The question for this paper is “What is the purpose of Paul’s letter to the Romans and does it adequately summarise Paul’s gospel?”

In order to answer this question I will break the question into three separate components.

The first component will examine theories that surround the purpose of the letter. To do this I will demonstrate that there is not one single purpose for the letter. Establishing this I will examine the historical context of the letter focusing in on Paul’s own circumstances and also the circumstances of the Roman Christians.

The second component will investigate what Paul’s gospel is. I will show that Paul and his gospel are inseparable.

Then with this as a foundation I will show evidence to demonstrate whether this gospel is summarised adequately in Romans. To do this I will take Paul’s central affirmations from Scripture and show that outlook echoed in Romans.

Many other scholars have asked this question. There are so many different answers to be found more so because Paul says practically nothing about the subject.

We can look at the letter itself and search for “explicit statements of purpose” [1] as Carson did. He states that “we find little to help answer this question. Paul writes about his reasons for visiting Rome , but not about his reason for writing to Rome “ [2] .

It can not be said that Romans has a single purpose in mind and nor should we try to impose one on the letter. Moo agrees: “It is true that the tractate nature of the letter encourages the supposition that Paul may have had a single overarching theme in view. But such a supposition is not necessary” [3] . Dunn adds:

“it is likely that Paul had several reasons for writing the letter (there is, of course, absolutely no reason why he should have had only one purpose in view), and most of the disagreements are a matter of different emphases between these several reasons.” [4]

This however does not bring us closer to an answer. The best method of uncovering Paul’s purpose for writing is to examine its historical context this will narrow the scope presented to us.

If we look at Paul’s own circumstances as the motivation for writing this letter, then we can draw three areas of concern. These can be conveniently aggregated into categories referenced by the location of Paul’s focus. [5]

The first such location is Spain. While explaining that he has wanted to visit the Roman Christians for some time Paul says: “I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.”(Rom. 15:24).

Paul plans to travel to Spain to plant new churches in this unreached area. Carson writes about Paul’s use of the verb �������� (propempo) [6] he states that the verb is saying: “help on the way with material support” [7] . This indicates that Paul is hoping to gather the support of the Roman Christians in this new mission field. This idea is a popular one and for good reason. If Paul were going to embark on this church planting exercise then he would need a base much closer than Anitoch, his current home base. Rome presents a much better launching point. Moo asserts that we may take this point of view and see “Romans as Paul’s �letter of introduction’ to a church that he hopes to add to his list of �sponsors’. This would explain the general theological focus of the letter, for Paul would want to assure the Romans that they would be sponsoring a missionary whose orthodoxy was without question”(Gal.; 2 Cor. 3:10-13).

The second location is Corinth / Galatia . Paul exerts considerable energy on questions referring to Jews and Gentiles within the context of salvation history. Paul has already had to combat the influence of Judaizers in Galatia and Corinth [8] . The three month stay that Paul had in Greece “occurred after resolution of intense battles for the gospel in these churches” [9] Some view this as an opportunity for Paul to put in writing an apology based on the settled views in regards to these issues.

The third location is Jerusalem . Paul was preparing to deliver an offering from the Gentiles to the church in Jerusalem . He viewed this collection as a “practical means to cement the fractured and sometimes bitter relationships between Jews and Gentiles in the early church”. [10] Paul asks his Roman brothers to pray for this mission and offering:

“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. ” (Rom. 15:30-33).

Should not Paul also state his theological position on the issues at hand? The Roman Christians could identify with these issues, and Paul’s theology might help them better understand the problems closer to home.

It also affords the opportunity to the Romans to be part of the offering if only in spirit. They pray in order to make the gift acceptable before the saints in Jerusalem , this act might also help heal the rift between them and the Jews in there own city.

We have just looked at Paul’s circumstances, now we will look at the circumstances of the Roman Christians to find Paul’s motivation for writing.

We know that Paul has not visited the Roman Christians personally but that does not mean that he is unaware with the situation there. ” First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. ” (Rom. 1:8)

Kruse would have us work under the assumption that:

“Paul’s primary purpose in writing Romans was to bring the Roman believers within the orbit of his apostolic ministry because he felt responsible for them. He wanted to ensure that their understanding of the gospel was such that they too would be included among those Gentiles who constitute an acceptable sacrifice to God, consecrated by the Holy Spirit”. [11]

G. Klein is listed by Moo as further support to this theory: “G. Klein thinks that Paul wrote with the purpose of providing the necessary apostolic foundation for the creation of a �church’ in Rome . Significant, according to Klein, is the absence of the word �church’… from the address of his letter (1:7)” [12] .

