A commentary on Romans
Two of our elders are currently enrolled in a class on Romans offered through Freed
Hardeman University. The class is being taught by Dr. K.L. Moore, a noted scholar and a
former missionary to New Zealand. The purpose of this blog is to relay some thoughts
from Dr. Moore’s lectures that we thought were noteworthy.
Paul introduces himself to the Roman audience as “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ
Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God….(NASB)”. A worthy
analysis of just this initial passage of Romans 1:1 could take chapters. I’ll focus on the
term translated from Greek, “bond servant.”
The Greek word translates as slave. Slavery is an uncomfortable topic in our society.
No one wants to be a slave. Paul was writing to the center of the civilized Western
world, was trying to establish his credentials, yet willing described himself as a humble
slave to Jesus. This shows his recognition of the need for obedience, a willingness to
do whatever the Lord Jesus requires and commands. As Dr. Moore notes, the subjects
of Jesus are liberated from the shackles of sin, and now are owned by Jesus and need
to willingly submit and serve Him. This poses a question for all Christians-do we see
ourselves like Paul as slaves to Jesus? What does this mean for our lives, and do we
need to make any modifications to our lives based on this new insight?