Romans
Chapter 1
Greeting
From Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, an apostle called and set apart for God’s gospel—
namely the promises he made through his prophets in the holy scriptures
regarding his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
and recognized as the Son of God in power by the spirit of holiness through the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
For the sake of his name, we received grace and a commission to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles,
including all of you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ—the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy:
To all God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Desire to Visit the Community in Rome
First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because your faith is known all over the world.
And God, whom I serve in spirit by proclaiming the Good News of his Son, is my witness that I always remember you in my prayers.
I pray constantly that, if it is his will, he allows me to visit you.
I long to see you and share some spiritual blessings to strengthen you.
In this way, we will encourage each other through our shared faith.
You must understand, brothers and sisters, that I have often made plans to visit you, but up to now, I have been prevented.
I would like to gather some fruits from among you, as I have done with other nations. Whether Greeks or foreigners, educated or uneducated, I feel responsible to all.
Therefore, I am eager to share the gospel with you also who are in Rome.
Forgiveness and Punishment: Program
For I am not ashamed at all of this Good News; it is God’s power, saving those who believe, first the Jews, and then the Greeks.
This Good News reveals the saving justice of God; a justice that saves solely through faith, as the scripture says: The upright one shall live by faith.
For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice, of those who have silenced the truth by their wicked ways.
Guilty Humanity
For everything that could have been known about God was clear to them: God himself made it plain,
because his invisible attributes—his everlasting power and divinity—are made visible to reason through his works since the creation of the world. So they have no excuse,
for they knew God but did not glorify him as they should; nor did they thank him. On the contrary, they lost themselves in their reasoning, and darkness filled their minds.
Believing they were wise, they became foolish:
they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal human beings, birds, animals, and reptiles.
Because of this, God handed them over to their own desires; they engaged in shameful acts and dishonored their bodies.
They exchanged God’s truth for a lie; they honored and worshiped created things instead of the Creator, to whom be praise forever, Amen!
As a result, God handed them over to disgraceful passions: their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
Similarly, men who abandon natural relations with women are lustful toward each other: they engage in shameful acts with men, bringing upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wickedness.
And because they did not consider God worth knowing, he abandoned them to their foolish minds so they could commit all kinds of wickedness.
And so, they are filled with injustice, perversity, greed, and evil; they are full of jealousy, murder, strife, deceit, malicious intent, and gossip.
They engage in slander, offend God, and are arrogant; they are proud, dishonest, and skilled at doing evil.
They rebel against their parents, are senseless, disloyal, cold-hearted, and ruthless.
They know God’s judgment, which calls for death for anyone living this way; yet not only do they do all these things, but they also applaud anyone who acts the same.
Commentaries
Greeting.
The greeting, with its main components—sender, recipients, and wishes—feels more like an inaugural speech than a simple greeting. Paul writes to a church he did not found and to which he claims no right of paternity, which makes his introduction formal and serious. He introduces himself with three titles: “servant of Christ Jesus,” “called to be an apostle,” and “chosen to proclaim the Good News.” This is the new identity given to him by the Lord on the road to Damascus, and it will define him forever.
Desire to Visit the Community in Rome.
The customary thanksgiving to God at the beginning of all letters helps Paul express his personal, unofficial connection with the Church in Rome. He mentions his desire to visit them. Although he does not know the Romans personally, he has heard about their faith. That is why he prays for them and hopes to meet them in person.
Forgiveness and Punishment: Program.
Paul seems eager to share the Gospel with the Romans. He is not ashamed, nor does he feel powerless or self-conscious about proclaiming it. He affirms that it is “a divine power for salvation to everyone who believes” (16). The Gospel reveals, manifests, applies, and makes effective this initiative of salvation from God. The only condition for receiving it is faith, trusting in God, and following Jesus as Messiah. Thus, the Gospel offers salvation and life.
Guilty Humanity.
Paul begins by presenting the other side of the Gospel. The ‘proclamation’ is also a “denunciation.” The Gospel that reveals God’s saving justice also shows its opposition to everything that conflicts with it, revealing the “wrath of God.” He first speaks of the pagan world around him, to which he was sent to evangelize; then he addresses his own people, the Jews, to whom he has tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel, most of whom oppose and resist it. This is the introduction to the “Gospel of salvation”—the central theme of the Letter—and this presentation of “the wrath of God” can’t be understood without the proclamation of salvation that Paul is the messenger of. Let us remember that for the Apostle, “the wrath of God” is always expressed through his love.