Kress Biblical Resources :: Introductory Matters

Introductory Matters of Romans

The Gospel of Salvation by Faith Unites All Believers—Jew and Greek

1. The author
   1. The human author (Rom 1:1-5)
      1. The man Paul (Rom 1:1a; cf. Act 7:58; Act 8:1; Act 9:1-30; Act 11:25-30; Act 12:25-28:31; 1Co 15:30-32; 2Co 6:4-5; 2Co 11:23-30; Gal 1:13-2:16; Phl 3:4-14; 2Th 3:8)
      2. The ministry that Paul was given (Rom 1:1bcd)
         1. Christ’s slave (Rom 1:1b)
         2. Called as an Apostle (Rom 1:1c)
         3. Commissioned for the Gospel of God (Rom 1:1d)
      3. The message Paul preached (Rom 1:2-4)
         1. The promise of the Gospel in the Old Testament (Rom 1:2)
         2. The Person of the Gospel—God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 1:3-4)
            1. God’s Son became a man (Rom 1:3)
            2. God’s Son is the promised Messiah-King, born of the seed of David (Rom 1:3)
            3. God’s Son is identified as the powerful Savior through His resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4a; cf. Rom 1:16)
            4. God’s Son is Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 1:4b)
      4. The mission that Paul was on (Rom 1:5)
         1. The power for his mission (Rom 1:5a)
         2. The purpose for his mission (Rom 1:5bc)
            1. For the salvation of the Gentiles through the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5b)
            2. For the sake of Christ’s name—i.e., the praise of Christ’s Person (Rom 1:5c)
   2. The divine Author (2Ti 3:16-17; 2Pe 1:12-21; 2Pe 3:15-16; cf. Col 4:16; 1Th 2:13; 1Th 5:27; 2Th 3:1-4; 1Ti 5:18 [in which Paul quotes Luke alongside Deu 25:4 and calls them “Scripture”])
2. The audience (Rom 1:6-7a)
   1. The original recipients (Rom 1:6-7a)
      1. A largely Gentile church—commingled with a growing number of Jewish background believers (Rom 1:6a; cf. Rom 2:17ff; Rom 4:1ff; Rom 9; Rom 10; Rom 11; Rom 14; Rom 15:1-13; etc.)
      2. A living church—called of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:6b)
      3. A loved church— in Rome—called as saints (Rom 1:7a)
   2. The current recipients (2Ti 3:16; cf. 2Pe 3:15-16)
3. The aim
   1. To establish an Apostolic connection with the church at Rome, based upon the Gospel (Rom 1:11-15; Rom 15:15-22; Rom 16:1, 17-19, 25)
   2. To reveal Paul’s future missionary plans, and seek support from the church at Rome, for the sake of the Gospel that united them (Rom 15:22-32)
   3. To foster biblical harmony between Jewish and Gentile believers in the church at Rome, based upon the Gospel and its practical implications (Rom 1:16; Rom 2:17ff; Rom 4:1ff; Rom 9; Rom 10; Rom 11; Rom 14; Rom 15:1-13)
   4. Summary theme: The Gospel, which brings salvation to both Jew and Greek, reveals God’s righteousness, and is received and lived out by faith (Rom 1:16-17)
   5. 1. The primacy of the gospel, salvation, righteousness, and faith
         1. The gospel or preach the gospel (Rom 1:1, 9, 15, 16; Rom 2:16; Rom 10:15; Rom 11:28; Rom 15:16, 19, 20; Rom 16:25)
         2. Salvation, saved, etc. (Rom 1:16; Rom 5:9, 10; Rom 8:24; Rom 9:27; Rom 10:1, 9, 10, 13; Rom 11:11, 14, 26; Rom 13:11)
         3. Righteousness, justified, etc. (Rom 1:17; Rom 3:5, 21, 22, 25-26; Rom 2:13; Rom 3:10, 26; Rom 4:3, 5-6, 9, 11, 13, 22; Rom 5:17, 19, 21; Rom 6:13, 16, 18-20; Rom 7:12; Rom 8:10; Rom 9:30-31; Rom 10:3-6, 10; Rom 14:17)
         4. Faith, believes, etc. (Rom 1:5, 8, 12, 16-17; Rom 3:3, 22, 25-28, 30-31; Rom 4:3, 5, 11-14, 16-20, 24; Rom 5:1-2; Rom 6:8; Rom 9:30, 32-33; Rom 10:4, 6, 8-11, 14, 16-17; Rom 11:20; Rom 12:3, 6; Rom 13:11; Rom 14:1, 2, 22, 25; Rom 15:13; Rom 16:26)
      2. The parts of Paul’s gospel letter
         1. The prologue, prayer, and primary theme (Rom 1:1-17)
         2. The proclamation of the gospel (Rom 1:18-4:25)
         3. The promises, provisions, and privileges of the gospel (Rom 5:1-8:39)
         4. The problem of Israel and the gospel (Rom 9:1-11:36)
         5. The practice of the gospel (Rom 12:1-15:13)
         6. The plans and partnership of the gospel (Rom 15:14-16:24)
         7. The Purpose of the Gospel—Praise Be to God Forever! (Rom 16:25-27)