READ IT! - Introduction to Romans 14-16

Readings for this week

Monday: Romans 14
Tuesday: Romans 15
Wednesday: Romans 16
Thursday: Isaiah 40
Friday: Isaiah 41
Saturday: Isaiah 42
Sunday: Isaiah 43

Introduction to Romans 14-16

Chapter 14 

Paul says to accept people with weak faith and not to fight over areas of dispute. People who by faith eat everything shouldn’t treat people poorly who by faith only eat vegetables, and vise versa. God has accepted them both. It’s okay for one person to hold one day of the week as sacred and another person to treat every day the same. They can be fully convinced one way or another as long as they give thanks to God for all things. He says that “none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” And he adds that this is why Christ died and returned to life… so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. He says we will all stand before God’s judgment seat to give an account of ourselves, so we need to stop judging our brothers and sisters with contempt. And he quotes scripture: 

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’” 

Paul says to work to not put “stumbling blocks” in the path of other believers. He says he’s convinced that there is no such thing as “clean versus unclean,” but that if someone thinks something is unclean then for that person it is. He says that if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love because you are destroying someone for whom Christ died for the sake of your own dietary preferences. He also says to not let something you know to be good to be spoken of as evil. He says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.” 

He tells them to do their best to leave in peace and to edify each other, not destroying God’s work for the sake of food. He says it’s better not to eat meat or drink wine if it causes a brother or sister to stumble, even though all things are clean. He says to keep your personal beliefs about such things between yourself and God. He adds not to condemn yourself by what you approve of because if you think something might be wrong and you go ahead and do it, then it is wrong. He concludes that “everything that does not come from faith is sin.” 

He says that we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves, but rather build up our neighbors like Christ did, who allowed himself to bear the insults of others according to the scriptures. He says that the scriptures were meant to teach us by examples of endurance and to encourage us by their words and to give us hope. He prays that God will give them the same attitude of mind towards each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice they may glorify God, accepting each other as Christ did. He says that Christ became a servant to the Jews to fulfill the promise made to the patriarchs to bring glory to God by his mercy to the Gentiles. And he quotes several scriptures that speak of the Gentiles praising God because of Jesus the Messiah. And he blesses them, saying, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” 

Chapter 15 

In the final part of the letter, Paul discusses explains his mission and his reason for writing. Paul tells them he’s convinced that they are full of goodness and knowledge and competent to instruct one another. He says he wrote to them boldly about these things as a reminder since he is a priestly minister of Jesus by God’s grace, proclaiming the Gospel so that Gentile might be sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 

Paul says that he glories in Christ Jesus in his service to God, and that he will only talk about what Christ has done in him in leading the Gentiles to God through signs, wonders, and the power of the Spirit. He says that he has fully proclaimed the gospel all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and that his goal has always been to preach in places where Christ was not known so that he would not building on someone else’s work. 

He says that his work has often kept him from coming to Rome, but that he’s running out of space to work in the places he has been working, he is looking forward to stopping in Rome and visiting the church there on his journey to Spain, and he hopes that they will help him get to his goal. He says he’s currently on his way to Jerusalem to deliver a gift for the poor of the city from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia. He says they were happy to give, and adds that they owe it to them since the Gentiles now share in the spiritual blessings of the Jews. He says he will go to Spain after he delivers the gift in Jerusalem and stop in Rome for a visit along the way. He urges them to pray for him in Jesus by the Holy Spirit’s love, to be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and to pray that the contribution he takes to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, so that he may come to them with joy and be refreshed by their company. And he concludes: “May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” 

Chapter 16 

In the last chapter Paul sends his final greetings. Paul commends one person to them, Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. He asks them to “receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.”

He then tells them to greet several others: 

Priscilla and Aquila, his co-workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their lives for him, and to whom all the Gentile churches are grateful, and also the church that meets at their house. 

His close friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 

Mary, a hard-worker in the church in Rome.
Andronicus and Junia, his fellow Jews who have been in prison with him, whom he describes as “outstanding among the apostles”, and who were in Christ before he was.
Ampliatus, his good friend.
Urbanus, his co-worker in Christ
His close friend Stachys.
Apelles, who passed the test in faithfulness to Christ
The household of Aristobulus.
Herodion, a Jew.
The believers in the household of Narcissus
Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who work hard in the Lord.
His close friend Persis, another woman who worked very hard in the Lord.
Rufus and his mother, whom Paul says was a mother to him as well.
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.
Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them. 

He then says to greet one another with a holy kiss, and adds that all the churches of Christ send greetings. 

Paul then adds to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in their way that are contrary to the teaching they have learned, and to keep away from them; because such people are not serving Christ, but their own appetites. He says that by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. He also says that everyone has heard about the obedience of the Roman church, and he rejoices because of them, but he also wants them to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. He adds that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”

Paul then sends greetings from the people working with him: 

First, from Timothy, his co-worker, and also Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, who are fellow Jews.
Paul’s scribe, Tertius, then inserts his own greeting at this point into Paul’s letter as he is taking dictation.
Then Gaius, known for his hospitality
Then Erastus, who was the city’s director of public works
And then Quartus. 

A later scribe inserted Paul’s blessing again here, saying: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen. 

Paul then offers them his final benediction: 

“Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”