Whereas Romans chapters one through four deal with man’s universal need for salvation and God’s provided righteousness through faith, chapters five through eight reveal the levels of freedom now available for the believer. In Christ, the believer is free from the wrath of God, sin, the Law, and death itself. These four worked together to bring about death: the wrath of God is ever hanging over the man who is enslaved to the “master” of sin, the Law endlessly exposing his failure and imprisonment, and his payment for such labor is death. Through the provided righteousness of Christ, the believer is now free from the endless cycle of sin and death and awakened to life in God, which fruit leads to holiness and eternal life. In Christ there is found the propitiation of sin, the satisfaction of the wrath of God, the fulfillment of the Law, and victory over the curse of sin and death unto a reversal of an ultimate resurrection. In chapters nine through eleven, the big picture of God’s salvation plan is revealed and expounded upon. That is, through Israel’s fall from grace, the Gentiles were brought to salvation until they come to their fulness, which works to bring in the fullness of Israel, unto the end of the age. Finally, chapters twelve through fifteen provide instruction for the Church’s conduct in relationship to God, to one another, and to the world and government. The final chapter gives relevant conclusion, commends leaders in the church, and bids farewell and benediction to Paul’s immediate audience in the church of Rome.
Insomuch as Romans chapter six shows that the believer has died to sin, chapter seven uses the analogy of a marriage parted by death to show the believer to be dead to the Law and re-married to Christ. The example Paul uses is of a husband who dies, thereby freeing the wife from the marriage obligations, freeing her to re-marry. Here, the believer is represented as the wife, whose husband (the Law) dies; contrariwise, in the next verse, the one who died in this marriage to the Law is the believer: “we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by,” (Rom. 7:6). This difference may have been made in reference to the law of Moses, as well as societal norms and circumstances, which allowed husbands to divorce wives, but not vice versa (Deut. 24:1); the wife was in a more profound way a property, under a law to her husband. Similarly, man outside of Christ is subject and bound to the “law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2) as the wife of the illustration was bound to her husband. A problem here is that the Law cannot die. Paul could have easily changed the illustration to it being the wife who died, but on the other hand the husband died, and if there is any confusion about this referring to the Law, he uses the “law” over and over as proceeding from the husband. However, the death of the Law is found, really, in it’s fulfillment in Christ. As Romans 10:4 states, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” It is because Jesus fulfilled the Law, and only through faith in Christ, that the believer becomes dead to the “law of sin and death” and vice versa.
The Law, sin, death, and the wrath of God are referred to in one line, “the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2), though the Law is holy and good, and God just. The idea here is that the Law endlessly exposes sin in fallen man, causing the man to realize more and more his sinfulness. This exposing has no power to free man from sin; it positively and effectually brings awareness of sin and the death and wrath of God brewing towards him. In a word, the Law is holy and good, but fully and only condemning towards man, thereby producing death. Yet, through the blood of Christ, the believer is dead to this cycle of the law of sin and death. As Christ fulfilled the law, died for the propitiation of sinners, and rose as victor over sin and death, so too the believer has died with Christ, and received in themselves the righteousness of Christ and the fulfillment of the Law.
In this way, the believer is dead to the dictatorship of the Law and alive to Christ by the Spirit, destined for the resurrection, and, through the Spirit, fulfills the Law. Where the law produced the fruit of death, the Sprit produces the fruit of holiness to God. The law of sin, or man’s fallen nature, remains in the body, the flesh, though the spirit is made alive to God and inhabited by the Holy Spirit. God chose sanctification (as opposed to an immediate resurrection of the body and spirit) to be the arena in which the believer, as well as the corporate body of Christ, makes choices of faith to serve and love him. Because it is only through walking in the Spirit that the deeds of the flush can be put to death, the process and the progress are real, as Romans 8:13 states, “. . . by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body. . .”. Truly, through the process of sanctification and continually walking in the Spirit, the sin in the flesh is put to death. Death speaks of permanence. In chapter eight, there is a truth of permanence and progress in sanctification available to the believer. Where living carnally in the flesh reaps death, living in the Spirit produces life. Here, the Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead”, that is, the Spirit of the resurrection that now inhabits the body of the believer and produces life even in their “mortal bodies” (Rom. 8:11). This progress of resurrection power is only made by the leadership of the indwelling Spirit, which is the invisible mark of a true believer. As it is written, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Rom. 8:10).
