Part III
Summarizing the theme of Romans in chapter 1, verses 16 and 17, Paul declares that he is not ashamed of the gospel, which flows from Jesus’ death and resurrection. This gospel—the good news—is the power of God for salvation. It is good news for everyone who believes, and Paul emphasizes that it is for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But why the Jew first?
This statement does not suggest that Jews are innately more deserving than others. Instead, it reflects the unfolding of redemptive history. God chose to begin his redemptive work with the Jewish people, as Paul will elaborate later in the letter. Here, Paul’s point may be to ensure the Roman Christians understand that Christianity is not a newly fabricated religion. Rather, it is the fulfillment of God’s promises, which began with the Jews. Paul seeks to draw the Roman Christians into this larger story of redemption, rooted in Jewish history.
The Unusual Origins of the Roman Church
The church in Rome began differently from those Paul established during his missionary journeys. In cities like Galatia, Thessalonica, Philippi, Corinth, and Ephesus, Paul typically started in the synagogues, preaching to the Jews first. Consequently, Jewish converts were often the first members and leaders of these early churches.
Rome, however, had a unique history. Sometime in the 40s, Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome, as noted in Acts 18. By the time Paul began his first missionary journey around AD 48, the Jews had already been exiled from the city. Claudius died in AD 54, and Jews were then free to return to Rome. By the time Paul wrote his letter to the Romans in AD 56–57, the church in Rome was already well established. This timeline strongly suggests that the church in Rome was initially composed of Gentiles, as it was founded during the Jewish expulsion.
This Gentile origin may have influenced the Roman Christians’ attitudes toward the Jewish roots of their faith. Much like how some modern American Christians may view their country as superior and uniquely blessed by God, the Romans likely carried a sense of cultural pride. Rome, after all, was the center of the empire—rich, powerful, and influential. For Roman Christians, it may have been easy to overlook or downplay the fact that their faith originated with the Jewish people.
Paul, however, makes it clear that the gospel came to the Jew first. The Jews were God’s chosen bearers of his redemptive mission, through whom the gospel reached the Gentiles. While the Jews as a whole failed in their mission to be a light to the world, God’s covenant faithfulness was fulfilled in Jesus, who came from Israel as the Messiah. Paul’s letter to the Romans emphasizes this continuity, rooting the gospel firmly in God’s redemptive plan for all humanity.
The Righteousness of God Revealed
Paul is not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes—to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. Why? Because in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed. We have already discussed that righteousness, particularly in a Jewish context, refers to covenant faithfulness. Paul highlights the centrality of faith and faithfulness in understanding this righteousness, saying it is revealed “from faith to faith.”
Faith in the biblical sense is inseparable from faithfulness. The Old Testament Hebrew terms emuwnah and aman are typically translated as faithfulness, while the New Testament Greek terms pistis and pistos are often translated as faith or faithful. Together, they convey the idea of covenantal trust and commitment. Faithfulness is not mere duty; it involves wholehearted belief and conviction. For Paul, righteousness means being faithful to covenant obligations. In the New Testament, this faithfulness is expressed through trust in God and his redemptive work in Christ.
The phrase “from faith to faith” encapsulates this dynamic. God’s righteousness is revealed in his faithfulness to his covenant obligations: providing truth, goodness, and beauty (TGB) to his image bearers through redemption. This is matched by the Messiah’s faithfulness in fulfilling his covenant role as humanity’s rescuer and by our faith in response to God’s faithful gift of himself.
Paul supports this idea with a quotation from Habakkuk 2:4: “The righteous will live by faith.” In context, Habakkuk pleaded with God to address Israel’s suffering and oppression. God’s response refocused Habakkuk’s understanding of divine care, highlighting that the righteous—those who continue to trust in God’s faithfulness—will live by their faith. This faith ultimately pointed forward to the Messiah, through whom God would bring restoration and make all things right.
Paul’s Introduction and Identity
Turning to the letter itself, Paul begins by introducing himself as a doulos—a servant or slave of Christ Jesus. In the first-century context, the term “slave” emphasized complete surrender and ownership. Paul insists that he belongs entirely to God and is writing to the Romans not for his own benefit but as a messenger under God’s direction. He also identifies himself as an apostle—a commissioned representative—delivering the gospel message to them. This gospel, Paul explains, is not a new invention but the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jewish people.
Paul connects the gospel to Jewish Scripture, grounding it in the redemptive plan that began with Abraham, the father of the Jews. The Scriptures entrusted to the Jews contained the promises of God, pointing forward to the Messiah. By emphasizing this connection, Paul reinforces that the gospel he proclaims is rooted in God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Israel, now extended to all humanity through Jesus Christ.