The Letter to the Romans
I feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. Nevertheless on some points I have written to you rather boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. [Rom 15:14-16 NRSV]
Paul’s Letter to the Romans is the first of some 13 letters attributed to the apostle. ‘First’, not because it was the first letter that Paul wrote; ‘first’ simply because traditionally in the New Testament the letters attributed to Paul are arranged in order of length, and Romans is certainly the longest. It has also been described as indisputably Paul’s theological chef d’oeuvre.
As readers will be aware, the Lectionary for Weekday Masses follows a two-year cycle. The current year (which ends in just a few weeks time) is Year 1. From the 28th week of the year through to the 31st week the first readings at Mass were taken from Romans. This Letter shares with the Letter to the Hebrews the distinction of having (with the possible exception of the Gospels) more consecutive extracts than any other book of the Bible. That surely is a tribute not so much to the length of the letter itself but to the importance of its contents. Raymond Brown, in his Introduction to the New Testament, writes:
"From Augustine through Abelard, Luther and Calvin to Barth this Letter has played a major role in the development of theology."
There is no way that Aidan’s Pad can do justice to this Letter. For this reason this Article consists of a miscellany of texts of some importance taken from the Letter. The Article also adopts a somewhat unusual approach by introducing Questions, rather than Comments, hoping that some at least of them will encourage the curious Reader to open Romans at the appropriate place with a view to reading the quotation in context. Where the quotation appeared in the Mass readings the relevant day of the relevant week will be indicated for those who prefer to use their Daily Missals rather than their Bible or New Testament. In some passages though, the context may be better understood by seeing the whole passage in the context of the Letter as a whole - in which case the Reader should refer to the Bible.
Readers should note that the Version to be found in our Missals is that of the Jerusalem Bible. In this Article a variety of versions has been chosen, as indicated in the text..
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ ..... to all God's beloved [in Rome] who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [Rom 1:1 & 7 NRSV; Monday, 28th week]
In a wider context - who are ‘God’s beloved’?What does Paul mean by a ‘saint’?
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes ..... For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last. [Rom 1:16,17 NIV; Tuesday , 28th week]
The passage is a difficult one: different translations construe the original Greek or Latin somewhat differently. What does the word ‘faith’ (with or without an upper case ‘F’) mean to you?
The New Oxford Dictionary defines ‘faith’ as (i) complete trust or confidence in someone or something; or (ii) strong belief in the doctrines of a religion based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. The Catechism of the Catholic Church devotes three Chapters to the concept, defining it as ‘Man’s response to God who reveals himself and gives himself to Man, at the same time bringing Man a superabundant light as he searches for the ultimate meaning of his life.’ Does that help?
Throughout this Letter Paul often inserts phrases like ‘Jews first, but Greeks as well’. By ‘Greeks’ he means ‘non-Jews’, ‘Gentiles, ‘us’. You may care to read the entire passage from verse 1.
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [Rom 3:21-24 NIV; Thursday, 28th week]
The ‘Law’ Paul is referring to is the ‘Law of the Old Testament’ - the Torah, set out in the first five books of the Bible. Do you think there is danger that we Christians think we have nothing to learn from the Old Testament? Clearly Paul is emphasising the importance of Faith in Christ. Do you conclude that ’good works’ count for nothing? That was a controversy that tore Christianity apart in C16 and onwards.
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God. ..... Scripture says: ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God, ..... his faith is credited as righteousness. [Rom 4:2 -5 NIV; Friday, 28th week]
‘Believing’, ‘trusting’, ‘faith’, once more, contrasted with ‘works’. How does that strike you?
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." [Rom 4:18; Saturday, 28th week]
‘Against all hope’: do you recall ever ‘in hope believing’?
The words ‘it was credited to him (Abraham)’ were written not for him alone but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness - for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. [Rom 4:23, 24; Monday, 29th week]
These can be consoling words in dire circumstances. Are there any steps you can think of, to try and remember them against such a need - for they are addressed to us?
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.. [Rom 6:21-23 NIV; Thursday, 29th week]
The final sentence is one often quoted. You may be familiar with it.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. ..... In my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? [Rom 7:18-24 NIV; Friday, 29th week]
One may feel that Paul is being far too harsh upon himself, yet surely there are times when we all feel disheartened at our lack of progress, our frequent back-sliding into ways that frankly we are ashamed of. As one author puts it: it is a case of ‘I’ against ‘I’, but it is in each case one and the same ‘I’. Humility lies in recognising our weaknesses, but at the same time we should remember that God’s grace is sufficient for us. We should put our trust in him with faith, confidence and gratitude.
So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. ...... All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear. You have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ - if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. [Rom 8:12-17 cf NIV/NRSV; Monday 30th week].
By way of a preface to this passage, Raymond Brown asks the question: "If Christ delivers from death and sin and brings life, how is that life to be lived" - in the here and now. Paul’s answer lies in Chapter 8 - which needs to be read as a whole. Do you consider that you appreciate to the full this concept of our ‘adoption’ as God’s children?
If we are by adoption children of God and Jesus is indeed the Son of God, are we not truly his sisters and brothers? Is that concept helpful in your prayer life and in your daily living?
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. [Rom 8:26, 27 NRSV; Wednesday, 30th week].
Some are all too conscious that their prayers are far too wordy, that they chatter away to the Lord pouring out their requests, and that they are in danger of forgetting the need for praise and to express their gratitude for all the blessings that the Lord lavishes on them. Do you recognise the need for more silence when you pray, taking on board the willingness of the Holy Spirit to pray within you?
Others are overly conscious of the inadequacy of their prayers, as they see it. Again they have the encouragement of Paul to leave it to the sighs of the Holy Spirit from within the very depths of their being. Perhaps that is you.
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor? Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. [Rom 11:33 NRSV; Monday, 31st week]
It might occur to the Reader that this would be a fitting conclusion to this remarkable letter of Paul’s. In fact the Letter runs to a further five chapters.
I feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. Nevertheless on some points I have written to you rather boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God . [Rom 15:14,15 NRSV; Friday, 31st week]
The Reader will recall that these words are taken from the verse with which this Article commenced. By way of conclusion two questions perhaps merit consideration:
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Which, if any of those quoted, do you consider should be labelled ‘rather bold’?
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Which of those quoted has struck you as the most relevant to your needs?
Notes
The Letter to the Romans is thought to have been written when Paul was in Corinth during the winter of 57/58. He had not, at that time, been to Rome, though he had friends there.
As noted above, the Letter is considered to be Paul’s theological chef d’oeuvre. This no doubt is why extracts from it are used for four consecutive weeks in Year 1 of the Cycle of Weekday readings. In Year A of the Sunday Cycle of readings extracts from the Letter have been chosen as the Second Reading for sixteen consecutive Sundays. A further tribute to the importance of the Letter.
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