1. THE letter of PAUL to the ROMANS

2. Author-Date-Circumstances of Writing
Written by Paul
Around C.E.
Paul is going to Jerusalem with money collected from churches
Writes letter from Corinth
Dictated to Tertius
Probably delivered by Phoebe
Paul’s longest and most theologically developed letter

3. Paul states he will visit Rome on the way to Spain
Asks for prayer-spiritual support
Also hints at financial support for work in Spain
Has foreboding about Jerusalem

4. The roman Church Origins: Probably established in Rome by 49 C.E.
Paul meets exiled Jewish couple-Aquila and Priscilla
They return after Emperor Claudius’ death

5. Purpose of letter
Paul insists Jewish rejection of the Gospel does not imply Israel’s election is annulled.
Refers to tensions between Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians
Paul reacts to opposite understandings of Gospel

6. Character of the letter
Probably last letter written
Written by a mature Paul
Closest to the Galatians in tone

7. Themes Emphasizes justification by faith Appeals to Abraham
Relies heavily on scripture
Presents Paul’s gospel ideas to mostly unknown readers

8. structure Opening 1:1-7 Paragraph of thanksgiving (1:8-15)
Theme –God’s righteousness revealed through faith(1:16-17)
Theological argument
Part I-1: 18-8:39-God’s righteousness
Part the meaning of Israel
Ethical section (12:1-15:13)
The “weak” and the “strong”
Paul’s works and travels (rest of ch.15)
Chapter 16:
Greetings and conclusion

9. Literary devices and themes
Most study has focused on Paul’s themes- justification, grace, and law
Recent focus-Greco-Roman rhetorical techniques and use of OT in his argument
Jewish exegetical methods

10. The Letters of Paul

11. Who is this Paul? A Jew of the tribe of Benjamin
Born in Tarsus around 10 C.E.
A strict Pharisee, trained in the Law
Studied to be a rabbi under the famous teacher Gamaliel
Persecuted early Christians
Has dramatic conversion /Damascus

12. In 39, Paul leaves Damascus/goes to Jerusalem to meet Peter and James
Between 46 and 58, Paul goes on 3 extensive missionary journeys
In 58, arrested in Jerusalem by his enemies
Goes to Rome under house arrest in 61 C.E.
Paul writes letters to communities he had visited or planned to visit on 2nd & 3rd journeys
Also writes to some individuals.

13. New Testament Letters
In the New Testament between Acts of the Apostles and Revelation, there are twenty- one documents that take the form of letters or epistles.
Most are actual letters
Others are like treatises in the guise of letters.
In others, elements of letter form are absent.

14. New Testament Letters
Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians; Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians; 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus; Philemon, Hebrews, James; 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st and 2nd and 3rd John, Jude,

15. Deutero-Pauline or secondary letters
Most likely written by disciples of Paul of admirers who wanted to keep his apostolic legacy alive.
Ephesians, Colossians, 2nd Thessalonians,
Pastoral Letters
1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus;

16. Pauline letters
Scholars agree Paul wrote seven of the letters: Letters Year Written Place 1 Thessalonians 50/51 Corinth Galatians 54/55 Ephesus 1 Corinthians 56/57 Ephesus 2 Corinthians 57 Macedonia & Illyricum Philemon 55 Ephesus Philippians 56 Ephesus Romans 57/58 Corinth

17. Structure and organization of Paul’s letters
Paul’s letters follow the common letter writing style of the Greco-Roman world
Opening Address
- Name of sender and receiver
- Short greeting
Thanksgiving
- short thanksgiving sets tone of letter
- gives a hint of letter’s contents

18. Body of letter
- doctrinal: key Christian teachings and truths or clarifies misunderstandings
- applies teaching to Christian living
- encouragement
Final salutations
- concludes by giving personal news or specific advice to individuals
- Final greeting is usually a short blessing
Letters were most often dictated to a professional scribe.