Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God
This is one of the most famous letters written by Paul. It has been influential in the development of Christian theology. It is also one of the more complicated letters to understand. Paul uses sophisticated reasons at times to arrive at his conclusions. This letter has tested the thinking of some of the greatest theologians of church history. I have studied this letter many times but have not gone through it verse by verse devotionally. This is a journey that may take me many months to complete. Paul is the only one listed as the author of this letter, although Tertius was the scribe who wrote down Paul’s ideas. How much Tertius influenced the wording is impossible to tell. Paul calls himself a “servant.” This word can also be translated as slave. It was someone who was bonded and “owned” by another. Christ Jesus had captured Paul on the road to Damascus. It was at that point that Jesus became Paul’s Lord and Master. It was also that point that Jesus called Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Paul’s mission was to preach the gospel message of salvation in Jesus Christ to all people, especially the Gentiles who were not part of the special flock of God’s people Israel. Both Jews and Gentiles were part of the Roman church and there may have been tensions or misunderstanding among the groups. Part of this letter is devoted to helping both sides see how God had called all people to faith. The gospel is for all.
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