Chapter One
Who What Where Why When
Who: Paul and the believers in Rome, especially their leadership, who are likely fellow Israelites.
What: A letter.
Where: Rome with Spain in mind.
Why: Paul did not plant the Roman church, but he wants their support. He wants to prove his gospel mission to the Romans, and to prove himself an apostle worthy of their support for his missionary journeys further west.
When: The first century AD.
Vs. 2-3 — Paul makes it clear that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah.
Vs. 5-7 — Paul received a mission from Israel’s Messiah to go out into the nations (Gentiles) to bring people into the faith of the Messiah. The Jesus followers in Rome are included in this group: those among the nations.
Vs. 8 — The faithfulness of the Jesus followers in Rome has been proclaimed in all the cosmos. The cosmos: the vertical world created by Yahweh — the heavens, the powers and principalities, the priesthood, all Israel, the temple.
Vs. 9-13 — Paul wishes to come to Rome. He has gathered fruit from among other nations, and now he wishes to do the same in Rome.
Vs. 14 — Greeks were not “people from Greece” as there was no Greece in the first century. To be a Greek was to be a Hellenized person, one who adopted the Hellenistic culture, a civilized person. A barbarian was one who was not Hellenized.
Vs. 15-17 — Paul wants to proclaim the good news about Israel’s Messiah to those in Rome — to the Jew first (Judaean Israelites) and also the Greek (dispersed Hellenized Israelites [John 7:35]). The gospel was for Israel. Their Messiah had redeemed them from the transgressions they made against their first covenant with Yahweh (Hebrews 9:15) and now their Messiah was calling all Israel to Himself, Israelites from among the Judaeans, and Israelites from among the nations. Perhaps non-Israelites could become Israelites, but Paul’s gospel was for Israel alone.
Vs 18 — The wrath of God is revealed from heaven — that is the throne-room of Yahweh at the height of the Israelite cosmos.
Vs 19-21 — God revealed Himself to these people to the extent that they are without excuse. Did God reveal Himself only enough to condemn these people, but not enough that they could not live lives to please God. No, of course not. These people knew God enough to give Him glory and thanks. And what people had been given this revelation? Israel. (Deuteronomy 4:7-8; Amos 3:1-2)
Vs 22-31 — Israel exchanged God’s truth for a lie and thus were handed over by God to their evil desires which are in direct conflict with the 10 commandments (vs. 29-30).
Vs 32 — Israelites, knowing God’s decree that those who do such evil things are deserving of death, not only do them, but approve of the non-Israelites (non-covenant people) who do them.
Pursuit of Percipience 