Romans 1: 1 - 17
•	Lecture 12
•	New Testament 5
Introduction:
•	This ______________ of Paul’s may be the most influential Christian letter ever written: Want evidence supports this?
1. Luther –
•	“The Epistle to the Romans is the chief book of the NT and the purest gospel, so valuable that the Christian should not only have every word of it by ______________, but should take it about with him every day as the ______________ bread of the soul.” (1522, translation of the NT).
2. Calvin –
•	“If a man has reached a true understanding of it, he has a ______________ of approach opened for him to the rarest ______________ of scripture.” (Argumentum in Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos).
3. Others –
•	John Knox – “it is the principle ______________ book for the study of Paul’s gospel, and in consequence unquestionably the most important theological book every written.”
•	M. Hunter adds,
“These are very impressive claims to make for a document written on papyrus by a little Jewish tent-maker in some back-street of Corinth some nineteen hundred years ago. Yet they are not unwarranted.…In century after century the spiritual ______________ which lurks at its core has blazed out a new, and one Great Christian leader after another—a Luther, A Wesley, a Barth—has kindled his torch at it.
The Writer –
In this book there is no question concerning authorship. Every page of Romans bears clear evidence of Paul’s authorship. The question of authorship and authority are mute questions with this ______________The Recipients –
The major issue here is not who the Romans were, but when did the church begin in Rome? Acts 2:10 says that visitors from Rome were in Jerusalem on Pentecost. We know from Suetonius that the Emporer Claudius decreed that the Jews had to leave Rome in AD 49 because they kept rioting at the instigation of Christus. If this is a reference to “christ” then the dispures broke out over Jesus’ Messiahship. By AD 64 the church in Rome was large enough for Nero to blame for the fire.
Place of Writing –
Acts 20:2f seems to indicate Paul wrote from Greece, i.e., Roman province of ______________, and probably Corinth, its capital or the port of Corinth, Cenchreae. This inference is confirmed by Romans 16:1.
Date of Writing –
Fixed date: Gallio was governor of Corinth in AD ______________ (Acts 18:12). Romans was written toward the end of his third journey. His three stay in Ephesus is usually date AD 53-56 or 54-57. Give Paul time to cross the Aegean from Ephesus, spend some months in Macedonia and on to his 3 months sojourn to Corinth, Romans was probably written in 57 or 58.
The Relevance of Romans –
Why do Christians today neglect to read Romans? A. M. Hunter suggests 3 reasons:
•	It makes formidable ______________ It is tough to read and follow the complex arguments and sentences.
•	Issues in it are seen as ______________as the dodo. Its all about ancient controversies, faith and works etc.
•	Paul is ______________ He perverted the gospel (liberalism).

(1: 1 – 7) Paul’s Credentials
Ancient writers opened letters with name.  Many men could be named______________. He had to identify himself even more. He needs to convince the readers that he has the right to write to them and to send the letter.  What are his credentials?
1:1a  A Servant of Jesus Christ
The word “______________” would be important for the Romans, because it is the word “slave”.  Estimated 6 million slaves in Rome Empire.  A slave was considered a piece of property, not a person. Yet in loving devotion, Paul enslaved himself to Christ, to be His slave and to obey his will.
1:1b	An Apostle
An apostle is one who is sent with a ______________ by an authority.  It was used for the representatives of the emperor or as emissaries of the king.  One of the requirements for an apostle was to have seen the risen Lord Jesus (1 Cor 9:1-2). Paul saw Christ on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-9). It was then that Christ called him to be His apostle to the Gentiles.
1:1c-4	A Preacher of the Gospel
When Paul was a Jewish rabbi, he was separated as a Pharisee to the Laws and Traditions of the Jews.  But, when Paul was yielded to Christ, he was separated to the Gospel and its ministry.  Gospel means “______________”.
It is the message that Christ
died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, and now is able to save all men who trust Him (1 Cor 15:1-4). It is called the Gospel of God (Rom 1:1) because it originated with God; it was not invented by men.  It is called the Gospel of Christ (Rom 1:16) because it centers in Christ, the Savior. Paul also calls it the Gospel of His Son (Rom 1:9) which indicates that Jesus Christ is God! Romans 16:25-26 Paul calls it “My Gospel”.
This shows the special
emphasis he gave in his ministry to the doctrine of the ______________ and the place of the Gentiles in the plan of God.

