Free Gingrich Bible Commentaries: The Book of Romans

INTRODUCTION BY DR. ADRIAN ROGERS

It is with joy and gratefulness that I write this Introduction to Roy Gingrich's Outline Commentary on the Bible book of Romans.

The book of Romans itself has been called the Constitution of Christianity. Indeed, I have often said that if I had to be shipwrecked on an island with only one book, it, of course, would be the Bible; and if I could choose only one of the sixty-six various books that make up the Bible, that one book would be without doubt the book of Romans.

Dr. Gingrich is a scholar, but he is not an armchair theologian. He puts warm and sympathetic hands on deep and doctrinal truth. God has given to him the ability to understand the Word of God and to outline it and apply it in a way that others can quickly assimilate and effectively use.

Dr. Roy Gingrich's reputation as a Bible scholar spans a number of years. He has not come lately to the scene. His scholarship and character have stood the test.

Dr. Gingrich is a veteran pastor, having pastored for nearly one-half century. He has taught with distinction the Bible at Crichton College and has written 100 commentaries on Bible books and Bible related subjects. God has blessed and anointed his ministry as a Bible conference speaker through the years.

Pastors will benefit from this book in their sermon preparation and devotional study. Lay teachers will find invaluable help, and every Christian who wants to go deeper into the marvelous grace of God will be enriched through this study.

Read it and be blessed.

Dr. Adrian Rogers, Pastor

Bellevue Baptist Church

Cordova, TN 38018

INTRODUCTION BY DR. JAMES B. CRICHTON

Perhaps no more suitable introduction could be written to The Epistle to the Romans than William Tyndale's prologue to this epistle which appears in the a.d. 1534 edition of his English 'New Testament—"Forasmuch as this epistle is the principal and most excellent part of the New Testament and most pure Evangelion (that is to say, glad tidings) and also a light and a way into the whole Scripture, I think it meet that every Christian man not only know it by rote without the book but also exercise himself therein evermore continually, as with the daily bread of the soul. No man can verily read it too oft or study it too well, for the more it is studied the easier it is, the more it is chewed the pleasanter it is and the more groundly [grindingly] it is searched the more precious things are found in it, so great treasure of spiritual things lieth hid therein."

No book of the Bible has exercised a more profound influence on the theology of the church than has The Epistle to the Romans. Chrysostom had it read to him two times each week. Martin Luther speaks of it as "The chief book of the New Testament." Melancthon, in order to become more thoroughly acquainted with it, copied it twice with his own hand. Many other great scholars have highly valued the book.

Three supremely important qualities characterize a good commentary: exegetical integrity, doctrinal consistency, and personal application. This commentary by Mr. Roy Gingrich possesses these three qualities.

Mr. Gingrich has been careful and faithful in the exegesis of the text. His aim has been, first of all, to explain precisely what the Bible means in any given passage. Furthermore, he has faced the problems that arise in correlating one passage with another. And, finally, he has applied, as every true preacher ought to apply, the truth of God in the Bible to our consciences.

We covet for this commentary a wide ministry. May the study of The Epistle to the Romans and of this commentary enable you, dear reader, to experience the truth of Richard of Chichester's famous prayer, that is, ...

"To know Jesus Christ more clearly, to love Him more dearly, and to follow Him more nearly."

James B. Crichton, B.A., Th.M., Th. D.

President, Mid-South Bible College

Memphis, Tennessee

(The above Introduction is taken from the author's 1981 edition of his commentary on Romans and is reused by permission of Mrs. Margaret Crichton)

PREFACE

God will bless and assist any gospel minister who prayerfully attempts teaching the great and deep doctrines of condemnation, justification, sanctification, glorification, and election outlined in The Epistle to the Romans. Whenever and wherever these great and deep doctrines are faithfully taught and faithfully received, they always produce great and deep Christians.

The author of this book has experienced unusual assistance from God as he has taught The Epistle to the Romans at Mid-South Bible College (now Crichton College) and in local churches. The results of this teaching, as seen in the lives of the auditors, have been very encouraging.

