Romans Sundays

In a slight diversion from the lectionary, I hope to spend a little Sunday time each week in Romans. This will take some time...

I am primarily interested in how the Wesleyan tradition might read this text. Of course the original meaning is the original meaning--no changing of that for any tradition. But the significance of the Romans text differs from tradition to tradition.

There's already plenty out there on Romans from other theological perspectives. I think of Ben Witherington's recent comments on a forthcoming New Testament Theology--almost certainly that of Thomas Schreiner of Louisville Southern Baptist Seminary (see Witherington's initial reaction). Of course I don't think Schreiner or his close friend John Piper even has the original meaning right.

So today I give my translation of Romans 1:1-7, the prescript of the letter, and will be reading the comments of Wesley and Adam Clarke on that passage. I'm also creating a Romans interlinear at the same time, which of course can be expanded with my own explanatory notes in time.

So we begin with Romans 1:1-7. I'll be reading different commentators for a few weeks on this passage.
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Romans 1:1-7 (The Prescript)
Paul, a slave of Messiah Jesus, called [by God to be] an apostle, set apart for this wonderful message from God, which God promised earlier through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. This message is about God's Son, who came from the seed of David in terms of his flesh. But he was enthroned with power as the Son of God by the Spirit of Holiness, because he rose from the dead--Jesus [the] Messiah, our Lord.

It is through [Jesus] that we have received grace and a commission to take the good message to all non-Jews in his name, so that they might obey and have faith. You are among them--even you are called by Jesus Messiah.

So I write to all who are in Rome, loved by God, called to be holy ones. Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Messiah.
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Perhaps the most "Wesleyan" thing that Adam Clarke has to say comes in his treatment of the word "slave" (doulos). Here he speaks of Paul's complete surrender to Jesus Christ. Indeed, we should remember when we get to Romans 6 that Paul has already identified himself as a slave of Jesus Christ, which is not to be a slave of sin but a slave of righteousness.

The phrase, "Spirit of Holiness" does not have any particular Wesleyan import, although Clarke does discuss the phrase. As I may mention next week, it seems a non-Pauline way of referring to the Holy Spirit.

Of some interest, although neither Wesley nor Clarke discuss it, is the expression "the obedience of faith." Faith here seems to issue in obedience, "the obedience that comes from faith." Faith thus does not contradict action. Its opposite is disbelief and disobedience, not works.

The expression, "called to be saints" or "called as holy ones" is not a call to become holy. Rather, all who are believers are holy, set apart to God.

I will explore some other aspects of these verses next Sunday. But these seem to be the aspects of these verses that are of greatest interest to those in the Wesleyan tradition.