The Gospel
is not a new ______________; it was promised in the OT, beginning in Genesis 3:15. Isaiah preached it in 1:18 and Ch 53 and Ch 55.  The salvation enjoyed today was promised by the prophets, though they did not fully understand it (1 Ptr 1:10-12).

Jesus is the center
of the Gospel message.
Paul identifies Him as a man, a Jew and the Son of God.  He was born of a virgin (Isa 7:14, Mt 1:18-25).
He was born into the family of David, which gave Him the right to David’s throne.
He died for the sins of the world, and then was raised from the dead. It is this miraculous event of the substitutionary death and victorious resurrection.
This is the Gospel that Paul preached.
1:5-7 A Missionary to the Gentiles
–	Missionary is the Latin form of “______________”—one who is sent.  Rome probably had several homes where churches or bodies of members met Rom 16:5, 10,11, 14).
–	There is nothing certain about how these began, but some believe it was from the Day of Pentecost when believers returned (Acts 2:10).  The Churches at Rome were not founded by Paul or Peter.

Note the repetition
of the world “______________”: Paul was called to be an apostle, the believers were called saints and were called of Jesus Christ.  A saint is one who is set apart and who trusts in JC.  Salvation is not something that we do for God; it is God who calls us in His grace (2 Thess 2s;13-14).
Paul’s special commission
was to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Nations = Gentiles). This is why he was planning on going to Rome, the very capital of the Roman Empire.  He had plans to go on to Spain from Rome (Rom 15:28).  He has presented his credentials, not his concerns: 1:8-15.
1: 8 - 15	Paul’s Concerns
The question is why would Paul be concerned about the ______________ church and Christians if he had not founded the churches?  He was unknown to many of them, yet he wanted to assure them that he was deeply concerned about their welfare. Note the evidence of Paul’s concern:
1:8	Thanksgiving for the Roman Christians
“the ______________”—means the entire Roman Empire—knew of the faith of the Christians at Rome. Travel was common and safe and it was said that “all ______________ to______________”.  It was no wonder that the testimony of the church spread and this growing witness made Paul’s work easier as he visited place to place.
1:9-10	Prayer for the Roman Christians
They did not know about Paul’s prayer support, but the Lord knew of it and honored it. (how many of us know about those praying for us?). One of Paul’s prayers was that God would allow him to ______________ them.  He would have come sooner, but his work had postponed that.
He was in Corinth
and was ready to leave for Jerusalem to deliver the offering he had gathered. He wanted to go on the ______________ and then forward to ______________1:11-12 Love for the Roman Christians
“I long to ______________ you!” This is the pastor’s heart in Paul the great missionary.  Some of the Saints in Rome were important to Paul.  16:3-4 = Aquila and Priscilla.  He also loved the other believers that he did not know personally. He longed to be able to share God’s Word with them. He wanted to share a mutual blessing with the Roman Christians.
1:13-14 Debt to the Roman Christians
As the Apostle to the Gentiles Paul felt he had a debt to preach and teach the Gospel in Rome.  He wanted to settle that debt sooner, but his other labors had hindered it. Sometimes it was because of the opposing work of Satan (1 Thes 2:17-20); but in this case, he was hindered by the work of Christ. Asia Minor and Greece had so much work to do and he could not spare the time for the Roman church. But Paul had to pay for this debt.

