Exposition of Romans 1:5-15

Genre

Although the Christians in Rome are not Paul’s converts, he was appointed by Christ for the task of bringing about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles. So one of Paul’s first priorities in writing this letter is to build a strong rapport with the Christian community in Rome so that they can partner together in advancing the gospel into the then “new world”.

To accomplish this purpose Paul will heavily employ “deliberative-rhetoric”, which is one of the three forms of rhetoric first described by Aristotle and widely employed in the Greco-Roman world to counsel various assemblies about important future courses of action. One of Rome’s own most famous scholar and statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero, described deliberative rhetoric as being concerned about what is both “beneficial” and “honorable”, noting that the goal of this kind of rhetoric was to “establish policies and pursue actions that contributed to the well-being of the citizenry… [which, therefore,] involved weighing evidence for and against a future policy or course of action.” I believe this is an important observation because it helps explain how Paul is connecting to his Roman audience to accomplish the purposes of God’s Kingdom. And as scholars have examined Paul’s letter to Rome, it has become quite clear that Paul is employing such methods with a high degree of skill, showing the great length that Paul had gone to in order to minister to the gentiles!

So, as we examined last week, Paul begins his introduction with one of the hallmarks of this kind of rhetoric by calling to their remembrance both the identity of their shared Lord and the story of his own faith-journey. He reminds them of who Jesus was, both according to his human lineage and divine nature. He bonds with the Christians in Rome by transcending their socio-political differences in Christ and reminding them of the reason for his own ministry. Paul is not writing them to just shoot the breeze; he is like an emissary sent by their King to argue for a course of action that will contribute to the well-being of God’s Kingdom and her people.

Therefore, Paul establishes rapport with the Christians in Rome by basing his relationship with them and purpose in ministry towards them in Christ, who was powerfully proven to be the Son of God by his resurrection. “Because Jesus has been raised King,” Paul will argue as Jesus’ emissary, “here is what that means to you as citizens of his Kingdom and your mission in this world.”

We would do well to learn from Paul how to base our relationships with one another under the sovereign authority of our Lord in our identity as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

To All In Rome

Romans 1:5–7 (CSB) — 5 Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles, 6 including you who are also called by Jesus Christ. 7 To all who are in Rome, loved by God, called as saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have taken the time to point out the reasons why Paul is writing so that we can see why Paul introduces himself in this way. What reason does he have for writing them at all? Why hasn’t he already contacted such an important Christian community? And why should they bother listening to Paul anyway?

Verse 5: “Through him we have received grace and apostleship”

Paul is writing to them because he has received an appointment or commission from Christ their Lord. Most importantly, Paul’s appointment as an apostle - a term that was very related to the idea of an “emissary” - was given to him through the risen Christ. And we should understand that the expression, “grace and apostleship”, does not have in mind two events but one: the apostles, signified by the plural “we”, were given an administration of God’s grace as his apostles.

This means that Paul is not approaching them on human authority, as he did so long ago when he traveled the road to Damascus with authority from the high priests to kill Christians. Now, he bears the authority of Christ himself as one sent by him to set his Kingdom in order.

Even though the Christians in Rome don’t know Paul, they should listen to him because he received authority from their King:

Ephesians 2:19–22 (CSB) — 19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

Ephesians 3:2, 5 (CSB) — 2 Assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. 5 This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit

The apostles, to whom Paul belongs, laid the foundation of the Church as authorized by Jesus Christ. They did not lay this foundation according to their own imaginations, or what seemed best to them at the time, but according to the will and revelation of the Holy Spirit. This is the chief reason why the Christians in Rome - and we as well - ought to listen to Paul.

Verse 5: “To bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles”

Paul is writing to them with his apostolic commission in mind to establish their obedience of faith - and ours. In other words, the purpose of the apostolic ministry is to bring about the obedience of faith in the Kingdom of God. This excludes all so-called apostles whose sole focus is putting on wild shows and manifesting chaos in the Church.

True apostles powerfully prove the will of God in order to establish obedience:

Ephesians 3:7–9 (CSB) — 7 I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. 8 This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, 9 and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.

Paul’s purpose is to shed light on the meaning of the gospel for the Christians in Rome so that they can live their lives in the obedience of faith.

