Romans 1-16

Romans 1
1-7 Salutation

• From Paul - servant and apostle of Christ - set apart for
  
• The gospel - promised by the prophets - concerning
  
• The Son - descended from David; declared to be the Son of God by His resurrection; through whom we receive grace
• To Gentiles; God's beloved in Rome; saints.
• Grace and peace to you

8-15 Prayer of Thanksgiving

• Your faith is well-known
• I remember you always in prayers, that I can come to you; share some spiritual gift to strengthen you; encourage each other; reap some harvest among you
  
• For I am indebted to all and eager to preach

16-17 The Power of the Gospel

• I am not ashamed to preach
• The gospel has power to save all who believe, for it reveals God's righteousness

18-32 The Guilt of Humankind

• God's wrath will be on those whose wickedness suppresses the truth, because although they know -- because creation makes it so evident -- that God exists, they refuse to honor him, replacing God with images of men and animals
• So God gives them up to their depravity, because they prefer to believe lies, and they reap the consequences of their depraved practices
• God gives them up to every kind of debasement, because they not only do these things but encourage others who do them.

Try as I might, I can interpret verses 26 and 27 only as a condemnation of homosexuality. My question: Why do people who practice these things desire God's approval of them?

Are all of us guilty of this to some extent -- that there are sinful things we want to do, and we convince ourselves they are okay -- even that they're okay with God?

Still, I'm not sure we would be quite as loud as the pro-gay advocates are. We all know that gluttony is wrong, for instance, and most of us are guilty of it at one time or another, and justify it to ourselves in some way. But I know of no one who would actually publicly defend it as a desirable lifestyle.

Romans 2
1-16 The Righteous Judgment of God

• Accusations in the form of questions:
  • Do you think you will escape judgment if you judge others by God's standards and yet are guilty of the same things?
  • Do you despise God's kindness, forbearance and patience which are meant to lead you to repentance?
• God will repay each according to each one's deeds:
  • Those - both Jew and Greek - who by doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality will receive eternal life.
  • Those - both Jew and Greek - who are self-seeking and obey wickedness will receive wrath and fury.
  • Gentiles will be judged by the law that is instinctive; if they disobey that law, they will perish. Jews will be judged by "the law" -- not just by hearing it, but by doing it.The final judge will be God -- through Jesus Christ -- who will judge the secret thoughts of all.

New insight for me here! Though of course I knew that Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in Christ, I hadn't thought of it in terms of the Day of Judgment (verse 16). The Jews were accountable to their system of law; the Gentiles who lived while the Old Law was in place were accountable to the same law as those who lived before the law - a law they knew instinctively -- like Cain knew instinctively it was wrong to kill Abel. But those of every generation will be judged by God through Christ -- who brought us the New Covenant.

Some today would argue that today's Jews are still amenable only to the Old Law, but this passage would seem to indicate that that's no more true than to say we Gentiles are still to keep only that instinctive law to which Adam and Eve were subject.

17-29 The Jews and the Law

Warning to Jews about hypocrisy: Teaching and not doing.

• You call yourself a Jew, rely on the law, and boast of your relation to God
• You know God's will and determine what is best by your knowledge of the law
• You're sure you are a guide to the blind, a light in darkness, corrector of the foolish, teacher of children
• Yet at the same time you're preaching against stealing, adultery, and idol worship, do you do them?
• If you do, you cause Gentiles to blaspheme the name of God.
• Circumcision is of value only if you keep the law.
• Those who keep the law, though uncircumcised physically, become circumcised spiritually -- that's really what counts.
• A person who is inwardly a Jew -- that is, who keeps the law -- receives praise from God, not from men.

Romans 3
1-8 The Jews and the Law (cont'd)

• The advantage of the Jews and circumcision is to show the faithfulness of God, even through man's faithlessness
• Through falsehood, God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, but Paul is not saying we should do evil that good may abound.

9-20 None Is Righteous

• Bottom line: The Jews are no better off than the Gentiles, for all are under the power of sin.
• "As it is written," there's no one who is righteous (Psalm 14:1; 53:1); who has understanding or who seeks God (Psalm 53:2). In the Psalms context, this speaks of atheists. The first part of the verse reads, "Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God.'" So this might refer to the Gentiles.
  
