Romans 1:8-13

Romans 1:8

prwton men FIRST,
eucaristw I THANK tw qew MY mou GOD

dia THROUGH ihsou JESUS cristou CHRIST

uper FOR pantwn ALL umwn YOU

oti h THAT pistiV FAITH umwn YOUR

kataggelletai IS ANNOUNCED en IN

olw WHOLE tw THE kosmw WORLD

The word “first” gives the impression that Paul is beginning with a list but he never arrives at a “second.”

Paul’s use of the word must then be “of primary importance” or “Let me begin. . .”

Paul offers thanks to “my” God “through” Jesus Christ.

a) Paul recognizes God’s work among the Romans

b) Paul recognizes God as his personal God. Paul identifies with his God.

c) Paul uses the high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ to offer this thanks to God. Since Paul,
a mere man, does not have access to God accept through Jesus Christ. Paul does not approach
God because he is an apostle, because he is obedient, because he is chosen. Everything comes
from God to us through Jesus and everything goes from us to God through Jesus.

d) Hebrews 13:15, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name."

Paul is thankful for “all” the believers. Not the good ones, or the mature ones or the church leaders.
He is thankful for every one of them that has placed faith in Christ.

Their “faith” is “announced” all over the world.

Paul does not say their “great” faith. The fact that there are people in Rome with faith in

Jesus Christ is noteworthy enough that missionaries, apostles, pastors and
believers everywhere have made note of this fact.

People are probably encouraged to accept Christ because even the citizens in the city of Rome have turned to Christ.

The phrase “the whole world” is probably a hyperbole and is focused on “the whole Christian world” that has been reached with the gospel.

Romans 1:9

martuV FOR gar WITNESS mou MY estin o IS qeoV GOD,
w WHOM latreuw I SERVE en tw IN

pneumati mou MY SPIRIT en IN tw THE euaggeliw GLAD TIDINGS
tou OF uiou HIS autou SON, wV HOW adialeiptwV UNCEASINGLY
mneian MENTION umwn OF YOU poioumai I MAKE,

“For” (left out of the NIV) gives more information concerning Paul’s prayer for the Romans.

Besides giving thanksgiving for their faith he will say in verse 10 is to visit them.

In other letters Paul also mentions praying for the recipients of his letter.

1) Consistency of his prayer

a. 1 Corinthians 1:4

b. Ephesians 1:16

c. Philippians 1:4

d. Colossians 1:3

e. 1 Thessalonians 1:2

f. 2 Thessalonians 1:3

g. Philemon 4

2) Concern for the readers

a. (same as above)

3) Desire for their spiritual growth

a. Ephesians 1:16b-19

b. Philippians 1:9-11

c. Colossians 1:9-11

d. Philemon 6

“God. . .is my witness”

Paul uses this “call to be a witness” formula at other places where it is important to him that his readers to know what he is saying is the absolute truth.

a) 2 Corinthians 1:23 – “I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.”

b) Philippians 1:8, “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

c) 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 10 – “You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed – God is our witness. . .
You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.”

But before Paul finishes his “call to be a witness” formula he digresses to affirm the
sincerity and the motive for his ministry and why he would even be motivated to
come to Rome.

Paul’s motive for doing anything of service to the Romans (including his prayers) is
because he says it is “God whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son”.

Motivation: Service to God and his Message - Paul stands before God motivated to serve

Production: The result is that Paul is preaching, praying and concerned about the Romans

Motivation is Vertical. . . . . . . . . toward God

Production is Horizontal . . . . . . .toward people

Worldly religion will reverse these:

a) Producing to please God

b) Motivated by people’s opinion

If we are motivated by God we can serve people.

If we are motivated by people we cannot serve God nor will we be helpful to people.

Notice in the Greek instead of “with my whole heart” (NIV) it says “en IN tw THE

pneumati SPIRIT mou OF ME"

adialeiptwV UNCEASINGLY or in the NIV "constantly"

". . .I remember you in my prayers."

• adialeiptwV - "without interruption, unceasingly, constantly"
• Used in Greek to refer to a cough.
• Here, and in verse 10 “always”, refers not to non-stop, constant prayer but to a consistent, disciplined practice of never failing to remember them in his prayers when he prays.
• This is speaking of a disciplined prayer life with set times of prayer and a consistent reference to the Romans in those consistent prayers.
• This does not mean that Paul never stops praying for the Romans every second of every minute (or once a minute, or once an hour, or once a day, or once a week, etc.)
• Paul uses this adverb “adialeiptwV” three other times and each time he is using it in reference to prayer:
• 1 Thessalonians 1:2 – “We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before God . . .”
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – “We also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

This could be translated:

“how constantly I make mention of you, always at my prayers asking. . .”

