Romans from a Torah Covenant Perspective – Intro

Pros Romaious, the Epistle to the Romans. The longest single piece of writing by the Apostle Shaul. Romans 1:17 quoting Habakkuk 2:4, For by the Besorah is the tzedakah of vuvh revealed from emunah to emunah: 6 as it is written, The tzadik shall live by emunah, helped start the Protestant Reformation of the Sixteenth Century through the influence of Martin Luther. ‘The Romans Road!’ It’s not systematic theology as seminaries across the nation view it. Augustine got his doctrine of original sin from Romans 5, Luther got his doctrine of justification by faith alone from Romans 3-4, John Calvin’s doctrine of double predestination came from Romans 9-11, John Wesley’s teaching on sanctification – Romans 6-7…..Karl Barth learned his righteousness of God from Romans 1. Shaul was on his way to Rome (1:11) he hadn’t ever met the Romans in person, hence the longest introduction in the Brit Chadasha (11 verses). Shaul’s ministerial message is shifting from the Eastern Leg to the Western leg of the empire. This is so important prophetically for us to grasp in the Twenty-First Century: Jeremiah 16:16 Behold I will send for many fishers, saith יהוה, and they shall fish them, (Shaul was appointed as a Sholiach to cast the net of the gospel to the Eastern leg, then the Western leg of the Roman Empire) and after that I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. Themes: Justification (3:20-26), salvation (1:16, 5:9, 8:24), atonement (3:25), sanctification ( 1:7, 6:22, 15:16), reconciliation (5:10), glorification (8:18, 21, 30), freedom (6:20, 7:3, 8:1), transformation (12:2), Israel (9-11), human sin (1:18-3:20)… Location of composition: Phoebe was the courier, taking the letter to the Romans (16:1), being a leader in the assembly in Cenchrea (the port city of Corinth). This evidence leads me to believe it was composed sometime during Shaul’s stay in Corinth or Achaia (Acts 20:2). Hence the strong philippic against idolatry and homosexuality, sins that were rampant in the Corinthian city. Date: Gallion appointed the proconsul of Corinth was between 51-52/52-53 CE. Shaul was tried by him at Corinth: Acts 18:12: And when Gallion was the proconsul of Achayah, the unbelieving Yahudim made insurrection with one accord against Shaul, and brought him to the mishpat bema, 13 Saying, This fellow persuades men to worship tvkt contrary to the Torah. 14 And when Shaul was now about to open his mouth, Gallion said to the Yahudim, If it were a matter of criminal wrong, or wicked lewdness, O you Yahudim, there would be a reason that I should listen to you:15 But if it is a question of words and names, and of your Torah, you can settle it; for I do not wish to be a judge of such matters. 16 And he removed all of them from the mishpat bema. 17 Then all the pagans took Sosthenes, the rabbi of the synagogue, and beat him before the mishpat seat. And Gallion cared for none of those things.18 And Shaul after this stayed there yet a tov while, and then took his leave from the Yisraelite brothers, and sailed from there into Aram, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. Shaul went to Corinth (Acts 18:18) then later he had a three month stay in Greece (Acts 20:2) so this would make the composition in the mid to late 50’s CE during Shaul’s Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18-20) and the closing period of Shaul’s collection mission for the Jerusalem believers (15:25). The Edict of Claudius (Suetonius Claudius (25:4)) dated 49 CE. The infamous edict ensured all the Jews were expelled from Rome – probably connected to the taxation issue that flared up during the reign of Nero. ‘Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the institution of Chrestus, he expelled them from the city.’ (Suetonias Cludias 25:4) ‘Chrestus’ being a historical allusion to Christ, a corruption of Christos. There were violent debates over the claims of Yahusha being Messiah! The edict didn’t stay in force