STUDIES ON ROMANS - WEEK 1
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Content
The theme of this letter to Romans is 'the gospel is the power of God to effect salvation for everyone who believes irrespective of Jews or Greeks' (Romans 1:16-17). God judges the sin at the Cross and justifies the sinners with mercy. The justification by faith is a running idea besides the negative note in the first few chapters. Then, he takes the positive notations of faith in Christ in Chapters 3 and 4. Chapters 5-8 gives new being of the believers. Chapters 9-11 challenge the claims of Jews and call them to believe in the Gospel. Then Paul moves on to parenthetic statements, obligations, warnings, and exhortations to the believers in Chapters 12 to 15. Of course, he ends with his travel plans to Rome and greetings to friends in the latter part of Chapters 15 and 16. However, the integral of the book is the subject of discussion for many scholars, especially in the last two chapters.
Few Key Themes & Theology
The key themes are: All are Sinners, Mosaic Law is good but hard to observe, God is righteous through Christ God shows mercy, the new age of redemptive history has begun with Christ, the atonement of Christ is a central part of salvation, we are justified by faith alone, and there is future glory for the redeemed. Scholars talk about the purposes as Polemical, conciliatory, doctrinal and presenting his experience and experiment with the Gospel. The letter to the Romans has been exceptionally significant in the development of Christian theology, and the theological debate concerning the relationship between salvation and good works has arisen about Romans.
Believers at Rome
At an early stage in his missionary labors, Paul recognized the importance e of strategic centers for the propagation of the Gospel. Rome the Metropolis was his natural choice. This church could have been Jewish-Christians, but at the same time, we cannot deny that they were Gentile-Christians too! There is no exclusive reference to either one. No apostle establish this congregation because Paul never builds on another foundation (Romans 15:20).
Time, Place and Aim
Paul had his conversion experience during 33 AD, and he died in 67 AD. But he spent his days after conversion exclusively on Gospel work. About 55 or 56 AD, this Epistle could have been penned sometime during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero reigned ( Acts 20:1-3).
This Epistle has most probably written in Corinth during Paul’s last three-month stay over there (Romans 15:25).
The idea behind this Epistle was to get financial support for the Gentile Mission of Paul in Spain. Paul was not familiar with this community. He introduced himself as who he was and what he believed as Gospel. Paul completed the mission at East and now turn to the west. So he needs missionary support to carry the work. Because getting help from Jerusalem or Antioch could have been a long way to go. It could have been handy to get the prayer and financial support from the believers in Rome (Romans 15:24,28). So he created an interest to involve in the Spanish mission of Paul.
Discussion:
1. Share your expectations from the study of Romans.
2. How do you utilize social media for spiritual communications?
References:
1. W G Kummel, Introduction to the New Testament, Nashville, 1992.
2. Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, London, 1988.
3. Articles through Websites.
