Life-changing book

Augustine, 386

Sitting in garden of friend

Weeping, radically wanted to change his life

Child in neighbourhood sang, "Take up and read"

Romans 13:13b-14

His words

"No further would I read, nor had I any need; instantly, at the end of this sentence, a clear light flooded my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away." (Confessions, viii. 29).

Martin Luther, 1515

Augustinian monk

Professor at University of Wittenberg

Impressed by the doctrine of justification by faith

Central and crucial to the argument of the Epistle

Struggle to understand it

When it was clear, the conversion was dramatic

I greatly longed to understand Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, 'the righteousness of God,' because I took it to mean that righteousness whereby God is righteous and deals righteously in punishing the unrighteous … Night and day I pondered until … I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before 'the righteousness of God' had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.

John Wesley, 18th century

… went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans … About a quarter before nine while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine; and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Karl Barth, 20th century

Paul's words fell "like a bombshell on the theologian's playground."

Other testimonies

Martin Luther

"This Epistle is the chief book of the New Testament, the purest gospel. It deserves not only to be known word for word by every Christian, but to be the subject of his meditation day by day, the daily bread of his soul … The more time one spends in it, the more precious it becomes and the better it appears." He spoke of it as "a light and way into the whole Scriptures, …"

John Calvin

"when any one understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scriptures."

Coleridge

"the most profound work ever written!"

Meyer

"the greatest and richest of all the apostolic works."

Godet

"the cathedral of the Christian faith."

Gordon H. Clark

"the most profound of all the epistles, and perhaps the most important book in the Bible"

Hamilton

"the greatest book in the Bible."

Background to Romans

The church at Rome

Jews and Jewish proselytes from Rome

• present at Pentecost (Acts 2:10)
  
• church at Rome: who founded and when?
  
• possibly by the testimony of ordinary Christians
  
• like Church at Antioch (Acts 11:19-21)
  

Both Jews and Gentiles

Spiritually prospering

• Rom 1:8
  

Jews discriminated against

• Acts 18:2
  

Rome would soon be destroyed by fire

• Christians become scapegoats
  
• Fed to lions
  

Paul had not yet visited

• Rom 1:8-15
  

  First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness that I continually remember you 10 and I always ask in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God. 11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.

• Rom 15:22-29
  

  22 This is the reason I was often hindered from coming to you. 23 But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you 24 when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

  25 But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you, 29 and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ's blessing.

Not involved with the founding of church

• Yet persisted in prayer
  
• Looked forward to meeting them
  
• Paul's most important book to those he had not known personally
  

Paul knew Priscilla and Aquila

• they were from this church
  
• Acts 18:1-2
  

  After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome.

Heard of individuals in the church

• Rom 16:3-16
  
• Wanted to visit them (Acts 19:21)
  

Paul did visit Rome later

• As a prisoner
  
• Warmly greeted by them (Rom 28:14-15)
  

  There we found some brothers and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. 15 The brothers from there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When he saw them, Paul thanked God and took courage. (Cf. Romn 1:11-12)

• Lasted for two full years (Rom 28:30)
  

  30 Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction.

Time and Place of Writing

Scriptural clues

• Rom 1:8-15
  

  8 First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness that I continually remember you 10 and I always ask in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God. 11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.

• Rom 15:22-29
  

  22 This is the reason I was often hindered from coming to you. 23 But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you 24 when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

  25 But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you, 29 and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ's blessing.

• Acts 18:1-2
  

  After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. Paul approached them,

• Acts 20:3, 6, 18
  

  3 where he stayed for three months. Because the Jews had made a plot against him as he was intending to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

  6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and within five days we came to the others in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

  18 When they arrived, he said to them, "You yourselves know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia"

• Prior to Ephesians, Philippians, Hebrews, Philemon, 2 Timothy
  
• After 2 epistles to Corinthians
  
• Probably 57 or 58 AD
  
• Place is Corinth
  

Letter treasured

• Placed first among the epistles of Paul
  
• Warmed the believers
  
• Survived the persecution of AD 64
  
• Clement in AD 96 is influenced by it
  

Structure

Two general parts

• Doctrine (1–12)
  
  • to instruct the spirit
    
  • teaches what we are to believe
    
• Practice (13ff)
  
