1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
Paul said that he is an apostle. What is an apostle and who qualifies for that title? The Greek word ''apostolos'' can refer to any messenger sent out on a mission as an agent of the sender. It corresponds exactly to the Hebrew ''shaliach,'' a word meaning ''to send.'' Let us look at the way that the New Testament uses the title ''apostle.'' Because not just anyone can qualify for the title ''Apostle of Jesus Christ.'' In Judaism, the term shaliach (sent one/apostle) applies to a legal agent or representative that a higher authority dispatches on a mission to represent his or her interests. The Talmud says, ''A man's shaliach is like the man himself,'' meaning that a man's shaliach carries authority as a legal agent to act on his behalf. The word shaliach can apply to any agent sent out to accomplish a task on behalf of the sender.
Rabbinic courts of law appointed sent ones to carry out their orders and announce their decisions and rulings. They functioned as representatives to the greater Jewish community in the Holy Land and the Diaspora. The Sanhedrin commissioned sent ones to perform commandments responsibility upon the community:
"There is none so dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the shaliach who has been sent out on a mission to perform a commandment, who lays down his own life in order to successfully fulfill the mission on which he was sent.'' (Numbers Rabbah 16:1)
It was not uncommon for a rabbi or a teacher to send out one of his disciples to act as his shaliach on a specific mission. In most cases, the New Testament uses the word ''apostle'' as an abbreviated version of the title ''Apostles of Jesus of Nazareth.'' Within the New Testament, the title specifically refers to a disciple of Jesus who received a commission from him after his resurrection to go out and testify regarding his resurrection.
To qualify as an apostle, a person needed to have been a disciple who could transmit the teaching of Jesus, and he or she also needed to experience a visitation from the risen Jesus and receive his command to go and testify. Before someone could function as an eyewitness of the risen Messiah, he needed to have seen the risen Messiah. Jesus commissioned his sent ones to testify about his resurrection and to proclaim the good news of the Messianic Kingdom. However, today there are no more apostles. But we can be disciples of Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth and transmit his teachings.
2. which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
Paul said he was set apart for the gospel of God which was promised beforehand through the Jewish prophets in the scriptures. What is the gospel? The actual gospel that the prophets spoke of was the proclamation of the prophetic promises to restore the nation of Israel, and to establish the Messianic King, the Son of David, on His throne. That is what the good news is in the book of Isaiah. That is the good news in the whole Old Testament. The good news is the end of exile for God's people, their restoration to the land of promise. And the fulfillment of time when God sends this promised king.
The ''good news'' in Hebrew is ''besorah'' and can mean a joyful proclamation, usually tied to deliverance, peace, or salvation: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good tidings of good, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!'' (Isaiah 52:7). Here, the good news is Peace, salvation, the reign of God over Zion, the end of exile and oppression, and the restoration of Jerusalem. The gospel is that God has not forgotten His people and will bring them back with compassion. The good news includes the coming of the Servant of the Lord who brings justice to the nations and healing to Israel. This includes the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53, who bears our iniquities: "By His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).
3. the gospel concerning his son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
Here Paul is affirming Jesus' humanity and lineage. The phrase ''according to the flesh'' is Paul's way of speaking about human, physical descent, his real, bodily ancestry. Jesus was born as a Jewish man; He is from the royal line of King David. Jesus being ''from David according to the flesh'' means He is our King, and the one who stands in continuity with all God's promises to Israel.
4. and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
In Jewish context, ''Son of God'' can mean the Davidic King, as in Psalm 2:7: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You.'' Jesus is now openly revealed as God's Son in power, meaning: Not just King, but divine King. Not just Messiah, but resurrected Messiah. "According to the Spirit of holiness'' in contrast to ''according to the flesh,'' this refers to spiritual, divine power. The Holy Spirit is at work here, not just hovering or empowering, but vindicating Jesus as the triumphant Son through the resurrection. Through the resurrection, Jesus is declared to be who He truly is not just Son of David, but Son of God with power, the first fruits of the resurrection.
In Short:
1. Jesus is the promised Davidic King.
2. He is vindicated and glorified by the Spirit through resurrection.
3. The resurrection is a preview of Israel's national and personal redemption.
4. The Messianic Age has broken into this world, and the King has already been crowned.
5. through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the gentiles for the sake of his name, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
Paul said that through Messiah we received grace and the office of emissary (sent one). The ''we'' is referring to himself and the other Jewish emissaries (Shaliach/sent ones), to proclaim the good news. Paul is a shaliach of the Messiah, not self-appointed, he is sent with divine authority, as part of Israel's calling.
