Romans E-Book

Andrew David Naselli

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

A Concise, Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Book of Romans, Perfect for Individual or Group Study  Martin Luther called the book of Romans the "chief part of the New Testament" and "the purest gospel." The apostle Paul's letter to the Romans has had arguably the largest influence on believers throughout church history. Paul systematically and formally articulates the gospel of Jesus Christ—the righteousness God gives to sinful humans through faith.  Scholar and author Andrew David Naselli traces Paul's argument for the gospel throughout this concise and accessible guide to the book of Romans. Designed to be read alongside the epistle itself, Naselli provides accessible, standalone commentary unpacking the text verse by verse. This ebook dives into the key themes of righteousness, peace, and God's promises, accompanied by reflection questions on interpretation and application—perfect for individual or group study.  - For New Believers and Seasoned Saints: Ideal for thoughtful laypeople, pastors, and teachers wanting to learn more about God's word - Perfect for Group or Individual Study: Includes interpretation and application questions at the end of the ebook  - Accessible: Straightforward and clear writing 

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“Andy Naselli has given us a remarkably clear and faithful exposition of Romans by carefully tracing the argument of this great epistle. Don’t be misled by the size of this book. The truths unpacked in it are life changing and thrilling. How gratifying to see that the message of Romans is communicated in such an accessible way. I hope many will read and study this helpful work—an ideal book for home Bible studies, Sunday school, or personal study.”

Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Co-Chair, Translation Oversight Committee (CSB); author, Romans

“It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that if you understand Paul’s letter to the Romans you understand the Bible. Said otherwise, the person with no knowledge of the rich truths of Romans will necessarily have a weak understanding of the Christian faith. If you wish to know Romans better, and especially to understand it as a cohesive and coherent work of literature, you will benefit tremendously from this book. Andy Naselli is a skilled and trustworthy guide who will lead you deep into the greatest letter ever written. Through it, the Lord will inform your mind, shape your heart, and change your life.”

Tim Challies, author, Seasons of Sorrow

“Naselli’s book on Romans gives believers a brief and accessible overview of Paul’s great letter to the church in Rome. While written for a general audience, this book is rooted in a broad acquaintance with the many issues in recent interpretation of the letter.”

Douglas J. Moo, Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College; Chair, Committee on Bible Translation (NIV); author, The Epistle to the Romans

“Naselli’s work on Romans combines brevity and depth. If you are an individual in need of a tutor, this book will enrich your study. If you are leading a group through a study of Romans, this book will prove invaluable in its attentiveness to the text, its helpful visual aids, and the discussion questions provided at the end. It is rare to find a volume that is both meaty and succinct, while also leading its readers to worship God as they study. The epistle to the Romans contains the firmest of the firm foundations on which believers stand. Let Naselli ably lead you through its magnificent and life-changing truths.”

Abigail Dodds, author, (A)Typical Woman and Bread of Life

Romans

Romans

A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written

Andrew David Naselli

Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written

Copyright © 2022 by Andrew David Naselli

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Jordan Singer

First printing 2022

Printed in the United States of America

Figure 5.1 is taken from NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible edited by D. A. Carson, T. Desmond Alexander, Richard Hess, Douglas J. Moo, and Andrew David Naselli. Copyright © 2018 by Zondervan. Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com

Figure 6.1 is taken from Authentic Church: True Spirituality in a Culture of Counterfeits by Vaughan Roberts. Copyright © IVP Books 2011. Reproduced with the permission of IVP Books through PLSclear.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated into any other language.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NASB 1995® are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.

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All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-8034-5 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-8037-6 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-8035-2 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-8036-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Naselli, Andrew David, 1980- author.

Title: Romans : a concise guide to the greatest letter ever written / Andrew David Naselli.  

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references and index. 

Identifiers: LCCN 2021055041 (print) | LCCN 2021055042 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433580345 (hardback) | ISBN 9781433580352 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433580369 (mobipocket) | ISBN 9781433580376 (epub)  

Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Romans—Commentaries. 

