Student Worksheet Questions

Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
Mill Valley Campus
S2341-01 Epistle to the Romans: English Exegesis
Dr. Rick Melick
Summer 2002

by

Chris A. Foreman
Box 780
June 9, 2002

1. What seems to be the purpose of the Epistle to the Romans?

It appears that Paul had never been to Rome before writing this letter. This is evidenced in 1:13 (he had often intended to come but had not yet) and 15:22 (he desired to stop in Rome on route to Spain). It seems like the purpose of this epistle must be unlike the purpose of other ones addressed to churches. In those epistles, Paul is writing to churches he had founded (except maybe Colossians) and is offering his own sheep pastoral support.

It seems like Paul's letter to the Romans has two practical purposes and at least two spiritual purposes. First, Paul intends to evangelize in Spain (15:24) after his return to Jerusalem (15:25). His practical purpose is to tell the Romans of this intent to visit them in the next several months. The Roman Christians had no doubt heard of Paul and his coming may be a celebrated event. His mention of Spain also hints that he may be seeking financial support to his further missionary travels. Second, Paul personally knows several Christians who are in Rome (chapter 16). Part of his purpose is to address and encourage them. However, these practical purposes could have been met with a few paragraphs, so what is the rest of Romans about?

Rome was the most important city in the world. Paul was not the first Christian there, but he wanted to establish his apostleship and credibility. I think that this epistle is really a doctrinal treatise wrapped in a letter. The treatise is a down payment of the "spiritual gift" that Paul speaks of imparting on the Romans (1:11). It may be his way of proclaiming his credentials. Maybe people were defaming Paul in Rome. This letter would certainly raise his standing among the hearers. Maybe Paul had already written down many of these thoughts and was looking for an opportunity to send them to an important audience. There could be no more important audience than the influential Christians in Rome. Because Rome was the capitol of an empire, I would guess that news from that city traveled throughout all the provinces. Paul was aware of the politics in Rome, that Claudius had forced out the Jews for a time, and that there were tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers. Part of this letter (Chapters 14 and 15) is aimed at reconciling the two parts of the church in Rome.

2. Groups and individuals that Paul addresses in Romans 1:18 to 3:20

Paul begins with a blistering account of unregenerate mankind. From 1:18 to 1:32, Paul describes Gentiles as willingly ignorant of divine revelation. They "claim to be wise and became fools" (v 22). God gave them over to shameful lusts (v 26) and over to a depraved mind (v 28). This describes the world without Christ.

In chapter two, Paul moves on to those who judge (v 1) and who have an unrepentant heart (v 5). He hints that these judgers are really no better than those great sinners in chapter one. Verses 9 and 10 indicate that he is addressing both Jewish and Gentile Christians. God's righteous judgment will judge both groups.

Beginning in verse 17 of chapter two, Paul shifts to address Jews only. Paul tells them that their circumcision (salvation) must be of the heart and not of the flesh. This portion may be addressed to Jews in general or specifically to Jewish believers who think themselves superior to Gentile believers.

In chapter 3 Paul shifts attention to Gentile Christians. He has just "come down heavy" on Jews and he does not want to think that being Jewish amounts to nothing. He asks rhetorically, "What advantage does a Jew have?" answering that Jews do have advantages.

Finally, in verse 9, Chapter 3, Paul returns to address both Jews and Gentiles. His conclusion is that both groups are alike under sin (v 9). In this section, it seems that Paul wants to make clear that all groups - debauched Gentiles, judgmental Christians, Jew and Gentile believers - are all sinful and in need of salvation through Christ. Indeed, that is what he does go on to say in 3:21 to 23.

3. How does chapter four fit into the sequence of thought from three to five?

Beginning in chapter 3:21 and running through chapter 5:10, Paul describes what God has done to provide salvation for all people through Jesus Christ. Verses 3:21 to 31 seem to address to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul states that all have sinned (v 23), then concludes that our God is a God of both Jews and Gentiles through faith in Jesus Christ. This line of thought seems to leap over chapter four and continue in chapter 5: 1-11. In chapter five, Paul continues the thought of chapter three that all (Jews and Gentiles alike) have been justified through faith. Paul concludes that through Christ we have received reconciliation (v 11). This entire section (3:21 to 5:10) is about "righteousness through faith". The question is what is chapter four doing in the middle of this?