With the indwelling Spirit, the believer is now awakened to the Law of God written in their heart; it is no longer possible to enjoy or be complacent to sin, as awareness and correction is continually made by the working of the Holy Spirit, who brings conviction of what is pleasing to God. It is, in a way, similar to a person integrating into a new culture and each day learning what is now offensive and how to walk acceptably. Not only this, but the Spirit works positively in the believer to testify of, not only their salvation, but their new identity: their adoption as children by God the Father. The indwelling Spirit gives the believer confidence of their acceptance by God, apart from the believer’s perfect fulfillment of the Law; for, the freely imputed righteousness of Christ (Rom. 4:5-8) on the believer certainly also means the free acceptance and approval of the believer in accordance with God’s grace (Eph. 1:6-7). This is in contrast to the previous law of sin and death which assured man of his looming death and constant condemnation under the wrath of God. Where there was condemnation there is now free acceptance, alienation now closeness, even the indwelling Spirit, endlessly increasing knowledge of sinfulness revealed from the outside in now more and more growth into righteousness from the inside out, disapproval and failure now freely imputed righteousness and approval before God, impossibility now confidence in Christ’s victory.
It is true then, that the life of the believer is a life that grows in obedience only to the degree that Christ’s victory over sin and death is received and cooperated with. God’s free acceptance is the means by which the believer may walk out one-hundred fold obedience and find breakthrough. It produces gratitude, grows the heart in the love of Christ, and produces righteousness. Furthermore, the Spirit testifies with the believer (who suffers such death of the flesh, as Christ did) not only of their adoption as children of God, but their new standing with Christ as partners and co-laborers, even “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ”, as well as their imminent glorification (Rom. 8:13-18).
This hope extends even into all of created order, of the earth, all nature, and animal kingdom, which was made subject to the fall, through no fault of their own. Though creation has been made subject to abuse by man and subject to the fall in the loss of it’s original glory, blessedness, and purpose, here, hope is extended to the coming redemption, even to all of creation. For this hope, creation groans in expectation of the redemption of mankind, along with the believer who longs to be clothed with immortality (2 Cor. 5:4; Rom. 8:19-25). The Spirit works towards this end, even “in our weaknesses” leading the believer to right intercession, “according to the will of God”. Finally, this hope stems from the sure foundation of the call of God the Father, who has called, predestined, justified, and glorified Christ, and those found in him. Motivated by pure and immeasurable love, if God not only gave his own Son (the greatest gift he can possibly give) he will surely give the Church and the believer “all things”. It is not just because he gave the greatest gift that he can be trusted to provide the smallest, but it follows that, the plan of the Incarnation, God’s one-hundred percent, eternal joining to mankind, as well as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, must also entail God’s full involvement over the Church and his redemptive plan, encompassing the believer’s glorification with all of creation (Eph. 1:10; Rom. 8:26-32). The extravagant generosity and love of God nullify all condemnation and arguments raised by the law of sin and death even amongst the believer’s struggle against sin. The love and free gift of Jesus from God, who is judge of all and above all, has the final say over the believer and nullifies the strongest opposition; even in the face of failure, suffering, spiritual warfare, and persecution. There is nothing that can sever the believer from the love of Christ, and, now, in Christ, all these work towards the believer’s victory. Even on the believer’s worst day there is purpose and hope working towards an imminent victory (Rom. 5:3-5, 8:33-39).
