<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</SPAN></span></p>
<h2>LESSON XXI</h2>
<h3>THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION</h3>
<p>The Epistle to the Romans, though it is not merely a systematic
treatise, is more systematic than any other of the Pauline Epistles.
Unlike the epistles that preceded it, it was written in a period of
comparative quiet between two great stages in the apostle's work.
Not unnaturally, therefore, it contains something like a summary
of Paul's teaching. The summary, however, does not embrace the
whole of the Pauline theology, but only one important department
of it. The nature of God, for example, and the person of Christ,
are not discussed in the Epistle to the Romans. Of course Paul
held very definite views upon these subjects, and these views are
presupposed on every page of the epistle—especially the loftiest
possible conception of the person of Christ lies at the background of
this entire account of Christ's work—but such presuppositions do
not in this epistle receive an elaborate exposition. The real subject
of the first eight chapters of Romans is not theology in general,
but simply the way of salvation. How can man be saved—that is
the question which Paul answers in this epistle.</p>
<p>Obviously the question is of the utmost practical importance.
The Epistle to the Romans is absolutely fundamental for the
establishment of Christian faith. This estimate, which was
formerly a matter of course, has in recent years unfortunately fallen
into disrepute. The Epistle to the Romans, after all, it is said, is
concerned with theology, whereas what we need is simple faith.
We must return from Romans to the Gospels, from Paul to Christ.
The words of Jesus, recorded in the Gospels, are thus emphasized
to the prejudice of the teaching of the apostle.</p>
<p>This tendency should be resisted with the utmost firmness. It
is striking at the very vitals of the Church's life. After all, Jesus
came, as has been well said, not to say something, but to do something.
His words are very precious, we could never do without
them; but after all they are subsidiary to his deeds. His life and
death and resurrection—these are the things that wrought salvation
for men. And these great saving acts could not be fully explained
till after they had been done. For an explanation of them, therefore,<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</SPAN></span>
we must turn not only to the Gospels but also to the epistles, not
only to Jesus but also to Paul. Paul was in a special sense our
apostle; like us, he had never known the earthly Jesus. Just for
that reason, through the divine revelation that was granted him,
he could guide all subsequent generations to the risen Christ.
The Epistle to the Romans, more fully perhaps than any other book,
points out the meaning of the death and resurrection of Christ.
It does not, indeed, solve all mysteries; but it reveals enough to
enable us to believe.</p>
<h4>1. THE EDICT OF CLAUDIUS</h4>
<p>The edict of Claudius which expelled the Jews from Rome was
certainly not permanently effective; indeed there are some indications
that it was modified almost as soon as it was issued. But
although it did not keep the Jews out of Rome, it may at least have
hastened the separation between Judaism and Christianity. If
the conflict between the two, as a conflict within Judaism, had
given rise to the hostile edict, then, as has plausibly been suggested,
the separation might be in the interests of both parties. If the
church were kept separate from the synagogue, the Jews would be
protected from dangerous disorders and from the opposition which
would be encountered by a new and illegal religion, and the Christians,
on the other hand, would be protected from the Claudian
edict against the Jews.</p>
<h4>2. ADDRESS, THANKSGIVING AND SUBJECT. Rom. 1:1-17</h4>
<p>The address of the Epistle to the Romans is remarkable for the
long addition which is made to the name of the author. Paul was
writing to a church which he had never seen. His excuse for writing
was to be found only in the gospel with which he had been intrusted.
At the very start, therefore, he places his gospel in the foreground.
Here, however, it is rather the great presupposition of the gospel
which is in mind—Jesus Christ in his double nature. One who has
been commissioned to preach to the Gentiles the gospel of such a
Christ may certainly address a letter to Rome.</p>
<p>In connection with the customary thanksgiving, Paul mentions
his long-cherished desire of visiting the Roman Christians. He
desires to impart unto them some spiritual gift—no, he says, rather
he desires to receive from them as well as to give. The correction
is characteristic of Paul. Some men would have felt no need of
making it. As a matter of fact, Paul was fully in a position to<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</SPAN></span>
impart spiritual gifts. But he was afraid his readers might feel
hurt—as though the apostle thought they could make no return for
the benefit which the visit would bring them. It is an exquisite bit
of fine discernment and delicate courtesy. But like all true courtesy,
it was based on fact. Paul was really not a man to decline help and
comfort from even the humblest of the brethren.</p>
<p>In vs. 16, 17, the theme of the epistle is announced—the gospel
the power of God unto salvation, the gospel which reveals a righteousness
of God that is received by faith. The meaning of "a
righteousness of God" has been much disputed. Some think that
it refers to the righteousness which is an attribute of God. More
probably, however, it is to be interpreted in the light of ch. 10:3;
Phil. 3:9. It then refers to that right relation of man to God which
God himself produces. There are two ways of receiving a sentence
of acquittal from God the Judge. One is by keeping the law of God
perfectly. The other is by receiving through faith the righteousness
of Christ. The former is impossible because of sin. The latter has
been made possible by the gift of Christ. As sinners, we are subject
to the punishment of death. But that punishment has been paid
for us by Christ. We therefore go free; we can start fresh, with the
consciousness of God's favor. We are "justified"—that is, "pronounced
righteous"—not because we are free from sin, but because
