth as he wintered there on his third missionary journey as described in Acts 20:2-3. This is based on Romans 16:1 and 16:23 along with 1 Corinthians 1:14. A variety of commentators pick the date of writing anywhere from 53 to 58 A.D.
As Paul endeavored to go to Rome, the Holy Spirit warned him about the peril awaiting him in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-14). What if he were unable to make it to Rome? Then he must write them a letter so comprehensive that the Christians in Rome had the gospel Paul preached, even if Paul himself were not able to visit them.
The word “God” occurs 153 times in Romans; an average of once every 46 words – this is more frequent than any other New Testament book. In comparison, note the frequency of other words used in Romans: law (72), Christ (65), sin (48), Lord (43), and faith (40). Romans deals with many different themes but as much as a book can be, it is a book about God.
Christian Standard Bible - Edwin A. Blum
Paul's purpose in writing Romans can be identified from his direct statements in the text and inferred from the content:
He wanted to impart spiritual strength to the believers at Rome (1:11-12; 16:25-26)
He asked for prayer for the difficult task he was undertaking (15:30)
He hoped to enlist the Roman churches to support a mission to the west (15:23-29)
He wanted to address tensions between believers from different backgrounds and divisions initiated by false teachers (16:17-18)
Some scholars refer to Romans as a formal treatise. But it bears all the marks of a real letter, although it is a finely tuned literary composition.
Romans is the longest of Paul’s epistles with 7,114 words. It may have been placed first in the collection of Paul’s epistles in the New Testament because of its length, which seems probable, or because of its importance.
The great contribution of this letter to the body of New Testament inspired revelation is its reasoned explanation of how God’s righteousness can become man’s possession.