Romans Rhetorical Analysis

The sixth book of the New Testament, Romans was written by Paul in the Greek city of Corinth around A.D. 57. Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote the letter, though he clearly states his desire to travel there soon. Paul writes to Rome to tell them of his plans to visit them, inform them of his plans to go to Spain, praise them, offer them advice, and to seek their prayers. In the letter, Paul greets twenty-six people by name. It seems as though Paul, being a personal stranger to most of the recipients, is trying to create a personal connection to his audience in order for his message to be better received. The main theme throughout Romans is justification through faithfulness and how salvation is offered through faith in the gospel

His aim is to teach his audience how they can be saved from the price and power of their own sin. Paul says that the root of man’s spiritual distance from God is found in his sin. He tells us that Jews and Gentiles are all alike through sin and that no man is righteous. There is no difference between the two because all have sinned, however, all are redeemed by the acts of Jesus Christ and have been justified in their sins if they have faithfulness. He uses Abraham as an example to this. Though Abraham may not have been an heir to the world under the law, he received righteousness through his faith. He says that those who have been justified by faith will have peace through God. Not only so, but we also have glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope(5:3-4). Paul illustrates a connection between the gospel and everyday life. He tells us not to conform to the

Werner Kummel writes, “Romans manifests a double character: it is essentially a debate between the Pauline gospel and Judaism, so that the conclusion seems obvious that the readers were Jewish Christians. Yet the letter contains statements which indicate specifically that the community was Gentile-Christian.” Romans 7:1 says, “For I am speaking to those who know the law” and it is because of this verse many scholars question if Paul is writing specifically to a predominantly Jewish audience. In a commentary by R.C. Sproul, he is not convinced. “This has caused some to think that Paul is writing to Jewish believers. But I do not think so. I think he is assuming his general readers at the church at Rome, even those who have been converted to the Gentile world, would have some understanding of Old Testament law, because people who were converted in Christ were instructed to do so in Old Testament history.” Perhaps it was Paul’s desire to form a statement based on his reflections of the gospel for not only the benefit of Rome, but the greater Christian community as well. Romans is a letter that consists of many important concepts that form the foundation for the majority of modern Christian churches. This being said, the recipients of Romans most likely viewed the letter as directional,