Romans

An Introduction And Survey

F F Bruce

• Publisher: IVP
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN:
  9781783593194
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christianity

Paul's epistle to the Romans changed the lives of many great Christian thinkers, including Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley and Karl Barth. However, while Romans has been among the most influential books of the New Testament, it has also been the subject of some of the church's most heated debates. What is justification by faith? What is the relationship between law and grace? What is God's ultimate purpose for Israel? Without losing sight of the simplicity of the gospel, F. F. Bruce guides us along the difficult but rewarding paths of this great letter.This classic commentary has been completely retypeset and presented in a fresh, vibrant new large paperback format, with new global branding.

Commentary

Prologue (1:1–15)

A. Salutation (1:1–7)

An ancient letter began with a simple salutation: ‘X to Y, greetings.’ Such a greeting forms the skeleton of the prescripts of most of the New Testament Epistles, variously expanded and given a Christian emphasis.

The salutation at the beginning of this letter takes a similar form: ‘Paul … to all God’s beloved in Rome … grace … and peace.’ But each part of the greeting is expanded: the sender’s name, the recipient’s name, and even the greetings.

1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. The word translated ‘servant’ is Greek doulos, ‘slave’. Paul is completely at his Master’s disposal. His summons to be an apostle, a special commissioner of Christ, came directly, he claims, from ‘Jesus Christ and God the Father’ (Gal. 1:1), who laid on him the responsibility of proclaiming the gospel in the Gentile world on the occasion when he revealed his Son to him on the Damascus road (Gal. 1:16).

Set apart for the gospel of God, that is, for the ministry of the gospel, long before his conversion; cf. Galatians 1:15, where he says that he was divinely set apart for this purpose before his birth. All the rich and diversified gifts of Paul’s heritage (Jewish, Greek and Roman), together with his upbringing, were foreordained by God with a view to his apostolic service. Cf. the risen Lord’s description of Paul as ‘a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles …’ (Acts 9:15). The ‘gospel of God’, his euangelion, is the joyful proclamation of the death and resurrection of his Son, and of the consequent amnesty and liberation which men and women may enjoy through faith in him. The Old Testament background of the New Testament use of euangelion is found in the LXX of Isaiah 40–66 (especially Isa. 40:9; 52:7; 60:6; 61:1), where this noun or its cognate verb euangelizomai is used of the proclamation of Zion’s impending release from exile. The New Testament writers treat this proclamation as foreshadowing the proclamation of release from spiritual estrangement and bondage procured by the death and resurrection of Christ (see p. 206).

2. Which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures. This statement is amplified in 1:17; 3:21; 4:3, 6–25; 10:5–20; 15:9–12, 21.

3. Concerning his Son. This phrase, which expresses the subject-matter of ‘the gospel of God’, introduces a short confessional summary (verses 3–4) which may have been as familiar to the Roman Christians as to Paul himself; it is likely, however, that Paul has recast its wording so as to bring out certain necessary emphases.

Who was descended from David according to the flesh. The Davidic descent of Jesus was clearly an element in early Christian preaching and confession. Jesus himself appears to have laid no weight on it, but he did not refuse the designation ‘Son of David’ when it was applied to him, as by blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:47–48). His question about the scribal exegesis of Psalm 110:1 (Mark 12:35–37) should not be construed as a repudiation of Davidic descent.

The phrase ‘according to the flesh’ (i.e. ‘by natural descent’) is used of Christ again in 9:5.

4. Designated Son of God in power. The word rendered ‘designated’ (horizō) is used in Acts 10:42; 17:31 of Christ’s appointment as judge of all. Paul does not mean that Jesus became the Son of God by the resurrection, but that he who during his earthly ministry ‘was the Son of God in weakness and lowliness’ became by the resurrection ‘the Son of God in power’ (A. Nygren, ad loc.). Similarly Peter at Pentecost concludes his proclamation of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ by calling on ‘all the house of Israel’ to ‘know assuredly’ that God has made the crucified Jesus ‘both Lord and Christ’ (Acts 2:36). The phrase ‘with power’ (en dynamei, as here) appears also in Mark 9:1, where the coming of the kingdom of God ‘with power’ (by contrast with the limitations under which it was manifested during Jesus’ ministry) is probably the direct sequel to Jesus’ death and vindication.