After Paul lands on the subject of Israel and the Church in chapters nine through eleven, he picks back up in chapter 12 with instruction for the Church to walk in love, now, in retrospect of: first, salvation by faith in Christ, apart from the Law (Rom. 1-8) and second, the display of God’s sovereignty and grace over Israel’s election in cooperation with the faithful remnant, despite the constant apostasy and rebellion of the majority (Rom. 9-11). Respectively, this: first, leveled the playing field of a divided church of Jews and Gentiles to that of their mutual faith into one new race (Eph. 2:14-22), and second, affirmed the irrevocable election of Israel by God’s will, sovereignty, and extravagant grace. The imposing of rituals and traditions by the Jews onto the Gentiles, along with the arrogance and disregard shown by the Gentiles, is addressed as Paul develops the new identity and culture of love and unity the Church is to now walk in. In accordance to this, the purpose of the book of Romans grows into the practical culture of this “one new man” (Eph. 2:14-22), the Church. In addition, Romans nine through eleven is not written to the Gentiles and does not address individual salvation; it is written to the newly converted Jews and addresses God’s sovereignty over the election of Israel.
Now, in chapter twelve, Paul’s first exhortation to the Church is that they fully give themselves to this “good and acceptable and perfect will of God”, that is the will of God he has just covered up until this point. This encompasses a pursuit of one-hundred percent obedience and holiness, now empowered by the indwelling Spirit and the justification apart from works, by means of the cross and resurrection of Christ. Transformation is inevitable as the believer renews their mind under God’s leadership, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:1-2). Next, Paul addresses spiritual gifts, beginning with the necessary attitude of humility. Gifts here are given according to God’s building of “one body”, which necessitates many members and functions. It is in context to diversity within the Church (as in family) that love, humility, and unity can be learned and walked out. Paul exhorts faithfulness to one’s gifting and acceptance of the gifting of others as crucial to the function of the Church (Rom. 12:3-8). Verses nine through twenty-one then shift to the character of Christ-likeness that is to be displayed in the Church, wherein is found: a pursuit of a familial love and affection for one another, a hatred of evil and love of what is good, a culture of honor and putting others first, a focus on serving the Lord with diligence and fervency, a keeping of one’s “eyes on the prize” in prayer and hope (despite any tribulation), a givenness to generosity and hospitality, an operating in the opposite spirit of adversaries, a genuine opening of one’s emotions to feel what the other is feeling, a pursuit of unity in understanding that is marked by humility, simplicity, and lowliness, a seeking of peace with all people, and, with the knowledge that judgement belongs to God, a giving of mercy with the hope of the adversaries’ conversion of heart. All in all, a demeanor of “overcoming evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). As the Church operates as a family and walks out this kind of love, Christ is more and more physically seen and experienced, even by the world, as it is written, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35). Expressly, not by great teachings, prophesies, signs and wonders, but by “love for one another”. Interesting to note, it is this love that Jesus is speaking about that will grow into full maturity and will be in full contrast with the world at the end of the age (Mt. 24:12).
The apostle, having addressed the Church’s culture of love towards one another, now addresses their culture to the world. First of all, he exhorts the Church to understand governmental authority as ordained by God for the restraint of evil and to be subject to them. This means the observance of authority and ordinances in government especially in intercession, the following of the law, the paying of taxes, and the giving of honor (Rom. 13:1-8). Of course, the obedience of government is in reference to that which is good and rolls out of the previous chapter of living peaceably with all men as much as it is possible. It is not always the case that authorities and laws stand for God’s justice, and yet it is always the sovereign God who gives them any authority whatsoever. Consider Jesus before Pilate saying, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above,” (Jn. 19:11) and consider the persecution that flows from the government of the Beast of Revelation 13 in which it is written, “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.” Thus, the Christian must be subject to God above any other authority, and that obedience to God in many cases necessitates disobedience to authority and leads to persecution, which in turn ushers in (within God’s display of mercy and justice), the judgments of God (Dan. 3:16-18, 6:10; Esth. 4:11, 5:1; Acts 4:19, Rev. 6:9). In general, the Church is to be subject to authority as to the Lord yet in bold harmony with God’s will. Furthermore, Christians are to love their neighbor, those who are inside or outside of the fellowship of God, as themselves and so fulfill the law. Yet, in loving the neighbors of the world is a marked distinction from the world and a refusal of fellowship therein; instead, the Christian is to live in a sobriety of godliness and putting away of all fleshly lusts. (Rom. 13:9-14).
