Romans 1:1
Romans 1:1 [AV]
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
ANNOTATED NOTES:
Paul: he was the writer, but God was the Author; Paul wrote by revelation (Gal 1:11-12); the whole of scripture came as holy men of God were moved by the holy spirit (2 Pet 1:20-21)
servant = doulos: bond-slave; a sold-out, branded slave by free will choice. There were 2 types of slaves in Biblical times. One was subjugated against his will, either taken captive and sold into slavery or else born the child of a slave. Slavery to sin was of this sort – all men are born into it through Adam’s transgression (Rom 5:12-16; 6:17-18, 20). A second type of slave was one who chose by his own free will decision to serve the master all the days of his life, because of the love from and for the master (See Deut 15:12-17; Ex 21:2-6). The paradox is, the more you become a slave to Jesus Christ, the more freedom you will have in your life. The more you strive to be free to run your own life, consumed with self, the more enslaved to sin you become. Freedom is never determined by where you are, but by “in whom” you are and “for whom” you are living. You could be in jail, yet totally free in Christ, as Paul had been. You could be outside jail, yet in bondage and enslavement (Rom 6:18, 20 and I Cor 7:22-23). A doulos has to first know the Lord and his love, then know what the Lord would have him to do (see Acts 9:5-6, 15). Like Paul, we are not our own master. Jesus Christ is the primary example of a doulos to every born-again believer (I Pet 2:21; Phil 2:5-8).
of Jesus Christ: the genitive case, i.e. genitive of relationship, where the emphasis is on JESUS CHRIST, the Master who bought Paul with a price, as opposed to being on Paul as a bond-slave.
called = kletos: called or invited (also in v6, 7)
to be: omitted in text; could accurately read “a called apostle”
apostle = apostolos: a sent messenger, who brings new light to his generation – it may be old light that was lost, but it is new to the generation to whom he speaks. The ministry of an apostle is not earned, where you work for it, or go to Bible school for it, or are self-appointed (Gal 1:1). It's not given because of one’s own work or one’s own will, it’s given as a gift (Eph 4:8,11), because of God's grace, mercy, and foreknowledge.
separated = aphorizo: set apart; note 3 stages of Paul’s separation: at birth (Gal 1:15-16), at new birth (Acts 9:3-15), and for the work (Acts 13:2);
gospel = euangelion: good news, glad tidings. If you were nigh unto death, and you got healed in an instant, that would be good news. The gospel Paul was separated unto tells us of what God has provided for us in Christ, what we never, ever could have provided for ourselves, taking us from spiritual death to everlasting life - as well as revealing the greatness of the Mystery which had been kept secret since before the foundation of the world (Rom 16:25; Eph 3:3-4, 9; Col 1:26-27). That’s Good News!
gospel of God: the genitive case, thus the emphasis is on GOD! This gospel is also called the “gospel of the grace of God” in Acts 20:24.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATION:
Romans 1:1 [LIT]
Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
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