November 2, 2003

THE ROMANS EPISTLE

Romans 1:1-17

   During Paul's stay in Corinth, Greece, it is evident he wrote this letter to the Romans (Acts 20:2-6). The completed letter was commit-ted to Phebe for delivery to Rome where it seemed she had other business (Rom. 16:1). Paul's entourage included fellow workers from Berea , Derby , Thessalonica, Asia, and Macedonia . They were all dele-gates from churches which had contributed to the aid of the "poor of Jerusalem" (Gal. 2:10). Paul mentioned this need and his burden that this gift would be accepted of the Jewish believers (Rom. 15:26-31).

   That Romans belongs first of Paul's letters following the Book of Acts is evident when we consider that Acts records his arrival at Jerusalem and his reception by the church there (21:15). During Paul's participation in a Jewish vow he was taken into protective custody by Roman soldiers rescuing him from Jews bent on his death. Paul's defense before Felix mentions that "after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation" (24:17). The Acts record concludes with Paul remaining a prisoner of Romans soldiers.

   Of Paul's seven epistles written during the Acts period, Romans was penned last. Their order of writing seems to be: Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians and Hebrews before Romans. Romans has the distinction of being the foundation epistle of all his writings. Ephesians 2:1 wherein the believer is "dead to sins" assumes the truth of Romans 6. All of Ephesians rests squarely on Romans 5:12-8:39. Philippians 3:9 assumes but does not teach "justification by faith, apart from works." And while Paul's prison epistles are the capstone completing the divine revelation, they all rest on Romans!

   Paul began with "the gospel of God...promised afore...in the holy scriptures" (1:2) and ended with "my gospel...the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery" of which God had been silent through ages past. First God revealed His righteousness and then His sacred secret. All of Romans is for "obedience to the faith" and made known to all nations. That Israel had lost its place of prominence while God's grace is enthroned is very delicately handled.

Ivan L. Burgener