Jj101
In AD 49 the Emperor Claudius issued a law saying that all the Jews had to leave Rome. This took all of the Jewish influence out of Rome for some time. When Paul pens Romans though the Jews had been allowed to flow back into the city but they were coming back to a very foreign place.
Paul is the author of the Book of Romans. It is thought that he wrote the book of Romans while he was in the near by in the city of Corinth, as he makes a reference in Romans 16:1 to a seaport that is next to Corinth. Paul was writing the letter to the church in Rome as because he plans to stop off their on his next missionary journey.
He had some money he was taking to Jerusalem but he was going to stop off in Rome first. Paul had decided that his mission work was next going to take him to Spain at that was where he would be headed when he set off on this journey.
As the commentary notes Paul had to take his breathing space from his other missionary journeys to begin to take this one. He writes Romans in a way that addresses the thoughts and ways of the gentiles.
The Jews had a specific way that they followed laws and rituals in the Old Testament and those had been done away with as in the Book of Acts when Paul has the dream about eating food that was unclean.
It had gone from a very law based system to one that would hinge on the ultimate sacrifice that was paid for us on the cross. As Moo states Paul was sending ahead doctrinal truth in the letter so that it would establish from hear on out the thoughts and ways of the gentile believers in the city of Rome.
JJ102
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary describes Romans as the "most tensely theological of the 13 NT letters written by Paul."[1] However, although Romans is recognized as a theological discourse, many scholars understand Romans to be an occasional letter. The letter was written in a specific time and to a specific people.
For instance, Douglas J. Moo suggests approaching Romans through the "specific setting of the first-century church" because it helps better understand the letter.[2] Another word the letter has a historical context.
There appears to be no agreement on the purpose of why Romans was written. Moo shows three possible theories for its purpose. First, Romans is a synopsis of Paul's theological belief. Second, Paul seeks to demonstrate unity among Jews and Gentiles, therefore, by, delivering this letter to the saints in Rome and collecting financial support for the church in Jerusalem, Paul hopes for a tangible example.
Third, Paul was headed to Spain and wanted the Romans to assist him on his mission.[3] Some date the epistle to the Romans around 56 or 57 AD.[4]
There is no historical evidence that the church at Rome was founded by any of the Apostles. Hodges comments that evidence points to an abundant number of Jews living in Rome.[5] Therefore, some have suggested the church was established by Jewish Christians. Acts 2:10 states that Jews from Rome were present during Pentecost.
Perhaps these new believers may have founded the church at Rome. As a result, Paul may have been writing to establish an Apostolic foundation.[6] Jack Cottrell and Tony Ash write that "no apostle was involved in its founding, nor as yet had even visited Rome.
Thus, Paul was concerned that the church did not have a solid apostolic foundation, and he writes this epistle in order to provide that foundation."[7]
Romans was written in Corinth by Tertius, but composed by Paul.[8] There was division among Jews and Gentiles when Paul wrote this letter. Moo believes that a large number of Gentiles coming in the church may have played a factor.
He states, "One can imagine the kind of social tension that such a situation would create. Jews, who stand in the heritage from which Christianity has sprung and who were at one time the leaders of the community, now find themselves in a minority."[9]