According to the Spirit of holiness. There is an obvious antithesis between ‘according to the flesh’ and ‘according to the Spirit’. But when Paul states the second member of this antithesis, he makes its meaning plain by adding the genitive ‘of holiness’. The Spirit of holiness is the regular Hebrew way of saying ‘the Holy Spirit’; Paul here reproduces the Hebrew idiom in Greek. By the antithesis of ‘flesh’ and ‘Spirit’ here he ‘plainly … does not allude to the two natures of our Lord, but to the two states of humiliation and exaltation’.1 It is one and the same Son of God who appears as the earthly Jesus and as the heavenly Christ; but his Davidic descent, a matter of glory ‘according to the flesh’, is now seen nevertheless to belong to the phase of his humiliation, and to be absorbed and transcended by the surpassing glory of his exaltation, by which he has inaugurated the age of the Spirit. The outpouring and ministry of the Spirit attest the enthronement of Jesus as ‘Son of God in power’.2

By his resurrection from the dead. The phrase is literally ‘in consequence of the resurrection of dead ones’; the plural ‘dead ones’ is an instance of what grammarians call the ‘generalizing plural’. Exactly the same phrase is used in Acts 26:23 of the resurrection of Christ. So here it is Christ’s own resurrection that is referred to, and not (as some have thought) his raising of Lazarus and others—still less the phenomenon described in Matthew 27:52–53. But Christ’s resurrection is denoted by a phrase which hints at the future resurrection of his people; his resurrection is the first instalment of ‘the resurrection of the dead’, as is made clear in 8:11 (where those who are indwelt by ‘the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead’ have through that Spirit the assurance of their own resurrection). (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–23, 44–49.)

5. Grace and apostleship. This is probably a hendiadys, meaning ‘the grace (or divine gift) of apostleship’; cf. the references in 12:6 to the ‘gifts that differ according to the grace given to us’, and in 15:15–16 to the ‘grace’ given to Paul by God ‘to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles’.

To bring about the obedience of faith, i.e. the obedience that is based on faith in Christ. The ‘faith’ here is not the gospel or the body of doctrine presented for belief, but the belief itself. (Cf. 15:18; 16:26.)

Among all the nations. This phrase indicates Paul’s special vocation to be the apostle to the Gentiles (cf. 11:13). The Greek noun ethnē (like its Hebrew equivalent gōyîm) is variously rendered ‘nations’, ‘Gentiles’ or ‘heathen’ (for this last cf. 1 Cor. 12:2; 1 Thess. 4:5).

6. Including yourselves. This probably means not only that the Roman church was situated in the Gentile world but also that its membership was now predominantly Gentile.

Who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Cf. 8:28, 30 for the divine calling.

7. To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints. Because they are the well-loved people of God, they are called to be holy as he is holy (Lev. 19:2, etc.; 1 Pet. 1:15–16). He has summoned them to be set apart for himself; they are saints by divine vocation. There are hints here and there in the New Testament that ‘the saints’ was a designation (possibly a self-designation) of those Jewish believers (cf. 15:25; Eph. 2:19) who looked on themselves as ‘the saints of the Most High’ who were destined to receive royal and judicial authority from God (Dan. 7:18, 22, 27). Paul insists on applying the same designation to Gentile believers, concorporate with their brethren of Jewish race.

For the phrase ‘in Rome’ see the textual note on pp. 32–33.

Grace to you and peace. The Greek greeting was Chaire, which literally means ‘Rejoice!’. The Jew said Shālōm,3 ‘Peace!’ This was sometimes amplified to ‘Mercy and peace’ (as in 2 Baruch 78:2). Paul takes over the amplified form, but in place of ‘mercy’ he habitually uses his favourite word ‘grace’ (Gk. charis). The grace of God is his free love and unmerited favour to men and women, imparted through Christ; the peace of God is the well-being which they enjoy through his grace.

From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This spontaneous and repeated collocation of Christ with God bears witness to the place which Christ held in the thought and worship of Paul and other early Christians.

B. Introduction (1:8–15)

Having thus introduced himself and his theme, Paul explains his present purpose in writing. News that he has received about the high and renowned quality of their faith calls forth deep thanksgiving from Paul, and he assures them of their constant place in his prayers. The churches for which he had primary responsibility—those which he himself had founded—made heavy and continual demands on his time and attention, but he could remember before God other churches too, and not least the church of the capital. He tells them of his long-standing desire and prayer for the opportunity of visiting them; and now, after earlier hindrances, it appeared that his prayer was about to be answered. He hopes not only to impart a blessing to the Roman Christians, but to receive one for himself through his fellowship with them. And while he has no thought of asserting his apostolic authority in Rome, he looks forward to preaching the gospel there and making some converts in Rome as in the rest of the Gentile world. The preaching of the gospel is in his blood, and he cannot refrain from it; he is never off duty but must constantly be at it, discharging a little more of that obligation which he owes to the whole human family—an obligation which he will never fully discharge so long as he lives.

8. I thank my God through Jesus Christ. As it is through Christ that God’s grace is conveyed to human beings (verse 5), so it is through Christ that their gratitude is conveyed to God. The mediatorship of Christ is exercised both towards God and towards humanity. (See p. 223, n. 1.)