This poses an important question: what is meant by the genitive phrases “obedience of faith?”

First, it tells us that Christian obedience comes by faith. To be clear, this clause does not here refer to obedience to some “corpus of doctrine” that might be defined as “the faith” because it lacks the definite article. Paul means that we must believe that Jesus has been declared by the resurrection to be God’s Son (See verse 4), just as God promised the patriarchs, and we must trust God to bring us into the eternal Kingdom through the way of Christ’s cross.

An important observation should be made here that Paul will soon expound at great length upon the central concept of “the obedience of faith” in Romans 3:21-5:21.

Perhaps most simply, the meaning of this phrase is described in the great hymn “Trust and Obey”:

When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way; while we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

This entire hymn is a worthy commentary on Paul’s meaning in this phrase.

Second, by reminding the Christians in Rome that the righteousness of Christ is lived out by faith, Paul seeks to stir up in them the kind of commitment that resolve that flows from this kind of faith.

As part of Paul’s deliberative rhetoric, he is calling to mind this faith and will momentarily remind them about the global testimony of their faith in verse 8 in order to prompt them to deliberate amongst themselves as to what kind of faith and testimony they should have in light of the empty tomb. What kind of Christians should they be? “Yes”, they might cower in secret because of the hardships that have only so recently dispersed their leadership and seemingly crippled their numbers, but is that the right kind of faith? Instead, Paul hopes to inspire them to shoulder this great adversity in the conviction that Christ is the powerful Son of God and resolve with him to do the impossible by extending the Kingdom of God to the new world in Spain through the gospel!

Verse 6: “including you who are also called by Jesus Christ”

To be clear, they are included in the King’s calling. Lest the assume their weakened state, or the circumstances of their situation might exclude them from the mission that has been assigned to the greater Kingdom of God, Paul makes it clear that they are part of this mission.

O how the church of Christ the world over needs to hear this apostolic message!

Are you small? Are you weak? Is your body feeble? Are you facing increasingly complex and hostile cultures and governments? The question the apostle Paul poses for our deliberation is “what kind of faith do you have?” And, incredibly, we find in this question the answer to all these fears! It does not matter how much strength the Christians in the world’s mightiest city think they have, what matters is how much strength they think Jesus has!

O Church!

Do you have faith in the empty tomb?

Arise with your Messiah and do not fear the world.

Make the risen King known!

I must stop here and pose this question to you:

Do you believe Jesus can revive this church and cause his Kingdom mission to excel here?

Then do you believe that you are included in this calling?

What kind of faith do you have?

Again, one of the features of deliberative rhetoric is that it calls on its audience to consider the right course of action. Paul proposes “faith in the powerful Son of God” as their right course of action.

So now we must deliberate and answer this question: “what kind of faith do we have?”

Verse 7: “To all who are in Rome”

Paul does not single out the “elders”, as if to say these things are for an elite core of mature Christians. Everyone else can relax because the church revolves around a select few dynamic personalities that causes the church to rise or fall. No! Paul is addressing everyone and calling all, from the least to the greatest to action.

Verse 7: “loved by God, called as saints”

In the same manner that Paul sought to establish his relationship with them in Christ by defining himself in Christ, so now he will strengthen their faith by reminding them who they are in Christ: they are loved by God and called to be set apart to him. But it is here that I feel we also need to be built up in the same manner. For we are each the object of God’s love in Christ. And, just as Paul had received his apostolic commission through Christ, so also we have been called by God to be his saints through Christ!

And in the same manner that Paul’s calling defined him, and the saints in Rome’s calling defined them, so our calling likewise defines us!

Who are we? We are God’s beloved in Horseheads, New York. We are set apart to God’s special use in this city! We are truly loved by God.

Verse 7: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

The significance of this verse is highlighted when we understand that the standard Greek greeting of their day was “ch-air-e”, a word that meant “joy”. So Paul modifies this greeting, using instead “charis”, which means “grace”, further signifying their transformation in Christ as they are not defined by their Roman heritage, but by the Kingdom of God. Paul then combines this modified Greek greeting with the traditional Jewish greeting shalom, which means “peace”, further signifying to the Jewish Christians in Rome that they, too, have been transformed by Christ and made one with their gentile brothers and sisters. And in so doing Paul manifests the faith of Christ to both Greeks and Jews in one body by wishing them both God’s unmerited favor and blessings of peace.

