We may now consider what light is thrown by the Epistle on the circumstances of the Roman Church. It has already been pointed out that it is precarious to argue too deCnitely from it to the conditions .supposed to e.xist at Rome, and we must bear in mind that the destination of ch. 16, with its personal references, is doubtful. But, whether this ch. refers to Rome or to Ephesus, it is equally valuable as giving some indication of the wide spread of Christianity at this period among ditl'erent classes and races. Slaves and freedmen are largely, but not exclusively, represented. If Narcissus is the freedman of Claudius, and Aristo- bulus (v.") the grandson of Herod the Great (see § 2 (a)), it is interesting to find that Christianity had reached their households, i.e. their slaves and entourage. But if these identifications be rejected, we then probably have the names of prominent and presumably more or less wealthy members of the church. The ch. also suggests that the com- niunity is organized in groups and household churches, and this harmonizes with other indica- tions afforded by the E])istle which, in common with others of the same period, has no reference to a developed ministry. We hear only generally of men who prophesy, teach, exhort, and rule (12'"''-), mentioned in a way wliich leaves it doubtful whether permanent officials are intended. Such a stage of development would be very natural in Rome, if the church had not been founded by any leading missionary but had grown up more or less haphazard. In ch. 16 the importance of the work of women is noticeable ; Mary, Tryphcena and Tryphosa, and Persis are mentioned ; Prisca is prominent, and Phoebe is the servant or deaconess
* Under Nero (a.d. 54) the Jews again exerted considerable influence in the capital.
(SidKovos) of the church at Cenchreic ; it is, how- ever, questionable Mhether a deliiiito official is meant.
Of the sacraments, baptism is taken for granted, but there is no reference to the Eucharist. Though prophecy and, in St. Paul's own ca.so, miracles are mentioned, we do not hear of the startling gifts so prominent at Corinth. Disputes as to tlie relative value of c/iarismiiCa seem to lie in the Ijackground of 12'"'-, but this may only be a reflexion of .St. Paul's general experience, and need not imply the actual existence of such quarrels in Kome in jiar- ticular. The whole picture of church life in chs. 1'2, 13 is markedly .sober and |)ractical ; the Christian has his trials (8, 12'-), but delinite persecution is excluded by 13'. The importance of hospitality in the primitive Church is well known ; the duty would be specially urgent in Rome, whither so many travellers came (12'^).
6. The bearing of the Epistle on the personal history of St. Paul. — Romans is iirim.uily im- portant as marking a dehnite stage in the develop- ment of Christian doctrine, and it has compara- tively little to oiler with regard to the external history of St. Paul's life. There are, however, a few scattered indications which it may be well to group together. Its chief interest is with regard to the form his teaching had come to take ; we find but few of those intimate personal touches in which 1 and 2 Cor. are so rich. Ch. 7 is no doubt autobiographical in the sense that it is based on personal experience, probably of struggles before conversion. At the same time the ' I ' seems to be typical of the divided soul in gener.al and not to refer to St. Paul specifically. The passionate outbursts in 9'"- 10' throw a strong light on St. Paul's burning patriotism. It has been remarked that if he had not spent himself in the service of Jesus he would have shed his Iplnud with other natives of Tarsus on the walls of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. As has been pointed out (§ 1), the Epistle touches the narrative of Acts at two points.
(1) It emphasizes St. Paul's strong desire to visit Rome (ef. Ac 19-'). Without any unworthy flattery it helps us to realize the importance he attached to that city and to its church, .an import- ance natural to a Roman citizen who worked along the great roads and concentrated on the great towns of the Empire, and who understood to the full the opportunity alloriled by the Pax Romana for the spread of Christianity. The Epistle under- lines this particular feature in the Apostle's missionary policy. Whether the journey to Spain of which he speaks (Ro 15-') ever took place must remain doubtful, though it may be covered by the expression of Clement of Rome {Ep. ad Cor. i. 5) that he reached 'the western limit of the world.' The Muratorian Fragment also speaks of a visit to Spain, but on that we can lay little stress.
The phrase 'even unto Illyricum' (15'") is diffi- cult. It seems that it does not imply an extension of St. Paul's missionary activity to the east coasts of the Adriatic, of which there is no hint in Acts, but merely that when he was in Macedonia he found himself on the border of Illyricum ; this, when he wrote, formed the western limit of his preaching.
(2) The other important point of contact is the reference to the collection for the saints (15"''-). which appears as the main motive for the visit to Jerusalem. We see from the Epistle St. Paul's anxiety as to his reception and his keen desire that the gift should be favourably received. Romans itself is in a sense an eirenicon between Jew and Gentile, both within and without the Church (see esp. chs. 11-13), and the purpose of the Epistle is therefore in harmony with that of