Romans

The Epistle to the Romans is a book of the New Testament.

It is sent by the apostle Paul to the Church of Rome.

The Epistle to the Romans is certainly the most important epistles , not only by its size (the longest) but especially for its content and its teaching.

The ideas in this letter form the foundation of the doctrine of the Churches Christian. Interpretations of this letter are the source of the various movements and developments in the Christian world.

It was written in the third journey of Paul , probably at Corinth , or on the way home.

Paul works on two levels:

• occasional letter to a community facing difficulties,
• doctrinal letter where the Apostle Paul takes the time to explain his beliefs about salvation and faith Christian.

Summary 1 Difficulties of the Church of Rome 2 Letter doctrinal 3 Plan 3.1 Introduction: Chapter 1, Verses 1-17 3.1.1 The address to the Church of Rome 3.1.2 The salvation comes from faith, it is for everyone: 1, 16-17 3.2 The injustice like hello concern both Jews and Gentiles: Chapter 1, verse 18 in chapter 3, verse 20 3.2.1 state or condition of those who reject God: 1, 18-32 3.2.2 State of those who judge others without being better themselves: pg. 2 v. 1-16 3.2.3 The Act is written on the heart, 2, 12-16 3.2.4 Circumcision of the heart and privilege of Israel, chap. 2, verse 17 to chap. 3, verse 8 3.2.5 Universal Domination of sin: 3, 9-18 3.2.6 Conclusion: the law is only about sin: 3, 19-20 3.3 The universal forgiveness and justification (3, 21-5, 11) 3.3.1 It is faith that saves, not being Jews or Gentiles, from 3.21 to 3.31 3.3.2 Circumcision is the mark of faith: from 4.1 to 25 3.4 The certainty of being saved (5, 1-11) 3.5 The unity of humankind: 5, 12-21 4 Summary 5 Bibliography 6 See also 7 External links

/ / Difficulties of the Church of Rome

Rome is a nascent Church was not founded by Paul , but that Paul plans to visit. In Rome, alongside Judeo-Christians and Gentile Christians (often called Greeks). Initially separated the two communities must learn to coexist and cooperate. The Jewish community in Rome formed a poorly accepted. A few years ago, they had also been excluded by decree. Paul takes this letter to emphasize the importance of the Old Testament and its continuity with the new well and gives a privileged place to the people of Israel in the history of salvation. Paul urges the two communities to agree. This is the second part of the letter.

Letter doctrinal

This is the first part of the letter.

It is presented as a systematic exposition. Paul evokes the curse of sin , distress of humanity and justice he opposes God and his compassion, the power of grace , justification by faith , the glory of Christ risen and the strength of the action the Spirit.

Founding text of all Christian churches, it is obligatory passage in a religious culture.

Source: TOB ecumenical Bible translation

Map

We offer above an outline of the epistle. This division can not be absolutely comprehensive. (It is thus a form of interpretation.) There is a proposal and another could be proposed.

Introduction: Chapter 1, Verses 1-17

Address to the Church of Rome

From the first verse, Paul's mission is affirmed. This is for the Church of Rome as "apostle by divine call, except to announce the good news (that is to say, the Gospel)." (Chp. 1, verse 1)

The good news, "says St. Paul, for Christ he recalls the Davidic descent of both the flesh and the Spirit of God. (1, 4)

He then expressed his "strong desire" to come to Rome to continue his vangilisation; he describes evangelism as a duty: "I have duties to you all: civilized and uncivilized, learned and ignorant, hence my want to announce the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. " (1, 14-16)

The salvation comes from faith, it is for everyone: 1, 16-17

This desire to witness to the faith comes from knowing that Paul did not "ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God to effect the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then the Greek. "The sentence is synthetic: it says 1) that the gospel is the power of salvation given by God, 2) that salvation is for everyone (for the Jew as the Greek, that is to say, the pagan) 3) that the Jews are given preference.

The good news is a revelation, a manifestation of holiness / justice of God, that sanctification is by faith, "by faith flourishes, as it is written: He who is righteous by faith will live" (Hab., 2.4).

These verses, according to the commentary of Peter Lmonon, are "the cornerstone of Paul's reflection."

The injustice like hello concern both Jews and Gentiles: Chapter 1, verse 18 in chapter 3, verse 20

The Act is written on the heart, 2, 12-16

It is not possible, or claim a lien with knowledge of the Act, nor excuse his ignorance. Indeed, Paul says, some have sinned by knowing the law, others have put into practice without knowing it. Or "this is not those who hear the law who are holy before God, but those who put the law in practice to be justified." So salvation does not depend on being Jewish or not, but to practice law. This law is written on the heart and not just in the Bible. The testimony of consciousness is the expression of this inner law.

Circumcision of the heart and privilege of Israel, chap. 2, verse 17 to chap. 3, verse 8

Paul is outraged at the religious man who teaches others without being able to be taught itself (2.21).

