CoreIssue
02-03-2006, 10:13 AM
Quote:1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus,
The author is Paul.
Quote:called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--
He identifies his role in writing this letter.
Quote:2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,
Here he identifies the role of Israel as being the source of the prophets that gave the revelation of Christ to come and the Israelite lineage of Kingship of Christ from David.
This is a setup by Paul concerning issues he will discuss later. He intentionally promotes Jewishness here.
Quote:4and who through the Spirit[1] of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God[2] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
And states Christ's Godhood and place as our Lord.
Quote:5Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
Following the recognitions of Israel's role he states he was called to save Gentiles.
Quote:6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
This is a barb at the Christian Jews in Rome. And they are the issue he is going to address.
He relegates them to second place here by putting the Gentile calling first.
Quote:7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[3] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."[4]
Another barb. He again gives the Gentiles the first position and the Jews a secondary one.
Many overlook the greetings of the books of the Bible. Yet they often set the dynamics and purpose of the letters following.
Here you see Paul stating the importance of Israel but holding the Gentiles in esteem. Even elevating the Roman Gentiles over the Jews in the eyes of the Jews reading the letter.
This is important as will be seen within the body of the letter.
The author is Paul.
Quote:called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--
He identifies his role in writing this letter.
Quote:2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,
Here he identifies the role of Israel as being the source of the prophets that gave the revelation of Christ to come and the Israelite lineage of Kingship of Christ from David.
This is a setup by Paul concerning issues he will discuss later. He intentionally promotes Jewishness here.
Quote:4and who through the Spirit[1] of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God[2] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
And states Christ's Godhood and place as our Lord.
Quote:5Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
Following the recognitions of Israel's role he states he was called to save Gentiles.
Quote:6And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
This is a barb at the Christian Jews in Rome. And they are the issue he is going to address.
He relegates them to second place here by putting the Gentile calling first.
Quote:7To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[3] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."[4]
Another barb. He again gives the Gentiles the first position and the Jews a secondary one.
Many overlook the greetings of the books of the Bible. Yet they often set the dynamics and purpose of the letters following.
Here you see Paul stating the importance of Israel but holding the Gentiles in esteem. Even elevating the Roman Gentiles over the Jews in the eyes of the Jews reading the letter.
This is important as will be seen within the body of the letter.