"To bring about obedience of faith.'' This phrase can be understood as obedience that comes from our allegiance and loyalty to Messiah. Paul is calling God-fearing Gentiles and Jews alike to pledge their allegiance to Jesus as King. Not just Torah keeping for its own sake, but faithful allegiance to God through Jesus the Jewish Messiah. Paul is fulfilling the mission of Isaiah 49:6: "A light to the nations, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth." Paul, as a Jewish emissary, is bringing this light to the Gentiles, not erasing Israel, but fulfilling Israel's calling through Jesus. Paul is saying, ''We, as Jewish emissaries, are proclaiming the faithfulness of Israel's Messiah to the nations, not to replace Torah or Israel, but to fulfill God's promise to make His Name great among all peoples.''
6. including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7. To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world.
In verse 8, Paul opens with thanksgiving, a deeply Jewish practice rooted in the Psalms and in the daily Amidah, which begins: "Blessed are You, Adonai our God and God of our fathers.'' Paul, a Jewish believer is doing exactly what a Torah-true Jew would do: giving thanks to the God of Israel. Paul gives thanks through Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is the Mediator, the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7). Through Jesus, Jew and Gentile both have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). Also, Paul is writing to a mixed community in Rome, both Jewish and gentile believers. Their loyalty is being heard across the Roman Empire.
9. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers,
10. asking that by God's will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you.
11. For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gifts so that you may be strengthened
Paul expresses deep relational yearning. This echoes a very Jewish emphasis on community, face-to-face connection, and teaching in person. In Jewish tradition, Torah is not just transmitted through books, it is passed on in relationships, dialogue, and presence. Paul is not content with letters, he wants to visit, encourage, and invest personally in the Roman community. Paul says he wants to share some spiritual gifts. What kind of spiritual gift is he referring to? These gifts come from the Holy Spirit. They include both miraculous empowerment like healing, prophecy, tongues, wisdom and spiritual insights, such as teaching Torah through the lens of Messiah. In Jewish tradition, gifts are not just for personal edification, they are meant for the good of the community. Paul's desire is to strengthen the body of Messiah.
12. or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.
13. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you but thus far have been prevented, in order that I may reap some harvest among you, as I have among the rest of the gentiles.
14. I am obligated both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish,
15. hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is God's saving power for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Paul, a Torah-faithful Jew, boldly proclaims that the good news, the message of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, crucified and risen, is nothing to be ashamed of. In a world where the crucifixion was seen as shameful (Deut 21:23), Pual flips the script: This is not a disgrace, this is the fulfillment of God's promises. In Jewish tradition, proclaiming the truth of HaShem in the face of ridicule is considered kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Name. Paul is doing exactly that. "For it is the power of God for salvation.'' Salvation is not just forgiveness of sins, but includes restoration, healing, deliverance, and ultimately redemption of Israel and the nations.
17. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith, as it is written, The one who is righteous will live by faith.
''Righteousness of God'' is not just God being morally perfect, it is about God being faithful to His covenant promises. it means: God is doing what He said He would do, redeeming Israel and blessing the nations, through the Messiah. Paul isn't inventing a new way of salvation, he is saying, this is the moment the prophets saw coming. God is proving Himself faithful to His promises through Jesus the Jewish Messiah.
"From faith to faith.'' From the faithfulness of God to the faith response of the believer. From the faith of Israel's ancestors to the ongoing faith of Jews and Gentiles alike. Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4, a prophet of the Hebrew Bible, and using the Hebrew word emunah translated as ''faith'' or ''faithfulness.'' Emunah means more than just belief, it includes steadfastness, loyalty, and relational trust. The righteous one is not defined by law-keeping alone, but by a faith-filled relationship with God that results in righteous living. Paul doesn't' set this against Torah, he roots it in Torah and the Prophets. Habakkuk 2:4 speaks to a time when the world seems out of control, and the righteous are called to live by emunah, trusting in God's unfolding redemption. Romans 1:17 shows us that the gospel is Jewish at its core, not a break from Torah, but the fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus. Paul isn't rejecting Judaism, he is saying, this is the moment we have been waiting for. The way of salvation, by emunah, has always been God's path, whether in Abraham's day, Habakkuk's or Paul's.
18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those who by their injustice suppress the truth.
