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Knowing and Appreciating the Gospel of Christ Romans 1: 1-17

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Knowing and Appreciating the Gospel of Christ Romans 1: 1-17 Knowing and Appreciating the gospel of Christ Romans 1: 1-17 The book of Romans is Paul’s attempt to explain, expound, and interpret the gospel: the message of what God has done in Christ. This is what Paul hoped to teach and preach when he had the opportunity to visit the believers living in Rome. The gospel is the main subject of his letter. The salvation that was achieved by Christ is the center and the main content of this letter that Paul so carefully and systematically wrote to the church at Rome.1 Most commentators agree that these first seventeen verses constitute the opening of Paul’s letter. In these verses Paul introduces himself to his readers, he identifies whom he is writing to, and he gives them a warm greeting. Paul then moves on to tell them of his persistent desire to visit them and the reasons for so doing. Finally, in these verses we gain important clues concerning what Paul hoped to accomplish upon his visit to them. These verses provide insight into the content of his gospel and the core idea of the preaching that he hoped to share with them. So, let us take a closer look at this text and discover for ourselves what these verses tell us about Paul, his calling, and his understanding to the gospel. (vs. 1-7) Then, let us take a look at Paul’s longing to visit Rome and particularly why Paul desired to visit these Roman believers. (8-15) Finally, we will examine the last two verses of Paul’s opening address to his letter. These verses focus upon the content of the gospel – a content of the gospel that Paul was so desirous of sharing with his Roman believers. (16-17) These verses not only get to the heart of Paul’s desire to visit Rome, but also give insight into why Paul so strongly believes that the gospel he preaches concerning Christ is so amazing! I. Introduction of his letter. (vs. 1-7). Just like most letters written during Paul’s time and even our time today, Paul followed the expected format of his time by introducing himself, recognizing the recipients of his letter, and giving them a warm greeting. Paul had not established the churches in Rome; while perhaps a few Christians in Rome knew him or had heard about him, many of the Roman believers did not know either Paul or his role and mission. Paul had to establish his credentials to show why these Romans should pay attention to his letter or later receive him in person. A. Set apart for a Special Calling! Paul identifies himself to his Roman recipients as having a God-given role or assignment. Three terms are used in verse 1 to convey this point. Two of the terms describe Paul as one whom God has given a special assignment. Paul says he “has been called by God and set apart by God” for something. Some of his listeners would perhaps think of Moses, Isaiah, or even Israel being described as called and set apart. Paul reinforces this idea using the term servant to describe his role. Paul wants his readers to see what he himself sees: that he is under obligation to God and that God had called him to do something. Paul 1 Romans is the longest and the most systematic having a carefully developed argument. I. H. Marshall, S. Travis, and I Paul in Exploring the New Testament Vol. 2. Chapter 8, The Letter to the Romans, p. 105 Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove Ill. 2002 immediately in verse one tells us the nature of the task and role that God gave him. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus … set apart not just for God but for the gospel of God (Christ). Moreover, Paul identifies himself as an apostle. The term basically means one who is not only sent by God (the root word for apostle means sent). Schreiner draws attention to the issue of authority as fundamental to understanding this term. Paul has been called and set apart for a special role. Paul’s role is to represent God with authority.2 This is why these Roman believers need to listen to Paul and his message. B. Set apart for the gospel. In these opening verses (1-17) Paul mentions the word gospel five times. This is not by accident. This is intentional. This word gospel for us has lost its potency. For Paul, it was a wonderful term loaded with meaning, particularly rich in theological meaning. It was the one term that captured and comprehended what Christ accomplished and why he – Paul – was so eager to share it. Having already mentioned that God had set him apart for the gospel, in verse 14, Paul discloses that he is under obligation to preach the gospel to those who are in Rome. Paul is a man with a sense of mission who is under obligation to complete his mission. This is true. But this is only one aspect for understanding Paul and his mission. For while Paul is fully conscious of the obligation (duty) that has been entrusted to him, these opening verses also even more significantly disclose Paul’s eager enthusiasm (passion) to share something that he “wants to” because of its perceived value to them. Paul is eager to preach the gospel to those who are in Rome (vs. 15) because it can encourage them and build them up. The concluding two verses (16-17) of this section then reveal succinctly why Paul is so eager to preach and teach the gospel. These two verses say something extremely important about the message – the gospel – that Paul preaches. But, we are rushing ahead too fast. Let us go back to the first section and take a look at verses 2-5 and discover what these few verses have to say concerning the gospel. 1) The gospel is not something totally new! The message that Paul proclaimed was vitally linked to God’s word and message in the Old Testament Scriptures. The gospel – the good news – the message entrusted to Paul by God to proclaim – was announced and promised beforehand by God in the Scriptures. This is Paul’s point in verse 2: “the gospel he promised beforehand through his Holy Scriptures”. What is the gospel in the O.T. that was promised by God? Paul does not tell us! Perhaps Paul has in mind a specific text (or texts) of Scripture in which God 2 Schreiner defines an apostle as “authoritative messenger”. I think this gets to the core meaning of Paul’s role as an apostle. Thomas Schreiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the N.T. Grand Rapids, M.I. 1998 p. 28 promised to save his people.3 Regarding what? Something encouraging! Something to shout about! Something to get excited about! For the term gospel is fundamentally a message that is positive and uplifting to those who hear it. So what was this “good news promised by God” that that Paul indicates he is now proclaiming? God promised again and again that he would save and bring blessing to his people 4 He promised his people that he would raise up a Deliverer/a Savior to save them. This is what most Jews in Paul’s day would have believed. Paul shared this same perspective as his Jewish counterparts: God would one day send a savior who save God’s people. While Paul’s focus in these introductory verses is on declaring that Jesus is the promised savior, Paul skips over saying this explicitly. Instead of saying that Jesus is the promised Savior, in the very place where the reader expects it Paul instead jumps right into making the claim that the gospel that he preaches is about proclaiming the good that this Savior is the “Son” as well. This is an astounding assertion which Paul elaborates ever so succinctly for his readers in the next two verses. 2) The nature of this gospel. The full nature of the salvation which Christ accomplished, Paul will explain in great detail in the body of his letter. Here in verses 3-4, Paul draws attention at the beginning of his letter to two important aspects of Jesus – the promised Savior. Paul wants them to see two fundamental sides of Jesus that Paul himself recognizes. Jesus was human. Jesus is divine. Paul, in a very succinct fashion, declares the amazing two-sided nature of Jesus. The first thing Paul wants us to see is that Jesus was human: “who as to his human nature was a descendent of David” (vs. 3). There is broad agreement that the Jews then and now expected that the savior promised by God would be a descendent of David. Paul agrees. But he goes on to say that the promised savior was of a divine nature: “he was declared with power to be the Son of God.” How was Christ declared to be divine? “By his resurrection from the dead.” Fascinating, is it not! Paul does not defend this point. Paul did not defend Jesus’ divine nature at any great length. Perhaps the dual nature of Christ’s identity was not in question among Roman believers. 3) The gospel demands a response! (vs. 5) The gospel is good news. Paul was set apart and called by God to bring this message concerning “salvation” which was promised beforehand to the Jewish people. The most likely intended recipients of this good news concerning the long awaited salvation that God had set him apart 3 Isaiah 40:9 begins a lengthy section announcing and describing God salvation of his people.
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