Week 29, July 14–20: Nehemiah 12–Romans 16

• Sun      7/14     Neh 12–13
• Mon     7/15     Rom 1–3
• Tue      7/16     Rom 4–6
• Wed     7/17     Rom 7–9
• Thu      7/18     Rom 10–12
• Fri        7/19     Rom 13–14
• Sat       7/20     Rom 15–16

Ezra-Nehemiah ends with a somewhat strange (and troubling) final episode. Nehemiah carries out a flourish of zealous acts, culminating in his cursing, beating, and hair-pulling confrontation with some of the Jews who had married foreign women (Neh. 13:23–30). The themes of zealous law keeping and preservation of Jewish nationalistic identity have come up throughout Ezra-Nehemiah (Ezra 9:1–6; 10; 10:1–44; Neh. 9:2). It appears we are meant to see Ezra and Nehemiah’s devotion to the Lord and his law as somewhat commendable (Ezra 7:6, 9–10; Neh. 2:8). However, it also seems we are meant to see some problems with their approach too.

At the very least, these books point ahead to something that will be better than the situation in Jerusalem in the time of these returned exiles. Just as the temple they’re building is a sad replica of Solomon’s temple and anticipates a future, better dwelling of God with his people, so also the efforts to abide strictly by the law, even to the point of forcing husbands to divorce foreign wives (and God hates divorce, Mal. 2:16; Mark 10:9) is an imperfect attempt at godly zeal that anticipates the new covenant and the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham that all the families of the earth will be blessed through his descendant (Gen. 12:1–2). Romans, which is the book we happen to be reading next, has a lot to say about the gospel for all, both Jew and Gentile.

This week we also move back into the NT and pick up where we left off there. Romans begins the section of the NT that is made up of epistles, or letters, from the apostles to the churches and groups of churches in the first century world. Thes are the churches that began the earliest stage of the Church after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Of these epistles, many of which were written by the apostle Paul, Romans stands at the beginning of this collection as the most comprehensive explanation and explication of the gospel of Christ.

Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Rome at a later point in his life and ministry, after he had been evangelizing, preaching, and planting and ministering to churches for probably about 25 years. He wanted to go to Rome on his way to Spain, where he hoped to begin a new missionary endeavor (15:24, 28), and wrote Romans partly to garner support from the Roman church for this missionary effort to Spain. He wants their support not only financially, but more importantly he wants them to understand and support the gospel message he is preaching.

The letter is addressed to Christians in Rome, “all those who are loved by God and called to be saints.” (Rom. 1:6) This includes both Jewish and Gentile believers, and this point is important to understanding the letter’s message and the gospel itself. We don’t know a lot about the church in Rome, but one thing we do know is that Paul did not plant it. While we don’t have a lot of information on when Christianity first came to Rome, in Acts 2 it does tell us that there were Jewish people from Italy present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, some of whom likely responded to the coming of the Holy Spirit and to Peter’s gospel message. These new Christians then presumably were the ones who brought the message of Jesus the Messiah back to Italy, and thus the Christian church in Rome began.

These Christians, who had converted while in Jerusalem for Pentecost, were Jewish Christians. Assuming the spread of the gospel in Rome was similar to what we see throughout Acts, Gentiles would have been added to their community too. Then in AD 49 there was a significant event that changed the situation. The Roman Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome. We read of this in Acts 18:1–2, where it mentions that Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, Jews who had recently come to Corinth from Italy because, it says, “Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.”

This left the Gentile Christians alone in Rome to continue as the church there. Later, when Nero was emperor, the edict of Claudius expired, and the Jews were allowed to return to Rome. In Romans 16 Paul sends his greeting to Priscilla and Aquila, who have moved back to Rome. What this means then is that, for some time the church in Rome would have consisted of Gentiles only. When the Jewish Christians came back to Rome, there may have been some tensions between the two groups related to their understanding and practice of the Mosaic law. This would explain why Jew-Gentile issues are prominent in Romans, all through the letter but particularly in chapters 9–11.

The book opens with a greeting from Paul and a summary introduction for all that follows. Perhaps the best way to see how the book’s opening paragraph functions as an introduction to the whole book is by looking also at the doxology that concludes the book.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 1:1–7)

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Rom. 16:25–27) 

Notice the repeated words and ideas in these opening and closing sections: gospel, Jesus Christ, Scriptures/prophetic writings, obedience of faith, nations, for his name/glory. As you read through Romans this week, be looking for those themes and how together they contribute to the gospel message Paul is unpacking. Also keep in mind that Romans is written to Christians, to those in Rome who have put their faith in Christ and for us today too. This is a book of rich theology as well as immensely practical encouragement for us to live in light of the grace we have been received through Jesus.