The Setting of Romans in the Ministry of Paul John Polhill John Polhill is Senior Professor of Introduction the work in Corinth at the end of his New Testament Interpretation at The Perhaps the most discussed issue in second missionary journey, at that time Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Romans scholarship is whether it should spending eighteen or more months there Dr. Polhill has also studied at Harvard be understood as an occasional epistle (Acts 18:1-18). The relationship between Divinity School; the University of St. or as a theological treatise.1 Did Paul Paul and Corinth seems to have deterio- Andrews; Princeton Theological Semi- design his epistle as an introduction to rated during the course of his third mis- nary; and the University of California, his primary doctrinal convictions for this sion, which was mainly spent in Ephesus. Berkeley. In addition to contributing to church that he had never visited, or is his He seems to have made a brief second visit numerous journals, reference works, and letter treating specifi c issues within the to Corinth at this time, probably going by denominational publications, he has au- congregation that he knew needed to be sea to Corinth from Ephesus and back. thored Acts in the New American Com- addressed? One probably should not draw Acts does not mention this visit, but Paul mentary series (Broadman and Holman, the lines too sharply. Much of the epistle implied its existence in his second letter 1992) and Paul and His Letters (Broad- deals with theological concerns, although to Corinth, where he spoke of a “painful” man and Holman, 1999). A devoted it is scarcely a “systematic theology.” visit with them (2 Cor 2:1) and of his plans churchman, Dr. Polhill has served as One must turn to other of Paul’s epistles to visit them a “third time” (2 Cor 13:1). pastor of congregations in Virginia, for more thorough treatment of some The third visit to Corinth would be this Kentucky, and Massachusetts. important doctrines such as Christology fi nal stay when he wrote Romans. That it and ecclesiology. On the other hand, some took place at all is indicative that Paul and portions of the epistle focus on matters of the church had overcome their differences a more occasional nature, especially the and the church had become reconciled to fi nal three chapters. By design this article Paul’s leadership. The fi rst seven chapters concerns primarily issues of the occasion of 2 Corinthians seem to indicate that this for the letter in an attempt to place it reconciliation had taken place (especially within the total context of Paul’s ministry. 7:2-16). This fi nal visit is mentioned briefl y In a sense it could be entitled “a tale of in Acts 20:1-3, where Paul referred to three cities,” as the epistle involves three Corinth as “Greece” (Hellas). The fact that distinct locales: Corinth, from which Paul it lasted three months probably indicates was writing; Jerusalem, to which Paul the winter months. Paul was planning to was preparing to travel soon; and Rome, travel to Palestine with a collection for the which was Paul’s ultimate destination. Jewish Christians of Jerusalem and was waiting for the favorable sailing condi- Place and Time of Writing tions the spring would bring. All the evidence indicates that Paul wrote the Roman epistle from Corinth The Collection2 toward the end of his third missionary Acts 20:1-4 does not mention Paul’s journey. The date would have been the collection for Jerusalem, but it is implicit winter of A.D. 56-57. Paul had established in the reference to the various leaders of 4 Paul’s Gentile churches who are men- church who would accompany the col- tioned in verses 3 and 4. They were the lection to Jerusalem but at that time was offi cial church representatives who had not sure whether he would accompany been chosen to accompany Paul to Pal- them (1 Cor 16:1-4). In 2 Corinthians, estine (in Roman “Syria”) with the offer- written only months later, Paul devoted ing for Jerusalem. Though Acts does not two whole chapters to the collection (2 explicitly refer to this collection, Paul did Cor 8-9). Evidently the Corinthians had so, mentioning it in every letter written not taken the collection to heart, and Paul during the course of his third mission. had to persuade them to carry through The collection seems to have been a on their pledge to support the venture.4 pet project of Paul. He may well have He sought to prompt them by informing conceived it as a result of the Jerusalem them of the generosity of other churches Conference (Acts 15), where the Jeru- (2 Cor 