The Greeks
considered everyone who did not speak Greek as barbarian. Greeks saw themselves as ______________ and everyone else as ______________. But Paul felt an obligation to all men and just like for the whole world.
1:15	Eagerness to Visit the Roman Christians
Two different Greek words are translated, “ready” in KJV. One means “prepared” as in Acts 21:13…I am ready…to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” The other one, in Romans 1:15 means, “eager” with a ready mind. Paul was not eager to die, although he was prepared to die. He was eager to minister in Rome. It was not the eagerness of a sightseer, but of a soul-winner.

How could the Roman
•	believers react to Paul’s affirmation as presented here? This letter is intended to prepare the______________ for Paul’s coming visit.
1:16-17	Paul’s Confidence
–	What a testimony! I am ______________! I am ______________! I am not ashamed!  Why would Paul be tempted to be ashamed of the Gospel?  For one thing, the Gospel was identified with a poor Jewish carpenter who was crucified. This was the lowest possible means of humiliation in Rome.  2nd-Rome was a proud city and Jerusalem was a poor little conquered city.
The Christians
of the 1st century were not among the ______________ of most societies.  Why would the Romans listen to a story about a Jewish peasant that arose from the dead? (1 Cor 1:18-25).  To think of a little Jewish tentmaker going to Rome to preach is almost humorous.  Paul was not ashamed in the gospel, but had confidence in his gospel and would explain why he is not ashamed of the gospel.
1:16a	a. The Origin of the Gospel
“It is the gospel of ______________”.  Any message from Caesar would quickly get the attention of the citizens of Rome.  But Paul’s message is from the very Son of God! 1:1 allows Paul to open his letter with this message “the Gospel of ______________”  Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel because it originated with God and came through and is centered in JC!
1:16b	The Operation of the Gospel
–	It is the______________ of ______________!  -- Why be ashamed of this power? Power is the one thing Rome boasted of the most.  Greece may have its philosophy and arts, but Rome had its power!  The fear of Rome hovered over the Empire like a dark cloud.  Roman legions were stationed all over the Roman world.
Yet, even with all the soldiers,
–	______________was a weak ______________. Seneca, philosophy said, “a ______________ of ______________”. And Juvenal called it a “filthy sewer into which the drugs was not ashamed of the empire flood.”  No wonder Paul was not ashamed; he was taking to sinful Rome the one message that had the power to change men’s lives. He had seen it work in other cities: Corinth and Ephesus. Even Paul himself is an example of the power of the Gospel
1:16c	The Outcome of the Gospel
This is the third reason that Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel.  It is the power of God unto salvation.  The basic meaning of “______________” is deliverance. The emperor was looked upon as a savior, as was the doctor who healed you of illness.  The Gospel delivers sinners from the penalty and power of sin.
1:16d	The Outreach of the Gospel
“to everyone that ______________”.  This is not an exclusive message for either the Jew or the Gentile.  It was for all men, because all men need to be saved.  “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel”.  To the Jew first does not suggest that the Jew is better than the Gentile, for there is not difference in condemnation or salvation. The Gospel came to the Jew first in the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. The gospel is to be taken to all peoples.

God does not ask
men to behave, but to believe. It is ______________ in Jesus Christ that saves a sinner. Eternal life in Jesus is one gift that is suitable for all men.
The Theme of Romans:	The Righteousness of God
Romans 1:17 is the key verse in the letter. Paul announces the theme of the book: “the righteousness of God.”  Righteousness occurs over 60 times in Romans (righteous, just and justified).  God’s righteousness is revealed in the Gospel. It is revealed in his punishment of sin and seen in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  By means of the death and the resurrection of JC God is able to be seen as both just and justifier (Rom 3:26).
The Text
The ______________ shall live by ______________The righteousness is by faith and not by the works of the Law.  Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted by Paul here.  This verse is quoted 3 times in the NT: Romans 1:17; Galatians 3;11 and Hebrews 10:38.  There are more than 60 references to faith or unbelief in Romans because the only way a sinner can become just before God is “by faith”.