A Teacher's Commentary on Romans

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Introduction to Romans

Romans 1

Romans 2

Romans 3

Romans 4

Romans 5

Romans 6

Romans 7

Romans 8

Romans 9

Romans 10

Romans 11

Romans 12

Romans 13

Romans 14

Romans 15

Romans 16

Appendices

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

Appendix F

Appendix G

Appendix H

Appendix I

Appendix J

Works Cited

About the Author

A Teacher's Commentary on Romans

Dan R. Owen, PhD

ISBN 978-1-68526-271-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68526-315-7 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-68526-272-3 (Digital)

Copyright © 2024 Dan R. Owen, PhD

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Introduction to Romans

Paul's letter to the Romans is undoubtedly one of the most important doctrinal epistles in the New Testament library. While it is clearly a letter born out of a set of circumstances, it is also very important because it carefully outlines God's plan to make mankind righteous through faith. When we understand our own sinfulness, the impossibility of earning our way into God's grace, and the fact that God gives us his righteousness as a gift, we feel God's grace ourselves and are more accepting and understanding of others who need his grace. One of the key passages in the book is when Paul exhorts all of his readers from different backgrounds, Accept one another just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God (Romans 15:7). The book of Romans tells us exactly how Christ is able to accept us as his own and also tells us what we must do in order to truly accept one another in Christ. Before talking about the wonderful message of Romans, we must first discuss some introductory matters related to the letter.

The Integrity of the Roman Letter

One of the basic introductory questions raised by critical scholars is whether or not the book of Romans as it now stands is a composite letter or is in its original form. This question is raised because, in the manuscript tradition, the doxology contained in Romans 16:25–27 is a floating text; that is, it appears in different positions in the text of Romans in different manuscripts. To be specific, the doxology appears in some manuscripts after Romans 14:23 and in others after Romans 15:33 and elsewhere after Romans 16:24.

The placement of the doxology after Romans 16:24 is supported by Papyrus 61 and the great uncial manuscripts of the Alexandrian and Western textual traditions as well as the Latin Vulgate and the Syriac Peshitta version.

The Byzantine text, the text contained in the majority of late cursive manuscripts, shows a conflated text. That means that when scribes were confronted with two alternative forms of the text in earlier manuscripts, they simply chose to incorporate both readings. The fifth-century uncial manuscript Alexandrinus and most of the later cursive manuscripts in existence have the doxology both at the end of chapter 14 and at the end of chapter 16.

A few manuscripts, including some ninth-century uncials, simply do not have the doxology at all but have the rest of Romans in its entirety.

The North African father, Cyprian, and one Latin Vulgate manuscript have Romans 1:1–14:23 and then the doxology with the text ending there.

Then there is the one very early manuscript, Papyrus 46, from the early third century, which has Romans 1:1–15:33, then the doxology, then Romans 16:1–23. This seems to be the basis for the idea that the last part of Romans was part of a different epistle originally.

Kummel (1975) believes the original text was Romans 1:1–16:23. Then, he believes Marcion of Pontus, the second-century dualist heretic, shortened the text to Romans 1:1–14:23. Afterward, he believes someone added the doxology. Then, later, all of these text types were combined. Kummel's analysis seems to be based almost entirely on the actual manuscript evidence. All of this seems to have raised three different possibilities in the minds of modern scholars. First, some have suggested it is possible that Paul originally wrote Romans 1:1–14:23 as a general epistle and later adapted it for the church in Rome by adding the rest. Secondly, others have suggested that chapter 16 was originally part of another Pauline epistle, perhaps written to Ephesus because of the mention of Aquila and Priscilla. These use Papyrus 46 to bolster their argument. Finally, this author and many others accept that Paul originally wrote the entire book of Romans to the church in Rome exactly as it now appears in our text. This is supported not only by a great deal of good manuscript evidence but by the literary relationship between the prologue of Romans and the doxology. One can compare the first five verses of Romans with Romans 16:25–26 and can see that both passages mention the gospel, both passages mention the prophets in the Holy Scriptures, and both passages talk about the goal of the obedience of faith among all the nations. This internal evidence helps convince us that the doxology belongs right where the current critical text has it: at the end of the book.

