"THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS"

Who wrote it. — The Pauline authorship of this epistle is universally admitted. It has a fair amount of external evidence in its favour; but its strong resemblance to Galatians is enough to prove its common authorship with that epistle. Moreover, a comparison of its contents with other Pauline epistles and with the Book of Acts affords valuable confirmation of its genuineness and authenticity.¹

From xvi. 22 we learn that the epistle was written by Tertius as the apostle's amanuensis.

To whom written. — "To all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." These words and the absence of any mention of bishops and deacons either in this epistle or in the account of the welcome which Paul received from the Roman brethren three years afterwards (Acts xxviii. 15) would seem to indicate that there was no formally organised Church in the city, but merely groups of believers meeting for worship in private houses (xvi. 5). They seem to have been mainly of Gentile origin (i. 5, 6, 13-15; xi. 13-24; xv. 15, 16). But the whole tenor of the epistle, abounding as it does in quotations from the Old Testament and in allusions to the Jewish Law, clearly shows that they had been led to a knowledge of the truth through their connection with the Jewish faith as proselytes of the gate (indeed, some of them appear to have been born Jews — ii. 17; xvi. 7 — and hence the expression, "I speak to men that know the law" — vii. i). The Jews bad for a long time been a numerous and powerful section of the community at Rome, and their religion had gained great influence among the educated classes. The introduction of Christianity among them had apparently been due not to apostolic labour (certainly not to the labours of Peter whose alleged episcopate of twenty-five years at Rome is contrary to all the evidence of the New Testament), but to the influence of Christian travellers, especially, we may believe, of the " sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes," who had witnessed the wonderful works of God on the great day of Pentecost (Acts ii. 10). Although Paul had never been at Rome, many of the Christians there were personally known to him — possibly owing to their banishment from Rome by the Edict of Claudius, — as we may infer from the numerous greetings in the closing chapter. From i. 7, 8; xv. 14, it would appear that the condition of the Christians at Rome was in many respects satisfactory, and in keeping with this we learn from Tacitus that a great multitude of Christians suffered martyrdom there in the reign of Nero a few years later. But the Apostle's language (in chap, xiv.) would indicate the existence of weakness and disagreement among them, in connection with certain scruples felt by some of their number with regard to the eating of animal food and the observance of days and seasons. They were also liable to many serious temptations, as we may infer from the exhortations in xii.-xiii.; and their spiritual life required to be strengthened (i. 11).

Where and when written.— From the writer's circumstances, as stated in xv. 22-26, viewed in the light of Acts xx. 1-3, xxiv. 17-19; 1 Cor. xvi. 1-4; 2 Cor. viii. 1-4, ix. 1, 2, we gather that the epistle was written towards the close of Paul's second visit to Corinth (early in 58 A.D.), on the eve of his journey to Jerusalem to carry up the alms collected for the poor brethren there, after which he was to make his long - intended visit to Rome.²

Its Character and Contents. — In an intellectual sense this epistle may be said to be the apostle's masterpiece; theologically it is the most important of all his epistles. Coleridge has pronounced it "the most profound work ever written." Calvin said of it that "it opened the door to all the treasures in the Scriptures"; while Luther pronounced it " the chief book of the New Testament, and the purest Gospel."

As already mentioned, it bears a striking resemblance to Galatians (written a short time before it) not only in individual words and phrases, but in the general drift of its teaching with regard to the superiority of the Gospel to the Law. It is, however, more dispassionate in tone, being less personal in its character, and containing « more full and comprehensive treatment of the subject.

It may be said to embody the results of the recent controversy with the Judaisers, stated in a logical and systematic form, and at the same time with such moderation and caution as was fitted to disarm the prejudices and conciliate the favour of the Jewish element in the Church. That element had not yet been infected with the leaven of malignant bigotry, emanating from Jerusalem, which had made its influence felt in so many of the other Churches where Paul had laboured; and the epistle was intended to serve the purpose of prevention rather than cure. It was also intended to pave the way for the apostle's visit to the Church at Rome, whose destined greatness he foresaw, and by whose assistance he hoped to obtain a still wider field for his missionary labours.

Being addressed to the Christians of imperial Rome, this epistle is distinguished by its cosmopolitan tone, which is shown at the outset (i. 4, 5) by a reference to the "obedience of faith" to which "all the nations" are called in "Jesus Christ our Lord." It sets forth the universality of the Gospel as "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (i. 16), and brings out the contrast not between Moses and Christ, as in Galatians, but between Adam and Christ as the representatives of nature and of grace (v. 12-21). With no less propriety, in writing to the inhabitants of a city that was the seat of justice for the whole civilised world, the apostle looks at the great question of salvation from a Judicial or forensic point of view, — exhibiting the bearing of the Gospel on the interests of law and righteousness, proving the guilt of all men, both Jews and Gentiles, at the bar of Divine judgment, and proclaiming the doctrine of justification by faith as the only means of acceptance with God.