• All are worthless, unkind (Psalm 53:3), having deceiving tongues (Psalm 5:9; 140:3), full of cursing and bitterness (Psalm 10:7), swift to shed blood (Isaiah 59:7), not knowing peace (Isaiah 59:8) nor the fear of God (Psalm 36:1).
  
• The law speaks to those under the law and makes them accountable to God. The law of Moses doesn't excuse Jews from being accountable to God. Being a covenant Jew doesn't justify a person any more than being a Gentile -- outside the law -- means you are not accountable to God.

21-31 Righteousness through Faith

• The righteousness of God has been disclosed -- with and without the law -- through faith in Jesus Christ.
• All have sinned and need the grace of God. All are justified by faith in Jesus, whom God has offered as a sacrifice, displaying and proving that God is indeed righteous
• So boasting because of the law has no place. God is the God of all -- Jews and Gentiles -- and He justifies all through faith.
• This does not overthrow the Old Law -- it upholds the law. God is consistent.

Romans 4
1-12 The Example of Abraham

• What was gained by Abraham? (Recognized by Jews as the father of their faith)
• I like this: "If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God." We can boast - or even feel proud - of the good things we do, but God is not impressed, because:
• "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." Sounds simple, doesn't it? All we have to do is believe God, and Voila! Righteousness! But here's the rub, as James points out: "How is our faith demonstrated?" Abraham's faith was demonstrated by his willingness to obey God in whatever he asked of him.
• David also spoke of righteousness as a blessing, apart from works. (Psalm 32:1: "Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven..." makes no mention of works, and also equates righteousness with forgiveness.)
  
• But this is not just for the circumcised (or Jews), because Abraham had not been circumcised when he was reckoned as righteous. (See Genesis 15:6)
  
• The "sign of circumcision" was a seal of Abraham's righteousness, which he received through faith.
• He received this seal so that later, the uncircumcised and circumcised could receive righteousness through faith, not works.

13-25 God's Promise Realized through Faith

• The promise to Abraham came not through the law but through faith.
• If it is only the Jews who receive the promise, then "faith is null, and the promise is void."
• Therefore -- it all depends on faith -- so that all those who share the faith of Abraham can attain righteousness.
• Abraham's faith: 1) He believed he would become the father of many nations; 2) He did not weaken in faith, when he considered his and Sarah's ages; he was fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

Romans 5
1-11 Results of Justification

• Peace with God
• Access to grace and sharing the glory of God
• Suffering, which produces endurance, which produces character, which produces hope
• God's love and the gift of the Holy Spirit

12-21 Adam and Christ

• Sin was in the world from Adam, though it was later defined by the law.
• Sin leads to death, which has exercised dominion over the world since Adam.
• The difference between the free gift (through Jesus Christ) and the trespass (by Adam):

1. Gift: the grace of God, justification, dominion in life, justification and life, many made righteous, grace abounds, grace exercises dominion through justification leading to eternal life.
2. Trespass: death of many, condemnation, dominion of death, condemnation for all, many made sinners, trespass multiplied, sin increased

Romans 6
1-14 Dying and Rising with Christ

• Though the grace of God is the most important aspect of our salvation, it's not a license to sin; rather, it gives us a new life -- at baptism -- wherein we're raised with Christ (in whom there was no sin).
• When we are united with Christ in baptism, we are also resurrected with him. Our past with all its sinful ways is gone -- we have been freed from that way of life.
• Eternal life with Christ signifies a life free from the sin which causes death. We can't be alive to God without being also dead to sin.
• So -- no longer: 1) Let mortal passions control you; 2) Make yourselves available (present yourselves) to wickedness, but 1) Make yourselves available (present yourselves) to God as those who have been brought to life; 2) Present yourselves as instruments (tools) of righteousness. Let righteousness use you, not your sinful passions.
• The sin as defined by law has lost its hold on you -- grace has taken its place.

15-23 Slaves of Righteousness

• Just because we're not under law anymore doesn't mean we choose to sin, for that means we are slaves of sin, instead of slaves of righteousness.
• But "from the heart" you have committed your lives to righteousness, obeying "the form of teaching to which you were entrusted." This indicates that slavery to righteousness is a "heart" thing – a result of not just "feeling" something, but learning something. Commitment to righteousness is closely tied to entrusting ourselves to a particular doctrine which we have learned.
• As slaves of sin, you didn't need to think about being righteous. But you're ashamed of that time of your life -- just what advantage was there? There was only death there.
  
