The Book of Romans – What You Need to Know
What? The Book of Romans is actually a letter with an author, recipient, secretary, and courier.
Who? The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians in Rome who were likely meeting in several house churches at the time.
Where? Paul likely wrote this letter toward the end of his third missionary journey during a three-month stay in Corinth, which is in modern-day Greece, before leaving there to go to Jerusalem. He was planning to deliver a collection of relief aid to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem that he took up from several Gentile churches in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
When? We do not have an exact date, but somewhere around AD 57 makes good sense. This places Paul in Corinth toward the end of his third missionary journey and allows for Jewish Christians who were expelled from Rome by Caesar Claudius to return after his death in AD 54.
Why? After delivering his collection to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Paul wanted to head west to plant churches in Spain and other parts of the Western Mediterranean region, perhaps using Rome as his home base. His current home base of Antioch, which is in modern-day Syria, would have been too far away. Paul hadn’t started any churches in the Western Mediterranean region, so Rome figured to be a strategic church to partner with him. The overarching theme of the letter is a defense of the gospel Paul preaches, so in some ways his letter is a reassurance that were the church in Rome to partner with him he believes the same things about the gospel as they do.
One other theme in the letter is the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Jewish Christians probably began the church in Rome and were its early leaders. However, after Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome Gentile Christians would have had to lead the church in their place. After Claudius died the expulsion expired and Jewish Christians were coming back to Rome. There were now some issues within the church about how the two groups would get along. If you are familiar with Acts and Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches, then you know this was a volatile issue for many first-century churches. In response, Paul’s letter focuses on the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians, noting their similarities and differences, but most of all their unity in Christ.
Who? The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians in Rome who were likely meeting in several house churches at the time.
Where? Paul likely wrote this letter toward the end of his third missionary journey during a three-month stay in Corinth, which is in modern-day Greece, before leaving there to go to Jerusalem. He was planning to deliver a collection of relief aid to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem that he took up from several Gentile churches in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
When? We do not have an exact date, but somewhere around AD 57 makes good sense. This places Paul in Corinth toward the end of his third missionary journey and allows for Jewish Christians who were expelled from Rome by Caesar Claudius to return after his death in AD 54.
Why? After delivering his collection to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Paul wanted to head west to plant churches in Spain and other parts of the Western Mediterranean region, perhaps using Rome as his home base. His current home base of Antioch, which is in modern-day Syria, would have been too far away. Paul hadn’t started any churches in the Western Mediterranean region, so Rome figured to be a strategic church to partner with him. The overarching theme of the letter is a defense of the gospel Paul preaches, so in some ways his letter is a reassurance that were the church in Rome to partner with him he believes the same things about the gospel as they do.
One other theme in the letter is the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Jewish Christians probably began the church in Rome and were its early leaders. However, after Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome Gentile Christians would have had to lead the church in their place. After Claudius died the expulsion expired and Jewish Christians were coming back to Rome. There were now some issues within the church about how the two groups would get along. If you are familiar with Acts and Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches, then you know this was a volatile issue for many first-century churches. In response, Paul’s letter focuses on the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians, noting their similarities and differences, but most of all their unity in Christ.
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