Classification: LCC BS2665.53 .N37 2022  (print) | LCC BS2665.53  (ebook) | DDC 227/.107—dc23/eng/20220126 

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021055041

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021055042

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2022-06-27 02:13:06 PM

To my brothers

Tom Dodds,

Steven Lee,

Joe Rigney,

and Brian Tabb

“My fellow workers in Christ Jesus”

Romans 16:3

“A brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 17:17

Contents

Illustrations

Preface: Six Ways to Use This Book

Introducing Romans

Outline

1  Introduction (1:1–17)

2  The Universal Need for God’s Righteousness (1:18–3:20)

3  The Means of Obtaining God’s Righteousness (3:21–4:25)

4  Benefits of Obtaining God’s Righteousness (5:1–8:39)

5  The Vindication of God’s Righteousness (9:1–11:36)

6  Living in Light of God’s Righteousness (12:1–15:13)

7  Conclusion (15:14–16:27)

Recommended Resources on Romans

Study Guide

Acknowledgments

General Index

Scripture Index

Illustrations

Tables

Table 3.1  Faith vs. Works in Romans 4 and James 2

Table 4.1  Adam vs. Christ in Romans 5:12–21

Table 4.2  Contrasts between Justification and Progressive Sanctification

Table 4.3  Two Laws or Principles in Romans 7–8

Table 4.4  Flesh vs. Spirit in Romans 8:5–13

Table 5.1  Israelites and Gentiles in Romans 9:24–29

Table 5.2  Two Kinds of Righteousness in Romans 9:30–10:6

Table 5.3  Salvation-Historical Twists in Romans 11:11–32

Table 5.4  Extended Metaphor of the Olive Tree in Romans 11:16b–24

Table 6.1  Spiritual Gifts in Romans 12:6–8

Table 6.2  Connections between Romans 12:17–21 and 13:1–7

Table 6.3  Three Disputable Matters in Romans 14

Table 6.4  Strong Conscience vs. Weak Conscience on Eating Meat

Figures

Figure 5.1  The Two Israels in Romans 9:6: Two Options Illustrated by Moo

Figure 5.2  Argument Diagram of Romans 11:33–36

Figure 6.1  Vaughan Roberts’s Flowchart on Christian Decision-Making

Preface

Six Ways to Use This Book

Are you ready to study what many theologians consider to be the greatest letter ever written? Here are six ways to use this concise guide to Romans.

1. Use This Book with an Open Bible

The most important way to use this book is next to an open Bible—preferably the ESV, since that is the base translation I use throughout this book. If you are not regularly reading the primary text of Romans as you read this book, then it will be challenging to understand what I write. (That reminds me of a joke: “The Bible sure sheds a lot of light on that commentary!”)

2. Use This Book with Open Bibles

Benefitting from the strengths of a spectrum of Bible translations is an insightful step of Bible study. You can do this by opening multiple print Bibles or by using Bible software or by using online resources such as BibleHub.com or Biblia.com.

In this book, I occasionally quote other Bible translations when I think they render a word or phrase in a helpful way. When I do that, I don’t mean to suggest that the ESV is wrong or inferior. Not at all. When some people discuss English Bible translations, they mainly argue about which is the best and why others are inferior. But I don’t view English Bible translations as competing against each other. Good Bible translations are incredibly helpful resources, and English readers have the luxury of benefitting from more than one of them. It’s both-and, not either-or. It is fruitful to read multiple English Bible translations along the spectrum that spans from more form-based translations like the ESV to more meaning-based ones like the NLT.1

3. Use This Book as You Trace Paul’s Argument with a Phrase Diagram

Paul’s letter to the Romans is not a list of unrelated bullet points. It’s not pearls on a string. It’s not a reference work like a dictionary or an encyclopedia. It’s brilliant literature. It’s a carefully composed letter in which Paul argues. He asserts truths and supports those truths with reasons and evidence. His arguments are always profound and sometimes complex. Connectives such as but, therefore, and because are hugely important to understanding what Paul is arguing.

