• Romans introduction
    • Key verse: Romans 2:11 – No difference between Jew and Gentile. No partiality with God.
    • Writer: Paul
      • Born and educated in Tarsus. Learned trade of tent-making there.
      • Influenced by Grecian education (his first education)
        • Logical and analytical
        • Themes of other books by Paul:
          • Ephesians: Christ and the church
          • Colossians: Pre-eminence of Christ
          • Philippians: Rejoicing
        • Later education was Jewish at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
          • Romans deals with Jew-Gentile problems
            • Jews: God gave Gentiles up (Romans 1:13); because of their moral descent, there was no salvation for them.
            • Gentiles: Jews had no salvation because they had rejected and crucified Christ and hardened their hearts against the gospel.
          • Place of writing: Corinth
            • Date: 57 or 58 AD
            • First Corinthians written from Ephesus (I Corinthians 16:8)
            • Second Corinthians written from Macedonia (I Corinthians 16:5-9; II Corinthians 1:15-17; 2:12-13; 7:5; see Acts 20:1-2)
            • Romans written from Corinth
              • Paul about to depart for Jerusalem with collection for poor saints (Romans 15:25-27; I Corinthians 16:1-4; II Corinthians 8-9)
              • He refers to Cenchrea, a sea port of Corinth (Romans 16:1)
              • He is entertained by Gaius, whom he baptized at Corinth (Romans 16:23)
            • Paul makes no mention of Peter in his epistle to Rome
              • Catholic Church says Peter was made Pope in 42 AD. Romans was written in 57-58 AD.
            • In 50 AD, Claudius Caesar drove the Jews from Rome because of quarrels between Jews and Christians.
            • In 63 AD, Jews were allowed back into Rome.
            • In 64 AD, great persecution began at the hands of Nero.
          • The purpose and message
            • The depravity to which sin leads – when man abandons God, God gives them up (Romans 1:18 ff)
            • God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11)
            • Universal need for salvation (Romans 3:23)
            • Law of faith contrasted to Law of Moses