He recalled that the rites such as circumcision are useless without a proper inner attitude: "Circumcision is useful, it is true, if you observe the law, but if you are breaking the law, you are not over with your circumcision, that uncircumcised. " (2,25)

The rituals are useful for those who respect the law of the heart, but useless for those who do not comply. It is therefore higher priority to respect the law given by our consciousness is higher than the observance. He who made the law to be sanctified and not the one who performed the rites. "If therefore the uncircumcised observes the precepts of the Act, his uncircumcision will she not be deemed circumcision?" (2.26) There is an achievement inside and outside. We could say, transcribing the words of St. Paul, the true believer can not have been circumcised and have never read the Bible ... for he who is circumcised and who has read the Torah Jew can only be externally: "This one is a Jew who is inwardly, and real circumcision is that of the heart, the spirit, not in the letter. Such a man receives his praise, not men, but of God. (2.28 to 29)

However, he probably does not matter in this text so far to abolish the rites, but rather only relative to their seats. Indeed, Jews still maintain superiority: "But then the Jew did something more, his circumcision was helpful? Of course, this advantage is great in many ways. And first, because the words of God were entrusted. " (3, 1-2) Furthermore, God remains faithful to his promise to Israel.

Universal Domination of sin: 3, 9-18

There is no absolute superiority of the Jew on the pagan. "Jews and Gentiles are all under the dominion of sin" (3.9). Paul relies primarily to affirm, on the Psalms.

Conclusion: The law is only about sin: 3, 19-20

"Now we know: what the Act says, she says to those who are subjects of the law, so that every mouth be silenced, and that the world may become guilty before God. Thus, n is not observing the law that someone is right with God. Indeed, the Act is only known sin. "

Forgiveness and justification universal (3, 21-5, 11)

It is faith that saves, not being Jews or Gentiles, from 3.21 to 3.31

Having said that sin is present both among those with the Act that the pagans, Paul attempts to show that justification is independent of the possession of the Act, it is "given through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe "(3, 22).

It is not "on behalf of a law he would practice" that is saved, but by faith. He supports this demonstration if we asked the contrary, we should say that God is the God of Jews only. Or "it is also the God of the Gentiles, since there is only one God" (3, 29-30). There is only one way of justification, common to Pagans and Jews: faith.

Circumcision is the mark of faith: from 4.1 to 25

"Are we getting away with the Law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we confirm." (3, 31) It is faith which is the source of all justification, and thus that of the Act.

Indeed, it is not by its actions that Abraham was elected, but by his faith. Now that election date before his circumcision. It is not his circumcision that made him a fair, on the contrary "he received circumcision as the mark of justice experienced by his faith" (1, 11). Abraham is just as the Father of those who are not circumcised, he is the father of believers, since God promised that through their faith that Abraham's descendants will inherit the Earth. This descent is immense, according to the promise of the Lord.

The certainty of being saved (5, 1-11)

"God has made us righteous by faith, and we are at peace with God" (5, 1).

We can have confidence in our salvation, "hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit was given to us."

Moreover, this hope is rooted in the love of God, who speaks to us even in our sinfulness. Indeed, St. Paul notes that:

"Willingness to die for a righteous man is hard enough, maybe we would give his life for a good man. However, proof that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. A fortiori, now that the gift of Christ's blood has made us righteous, we shall be saved through him from the wrath of God. "

The unity of humankind: 5, 12-21

"Through one man, Adam, sin entered the world and through sin came death, and so death passed into all men." Now Adam prefigured the one that was to come. " Indeed, as death is back in the world through one man, the grace of God was given by one, Jesus Christ. However, there is a discrepancy, the gift of God is greater than the fault.

"Just as the fault of one led all men to condemnation, and the attainment of justice by one led all men to justification." (5, 18)

Summary

Chapter 1 contains the greetings of Paul to the Romans.

Chapters 2-11 include several statements concerning the doctrine of faith , works and grace.

Chapters 12 to 16 contain practical lessons about love, duty and holiness.

Bibliography

• Dominique Martens, justification by faith in Romans 3.21-26. Not without God. Not without man. Not without Christ, coll. Knowing the Bible, No. 52, Brussels, Lumen Vitae, 2008, 80 p. ISBN 978-2-87324-340-1.
• Barth, Karl , The Epistle to the Romans.
• GIGNAC, Alain, "Introduction and Notes from the Letter to the Romans," in Frederic Boyer, Jean-Pierre Prvost and Marc Sevin (ed.), The Bible. New translation, Paris, Montreal, Bayard; Mdiaspaul, 2001 3035-3042.
• GIGNAC Alain, Jews and Christians at the school of Paul of Tarsus. Ethical issues of identity and a reading of Romans 9-11, Montreal, Mdiaspaul (Science biblical 9), 1999.
• Agamben, Giorgio , The time that remains: a commentary on the Epistle to the Romans.
• Stegemann, Ekkehard W., The theme of the epistle to the Romans and Romans 9-11, in the heartbreak, Jews and Christians in the first century. Daniel Marguerat editor. 1996.
• Walvoord and Zuck (John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck), "Researcher's Bible Commentary, New Testament, the Bible Based on 1979 Second revised edition of Geneva"

See also