Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1:1-Judges : . The Address is elaborate, for Paul is introducing himself to a strange community; and stately, as befits Christ’ s ambassador approaching the imperial city.

Romans 1:1 f., Romans 1:5 f. He is “ an apostle by (God’ s) calling”— not by his own will ( 1 Corinthians 9:16 f.) or human choice ( Galatians 1:1)—“ set apart to be a messenger of God’ s good news,” which had been the burden of “ prophetic scriptures” ; his apostleship aims at bringing “ all the nations, amongst whom” the Romans are conspicuous ( cf. Romans 1:8), “ unto obedience of faith.”

Romans 1:3 f. explains “ the good news” : it is “ about Jesus Christ,” who while He “ came of David’ s seed in the physical order,” was first of all “ God’ s Son, marked out” as such “ in accordance with His sinless character by the fact of His resurrection” ( cf. Acts 2:22; Acts 2:27).

Romans 1:6 f. Jesus Christ “ called” the readers to salvation, making them “ God’ s beloved,” and “ saints” by the nature of their “ calling.”—“ Grace and apostleship” ( Romans 1:5) is not “ the grace of apostleship” : all the grace Paul “ received” looked toward his apostleship (see Galatians 1:15 f.).— A small but representative group of ancient witnesses vouches for the reading: “ To all that are in God’ s love called” to be “ saints” ( cf. Ephesians 1:1, mg.)— a form of words differing from the TR but by a single Greek syllable beside “ Rome.” Zahn (ZK and INT) prefers the shorter reading ( cf. WH Appendix, and see Introd. § 4 ).