• But now? You're freed from sin (and shame), and you receive sanctification and eternal life.
• When you sin, you earn death. When you accept God's grace, he grants you eternal life through Christ.

Romans 7
1-6 An Analogy from Marriage

• You who know about the law, know the marriage laws: A wife is bound to her husband as long as they are married, but when he dies, she is free to marry another man.
• Likewise, you who are Christians are now "married" to Christ, who was raised from the dead, and therefore you are no longer enslaved to the old law. It's interesting that Paul doesn't say that the old law died, as the husband in the analogy died, but that Christians are dead to it. It's like the wife has died, and is therefore free from the "bondage" of marriage, which is what he says in verse 1: "the law is binding on a person only during that person's lifetime." I'm obviously not the first to notice this, Jamiesson, Faust and Brown deal with this in their commentary as well. The point of the discourse is that death changes the status of the marriage; in this case, it's the death (to the law) and new birth of the believer.
• The law represents captivity; the Spirit represents life.
  

7-13 The Law and Sin

• The law wasn't sin -- or sinful; rather, it defined sin. With law came condemnation, because now we knew what sin was.
• The law is good, and it did not condemn me; sin did.

14-21 The Inner Conflict

• The law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, and my fleshly inclinations are to do evil, though my spiritual side cries against it.
• For my flesh, evil is always close by, so there is constant warfare between my better self and my fleshly inclinations.
• Thanks be to God through Jesus that he rescues me from this constant conflict!

Romans 8
1-17 Life in the Spirit

• To follow the thought from chapter 7, the reason for release from this constant conflict is Christ, where there is no condemnation.
  
• The law of Christ frees rather than condemns because of its emphasis on the Spirit instead of the flesh.
• Christ came in both Spirit and flesh. His fleshly self died; his Spiritual self was resurrected.
• If you would be free from death, set your mind on spiritual things rather than on fleshly things, because the flesh is hostile to God. The flesh cannot please God.
• When we live according to the Spirit, 1) we are not debtors to the flesh; 2) we put to death the deeds of the body; 3) we are children of God; 4) we have received a spirit of adoption, not slavery; 5) we cry "Abba! Father!" 6) the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are God's children; 7) we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; 8) we will be glorified with Christ if we also suffer with him.

I think I have a shallow understanding of verses 1-17: As Christians we live in a spiritual realm, following spiritual principles -- rather than a physical realm, always in judgment of ourselves and how our acts don't correspond with our wish to be "good." But if we give ourselves over fully to the wishes of God and His Spirit, our physical side loses its importance. The Spirit identifies us as God's children and allows us to bask in the righteousness of Christ. Of course, that doesn't give us license to sin (Rom. 6:15).

I struggle with words here. I really don't have a grasp of this passage; in many ways it is still just words on a page. I think this is one of those passages we need to think of often, and as our experiences in spiritual life grow, so does our understanding of just what it means to have a "life in the Spirit."

18-30 Future Glory

• Speaking of suffering, the glory that awaits far outweighs any suffering in this life.
• And now Paul speaks of the world (creation) as if it also has a soul -- unless, of course, he is talking about creation as "people." He compares the anxiety of creation to our anxiety in the flesh. As creation longs to be released from the bondage of decay (sin?), so we are anxious (hope) for our bodies to be redeemed.
• The Spirit helps us translate the anxiety that is too deep to express in words, so that God will understand.
• For those called according to God's purposes, it all works out, because he has always intended for us to look just like His Son -- the elder brother in this spiritual family -- so he called us, justified us, and will glorify us.
  

This reference to "predestined" ones seems on the surface to teach that God has predetermined those who would answer his call, which in essence takes away our free will. The answer, I think, is in verse 29 -- the ones he "predestines" are those he "foreknew." Being omniscient, he knows those who will answer his call in the affirmative, who will fulfill his eternal purpose (verse 29). Compare to the all-familiar John 3:16: "God so loved the world...that everyone who believes in him...."