  • to instruct the heart
    
  • teaches what we are to practice
    

Tracing the Righteousness of God

Predominant theme in Romans

Introduction (1:1-14)

Conclusion (16:1-27)

Romans 1:1-15

Paul's relationship to the saints in Rome

Set apart for the gospel (1:1)

Given the privilege and responsibility to preach the gospel to the Gentiles

This included some of the saints in Rome

The report of their faith even in distant places (1:8)

Looks forward to meeting them

Romans 1:16-17

Introduces the theme of the righteousness of God

This is directly linked with the gospel

The gospel was Paul's calling

Also it was the revelation of God's righteousness

Paul asserts his confidence in the gospel

Two reasons for boldly proclaiming it

• power of God for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles
  
• reveals the righteousness of God
  

The Gospel reveals the righteousness of God

The Righteousness of God in Revealing the Unrighteousness of Man (1:8–3:20)

lays out the gospel in an orderly way

the theology of the gospel

• begins with human sin
  
• moves to God's solution
  
• expands to its logical and necessary goal—sanctification
  
• living out of God's righteousness through the lives of those who believe the gospel
  

demonstrates human sin

also the need for a righteousness that is of God

also human sin actually demonstrates God's righteousness (Rom 3)

Two main thrusts

• 1:18-32: the "heathen"
  
  • self-righteous Jew think of sinners as Gentiles
    
  • self-indulgent sinners
    
  • God's wrath is presently being revealed on and through them (1:18)
    
  • they are "given over" by God (1:24,26,28)
    
  • they reject the natural revelation of God through creation
    
  • this is turned over to that which is unnatural
    
  • lives of chaos and disorder as a consequence of their sin
    
• 2:1-8: the Jews
  
  • self-righteous sinners
    
  • their judgment is future (2:5)
    
  • unlike the heathen, these live quite well
    
  • unaware of their sinfulnes, feel righteous
    
  • misinterpret God's present kindness as a reward for righteous living
    
  • actually it is a result of God's long-suffering
    
  • delaying judgment to give opportunity for repentance (2:5)
    
  • occupies self with judging others (2:1)
    
  • believes in sin, but not his own
    

God's righteousness is revealed by his judgment of sinners of either kind

• God judges impartially
  
• Principle of impartiality (2:9-11)
  

Righteousness of God requires wrath expressed toward unrighteousness

• Jews were proud of their privileged position and possession of the Law
  
• But they failed to practice it
  
• Possession of the Law was of no value unless practiced
  
• Greater condemnation
  
• Hypocrisy is exposed and condemned
  
• Cannot attain righteousness by law-keeping
  
• He, like the Pagan he condemns, is revealed to be a sinner by the Law
  

God's righteousness is revealed by the way he judges unrighteousness

• no favourites, no partiality
  
• Jews judged by the Law
  
• Gentiles on the basis of natural revelation
  
• Jews have no ground to be superior to the others
  
• Neither the Gentiles
  

Paul's three questions

• Benefit of being a Jew
  
  • "then what advantage has the Jew?" Rom 3:1
    
  • did not make one righteous
    
  • but great privilege of being entrusted with God's Word
    
• Does human unfaithfulness reflect on God's faithfulness to humans?
  
  • humans have not made anyone righteous
    
  • thus, has God failed?
    
  • Not at all!
    
  • Human failure has revealed the righteousness of God
    
  • Not frustrated God's purposes but fulfilled them
    
  • Paved a way for God to provide a righteousness the Law could never produce
    
• Does the unrighteousness of humans suggest unrighteousness on God's part?
  
  • God created sinners, so is God righteous
    
  • His revelation produces unrighteousness
    
  • Undeserving of an answer
    
  • Paul merely states the condemnation of such people (3:8)
    

Conclusion

• Jews are no better than Gentiles (3:9)
  
• Both are unrighteous, guilty before God
  
• 3:10-18, draws from OT
  
  • describes human fallen, sinful condition
    
  • this condition is universal
    
• point is summarized
  
  • Law given to demonstrate their unrighteousness
    
  • not to feel superior
    
  • not to make them righteous
    
  • reveals human need for righteousness
    
  • does not provide it
    
  • the Law is to salvation what an x-ray is to a cure