The author expresses his thanks to Miss Thelma Bowers for her diligent and skillful work of typing and preparing the manuscript for this book. Her labor is of love, done unto the Lord. Thanks is also extended to Mr. Neal Johnson for his preparation of the cover design. Others have helped in this book's publication. Thanks!

This commentary in outline form is presented with the prayer and hope that it may be of some value in helping Christians to a better understanding and appreciation of Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

Roy E. Gingrich

3139 Benjestown Road

Memphis, TN 38127

(The above Introduction and Preface were taken from the 1993 edition of this book)

AN OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

PART ONE—THE INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE (1:1-17)

I. THE AUTHOR'S SALUTATION (1:1-7)

II. THE AUTHOR'S BROTHERLY CONCERN (1:8-13)

III. THE AUTHOR'S READINESS TO PREACH (1:14-16a)

IV. THE AUTHOR'S THEME (1:16, 17)

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PART TWO—THE BODY OF THE EPISTLE (1:18-15:13)

I. THE NEED FOR GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (1:18-3:20)

A. The condemnation of the Gentiles (1:18-32)

B. The condemnation of the Jews (2:1-3:9a)

C. The condemnation of the whole world (3:9b-20)

II. THE PROVISION OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (3:21-8:39)

A. The provision of justification (God's imputed righteousness) (3:21-5:21)

B. The provision of sanctification (God's imparted righteousness) (6:1-8:17)

C. The provision of glorification (God's completed righteousness) (8:18-39)

III. THE DEFENSE OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (chapters 9-11)

A. The first question—Has the apostle Paul no concern for Israel? (9:1-5)

B. The second question—Why has Israel as a nation been set aside and Gentiles called? (9:6-10:21)

C. The third question—Is Israel's rejection complete? (11:1-10)

D. The fourth question—Is Israel's rejection permanent? (11:11-36)

IV. THE PRACTICE OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (12:1-15:13)

A. The believer's vertical duties (12:1, 2)

B. The believer's church duties (12:3-8)

C. The believer's social duties (12:9-21)

D. The believer's civil duties (chapter 13)

E. The believer's fraternal duties (14:1-15:13)

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PART THREE—THE CLOSE OF THE EPISTLE (15:14-16:27)

I. THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE FOR WRITING (15:14, 15a)

II. THE AUTHOR'S AUTHORITY FOR WRITING (15:15b-19)

III. THE AUTHOR'S REASON FOR NOT HAVING VISITED ROME (15:20-22)

IV. THE AUTHOR'S FUTURE PLANS (15:23-29)

V. THE AUTHOR'S PRAYER REQUESTS (15:30-32)

VI. THE AUTHOR'S PRAYER FOR THE ROMAN SAINTS (15:33)

VII. THE AUTHOR'S COMMENDATION OF PHOEBE (16:1, 2)

VIII. THE AUTHOR'S GREETINGS TO FRIENDS IN ROME (16:3-16)

IX. THE AUTHOR'S INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING DIVISIONS (16:17-20)

X. THE AUTHOR'S COMPANIONS' SALUTATIONS (16:21-24)

XI. THE AUTHOR'S CONCLUDING DOXOLOGY (16:25-27)

THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK

I. THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

—The Apostle Paul

A. HIS IMPORTANCE

He was an apostle, the apostle to the Gentiles, the greatest of the apostles, and the author of thirteen of the twenty one New Testament epistles. No man other than Jesus Christ has had greater influence upon the course of this world than that of Paul of Tarsus.

B. HIS LIFE'S CHRONOLOGY

1. His birth?

2. His witness to the stoning of Stephen a.d. 35?

3. His conversion a.d. 36?

4. His sojourn in Arabia and Damascus a.d. 36-39

5. His stay in Tarsus a.d. 39-44

6. His year in Antioch a.d. 44-45

7. His first missionary journey a.d. 45-48

8. His furlough back in Antioch a.d. 48-50

9. His second missionary journey a.d. 50-53

10. His third missionary journey a.d. 54-58

11. His imprisonment at Caesarea a.d. 58-60

12. His Journey to Rome a.d. 60-61

13. His first Roman imprisonment a.d. 61-63

14. His years of release from prison a.d. 63-65

15. His second Roman imprisonment a.d. 65-67

16. His death a.d. 67

II. THE ADDRESSEES OF THE BOOK

—The saints in Rome

A. THE CITY OF ROME

1. Its importance

Rome, with more than two million inhabitants, was the largest and the most important city in the world. It was the capital city of the mighty Roman empire. All roads led to Rome.

