TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS IN ROME

[jeremiah1five]

How do we know Paul the Jewish Christian is writing to Jewish Christians at Rome?
Look at the language.

1 PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
the "gospel of God", or the "good news" of Israel's Messiah according to covenant and prophecies and promises had come.

2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
only Jews would know about any promises of his [God's] prophets in their own holy scriptures.

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
only Jews would know about King David who lived around 1000 B.C. and Jews understand 'seed' being a people that tracked and recorded their genealogy. Take a look at Jesus' birth line in Matthew and Luke. Family lines were important to the Jews.

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
the "spirit of holiness." Gentiles know nothing about holiness, but holiness is a term most frequently mentioned in the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets, even in the passage, "be ye holy for I am holy" (Lev. 20:7.)

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
"among all nations" meaning Gentiles. Taking the above as true that Paul writes to Jewish Christians the distinction of "among all nations" is significant and separates Jews from Gentiles by which Paul and Barnabas - "we have received grace and apostleship" (Acts 13:1-4) for obedience "to the faith." Idol-worshiping Gentiles know nothing about "faith" being carried away by their dumb idols.

6 Among whom are ye [Jews] also the called of Jesus Christ:
Abraham, Moses, Samuel, were "called" even the people called together to receive instruction from God's prophets are identified as "called" or "the called." Gentiles would know nothing of the "calling" of God in their terminology or culture being without God in the world. And being "the called of Jesus Christ" [Israel's Messiah] has direct reference that Jesus is Israel's Messiah/Christ and that according to covenant, promises, and prophecies Israel is the "called" of God [YHWH.}

7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Israel is betrothed to God and the beloved of God. Israel is also identified as His "saints" in several books of the First Covenant Scriptures. Only Israel has Abraham as their father and through him the fatherhood of God [YHWH.]
YHWH is known in the First Covenant Scriptures to be the Father of the Hebrew nation/people through Abraham.
Taking all the above it is clear that in this introduction of Paul's letter to Christians at Rome that these Christians are Jewish.

Rom. 1:1–7.

 

[Josheb]

How do we know Paul the Jewish Christian is writing to Jewish Christians at Rome?

In Christ there is no Jew or Gentile.

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Paul wrote that specifically to address the problem asserted in this op: one of the other apostles, Peter, was treating Jewish converts differently than he was Gentile (Greek) converts, and Peter had a history doing so (it went all the way back to Acts 15.

Look at the language.

1 PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
the "gospel of God", or the "good news" of Israel's Messiah according to covenant and prophecies and promises had come.

2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
only Jews would know about any promises of his [God's] prophets in their own holy scriptures.

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
only Jews would know about King David who lived around 1000 B.C. and Jews understand 'seed' being a people that tracked and recorded their genealogy. Take a look at Jesus' birth line in Matthew and Luke. Family lines were important to the Jews.

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
the "spirit of holiness." Gentiles know nothing about holiness, but holiness is a term most frequently mentioned in the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets, even in the passage, "be ye holy for I am holy" (Lev. 20:7.)

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
"among all nations" meaning Gentiles. Taking the above as true that Paul writes to Jewish Christians the distinction of "among all nations" is significant and separates Jews from Gentiles by which Paul and Barnabas - "we have received grace and apostleship" (Acts 13:1-4) for obedience "to the faith." Idol-worshiping Gentiles know nothing about "faith" being carried away by their dumb idols.

6 Among whom are ye [Jews] also the called of Jesus Christ:
Abraham, Moses, Samuel, were "called" even the people called together to receive instruction from God's prophets are identified as "called" or "the called." Gentiles would know nothing of the "calling" of God in their terminology or culture being without God in the world. And being "the called of Jesus Christ" [Israel's Messiah] has direct reference that Jesus is Israel's Messiah/Christ and that according to covenant, promises, and prophecies Israel is the "called" of God [YHWH.}

7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Israel is betrothed to God and the beloved of God. Israel is also identified as His "saints" in several books of the First Covenant Scriptures. Only Israel has Abraham as their father and through him the fatherhood of God [YHWH.]
YHWH is known in the First Covenant Scriptures to be the Father of the Hebrew nation/people through Abraham.
Taking all the above it is clear that in this introduction of Paul's letter to Christians at Rome that these Christians are Jewish.