God's wrath is a covenantal response to sin and injustice. Part of God's righteous judgment when His holiness and mercy are rejected. Often linked in the prophets with idolatry, oppression, and injustice (see Isaiah 5:24-25; Jeremiah 7:20). God is not indifferent to evil. His wrath is part of His righteousness, His refusal to ignore sin. "Who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.'' Humanity is actively suppressing the truth. God's truth, revealed in creation, Torah, and the voice of the prophets, is being ignored or twisted. This isn't ignorance, it is willful blindness. Paul is describing not just pagan Gentile culture, but the universal condition of humanity without God's light. This connects to Isaiah 5:20: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light.''
19. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
20. Ever since the creation of the world God's eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have seen and understood though the things God has made. So they are without excuse,
Jewish readers would hear echoes of Psalm 19: "The heavens declare the glory of God.'' God's eternal power and divine nature are not fully hidden; they are built into creation itself. In Jewish thought, especially in the Wisdom literature (like Proverbs), creation reflects God's wisdom, order, and power. In Genesis 1, creation is very good, and it reflects God's character. In the Prophets, idolatry is condemned because people ignore the Creator in favor of created things. God's fingerprints are all over the universe, form the structure of DNA to the majesty of the stars. Paul says that the Gentile world was not left in total darkness, they had natural revelation. Israel had Torah and prophets, but even those without Torah still had a witness to God in creation. From creation to redemption, God's message has always been consistent: KNOW ME, WALK WITH ME, AND REFLECT MY IMAGE.
21. For though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless hearts were darkened.
22. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
23. and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
"They exchanged the glory.'' This is not just a wrong choice, it is a trade that goes against the very purpose of creation. ''Glory'' here is kavod Elohim, the majestic, weighty presence of the living God. Paul is lamenting the spiritual trade-off humanity made instead of honoring the glory of the Creator, people settled for the lesser glories of idols. This echoes Jeremiah 2:11: "Has a nation changed its gods, though they are not gods? Yet My people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit.'' Psalm 106:20: "They exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass.'' Idolatry isn't wrong, it is foolish, because it replaces the living, eternal King with perishable things.
24. Therefore, God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.
This phrase, ''God gave them over'' appears three times in Romans 1. In Hebrew terms, we might hear this as: ''He handed them over to their yetzer (inclination). God withdraws His protective presence, allowing people to experience the natural consequences of their choices. God is actively releasing those who persist in rejecting Him, allowing them to reap what they sow. This parallels what we see in Genesis 6:5: "Every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.'' In Jewish thought, the yetzer hara (evil inclination) is real, but it is meant to be guided by Torah and divine wisdom, not left unchecked. Romans 1:24 shows us that when people trade truth for lies, God eventually honors their choice, and that can mean letting them go into the consequences of their own rebellion.
25. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26. For this reason, God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Their females exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural,
This is the second time Paul uses the phrase ''God gave them over.'' In Hebrew thought, this again reflects a removal of divine restraint. Psalm 81:12: "So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to walk in their own counsels.'' It is not that God forces sin, He simply stops holding people back when they persist in rejecting Him. Paul speaks about their disgraceful cravings. He is describing a moral inversion: passions that were never meant to govern us now drive behavior. In Jewish thought, the yetzer hara (evil inclination) must be kept in check, not eliminated, but directed by Torah and Spirit. Paul is echoing Genesis 1-2, where male and female were created with intentional divine design. To reject that order is, in his view, to mirror the pattern of idolatry: trading what is natural and God-given for something distorted.
27. and in the same way also the males, giving up natural intercourse with females, were consumed with their passionate desires for one another. Malse committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
This builds the argument that both male and female, the entire humanity made in God's image, has turned from divine purpose. In Genesis 2:24, the relationship between man and woman is described as part of God's design, something natural in the Torah sense, meaning created and good.
28. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to an unfit mind and to do things that should not be done.
29. They were filled with every kind of injustice, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips,
30. slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents,
31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32. They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die, yet they not only do them but even applaud other who practice them.
Paul affirms that even the Gentile world, without the written Torah, has some knowledge of God's moral will. This echoes Romans 2:14-15, where Paul says the law is written on their hearts, a reflection of the Noachide laws.
It is not just that people sin, they normalize and promote it. In Jewish thought, this kind of moral inversion is a sign of deep spiritual blindness and leads to national judgment. When truth is rejected, and evil becomes socially affirmed, judgment follows. There is hope. The same God who judged Sodom sent angels to rescue Lot. The same God who exiled Israel promised their restoration through the Messiah. In Yeshua (Jesus), the righteous judgment of God is answered with mercy, and the spiritual death described here is reversed by new life in the Spirit.
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