Romans: Paragraph 1

I've been meditating on Paul's opening paragraph in the book of Romans this week. Sometimes I can get lost amid Paul's complex sentences. I often will make lists of what I think he is saying and try to chart his stream of thought. I usually read and reread a passage jotting down notes as I do before utilizing outside resources such as commentaries. Commentaries and textual aides are greatly helpful to me once I feel that I have absorbed the text.


The following is Thomas Schreiner's translation of Romans 1:1-7:

1[This letter is from] Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called by God to be an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God. 2God promised the gospel beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. 3And this gospel is about his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4and who was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness at the resurrection from the dead. [The Son is] Jesus Christ our Lord. 5Through him we have received this gracious apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name. 6You are also among the Gentiles called by Jesus Christ. 7[I am writing] to all of you who are in Rome, who are loved by God and called to be saints. May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Schreiner, T. R. (1998). Vol. 6: Romans. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament (30–31). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.

I simplified the first 5 verses for my own clarity by making this list:

*Paul is: 

A servant of Messiah Jesus

Called to be an apostle

Set apart for the gospel

*The gospel:

Through the prophets

In the Holy Scriptures

Regarding Jesus

*Jesus:

Was a descendant of David

Through the Spirit of Holiness

Was appointed the Son of God in power

By His resurrection from the dead (or of dead persons)

Through Jesus - Paul (& the other apostles):

Received grace 

and apostleship

to call all the gentiles to faith  

and obedience

For His name's sake


That simple chart allows me to find order in Paul's paragraph rather than just skimming through to get to the "meat" of the letter.