31-39

• In light of our place in God's family, there is no enemy He will not conquer for us: accusation, condemnation, hardship, distress, persecution, famine, even sword, etc., etc., etc. Powerful words here, and one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible.
  
• Nothing can separate us from God's love when we're in Christ.

Romans 9
1-18 God's Election of Israel

• Paul is in great sorrow for the sake of his fellow Jews. He would be willing to be accursed for their sake.
• As Israelites they have been given all the privileges: adoption, glory, covenants, law, worship, promises, patriarchs -- and from them, comes the Messiah.
• But it is not children of Abraham by flesh that are the true children of God; it is the children of Abraham by promise -- first to Sarah, then to Rebecca, whose twins' futures were determined even before they were born.
• Does that mean God is unjust? No -- God defines justice.
  
• He told Moses. "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy...."
• "He hardens the heart of whomever he chooses." Wow! This is a difficult one. That sounds so arbitrary! Does Paul go on to explain what he means here?

19-29 God's Wrath and Mercy

• We respond as expected: "How can God find fault with any of us, when we're only succumbing to his will -- when seemingly we have no choice?"
• Paul tells us we have no right to argue with our Maker. As the potter, he can mold his clay into any shape he wishes.
• Paul poses a hypothetical situation: What if God has been patient with the intended objects of his destruction because his true purpose is to display his glory through the mercy he shows for those whom he intended to save all along?
• Those "intended" include both Jews and Gentiles whom he has called.
• Hosea talked of this "Those who were not my people I will call my people...."
• Isaiah talked of this: Though the Israelites at one time were numerous, only a remnant will be saved.

In context, I think Paul is talking not of individuals being chosen beforehand to be saved -- though on some level, he is, because those who are saved are those who hear and accept God's call -- but he is answering an objection of the Jews to Gentiles being brought into the kingdom. He is telling Jews that he engendered them, grew them, protected them, and put up with them through centuries for the sole purpose of saving the rest of the world through his Son. He "used" them, if you will, to accomplish his eternal purposes. And as Creator -- as Maker of all -- that is his right. He has had the complete picture from the beginning; we see only a tiny part of that picture and therefore have no basis for judgment.

30-33 Israel's Unbelief

• Bottom line? Gentiles -- who did not try to be righteous through the law -- have become righteous through faith.
• Israelites -- who did try to be righteous through the law -- did not achieve righteousness, because they were trying to do it through their own works, and not by faith.
• They have stumbled over the "stumbling stone," which is Christ.
• But if they decide to believe in him, they have nothing to be ashamed of.

Romans 10
1-4 Israel's Unbelief (continued)

• I pray my fellow Israelites will be saved.
• They are zealous, but not enlightened, because they still seek a righteousness of their own, and not God's righteousness.
• Christ is the end - the culmination - of the law, so that everyone who believes will be righteous.

5-21 Salvation Is for All

• Righteousness comes from the faith that is confessed whether or not we see Christ come from heaven or resurrected from the dead.
• It comes from believing from the heart and confessing with the mouth, from calling on the name of the Lord.
• And where does that faith come from? From hearing the word of Christ, which is preached by his messengers, who have been sent.
• Israel was told these things even by their own leaders: 1) Moses said Israel would be jealous of those who are not a nation; and 2) Isaiah said that God would be found by those who had not sought him; God also called his own people (the Jews) disobedient and contrary.

I think it's so important to remember the context of these instructions from Paul. He's pleading with his fellow Jews to accept Christ as the culmination of their history, to accept the Gentiles as fellow heirs of the promise that was made to their father Abraham. I forgot that context as I read the familiar passages about confession and the source of faith until I reached these last verses.

Paul is saying here that the first step to salvation for Jews and Gentiles alike -- but particularly Jews -- is to believe in the resurrection and to confess the Lordship of the one who was resurrected. Is that all that is necessary? Does just accepting Jesus into our hearts absolve us of past sins? In light of Acts 2:38 and 1 Peter 3:21, I would have to say no. No more than 1 Peter 3:21 stands alone. Baptism without a sincere belief in the resurrection and without a decision to turn our lives over to God is just a clean physical body.

