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Note: The text used for my commentary is my own paraphrase and must not be considered a “translation” or authorative in any
way. It is, in fact, simply my commentary. A paraphrase is often the only comment necessary
to explain (expound, exposit) a particular passage.
Introductory Notes and Comments
The Original Textbook of New Covenant Theolgy
Author: Rav[GN] Sha'ul of Tarsus[GN]
Theme: The Theology of “Rav Sha'ul’s Gospel”
Date of Writing: c. 57-58 CE
Place of Writing: Corinth
Target Audience: The Messianic Community in Rome
In virtually every collection of Apostolic Writings, this letter is placed first, primarily because it is the longest of those writings. More importantly, though, it presents Rav Sha'ul’s extensive treatise on the theology of what he referred to as “my gospel,” that Gentiles who come to faith in Yeshua become full citizens in good standing of the Commonwealth of Israel, equal to the ethnic Hebrew citizens thereof. There is no need for a formal conversion to Judaism, as was formerly required, nor is obedience to the “Traditions of the Fathers” required, for that individual to be fully accepted as member in good standing of the Messianic Community. Rabbi Greg Hershberg of Beth Yeshua International in Macon, Georgia, says that the book of Romans should be thought of as the Messianic Systematic Theology.
Original Recipients
Most of Rav Sha'ul’s letters to Messianic Communities were sent in response to queries he had received from that community or to specific situations he had become aware of. This letter, however, was written to a community that he had not yet visited; at the time of its writing, however, he fully intended to visit them and to communicate to them “his gospel.”
The letter was written from Corinth during his third visit to that community and is addressed to a group of Messianic Communities in Rome. We cannot be sure of the ethnic makeup of those communities, but we must assume (since its members were certainly living a Jewish lifestyle in the Jewish Quarter of those cities) that the recipients were largely Jewish. From the content of the letter it is clear that there is still some confusion as to the status of non-Jewish Messianic Believers within those communities.
The Jewish sect known as Ha Derek (The Way) was considered by the Roman government as part of the “legal religion” of Judaism, and the non-Jewish members of that sect were considered by Rome to be proselytes to Judaism, though likely very few had gone through the actual conversion process. At the time this letter was written, Sha'ul was greatly troubled by the conflicts he observed between Jewish and non-Jewish Believers in Messiah. (This concern is most vividly expressed in his letter to Galatia.) As more and more Gentiles (those who were not ethnically Jewish) were coming to faith, there grew a resentment toward the Jewish members of the community. Apparently some of the Jewish leaders of the community did not fully accept the non-Jewish Believers, and the non-Jewish Believers began to resent them and question whether the Jews could really be God’s chosen people.
“Sha'ul’s answer is affirmative and difinitive: ‘God has repudiated His people? Heaven forbid!’ (Rom 11:1) God has not set aside His people and resentment has no place in God’s kingdom. The Messiah is a servant of the Jewish people (Rom 15:8), as are his Roman followers. The Jewish people remain God’s beloved (Rom 11:28-29), and being in Messiah means that Gentiles in Yeshua are forever attached to Israel. [See my article on the Commonwealth of Israel] … intended to help them understand the unbelief of many Jews, God’s continuing work with Israel, the Jewish roots of the gospel, the full inclusion of Gentiles as children of Avraham (Abraham), and the necessity of serving the Jewish people.” (The Complete Jewish Study Bible, p. 1604)
Media Disclaimer: Presence of video or audio recordings on this website does not
necessarily indicate agreement with all (or any) of the speaker’s theological position.
Jewish Context Before You Read Romans
Gateway Center for Israel
See also “Important ‘Pauline’ Vocabulary” and “Sha'ul the Letter Writer”
Outline
The Theology of “Rav Sha'ul’s Gospel”
I. Condemnation: The Need for a Savior (1:1-3:20)
A. Sha'ul Greets the Saints in Rome (1:1-7)
B. Unashamed of the Gospel (1:8-17)
C. God’s Wrath against Sin (1:18-3:20)
1. Unrighteous Nations (1:18-32)
2. Unrighteous Israel (2:1-3:8)
a. God’s Righteous Judgment (2:1-16)
b. The Jews and the Law (2:17-29)
c. God Remains Faithful (3:1-8)
3. There is No One Righteous (3:9-20)
II. Justification: Faith in the Savior (3:21-5:21)
A. Righteousness through Faith in Messiah (3:21-31)
B. The Faith of Avraham (4:1-25)
1. Justification by Faith (4:1-12)
2. Avraham Receives the Promise (4:13-25)
C. From Death to Life (5:1-21)
1. The Triumph of Faith (5:1-5)
2. Messiah’s Sacrifice for the Ungodly (5:6-11)
3. Death in Adam, Life in Messiah (5:12-21)
III. Sanctification: How Ought We to Live (6:1-8:39)
A. Dead to Sin, Alive to God (6:1-14)
B. The Wages of Sin (6:15-23)
C. Function of the Torah (7:1-25)
D. Walking by the Spirit (8:1-39)
1. Flesh vs. Spirit (8:1-11)
2. Heirs with Messiah (8:12-17)
3. Future Glory (8:18-27)
4. God Works in All Things (8:28-34)
5. More than Conquerors (8:35-39)
IV. Restoration: The Plan and Future for Israel (9:1-11:36)
A. Israel In the Past (9:1-33)
1. Sha'ul’s Concern for the Jews (9:1-5)
2. God’s Sovereign Choice (9:6-29)
3. Israel’s Unbelief (9:30-33)
B. Israel in the Present (10:1-21)
C. Israel in the Future (11:1-36)
1. A Remnant Chosen by Grace (11:1-10)
2. The Ingrafting of the Gentiles (11:11-24)
3. All Israel Will Be Saved (11:25-32)
4. A Hymn of Praise (11:33-36)
V. Unification: The Body of Believers (12:1-15:13)
A. Love and Forgiveness (12:1-13:14)
1. Living Sacrifices (12:1-8)
2. Love, Zeal, Hope, Hospitality (12:9-13)
3. Forgiveness (12:14-21)
4. Submission to Authorities (13:1-7)
5. Love Fulfills the Law (13:8-10)
6. The Day is Near (13:11-14)
B. Grace in Jew and Gentile Relationship (14:1-15:13)
1. The Law of Liberty (14:1-12)
2. The Law of Love (14:13-23)
3. Accept One Another (15:1-6)
4. Messiah the Servant of Jews and Gentiles (15:7-13)
VI. Sha'ul’s Salutation (5:14-16:27)
A. Sha'ul, the Minister to the Gentiles (15:14-22)
B. Sha'ul’s Travel Plans (15:23-33)
C. Personal Greetings and Love (16:1-16)
D. Avoid Divisions (16:17-20)
E. Greetings from Sha'ul’s Fellow Workers (16:21-23)
F. Doxology (16:25-27)
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