The Text
Last Time on Tales of Faith
We have now switched from Paul and the book of the Acts of the Apostles, to one of Paul’s Epistles. The Letter to the Romans is the first of the New Testament epistles, which means (of course) that it is the longest. The canonization counsels had a lot to deal with, and ordering the epistles chronologically was just going to be too much hassle, so they arranged them by length (the same confusing ordering used for the Hebrew prophets). Paul’s letter to the Romans is actually one of the later (if not latest) letters that the apostle wrote. This is not the fiery young crystic pharisee getting chased out of cities and lowered in baskets, this is the more seasoned elder-apostle who has realized that pissing everyone off might not be the best tactic.
The letter to the Romans also is markedly different from the other epistles in one matter. The other Pauline epistles are (allegedly) written to churches that Paul had established in his missionary journeys. Romans, on the other hand, is written to a healthy assembly of disciples in Rome that Paul had never met. He tells of his desire to go to Rome before he dies (spoiler, he gets his wish).
Overview of Romans
Ch 1-3 Condemnation
1:1-15 Introduction
1:1-7 Salutation
1:8-15 Prayer of thanksgiving
1:16-17 The Power of the Gospel
1:18-32 The Guilt of Human Kind
1:18-23 The wrath of God is revealed against ungodliness (THEM)
1:24-32 God ‘gave THEM up’ humanity to their sinful desires
2:1-11 Therefore YOU have no excuse to judge others
2:12-3:20 Righteousness under the Law
Ch 3-4 Justification
3:21-31 Righteousness through faith
4:1-12 Example of Abraham
4:13-25 God’s promise of Justification through faith
Ch 5-8 Sanctification
5:1-11 The Results of Justification
5:12-21 Adam and Christ
6:1-14 Died with Christ and risen with him
6:15-23 Slaves to righteousness rather than sin
7:1-6 An analogy of marriage, died to law
7:7-13 Is the law sin? By no means!
7:14-25 The conflict between law and spirit
8:1-17 Life in the Spirit
8:18-30 Future glory
8:31-39 God’s love in Christ
Ch 9-11 National Section
9:1-18 Anguish over his own people
9:19-29 God shows both wrath and mercy
9:30-10:4 The stumbling block
10:5-21 The nearness of Salvation
11:1-10 Jewish rejection of the Gospel is not final
11:11-24 Gentiles have been grafted onto the tree
11:25-36 All of Israel will be saved
Ch 12-15 Practical Section
12:1-8 the new life in Christ
12:9-21 Marks of Spirit life
13:1-7 Being subject to governing authorities
13:8-10 Love one another
13:11-14 Wake up!
14:1-12 Do not judge
14:13-23 Do not cause a sibling to stumble
15:1-6 Please your neighbor
15:7-13 Welcome one another, just as Christ welcomed you
15:14-21 Reason for writing so boldly
15:22-33 Desire to visit Rome, and go on to Spain
Ch 16 Closing
16:1-16 Personal greetings
16:17-23 Final instructions
16:25-27 Final Doxology
Today’s Story
Paul: The writer begins with a name, Paul. There is reasonable evidence that this letter actually is written by Paul, the apostle (not the case for all epistles). This is the man who once zealously pursued members of the Way, in the belief that he was rooting out unrighteousness. After receiving a vision of the exalted Christ, Paul (then Saul) became a fervent defender of the messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth. Last week, we heard about his being commissioned by the assembly in Antioch for his first missionary journey. After this first journey, he was called as a part of the Council of Jerusalem, where the apostles and elders decide that they will not hold gentile believers to the mosaic law. Saul and Barnabus split, and Paul (now with Silus) embarks on his second missionary journey, this time going as far as Macedonia. The Letter to the Romans was likely written from 55-57 CE during Paul’s third missionary journey, as he was making his way from place to place, establishing and supporting churches. As mentioned above, unlike many of the other epistles, Paul had nothing (directly) to do with establishing the church in Rome.
Slave of Jesus Christ: Paul introduces himself as being enslaved by Jesus Christ. This phrasing is not particularly acceptable, especially after the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. However, there are elements elsewhere in this epistle, where there is an element of disciples being wholly ‘owned’ by Christ, that it is the proper response to the salvation that we have received. The NRSV ‘servant’ does get us toward that idea without the troubling talk of slavery, but just notice that the original language is stronger than that.
