Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Flatbush
Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The letter is believed to have been written at the height of Paul’s career, about 54 and 58.
Themes:
1. God’s power for salvation to all who believe
2. God’s saving righteousness
3. Justification by faith
4. Universal concern for both Jew and Gentile
5. God’s plan of salvation from Adam through Abraham and Moses to Christ
6. The Future fulfillment
7. Israel and the church comprise the community of those who hear the proclamation about Christ and believe
There is a constant interaction between the two “kinds of Christians,” those who entered through Judaism, and those who entered through baptism in the gentile community. This serves as a strong force in the letter to the Romans as it was a matter genuine concern in the community of Christians. Addition of the Gentile world to the Christian faith community, especially as it related to the Jewish community opened a large dialogue. At times Paul becomes very intense in his dealing with the community of “Judaizers” in relation to the gentiles. In Paul’s theology of the cross the rules have changed. Faith in Christ becomes the preeminent factor in God’s acceptance of the sinner. All depends upon the connection to Christ and the cross.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
©Copy right Rev. Dr. Kipp W. Zimmermann, 2008. All rights reserved. This copyright must appear on all copies made.
[1] Interlocution is taken from the Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV translation, ed Bruce M. Metzger and Roland E. Murphy, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991), 208NT.