Rom. 1:1–7.

All of which was promised to Christ, not the Jews. This is made clear Paul's letters to the Galatians.

Galatians 3:16
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.

The promises were spoken to Abaraham and to Abraham's seed, who is Christ. The promises were spoken to Abraham and Christ. They were not spoken to the Jews. There were no Jews in Abraham's days. Israel did not yet exist.

ISRAEL DID NOT YET EXIST!!!
JEWS DID NOT THEN EXIST!!!​

Every time God speaks of His own promises it should be understood they were promises first spoken to Abraham and Jesus long before Jews and Israel ever existed. That includes EVERYTHING written in Romans 1. This op has committed a gross exegetical error by not correctly identifying to whom the gospel and the promises were first spoken. Instead of placing in bold-faced type words that apply to all God's people in Christ where there is no Jew or Greek what should have been highlighted with bold-face type was the word "promises," because the promises were not made to Jews.

They were made to Abaraham and Jesus.

The inheritance did not come through the Jewish) Law; it came by faith.

Romans 4:13-15
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

Romans 8:12-17
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Nothing in Romans 1:1-17 can or should be made to contradict with what Paul elsewhere wrote in that letter or his other epistles. Paul the former Jew converted to Christ (there is no such things as a "Jewish Christian" in scripture) plainly stated the promises were made to Abraham and Jesus (not Jews), there are no Jews or non-Jews in Christ, inheritance to those promises comes by faith, all converts to Christ are fellow heirs with Abraham and Jesus of the promises God made to Abraham and Jesus.

Ephesians 3:4-7
By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.


There's another fundamental problem with this idea Paul's language is automatically and inherent applicable solely to the Jews. Paul was the apostle sent to the Gentiles, NOT the Jews. Read EVERYTHING he wrote in the context of his being the apostle to the Gentiles and NOT the Jews.

How do we know Paul the Jewish Christian is writing to Jewish Christians at Rome?

Paul was sent to the Gentiles, not the Jews.

 

[Josheb]

How do we know Paul the Jewish Christian is writing to Jewish Christians at Rome?

Paul was not a "Jewish Christian." He was formerly a Jew who had become a Christian.
Originally Christianity was a sect within Judaism called "The Way," indicated the adherents followed the way of the Jewish rabbi Yeshua ben Joseph, much like the Sadducees were a product of the Jewish rabbi Zadok (who was a descendant of Aaron's) and the "way" of the Pharisees who disdained the influence of Hellenism that had infected Judaism in the intertestamental period. This term "The Way" came from Jesus' claim he was the way to God (Jn. 14:6). This became a term of derision among the outsiders because Jesus did not say his teaching were the way, nor his lifestyle; Jesus claimed himself to be the way to God. This was heretical in Judaism and as a consequence the Jews persecuted Christians. Saul, the Jewish Pharisee, persecuted followers of The Way with vigor and zeal. He was a Christian persecutor. As the gospel moved out from Jerusalem and Israel it reached the Greek and African cities and in Antioch followers of The Way became known as "Christians," or "little Christs." In Acts 8 we read of Saul's persecutions and in Acts 9 we read his persecutions moved out of Israel to the Greek cities, including Damascus.

On the way God knocked Saul off his donkey, struck blind, and kept that way until Ananias (who had been summoned by God) healed Saul and shared the gospel with him.

From that moment on Saul no longer existed. He became Paul, and Paul self-identified himself as a bondservant of Christ.

Galatians 1:13-17
For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

His former life was in Judaism. His new life was in Christ, Christ alone, and he knew, understood, and acted in obedience to his new role and identity in Christ as an apostle to the Gentiles.

Furthermore, he treated those to whom he wrote the exact same way, emphasizing the former identities and their former way of living were gone.