Wrapping around the subjects of Christian conduct within and without the Church, Paul comes back to address some of the greatest contentions occurring in the church, which, in this case, was the treatment of new believers (most likely Jews) who had scruples concerning the law of Moses in regards to food, and, on the other hand, the imposing of the observation of certain days (probably upon the Gentiles who did not observe the holy days of the Jewish calendar). In each case Paul calls each to: 1. Have fellowship with new believers, “but not to disputes over doubtful things” (meaning fellowship free from disputes about insignificant and controversial subjects), 2. Show respect towards one another, acknowledging that each belongs to the Lord, and not getting in between God’s leadership and judgment of a person, in which there is a disagreement, and 3. Avoiding causing another’s conscience to suffer by putting in front of them that which they have qualms about, even in the small matters of food and holidays. The Apostle sums up that all such things pertain to one’s faith and he says, “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind,” of such things, and all things are and should be done in faith and unto the Lord, which is the pressing matter. More critical of an issue, here, is the judgment, contempt, and carelessness being thrown around, not remembering that each one will personally give account of their own self before God. When one makes themselves a judge of another, which is God’s rightful place, it is as if he blindly stands before the judgment seat of God, as if though he were God, with his back facing God, while receiving the judgment of God upon himself. Paul concludes, probably to the relief of all, that there is no uncleanness in the various small matters surrounding the outward observance of one’s faith, yet the conscience is affected by what one believes. Either way, each must do what they do as unto the Lord, and that is the key here. Nonetheless, there is a greater response required on the member who is not offended and feels freedom in such things; this member is required to keep the matter to herself before God and in no wise offend or challenge another by it. Finally, Paul brings awareness to the Church that, “whatever is not from faith is sin,” and so, the conscience may only bare right standing in decisions when it is in accordance with one’s faith before God, rather than the pressures or opinions of others. Though this is written in context to Jews and Gentiles coming together to fellowship and worship (a context in which legalism and licentiousness is positively existing) it pertains to “doubtful things” as opposed to things that are certain or black and white.
Chapter fifteen sums up that unity in the family of God in such cases is by the patience and acceptance with humility of the strong towards the weak in faith, and not through self-seeking, judging, and provoking. Paul speaks into the obedience and humility of Christ, who died on account of sin; he points to the cross and quotes Psalm 69, a Messianic Psalm in which Christ is crucified and takes onto himself the sin of the people, their reproach of God, the temple, the worship, the ordinances, etc. Through the “patience and comfort” ministered by the Word, the believers may grow in unity together (Rom. 15:4). Paul shows that Christ “became a servant to the circumcision”, that is, he did not take “liberty as an opportunity for the flesh”, but rather served so humbly and to so great an extent under the Mosaic Law in order to minister to Israel, though he was bringing in a new dispensation. Not only this, but he received both Jews and Gentiles (Gal. 5:13; Rom. 15:1-8).
Rolling off this idea, the Apostle again affirms in a handful of scriptures how greatly the Gentiles should glorify God for his mercy, who brought salvation to the them with great joy according to his great and mysterious plan which was foreordained. Meaning, it was the Lord’s full intention that all played out as it had. This understanding is why Ephesians chapter two is so powerful a passage against racism and this is why Paul magnifies his ministry among the Gentiles and exclaims praise concerning God’s plan in Romans 11:32-36. The Scriptures address the Gentiles so directly and show that the ministry of the Messiah is directed at them with great intention and hope (2 Sam. 22:50, Ps. 18:49, Deut. 32:43, Ps. 117:1, Is. 11:1, 10).
