Background on the Book of Romans

The New Testament is comprised of historical accounts and epistles. The historical accounts include the four Gospels, which describe how God prepared salvation through His Son to restore humanity to its original created purpose. The Book of Acts details how the Holy Spirit led the apostles to spread the Gospel and establish the church, known as the body of Christ. The Epistles, on the other hand, focus on the spiritual edification of the church, as God guides His church on earth in its conduct to fulfill His glorious purpose.

At that time, Rome was a hotbed of homosexuality. Among the first 15 Roman emperors, 14 were homosexual. Paul repeatedly addressed the situation in Rome, where the entire society’s morality had decayed to an extreme extent. Children defied their parents, people were lawless, and violence and crime were rampant everywhere. Politically and socially, Rome also faced issues. For example, Romans at the time tried every possible way to evade taxes, and head taxes were largely uncollectible, yet Romans 13 instructs Christians to diligently pay their taxes.

The church in Rome was not founded by an apostle. It is likely that “visitors from Rome” who believed in Christ on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem carried the Gospel back to Rome. Priscilla and Aquila, for instance, were from the Roman church (Acts 18:2). Ambrosiaster, a Latin Church Father from the 4th century, noted that the Romans “had received the faith of Christ, though in a Jewish fashion; they had not seen any signs or any of the apostles first.” The Roman church was initially composed mostly of Jewish believers. Around 49-50 AD, due to unrest among the Jews in Rome (possibly triggered by Jewish persecution of Christians), Emperor Claudius (reigned 41-54 AD) issued a large-scale expulsion of Jews from Rome. However, this decree was not thoroughly enforced, and those who had left gradually began to return (Acts 28:17). During the period of Jewish expulsion, the number of Gentile believers in the Roman church grew significantly. By the time the Jewish believers returned, the number of Gentiles had surpassed that of Jewish believers, and the Roman church became predominantly Gentile. Therefore, Paul warned them not to boast against their Jewish brothers. This epistle addresses this situation throughout. Both Jews and Gentiles are sinners and must be saved by the same means, and both will enter the same heavenly kingdom. Paul then critiques the licentiousness of Gentiles and the legalism of Jews, emphasizing justification by faith.

After receiving this letter, the Roman church likely copied it repeatedly, leading to its wide circulation. Starting from the 2nd century, Paul’s letters circulated as a complete collection, known as the “Pauline Epistles.” The oldest surviving manuscript of Paul’s letters is Papyrus 46 (P46) from Egypt, dating to the late 2nd century, with Romans being the first letter in the collection. In the final canonical order of Paul’s letters in the New Testament, Romans is placed first. This is both because it is the longest epistle and because of its immense importance, earning it the title “Paul’s Gospel.”

About four years after the completion of Romans, in 60 AD, Paul finally arrived in Rome. He was brought to Rome as a prisoner but was met by Roman believers who came out of the city in a triumphal procession (Acts 28:15), greatly encouraging Paul. For the next two years, he remained in Rome, guarded by soldiers in his rented house, but was able to receive visitors and preach the Gospel in the heart of the Roman Empire (Acts 28:30-31).

About eight years after Romans was completed, in 64 AD, Rome was engulfed by a great fire. Emperor Nero used Christians as scapegoats for persecution. Paul was likely martyred during this persecution, beheaded along the Ostian Way at Aquae Salviae (modern Tre Fontane). His tomb is beneath the altar of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.