T H E
N E W
T E S T A M E N T
COPYRIGH T BY W ILLIAM EVANS
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS
INTRODUCTORY
creature.” The Apostle Paul was not only a Hebrew—a man o f religion; not only a Greek—a man o f culture; but also a Roman—a man o f imperial universalism. In his spiritual conquests he had won the East for Christ; he would now win the West. In this gospel o f Paul there is “no respect o f persons” (2:11) : the whole world (3:19) is under indictment; God is not “the God o f the Jews only,” but “also o f the Gentiles” (3:29): The Name. This epistle has been called “ the gospel according to Paul,” presumably because of the expression “my gospel” found in 2:16 and 16:25. Paul is the author o f thirteen (fourteen if Hebrews is included) o f the epistles o f the New Testament, which con tain the great body, o f Church doctrine. It is necessary, therefore, to understand Paul; his conversion, his call to apostle- ship, and his relation by a special divine revelation to the Church o f Christ. Many expositors are o f the opinion that the apostles were right in their choice o f Matthias as the twelfth apostle to take the place o f Judas (Acts 1:15-26). The twelve were apostles to the Jews; Paul was not, but was distinctly the apostle o f the Gen tiles (Galatians 2:8, 9). It is questioned whether Paul ever really considered him self one o f the twelve. It might seem from 1 Corinthians 15:7 and 8 as though the Apostle Paul separated himself from the twelve, but whether this be true or not,
Opinions of the Book. The epistle to the Romans has been called “ The profoundest book in exist ence,” “ The cathedral o f Christian faith,” “ The chief part o f the New Testament and the perfect gospel.” Luther said that if a tyrant should succeed in destroying the holy Scriptures and only a copy o f the epistle to the Romans and the gospel o f John escaped, that Christianity would be saved. “ Forasmuch as this epistle is a light and way to the whole Scripture, I think it meet that every Christian man riot only know it, by rote and without the book, but also exercise himself therein evermore contin ually, as with the daily bread o f the soul. No man verily can read it too oft, or study it too well; for the more it is studied, the easier it is; and the more groundly it is searched, the more precious are the things found in it, so great treasure o f spiritual things lieth hid therein.” Every great spiritual revival will be found connected as effect and cause with a deeper understanding o f the book o f Romans. This epistle has been called the world wide gospel. It certainly presents to us a world-wide idea o f the apostle Paul in con nection with our Lord’s parting commis sion as he understood it—“Go ye into all • the world, and preach the gospel to every
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