Download Romans

Romans
Paul’s letter to the church(es)
in city of rome
Anno domini lx
The church in rome
Context: understanding
romans
• Who wrote the letter
• Who the author was writing to
• The reason for writing the letter
• The background circumstances in which the letter was written
• Sometimes hard to be certain when looking at the New Testament:
the details get clarified all the time, but some things are still a “best
guess”
Context of Paul’s letter:
rome
• Rome was a multicultural, sprawling, busy city
• More than a million inhabitants
• Fiercely Republican: Emperor and Senate; SPQR
• Main language for everyday communication was … Greek
• “All roads lead to Rome” – centre of the vast Roman Empire
• Slavery was what made the empire work – wealthy Roman would
have 50 slaves; the emperor would have around 20,000
• Rome’s military discipline and rule held the empire together – Pax
Romanum
Context of Paul’s letter:
Paul
• Letter written from Corinth, on Paul’s third missionary journey, about
60 AD
• Paul was a Jew, a Christian, apostle to the gentiles, and a Roman
citizen – uniquely qualified to address this cosmopolitan church
• Paul had been on his mission of mercy to Jerusalem
• Paul had never visited Rome, but was anxious to do so
• Paul had clear ideas on how salvation “works” to bring us to God
• Paul did not want to “build on another man’s foundation”
Context of Paul’s letter:
the church(es) in rome
• Origins of the church unclear – apostolic foundation (maybe Peter?)
or Jewish believers settling in the cosmopolitan city, or Christians
evangelised by Paul elsewhere and gathering together when they
settled in Rome
• Likely to have been several fellowships
• Initially, Jews likely to have been in the majority, and “in charge”
• All Jews were expelled from Rome in 49 AD by Claudius – some
disturbances, but the reason is not certain
• Claudius’s edict died with him and from 54 AD Jews could return – to
exclusively gentile churches, a recipe for internal tensions
Understanding romans: key
themes in the letter
• Romans is a hugely important letter – theologically rich
• Not an “occasional letter” – there is no one problem addressed, or single
theme / reason for writing
• “to all the beloved of God living in Rome”
• Written both for Jews and non-Jews
• Jews are not superior, Law is not to be disrespected – Gospel is the focus
• Love God, love each other, and live lives that give God glory
• Sinners are received as righteous by God; live lives to His glory
• 1:16,17 can be seen as a summary of Paul’s theology