Romans 1:8–12 (CSB) — 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world. 9 God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in telling the good news about his Son—that I constantly mention you, 10 always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Paul now feels compelled to offer prayer and exhortations in the rhetorical form known as “Narratio Exordium”, that is, narrated exhortations. One of the hallmarks of this kind of rhetoric is prayers of thanksgiving that preview key subjects to come. Very often such “prayers of exordium” contain praise to God for something that in reality has been causing great difficulties.

Their faith has been reported far and wide, but Paul does not say what has been reported about their faith. You may recall from our introduction to Romans that Emporer Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in A.D. 49, accusing them of subversion. So it may be possible that the Christians in Rome are caught up in that controversy and Paul is exhorting them to take advantage of these reports - as bad as they may be - to advance the good news of Jesus, trusting his power to overcome what would ordinarily work out to their end.

Verse 8: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world”

For this reason, Paul’s prayers are first and foremost framed by thanksgiving because of his faith in Christ. He believes that whatever is being reported about the struggling Christian community in Rome will ultimately work out to God’s glory and their well-being, sentiments that will compose the heart of one of Paul’s strongest exhortations in Romans:

Romans 8:28 (CSB) — 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

You’ll notice the careful reflection of Paul’s “loved by God, called as Saints” greeting when he reminds them that all things work out for those who “love God” and “are called according to his purpose”. No matter what people are saying about their faith, or the difficulties they face because of the situation they find themselves in, their King - the Lord Jesus Christ - will work victory out of all things because he is risen and forever lives so that he can make intercession for those who now live according to his purpose.

Verse 9: “God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in telling the good news about his Son”

There may be reason for Paul to be sensitive to possible misunderstandings in Rome about why he has not yet visited them. The great apostle of the gentiles has not yet visited the Church in the greatest city on earth? Why? Is Paul ashamed of them? Is Paul embarrassed by the reports spreading around the world about their faith (or, perhaps, lack thereof)?

Verse 9: “that I constantly mention you”

Paul assures them that they have constantly remained in his mind. He has not been neglecting them because he is ashamed of them or reluctant to associate with them; as he will make known momentarily, circumstances have prevented him from coming to them so that the has only been able to pray on their behalf up to this point.

Verse 10: “always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you”

Dishonesty is not one of the features of “narratio exhordium”. We should not imagine that Paul is simply making excuses for his absence. Unfortunately, “prayers” in an age of unbelief are often used to mask people’s indifference and apathy. Not so with the apostle Paul. We know that Paul was frequently burdened with deep desires to visit churches in different regions, but was fully submitted to the Holy Spirit, who sometimes did not permit him to travel to certain places until the time was right:

Acts 16:6–10 (CSB) — 6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Verse 11: “For I want very much to see you”

Another hallmark of the apostolic ministry is the great burden received for the care and wellbeing of God’s children, a burden I believe is likewise to be shared by those whom God appoints to shepherd the Church. This burden is not an accident, nor does it arise automatically, but is instilled in prayer as the Lord’s servants commune with the Father and receive from him his love for his children.

We know the story of Paul, how he became acquainted with Priscilla and Aquila when they fled from Rome after Emperor Claudius’ edict. Paul demonstrates in this letter that he became very familiar with the Church in Rome, probably through Priscilla and Aquila, as he learned about what God was doing in them. Shortly after his ministry in Macedonia, Paul then determined to travel to Jerusalem and then on to Rome.

Acts 18:2 (CSB) — 2 where 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 leave Rome. Paul came to them,

Acts 19:21 (CSB) — 21 After these events, Paul resolved by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. “After I’ve been there,” he said, “It is necessary for me to see Rome as well.”

Acts 28:16 (CSB) — 16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

We then remember what Paul endured in Jerusalem on the path the Spirit showed that he must take to Rome. The fervency of his desire to see the Christians in Rome should, therefore, be unquestioned in light of all he endured to meet them.

