Romans - Background #3

It becomes apparent in reading Romans that the Roman church was predominantly Gentile with a Jewish presence. In Romans 1:13 Paul states that he had “…planned many times to come to you…in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.”

How did this church which sprang up on its own come to be predominantly Gentile? The Roman historian Suetonius reported that during the reign of Claudius, ”Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus (i.e. Christ), he expelled them from Rome.” This refers to the Edict of Claudius, dated 49 AD, in which all Jews were expelled from Rome (Acts 18:1-2). Apparently, the conflict in Rome among Jews concerning whether Jesus was the Christ (i.e. Messiah) was so severe, that Claudius dealt with it by booting them out. Gentiles (known as God-fearing Gentiles) who met weekly with the Jews, remained in Rome in a church that had been gutted of Jewish believers. Some of these Gentiles likely believed that Jesus was the Messiah and comprised the church in Rome. The edict remained in effect until Nero canceled it 5 years later in 54 AD. During this time, the church in Rome grew in numbers without a Jew present.

What were the Jews in Rome in such bitter argument about?

First of all it was about the Messiah-ship of Jesus. The Messiah was to come as a King and reign over a kingdom in an earthly sense. Jesus came as a servant and was executed between 2 criminals. Jesus did not fit the Messiah template. However, for anyone probing the Jewish Scriptures it was obvious that besides a Kingly Messiah (Is 9:6-7) there was ample description of a suffering Messiah (Is 53). The Jews were bitterly divided over this issue.

Secondly, the Jews were always special to God. They were God’s chosen people. It was extremely troubling to many of the Jews that Messiah Jesus was being embraced by Gentiles and the Gentiles were remaining Gentiles. They were not being circumcised and made to be Jewish converts who observed the law. This whole concept diminished the specialness of being a Jew. It required a paradigm shift in the Jewish mind of incredible proportions. Now, Gentiles were flocking to the Jewish circles to learn more about the Jewish Messiah, they had embraced. What confusion must have reigned!

This background helps one to understand the imaginary Jewish disputants and their questions that arise throughout the book of Romans. Paul can hear their voices as he writes and feels compelled to answer.