The purpose of Paul in the letter to the Romans: a survey of Romans I-XI, with special reference to chapters IX-XI

The view taken in this thesis is that the theme of Romans is basically the relationship of Jew and Gentile in the purpose of God. The letter should be understood as Paul's response to a division in the Christian community at Rome. The Roman Christians did not form a united church of Jews and Gentiles, because the 'Kulturkampf' prevalent in first century Rome, as in many other cities at that time, prevented them from expressing their common faith in a united fellowship.In the Introduction we note that scholars have generally tended to interpret Romans as a theological'treatise and have made little attempt to relate its contents to a specific historical situation. In Chapter I we find that apart from the length of the letter, there is nothing in its format to authorise the interpretation of it in a manner distinct from the other Paulines.When Romans is viewed as a theological treatise, there is a tendency to regard chs.i-viii as the essence of the letter, and chs.ix-xi as an appendix. But a study of the connections between iii:1-8 and ix:l.ff. shows that Paul has had the themes of chs.ix-xi in mind since the beginning of the letter, and that this is a carefully constructed document. Support for the latter is found in Paul's use of questions and objections at decisive stages in his argument. These are not merely rhetorical or theoretical, - but reflect for the most part problems in the Christian community at Rome. Thus chs.vi-vii deal with antinomianism and chs.ix-xi with anti-Judaism. When chs.ix-xi are seen to be addressed to a specific problem at Rome, instead of being considered as an appendix, they emerge as the climax of the letter.In chs.ix-xi Paul lays the theological foundations on which in chs. xiv-xv he bases his exhortation to Jewish and Gentile Christians for mutual acceptance. In this section (ix-xi) as in most of the letter the argument is primarily directed against Gentile Christians. These consider themselves as the 'elect' over against the Jews as the 'rejected'. They think of them¬ selves as the 'strong' and despise their fellow Jewish Christians because they are 'weak'. Paul's use of Old Testament quotations in ch.xv:8.ff. clearly implies that the basic cause for the division among the Christians at Rome was, as suggested, the conflict between Jew and Gentile. When we interpret the letter in the light of what we know of the situation that existed at Rome, and of Paul's teaching in ch3.ix-xi, we axe able to give relevance and coherence to the whole of its contents.In i:18-ii:29 Paul discusses the theme of Jew and Gentile in such a way as to show that, in the Divine judgement, these distinctions in which men boast are not really significant. Paul deliberately blurs the distinction between Jew and' Gentile (cf. ii:28.f.). This suggests that he wishes to counteract the emphasis of those in Rome who stress such distinctions. In iii:21.ff. Paul shows that the revelation of God's righteousness in Christ means that real unity between Jew and Gentile is now possible. By the fact that Christ has fulfilled the Law and that salvation is to be found through faith in Him, He has removed the barrier which the Law created between men.In ch.iv by means of the Abraham tradition Paul maintains that the Covenant was always intended to include all nations and that therefore all Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, may truly call Abraham 'father'. The emphasis upon human solidarity in Adam and in Christ in ch.v can be seen as another attempt to minimize distinctions between Jew and Gentile. Although chs.v-viii are not so obviously related to the Jew-Gentile question, the fact that the Law plays a dominant role in this section means that they are closely related to the suggested theme. The way in which Paul upholds the goodness of the Law in ch.vii, relates the Law and the Spirit in ch.viii and interprets it Christologically in ch.x:4.f. suggests that his purpose is to demonstrate the continuity in the Divine purpose both in the history of Israel and in the Christ event.Although the theme of Jew and Gentile in the purpose of God was a vital issue at Jerusalem., Romans is best understood as directed to a specific situation at Rome. The presentation of the argument in which Paul at various points actually warns against antinomianism etc., means that it is most unlikely that it was directed to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Nor is this a circular letter intended for all the Gentile churches; the omission of the name Rome in some manuscripts is no proof that Paul intended to write a general circular letter. It is also incorrect to describe Romans as an assertion of Paul's apostolic authority. This view is not in accord with Paxil's understanding of his apostleship, and the deficiency of the Roman Christians was not that they lacked apostolic foundation. Despite the fact that Paul mentions his future visit to Rome en route for Spain, this is also not a sufficient reason to account for the writing of the letter.From a survey of the various interpretations it is apparent that it is desirable to establish an equivalence between the purpose of the letter, Paul's visit to Jerusalem and his future visit to Rome. It is also necessary to posit a problem of sufficient magnitude to account for the composition of a letter of such theological profundity. Because the division between Jew and Gentile was not simply a local issue but one affecting the whole church and because the weaknesses of the Gentile Christians at Rome were symptomatic of Gentile Christianity in general, Paul felt obliged to undertake a discussion of the purpose of God for both Jew and Gentile in the old and new aeon. This explains the frequent use of the Old Testament and the almost continuous discussion of the Law throughout the letter. Faced with Gentile Christians who regarded the Jews as rejected and who were lacking in an appreciation of the purpose of God, Paul was forced to undertake an exposition of the Christ event that gave positive meaning to the election of Israel; this he did by interpreting the Christ .event as the annulling fulfilment of the Old Covenant