Bible Book Introductions

BIBLE BOOK INTRODUCTIONS

DATE, AUTHOR, OUTLINE AND BACKGROUND

Each Bible book has its own Date, Author, Outline and Background accessed from the Bible Chapter Index. The Book of Romans is included here.

Author of Romans

AUTHOR
The book of Romans opens with a statement that it was written by the Apostle Paul. Romans 1:1 There is significant biographical information in the book which is consistent with this statement. There is no reason to doubt Paul's authorship.
See Life of the Apostle Paul

Date of Romans
DATE
The traditional view is that Paul wrote Romans between A.D. 55 and the early months of A.D. 57. Paul wrote that he was prepared to bring an offering to the believers who were in need in Jerusalem. Romans 15:25-27 He had already received the offering from the Macedonians and so this would place Paul either in Corinth or its port Cenchrea. Romans 16:1-2; Acts 20:2-3

See Timeline

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Outline to Romans

Outline of Romans
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Background to Romans

City of Rome
Basilica Julia
Forum of Augustus
Paul's Prison

During the year A.D. 57 that Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome the city of Rome was the largest and most important city in the world at the time, and the capital of the fourth world empire. The Roman Empire was controlled and governed from this seat of power. Paul certainly knew the importance of the city to his ministry.

Nero was reigning from Rome (A.D. 54-68) when Paul wrote to the Romans. From an archaeological discovery in 1941, it is known that the population of Rome in A.D. 14, was 4,100,000 inhabitants. The population would have been at least this in Paul's day.

Everything you find in a large city could be found in Rome. Wealth and poverty could be found everywhere. Slavery was a way of life. Only little over half of the population were free citizens. Of these a comparatively small number were wealthy, while the vast majority were poor and lived on public or private charity. These poor citizens were proud of their Roman citizenship and looked down on manual labor. All they cared for was the games of the Circus Maximus and the gore of the gladiatorial shows.

Coliseum

You could find almost every nationality and each one brought their own sin. The Jewish population especially left its mark. There were at least eleven synagogues. Because of the decay of the moral and spiritual life there appeared a considerable following of Gentiles more or less in active sympathy with their religion. Here as elsewhere in the Empire these 'God-fearers' furnished fertile ground for the spread of Christianity.

Background and Message
The Church in Rome was started before the influence of Paul and there is no indication that Peter ever visited it. Romans 1:8-13 It is evident from verse 13 that there were both Jews and Gentiles in the Church at Rome. Paul had finished his missionary work throughout Asia Minor and had some hopes of visiting Spain and perhaps using Rome as a mission base or gaining support from the Roman Christians. Romans 15:17-24

In the book of Romans Paul lays out his apostolic authority and defends it against apostolic opposition. Romans 3:8

The letter to the Romans is acknowledged to be one of the most profound books in existence. Its spiritual depth makes it one of the most highly prized parts of Holy Scripture. It has been called the Cathedral of the Christian faith. Augustine, Luther, Wesley and others have come to saving faith through the message of Romans.

For Further Study

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