Who Wrote This Letter?
Through the centuries since the time of its writing there has been little dispute that this letter was written by the Apostle Paul. Though there have been some who claimed he was not the writer, their arguments are taken seriously by very few. As far back as the late first century, Clement of Rome (mentioned in Philippians 4:3) quotes from this letter, giving credit to Paul as its author.
When Was This Letter Written?
Concerning the time of writing of this letter there is also reasonable certainty. Based on Romans 1:11-15, we know that Paul had never been to Rome before writing this letter. Also, based on Romans 15:23-28, we know that he was about to take a trip to Jerusalem with a gift from the churches in Achaia and Macedonia. After delivering this gift he was planning on going to Spain and stopping by Rome on the way there. From Acts 20:6 and Acts 20:16 we find that this trip occurred between Passover and Pentecost. So, the writing of this letter occurred in the spring, just before Paul’s trip to Jerusalem, most likely between AD 56 and AD 58.
From Where Was This Letter Written?
In Acts 20:2-4 we know that four of the people who were about to accompany Paul on his trip were Timothy, Sosipater, Gaius, and Erastus, who were all with him at the time of the writing of this letter. In 1Corinthians 1:14 we find that Erastus was a member of the church at Corinth. From other sources we can ascertain that all four of these men were residents of Corinth (either temporary or long-term). Also, in Romans 16:1 we are introduced to Phoebe, generally believed to be the person who delivered this letter to the Romans. She was a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea, the eastern port city of Corinth. From all these facts, it is reasonable to assume that Paul was in Corinth when he wrote this letter.
Why Was This Letter Written?
Paul had a message (the Gospel message) which he had been called to deliver to the entire world and was determined to include the capital city of Rome in his ministry. It was important that he go to Rome because it was the center of the world’s life. The church in Rome was composed of both Jews and Gentiles, though we have no idea who started the church. It is possible that some of the “visitors from Rome” (Acts 2:10) who heard the gospel preached on the day of Pentecost came back to Rome and started the church there.
Paul’s ambition was to preach where no one else had been (Romans 15:20), and he had no hesitation in going on to Rome to do so. He tells is that he had wanted to go to Rome for some time (Acts 19:21) and had often made plans to do so (Romans 1:13) but thus far he had been prevented from going there (Romans 15:22). Now he had plans to go to Jerusalem, and after taking the gifts from the churches in Achaia and Macedonia there (Romans 15:26), he planned to go to Rome and then on to Spain (Romans 15:24, Romans 15:28). Meanwhile, he sends this letter so that the Christians in Rome might know the full truth about his gospel (Romans 1:15; Romans 2:16). He had already written extensively concerning the issues raised by the legalizers as set forth in the letters to Corinth and to Galatia. So now, in a calmer mood and more at length, he presents his treatise on the Righteousness demanded by God (Romans 1:17) for both Gentiles (Romans 1:18-32) and Jews (Romans 2:1-3:20) which can only be obtained by faith in Christ and His atoning death (Romans 3:21-5:21). This is Paul’s gospel and the remainder of this letter (chapters six through sixteen) deals with the particulars growing out of this doctrine of grace.
Outline of Romans
Romans 1:1-17 — Introduction.
Romans 1:18-3:20 – The entire sin-sick world is guilty before God. No one is righteous before God.
Romans 3:21-5:11 — Justification and righteousness are achieved by faith and faith alone.
Romans 5:12-8:13 — Dying with Christ, the resurrected life of Christ, walking in the Spirit, and the provision for inherited sin.
Romans 8:14-39 — The full blessing of the Gospel message.
Romans 9:1-11:36 — God has not abolished the covenant promises to Israel.
Romans 12:1-15:33 — Christian life and service.
Romans 16:1-27 — Greetings and blessings.
In God's service, for His glory,
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