Romans 1:1 7 God’s Saving Plan Accomplished Through Jesus’ Life, Death And Resurrection

Target year level: Year Eight

Scripture text

Introduction

This introductory section of the letter (1:1-15) consists of an opening salutation to the Christian community at Rome (1:1-7) and a prayer of thanksgiving for the good and virtuous characteristics of their community life in Christ (1:8-15).

For an outline of the Letter to the Romans, see the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) Introduction to Romans– see specifically, content, special characteristics and outline.

World behind the text

The city of Rome was the centre of the Roman Empire and was ethnically diverse. In the first century CE, it had a population of around one million people in an area less than ten square miles. Of this large population, it is estimated that there were between 40,000 and 50,000 Jews in the city. The origins of the Christian community in Rome are obscure but as the centre of the empire it is not surprising that due to the importance and accessibility of Rome there was a well-established Christian community in the city prior to Paul’s arrival in Rome. People who may have heard the gospel in Asia, Greece, or elsewhere could have travelled to Rome. Of course, the city of Rome was predominately populated byGentilesand so it is natural that the church was comprised of both Jewish and Gentile believers. Paul addresses both Jews and Gentiles in this epistle. Early church tradition affirms Pauline authorship. Paul wrote the letter to the Romans from the city of Corinth while he was on his third missionary journey. At the time he was gathering an offering from the Gentile Christians for the church in Jerusalem. This would place the letter's composition date at around 56 CE.

For further information on the world behind the text see the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) Introduction to Romans.

World of the text

Romans 1:1-7 in its short seven verses is a succinct Soteriology (doctrine of salvation) reminding the Jews and Gentiles in Rome of God’s saving plan accomplished in Jesus Christ. This saving plan of God is for Jew and Gentile followers of Christ as ‘gospel’ or good news (1:1-3). Paul grounds his narrative summary of God’s salvation in the Jewish biblical tradition connecting it with King David and the Jewish prophetic tradition (1:4-5). Salvation, Paul reminds the Christian community at Rome, is incarnated, or given human reality, in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For followers of Christ the meaning and the power of what it means to be saved through Jesus Christ is shown in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth who is proclaimed by his followers as Christ (the one who saves) Lord and Son of God (1:4). Members of the Christian community in Rome are to manifest the grace of the salvation they have received living as faithful followers of Christ (1:5 ‘obedience of faith’, ‘belonging’ and ‘apostleship’ - i.e. missionary outreach to others. For a more detailed commentary on Romans 1:1-7 go to Michael Fallon 417-421 .

World in front of the text

In our contemporary secular societies, the word ‘salvation’ is not so commonly used outside religious contexts. Maybe the work of the Salvation Army and similar organisations give some clues to the meaning of salvation in a secular context. Such organisations help people heal, physically, psychologically and spiritually. The Salvos help raise the spirits of people when they have fallen into depression and despair. They provide a caring and affirming structure for people whose lives have become chaotic and self-defeating. Organisations like the Salvos endeavour to liberate people from addictions that hold the captive. They provide practical assistance to meet people’s material needs. When people are open to it the Salvos also speak of salvation in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing healing to people’s lives and enabling individuals to live life to the full.