Romans Background & Introduction

1. 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:

• Romans 1-8

• – The Gospel of Christ

• Romans 9-11

• – Israel’s Positions

• Romans 12-16

• – 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)