Catholic Commentary on Romans 1

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." (Romans 1:16)

Paul's Letter to Rome

Romans is the most theologically dense letter in the New Testament, Paul's most systematic exposition of the Gospel, written around 57 AD to a community he has never visited but hopes to use as a base for a mission to Spain. The letter opens with one of the most compressed theological statements in all of Scripture: Paul is set apart for the Gospel of God, promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Two natures, one person, the seed of David and the Son of God, the great Christological claim stated in the opening lines before a single argument has been made.

Paul declares his eagerness to preach the Gospel in Rome, the centre of the known world, and states the thesis of the entire letter: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: the righteous will live by faith. Three themes that will govern all sixteen chapters appear here: the Gospel as divine power, the universality of salvation for Jew and Gentile, and righteousness by faith. The quote from Habakkuk 2:4 will become one of the most quoted verses in the history of Christian theology.

The Wrath of God

The second half of the chapter confronts what Paul calls the wrath of God revealed against all ungodliness and wickedness. His argument is that God's existence and power are clearly seen in creation, so that no one has an excuse. He then describes the progressive moral deterioration that follows the suppression of this knowledge: idolatry, sexual immorality, every kind of wickedness. The Catechism does not flinch from this passage in its treatment of natural law and the moral disorder that results from rejecting God: the refusal to acknowledge the Creator leads to the darkening of the heart, the exchange of truth for lies, and the disorder of every human relationship (CCC 1954).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Say that. Mean it. The Gospel is not a set of opinions about spiritual matters. It is the power of God for salvation. Power. The thing that actually changes what nothing else can change. Do not be ashamed of the one thing that has the power to save. Proclaim it, first to yourself, then to whoever God places in front of you today.

Prayer

Lord God, give us the boldness of Paul who was not ashamed of the Gospel in Rome. Let us never mistake the power of God for a cultural option or a private preference. We believe it is the power of salvation. Let us live as though that is true. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Romans
1
Paul Greets the Saints in Rome
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
5 Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
 
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
 
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Unashamed of the Gospel
 
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my spirit * 1:9 Or in my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
 
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting † 1:13 Literally but have been prevented until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks,‡ 1:14 Literally to Greeks and barbarians both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
 
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17 For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish,§ 1:17 Literally For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”* 1:17 Habakkuk 2:4
God’s Wrath against Sin
 
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
 
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
 
24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise!† 1:25 Or forever blessed Amen.
 
26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
 
28 Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. 31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.
 
32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

*1:9 1:9 Or in my spirit

†1:13 1:13 Literally but have been prevented

‡1:14 1:14 Literally to Greeks and barbarians

§1:17 1:17 Literally For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith

*1:17 1:17 Habakkuk 2:4

†1:25 1:25 Or forever blessed

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