A distinctive feature of this book is that I attempt to trace Paul’s argument. Sometimes I specify that a particular sentence is an inference of the previous one or that it is a reason that supports the previous sentence. My favorite way to trace Paul’s arguments is an argument diagram. An argument diagram displays the text’s logical flow of thought by dividing the text into propositions and phrases and then specifying how they logically relate to each other. My favorite type of argument diagram is a phrase diagram, which indents clauses and phrases above or below what they modify and adds labels that explain how the propositions and phrases logically relate.2

You may want to consult a phrase diagram of Romans that I prepared to supplement this book. My phrase diagram is a color-coded electronic book: Tracing the Argument of Romans: A Phrase Diagram of the Greatest Letter Ever Written.3

4. Use This Book with Other Bible Study Resources

I doubt it’s humanly possible to be conversant with all the literature on Romans. In my current personal library, I own about two hundred commentaries on Romans and sixteen hundred books or articles on specific aspects of Romans. That’s just a small slice of publications on Romans. And it doesn’t count thousands of other resources that interact with parts of Romans, such as systematic theologies.

This book is not an exhaustive commentary on Romans, and you may want to consult other resources as you study Romans—especially when you have a question about a passage that is challenging to interpret. For some of the most helpful resources to consult, see “Recommended Resources on Romans” at the end of this book.

5. Use This Book in a Group Bible Study

I designed this book to serve people who want to study Romans—either individually or as part of a group. If you are part of a group Bible study on Romans, then you could read this book prior to your group Bible study meetings to help you prepare to discuss Romans. I composed the study guide at the back of this book to facilitate group discussions.

If you’re part of a group Bible study that meets for a set number of times (e.g., nine, twelve, sixteen, or twenty-four times), then you could attempt to divide the book of Romans into corresponding segments. For example, here’s a way to study Romans in twelve parts:

1. Introduction + Romans 1:1–17

2. Romans 1:18–3:20

3. Romans 3:21–4:25

4. Romans 5:1–21

5. Romans 6:1–23

6. Romans 7:1–25

7. Romans 8:1–39

8. Romans 9:1–29

9. Romans 9:30–11:36

10. Romans 12:1–13:14

11. Romans 14:1–15:13

12. Romans 15:14–16:27

6. Use This Book to Help You Know and Worship God

This book is a concise guide to the greatest letter ever written: Paul’s letter to the Romans. So this book focuses on understanding what Paul intended to communicate by his words in this God-breathed letter.

But keep the big picture in mind: we want to diligently study Romans so that we can better know and worship God. As D. A. Carson often says, “The aim of thoughtful Christians, after all, is not so much to become masters of Scripture, but to be mastered by it, both for God’s glory and his people’s good.”4 So I pray that this book will help you better understand Romans with the result that you increasingly know and worship God.

1  When I drafted this book, I placed seven major English translations (NASB, ESV, NIV, NIrV, CSB, NET + NET notes, and NLT ) in parallel columns next to the Greek New Testament in Logos Bible Software, along with the translations by Doug Moo and Tom Schreiner in their technical commentaries on Romans. See Douglas J. Moo, The Letter to the Romans, 2nd ed., New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2018); Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 2nd ed., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018). Carefully working through those English translations (including every translator’s footnote and cross-reference) was as helpful as (if not more helpful than) working through secondary literature. By the time I turned to secondary literature, I had drafted most of my comments on a literary unit. See also “My Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians,” Andy Naselli (blog), August 28, 2020, https://andynaselli.com/.

2  Andy Naselli, “4 Proofs That If God Is for Us, Nothing Can Be Against Us,” The Gospel Coalition (website), September 12, 2016, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/. For an introduction to argument diagrams with a focus on phrasing, see Andrew David Naselli, How to Understand and Apply the New Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2017), 121–61.

3  Andrew David Naselli, Tracing the Argument of Romans: A Phrase Diagram of the Greatest Letter Ever Written (Bellingham, WA: Logos, 2022). This electronic book is available from Logos Bible Software. There is a free basic version of Logos Bible Software for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and on the web. See https://www.logos.com/get-started.

4  D. A. Carson, “Approaching the Bible,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st-Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 12.

Introducing Romans

How Important Is Romans?

The subtitle of this book calls Romans “the greatest letter ever written.” Paul’s letter to the Romans is arguably the single most important piece of literature in the history of the world.