Date and Place of Writing

According to Romans 15:25, the epistle was written while Paul was on his way to Jerusalem and at a time when he felt that his work in the eastern provinces was drawing to a close (Romans 15:19, 23, 25; cf. Acts 24:17). When Paul writes the epistle, he is still anticipating his trip to Jerusalem and plans to go to Spain by way of Rome after he has gone to Jerusalem (Romans 1:13; 15:22). According to Cranfield and most others, the letter must have been written during Paul's stay in Greece as recorded in Acts 20:2–3. Part of the reason for this conclusion is the fact that Phoebe seems to be the bearer of the letter, and she is from Cenchrea, the seaport of Corinth.

Because of the fact that the Edict of Claudius (Acts 18:2) happened in AD 49 and the fact that in Romans, these Jews who were once expelled from Rome have now returned, we conclude that the book must have been written sometime after the demise of Claudius in AD 54. Thus, we have a probable date somewhere between AD 54 and AD 57.

The Makeup of the Church in Rome

The Romans were a mixed group, made up of both Jews and Gentiles. This is made very clear by the fact that Paul specifically addresses each group in the letter (Romans 2:1, 17; 11:13). The letter is to the whole of God's church in Rome. God's church in Rome was comprised of various congregations meeting in different locations throughout the metropolitan area (Romans 16:5, 14, 15).

The Occasion of Writing

There was some kind of rift between the Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome. Some were encouraging these divisions, and many were disturbed by them (Romans 16:17). The prominence of the word boasting and Paul's insistence that we have no right to boast is one indicator of divisive attitudes among Christians from different cultural backgrounds (Romans 2:17; 3:27; 4:1–2; 11:18). In addition, his prohibitions of arguing over cultural matters or other matters of opinion in chapters 14 and 15 show a backdrop of cultural squabbling. Romans 14:1, 13, 15:7, and 16:16–17 are key texts which help us see the basic occasion of writing. The situation described by Wiefel in his article, or something very similar, is probably pretty close to correct for the background of the epistle (Wiefel, 1977). In all of the speculations about why the epistle was written, the best answers come from the text itself.

Translation and Commentary

The translation of Romans on which the following commentary is based is my own translation of the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament and/or the Nestle-Aland text which are virtually identical. For over forty years, this author has been a regular student of the Greek Text of Paul's epistles, and the translation published here is based on my understanding of Paul's use of terms and the major ideas Paul presents in all of his letters. The reader should feel free to look at the Greek text and correct my translation where corrections are needed. Like all translations, mine will be imperfect, but I am confident it gives a very close representation of what Paul intended to say.

Romans 1

Romans 1:1

Paul a slave of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.

Paul is a slave, doulos, because he has been purchased with the blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20). He has presented himself as a slave to Christ (Romans 6:16–23). He has presented the very members of his body as tools or instruments to be used by Christ for righteousness (Romans 6:12–13). He serves Christ with his very mind and soul (Romans 7:25). As a slave, he earns nothing, but Christ, his benevolent Master, gives him everything! The word Christ means anointed and is the title of God's chosen King. Jesus is Paul's Lord and King, his blessed and only Sovereign, his King of kings and his Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15).

The word kletos, translated called or invited, is actually being used as an adjective, describing the word apostle. Paul was called or invited to be an apostle by Jesus himself. He says Jesus separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace (Galatians 1:15; Jeremiah 1:4–5). He is comparing himself to Jeremiah who was chosen by God to be a prophet to the nations (Heb. goi'im; Gk. ethnesin). Paul was chosen by God to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13; Galatians 2:8–9). He was invited by Jesus to be an apostle as surely as were the Twelve (John 15:16; Galatians 2: 8–9). The phrase the gospel of God probably originates in Isaiah 52:7, where it describes the glad tidings or good news of peace with God, salvation, and the reign of God over all things. It is also associated with the message or report of Isaiah 53:1. This good news alone has the power to save mankind (Romans 1:16; 10:15–17).

Romans 1:2

Which he promised before through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.

This refers to the gospel, God's good news. The gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham (Galatians 3:8; Genesis 12:3; 22:18). The gospel was promised before in Genesis 3:15, in Isaiah 53, in Psalm 110:1, 4, and in many other places. The risen Lord Jesus said that all things written about him in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). The gospel of Christ was not a new thing, but an eternal thing foretold and foreshadowed over all the generations in the Hebrew Scriptures. Paul repeats this thought at the close of the book in Romans 16:25–26.

Romans 1:3

Concerning his Son, who came from the offspring of David according to the flesh.

The good news of God is all about his Son, Jesus Christ. It is about God's love for sinful man, the incarnation of Jesus, his sinless life, his atoning death, his triumphant resurrection, his service in heaven as High Priest, and his return as Redeemer and Judge. Paul is writing to the Roman saints to emphasize certain things about the gospel and how the gospel works in the lives of human beings. These are things he will explain in the course of the letter.

