Having begun with a formal and unusually long greeting compared to his other epistles, Paul next proceeded to address his readers more personally. He had not met the Christians to whom he wrote so he spent some time getting acquainted and sharing his heart with them.
"One of the first lessons of effective leadership is the importance of setting priorities. Not only must things be done right (management) but the right things must be done (leadership)."23
1:8-10 Paul felt concern for the welfare of this church. The faith of the Roman church had become well known in the few years since it had come into existence (cf. Eph. 1:15-16; Col. 1:3-4; 1 Thess. 1:3). Typically Paul began by offering commendation to his readers for some praiseworthy trait whenever he could. Here he thanked God for the Romans through Jesus Christ, who had created access to God. He praised the Roman Christians for their obedience to God by trusting in Jesus Christ (cf. v. 5). Failure to trust in Christ is really disobedience to God since God now commands everyone to believe in His Son (cf. Acts 17:30-31).
Paul called God as his witness (v. 9) because what he was about to say might be difficult to believe. He claimed to pray for the Romans unceasingly, namely frequently, but not without stopping. The Greek word translated "unceasingly"(adialeiptos) denotes that not much time elapsed between his prayers for them. These saints were constantly in his thoughts and prayers. "In my spirit"(NASB) means "with my whole heart"(NIV).
"We are reminded that the real work of the ministry is prayer. Preaching is more a result of the ministry of prayer than it is a ministry itself. A sermon that does not rise from intense and heart-searching prayer has no chance of bearing real fruit."24
1:11-13 As Paul had prayed often for the Romans, so he had also planned often to visit them. His reason was for fellowship, mutual sharing of things profitable. Paul mentioned his contribution first (v. 11) and theirs last (v. 13), and he stressed reciprocity in between (v. 12). The spiritual gift (v. 11) was probably not one specific gift but anything and everything of spiritual benefit (cf. 1 Cor. 12:1).25We should also probably interpret the fruit he hoped to obtain (v. 13) broadly rather than specifically as the fruit of his evangelism among them or financial support.
1:14-15 Paul's love for Christian fellowship and his obligation to preach the gospel to all people motivated him to visit Rome (cf. vv. 1, 5). Having received the grace of God himself he recognized that this placed him in debt to everyone else. He owed them the opportunity to hear the gospel and to receive God's grace themselves. Every Christian is indebted to every non-Christian because we have and can give what can impart life to those who are dead in sin, namely the gospel.
The terms "Greek"and "Barbarian"(v. 14) divide Gentiles by language and culture. In Paul's day this was a standard way of describing all races and classes within the Gentile world.26The Greek people spoke of anyone who did not speak the Greek language as a barbarian. The Greek word barbarosis onomatopoetic and imitates any rough-sounding unintelligible language.27The "wise"and "foolish"distinction divides people intellectually (cf. 1 Cor. 1:19, 20, 26, 27). Paul was probably thinking primarily of non-Jews since he was the apostle to the Gentiles.
Paul did not regard his opportunity to preach the gospel as a burden that he had to bear or as a duty he had to fulfill. Rather he was "eager"to share the good news with everyone (v. 15).
"If one has the finest intellectual and formal preparation for preaching but is lacking in zeal, he cannot hope for much success."28
The salutation (vv. 1-7) introduced Paul to his readers in a formal tone. However the explanation of his purpose in desiring to visit Rome (vv. 8-15) revealed a pastoral heart warm to the readers and the lost, ready to edify the saints and to evangelize sinners.29
