Paul is addressing a church that that he had not founded, nor even visited. He longed to visit and teach believers in Rome in person, but he had so far been prevented because he had been so busy preaching the gospel in places where Christ was not yet known. Paul’s agenda consisted simply of fulfilling the mandate that he received from the Lord.

Paul completed his mission of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the territories where he had ministered up to the present time. He now shares with the believers in Rome a project that he has on his heart, namely, that of preaching the Gospel in Spain – to the extreme western reaches of the Roman empire.

Paul names 26 people by name in this passage and alludes to many others. Why has the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to name each person individually? What do these personal greetings add anyway? It’s almost certain that the majority of people named here would have forever remained unknown had he not mentioned them in this letter.

Be careful, Paul says, and avoid those who would pervert the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, even if they call themselves God’s servants.

The apostle had seen churches that were troubled and divided by the work of such people.

Paul leaves Greece and proceeds on his way to Jerusalem before the Feast of Pentecost. We learn from the book of Romans that Paul has an offering for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. This financial aid had been collected from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia.

Do I thank God only for what he has done for me? Do I see nothing but corruption and depravity in all the rest of the world? Many Christians do.

It’s easy to grumble at God for all that’s wrong in this world …

There is something intrinsic in little kids that is attracted to fairness and equity. You cut three pieces of cake for three children, and they will have an eye on the line to make sure you made them all the same size. “That’s not fair!” is a cry that naturally rises up out of the human heart.