2. Its inhabitants

Approximately half the population were slaves. The vast majority of the free citizens despised physical labor, lived on public and private charity, and loved nothing more than the sensual enjoyment of the bloody gladiatorial shows.

In the city were elements from many nationalities. The Emperor Claudius had expelled all Jews from Rome during his reign but large numbers had returned after the ascension of Nero. There were at least seven Jewish synagogues in Rome at the time Romans was written.

3. Its religious condition

The following statements were true concerning Rome and the whole of the Roman empire:

The Greek philosophers of the 5th Century b.c. had discredited the native polytheism of the peoples of the Mediterranean and the Near Eastern worlds and had given these peoples only dry as-shucks pagan philosophy as a replacement for their former practice of polytheism. This left an unfulfilled religious and moral hunger in these peoples' hearts which they were trying to fill by embracing imported Oriental religions and by embracing the Jewish religion, Judaism, a legal religion in the Roman empire. Many of these Gentiles had become Jews through circumcision (these were called "proselytes of righteousness"); others of the Gentiles attended the Jewish synagogues and were favorable toward Judaism but had not become circumcised (these were called "God-fearers" or "proselytes of the gate"). These Gentile proselytes, who were found in large numbers throughout the Roman empire, proved themselves to be fertile ground for the gospel message of Christianity.

B. THE CHURCH IN ROME

1. Its origin

We do not know by whom the church was founded. It is certain that it was not founded by the Apostle Peter as is claimed by the Roman Catholic Church. It probably was founded by some of Paul's converts who had moved to Rome from other parts of the Roman empire. Secular history and the Bible reveal that large numbers of citizens moved about freely within the bounds of the empire. We do not know when the church was founded. It must have been founded long before Romans was written for certain statements in Romans indicate that the church at Rome was established and well taught at that time.

2. Its membership

From the contents of the letter it is clear that the church was made up of both Jewish and Gentilish converts. The Gentile members probably were the most numerous.

Probably many of the Gentile members were formerly Jewish proselytes and so were, like the Jewish members, well acquainted with Moses' law.

3. Its fame

Because of its strong and established faith and because of its location in the hub city of the Roman empire, this church was well known throughout the Roman world.

4. Its interest to Paul

Paul was the apostle of this church, he knew of its fame, he knew many of its members (chapter 16), and he yearned to visit it, but he had been providentially hindered from doing so.

III. THE PLACE AND THE DATE OF THE WRITING OF THE BOOK

—It was written from Corinth, in the Spring of a.d. 58

The epistle was written in the Spring of A. D. 58, during Paul's three months' stay in Corinth (Acts 20:3), at the close of Paul's third missionary journey ( a.d. 54-58). The letter was penned as Paul prepared to leave Greece bearing a great Gentile love offering to the poverty-stricken saints of the Jewish mother church in Jerusalem, 15:25-28.

IV. THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOOK

A. IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A DOCTRINAL BOOK

—The new Testament has five historical books (Matthew through Acts), twenty one doctrinal books (Romans through Jude), and one prophetical book (Revelation)

B. IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A PAULINE EPISTLE

—The New Testament has thirteen Pauline epistles and eight Non-Pauline epistles (counting Hebrews).

C. IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A SOTERIOLOGICAL EPISTLE

—Paul wrote two eschatological epistles (I Thessalonians and II Thessalonians), four soteriological epistles (Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, and Galatians). four Christolological epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon), and three ecclesiological epistles (I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus).

D. IT IS CLASSIFIED AS A CHURCH EPISTLE

—Paul wrote nine church epistles (Romans through II Thessalonians) and four personal epistles (I Timothy through Philemon).