One might couple this information with Paul’s own apostolic claims “I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry” (Rom. 11:13).

However these claims fail under scrutiny. Paul’s letters to Philippians, Colossians and Ephesians all lack the word “church” in their opening address but we know that Paul considered them as such. But at a more basic level, there is no evidence to support “Klein’s supposition that a church could not exist without a personal �apostolic foundation’” [13]

These circumstances are a far way from answering the question of Paul’s purpose for writing to these Roman Christian’s, I believe looking at Paul’s circumstances as outlined above far better satisfies us.

Before we can go on to answer the question, “does it [Romans] adequately summarise Paul’s gospel” we must first define what Paul’s gospel is.

Paul considered his position as an apostle to be inseparable to his gospel, he writes: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God�the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son” (Rom. 1:1-3a).

He then goes on to describe what his gospel is in summary:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: �The righteous will live by faith.’” (Rom. 1:16-17).

Stuhlmacher [14] gives us a workable outline to what this gospel is in Paul’s thought and I will use it to draw upon an outline of this gospel.

Paul describes in vivid detail in (Gal. 1:11-16) and also (Acts 9) that he received the gospel at his call through Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. He draws his authority from this encounter, in the “gospel of God” he preaches God’s own word. (1 Thes. 2:2, 2:8, 2:9, 2:13).

In regards to its content, “the Pauline gospel is the �gospel of Christ’”. [15] It documents the salvific act of God that occurred historically by way of the sending, atoning death and resurrection of Christ. In it Christ is portrayed as the redeemer and Lord.

Paul preached Christ as the “end of the Law” (Rom 10:4) and that faith in Christ alone is the way to salvation.

Paul esteemed the tradition of the Lord’s Supper ( 1 Cor. 11:23ff) and instructed his churches to follow in his own example by leading a life that was pleasing before God and which was worthy of the gospel.

The most noteworthy components of this Pauline gospel and also the most controversial to his peers were his central affirmations:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: �Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ ” (Gal. 3:13 cf Deut. 21:32)

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1) That yoke he refers to is the law.

“know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.” ( >Gal. 2:16 )

The letter to the Roman Christians upholds all of these principles. I will address the points above with Paul’s words from Romans to demonstrate this.

The first point deals with Christ’s death as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (Rom. 3:25). This sacrifice is God initiated and reveals a way to satisfy the demands of his own righteousness.

Paul describes our freedom from the law in much detail during Romans; in (6:18) he tells us that we have been released from the bondage that sin had us in. Further on (6:22) Paul tells us that this freedom from the law leads us in obligation to God, which benefits us greatly by developing a holy character which leads on to eternal life.

The last point is reiterated be Paul in (3:28): “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. ” R.C Sproul believes: “It is this verse more than any other single verse is Scripture which most clearly articulates the doctrine of justification by faith alone.” [16] And I agree, it makes the point succinctly, a point that echoes through Romans as an underling theme such as in (10:10) where Paul says: ” For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ”

This paper has covered a fair amount of ground however it does so necessarily to answer the question: “What is the purpose of Paul’s letter to the Romans and does it adequately summarise Paul’s gospel?”

I have done this be examining different theories that deal with the purpose of the letter. In that I demonstrated that a single theme couldn’t be brought upon this letter then went on to uncover the themes that drive this letter. That was achieved by examining the historical context of the text focusing in on Paul’s circumstances and the circumstances of the Roman Christians. The former availed by locating three key point of focus, they being the planned missionary trip to Spain and Paul’s need of support. Next was Corinth / Galatia , Paul imparts the resolution of these “intense battles for the gospel in these churches” [17] A church undergoing the same battles would have welcomed these settled views. Third was Jerusalem . Paul was taking an offering from the Gentile churches to the church in Jerusalem and wanted to include the Roman church in it so he requested there support in prayer.

After doing this I investigated that Paul’s gospel is. The outcomes demonstrated the atoning sacrifice of Christ and justification by faith to be at the core. I then went on to show these concepts in Scripture.

Finally I used the text of Romans to support these finding with the aid of key verses that echoes Paul’s core affirmations.