Romans 11
1-10 Israel's Rejection Is Not Final

• Does this mean God has rejected his chosen people? Paul says No! For he is also an Israelite.
• When Elijah pleaded with God against Israel, God told him there was still a remnant of the faithful. (See 1 Kings 19:9-18)
• There's still a remnant - chosen by grace, not on the basis of works. There's that word "chosen" again -- but this time, Paul speaks of being chosen by grace. I would interpret this as those who respond to grace are those who are chosen.
• Only the elect of Israel receive their reward; God hardened the hearts of the rest and gave them "eyes that would not see, and ears that would not hear." This was also one of Jesus' teachings to his disciples when he chose to explain his parables to them and not to those who didn't want to understand. (Matthew 13:14-16)
  

14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

• David also addressed this issue in his criticism of the disobedient: "Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and keep their backs forever bent." (Psalm 69:19-23)

11-24 The Salvation of the Gentiles

• The Israelites' stumbling doesn't mean their fall; it means that it brought salvation to the Gentiles. How much more meaningful it will be if they too include themselves in this salvation!
• And now Paul speaks to the Gentiles, since he is an apostle to the Gentiles.
• He wants his own people to be jealous so they will be saved, for that would be a resurrection of those on whom the plan of salvation is built, those who are the roots of this great tree.
• So don't become arrogant, Gentiles, because some branches (Jews) were broken off so you (Gentiles) could be grafted in. Just as they were broken off because of unbelief, so you could be, too. Your being part of the tree is dependent on faith. God is kind toward believers, severe toward those who have fallen.
• Those of Israel who believe can be grafted in again. They can become even stronger branches, because they are naturally part of the original tree.

25-36 Both Jews and Gentiles Will Receive Mercy

• Understand a mystery: Some Jews have hardened their hearts, while the gospel is spread to the Gentiles. But out of Israel came Jesus, the Deliverer of both Jews and Gentiles. The one against whom they have hardened their hearts is the one they produced and the one also who will save them.
• Once, during the time when the Jews were God's chosen ones, all the Gentiles were unbelievers. Now, the Jews are unbelievers.
  
• God has set times for all people to be disobedient so he could be merciful to all.
• We can't begin to comprehend the depth of the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God. Only God could have fashioned this plan. No man can really know God's mind, or is able to counsel him, or even give him a gift that is equal to the gift God gives.
  
• "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen." In the midst of this treatise, Paul is reminded of the majesty of God's mind and of God's plan, and he can't seem to help himself. He's compelled to insert this statement of praise.

Romans 12
1-8 A New Life in Christ

• Paul entreats his readers (Jew and Gentile) to sacrifice our bodies to God in an acceptable way, to have a total change of mind -- and as a result to understand God's will. This "sacrifice" would have a different meaning to the Jews than it would to the Gentile. To the Jew, it would mean that no longer would he sacrifice an animal, but his own life. To the Gentile it would mean that he would no longer give his body over to sensuality to false gods, but would give his body to God -- in an acceptable manner. Where both had been using physical means of worship, now it would be a spiritual worship. Furthermore, this "mind" worship -- this change of mind -- is the only path to understanding God's will. Only when we surrender ourselves to God's will can we understand what that will is. Again (See notes on 11:1-10), "Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear" (Matthew 13:16).
• By the grace given to him, Paul entreats his readers not to think too highly of themselves. Again, in context, he's speaking to both Jews and Gentiles. To Jews, because formerly they were God's people, and to Gentiles (see 11:13) because the Jews had "blown it," and now the they were part of God's chosen ones.
• According to Paul -- just as he had been given God's grace, so (it seems to be saying here) everyone is granted a certain capacity for faith.
• Individually, we use our gifts - in whatever degree they're given to us - to contribute to the whole, which is the church.
• And we must all pursue excellence in whatever gifts we were given -- whether it's preaching, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leading, or compassion.

9-21 Marks of the True Christian

• Genuine love - mutual affection - mutual bestowing of honor
• Zeal - hope - patience in suffering - prayer - generosity to saints - hospitality to strangers
• Blessing the persecutor - empathy - compatibility - humility - nobility - peace
• Not vengeful - kind to enemies - overcoming evil with good

These are attributes we can all pursue, regardless of the gifts we've been given.

Romans 13
1-7 Being Subject to Authorities (Continuation of Christian Attributes)

• Since God has instituted government, all are subject to it, which is not a problem for those who do good.
  