V. THE OCCASION FOR THE WRITING OF THE BOOK

—The apparent soon-coming realization of Paul's long-cherished plan to visit Rome.

The occasion for writing did not come from any internal condition or problem within the church but rather arose from the providential unfolding and realization of Paul's long cherished plans. Paul had for a long time planned to visit Rome but had been providentially hindered from doing so, Acts 19:21; 23:11; Romans 15:22, 23. But now he has completed his missionary labors in the eastern Roman provinces and he feels free to carry the gospel to the western Roman provinces, even to Spain, the farthermost province in the West, 15:19-28. When he hears that Phoebe plans to visit Rome, he decides to write the Roman church to inform them that after he visits Jerusalem he plans to visit the Roman church as he makes his way westward to Spain. Phoebe can carry Paul's letter with her when she leaves Cenchrea (a seaport for Corinth) for Rome.

VI. THE REASONS FOR THE WRITING OF THE BOOK

A. THE PERSONAL REASONS

1. To explain his absence (1:13; 15:19-22)

The Roman largely-Gentile church was likely asking the question "Why hasn't the apostle to the Gentiles visited us?"

2. To request prayer (15:31)

a. For deliverance from the evil plots of unbelieving Jews of Judea (15:31)

Paul knew what awaited him in Jerusalem.

b. For acceptance of the great Gentile love offering by the Jewish Christian church in Jerusalem (15:25-28, 31)

Paul, bearing this offering, left for Jerusalem shortly after he had penned his letter to the Romans.

B. THE DOCTRINAL REASONS

1. To correct the heresy of legalism

a. The teaching of legalism

Legalism teaches salvation by works (that man can merit salvation by law-keeping). Legalists use a variety of laws as their standard: the law of conscience, the law of Moses, the golden rule, the Sermon on the Mount, and the law of doing the best you can.

Some legalists teach that salvation is attained by faith plus works. In Paul's day, many legalists taught salvation by faith plus circumcision and the keeping of Moses' law. Today, many legalists teach salvation by faith plus baptism and the keeping of the Ten Commandments.

b. The perennial presence of legalism

From the days of Adam, men have devised many schemes of salvation-by-works. These human inventions have one things in common: Salvation is not received as a gift but is earned by law-keeping.

c. The refutal of legalism in the book of Romans

Paul answers this heresy in his section on justification, 3:21-5:21.

2. To correct the heresy of antinomianism (license)

a. The teaching of antinomianism

Antinomianism teaches that a Christian is free from all law, that he is free to do as he pleases.

The truth is—the Christian is free from the law of sin and death, Rom. 8:2, that he might become obedient to the law of the Spirit, 8:2.

b. The presence today of antinomianism

Many today abuse the doctrine of eternal security, making it teach that since the Christian is eternally secure, he can do as the pleases (that he can continue in sin).

c. The refutal of antinomianism in the book of Romans

Paul answers antinomianism in his section on sanctification, 6:1-8:17.

Note—Ephesians 2:8-10 answers both legalism and antinomianism: (1) We are saved by faith alone, Ephesians 2:8, 9; (2) the faith which saves is never alone, Ephesians 2:10.

C. THE DISPENSATIONAL REASONS

To answer the following Jewish questions:

1. Has the apostle Paul no concern for Israel?—Paul's answer is given in 9:1-5.

2. Why has Israel as a nation been set aside?—Paul's answer is given in 9:6-10:21.

3. Is the rejection of Israel complete (total)?—Paul's answer is given in 11:1-10.

4. Is the rejection of Israel permanent (final)?—Paul's answer is given in 11:11-36.

All of these questions were being asked by unsaved Jews and they had to be answered if these Jews were to cease their opposition to the gospel.

D. THE PRACTICAL REASON

—To give instructions concerning local problems, 12:1-15:13.

E. THE EVANGELICAL REASON

—To prepare a missionary base. Paul desires that the Roman Christians consider their church as an advance missionary base from which Paul will go forth to evangelize Spain. Paul seeks their cooperation and assistance in this planned missionary work.