As in all his epistles, Paul used his Roman rather than his Jewish name, Saul, since he was the apostle to the Gentiles. Even though he had not yet visited Rome his readers knew Paul's reputation well. He just needed to give his name to identify himself.
In his relationship to Jesus Christ, Paul was a bond-servant (Greek doulos). Some translators have rendered this word "slave,"but Paul was a willing servant of Christ (cf. Phil. 2:7). This term is the equivalent of the Old Testament "servant of the Lord"(e.g., Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Nehemiah, and especially David). Paul shared this status with his readers.
The title "apostle"gives Paul's gift and office in the church. He was Jesus Christ's special appointee. This status gave him the right not only to preach the gospel but to found, to supervise, and even to discipline churches if necessary. The basis of his authority, the right to his office, was God's calling (cf. vv. 6, 7).13
"Called' means designated and set apart by an action of God to some special sphere and manner of being and of consequent activity."14
The particular extent of his work, the scope of his calling, was quite narrow, namely to proclaim the gospel (good news) of God. As a Pharisee, Paul had lived a life set apart to observing the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs strictly. Now his calling was to proclaim the gospel (Acts 9:15; Gal. 1:12).