Martin Luther: “This epistle [i.e., Romans] is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.”1John Calvin: “When any one understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”2J. I. Packer: “All roads in the Bible lead to Romans, and all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans, and when the message of Romans gets into a person’s heart there is no telling what may happen.”3John Piper: Romans is “the most important theological, Christian work ever written.”4Ben Merkle: “No other letter in the history of the world has received as much attention or has been given as much consideration as Paul’s letter to the church at Rome. . . . Paul’s letter to the church at Rome is the greatest letter ever written because of its great impact in history, its grand theology about Christ, and its practical instructions for Christian living.”5

Paul’s letter to the Romans is relatively short (it takes about sixty minutes to read aloud), and it is profound. It explains and exults in and applies the greatest news we could hear.

Who Wrote Romans?6

The letter begins, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (1:1). There is no serious challenge to this claim that Paul wrote the letter. Tertius was Paul’s scribe (16:22).

From Where Did Paul Write Romans?

Paul plans to visit Rome on his way to Spain (15:24, 28; cf. 15:19–20). The Gentile-Christian churches that Paul has planted collected an offering for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, and Paul hopes to give them that offering (15:25–27, 30–33). Since Paul must be near the end of his third missionary journey as he writes Romans (Acts 19:21; 20:16), he likely writes this letter from Corinth (Acts 20:3; 2 Cor. 13:1, 10; cf. Rom. 16:1–2, 23; 1 Cor. 1:14).

When Did Paul Write Romans?

When Paul wrote Romans depends on when he stayed in Greece for three months. The best option is about AD 57.

To Whom Did Paul Write Romans?

Paul addresses the letter “to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Rom. 1:7; cf. 1:15). It is not certain when and how the church in Rome began. It may be that some of the converts from the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10) went to Rome. Jewish Christians in Rome would have left Rome when the Emperor Claudius expelled them from about AD 49 to 54. During that time, the church in Rome would have consisted of only Gentile Christians. By the time Jewish Christians returned to Rome, the Gentile Christians were more influential and likely looked down on Jewish Christians.

When Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome, the church likely consisted of both Jewish and Gentile Christians (1:7). He directly addresses Gentiles (1:13; 11:13); he greets Jewish Christians (chap. 16); and the “weak in faith” (14:1–15:13) are likely some of the Jewish Christians.

Why Did Paul Write Romans?

Paul does not explicitly state the purpose of his letter, so we can attempt to discern the letter’s purpose by fitting its contents to its particular occasion. Interpreters typically emphasize the situation of either Paul or the church in Rome.

The Situation of Paul

Three places that are central to Paul’s concerns correspond to three major views on why Paul wrote this letter:

1.Spain. Paul wrote this letter primarily so that the church in Rome would financially support his mission to plant churches in Spain (15:24–29). (But if that were Paul’s overriding purpose, why is most of the letter a theological treatise? And why doesn’t Paul mention Spain until the end of the letter?)

2.Galatia/Corinth. Paul wrote this letter primarily to share his views on controversial Jewish issues that Paul worked through when he encountered Judaizers in Galatia and Corinth. (But why send this theological treatise to Rome?)

3.Jerusalem. Paul wrote this letter primarily to practice giving the speech he anticipates giving when he arrives in Jerusalem with the collection (see 15:30–33). (The objections to the previous two views apply here.)

The Situation of the Church in Rome

Some argue that Paul wrote this letter primarily to address a specific problem in the church at Rome (14:1–15:13). Paul rebukes two groups: the “weak in faith” (probably mainly Jewish Christians) and the “strong” in faith (probably mainly Gentile Christians). Gentile Christians were becoming arrogant toward the minority of Jewish Christians.

But Paul likely did not write this letter primarily to heal the Jew-Gentile division. (1) Why would Paul wait to address the issue until near the end of the letter (chap. 14)? (2) Why doesn’t Paul address specific needs in the church at Rome the way he does in his other letters?

Instead of specifying one main purpose for Paul’s letter, it is better to recognize several purposes that arise from Paul’s missionary situation. He wrote the letter to: (1) apply lessons from his recent conflicts in Galatia and Corinth; (2) prepare for the looming crisis in Jerusalem; (3) secure a missionary base for his work in Spain; (4) unify the church in Rome around the gospel; and (5) defend his theology against accusations that he is antilaw and even anti-Jewish (see 3:8).7

What Style of Literature Is Romans?

