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Romans 1:14

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.

We will break this verse into three parts for exploration:

1. Why is Paul ‘obligated’?

Paul is not obligated directly to any human, but he is obligated to God (as he is set apart for the Gospel in v.1), and therefore he is obligated, through God to preach the Christian gospel.

2. Who are Greeks and non-Greeks?

It is thought (Moo, 1991) that ‘Greeks and non-Greeks’ refers to all of Gentile humanity, with the exceptions being the Jews. The original translation for ‘non-Greek’ is barbarian, which was seen, linguistically, to designate a lower class of people. Paul, here, is essentially saying ‘no matter the class or Gentile culture’. Remember also that Paul in v.13 is talking about his work among other Gentiles.

3. Who are the wise and the foolish?

The wise and the foolish is another way in which Paul is saying he is preaching to all Gentiles, not just those the of the ‘intellectual’, wealthy classes, but also those of the lower classes (whom the Greeks considered Barbarians to be)

It’s amazing that the gospel of Christ isn’t just for one class even today, as some might have you believe. The message that the best is yet to come is joyful music for the poor who don’t have anything on this earth to look forward. The message is harder to take for people in developed nations with earthly comforts, where they feel they have the best they can get now. But the message is just a relevant for them as they search for meaning and purpose here on earth. Our purpose is to bring glory to God and further his kingdom through the spreading of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

ASK YOURSELF: Do you find yourself avoiding a class or group of people because it might be ‘uncomfortable’ to interact with them? How do you think Jesus would act around the same people?

Dear God, please open my eyes to those around me that need you; whether they’re rich or poor, of my culture or foreign. Give me strength to love on those around me, even when they don’t love in return. Amen.