PAUL’S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
3RD MISSION - CORINTH - 56-58 AD
Romans is unlike Paul's other's epistles in that he did not found the Church in Rome, nor had he ever visited there.
Extra reading assignment: "Justification and Sanctification" By Elder D. Todd Christofferson, (Ensign, June 2001)
1. Bible Dictionary p. 743 - "Pauline Epistles" also 2 Peter 3:15-16
2. "Paul’s epistle to the Romans is a paradoxical document. On the on hand it is one of the clearest and most profound doctrinal books in the Bible. On the other hand, it is the source of more doctrinal misunderstanding misinterpretation, and mischief than any other biblical book, not even excepting the Book of Revelation.
Four things are apparent with reference to this inspired writing of the Apostle: 1. It was written to and for the saints and can only be understood by them. The Holy Ghost and a basic understanding of the gospel are necessary. 2. It was not written for the world in general. It was not written from a missionary standpoint. 3. It is the basis of more sectarian confusion than any other inspired writing available to men. It is a book of calculus in the hands of students still struggling with math. 4. In it is found the rationale used by Luther in his break with Catholicism.
Romans:
1. Defines the gospel
2. Summarizes the laws by obedience to which full salvation comes
3. Speaks plainly of Adam’s fall
4. Speaks plainly of Christ’s atonement
5. Tells how the law of justification works
6. Tells how we are justified through works
7. Talks of the election of grace
8. The status of the chosen race
9. Why salvation cannot come by the Law of Moses alone
10. Why circumcision was done away in Christ
11. How and why salvation was taken to the gentiles.
12. Tells about joint heir-ship with Christ
(DNTC II p. 211-213.)
3. Possible reasons for the epistle
1. Rome would be a good base of operations for his intended trip to Spain.
2. Rome was the capital of the empire that Paul worked in.
3. Paul and his companions owed much to Rome for their own protection.
4. For Paul to establish friendship with the Saints in Rome before he visited there.
5. To combat the influence and false teachings of the Judaizers there. 10 of 16 chapters are about the relationship of the Jewish law to the Christian gospel.
6. To present a systematic exposition of certain doctrines.
7. To remind the Roman saints of the importance of unity.
8. Paul had many good friends in Rome. Rom. 16 sends greetings to 28 individuals.
4. We know nothing for sure about the origins of the Church in Rome, but here are 3 interesting notes.
1. Acts 2:10- people converted on the Day of Pentecost may have started it.
2. The Catholics maintain that Peter came to Rome about 42 AD during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. Protestants most often disagree.
3. Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 AD. Nero repealed this edict in 54. In 58 AD we can assume that most of the Church members in Rome were not Jewish. Others say that the edict did not have a large effect on the population of Jews, they only stopped having meetings for a while. 5. Chapter 1
Vs. 1 - An apostle is one who is sent forth. Note also the footnote 1c.
Vs. 3 & 4 - Great verses on Christ's dual nature as the son of David through Mary and Heavenly Father.
Vs. 5 - Go to BD "Grace" p. 697. The JST gives us a clear message about the relationship of faith and works.
Vs. 6 & 7 - A reminder to the Saints in Rome and everywhere, that like Paul we are also called of Jesus to be Saints.
Vs. 9 - Cross reference to 1 Nephi 1:5- Lehi prayer with all of his heart in behalf of his people.
Vs. 10 - Paul wants to visit Rome
Vs. 16- My green verse for the whole book of Romans!- See James E. Faust, "Stand Up and Be Counted"
Vs. 17-23 - Those who choose not to follow God are condemned. They have changed God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping tings. (23)
Vs. 26-27 - A clear condemnation of homosexuality. (See "Miracle of Forgiveness ch. 6)
Vs. 32- When I read this verse I think about watching movies and delighting in the transgressions of others.
Chapter 2
Vs. 1-7 - How God judges.
Vs. 6 - "Deed is a translation of the Gk. ergon. In the NT this word is translated about 20 times as "deeds" but more than 150 times as "works." ... About 20% of this epistle deals with faith and grace and about 30% deals with works. Paul was speaking to both Jew and Gentile, emphasizing different aspects of the gospel to each group, according to what each needed to hear. (Ogden p. 171-172)
Vs. 11-15 - See Moroni 7:16. We will all be judged according to our knowledge. Everyone with the Spirit of Christ (everyone) knows right from wrong.
Vs. 13- See Elder Chrisofferson's Ensign article. "If Justification removes the punishment for past sin, sanctification removes the stain or effects of sin...
