Jim McDonald

Romans is the sixth of the thirteen letters from the pen of Paul. It is, by just a few sentences, the longest of them. The book was written about A.D. 57 or 58 from Corinth and carried to the Roman church by the hands of a sister named Phoebe who was a member of the church in Cenchrea (Romans 16:1). The letter was written during a very trying and turbulent period in the apostle’s life.

The book was written as the apostle had concluded his gathering of a collection of funds from Gentile churches to be given to the poor saints in Jerusalem. This fund was likely begun and supervised by Paul while he was in Ephesus, but was possibly the result of a request made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem when Paul had visited there amid the conflict over whether Gentiles were required to be circumcised and compelled to keep the law, an issue which Acts 15 deals with. Paul wrote of this event some years later in his epistle to the Galatians. He wrote of his conversion and introduction to those who had been apostles before him. He wrote in Galatians 2 of the acceptance of his apostleship by the earlier apostles and their request: “only they would that we should remember the poor which very thing I was also zealous to do” (Galatians 2:10).

It was after that “conference” that Paul began his second journey (Acts 16-18). His first journey had been with Barnabas and Mark (Acts 13-14) in which he had preached in Cyprus and Asia Minor, establishing churches in what is identified as “Galatia” (Lystra and Derbe). It was after that first journey that the “Jerusalem conference” was held. On his second journey, accompanied by Silas, Timothy, and Luke, he established churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and finally Corinth. At the conclusion of his work in Corinth he made a very brief visit to Jerusalem, traveling through Ephesus, leaving some faithful disciples (Aquila and Priscilla), and promised he would return. The couple he left behind was very faithful, knowledgable, and diligent. Soon a church was meeting in Ephesus. When Paul returned, he preached in that city and the whole of the region around for three years so that “all of Asia” heard the Word.

It was during these three years in Ephesus in which apparently efforts to raise a contribution for the poor Jerusalem saints was begun. Paul had contacted churches in a number of regions about his plan and they rallied to help him. While he was in Ephesus, he had heard disturbing reports from brethren that all was not well in the Corinthian church: there was partyism, immorality, lawsuits among brethren, issues about the Lord’s Supper, the collection for poor Jerusalem saints, as well as other issues. He wrote them seeking correction for their ills and dispatched that first letter to Corinth. In that letter he indicated his intention to remain in Ephesus, writing, “But I will remain at Ephesus until Pentecost; for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:8-9). That perception, with apprehensions, proved true and while he waited to hear from Corinth, a riot erupted in Ephesus, promoted by a man named Demetrius who with other silversmiths provoked a great riot. These men (who were makers of silver images of the popular goddess, Diana) saw their trade threatened by Paul’s preaching that there “be no gods which are made by hands” which teaching resulted with many people turning from idolatry. As a result of the riot Paul was forced to leave Ephesus and he traveled about the region, waiting to hear news from Titus as to how Paul’s letter to the Corinthians had been received by that church. Finally, Titus did meet Paul. Paul’s letter had been humbly received on the part of most of the congregation and he wrote a second letter to Corinth, offering further needed corrections, and traveled on there where he spent three months. During that time brethren from different churches brought their offerings and messengers who would carry their offerings to Jerusalem in the company of Paul.

It was while he was there that he wrote his letter to the Roman Christians. From the tone of that letter Paul seemed at peace with himself, and so we may presume that most of the ills among the Corinthian brethren had been corrected when he reached there. His anxieties about their promised gift for Jerusalem was settled: he stated in the Roman epistle that “it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution poor among the saints that are in Jerusalem” (Romans 16:26). Achaia was the region where Corinth was.

For a long while Paul had cherished a desire to preach in Rome (Romans 1:13), and in this letter he informed them of his intentions to make a trip to Spain, intending to visit Rome when he journeyed to Spain. Paul’s desire to preach in Rome was realized — but not in the way that he had hoped. He came to Rome as a prisoner, not as a free man. If he was ever able to fulfill his desire to preach in Spain the holy Scriptures do not reveal it.