Ancient letters ranged from short and informal (e.g., requests for money from children away from home) to long and formal (e.g., essays for large audiences). Paul’s letters are between these extremes, but his letter to the Romans is probably his most formal one. In this formal treatise, Paul argues systematically. And not once in chapters 1–13 does he allude to a specific issue or person in the church at Rome.

What Is the Theological Message of Romans?8

The gospel reveals how God is righteously righteousing (i.e., justifying) unrighteous individuals—both Jews and Gentiles—at this stage in the history of salvation.9

How does that happen? By faith in Christ apart from the law covenant.

Why does that happen? Ultimately for God’s glory (11:33–36).

The word gospel (Greek: euangelion) and its related verb evangelize (Greek: euangelizō) are prominent in the letter’s introduction and conclusion (see 1:1–2, 9, 16–17; 15:16, 19–20; 16:25), where we expect to encounter an overarching topic.10 And gospel is foremost in 1:16–17, which states the letter’s theme.

What is the gospel?11Gospel means “good news.” What do you do with news? You announce it. You proclaim it. So the gospel is news that we can announce. But what kind of news is it? It is good news that presupposes corresponding bad news. The bad news is very bad news for us for two reasons: (1) because of who God is and (2) because of who we are. God is the holy Creator who owns us and cannot simply overlook sin, and we are sinners whom God must condemn for our spiritual adultery, our rebellion and treason against God the King. But the good news is very good news for us for two reasons: (1) because of what Jesus did and (2) because of what will happen if we trust Jesus.

Here’s what Jesus did: Jesus lived, died, and rose again for sinners. This is God’s solution to our predicament (i.e., that we are sinners and thus deserve God’s wrath). Jesus lived and died instead of sinners, in the place of sinners, as a substitute for sinners. He lived a perfect life and took our punishment. That’s why theologians describe his death as penal substitution. Jesus died for sins. But he was not guilty of a single sin. God punished him for our sins. He took our place. “For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus removes our guilt (expiation) and satisfies God’s righteous wrath against us (propitiation) (see Rom. 3:21–26). Our fundamental problem is our sin against God and that we are condemned under God’s wrath, and the heart of Jesus’s death is that Jesuspaid our penalty (penal) in our place (substitution). All other pictures of what Christ’s death accomplished depend on his penal substitution.12

The good news is very good news for us not only because of what Jesus did. It’s good news for us because of what will happen if we trust Jesus: God saves sinners who turn and trust Jesus. Turn (i.e., repent) and trust (i.e., believe, exercise faith). This is where you come in. This is where it gets personal. This is why the gospel is good news for you. The response God requires from you is repentance and faith. Turn from your sin and trust Jesus alone to deliver you. Trust that God will substitute Jesus’s perfect record—his perfect life and sacrificial death—for your record and thus declare you to be righteous (i.e., justified). As the hymn says, “God the just is satisfied / to look on him [Jesus] and pardon me.”13 God will save you if you trust Jesus.

We can summarize the bad news and good news with four words: God, man, Christ, response.

1. God. God is the holy Creator.

2. Man. We are sinners.

3. Christ. Jesus lived, died, and rose again for sinners.

4. Response. God saves sinners who turn and trust Jesus.

Those four points do not appear in every Bible passage that talks about the gospel or about Jesus’s cross-work, but they’re often at least implied (see Rom. 1–4; 1 Cor. 15:1–5).

So what exactly is the gospel? Here’s one way to define the gospel succinctly, capturing its very core: Jesus lived, died, and rose again for sinners, and God will save you if you turn and trust Jesus.14

Unfortunately, many Christians might think that once they become Christians, the gospel is completely behind them. So rather than focusing on the gospel, they assume the gospel and focus on relatively peripheral issues. But the gospel continues to be central good news for Christians—not merely because God will rescue you from hell and because you can enjoy the pleasures of heaven. It’s good news because you can enjoy God himself like you never could in your shackles of sin.15 And you don’t need to try to earn God’s favor. You can’t. You should live a certain way (Titus 3:1–2) because of the gospel (3:3–7), not to placate God or put him in your debt. As Jerry Bridges shrewdly observed, “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”16 The glorious message of Paul’s letter to the Romans is that the gospel reveals how God is righteously righteousing unrighteous individuals—both Jews and Gentiles—at this stage in the history of salvation.

