BEMA Episode Link: 149: Romans — Blended Family
Episode Length: 38:17
Published Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2020 01:00:00 -0800
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings enter into a verse-by-verse journey through the book of Romans, looking at Paul’s introductory section as he addresses this diverse group of believers.

Discussion Video for BEMA 149

Romans (Sermon Series) — Real Life on the Palouse

Pederasty — Wikipedia

Transcript for BEMA 149

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 149: Romans — Blended Family

Title & Source Summary

This episode introduces Paul’s letter to the Romans, focusing on the historical context of a fractured church community in Rome dealing with tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers. Unlike the theological treatise many consider Romans to be, Paul is addressing real relational conflicts in a diverse “blended family” of faith that has experienced significant demographic shifts due to Emperor Claudius’s edict expelling Jews from Rome.

Key Takeaways

  • Romans is not primarily a theological treatise about salvation but a pastoral letter addressing real church divisions
  • The Roman church experienced a major demographic shift when Jews were expelled under Claudius’s edict (c. 51 CE), leaving Gentile believers to lead for several years
  • When Jews returned, power struggles and identity conflicts emerged between three groups: new pagan converts, mature Gentile believers, and returning Jewish believers
  • Paul’s argument in chapters 1-3 demonstrates that no group has superiority because all fall short of their respective “measuring sticks” or standards
  • True righteousness comes from God through faith, not from human obedience to any law or standard
  • The context of each Pauline letter is crucial for proper interpretation - Paul addresses different situations with different emphases

Main Concepts & Theories

Historical Context and Church Demographics

The Roman church began as a primarily Jewish community with included Gentiles, likely established by Jews who returned from Pentecost. Around 51 CE, Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome, fundamentally altering the church’s composition. The remaining Gentile believers had to develop their own leadership and spiritual direction without Jewish guidance or their memorized knowledge of Scripture. When Jews returned years later, significant tension arose over authority, identity, and belonging.

Three Groups in Conflict

Paul addresses three distinct groups in Rome:

  1. New Gentile Converts - Recent converts from pagan Hellenistic backgrounds
  2. Mature Gentile Believers - Long-time followers who had been transformed but developed spiritual pride
  3. Returning Jewish Believers - Former core community members, including proselytes, returning to reclaim their place
The “Measuring Stick” Argument

Paul systematically addresses each group’s claim to spiritual superiority by examining their respective “measuring sticks” or standards:

  • Hellenistic Pagans: Used themselves as “the measure of all things” (following Greek philosophy), resulting in moral corruption and dysfunction
  • Mature Gentiles: Claimed moral superiority over pagans but still failed to live up to their own standards
  • Jewish Believers: Possessed Torah as God’s measuring stick but also failed to perfectly observe it
Hellenistic Sexual Practices

Paul’s discussion of sexual immorality in Romans 1 specifically addresses ancient pagan practices like pederasty (older men mentoring younger males through sexual relationships) rather than modern concepts of sexual orientation or same-sex marriage. This was part of Roman dominance culture where sexual roles were determined by power dynamics rather than gender.

Righteousness from Faith

Paul establishes that since all groups fall short of their respective standards, righteousness must come from outside human effort - through faith in God’s promises rather than works of any law.

Examples & Applications

Real-World Church Dynamics

Modern churches experience similar tensions when different cultural, generational, or theological groups compete for influence. Like the Roman church, these conflicts often mask deeper issues of identity, belonging, and spiritual authority.

Immigrant Church Communities

Contemporary immigrant churches sometimes face parallel challenges when established communities are disrupted by political or social changes, creating power vacuums and identity crises similar to the Roman situation.

Denominational Divisions

Paul’s approach of addressing each group’s particular blind spots while affirming their value provides a model for healing denominational conflicts where different traditions claim superiority based on their particular strengths or practices.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  • Detailed analysis of the “stringing pearls” technique in Romans 3:10-18 and the underlying Jewish sermon structure
  • Historical investigation of Emperor Claudius’s edict and its broader impact on early Christianity
  • Comparative study of Paul’s different approaches in Romans versus Galatians based on their distinct contexts
  • Examination of ancient pederasty and Roman sexual culture for better understanding of Romans 1
  • Study of how modern church conflicts mirror ancient dynamics between established and emerging communities

Comprehension Questions

  1. How did Emperor Claudius’s edict fundamentally change the demographic composition and power structure of the Roman church, and what challenges did this create when Jews returned?

  2. What are the three main groups Paul addresses in Romans, and how does each group’s “measuring stick” ultimately fail to provide genuine righteousness?

  3. Why is understanding the historical context of Romans crucial for proper interpretation, and how does this differ from treating it as a systematic theology textbook?

  4. How does Paul’s discussion of sexual immorality in Romans 1 relate specifically to ancient Hellenistic practices rather than modern debates about sexual orientation?

  5. What is Paul’s main argument about righteousness in the opening chapters of Romans, and how does this address the divisions within the Roman church?

Brief Personalized Summary

This episode fundamentally reframes Romans from an abstract theological treatise into a practical pastoral response to real church conflict. The Roman church’s experience of demographic upheaval and resulting identity struggles mirrors many contemporary church tensions. Paul’s genius lies not in creating systematic theology but in addressing each group’s specific pride while pointing all toward a righteousness that transcends human achievement. The historical context reveals that Paul isn’t primarily concerned with individual salvation mechanics but with healing a fractured community by establishing that no group has grounds for superiority. This approach offers valuable insights for addressing modern church divisions where different groups claim spiritual superiority based on their particular traditions, practices, or backgrounds.

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