Concluding Remarks

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Introduction

Some scholars suggest that in this concluding section we have at least two conclusions, possibly three! The suggestion is that someone else, someone possibly close to Paul, later added some material to Paul’s epistle.

That there does seem to be some interesting observations regarding the conclusion to the epistle does not mean that Paul was not the author of the whole epistles.

An interesting fact is that no copy of Romans has appeared any different form the one we have, raising some questions of an earlier epistle to which someone added an appendix!

The conclusion includes some comments as to why Paul wrote the epistle, commendations and greetings to a variety of Christians in Rome [which suggests that since Paul had not yet been to Rome that this section which seems to demonstrate a knowledge of the churches in Rome must have been written by someone other than Paul], and a doxology.

Rom 15:14-33 Paul’s Future Plans Regarding Rome and Spain
Paul begins by expressing confidence in the churches in Rome.
He observes that he is writing by way of reminder, demonstrating no superior attitude toward the Christians in Rome.
He comments on the fact that he was appointed by God to be an apostle to the Gentiles [see Acts 9:15; Gal 1:16].

Paul mentions his ministry of taking up a contribution from the Gentile Christians for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem [Rom 15:16, 26], which was intended to demonstrate the unity of the faith to the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome.

Paul is concerned over how the Jewish Christians and Jews in Jerusalem would receive him and asks for the prayers of the Roman Christians in his behalf for when he arrived in Jerusalem. Paul knew that should the Jewish Christians rejected the Gentile gift that it would set his ministry back considerably.
We learn form Acts 21:17 that the Christians in Jerusalem received him “gladly”.
[See 1 Cor 16:1 - 4; 2 Cor 8:1-5; and 9:1-5 on this contribution].

Paul then (Rom 15:22) discusses the reason he has been detained form visiting Rome; he was busy elsewhere! He had preached al over Palestine, Asia, and Eastern Europe [from Jerusalem to Illyricum].
Now that he had completed that ministry he wanted to go on via Rome to Spain.

It was Paul’s policy not to become a located preacher or to preach where others had laid a foundation for Christianity, like the Star Ship Enterprise in Star Trek , Paul wanted to go where no man had ever gone before!

Rom 15:24 Paul uses a technical term to indicate that he expected the Christians in Rome, Jew and Gentile, to pay his expenses for the journey to Spain [sped on my journey, from the technical term propempo indicates this].

Rom 16:1-23 Personal Commendations and Greetings
Paul commends by requesting that the Christians in Rome receive Phoebe, a sister from Cenchreae, near Corinth in Achaia [Greece]. She is a sister that had been involved as a helper of Paul and many other Christians.

She was a special servant.
The RSV refers to her as a deaconess. The NIV, KJV, and most translations refer to her as a servant.
Our problem is that the Greek word for deacon, deaconess, and servant [diakonos] is exactly the same!

[Diakonos is a unique word that is both masculine and feminine, only the definite article, the, which normally might accompany the noun diakonos, would help us determine whether the word was masculine of feminine gender, and in any case gender in Greek does not imply gender (male or female) in English!]

Which ever way you interpret or understand Phoebe, she was a special servant, which is what the English word Deacon or deaconess should imply!

Paul then greets Prisca and Aquila, fellow workers of Paul [they had gone form Rome to Corinth during the banishment of Jews from Rome by Claudius (see Acts 18:2, 18, 26; and 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19)].
Aquila and Prisca (Priscilla) were Jewish Christians.

Paul then adds that all the churches of the Gentiles greet the churches in Rome (Rom 16:4)

Paul then list a number of Christians he knew from travels and other sources, many of the m are Gentiles and many Jewish. It is difficult to determine simply by names who were Jewish and who were Gentile since many Jews adopted Gentile names, or were known by both Jewish and Gentile names (Paul for example who was also Saul of Tarsus)

It is also difficult to determine how many groups (congregations or house churches) are listed in this section, but we can count at least three. Many scholars find as many as six or more.
[Interestingly, when the Romans permitted Jews to return to Rome, they forbad them meeting in Synagogues, so they met in homes. This would have applied also to Christians, hence the many house churches in Rome, and no apparent large congregation.]

Paul encourages them to greet one another with a holy kiss [the oriental manner of greeting. In the USA we shake hands as a formal greeting, sometimes we hug! The charge is to greet one another in the appropriate manner.

Paul sends greetings from “all the churches of Christ” indicating not a name for the church, but a definition of ownership, community, or allegiance. Churches were variously designated by Paul, see 1 Cor 1:1 “the church of God which is in Corinth”, and 1 Thess 1:1 “the church of the Thessalonians in God”.

It is good as a sign of fellowship today that we identify ourselves as churches of Christ, but it is not a doctrinal principle that we must call ourselves by such nomenclature!

Rom 16:17-18 Paul sternly warns the Christians not to permit those who cause division [that is the meaning of dissentions and difficulties] in opposition to doctrine (the teaching of the church) to remain in close fellowship since they would divide the church. Such persons are to be avoided as dangerous to the fellowship and unity within the church, and this is one of the main purposes for Paul having demonstrated that in god there is no partiality, and that Jews and Gentiles must get along in the church, or in covenant relationship with one another and with God.

Rom 16:25-27 Doxology
Doxology is a term that praises God for his gracious work of redemption.
Paul prays that God will strengthen the Christians in Rome, both Jewish and Gentile, and suggests three ways in which God does this:
1) according to the preaching of Paul’s Gospel
2) according to the revelation of the mystery, that is that in one body God reconciles both Jew and Gentile to himself
3) according to the command of the eternal God who desires an obedient faith.

Three times in Romans Paul has spoken of or alluded to a faith that must be obedient, Rom 1:5; 6:17; 16:26.
An obedient faith must be something of importance to Paul!

Paul concludes by acknowledging the wisdom and glory of the eternal God.