Romans 1:1-7

We live because Jesus died for us!

Romans 1:1-7

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans

Paul explains that Jesus Christ is the Second Adam whose righteousness and substitutionary death have provided justification for all who place their faith in Him. By reading Romans we can see how the apostle breaks down a truckload of theological truth into bite-sized installments by using a question-and-answer format.

In other words, Romans presents a Jesus who offers His righteousness as a gracious gift to sinful people like us because He bore God’s condemnation and wrath for our depraved nature. Paul makes it quite clear that the Savior’s life, death, and resurrection are the basis for our redemption, justification, reconciliation, salvation, and glorification. What is more, Paul contends that the Spirit of Jesus can motivate us to live responsible, Christlike lives. That’s what the second half of Romans is all about.

Paul’s expertise in Jewish law and thorough understanding of Greek and Roman culture made him ideally suited to proclaim the gospel among the Gentiles (non-Jews). Born a Roman citizen, Paul grew up in Tarsus, one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire (located in the southeastern region of modern-day Turkey). In Tarsus, he was exposed to Graeco-Roman customs, religions, and philosophies, and he apparently became fluent in Greek. Paul’s quotations of thinkers like Aratus, Menander, and Epimenides are evidence of his knowledge of Greek philosophy.

Paul uses this language metaphorically to indicate that his life and ministry exhibit humility and submissiveness—characteristics associated with slavery and servitude during the first century. An Apostle was a person designated and sent to speak and act with special authority. Paul regularly introduces himself as an apostle  in his letters. Paul’s use of the title “apostle” highlights that his authority was equal to that of the 12 apostles and that his commission was from Christ.

In the Gospels, the apostles exercise their office by proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, casting out demons, and performing healings—actions that express and extend Christ’s ministry. In the book of Acts, Jesus commissions the apostles to be His witnesses to the end of the earth. The apostles express this witness through their ministry of teaching, miraculous acts and planting of Christian communities. The Church is built on the work of the apostles and prophets. God set Paul apart to proclaim the gospel message about Jesus Christ. Like the prophet Jeremiah, Paul considered himself set apart before he was born.

Prophets refers to people who are designated by God to speak on His behalf and critique their society—telling about present problems and, at times, future events. Here Paul mentions the prophets to emphasize continuity between the promises that God delivered through the prophets in the ot and the fulfillment of those promises in the gospel. “Son of God,” is a reference to Jesus Christ—the focus of the gospel message. This designation expresses the unique, intimate relationship between Jesus Christ and God. It also might express that Jesus is the Messiah and the appointed King—like David, who also is given this title. In this letter, Paul describes believers as children of God and co-heirs with Christ. 

 

Descendant of Davis emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and confirms His status as God’s appointed ruler. God promised David that from David’s line would come an eternal kingdom. This promise became the source of Jewish expectations about a coming messiah. For example, Peter’s quotation of the ot Scriptures to Jews at Pentecost demonstrates that Jewish people expected a descendant of David to restore the kingdom to Israel. By referring to Jesus as a descendant of David, Paul identifies Him as the coming Messiah of whom the promise speaks.

 

God appointed Christ  as the judge of the world. Jesus proved His divine authority and established Himself as the expected Davidic Messiah through His resurrection from the dead. The Holy Spirit  demonstrated power through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul describes resurrection as the foundation of Christian hope. 

Isaiah prophesies that a future king will come from David’s line to unite God’s people (the Jews) and all nations (the Gentiles) to Himself—ultimately fulfilling Israel’s role as a nation. This is why Paul connects resurrection with David. In Isaiah the Suffering Servant —who is connected to the messianic figure—is resurrected. Ezekiel and Daniel both discuss a future resurrection of the dead. 

This is Paul’s understanding throughout his letters: Followers of Christ are spiritually resurrected upon belief and will be physically resurrected on the Day of the Lord. “Obedience, which is faith.” expression also could simply describe the inseparable nature of obedience and faith.

Jesus chose Paul for the purpose of telling Gentiles  (non-Jewish people) about the gospel. Paul understood that God included the Gentiles in His plan of salvation, and he therefore made the Gentiles the focus of his missionary efforts. The apostles in Jerusalem likewise recognized Paul’s appointment by God as the apostle to the Gentiles.

Paul’s typical greeting throughout his letters summarizes his gospel message: God’s work through Christ (grace) brings people into a harmonious relationship with God and one another (peace). The Greek word eirēnē (“peace”) corresponds to the Hebrew term shalom (“peace”), which carries the idea of wholeness. The gospel begins with God’s work on people’s behalf and results in a transformation of their relationships with God and neighbor—from broken to whole.

The word “our” indicates that Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people) are equal and united before God because of Christ. False teachers may have claimed that the Gentiles were not equal because they did not participate in circumcision, or dietary restrictions—distinctly Jewish practices. Such teachings would have brought division to the Church. Faithlife Bible.

Bondservant means “slave.” Paul is talking about a slavery undertaken voluntarily out of love, unlike the forced slavery well known to many in the Roman Empire. Paul emphasizes his personal subjection to Jesus Christ. By calling himself an apostle, Paul places himself on the level of the twelve apostles and claims authority from God for His work.

Humanly speaking, Jesus was a descendant of David. He was truly and completely human; but at the same time, He was God’s Son. The fact that Jesus was a descendant of David also links Him to the Davidic covenant. When Christ returns to reign over all, He will fulfill God’s promise to David to give him a dynasty that will last forever. Jesus did not become Son of God by His resurrection. Instead, His resurrection proved that He was the Son of God. The purpose of the apostles’ work was to persuade people to obey God’s command to trust Christ.

The doctrine of which the apostle Paul wrote, set forth the fulfilment of the promises by the prophets. It spoke of the Son of God, even Jesus the Saviour, the promised Messiah, who came from David as to his human nature, but was also declared to be the Son of God, by the Divine power which raised him from the dead. The Christian profession does not consist in a notional knowledge or a bare assent, much less in perverse disputings, but in obedience. And all those, and those only, are brought to obedience of the faith, who are effectually called of Jesus Christ. Here is, 1. The privilege of Christians; they are beloved of God, and are members of that body which is beloved. 2. The duty of Christians; to be holy, hereunto are they called, called to be saints. These the apostle saluted, by wishing them grace to sanctify their souls, and peace to comfort their hearts, as springing from the free mercy of God, the reconciled Father of all believers, and coming to them through the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew Henry Commentary.

Acts 6:7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 13:33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:‘You are My Son,Today I have begotten You.’

Romans 16:26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—