It seems to me that Paul is continually shifting his audience from Jew, then to Gentile then to both Jew and Gentile, then back again to Jew. Although the topic is still "righteousness through faith", it appears that Paul digresses in chapter four to speak directly to Jewish believers. He does this knowing that Gentiles will be hearing the words, of course. The subject is Abraham and whether this father of all believers was justified by his works or by his faith. Abraham is the genealogical ancestor of all Jews and the spiritual ancestor of all people who are in relationship with God. Paul's argument and conclusion is that even Abraham was not justified by works (as represented by circumcision) but by faith (that God would provide an heir). After chapter four, the word "therefore" seems to signal a return to the speech for both Jew and Gentile.

4. Does the passage in Romans 5:11-21 logically go with the previous or following section?

This is an interesting question. On the one hand 5:20 speaks of "where sin increased grace increased". This seems to be logically connected with the question at the beginning of chapter 6: "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" On the other hand, these 12 verses (5:11-21) deal with Adam and Christ, showing the superiority of Christ. These verses seem to conclude a long section on why faith in Jesus Christ is the universal answer to the universal problem of sin. Paul cleverly begins a new section with a transition of 5:20-21, but I believe that these twelve verses belong to the previous section. Maybe the chapter breakers of the middle ages have it right for once. Chapters 6, 7 and 8 seem to form a cohesive unit.

5. How do chapters 9-11 relate to the first 8 chapters of the Epistle?

Chapter eight seems to be a summary and crowning climax to the first seven chapters. These eight chapters together (except for the first 15 verses of introduction) form Paul's central doctrinal exposition. The theme of Paul's doctrine is twofold, that righteousness is obtained by faith in Jesus and that we are saved by God's grace and not by our own works. Chapters 9-11 continue this theme of righteousness through faith, but diverge to consider a related issue, that is Israel's rejection of their messiah. These three chapters strive to answer a question embedded in 9:5: "Has God's word failed in regard to the people of Israel?" Although Paul is introducing new material, the groundwork for this exposition has been laid down in the first eight chapters. This new material includes: the sovereignty of God's choices, the fact of Israel's unbelief, a chosen remnant of Jewish believers, Gentiles as engrafted branches, and the hope that all Israel will be saved. These discussions contained in chapters 9-11 could stand alone, but they would make less sense without the foundational underpinning of chapters 1-8. His wonderful doxology (11:33-36) completes this section. Paul concludes that God has not failed his chosen people no matter how puzzling the historical facts may be. Perhaps Paul wrote this section to clarify his own thoughts on this problem.

6a. What is the organizing theme of Romans 12-15:22?

The doxology in 11:33-36 is a fitting conclusion to Paul's doctrinal treatise. Now Paul moves on to discuss how to translate these principles of righteousness into everyday duties. In chapter 12, Paul tells us to live sacrificial lives with love being the watchword in our relationship to others. Our duty is to think less of ourselves, use our spiritual gifts, love one another, and live at peace. In chapter 13, Paul continues his discussion of Christian duties. In verses 1 to 7, Paul reveals that we must submit to governmental authorities. In verses 8 to 14, he returns to his theme of how we must relate to one another as Christians. All of these are general, non-specific, duties.

In chapters 14:1-15:13, Paul becomes specific in his regard to eating and drinking. Paul announces a principle of toleration (14:1), then expounds upon it. He tells us that we cannot give glory to God without harmony. We must not let our eating and drinking habits disrupt our harmony. The organizing theme seems to be our Christians duty; first to others, then to the government, and finally in regard to this special situation of eating and drinking.

6b. What were issues dividing the church in Romans 14-15:22

It seems that there were different factions in the church at Rome (discussed in the next question). This part of Romans (14-15:22), addresses issues held by these factions. This part reminds me a bit of I Corinthians as Paul addresses problems in that church. Perhaps there were issues concerning spiritual gifts (12: 6-8). Paul says each should use the special gift given to us from God. There may have been a class problem. Paul tells those in a high position to associate with people of low position (12:16). There appear to be issues of how Christians should relate to the state. Paul tells us to respect government and pay taxes and give honor (13:7). There may also have been some in Rome who tolerated sexual immorality. Paul says this is wrong (13:11-14).

