Romans Introduction quotes

Romans: Introduction (quotes)

John Chysostom (347-407) wrote concerning Rome and Romans,
“I love Rome…for its beauty, its populousness, its power, its wealth, and for its successes in war. But I let all this pass, and esteem it blessed on this account, that both in his lifetime [Paul] wrote to them, loved them so, talked with them while he was with us, and brought his life to a close there. Wherefore the city is more notable upon this ground than upon all others together.”

Augustine (354-430) wrote concerning his conversion to Christ:
“Suddenly I heard a voice from the nearby house chanting as if it might be a boy or a girl…saying and repeating over and over again ‘Pick up and read, pick up and read.’…I interpreted it solely as a divine command to me to open the book and read the first chapter I might find…So I hurried back to the place where…I had put down the book of the apostle when I got up. I seized it, opened it and in silence read the first passage on which my eye lit: ‘Not in riots and drunken parties, not in eroticism and indecencies, not in strife and rivalry, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in its lusts’ (Ro 13:13-14). I neither wished nor needed to read further. At once, with the last words of this sentence, it was as if a light of relief from all anxiety flooded into my heart. All the shadows of doubt were dispelled.”

Martin Luther (1483-1546) wrote about his conversion:
“I had greatly longed to understand Paul’s letter to the Romans, and nothing stood in the way but that one expression ‘the righteousness of God’, because I took it to mean that righteousness whereby God is righteous and acts righteously in punishing the unrighteous…Night and day I pondered until…I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before ‘the righteousness of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.”

And concerning Romans in particular:
“really the chief part of the New Testament, and…truly the purest gospel.” “It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.”

John Calvin (1509-1564) wrote about Romans, “if we have gained a true understanding of this Epistle, we have an open door to all the most profound treasures of Scripture.”

William Tyndale (1494-1536) wrote Romans is “the principle and most excellent part of the New Testament, and most Euangelion, that is to say glad tidings…and also a light and a way in unto the whole Scripture.”

John Wesley (1703-1791) wrote about his assurance of faith,
“In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He has taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

Karl Barth (1886-1968) in his commentary on Romans realized
“Our relation to God is ungodly…We assume that…we are able to arrange our relation to him as we arrange our other relationships…We dare to deck ourselves out as his companions, patrons, advisers and commissioners…This is the ungodliness of our relation to God.”

F F Bruce (1910-1990), reminding us that Romans is not just for the theologians,
“there is no saying what may happen when people begin to study the letter to the Romans. So, let those who have read thus far be prepared for the consequences of reading farther: you have been warned!”