- Romans
- 16 chapters, 433 verses, 9422 words (KJV)
- Primary doctrinal book within the Bible, especially regarding the Gospel of salvation
- Longest and doctrinally most significant Pauline epistle
Broad Outline:
- Salutation (1:1-7)
- Epistolary [Matters pertaining to the letter; Extended greeting] (1:8-16)
- Doctrinal Portion (1:17-8:39)
- Dispensational Discussion [Discussion of God’s current working in the Church] (9:1-11:36)
- Practical Portion (12:1-15:12)
– With further dispensational discussion (15:8-12)
- Epistolary [Matters pertaining to the letter]
- Salutations to Fellow-laborers (16:1-24)
- Presentation of the Mystery/Benediction (16:25-27)
Conceptual Outline:
- – The Gospel of Christ
- – Israel’s Positions
- – Practicalities of Faith
2. Notes Regarding the Nature of Romans
- The very first verse depicts the topic of Paul’s writing, “The Gospel of God”
- Major themes: Righteousness (Justification); Redemption; Sanctification; Natural Revelation; Grace; Law; Wrath; Sin; Matters of the Trinity; Election; Image of Adam and Christ
- The purpose summarized is to establish sound doctrine
- Written to a “mixed” congregation of Jewish and Gentile believers
- Paul intended to lay a sure foundation amid moral corruption
- Historically, theologians often esteem Paul’s Roman epistle as the greatest theological work of all time and also note the literary mastery within its writing.
- The Roman epistle ends with reference to the mystery, and the second greatest theological epistle, Ephesians, unfolds this mystery.
3. Date: Between A.D. 55-58
4. Title: To the Church in Roman (Romans 1:7)
- An early church in Rome and all believers
- The writings of Roman historian, Suetonius, suggests there was a church in Rome by A.D. 49
Scholars debate the origin of this church considering there is no Biblical documentation of its origin, especially correlating with the suggested date (Romans 15:20-25)
- – It is suggested that converts of Paul, carried the grace message to Rome
5. Rome Background:
- The city of Rome was founded in B.C. 753
- Center for the great Roman Empire until Rome’s fall in A.D. 476
- The Roman Empire’s impressive infrastructure, stability, and civilization was one of the catalysts for the rapid spread of the Gospel, as evidenced in the Roman church’s formation
- There were waves of varying Christian and Jewish persecutions in and around Biblical times.
- These persecutions were often local phenomena, with varying intensities often dependent on Roman leadership
6. Author: The Apostle Paul (Romans 1:1); Assisted by an amanuensis Tertius (Romans 16:22)
- Letter delivered by Phebe (Romans 16:1-2)
Written From: Corinth on Paul’s third missionary journey [Acts 18:22–21:17; 2 Corinthians 13:1] (Speculated; Due to context clues relating to setting and regarding his greetings in Romans 16)