“how constantly I always make mention of you at my prayers, asking. . .”

The point is Paul is consistently praying for two things:

a) For the Romans

b) To visit the Romans

Romans 1:10

pantote ALWAYS epi twn AT

proseucwn mou MY PRAYERS

deomenoV BESEECHING, eipwV IF BY ANY MEANS hdh NOW
pote AT LENGTH

euodwqhsomai I SHALL BE PROSPERED en BY tw THE
qelhmati WILL tou OF qeou GOD elqein TO COME
proV TO umaV YOU

Romans 1:11

epipoqw FOR I gar LONG idein TO SEE umaV YOU
ina THAT ti SOME

metadw I MAY IMPART carisma GIFT

umin TO YOU pneumatikon SPIRITUAL,

eiV TO to THE [END]

sthricqhnai BE ESTABLISHED umaV YE

Three reasons are listed in verses 11-15 for wanting to come to the Romans:

a) Verse 11 – “to share some spiritual gift”

b) Verse 13 – “to have a harvest”

c) Verse 15 – “to preach the gospel”

“some spiritual gift” is not precisely known to us or even to Paul at the time of writing since he did not know what their
needs where and what the Spirit would do until the moment when Paul was with the Romans.

“Spiritual Gift”

1 Peter 4:8-11

Romans 12:6-8

“Impart” is “metadw” means “to share with someone”

The Holy Spirit gives the gift and the Holy Spirit gives the manifestation:

1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. . .
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”

Romans 1:12

touto de estin THAT IS,

sumparaklhqhnai TO BE COMFORTED TOGETHER

en AMONG umin YOU dia THROUGH thV THE
en IN allhloiV ONE ANOTHER pistewV FAITH, umwn BOTH
te YOURS kai AND emou MINE

The phrase touto de estin THAT IS:

· is used only here in the Greek NT.

· Implies that Paul is going to correct or clarify what he just said.

· Paul is wanting to clarify or expand his last statement “to make you strong” and add to it “that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”

sumparaklhqhnai TO BE COMFORTED TOGETHER

• Aorist Infinitive Passive
• “to encourage together, to encourage mutually.”
• Paul mentions this again in 15:32, “so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.”
• “refreshed” here means “to rest together, to refresh together”
• Or could be translated, “I may rest and refresh my spirit with you.”

“Faith” here may refer to the faith that comes with the gift. Not salvation faith, and not the doctrine of core beliefs
called “the faith” but the faith (vision, purpose, manifestation) that comes with each individual gift

Romans 1:13

ou BUT qelw I DO NOT de WISH umaV YOU
agnoein TO BE IGNORANT, adelfoi BRETHREN,
oti THAT pollakiV MANY TIMES proeqemhn I PROPOSED
elqein TO COME proV TO umaV YOU kai AND
ekwluqhn WAS HINDERED acri UNTIL tou THE
deuro PRESENT ina THAT karpon FRUIT tina SOME

scw I MIGHT HAVE kai ALSO en AMONG umin YOU
kaqwV ACCORDING AS kai ALSO en AMONG
toiV THE loipoiV OTHER eqnesin NATIONS

Paul has wanted to visit (verse 11), has prayed to visit (verse 10) Paul says here in verse 13 that he had made plans to visit Rome.

Notice the use of the “ignorant” formula – “I do not want you to be unaware (ignorant), brothers.” This phrase is used by Paul when he wants to disclose or reveal information.

This is also used in:

• Romans 11:25, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers. . . . .Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:1, “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers . . . (then Paul lists a series of OT events) . . .These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:1, “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:8, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have not hope.”

Paul wants to have a harvest among the Romans with his apostolic gift.

This would come in two basic ways:

a) Evangelizing the Roman people and bringing in new believers

b) Strengthening those who are currently members of the body of believers.

Paul then closes with a statement of apostolic confidence that agrees with God’s call on his life, “a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.”

· Paul knows his gift and knows the result of using that gift.

· In verse 12 Paul is confident of the mutual benefit he and the Romans would share from each other, but here he is focusing on their benefit from his visit.