Called as an Apostle: Paul sees himself as an apostle, which to a certain extent comes alongside the title of apostle in the early church. The word ‘apostle’ literally means “one who is sent,” as in contrast to ‘disciple’ meaning “one who follows.” In the gospel accounts, Jesus has many disciples, and chooses twelve disciples to follow in a special way (though they do not agree on who those twelve are). In each of the gospels, these disciples are also sent out (either before or after Jesus’ death) and given the Holy Spirit (in John’s gospel before the crucifixion, in Luke/Acts at Pentecost) as apostles. In the early church, the title ‘apostle’ was sometimes used to refer to these twelve (subbing out Mattheas for Judas) who continue as leadership in the Jerusalem Church. Paul, takes up this title in its original meaning, as ‘one who is sent’ since he discerns that he is called to go and preach the gospel to the gentile world. He is also careful to contrast himself with the other apostles (1 Cor 15:8, 2 Cor 11:5). Australian Missiologist, Alan Hirsch, reclaims the language of apostle as the gift of leadership (rooted in Eph 4) which is, “the extension of the mission of God and the sustainability and health of the churches” (Page 153; The Forgotten Ways; Hursch, Alan; 2006 Brazos Press). He claims that this function of leadership was vital to the early church, greatly downplayed in the Christendom period, and needs to be reclaimed in the present (post-Christendom) age, as “The church is called to be a dynamic movement rather than a static institution. For that reason, its leadership is to be drawn from those on the front line of the expansion of the church” (p. 155, Ibid).
Set Apart: Paul sees himself as ‘set apart,’ holy. This is literally true as we saw in last week’s lesson when the Holy Spirit calls the Antiochian church to ‘set apart Saul and Barnabus’ (Acts 13:2). He has a specific work to do in the ongoing work of the gospel.
Gospel of God: It is helpful to remember that the word gospel literally means ‘good news.’ That has less impact in a world where we are constantly bombarded with news, both good and bad. We receive news from the 24 hour news cycle, social media posts, and notifications on our phones. We are overwhelmed by news, from every corner at every moment. We get so much news that we don’t even know how to process it all.
In the ancient world, news was much less common. In this context, you might have news of your town, and who is doing what (we might call this news ‘gossip’), but the word ‘gospel’ refers more to life-changing news. This would be the news of a new king or Caesar, this would be news sent through official chances, that has the potential to change your life completely. In the American Context, this news would be like a 1776 colonist hearing the Declaration of Independence, or enslaved peoples 1862-1865 (funny how it took longer for that message to get out) hearing the Emancipation Proclamation.
Gospel Past: This world-changing good news is not new news, it is the same that was proclaimed by God through the Hebrew prophets, written in the Hebrew Scriptures, and in the promise to David. More recently, this world-changing good news centers around the Son of God (a phrase regularly used for Caesar), who has been resurrected from the dead (pulling in an idea from Jewish Pharisees for an end-time judgment, but as an in-time event). This one is Jesus Christ (Messiah, Hebrew anointed one) and Lord (leader, Caesar). So already Paul is using a mix of Jewish and Roman ideas to express some truly life-changing, world-changing, news.
Gospel Present: This Jesus, both Christ and Lord, gives ‘us’ (presumably Paul and the rest of the writing team, as well as their readers) grace. The life-changing world-changing good news is that the sin and brokenness in our life has been forgiven. The ultimate has broken into the penultimate, and restores it. That we are now redeemed, bought out of enslavement to sin and death, for the purpose of being emancipated. In response, we are’ apostilled’, sent out into the world now as heralds of this world-changing, life-changing good news. Not only is this life-changing world-changing good news for the Jewish people, Paul and Jesus’ people, but this grace extends beyond ethnic and racial constructs, to all people. Thanks be to God!
To: In the normal format of the time, we now have who this letter is addressed to, the believers in Rome. Note how they are described, however. Fist Paul describes them as God’s beloved, those who are loved by God. They are also described in reference to their calling, as saints. Our Roman Catholic siblings use this word in a different way than Paul does. They use this title of Saint as one who is venerated after their exemplary life of faith. Paul uses it, here and other places, to describe those who have been set apart, sanctified, made holy.
Thank God for All of You: Paul thanks God for the Roman believers, and he keeps them always in his prayers. Why? Because their faith is talked about all over the world and gives him courage. This is not always the picture that we have of Paul, who can sometimes be arrogant and self-centered. Here, however, he is praising a group that he had no part whatsoever in forming. If I had to imagine the root of this thankfulness, it would be that they are a group of mostly gentiles who have taken on the gospel message of the Jewish messiah. Paul himself has suffered greatly in bringing the gospel to the gentiles, and it seems that he does not get a whole lot of support from the other leaders of the church, especially the church in Jerusalem. It seems everywhere he turns, there are angry mobs; whether they are Jewish believers calling for the circumcision of gentiles, or Ephesian idol makers pissed off because he is cutting into their sales. The church in Rome, however it may have started, is proof that someone else out there is on his side, is as interested in bringing the gospel to the gentiles that they would form a church in the very capital city of the Empire.
It is easy to get burnt out in ministry. You spend all of your time and effort in seeking congregational vitality, in serving your people, in developing services, events, and programs. You try to live into the vision that God has for this community, and sometimes (when you are lucky) the vision that they have for themselves. Yet you also deal with constant naysaying, grumbling, and weeping and gnashing of teeth. The saying ‘you can’t please all the people all of the time’ goes double (at least) for churches. So when we find someone who ‘gets it’ (whether a member of our own congregation, a colleague, a story about another congregation, a podcast, or whatever) it can fill us with great hope. That person gets it at least, maybe there is hope for my people…
Mutually Encouraged: Paul tells them that he wants to come to them for mutual encouragement. He wants to share with them, of course. He has been at this for a while, and he is not shy in his opinions about how the church should work. But he also is interested in what he can learn from them. What are the models that they have developed, how do they live out the world-changing life-changing good news in the heart of Rome? How do they acknowledge Jesus as Lord so close to Caesar the Pantheon, and the Temple of Jupiter?
