An Introduction to Romans

If I could only have one gospel and one other book of the New Testament, I would choose the Gospel of John and the book of Romans. Why the book of Romans?

1) It satisfied a deep need in my own life (Chapter 5, justification by faith).

2) It answers many questions for the Christian.

How are we saved

How should we live

How should the church operate

The Christian and suffering

The sovereignty of God

God’s purpose for Jew and Gentile

3) It is both theological and devotional.

It tells us the deep things of God and also tells us how to live.

Who wrote it?

The first word of the letter tells us who wrote it. Paul wrote the letter through an amanuensis.

Look at 16:22

Tertius inserted a little greeting and let us know he was Paul’s secretary. It was not uncommon for Paul to use a scribe to write a letter as he dictated it.

Galatians 6:11

See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand

2 Thess. 3:17.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.

After the letter was written Paul would read through it. He would write the ending of the letter’s himself as a type of signature upon it.

While Tertius penned the letter to paper we can be sure the letter contains the teachings of the Apostle.

It’s not difficult to determine when and where Paul wrote this letter from.

He wrote it from Corinth.

Years earlier Paul had preached in Corinth, and many were saved. One of the men saved was named Gaius. Paul only baptized two people there and one of them was Gaius (1 Cor. 1:14). He and Gaius continued to be friends. Paul wrote the book of Romans from the home of Gaius where he was staying (Romans 16:23).

The year was around 57 AD. We know that because of historical records concerning Roman rulers.

In Acts 18:12 we see that when Paul was in Corinth the first time Gallio was proconsul at Corinth. Historical records show this to be 51-52 AD.

A few years would pass before Paul returned to Corinth.

In Acts 24:27 we see Paul on trial before Felix. Felix is the procurator of Judea just before Paul goes to Rome. Historical records show the year he ruled 52-59 AD. Paul had to have written Romans before 59 AD. Felix was replaced with Festus (Acts 24:27).

All that lets us know Paul was in Corinth on his third missionary journey sometime around 57 AD. That is when this letter was written.

Who was the letter written to?

Look at verse 7. Believers.

There was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. The Jews were the minority (Romans 1:13).

In AD 49 many Jews were forced to leave Rome. A reference is made to this in Acts 18:2. The Emperor of Rome expelled many Jews because of an uprising. Historical documents say:

“As the Jews were indulging in constant riots at the instigation of Chrestus , he banished them from Rome.”

Again, we see history affirming what Scripture says. The issue was most likely between Jews who accepted Christ as Messiah and those who did not. Rome didn’t want to put up with their fighting, so they removed them.

The Jewish population in Rome was small as a result.

We can see the providence of God even in this. If it were not for the emperor removing the Jews from Rome Paul would not have met Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2). Paul met them in Corinth, and they got him a job and he lived with them as well.

Who started the church in Rome?

It wasn’t Paul. He had never even been to Rome (1:13).

It wasn’t Peter. Paul never even mentions Peter. If Peter had founded the church, no doubt, some reference would be made to him, especially in the closing of the letter where Paul lists many people by name.

The church was started by believers who were present on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10). Some people from Rome got saved on the Day of Pentecost. They returned home and formed a church. That is the most natural way to explain the existence of the church at Rome.

Why did Paul have such an interest in Rome?

It was a dangerous place for Jews.

It became a very dangerous place for Christians.

What we do know is Paul wanted to go to Rome.

Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome. (Acts 19:21)

Look at Romans 15:23

For years he had been wanting to go to Rome. How he got there was interesting. He wanted to visit the Jerusalem church but was warned not to (Acts 21:4). Paul went anyway. A riot broke out and he was arrested. While in jail the Lord told him:

“Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” Acts 23:11

Paul was eventually transferred to Caesarea and when through a couple of different trials. They were going to send him back to Jerusalem to stand trial, but he appealed to Caesar. He could do this because he was a Roman citizen. His father was a Roman citizen and even though Paul had never been to Rome he had citizenship by his birth (Acts 25).

Listen to these words from Acts 25:11-12

If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

Paul was put on a boat and sent to Rome.

What was his interest in Rome?

There was a huge mission field there.

It was a place of influence.

There is something more. Paul wanted to go to Spain.

Look at Romans 15:24.

He saw Rome as a place he would stop on his way to his destination: Spain.

Why Spain? Spain was the Western most part of the empire. He had been preaching in the east. He likely believed he had done all he could do in the east. Now he wanted to go west.

Look at Romans 15:20-21

He wanted to take the gospel where it had not been taken.

How did Rome fit into the plans of taking the gospel to Spain? It could be that Paul saw Rome as the Antioch of the West.

The church at Antioch became a powerful church that sent out missionaries (Acts 12:25-13:3). Listen to Acts 14:26-27:

and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Paul was now going west. He would need a church that would help him do in the west what Antioch helped to do in the east. A little tidbit of info for you- When Jonah tried to flee to Tarshish he was trying to go to Spain. A neat study is to compare Jonah and Paul-

Both trying to go to Spain

Both shipwrecked

Both spared

Etc.

Look again at Romans 15:24-29

He says he wants Rome to help him on his journey to Spain (24).

He mentions the help the churches gave to the church in Jerusalem (26).

He says the Gentiles should help spread the gospel (27).

Paul says he will come to Rome after dropping off the gift in Jerusalem and on his way to Spain (28).

He expects to be greeted by the Romans in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ (29).

The point is Paul expected the Roman Christians to help him get to Spain so he could preach the gospel.

The fact is he never made it there. He would die in Rome. It was his heart to get the gospel there and he wanted the church at Rome to help him do that. For this to happen, some things needed to be true.

The church needed to exist.

The church needed to be doctrinally sound.

The church needed to be healthy.

The letter to the Romans would help to make all these things possible.

Let me give some closing thoughts:

1. We need churches in the most ungodly places.

2. Paul’s interest in Rome was not self-centered.

3. Paul was willing to pay the ultimate price for the furtherance of God’s church.

4. Paul wanted to do things for God he was never able to do.