Ephesians 2:1-3
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Former Jews and former pagans had formerly both been dead in sin and thereby objects of wrath.

Ephesians 2:11-16
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands — remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

God made the two into one. Both were dead in sin, both were objects of wrath apart from Christ, both formerly led lives that could/would never bring them to God, and both lived with a wall between them and God that God Himself tore down with the death and resurrection of His Son..... in whom there is neither Jew nor Greek.


Paul did not introduce himself as "I, Saul, the Jewish Christian." EVER. Paul introduced himself as a bondservant of Christ and a messenger of Christ.

Romans 1:1
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God...

1 Corinthians 1:1
Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother...

2 Corinthians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother...

Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)....

Ephesians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 1:1
Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus...

Colossians 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God...

1 Thessalonians 1:1
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 Thessalonians 1:1
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,

2 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

Titus 1:1
Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ...

Philemon 1:1
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus...
Paul never once introduced himself as a "Jewish Christian," and the only time he ever referenced Judaism was to bring Jew and Gentile together in Christ. Paul explained this early on in his ministry when he wrote the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 9:19-21
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.

To these same readers he previously declared,

1 Corinthians 2:1-2
And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.


I will not quote the text in its entirety for the sake of space, but deplores Jews who claim to be Jews who abide the Law in Romans 2. He concludes his argument with the following,

Romans 2:12-29 excerpted
For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law.............. But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God............. i if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision................ For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

By that definition, I am a Jew.

For my heart has been circumcised by God's Spirit, not the letter, and not by human hands, the hard heart of stone has been replaced with a soft one of flesh.



Paul was a Christian, a bond-servant of Christ and Christ's messenger to the Gentiles. Furthermore, not once did Paul identify his readers as Jews, either.

 

[jeremiah1five]

Same.

 

[Mr GLee]

Same.

I would think we must obey the whole law as it is writen. No cherry picking the whole consul.

Same as who? Saul before his born again conversion . Paul when he fell to the ground hearing the gospel of salvation through all things writen in the law and the prophets (sola scriptura) and heard a voice saying unto him , Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Saul as a Jew of Jews had all the right IDs' needed to murder Christians in order to fulfil the foundation of the unbelievers. "Out of sight out of mind . Bury them reminders and lie like Cain. I don't know where they are . You are God do you see them?

Acts 22King James Version22 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers,( oral traditons) and was (falsely)zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished

Same ones who served the dying flesh of mankind through I heard it through the father grapevine of dying mankind. They made Paul into the number #1 most wanted dead or alive . They (verses 5-6 of chapter 24 tried to judge Him with their oral traditions of dying mankind ,But they could not prove that all things writen in the law and prophets (sola scriptura) was heresy .They walked away with no faith that could please God Tried to judged born again own law of dying mankind .they could prove nothing .

Acts 24: 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. I heard it through the legion of fathers grapevine

Acts 24:13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

It's easy to see they worship the dying flesh of the legions of dying fathers that some call patron saints.

Paul worshiped the one God our Holy Father they worshiped dying mankind as if the legion was one our one Holy fathers

The gospel doesn't get any clearer Look to the eternal things of God not seen. . not of temporal dying mankind seen.

 

[jeremiah1five]

I would think we must obey the whole law as it is writen. No cherry picking the whole consul.

Same as who? Saul before his born again conversion . Paul when he fell to the ground hearing the gospel of salvation through all things writen in the law and the prophets (sola scriptura) and heard a voice saying unto him , Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Saul as a Jew of Jews had all the right IDs' needed to murder Christians in order to fulfil the foundation of the unbelievers. "Out of sight out of mind . Bury them reminders and lie like Cain. I don't know where they are . You are God do you see them?

Acts 22King James Version22 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers,( oral traditons) and was (falsely)zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished

Same ones who served the dying flesh of mankind through I heard it through the father grapevine of dying mankind. They made Paul into the number #1 most wanted dead or alive . They (verses 5-6 of chapter 24 tried to judge Him with their oral traditions of dying mankind ,But they could not prove that all things writen in the law and prophets (sola scriptura) was heresy .They walked away with no faith that could please God Tried to judged born again own law of dying mankind .they could prove nothing .