This willingness to learn is vital for the life of faith. It is a recognition that we do not have all of the answers, that we can learn from other people’s perspectives (again, not usually listed among Paul’s characteristics). How can our own theology and life of faith be enriched by reflecting on the perspectives of others? How do we see God through their eyes, and in so doing, experience the divine afresh?
A Debtor to both Greeks and Barbarians: This could also be translated as ‘obligated.’ Either way, it is a respect for both of these groups that we might not have expected from Paul. As a Pharisee, Paul would have been at one point vehemently opposed to the Hellenization of the Jewish people. Greek thought and life was seen in that community as a destructive ideology. They blamed the cultural shifts that lead to the unrighteousness of the general Jewish population, and therefore the delay in God’s redemption. This was the underpinnings of the Pharisees’ beef with the Sadducees, who were more open to Greek cultural and philosophical influence. It would not be unlike the reaction to ‘woke’ from someone who watches Fox News/Newsmax. However, Paul considers himself a debtor, as obligated to the Greek people.
Barbarian is a wholly imperial classification. In the Roman world the most important and reasonable was the Roman Citizen. These were those who were (assumed to be) a part of the cultural, philosophical, and religious life of Rome. They defended the ideals of the empire, whether through direct action (voting, serving as a senator, part of the army, etc), or by tacit agreement to the status quo of the Pax Romana. Below that were the suppressed peoples (like the Jews) who were not citizens, but who lived under Roman rule (or occupation). Occupied peoples could not vote or serve in the Roman senate, but they could serve as a part of the army, and even earn their citizenship. They may not be as culturally formed as a citizen, but they were formed and at least outwardly accepted Roman rule. Barbarians, on the other hand, were those peoples who were outside of the Roman borders. The history of the Roman Empire (as with empires before) was a process of defeating these barbarian communities ‘beyond the pale’, and making them a part of the empire. Throughout Rome’s history, tribes would be considered barbarians, barely humans, until they were defeated and ‘civilized.’ For Paul then to say that he is even obligated, indebted to barbarians means that he has truly taken his own message seriously. Even those whom we can all agree are not civilized are worthy of the life-changing world-changing good news of Jesus.
The Power of God: Paul proclaims that he is not ashamed of the gospel, he will not shrink away from telling this life-changing world-changing good news. The reason he gives is that it is the ‘power of God’. I am struck by how profound that statement is. Paul’s claim of the power of God is that salvation can be achieved by any and all, that grace has been extended to all. The power of the God that he proclaims is not the might of Jupiter, bending puny humans to his will, doing with them as he sees fit, and grappling with other gods over relative power like drunken frat-boys at a party. It is not the hegemonic power of Caesar and Rome, praised as a literal god on earth, and the son of god. A power which constantly grapples for more power, more prestige, more resources, land, and people to feed the never ending hunger of the elite class. It is not like the power that we see around us every day, which bears marked similarity to the Roman ideals of power. We see the power of the super-wealthy to grapple like drunken frat-boys about whose penis-rocket can get to space first. The power of CEOs making hundreds of times more than their employees, who are increasingly enslaved to debt.
In total contrast to this image of power, is the story of a loving God who seeds and sees divine presence within humanity. A God who sees them not as objects to be controlled, but as fellow creators in a beautiful story. A God who has covenanted with one family for the purpose of giving grace to all people. A God who seeks relationships with humans, and works through their flawed actions. A God who chose to become one of those finite beings so that God could experience humanity from the inside, and so that humanity could experience God face to face. A God who even when grace is extended, does not force it upon humanity, but offers freely to every human being a relationship with the divine. Historically, this relationship began within the Jewish people, but is now revealed to all without prejudice. The righteousness (right action and relationship) of God is revealed in God’s divine lure to humanity to be fellow participants in that righteousness. That through faith and for faith, we as finite human being might be able to reflect the divine image back to the Living God. This is the power of God, not coercion, but an invitation. This is life-changing world-changing good news, thanks be to God
Pop Culture References
As mentioned above, the idea of ‘good news’ in our context is difficult to imagine. It is the kind of news that changes everything, for the better. We can think of lots of examples of news that changes things for the worse. It is telling that a recent list of the 20 most important TV events of history does not include the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.
Pop culture is filled with examples of world-changing events:
The original cut of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi features a celebration on Endor at the destruction of the second Death Star, and the death of the Emperor.
In the Special Edition, they added celebrations from notable locations across the galaxy.
A trope of Science Fiction in general is the first contact situation, when humanity learns, without a shadow of a doubt, that we are not alone in the universe. In the case of The Day the Earth Stood Still, that news ends up being good.
Links
Love Wins