by his grace God looks not upon us but upon Christ. We have been
pronounced righteous, but not on account of our own works. We
possess not our own righteousness but "a righteousness of God."</p>
<p>This righteousness of God is received by faith. Faith is not a
work, it is simply the willingness to receive. Christ has promised
by his death to bring us to God. We may not understand it all,
but is Christ to be believed? Study the Gospel picture of him, and
you will be convinced that he is.</p>
<p>Justification by faith, then, means being pronounced righteous
by God, although we are sinners. It might seem to be a very
dangerous doctrine. If we are pronounced righteous whether we
are really righteous or not, then may we not go on with impunity
in sin? Such reasoning ignores the results of justification. Faith
brings more than forgiveness. It brings a new life. In the new
life sin has no place. The Christian has broken forever with his old
slavery. Though perfection has not yet been attained in practice, it
has been attained in principle, and by the power of the Spirit all
sin will finally be removed. The Christian cannot compromise with
sin. Salvation is not only from the guilt of sin, but also from the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</SPAN></span>
power of it. The sixth chapter of Romans leaves no room for moral
laxness.</p>
<h4>3. ROMANS AND GALATIANS</h4>
<p>It is interesting to compare Romans with Galatians. The subject
of the two epistles is the same. Both are concerned with salvation
by faith alone, apart from the works of the law. In many passages
the two are parallel. The fuller exposition in Romans is often the
best commentary upon the briefer statements of Galatians. For
example, the words: "What then is the law? It was added because
of transgressions"—very obscure as they stand in Galatians—are
explained by Rom. 5:20; ch. 7. In tone, however, the two epistles
are widely different. Galatians is written in view of one definite
attack upon the gospel; Romans is a general exposition summing
up the results of the conflict. When Paul wrote Galatians he was
in the thick of the battle; at the time of Romans he had fought his
way through to the heights.</p>
<p>The Epistle to the Romans, however, is no cold, purely logical
treatise. Theology here is interwoven with experience. No exposition
can do justice to this wonderful letter. To read about it
is sometimes dull; but to read it is life.</p>
<h4>4. THE PAULINE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY. Rom., chs. 9 to 11</h4>
<p>Chapters 9 to 11 of this epistle are interesting in a great many
ways. They are interesting, for example, in their tremendous conception
of the mystery of the divine will. The ninth chapter of
Romans is a good corrective for any carelessness in our attitude
toward God. After all, God is a mystery. How little we know
of his eternal plan! We must ever tremble before him. Yet it is
such a God who has invited us, through Christ, to hold communion
with himself. There is the true wonder of the gospel—that it
brings us into fellowship, not with a God of our own devising, not
with one who is a Father and nothing else, but with the awful, holy,
mysterious Maker and Ruler of all things. The joy of the believer
is the deepest of all joys. It is a joy that is akin to holy fear.</p>
<p>These chapters are also interesting because they attest the attachment
of Paul to the Jewish people. Where is there a nobler expression
of patriotism than Rom. 9:1-5? Exclusive attention to
the polemic passages where Paul is defending the Gentile mission
and denying the efficacy of the Mosaic law, have produced in the
minds of some scholars a one-sided view of Paul's attitude toward
Israel. Paul did not advocate the destruction of the identity of his<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</SPAN></span>
people. He believed that even the natural Israel had a part to play
on the stage of history. These chapters of Romans, together with
some other passages in the epistles, such as I Cor. 9:20, confirm what
the Book of The Acts tells us about Paul's willingness, when no
principle was involved, to conform to Jewish custom.</p>
<h4>5. INTEGRITY OF THE EPISTLE</h4>
<p>The genuineness of the Epistle to the Romans is undoubted, but
its "integrity" has been questioned. The epistle was certainly
written by Paul, but was it all, as we now have it, originally part
of one letter? By many scholars the greater part of the sixteenth
chapter is supposed to have originally formed part of an epistle of
Paul written not to Rome but to Ephesus. The chief argument for
this hypothesis is derived from the long list of names in ch. 16:3-15.
Could Paul have had so many personal acquaintances in a church
which he had never visited? The argument is not conclusive.
Just because Paul could not appeal in his letter to any personal
acquaintance with the Roman church as a whole, it would be natural
for him to mention at least all the individuals in the church with
whom he stood in any sort of special relation. Furthermore, the
frequency of travel in the Roman Empire must be borne in mind.
Many persons whom Paul had met on his travels would naturally
find their way to the capital. Finally, Aquila and Priscilla, though
they had recently lived in Ephesus, I Cor. 16:19, may easily have
resumed their former residence in Rome. Acts 18:2; Rom. 16:3-5.</p>
<hr class="tb" />
<p><span class="smcap">In the Library.</span>—Purves, "Christianity in the Apostolic Age," pp.
226-231. Davis, "Dictionary of the Bible": Purves, (supplemented)
article on "Romans, Epistle to the." Hastings, "Dictionary of the
Bible": Robertson, article on "Romans, Epistle to the." M'Clymont,
"The New Testament and Its Writers," pp. 77-82. Gifford, "The
Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans." Ellicott, "A New Testament
Commentary for English Readers," vol. ii, pp. 193-280: Sanday,
"The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans." "The Cambridge
Bible for Schools": Moule, "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the
Romans." "The International Critical Commentary": Sanday and
Headlam, "A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to
the Romans." Zahn, "Introduction to the New Testament," vol. i,
pp. 352-438. The two last-named works presuppose a knowledge of
Greek.</p>
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