• The government serves God in punishing wrongdoers; we obey governing powers not out of fear of punishment but as a matter of conscience.
• And we pay taxes - taxes, revenue, respect, and honor to whom it is due -- which is what Jesus taught in Matthew 22:21, after he was challenged by Pharisees and Herodians about the legality of paying taxes.

8-10 Love for One Another

• The obligation of a Christian is to love, which fulfills the Old Law.
• The last four of the Ten Commandments (You shall not commit adultery nor murder nor steal nor covet) -- and "any other commandment" are summed up in "Love your neighbor as yourself."

11-14 An Urgent Appeal

• Wake up! The night is gone. So it's time to lay aside the works of darkness.
• We must live honorably, not giving into our baser tendencies: partying, drunkenness, quarreling, jealousy.
• Make no provision for the flesh. So we not only shun worldly behavior -- we make sure we don't place ourselves in situations where it exists. We don't provide for it -- we don't make a place for it in our lives where it can come in and set up house.

Romans 14
1-12 Do Not Judge Another

• Welcome those who are weak (new?) in the faith, with all the superstitions they may have brought with them, such as seeing the eating of meat as idol worship. Treat them with understanding, and don't dispute with them over their carefulness.
• Those of you who may abstain from eating meats are not to condemn those who do eat meat. It is not your place to make these judgments.
• You will have different matters of opinion – some elevating one day over another, and some treating them all the same; some eating with thanks, others abstaining with thanks. Whichever you do, make sure you are convinced of what you are doing, and do everything with thanks and honor to God.
• We do not live – or die – just for ourselves, we live – and die – accountable to the Lord, who both lived and died for us.
• So don't pass judgment on or despise each other – we're all accountable to God, and will stand before his judgment seat. "For every knee shall bow...and every tongue will give praise..."

13-23 Do Not Make Another Stumble

• What's important is not to go against your own conscience – so it's very important not to put other Christians in a position where they go against their consciences, for then you are causing them to sin.
• In the kingdom of God, you rise above such things, because it's not about the specifics of eat and drink but walking in love, righteousness, peace and joy.
• If you love one another, you will do nothing – nothing! – that will cause your brother or sister to sin. If that means you never eat another piece of meat, then so be it. Your brother or sister's soul is much more important than what may satisfy your appetite.

What's important here is righteousness (right with God, not man); peace (See Ephesians 4:3 - the bond of peace); and joy in the Holy Spirit (a spiritual source contentment, not a momentary giddiness.) Jamieson, Fausset and Brown describe righteousness as our relationship to God; peace as our relationship to others; and joy as an internal condition, with the Holy Spirit as its source.

1. Righteousness - if you serve Christ, you're acceptable to God (v. 18)
2. Peace - It is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat (v. 20)
3. Joy - You are blessed when you have no reason to condemn yourself (v. 22)

Romans 15
1-6 Please Others, Not Yourselves

• The key to harmony with others: please your neighbor for the purpose of building him up.
• Christ, our example, bore insults for our sakes.
• Paul's prayer: That the "God of steadfastness and encouragement" would grant us harmony so that we will glorify God with one voice. What a word-picture this gives us -- we stand together glorifying God, and we are so much in harmony, it sounds like one voice to him. The alternative would be to glorify God at the same time, but not in harmony, resulting in discord and cacophony -- surely displeasing to his ears.

7-13 The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike

• Welcome one another, as Christ has welcomed you.
• Christ became a servant of the Jews for two reasons stated here: 1) to fulfill promises made to the patriarchs and 2) to show mercy to the Gentiles. In context, this would seem to indicate that the previous passage may be talking specifically to disharmony between the Gentile and Jewish Christians.
• Proof text from the Old Testament about God's acceptance of the Gentiles: 1) The Gentiles (nations) will praise God (2 Samuel 22:50 and Psalm 18:49); 2) the Gentiles will rejoice (Deuteronomy 32:43), praise God (Psalm 117:1), and hope in the "root of Jesse," or Christ, the son of David (Isaiah 11:10).
• In that context of hope, another of Paul's prayers: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Joy, peace, faith, and hope are possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. We don't accomplish all that by ourselves -- it is a gift from God. Once again, faith (trust and reliance) in what God can do are key.

