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Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
(v1) Paul greets the Roman church by calling himself a δουλος; which can be translate as slave or one who is becoming the property of another. Being set apart or placed aside for a specific purpose pertaining to the purposes of the good news being spread.
(v2-3) Paul gives context for the good news and verifies it by pointing back to the prophets of the scriptures and connecting it with the Davidic line all the way to Jesus.
(v4) Jesus is declared the Son of God in power or a heavenly light by the breath of life or purity as a result of his raising from the dead.
(v5) It is by the cross that we receive the Lord’s active kindness and that we are given the position to learn directly from the Master and speak on His behalf with the intent to lead people into obedience of faith in other words become followers of Jesus. All for His name sake among the entirety of every nation τα εθνη not Jewish.
(v6-7) there seems to be a distinction between who Paul is referring to up to this point and those who are called to belong to Jesus. Along with that Paul gives mention to all the Romans who are following Jesus.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
(v8) Paul is thankful for the followers in Rome because their faith is spoken about around the world.
(v9) Paul emphasizes that he remembers the church in Rome continuously without ceasing
(v10) In his prayers he mentions them. Specifically asking God to let him come to them.
(v11) Paul longs to be with them so that he can share with them and encourage them with spiritual gifts.
(v12) He explains what he means exactly is that they can be encouraged by each others faith.
(v13-15) Paul lets them know that he has wanted to come to them for awhile so that he could reap a harvest among them and the Gentiles, and the non-Gentiles. He says he owes (ὀφειλέτης) to God to pursue those who are not Jewish. But he is eager to be able to minister to his own people.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
(v16) Paul continuing from v15 about preaching the gospels makes it known that he is not ashamed or embarrassed of this good news. Maybe he is referring to the empires at hand and the clear persecution taking place (Claudius & then Nero) I can imagine there was a ton of fear around the Roman empire. Paul speaks of another power when he refers to the message of the gospel being the power of God. The other time this word power is mentioned pertaining to the gospel is in 1 Corinthians 1:18. This good news is for everyone who believes which again could be very possibly have been against the grain of the dominating Roman empires ideal of social classes and exclusivity. This good news is for the Jew first and also the Gentile. The word also here is και which means very similar in the totality of two things. Therefore I think that
(v17) For in the message of the good news we find what is pleasing to God and what He desires the starting point and ending point of this process is faith πίστις or a full reliance and trust. Paul then quotes Habbakuk saying the just shall live by full reliance and trust in God. Faith can feel like the rush of simple trust as a person jumps off a cliff believing during the space in between that at the end will be a welcoming embrace from the water. The assurance is found in the hope
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
(v18) Very interesting thoughts on the wrath of God. Now the God of the Old Testament is clearly God of the N.T. although if only looked at briefly I can see how people would think that God is different in the two but if you look closely you can see that
“The Hebrew word for patient is related to the word for wrath, and means “length of wrath,” that is, God does not quickly become angry1”
So in a round about way I think you could read this verse “for the patience of God is revealed...” His wrath is made known from heaven against all evil. The evil done by men restrain truth from having it’s full expression.
(v19) Therefore because of God’s wrath/patience He can be known by wicked men(the entirety of humanity) It seems like Paul is saying that things that can be known about God are plain to the wicked. Because God has shown it to them.
(v20) The things of who God is that we don’t see; mainly His eternal power and divine nature- have always been right in front of us! They are in the things that have been made. (Things that occur at least twice) So there is no excuse for humanity.
(v21-22) Everything is aware of God the real question is are we going to honor Him as God or thank Him? the result is that they became worthless in their thinking and their inner beings were unable to perceive rightly. The ironic thing is that they thought they were wise though.
(v23) They made a transaction and traded the glory of the unending God for the culturally relevant worship of the time (Egyptians, oriental)
(v24) God doesn’t hold people against will but he gives them over to what they set their attention towards.
(v25) They traded real living for a counterfeit.
(v26-27) Paul seems to specify what he is talking about by saying people were giving themselves to sexual relations that were not natural.
(v28) Again, God does not hold people against their wills
(v29-30) Paul expounds even more on what these people were like evil, always wanting what everyone has, wanting to hurt others, jealous, hateful, looking for a fight, never 100% honest, and not intending good things toward people. they speak ill of others, hate God, violent, arrogant, constantly bragging, thinking of news ways of evil, disobedient to parents, no judgement or understanding, hoping for no things or refusing to be bound by any covenant or agreement (not good promise keepers), numb and hardhearted, not merciful.
(v32) These people do all these things despite knowing and experiencing God’s right and just decree that those who do these things deserve death. On top of that its not just their lifestyle but their message to others, constantly trying to pull others in with them.
1 Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Wrath of God,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 2167.