Your faith is proclaimed in all the world. Cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:8, ‘your faith in God has gone forth everywhere.’ In both passages Paul thinks more particularly of all the places where Christianity has been established (see also note on 10:18, p. 206).

9. Whom I serve with my spirit. NEB, ‘to whom I offer the humble service of my spirit’.

Without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers. (Cf. Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3–4; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2 Thess. 1:3; Philem. 4.) That Paul should pray regularly for his own converts is what one might expect, but it is evident from this passage that his prayers went beyond his immediate circle of personal acquaintance and apostolic responsibility.

10. At last. (Cf. ‘often’, verse 13.) Of these earlier occasions when Paul had hoped or planned to visit Rome we have no direct information.

12. That we may be mutually encouraged. This would correct any impression given by verse 11 that he would be the benefactor and they the beneficiaries. He hopes to receive help as well as to give it during his purposed visit to Rome.

13. I want you to know, brethren. A favourite Pauline expression, literally ‘I do not want you to be ignorant’ (cf. 11:25; 1 Cor. 10:1; 12:1; 2 Cor. 1:8; 1 Thess. 4:13).

Thus far have been prevented. One obstacle could have been the imperial edict of AD 49 expelling Jews from Rome (cf. Acts 18:2; see p. 22).

14. Both to Greeks and to barbarians. To the Greeks, all non-Greeks were ‘barbarians’ (barbaroi, a word which probably imitated the unintelligible sound of foreign languages). Cf. Acts 28:2; 1 Corinthians 14:11.

15. In Rome. See textual note on p. 33.

A. The Gospel According To Paul (1:16–11:36)

1. The Theme Of The Gospel: The Righteousness Of God Revealed (1:16–17)

‘Believe me,’ Paul goes on, ‘I have no reason to be ashamed of the gospel I preach. No indeed; it is the powerful means which God employs for the salvation of all who believe—the Jew first, and the Gentile also. And why is this so? Because in this gospel there is a revelation of God’s way of righteousness—a way of righteousness based on the principle of faith and presented to men and women for their acceptance by faith. It was of this righteousness that the prophet said, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” ’

To understand the sense in which the gospel is said to reveal God’s righteousness it is necessary to bear in mind some facts about the concept of righteousness in the Old Testament, which forms the chief background of Paul’s thought and language.

The ideas of right and wrong among the Hebrews are forensic ideas; that is, the Hebrew always thinks of the right and the wrong as if they were to be settled before a judge. Righteousness is to the Hebrew not so much a moral quality as a legal status. The word ‘righteous’ (ṣaddîq) means simply ‘in the right’, and the word ‘wicked’ (raša‘) means ‘in the wrong’. ‘I have sinned this time’, says Pharaoh, ‘Jehovah is in the right (A.V. righteous), and I and my people are in the wrong (A.V. wicked)’, Exod. 9:27. Jehovah is always in the right, for He is not only sovereign but self-consistent. He is the fountain of righteousness … the consistent will of Jehovah is the law of Israel.1

God is himself righteous, and those men and women are righteous who are ‘in the right’2 in relation to God and his law. When, therefore, the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel, it is revealed in a twofold manner. The gospel tells us first how men and women, sinners as they are, can come to be ‘in the right’ with God and second how God’s personal righteousness is vindicated in the very act of declaring sinful men and women ‘righteous’. This second aspect of the matter is not dealt with immediately, but the former is expanded sufficiently to show that the principle on which God brings people into the right with himself is the principle of faith, and for this statement Old Testament authority is adduced in the words of Habakkuk 2:4b, ‘the righteous shall live by his faith’. Habakkuk 2:4b may be called the ‘text’ of this Epistle; what follows is in large measure an exposition of the prophet’s words.

16. I am not ashamed of the gospel. This is an instance of the figure of speech called litotes: Paul means that he glories in the gospel and counts it a h...

Table of contents

• Tyndale New Testament Commentaries
• Romans
• Contents
• General Preface
• Author’s Preface
• Chief Abbreviations
• Select Bibliography
• Introduction
• Analysis
• Commentary
• A. The Gospel According To Paul (1:16–11:36)
• 2. Sin And Retribution: The Universal Need Diagnosed (1:18–3:20)
• 3. The way of righteousness: the universal need met (3:21–5:21)
• 4. The way of holiness (6:1–8:39)
• 5. Human Unbelief And Divine Grace (9:1–11:36)
• B. The Christian Way Of Life (12:1–15:13)
• 2. The Common Life Of Christians (12:3–8)
• 3. The Law of Christ (12:9–21)
• 4. The Christian and the State (13:1–7)
• 5. Love And Duty (13:8–10)
• 6. Christian Life In Days Of Crisis (13:11–14)
• 7. Christian Liberty And Christian Charity (14:1–15:6)
• 8. Christ and the gentiles (15:7–13)
• Epilogue (15:14–16:27)
• Notes