1  Martin Luther, “Preface to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans,” in Word and Sacrament I, ed. E. Theodore Bachmann, vol. 35 of Luther’s Works (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1960), 365.

2  John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, ed. and trans. John Owen (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1947), xxiv.

3  J. I. Packer, Knowing God, 20th Anniversary Ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 230.

4  John Piper, “The Author of the Greatest Letter Ever Written: First in a Series of Messages on Romans,” Desiring God (website), April 26, 1998, https://www.desiringgod.org/.

5  Benjamin L. Merkle, “Is Romans Really the Greatest Letter Ever Written?,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 11, no. 3 (2007): 31.

6  Most of the following introduction (minus the sections on the theological message of Romans and its outline) adapts D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, Introducing the New Testament: A Short Guide to Its History and Message, ed. Andrew David Naselli (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 82–87. For more detail, see D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 391–414.

7  Cf. Will N. Timmins, “Why Paul Wrote Romans: Putting the Pieces Together,” Themelios 43 (2018): 387–404.

8  A book’s theological message (What is the author’s overall burden?) is not always the same as its content (What is the author writing about?) or purpose (Why is the author writing?).

9  Andrew David Naselli, “The Righteous God Righteously Righteouses the Unrighteous: Justification according to Romans,” in The Doctrine on Which the Church Stands or Falls: Justification in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, ed. Matthew Barrett (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019), 214. Regarding the word righteousing, see comments on 1:16–17.

10  Cf. Jeffrey A. D. Weima, Paul the Ancient Letter Writer: An Introduction to Epistolary Analysis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016).

11  What follows condenses Andrew David Naselli, How to Understand and Apply the New Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2017), 296–300.

12  For example: (1) Representation: On what basis does Christ the obedient second Adam represent us and thus give us life and restore nonhuman creation (Rom. 5:18–19; 8:19–25)? Penal substitution. (2) Slavery: On what basis does Christ redeem us from our slavery to sin (Rom. 6)? Penal substitution. (3) Relations: On what basis does Christ reconcile us to God (Rom. 5:1, 10–11)? Penal substitution (2 Cor. 5:18, 21). (4) War: How does Christ conquer our enemies (sin, death, and cosmic powers)? By penal substitution—by satisfying God’s righteous wrath by becoming a curse for us (Col. 2:14–15; Rev. 5:5–9). (5) Worship: On what basis does Christ our high priest offer himself as a sacrifice to atone for our sins in our place (Heb. 9:12, 15, 26)? Penal substitution. (6) Health: How does Christ heal our terminal spiritual sickness? Penal substitution (Isa. 53:5). (7) Discipleship: What gives meaning to Christ’s moral example of love in his death (Rom. 15:1–4)? Penal substitution (John 10:15; 1 Pet. 2:21, 24). Cf. J. I. Packer, “The Atonement in the Life of the Christian,” in The Glory of the Atonement: Biblical, Historical, and Practical Perspectives; Essays in Honor of Roger R. Nicole, ed. Charles E. Hill and Frank A. James III (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 416.

13  From my favorite hymn, “Before the Throne of God Above,” which Charitie Lees Smith (later Bancroft, then de Chenez) wrote in 1863 (John Julian, ed., A Dictionary of Hymnology [New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1892], 109).

14  Some theologians distinguish between the gospel in a broad sense and a narrow sense. DeYoung and Gilbert refer to this as a wide-angle lens and a zoom lens. See Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert, What Is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011), 91–113. I am defining the gospel here in the narrow, zoom-lens sense.

15  See John Piper, God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005), especially 13, 15, 47.

16  Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace: God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness, 2nd ed. (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2006), 19.

Outline

  1.  Introduction (1:1–17)

  2.  The Universal Need for God’s Righteousness (1:18–3:20)

    We all need God’s saving righteousness because we are all unrighteous and thus deserve God’s judging righteousness—his wrath.

  A.  Gentiles Are Unrighteous (1:18–32)

  B.  Jews Are Unrighteous (2:1–3:8)

  C.  All Humans Are Unrighteous (3:9–20)

  3.  The Means of Obtaining God’s Righteousness (3:21–4:25)

    Faith alone in Jesus is how God will declare us righteous.