The legal lineage of Jesus, connecting him with David, is established in both Matthew and Luke. The ancient prophets foretold one who would rule on David's throne (2 Samuel 7:12–13; Isaiah 9:6–7; Ezekiel 34:23–24). The man, Jesus of Nazareth, was a descendent of David and was born in the city of David (Luke 2:1–11). Jesus himself confounded the Jewish teachers by citing Psalm 110:1 and asking them how the Messiah could be both David's son and David's Lord (Matthew 22:45).

Romans 1:4

Who was designated son of God in power, according to the Spirit of sanctification from the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul is still speaking of Jesus, the one who was of the lineage of David. This Jesus was appointed or designated horizo, son of God. In the Jewish mind, son of God was the designation given to God's chosen king. In Psalm 2:7, the king tells of the decree by which God appointed him. God said to his king, You are my son! Today I have begotten you! The writer of Hebrews cites this as the decree of God after the resurrection and exaltation of Christ (Hebrews 1:5). He also cites 2 Samuel 7:14, a reference which first refers to Solomon, but ultimately, also, to Christ (Hebrews 1:5). God referred to David as his firstborn when he made David his king (Psalm 89:27). Nathaniel used the term son of God this way in John 1:49. The Jewish use of this title did not imply divinity, though Jesus was divine. The title simply designated the individual as God's chosen king! It was from the point of his resurrection and his exaltation to the right hand of God that he was declared to be King over all things, having all authority in heaven and earth (Psalm 110:1; Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:10–11).

Jesus is the name of the human being born of Mary (Matthew 1:21). Christ is the title of the anointed King. The word Lord signifies the ruler and master of all who have pledged to submit their lives to him.

Romans 1:5

Through whom we have received grace and apostleship unto an obedience of faith among all the nations for the sake of his name.

Because Paul mentions grace and apostleship together, he probably has in mind the spiritual gift that was given him. He later speaks of the grace which was given to me in regard to his apostleship (Romans 12:3), and he uses the same phrase to describe spiritual gifts given by Christ to others (Romans 12:6; Galatians 2:9–10; Ephesians 3:2, 7, 8; 4:7). Christ had given Paul the spiritual gift of being a chosen apostle. This gift included the ability to do the signs of an apostle (2 Corinthians 12:12). It also carried with it the responsibility to carry out the ministry of an apostle so that the world might have the gospel of Christ and all of the divine revelation handed down to the apostles (Galatians 1:11; Ephesians 2:20; 3:3–5; 2 Thessalonians 2:15).

The obedience of faith expresses the purpose of God in giving Paul his gift of apostleship. The carrying out of his ministry would result in an obedience of faith among the nations or Gentiles, ethnesin, for the sake of Jesus's exalted name. Paul intentionally speaks of the obedience of faith because he does not want to leave the impression that his message is about justification by works. When Paul uses the word works in Romans, he is talking about the mentality of earning one's salvation or doing things to merit one's salvation. He clearly denies this as a possibility (Romans 4:4–5). But submitting to Jesus and living in his grace does require obedience. It is an obedience that trusts in the redemptive work of Christ, not in one's ability to merit salvation. The phrase, obedience of faith, is used in the conclusion of the epistle as well (Romans 16:25–26). The nations are the Gentiles to which Paul was made a special minister (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13; Ephesians 3:2).

Romans 1:6–7

Among them you are also called by Jesus Christ, to all who are God's beloved in Rome, called saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

The church in Rome was a Gentile church in the main. At least it was among the Gentiles. Paul speaks clearly to the Gentiles in Romans 11:13ff. The names of the people Paul greets in chapter 16 are a mixture of decidedly Jewish and decidedly Gentile names. The entire book was written, as we shall show, to heal some of the cultural rifts between Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome. Regardless of their pre-Christian background, all of the Christians were beloved of God, realizing that love through their blessings in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35–39). All of them were among the called, having been called into the fellowship of Christ by the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). Both the traditional Gentile and the traditional Jewish greetings are given, but the greetings come not just from the apostle, but from God and from the Lord of all Christians, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:12).

Romans 1:8

First of all, then, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in the whole world.

Paul expresses his typical thanksgiving. He gives thanks to my God, showing the personal relationship that exists between him and his Creator. It is only through Jesus Christ, the atoning sacrifice and mediator, that Paul is