Vs. 16 - Our secrets shall be known. See Luke 12:1-3
Vs. 22 - Remember the accusers of the woman taken in Adultery? (John 8:7- BRM in MM3:142-143) says they were not only sinners, they were adulterers.
Vs. 25 - How does this apply to our baptism and temple covenants?
Chapter 3
Vs. 1-2 - Note the JST-those following the Law of Moses over the years had been blessed. It came from God and obedience to it therefore brought blessings. Preeminence.
Vs. 3 - A person believing or not believing does not change truth!
Vs. 5-8 - Note the JST from the appendix
Vs. 5- How can we expect God to be just if he doesn't hold us accountable
Vs. 10-18 - A series of quotations and paraphrases from the Psalms reminding the Romans that all need divine intervention to be saved.
Vs. 21-31 Since, as Paul says, all men sin, then no man can be justified (or restored to a proper relationship with God) by works alone. Some intervening power must bridge the gap. That power was provided by Jesus Christ. He lived the law perfectly, had no sin, and therefore never estranged himself from God. In addition, he sacrificed himself so that he could pay the debt of sin with his own holiness for all men who would come unto him. His grace becomes the source of their justification with God.
President Joseph Fielding Smith clearly pointed out the role of both grace and works in our salvation.
“There is a difference between the Lord Jesus Christ and the rest of mankind. We have no life in ourselves, for no power has been given unto us, to lay down our lives and take them again. That is beyond our power, and so, being subject to death, and being sinners—for we are all transgressors of the law to some extent, no matter how good we have tried to be— we are therefore unable in and of ourselves to receive redemption from our sins by any act of our own.
“This is the grace that Paul was teaching. Therefore, it is by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved. And had he not come into the world, and laid down his life that he might take it again, or as he said in another place, to give us life that we may have it more abundantly we would still be subject to death and be in our sins . . . .
“So it is easy to understand that we must accept the mission of Jesus Christ. We must believe that it is through his grace that we are saved, that he performed for us that labor which we were unable to perform for ourselves, and did for us those things which were essential to our salvation, which were beyond our power; and also that we are under the commandment and the necessity of performing the labors that are required of us as set forth in the commandments known as the gospel of Jesus Christ:” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:309–11.)
Vs. 24 - Note the JST
Vs. 25 - Propitiation is appeasing or making well disposed (from Latin propitiāre, to appease, from propitius, gracious), [1] especially a deity, thus incurring divine favor or avoiding Divine retribution.
Vs. 28- Some Judaizers believed that a person could earn God's pleasure and glory without external intervention. (Martin Luther's favorite verse)
Chapter 4
"Having taught that man is justified by faith in Christ, because of the atonement, and not by the performances of the law of Moses, Paul now takes Abraham as the illustration of this doctrine-Abraham who was justified before there was a law of Moses, Abraham whose faith and works ranked him with the justified before the rite of circumcision was revealed. The high point the Apostle's presentation, as clarified by the Inspired Version account, is that man is "justified of faith and works, through grace", or as Nephi expressed it, Believe in Christ, and ...be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23)" BRM - DNTC 1:235
Chapter 5 - Christ as the 2nd Adam
Vs. 3-8 - A great reminder of the role of hard times in our lives.
Vs. 11 - The only use of the word "atonement in the KJV of the New Testament.
Vs. 14-21 - Compare the dichotomy between Adam and Christ: Adam gave the offense (the Fall); Christ gave the free gift (the Atonement). Adam brought death; Christ brought life. Adam brought condemnation. Christ brought justification. Because of Adam there is an abundance of sin; because of Christ there is an abundance of grce. (Ogden p. 176)
Vs. 20 - The Greek word Paul uses here that is translated entered means literally "to come in by the side of." In classical Greek it was often ussed of actors in the theaters who played a supporting role and who would come on stage from the wingts, play their part, and disappear again. Such a word used to descibe the law of Moses points out the same thing that Paul suggested in Galatians 3:4 when he called the law a "schoolmaster." (NTSM p. 318)
Be grateful for the scriptures of the restoration in understanding the atonement of Jesus Christ. - 2 Nephi 2; 9; 25:23; Alma42; Mormon 9 Ether 3.
Chapter 6
Vs. 1 & 2 - How to act when you are baptized- see 5:20
Vs. 20-23 - What manner of man should we be?
Chapter 7
Note the JST in the Appendix