8:1-5) and then by reminding salem church formally recognized the them how he had boasted to these same legitimacy of Paul’s “Torah-free” Gentile churches of how eager Corinth had been mission. Galatians 2:10, which probably to participate in the collection (2 Cor 9:3). refers to that conference, says that the He had possibly been accused of having leaders of the mission to the Jews (James, selfi sh motives in making the collection, Peter, and John) asked Paul at that time so he took pains to insure the integrity of “to remember the poor.” Paul added that the offering by having it administered by he was eager to do so. The term “poor” offi cial representatives appointed by the was often used to refer to the Jewish churches (8:16-24). As we have seen, Paul Christians, and this is likely the meaning wrote Romans during his final three- here. It became the seed for Paul’s col- month stay in Corinth at the end of his lection for the Jewish Christians. Paul’s third mission. This visit was largely pre- “circumcision-free” Gentile mission had occupied with the fi nal arrangements for caused tension with the more conserva- the collection, and the collection played a tive elements among the Jewish Chris- major role in Paul’s plans to visit Rome. tians and had prompted the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15:1-5). Paul probably The Occasion for the Letter saw the request to “remember the poor” (Rom 15:14-33) as an opportunity to express in a tangible Whatever position one takes in the manner the unity of his Gentile converts “Romans debate” one unmistakable with their Jewish brothers and sisters in “occasional” note is found in Rom 15:14-33, Christ. As he put it himself, it was a means where Paul expressed his plans to visit by which through their material sharing the Roman Christians and his reason for they could in some way repay the Jewish temporarily delaying that venture. The Christians for sharing their own spiritual passage falls naturally into two parts: blessings (Rom 15:27). vv. 14-24 treat Paul’s view of his apostolic Paul mentioned the collection in both calling and his desire to minister to the Corinthian letters. At the conclusion of Roman Christians, while vv. 25-33 relate 1 Corinthians, he urged the Corinthians his reason for delaying his coming to to contribute to the collection.3 He men- Rome. tioned the offi cial representatives of the 5 Paul’s Plans (15:14-24) missionary journeys in Acts. In fact, it was As Paul approached the subject of his somewhat larger than the area mentioned plans to come to Rome, he was somewhat in Acts, since Illyricum was a Roman diplomatic and commended the Romans territory along the Adriatic Sea and was for their “goodness” and “knowledge” signifi cantly northwest of the Macedonian and ability to “instruct” one another. He cities where Acts shows Paul ministering. did not want to leave any impression that This is a reminder that Acts is selective his motive in coming was to “set them rather than totally comprehensive in treat- straight.” He had already expressed his ing Paul’s ministry. It is not impossible desire to come to Rome at the beginning that Paul himself ministered in Illyricum, of the letter (Rom 1:9-15). There he spoke but more likely that co-workers or repre- of wanting to share a “spiritual gift” (cha- sentatives of the Macedonian churches risma) with the Romans (1:11). Realizing had done so. Paul would have considered how that could be construed as presump- this an extension of his own ministry. In tion, Paul quickly adjusted his remark by any event, the Jerusalem-Illyricum arc stating that what he sought was mutual covered an enormous land mass, an area encouragement—he toward the Romans estimated as covering some three hun- and they toward him (1:12). Still, Paul dred thousand square miles.5 desired to carry on his ministry in Rome. In verse 20 Paul reached the fi nal con- He was the apostle to the Gentiles (ethnē, clusion to which he had been driving since 1:5), and as such wished to harvest some verse 14: he was a pioneer missionary; it fruit among the Gentiles in Rome, just as was his aim to preach the gospel where it he had elsewhere (1:13). had never before been taken. This concept As Paul continued his conclusion he seems to have been at the heart of Paul’s sought to justify the “boldness” with understanding of apostleship: an apostle which he had set forth his convictions is one called by Christ to do pioneer mis- in the Roman letter. He was an apostle, sionary work in a sphere where the gospel called to minister to the Gentiles, offer- has not yet reached.