Paul goes on to show the purpose of his journey, in which his ministry to the Gentiles was fulfilled from Jerusalem “round about” to Illyricum. He confidently states, “I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 15:19). This vast missionary journey is impressive, especially taking in his goal which was to preach only where the name of Christ was not heard, laying his own foundation. Paul desired to visit Rome on his way to Spain which most likely occurred in his fourth missionary journey. After his release from Roman imprisonment we have see in the epistles that followed (Hebrews, Titus, First Timothy, and Second Timothy) that he brought the Gospel to Colosse, Spain, Corinth, Miletus, Troas, Crete, Nicopolis, Philippi, Italy, Judea, Ephesus, and Macedonia (McGee). The total of his journeys encompass around 10,000 miles (Early Church History). Finally, Paul commends the saints in Macedonia and Achaia for their generosity to the saints in Jerusalem and he states a principle that it is good to provide material things to those who provide spiritual things, giving great understanding on how offering and giving should operate in the Church. He expects the same from the Church of Rome upon his journey to Jerusalem and he also asked for prayers for this trip and protection to “be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe”(Rom. 15:24-31). How exciting it would be to hear the enthusiastic and promising words from the very Apostle Paul, “I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ,” and to know that he comes “with joy by the will of God” (Rom. 15:29, 32).
Paul concludes the book of Romans with an affectionate and long farewell in which he commends and send his greetings to his co-workers of the Gospel in great depth. Here are listed 27 individuals, two which represent an household, and three which represent a community of believers (a house church, “brethren” and “saints”). Most prominent is Paul’s commendation of Phoebe as a servant in the church in Cenchrea (an eastern harbor of Corinth, Greece), who is clearly traveling to Rome and is possibly the deliverer of this epistle. Perhaps she is accompanied by the rest of the group Paul lists starting with “Greet . . .” for each of them. Here in Romans 16:1 Pheobe is listed as a “servant of the church”, which is literally translated from the Greek “deacon” or “diakonos”, a masculine or feminine Greek noun meaning: “I. one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister: A. the servant of a king, B. a deacon”, “a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, near Corinth” (Blue Letter Bible). He exhorts the church of Rome to “receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of saints, and assister her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed, she has been a helper of many and of myself also” (Rom. 16:1-2). Paul was not shy to commend to the Church, along with her, 9 other women as laborers of the Gospel.
After his announcement of Phoebe, he introduces in verses three through five Pricilla and Aquila along with their house church. This couple is listed a total of five times in the Bible. In Acts 18:1-4 Paul found them in Corinth, Greece where they were fleeing from Rome as Claudius had commanded. Because they were all tentmakers they stayed and worked together while Paul continued his missionary work. Later in verses 18-20 Paul sailed to Syria with the couple but left them in Ephesus, where, in verses 24-28 Priscilla and Aquila discipled a man named Apollos who was fervent in the Gospel yet had need of instruction as he had only been taught the baptism of John. Their fruit in discipling Apollos was notable, for, from verse 27 through 28, “. . . when he [Apollos] desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” Finally, in 1 Corinthians. 16:19, Paul includes this couple in his farewell, saying, “The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” Paul writes of them that they “laid down their own necks” for his life.
Next, Paul introduces Epanetus, as the “firstfruits of Achaia”. This title speaks volumes of maturity in the faith and work in the Gospel, as it is clear that Paul had so successfully planted the Gospel from Asia Minor through Greece. Epanetus stood strong from the beginning of such labors (Rom. 16:5).
Mary is now greeted, though it is unknown whether she is associated with one of the many Mary’s listed in the Bible. This name occurs a total of 54 times in 10 unique forms, of which are: Mary the mother of Jesus (19x), Mary Magdalene (13x), Mary the sister of Martha (11x), Mary the mother of James (9x), Mary the mother of John Mark (1x), Mary of Rome (1x). She is commended as one “who labored much for us” (Rom. 16:6).
Andronicus and Junia are now mentioned in high esteem as Paul’s countrymen. Their labor in the Gospel is notable as they were of note among the apostles, were Paul’s fellow prisoners, and were in Christ before Paul. Though it has been argued because of the nature of her ministry and labor in Lord that Junia must be a man, the name here, Junia, is a proper feminine noun in the Greek a name meaning, “I. Junia = “youthful”, A. Christian woman at Rome, mentioned by Paul as one of his kinsfolk and fellow prisoners (Blue Letter Bible).