Verse 11: “so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you”

Paul’s desire on behalf of God’s children is motivated entirely by his love for Christ:

2 Corinthians 11:2 (CSB) — 2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure virgin to Christ.

In fact, Paul has been so captivated by the glory of Christ that he has come to understand Christ’s glorious inheritance in the saints:

Ephesians 1:18–21 (CSB) — 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. 20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Very often we miss great insights into the glories of Christ because we think only about our inheritance, but I believe here we see Paul’s zeal for the incomparable riches of Christ’s glorious inheritance in the saints! Indeed, Paul’s insights into this were so deep that it captivated his whole life and compelled him to endure the horrific trials of his Jerusalem journey so that he could “import some spiritual gift to them” so that he might present them blameless as a pure virgin bride to Christ.

Verse 12: “that is”

However, in expressing this desire he does not want them to imagine that he is coming to them as one who is above them. Especially in light of some of the malicious accusations that may be circulating the Roman empire at this time about their faith, it would be easy for the Christians in Rome to imagine because of their lowly and weak circumstances that they have nothing to offer the apostle Paul. Maybe he will be their hero, coming to rescue them. Not so. Paul has something else entirely in mind.

Verse 12: “to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith”

Likewise, Paul’s insights into the incomparable riches of Christ’s glorious inheritance in the saints also compelled him to seek to be built up by their faith. I suspect that this, more than anything else Paul has written so far, might be the most surprising thing for the Christians in Rome to hear. The great apostle to the gentiles wants to be encouraged by their faith?

Let us pause for a moment and imagine that the great apostle Paul were coming to visit us.

Would you imagine that your faith could encourage him?

You can see how this is part of Paul’s deliberative rhetoric in which he is provoking them to consider what kind of faith they will have in light of the risen King. Indeed, their faith, if it is in the powerful Son of God, ought to be such that it could encourage the apostle Paul! And so should ours. We should be walking in such a manner of faith that if Paul visited us, he would gasp, “Wow! The resurrection faith abides in these people some 2,000 years later?!”

Verse 12: “both yours and mine”

One of the central themes of Paul’s letter to the Romes is the unity of “Jews and Gentiles”, and so Paul is placing himself alongside the Christians in Rome as fellow servants in God’s Kingdom. “Yes”, Paul is building up the Kingdom, but so is their faith. And so it did!

Romans 1:13–15 (CSB) — 13 Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Again Paul’s sensitivity to the delicate situation he is entering manifests. Paul is not their founder, nor has he, the Lord’s apostle to the Gentiles yet visited this church. We also know that the apostle Peter visited Rome after his narrow escape from Jerusalem (Acts 12), and many scholars attribute their founding to Peter’s visit during this time. And I’m inclined to agree. Granting this premise, Paul must also be careful not to imply that the reason he hasn’t visited them is because he thinks the faith they received from Peter was in some way deficient.

Verse 13: “Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now)”

You may remember from our introduction to Romans how this group of Christians is described in Romans 16 as being composed of six or seven house churches. Their number is probably not more than 100 people in a city that historians estimate was over one million. So we should cast any picture of Roman Cathedrals from our mind when we think about this Church. They are small. By all appearances, they are weak. So they must not feel overlooked!

Verse 13: “in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles”

Now Paul makes clear his intention to partner with them in ministry.

Verse 14: “I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish”

Paul now indicates what kind of ministry he has in mind for partnering with the Christians in Rome; he wishes to advance the gospel beyond their region into Spain, a region that was viewed by civilized peoples (represented here by the designation “Greeks”) in much the same way that the Jews viewed Gentiles.

Can Paul really intend to bring the gospel to the unworthy barbarians in Spain? They are an uncivilized, cruel, and immoral people!

And so Paul will set the stage here for one of the fundamental truths of the gospel, that the good news of Jesus Christ is meant for everyone. Our artificial divisions that have come as the result of sin are being broken down. Humanity is being reconciled together in Christ to God. Hallelujah! Christ is Lord of all.

What Paul is going to teach them about Christ in chapters nine through eleven, he will then ask them to apply in real life in their ministry to the barbarians in Spain. Much depends on their embracing these fundamental truths about God’s grace.

Verse 15: “So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome”

This concludes Paul’s greeting to the Christians in Rome. He has defined himself in Christ and his purposes by the gospel. He has announced his decision to partner with them for the furtherance of the Kingdom. Next Paul will announce the chief proposition of his letter that should not surprise anyone who has been listening carefully.

Conclusions