Page 34 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

1 and 2 Corinthians, one of the four “principle letters” (Hauptbriefe) universally recognized as from Paul.
Tertius (16:22) functioned as Paul’s secretary: “Tertius either wrote the epistle in long-hand directly
from Paul’s dictation or else took it down first in shorthand” (Cranfield, who disputes O. Roller’s thesis
that Tertius was a more independent secretary and composed the letter in accordance with Paul’s
instructions [Romans, 1: 1-5]).

Provenance and Date
Paul’s mention of Gaius (Rom 16:23 = 1 Cor 1:14), and Erastus, the city’s director of public works (Rom
16:23 = Acts 19:22; 2 Tim 4:20; there was an Erastus inscription in old Corinth [Bruce, AHSF, 252]), also
Paul’s mention of Phoebe of Cenchrae (Rom 16:1-2) confirms Corinth or possibly the port town
Cenchrae as the place of writing.

Paul spent the Winter of A.D. 56-57 (end of November until end of February) in Corinth (Acts 20:3, three
months; cf. 1 Cor 16:6-7) toward the end of the third missionary journey before sailing for Jerusalem
(reaches Jerusalem on the eve of Pentecost [May 27, 57]; Acts 19:21; 20:16; 21:15-17). Romans is dated
during this period. 13:1-7 suggests Romans falls in the early stages of Nero’s reign, that is, the
quinquennium of A.D. 54-59 when law and order were still being preserved in Rome and the provinces.
15:26 suggests Paul has already received contributions from Corinth which was still in the preparatory
stage in 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8-9 (thus Romans written after the Corinthian correspondence).

Addressees:
“To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (1:7). Internal evidence of the epistle
points toward a mixed church composed of Jewish and Gentile believers with the latter almost certainly
in the majority. Claudius’ expulsion order for all Jews to leave Rome in A.D. 49 (Acts 18:2) was nullified
at Claudius’ death (A.D. 54) and by the time of the writing of Romans (56-57) many Jews like Priscilla and
Aquila had returned to the capital.

Jewish Christian audience Gentile Christian audience
1. Priscilla and Aquila (16:3) and racial “kinsmen” 1. The readers are among the
Andronicus and Junia (16:7) and Herodion Gentiles to whom he has been called to
(16:11) are Jewish. minister (1:5-6, 13; 15:14-21). This
seems to clearly point to a Gentile
2. Jews are explicitly addressed in 2:17, 28, 29; majority.
3:1 (though a literary device of the diatribe).
2. “You Gentiles” (11:13; 2 p. pl.
nd
3. He associates his readers with the Mosaic law in 11:14-24).
(7:1).
3. The imperative “accept one
4. Abraham “our forefather” (4:1). another” (15:7) addressed primarily to
the Gentile “strong brothers” (cf. 15:8-
5. The issues addressed are of particular 12; 15:1). The “weak” (14:1-2) seem to
concern to Jewish Christians: be sensitive Jewish Christians (or former
(i) disobedience of the Jews (2:1-3:8); God-fearers) scrupulous over the eating
(ii) significance of Abraham (Ch 4); of meat, drinking wine, and calendrical
(iii) inadequacy of the law (7:1-8:4); distinctions.
(iv) place of Israel in salvation history (Chs 9-
11).

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