Paul’s Epistle to the Romans
January 31, 2021
Opening Prayer
Psalm 119
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Taking Our Time
A revelation from a concussion.
Luther taught on Romans for three years. I hope to not take that long, but I intend to move slowly.
Unlike previous studies I have done, I will not leave anything I do not finish to you to pick up. I will start wherever we finish – although I will try hard to finish whatever is planned for the day.
Romans 1:1
Paul a slave of Christ Jesus …
- Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. (Jn. 8:34 ESV)
- Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies! (Ps. 69:18 ESV)
What does it mean to redeem something?
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.
– Luther’s Small Catechism, the explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed
What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord?
How does Paul’s slavery to Jesus fit with the promise that we will be free in Christ?
… called to be an apostle …
What is an apostle?
- Literally, one who is sent. An ambassador. One who speaks authoritatively on behalf of another.
- Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. (Matt 23:34-35 ESV)
- On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:19-23 ESV)
What is the key work of an apostle? How is an apostle different than a pastor?
… set apart for the gospel of God …
What is the gospel?
- Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15 ESV)
Romans 1:2-6
2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ
Which Scriptures come to mind when you think of promises made beforehand regarding the gospel?
The Scriptures are about Jesus.
- You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39-40 ESV)
- This is key to understand everything in the Bible.
What is the proof that God gives that Jesus is His Son (and, therefore, our Savior)?
- When we share our faith, what role does Jesus’ resurrection play?
- Acts 2:23-24, 31-32; 3:13-15, 26; 4:10, 33; 5:30-32; 10:37-40; 13:28-33; 17:31; 26:23
What is meant by, “the obedience of faith”?
Romans 1:7
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Loved by God
- Called to be saints
o Holy ones
o How does one become a saint?
Grace – the Greek word charis – a normal greeting in letters at the time, but it takes on a different meaning in Paul’s letters as he connects it to peace, and often to mercy.
God our Father
- In the Greek/Roman pantheon Zeus/Jupiter is called “father” but he is capricious, cruel, and lustful.
- The God of Scripture is very different!
Lord Jesus Christ
- The Greek word for lord is kurios. This title was used for rulers, masters, and for the gods, ie. Lord Zeus, Lord Poseidon, etc.
- Reading the Greek and Roman myths, we find that these gods are often like their “father” Zeus, cruel, self-centered, and fickle.
- A sharp contrast is being made:
o God vs. god
o Father vs. father
o Lord vs. lord
Homework
- If you read Romans, re-read ch. 1. (Or listen to it via an app, or online through a site like www.biblegateway.com.)
- Look up the passages from Acts in which the apostles proclaim Jesus’ resurrection as part of their witness. Do you include the resurrection as part of your witness? If not, what do you focus on? How might the apostles’ emphasis on the resurrection impact how you think about the core message of Christian witness/evangelism?
- Have a conversation about something that you learned, remembered, found important about Romans.
- If you felt that this was worth your time, invite someone to join the study, or share a recording of the study via email or social media. (An email will go out after it has been posted.)
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