14-21 Paul's Reason for Writing So Boldly

• Paul encourages his Roman readers: I'm confident that you are 1) full of goodness, 2) filled with knowledge and 3) able to instruct one another.
• And then comes Paul's reason for being bold in his writing. Paul shows great passion here for his mission - to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, who have now been included in God's great plan to save man.
• Paul says he's bold because:

1. He's been blessed to be a minister of Christ to the Gentiles
2. He's offering a "priestly service of the gospel of God." Just as a Levitical priest would offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, his responsibility is to see that the Gentiles' worship is acceptable to God, "sanctified by the Holy Spirit."
3. Paul speaks only what Christ has accomplished, to convince the Gentiles by a) word or deed, b) signs and wonders, c) the Spirit's power. It's interesting that "the power of the Spirit of God" is listed separately. Paul gives credit here where credit is due -- maybe for all the preceding: words, deed, signs, and wonders.
4. It's Paul's ambition to preach where no one has preached before, to fulfill the promise of Isaiah 52:15.

22-33 Paul's Plan to Visit Rome

• Paul's reason for not visiting Rome is his desire to preach where others have not gone before, but now he is on his way to Spain and will visit Rome on the way.
  
• First, he's going to Jerusalem to carry financial aid to poor Christians there from the Gentiles in Macedonia and Achaia.
• They were happy to send this aid, as those who have received spiritual blessings should have no problem sharing their material blessings with those who need them.
• Paul's appeal to the Romans: Pray that 1) I be rescued from unbelievers in Judea and 2) my ministry be acceptable to the saints there, so that 3) I will be able to see you again.

Note: There's no evidence that Paul ever made it to Spain. Of course, he did eventually make it to Rome, under guard, because he was arrested in Jerusalem and carried to Rome because of his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11,12 and following chapters).

Romans 16
1-16 Personal Greetings

• Paul commends to them Phoebe, who is a servant (NRSV "deacon,") and asks them to welcome her and help her in any way, because of her service to Paul and others.
• Greet Prisca and Aquila, who risked their lives for Paul, and to whom all Gentile churches give thanks. Greet the church in their house.
• Epaenetus - beloved, first convert in Asia
• Mary, hard worker
• Andronicus and Junia, relatives (or compatriots) who were in prison with Paul, prominent among the apostles, Christians before Paul was
• Ampliatus, beloved in the Lord
• Urbanus, co-worker
• Stachys, beloved
• Appelles, approved in Christ
• Family of Aristobulus
• Herodian, relative (compatriot)
• The family of Narcissus, those in the Lord
• Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord
• Persis, hard worker
• Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who also mothered Paul
• Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and other brothers and sisters with them
• Philologus, Julia, Nereus and sister, Olympas, and all saints with them
• And (since he couldn't name everyone) - Greet each other with a holy kiss.
• These greetings come not only from Paul, but from all the churches that belong to Christ.

Note: Characteristic of one who has given himself over to service, Paul is thankful for others who serve. As well known as he was, he was foremost a servant and indebted to those who served alongside him.

17-23 Final Instructions

• Watch out for those who oppose what you have learned and thereby cause disagreements among you.
• They do not serve God; they serve only themselves and deceive the gullible.
• It's good you obey, but you must still use discretion.
• "The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet." I interpret this to mean that if they continue to trust in Christ and his teachings, Satan will be powerless. It uses the same language as in Genesis 3:15, a prophecy of Christ crushing Satan's head. Through his resurrection, Christ overcame death, Satan's only real power against us.
  
• Greetings from Timothy, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, who are with Paul.
  
• Tertius, Paul's scribe, includes his own greeting.
• Greetings from Paul's (and the church's) host, Gaius; from Erastus, the city treasurer; from Quartus their brother

25-27 Final Doxology

• To God and Jesus be the glory forever!

And the lessons contained in this doxology:

• The only wise eternal God strengthens you.
  
• The gospel and proclamation of Jesus Christ is now disclosed to you.
• It was a mystery kept secret for long ages.
• Through the prophetic writings the gospel (mystery) is now made known to all the Gentiles.
• God commanded this, in order to bring about an obedience based on faith.
• This praise is spoken through Jesus Christ.