notes

Main point summary

I, Paul, write to you about the good news of the God/man Jesus in order that you may experience God's grace and peace.

Bracket

editing

NT

Romans 1:1-7

esv

mine

Paul, a a servant 1 of Christ Jesus,

I, Paul, write to you as one who is wholly devoted to Christ Jesus

b called to be an apostle,

because he called me to be a witness to these things,

c set apart for the gospel of God,

and he directed me to the proclamation and explanation of the good news from God.

which d he promised beforehand e through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

He promised this good news long ago as others who were wholly devoted to him recorded it in the Scriptures.

concerning his Son,

The good news is about the very Son of God,

f who was descended from David 1 g according to the flesh

who was fully man, having been born, as promised, in the lineage of David the king

and h was declared to be the Son of God i in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead,

and further who was fully God, and proven to be so according to the Holy Spirit by his miraculous resurrection from the dead.

progression

ideaexplanation

Jesus Christ our Lord,

I am speaking about Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Messiah, our Lord.

through whom j we have received grace and k apostleship

We have been given our salvation and commission through him

l to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name m among all the nations,

in order that his name will be praised by people all over the world because of their lives changed by the gospel,

including you who are n called to belong to Jesus Christ,

even you all who are being called to devote yourselves to Jesus.

actionpurpose

series

ground

To all those in Rome

I'm writing to those of you who are a part of the church in Rome,

who are loved by God

who are loved by this same God,

and called to be saints:

and who have been called by God to be wholly devoted to him,

locative

o Grace to you

in order that you may experience the grace

and peace

and peace

from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

that comes from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Two further explanations of the gospel: (1) the gospel was promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, and (2) the gospel is centered on his (God's) Son.

The Son is the God/man: descended from David according to the flesh (man) and declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection (God).

The Son IS Jesus Christ our Lord. Apposition.

Paul's purpose for writing to the Romans loved by God and called to be saints is in order that God's grace and peace in the gospel may rest upon them.

discourse

Phrase

Romans 1:1-7

Paul,

a servant

Explanation

of Christ Jesus,

Relationship

called

"who was called"

to be an apostle,

Purpose

set apart

"who was set apart"

for the gospel

of God,

Source

which he promised beforehand

through his prophets

Agency

in the holy Scriptures,

Locative

concerning his Son,

who was descended

from David

according to the flesh

Standard

and was declared to be the Son

of God

in power

Manner

according to the Spirit

of holiness

Attributive

by his resurrection

Means

from the dead,

Jesus Christ

our Lord,

through whom we have received grace

and apostleship

to bring about the obedience

of faith

Producer

for the sake of his name

Advantage

among all the nations,

including you

who are called

to belong

to Jesus Christ,

Destination

To all those

in Rome

who are loved

by God

and called

to be saints:

Grace

to you

and peace

from God

our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

phrasing

Notes

Meditations/Observations : Paul is a servant. He has placed himself underneath his Lord, Christ Jesus (4b). He was called. He was set apart for a particular purpose: the gospel of God. He explains the gospel of God in two ways: (1) it was promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. This is another instance when it is clear that the promised gospel-rescue of God's people is said to be evident in the OT. (2) The gospel concerns God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He describes the Son in two ways: (1) he was made flesh (man): descended from David according to the flesh (Matt 1:1). (2) he was declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (Eph 1:19). Jesus Christ is the God/man. He's fully God and fully man. Descended from the human family line of David (and thus fitting into the OT promises of the Messiah). And yet he was raised from the dead in power as he had promised (John 2:19; Luke 24:6-8), demonstrating his deity. The source of Paul's call and the call of the Romans (and me) is the same: God has called us through Christ. But God called Paul to be an apostle. The Romans (and me!) are "called to belong to Jesus Christ." I am called for the purpose of belonging to Jesus (or called to be saints - v.7). What does it mean to belong to Jesus (meditate on this)? It means I'm his servant. I obey him. I joyfully submit to him (see next bullet point). Part of what is means to belong to Jesus is that my faith is genuine faith, that demonstrates its genuineness through obedience. "to bring about the obedience of faith " - It seems like this (the obedience of faith) is talking about obedience that is produced by faith. Obedience that rises from faith. Obedience that demonstrates that faith is genuine. Jesus words to his disciples were to make disciples of all nations, and part of that was "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matt 28:20; James 2:20-24). So, part of the commission we have is to work to bring about the obedience of faith in those who believe, that is, to teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded us. This is something that ultimately God does (Eph 2:10), but it is something that we participate in. Application : Paul is writing about the gospel of God so that those in Rome (and I) will experience God's grace and peace in very specific ways. If this is the case, then the study of the Scriptures (i.e. Paul's words in Romans) is not a fruitless task. God chose to use words, sentences, grammar, logic, illustrations, arguments to communicate his grace and peace ("from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ") in powerful, tangible ways. God, don't let me neglect or devalue the consistent, careful, thoughtful, time-consuming, logic-testing, headache-inducing study of Scripture. Let me see it as worthy, as something that brings your grace and peace into my life. Thank you for bringing eternal truths (that surpass knowledge Eph 3:19) down to our level so that we can read about them in words we understand and know you and the gospel of God. Thank you for your faithful servants who wrote down these words from you. Thank you for your Spirit who helped us to see the significance of these words and who helps us continue to see their significance. In Jesus' name. Amen. The words "all this is from God" come to mind when reading these verses. God called and set apart Paul. God planned and worked out the gospel: promised beforehand through the prophets, planning the family line of David to end in Jesus, raising Jesus from the dead. God loves his people and calls them to be saints (completely/wholly devoted to him). Paul writes so that God's grace and peace will rest on them (and be experienced by them). All this is from God. This truth should overwhelm my heart. It should give me great confidence as I trust him. God's plan is irrevocable. How many times did Satan try to stop God's plan from the time of David through the times of the prophets to the time when Jesus was born? Countless times. But to no end. God's plan from eternity past, which includes those of us whom he continually calls to be wholly devoted to him, will be accomplished without fail.