Acts 24: 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. I heard it through the legion of fathers grapevine

Acts 24:13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

It's easy to see they worship the dying flesh of the legions of dying fathers that some call patron saints.

Paul worshiped the one God our Holy Father they worshiped dying mankind as if the legion was one our one Holy fathers

The gospel doesn't get any clearer Look to the eternal things of God not seen. . not of temporal dying mankind seen.

After meeting Messiah on the Damascus road Saul maintained his Judaism and obeyed the Law of Moses in all things. All Jewish Christians did remain obedient to the Law. Some more than others like Saul as he was a rabbi and Pharisee. Judaism didn't end with Christ, it was fulfilled and took on a deeper meaning.

 

[Mr GLee]

After meeting Messiah on the Damascus road Saul maintained his Judaism and obeyed the Law of Moses in all things. All Jewish Christians did remain obedient to the Law. Some more than others like Saul as he was a rabbi and Pharisee. Judaism didn't end with Christ, it was fulfilled and took on a deeper meaning.

law of Moses, dying mankind ? Did you mean the law of God ?

 

[jeremiah1five]

law of Moses, dying mankind ? Did you mean the law of God ?

Law of Moses, Law of God. Same thing for living mankind.
God's Law for His people to obey and abide by given to Moses to and for Israel His people.
But although Gentiles were never under the Law of God/Moses they will be under the Law of God/Moses in the Millennium.
So, I recommend you study up the Law(s) because we are all going to be living under them.
You poke my eye I go after your eye under the Law which under God's mandate is permissible.
Strike my jaw I strike back. Cool, huh? The best Law any living mankind can live under that is just and righteous, don't cha think? Yes, sir, the best Law anyone can live by.

 

[Mr GLee]

Law of Moses, Law of God. Same thing for living mankind.
God's Law for His people to obey and abide by given to Moses to and for Israel His people.
But although Gentiles were never under the Law of God/Moses they will be under the Law of God/Moses in the Millennium.
So, I recommend you study up the Law(s) because we are all going to be living under them.
You poke my eye I go after your eye under the Law which under God's mandate is permissible.
Strike my jaw I strike back. Cool, huh? The best Law any living mankind can live under that is just and righteous, don't cha think? Yes, sir, the best Law anyone can live by.

All mankind is under the law of God .not of Moses dying mankind , as a oral tradition some call rabbinic law or law of fathers ? Is that what you call the law of Moses, a rabbinic law ?

Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

God is no respecter of the dying flesh of mankind . If a Jew sins without the law (sola scriptura) he will perish just as a gentile .

Poke your eye? Strike back?

What is there about the law that I should study?

 

[jeremiah1five]

All mankind is under the law of God .not of Moses dying mankind , as a oral tradition some call rabbinic law or law of fathers ? Is that what you call the law of Moses, a rabbinic law ?

No. There's a difference.
The Law of Moses IS the Law of God.
Rabbinic law is like today's commentaries. That's all.

Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

He's talking about Gentiles.

God is no respecter of the dying flesh of mankind . If a Jew sins without the law (sola scriptura) he will perish just as a gentile .

A Jew can NEVER sin "outside the Law." They are in covenant and forever IN/UNDER the Law."

Poke your eye? Strike back?

Pow! Bam! Slugfest!

What is there about the law that I should study?

All of God's counsel should be studied.

 

[Mr GLee]

He's talking about Gentiles.

LOL Did you mean, the sinners as subject to sola scriptura. That law ?

All of God's counsel should be studied.

Should the shadow as ceremonial laws be studied?

Should the result of the 1st century reformation be studied.?

Should the difference between a outard Jew and inward Jew be studied?

I would think honor any nation (I am of the 57 varieties) and thier oral traditions as long as they do not do despite to the fulness of grace the full price of salvation.