Of course the biggest issue appears to be the issues of eating and drinking as well as observing certain days as special. This is apparently a dispute between Jews that retained circumcision, a kosher diet, and Sabbath laws as opposed to non-Jews who did not follow such restrictions. This passage may also contain elements of "eating meat sacrificed to idols", as Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. Discussing this issue is the crux of chapter 14. In the eyes of some Jewish believers, the issue may be enlarged to ask "should Gentile believers first become Jewish, before they become Christian?" Eating and drinking also provides a specific instance of a wider principle. We must give our fellow Christians some liberty in how they carry out their Christian duties.

6c. Based on chapters 14-15:22, who were the people on each side? Was this a Jew /Gentile discussion? Was it a Gentile Christian discussion?

There may be as many as four factions that Paul is addressing. All of these groups were Christian believers of some sort. First there were the Jewish believers, those born into and steeped in the tradition of Judaism who now profess Jesus as messiah. Next there were Gentile believers. Those raised as pagans who now profess Jesus as Lord. There were also the "god-fearers", one time Gentiles who followed Jewish traditions and now profess Jesus as Lord. There may also have been a number of John-the-Baptist followers, who switched allegiance to Jesus. It would be difficult to guess at the proportions of each faction in Rome. To complicate all of this, there were probably slave and free, as well as rich and poor in each faction.

I think that this was a Jew/Gentile discussion. Throughout Romans, Paul does seem to specially address Jews in some verses and Gentiles in other verses. Jewish believers would have a tendency to lapse into their old ways of legalism and following the old rules of ritual eating and Sabbath observance. Gentile believes would have a tendency to lapse into their old ways of pagan sexual practice and idol worship. Paul was an "apostle to the Gentiles" and I believe that he saw Christianity as a universal faith, which meant that the future of the church would be mostly Gentile. I think that this view is brought out in Paul's imagery of the engrafted olive tree. Certainly the base in Jewish, but future growth would come mostly from engrafted Gentiles. I think that already in this first century setting, Jewish believers felt under siege. They feared that "their Jesus movement" was being high jacked by Gentiles.

6d. Does Romans 14-15 provide the rationale for writing Romans?

Paul intended that his Epistle to the Romans be read in the various house churches in Rome. As stated in question one, I think that his practical rationale was to announce his impending visit to Rome with a eye toward gathering missionary support for travel to Spain. Since Paul was not a central figure in the Roman church, he wanted to clear his name of disrepute, and establish his apostolic credentials in the capitol city. The grand doctrinal treatise in chapters 1-8 underscores his authority, so does his wise counsel in Romans 14-15. He was not the pastor of this Roman flock, but his stature was such that his words carried weight throughout the empire. In 16:16, Paul greets the Roman church as a representative of "all the churches of Christ". Is this presumptuous?

In I Corinthians, Paul's main purpose seems to reply to questions and to give counsel. Although Paul does the same in two chapters of Romans, I cannot see that this is the primary rationale for writing Romans. It may be a secondary rationale.

7. How did Paul know so many people in Rome?

There is some conjecture that chapter 16 is not an original part of the Roman epistle on the grounds that Paul had never visited Rome and therefore could not be familiar with the situation of the Roman church and the names of its members. I reject this, believing that during his travels through Jerusalem, Antioch, Asia and Greece, Paul encountered many people who were residents of Rome. In Acts we discover that Claudius had expelled Jewish believers (Acts 18:2). Among these dispersed were Priscilla and Aquila who Paul knew personally and who he greets in Rome. No doubt there were others beyond these two. In Acts 28:14-15, we see that when Paul finally arrives in Rome, he was greeted by numerous well-wishers. They all knew of Paul and, no doubt, Paul knew some of them. Paul was a Roman citizen, and although he had never set foot in Rome, I am confident that through personal encounters (Priscilla and Aquila) and through correspondence, he knew the people and groups mentioned in chapter 16.