The Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
Title: It is an epistle of the apostle to
the congregation of Messianic Jews in Rome.
Date of
writing: Before 70
AD: (1) 55 AD (TLSB), Paul did not know the people/congregation and sends them
an overview of the dogmatic theology or (2) post 62 AD when he is planning his
trip to Spain (15:23-24) being released from the chains of Rome (Acts 28:20).
Structure:
A. 1:1-7, Greetings
B. 1:8-12,
Thanks for you
C. 1:13-15,
Owes to everyone.
D. 1:16 –
3:31, Life under sin and condemnation by the Law
E. 4 –
5, Justification
F. 6,
Gifts of the Spirit in the Baptism, death
G.
7, Life of a believer in Christ
F’. 8,
Gifts of Spirit in life, sons – birth.
E’. 9 –
11, Justification of Jews and Gentiles
D’. 12 –
14, Life under Grace
C’. 15, Owes
to everyone
B’. 16:1-23,
“You” are named
A’. 16:25-27,
Conclusion
Main
themes:
Power of the
Gospel vs. power of sin
Unity of
Jews and Gentiles
Law of sin
vs. law of Christ
Main
Characters:
Paul, also
he mentions a list of people (16:1-23): first, the ones from the Roman
congregation (16:1-16), then his fellow workers (16:21-23).
Reflection
in other parts of the Bible:
St. Paul
builds heavily on the story of patriarchs Abraham (ch. 4 and 5), Isaac, and
Jacob and Esau (ch. 9 – 11). Also, he reaches back to the Creation account – to
Adam (ch. 5).
The concept
of self-sacrifice (12:1) has a “priestly” language (Lev. 1 – 3) as its
background.
Many of the
OT quotes of Paul are taken from Psalter. There are few reasons for familiarity
of his audience with the psalms – the regular liturgical usage in the synagogal
worship life.
Lutheran
teaching:
It is well
known fact that Luther had his Evangelical (Gospel) breakthrough while he
studied the Letter of St. Paul to Romans. The Lutheran hallmark – the teaching
of Justification by Grace through Faith – is based on Scripture as a whole but
has its primary source in Romans (AC, IV:3).
Apart from
the Justification Romans give a background for teaching on the Christian
Baptism (ch. 6 – LC IV:41, 65) and Sanctification (ch. 7 and 8 – SA III,
III:36, 40).
Lutheran
hymnody:
LSB 569 – In
Adam We have all Been One.
LSB 580 –
The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace.
Relevancy
of the Book:
There are at
least two levels of relevancy of the Letter to Romans: general Christian
teaching and foundation for the personal ethics of a believer. First, Paul
wrote the letter to the congregation in Rome touching on many aspects of the
Christian Dogma: Baptism, Sanctification, Ecclesiology, relationship of Church
and State etc.
Second, on
the personal level Romans is very important for those who wants to follow
Christ’s call in a godly way: not trying to gain God’s favor by fulfilling the
Law but joyfully using the instructions as a way of maturation and growth in
Christ.
Memory
verses:
1:16 For I
am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation to
everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greeks.
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