  A.  The Righteous God Righteously Righteouses the Unrighteous (3:21–26)

  B.  The Means of Obtaining God’s Righteousness for both Jews and Gentiles Is Faith Alone (3:27–31)

  C.  Abraham Illustrates the Means of Obtaining God’s Righteousness (4:1–25)

  4.  Benefits of Obtaining God’s Righteousness (5:1–8:39)

    When we obtain God’s righteousness, we receive several gracious and glorious gifts.

  A.  We Have Peace with God through Christ, so We Confidently Expect (i.e., Hope) that Christ Will Certainly Save Us from God’s Wrath (5:1–11)

  B.  We Are No Longer in Adam (Who Brought Condemnation) but in Christ (Who Brought Justification) and Thus Receive Abundant Grace and Righteousness (5:12–21)

  C.  We Are Free from Sin’s Enslaving Power (6:1–23)

  D.  We Are Free from the Mosaic Law’s Binding Authority (7:1–25)

  E.  We Are Free from Condemnation because We Are in Christ and Have the Spirit (8:1–17)

  F.  We Confidently Expect (i.e., Hope) that God Will Glorify Us and that Nothing Can Successfully Be Against Us (8:18–39)

  5.  The Vindication of God’s Righteousness (9:1–11:36)

    God’s word has not failed because he has kept, is keeping, and will keep his promises to ethnic Israelites.

  A.  Introducing the Tension between God’s Promises and Israel’s Plight: God Gave Israelites Unique Privileges, yet They Are Rejecting the Messiah (9:1–6a)

  B.  God’s Promises and Israel’s Past Unconditional Election: God’s Promises to Israel Do Not Contradict the New Twist in Salvation History in which God Is Saving Some Israelites and Many Gentiles (9:6b–29)

  C.  God’s Promises and Israel’s Present Culpability: Israelites Are Responsible for Not Believing in Christ (9:30–10:21)

  D.  God’s Promises and Israel’s Present Predicament: God Is Fulfilling His Promises to Israel by Saving a Remnant (11:1–10)

  E.  God’s Promises and Israel’s Future: God Will Fulfill His Promises to Israel When He Saves “All Israel” (11:11–32)

  F.  Doxological Response: To Him Be Glory Forever (11:33–36)

  6.  Living in Light of God’s Righteousness (12:1–15:13)

    The gospel transforms us.

  A.  The Essence of How to Respond to God’s Mercies Is to Present Yourselves to God as a Living Sacrifice (12:1–2)

  B.  Exhortations to Love One Another (12:3–13:14)

  C.  Exhortations about Quarreling over Disputable Matters (14:1–15:13)

  1.  Welcome One Another (14:1–12)

  2.  Strong Christians, Do Not Cause Your Brother or Sister to Stumble (14:13–23)

  3.  Strong Christians, Build Up Your Brother or Sister (15:1–6)

  4.  Welcome One Another to Glorify God (15:7–13)

  7.  Conclusion (15:14–16:27)

  A.  Paul’s Missionary Situation and Travel Plans (15:14–33)

  B.  Greetings to Roman Christians (16:1–16)

  C.  Warning about False Teachers (16:17–20)

  D.  Greetings from Paul’s Coworkers (16:21–23)

  E.  Doxology (16:25–27)

1

Introduction (1:1–17)

Paul introduces the letter with a greeting (1:1–7), a thanksgiving (1:8–15), and the letter’s theme (1:16–17).

1:1–7 The letter’s opening introduces Paul as the author and the Christians in Rome as the addressees. Several themes bookend the letter: the gospel, the Son, the Old Testament, Paul, the obedience of faith, and the nations (see 16:25–27).

1:1–3a Paul describes himself in three ways: (1) “a servant” or bondservant or slave “of Christ Jesus”; (2) “called to be an apostle”; and (3) “set apart for the gospel of God” (1:1). He unpacks the third description by describing the gospel as what God promised “beforehand”: the agents whom God used to make the promise were “his prophets”; the location of that promise is “in the holy Scriptures”—that is, the Old Testament prophesies the gospel (