Amplias and Urbanus are to be given greeting along with Stachys, who “is said to be one of the seventy disciples, and bishop of Byzantium (Gill))” (Blue Letter Bible). Aristobulus along with his household and Herodion, another of Paul’s countrymen with a name meaning “heroic” are greeted along with the household of Narcissus. The latter has a very interesting name, seeming from the same etymology as the word “narcotic”, meaning “stupidity”, and is said by some to be the well known emancipated slave of Claudius, taking support from The Lives of the Ceasars, (Suetonius, The Lives of the Ceasars, The life of Claudius”Suetonius, Claudius 28; Tacitus, ann. 11, 29f; 12, 57 etc.). In any case, the very name points to a profound salvation story and testimony of Christ.
Next, three women are listed as laboring “much in the Lord”: Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis. The word here used for labor is “kopiaō” (transliterated from the Greek, Strong’s Number: G2872). Where as, the words for “labor” occur 89 times in the King James Version, the unique form of “kopiaō” occurs 24 times in the same version. The definition is: “Labor: to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief), II. to labour with wearisome effort, to toil, A. of bodily labour.” Furthermore, this same word occurs in the following contexts of: Paul’s exhortation to cooperate in 1 Corinthians 16:16, “. . . that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us,” Paul’s warning in Galatians 4:11, “I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain,” Paul’s description of his work in the Lord in Colossians 1:29, “To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily,” the honor given to laborer’s of the Gospel in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,” the provision for ministers in 2 Timothy 2:6, “The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops,” the labor that Jesus’ takes note of in Revelation 2:3, saying, “and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.” This very powerful word for “labor” is here used in this passage for four of the women: Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis.
Next, Rufus is noted as “chosen in the Lord”. This name is mentioned once before in Mark 15:21, “And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.” Using the word “chosen” causes the imagination to wonder if this is that same Rufus, the father of Simon who helped Jesus carry the cross. Tradition does identify this Rufus as Simon’s father, teaching that his family became missionaries, and Simon is attributed to one among the “men of Cyrene” who, in Acts 11:20 is preaching to the Greeks. As mentioned, the mother of Rufus is honored as Paul’s own mother, what a statement! He’s an Apostle known for his prudence afterall, he’s not just being nice.
Paul announces a greeting to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, and Hermes, “and the brethren who are with them.” Of these, Hermas is notable in that, according to tradition, he was one of the seventy disciples, and afterwards bishop of Dalmatia and it is clear that these five are over a gathering of believers or a ministry in the Lord in the words, “the brethren who are with them”. The same goes for the couple, Philologus and Julia who are next mentioned in the same line with “Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them,” alluding to those well known individuals who are over a gathering of believers or a ministry in the Lord. Paul commends these to the church of Rome and exhorts them to receive such ones with familial affection. He concludes in warning the church to take note of and avoid “those who cause divisions and offenses” in the church with marked descriptions of their character and mannerisms. This kind of admonition must have been necessary after such an epistle that was sure to bring not only solution but offense and perhaps division. However, the Apostle does not budge in his presentation of the Gospel of salvation. He exhorts them to “be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil,” and is confident to say, “God will crush satan under your feet shortly,” as if he was well aware that the church would experience sudden victory over their troubles and divisions.
Finally, Tertius, (Paul’s amanuensis) gives his greeting as the writer of the epistle, along with Timothy, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Gaius, (who is described as “my host and the host of the whole church”. Perhaps he was hosting meetings for the church at large or was known for his constant hospitality), and Erastus (a prominent man who was the treasurer of the city, which salutation speaks of how permeating the Gospel was to the city; at least the same name is mentioned in Acts 19:22 and 2 Timothy 4:20 as Pauls traveling companion). In conclusion Paul submits the Church to Jesus, who is the ultimate keeper and worker amongst them, while he awaits his approaching visit to them.
Works Cited
New King James Version. Bible Gateway, http://www.biblegateway.com. Accessed 20 Sept. 2018.
McGee, Matthew. “Chronology of Apostle Paul’s Journeys and Epistles”. matthewmcgee.org, 1998. matthewmcgee.org/paultime.html.
“St. Paul Went to Spain?”. earlychurchhistory.org, Accessed 12 Oct. 2018.
https://earlychurchhistory.org/beliefs-2/st-paul-went-to-spain/.
Blue Letter Bible. www.blueletterbible.org. Accessed 12 Oct. 2018.
...and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” 