To begin answering this question, it is definitely important to place the letter in its historical context. Three years before Paul writes Romans, Nero has the Edict of Claudius lifted, which had expelled Jews from Rome due to what were probably heated or perhaps violent arguments in the Jewish community over Christ. While the Jews were exiled, the Gentile Christians remained in Rome, and things began to change. When Claudius dies and the ban is lifted in 54 C.E., the Jews return to Rome and join the faith which was not Jewish Christianity anymore, but rather Gentile.

As we can see throughout the letter, Paul’s situation is a delicate one indeed. Having never visited the Church of Rome or Rome itself, it makes the lett

The letter itself is thought to contain two parts by many scholars, the first part being an explanation of Paul’s personal theology in chapters 1 to 4, and the second part being later in the letter where he attempts to apply his beliefs to Rome (chapters 9-14). Making the letter more personal so as to ease its awkwardness, he greets his friends Prisca and Aquila who he met earlier and now had returned to Rome, as well as Andronicus and Junia.

Paul’s letter to the Romans, however specific and detailed with regards to the problems he sees, has an interesting ending which creates a question about it in the mind of the reader. This question revolves around the Doxology at the end, and its strange form. The reason for the uncertainty among many scholars is the strange idea that seems to emanate from the ending, that the Doxology is simply a form for which Paul can change to fit the people he is addressing. Its generic feel comes from the fact that it follows the greetings to the people of Rome, specifically Timothy, Lucius, Jason, and others. It would seem that this formula allows Paul to simply place the names of people he knows from the city he’s writing to right before the Doxology, making it seem friendly and personable.

er more complicated. The Gentile Christians might resent his intrusion in their affairs, for it may seem like he’s forcing them in a certain direction, and the Jewish Christians may resent it as well due to what they may have heard of him. Paul obviously needs to treat the situation carefully, and obviously knows he has to try to mend the situation at hand, so that Rome will not break into factions like the Corinthians did. In 3:23, Paul tries to reach both groups within Rome by explaining how both groups are equal. “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God,” he says, uniting them both under sin.

After all is said and done, it seems that Paul truly did know what was happening in Rome. He was able to distinguish between the people involved and their respective beliefs, and answer their questions. Starting off slowly and evenly, Paul then attacks the groups for their egoism an

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