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I. To Whom:
- a. “To all that be in Rome” (1:7).
- i. The term Rome in biblical times often had a universal meaning,
encompassing the then known world.
ii. However, because of the obvious distinction Paul makes to location here
and in Acts we know that Paul was writing to the arena of Roman culture, the
capital of Italy.
- b. “Beloved of God”
- i. There is a sense in which God loves all of mankind (Jn 3:16).
- 1. There is also a sense in which all of mankind are children of God (Ac
17:28, 29).
2. Yet, in a more particular sense, there are a certain few who are the
actual focus of God’s love as His adopted sons.
- ii. The term translated “beloved” is the Greek word agapetos, which means:
the esteemed, the dear to, the favorite of.
- 1. Those who render “obedience to the faith” (1:5) have come to develop
a special relationship with God as His “sons” (8:14) by receiving the
“spirit of adoption” (v.15); hence are, in fact, the “children of God” (v.16).
2. The special sense in which those Paul addressed were the “beloved
of God” is seen in that they were “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ” waiting to be “glorified together” with Him (8:17).
3. Only the “beloved of God” have true “hope” (8:24, 25), for “Christ is
our hope” (1 Tim 1:1; cf. Rom 6:3, 4).
- c. “Called saints”
- i. The phrase “to be” has been inserted by the translators and does not
appear in the original.
- 1. Thus, they were not called to be, that is to become, saints, but rather…
2. Were called, as their name, saints.
- ii. “Called” is an adjective, kletos, which modifies “saints,” those who are holy
(cf. 1 Pet 1:13-17).
- 1. Those who obey the gospel have become holy people and that is a
proper designation of them.
2. As such they are a part of a unique family of believers (Rom 12), who
are to be living by their faith (1:17; cf. Hab 2:4).
3. Those who live by faith are “dead to sin” (6:11); hence those who are
“called saints” do not let sin reign in their body (6:12, 13).
- d. “Free from sin” (6:16-18).
- i. Sin holds man in bondage to its wages, which are death (6:23).
ii. Yet, those who obey the gospel (1:5, 16) are freed from it (6:16-18).
iii. The means by which one is freed is by obeying “that form of doctrine” (1
Cor 15:1-4; Rom 6:3, 4).
II. Date:
- a. The date has been paced at 56 A.D. for the following reasons:
- i. At the time the epistle was written Paul had not yet been to Rome; hence it
was written before his imprisonment in Jerusalem (Rom 1:11, 13, 15; Ac 24:
23 >> 21:27).
ii. Paul had planned to go to Rome after visiting Jerusalem (Rom 15:23-28),
hence making the epistle written before Acts 21:17.
- 1. It was written while he was at, or soon after he left, Macedonia and
Achaia (Rom 15:23-28).
2. He planned to go there while still at Ephesus (Ac 19:21).
- iii. Paul was taking money to Jerusalem (Rom 15:26, 31); hence it was after
he had received the money (cf. Ac 24:17).
iv. When he wrote to the Romans Timothy, Sosipater, Gaius and Erastus
were with him (16:21, 23; Ac 20:4; 19:22).
v. Phebe bore the epistle (16:1; Ac 18:18).
- b. Thus we can rightly conclude the date being 56 A.D.
III. Author:
- a. “Paul a servant of Jesus Christ” (1:1).
- i. “Servant” is translated from the word doulos, which means a slave or
bondservant of another.
ii. Metaphorically it speaks of one who gives himself to the will of another.
iii. The idea of being devoted to another with disregard to one’s self.
iv. To whom does he belong? Christou Iesou, in the Genitive, hence belongs
to Christ Jesus.
- b. “Called an apostle”
- i. Again “to be” has been supplied, hence “called” is an adjective modifying
apostle.
ii. An apostle was one with special authority, as has been discussed in
previous lessons.
- c. “Separated unto the gospel of God”
- i. “Unto” is translated from the preposition eis meaning moving toward.
ii. “Separated” is translated from the verb aphorizo, meaning: to mark off from
others by boundaries; the idea of appointment.
iii. Hence, Paul has been appointed as an apostle to the gospel, making him
a part of the elite group of authoritative ambassadors.
IV. Purpose:
- a. Purpose passages: Rom 10:4; 1:16; 4:16.
- i. Christ Jesus and the gospel system is the answer to man’s problem of sin,
not the Law of Moses, which had been done away “nailed to the cross” (Col 2:
14).
ii. All that Paul states in the book is based on the premise of 1:4.
- b. Paul addresses the fact that Gentiles are in bondage to sin hence in need of
salvation (ch.1).
- i. He further states that the Jew is no better, because the Law of Moses could
not remove sin, hence the Jew is also in need of salvation (ch.2).
ii. In chapter three Paul concludes all sinners, hence in need of salvation,
which has come “outside the law.”
iii. An argument for the system of faith is given in ch.4 using Abraham as an
example who was justified by faith outside of circumcision.
iv. Ch.5 shows Adam as a type of Christ, hence shows the superiority of the
Christ; Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (ch.11).
v. Because the Law could not remove sin, there is only hope in the system of
faith (chs.6-8).
vi. Paul then explains how that the Jewish nation rejected the hope of the
gospel, thus the Gentiles have been grafted in the tree (chs.9-11).
vii. Paul finally makes it clear that the church of Christ is the true Israel in the
remaining chapters.
- c. In essence, the book exalts the gospel of Christ as God’s eternal plan wherein
salvation is found, for the Law of Moses has been removed.
V. Interesting Facts:
- a. Gospel and Doctrine are the same (1:15, 16; 6:16, 17).
b. Though the Romans were Christians, they did not have the gifts of the Spirit (1:11;
Ac 8:18).
c. Even man’s secrets will be judged by God’s word (2:16; Jn 12:48).
d. Because of Adam’s sin man is plagued with pain and suffering (Rom 5).
e. The Spirit intercedes (Rom 8:23-28).
f. The Jews are not God’s chosen people of present day (Rom 10:1).
g. Man’s life is to be displayed as a sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1, 2).
h. Christians ought to obey the Law so long as it does not conflict God’s word (Rom
13:1-7; Ac 5:29).
i. The Old Testament is of use today (Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10).
j. False teachers must be stopped (Rom 16:17, 18).