Having set forth the great scheme of redemption, the apostle deals with its bearing on the fortunes of the chosen people (ix.-xi.) He shows that their failure to enter into the blessings of the New Covenant, which gave him "great sorrow and unceasing pain in (his) heart," was due to their own spiritual blindness, as foretold in the writings of the prophets. Their recent experience was in keeping with the analogy of God's dealings with them in the past, but their rejection was only partial and temporary, destined to lead in the mysterious wisdom of Divine providence to a still fuller manifestation of Divine goodness. " For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all " (xi. 32).

After this lesson on the philosophy of history, in which the apostle seeks to justify the ways of God with men and is moved again and again to adoration of the Divine wisdom, he exhorts his readers to the cultivation of various graces and virtues as the best refutation of the charge of lawlessness to which the gospel of the free grace of God is liable (xii.-xiv.) In conclusion, he sends numerous greetings to individual Christians with whom he is personally acquainted, many of whom had rendered valuable service to the Church, and with whom he had probably been brought into contact at Ephesus and other great centres.

There are several breaks in the epistle where it might have fitly terminated; and this circumstance, together with variations in the arrangement of these passages in some of the MSS., has given rise to the idea that the epistle was sent as an encyclical or circular-letter, with varying terminations, to a number of Churches. We may add that the fact of this epistle, although addressed to Romans, being written in Greek, is not only in keeping with the apostle's literary habit, but is also in accordance with the general use of Greek at the time throughout the civilised world. The Christian congregations of the first century were like so many Greek colonies, as far as language was concerned; and it was not till the latter part of the second century that a Latin version and a Latin literature arose, chiefly for the benefit of the Christians in North Africa. It may be noted that most of those to whom the apostle sends salutations in this epistle bear Greek names.

1) Besides the remarkable coincidences with regard to the time and place of its composition, p. 79, the following points are worthy of notice. (1) The statement of the apostle's long-felt desire to visit Rome, and of his hope of now doing so after fulfilling his mission to Jerusalem, is in harmony with the purpose he expressed at Ephesus some time before, i. 13; xv. 22-25; Acts xix. 21. (2) The request which the apostle makes to the Christians at Rome that they would unite with him in prayer that he " may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea," corresponds with the later expression of his feelings as he was approaching Jerusalem (xv. 30, 31; Acts xx. 22, 23. (3) The apostle's teaching in this epistle and in Galatians is in striking harmony with his mission as the apostle of the Gentiles, and goes far to explain the accusation brought against him on his last recorded visit to Jerusalem (Acts xxi. 19). (4) The nature of the visit to Rome contemplated by the apostle when he wrote this epistle, namely "that I may come unto you in joy through the will of God, and together with you find rest " (xv. 32) is so very different from what he actually experienced, when he was carried a prisoner to Rome, that it could not have been so described by any one who drew his information from the Book of Act.

2) In remarkable harmony with this inference as to the date of the epistle are the facts (1) that of those who were with Paul previous to his journey into Asia, as stated in the Book of Acts (xx. a), three, namely, Sosipater, Gains, and Timothy send their salutations in this epistle; (2) that salutations are sent to Prisdlla and Aquila (xvi. 3), who are mentioned as having rendered great service and incurred great danger on behalf of the apostle and in the interests of the Church of the Gentiles — which finds confirmation in Acts xviii. 2-26; 1 Cor. xvi. 19; (3) that the apostle speaks (xv. 19) of having preached the Gospel from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum" — a country adjoining the western frontier of Macedonia, — a statement which could not have been made before the visit recorded in Acts xx. 2, as the previous visit, of which an account is given in Acts xvi.-xviii., was confined to the eastern coast of Europe.

Equally in keeping with the inference as to the place of composition are the facts (1) that " Gains my host " and " Erastus the treasure of the city," send their greetings (xvi. 23), the former being mentioned in 1 Cor. i. 14 as one of the very few persons at Corinth whom the apostle had himself baptized, the latter in Acts xix. 22 as a companion of Paul and in 2 Tim. iv. 20 as left behind at Corinth; (2) that Phoebe, by whom the epistle was apparently sent to Rome, is commended (xvi. 1-2) as "a servant of the church that is at Cenchreæ," this being one of the ports of Corinth which had been previously visited by Paul (Acts xviii. 18).

In connection with the mention of Phoebe it is interesting to observe that even at this early period the Christian Church had learned to appreciate the value of female energy and devotion.