Chronology - Overview of Paul's Writing

This chronology is very significant: Paul isn't a young missionary introducing a newly discovered message when he writes: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…”

Paul is perhaps twenty years beyond his conversion when he wrote Romans; this is after three missionary journeys and years of preaching Christ. He has been opposed, beaten, imprisoned, rejected, challenged, and misunderstood—and after all of it he reaches Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel…” That statement carries the weight of experience.

The following chart includes James, which many scholars consider the first book written in the New Testament, followed by Galatians, the first book Paul wrote.  The "dating" and "setting" help provide perspective on Paul as he writes to the Roman Christians whom he expects to meet. 

Approx. date A.D.	Book	Setting	Theme
45–49	James	Very early Jewish-Christian church	Genuine faith is demonstrated by obedient living
48–49	Galatians	After first missionary journey	Justification is by faith in Christ, not works of the law
50–51	1 Thessalonians	Corinth, second missionary journey	Faithful living while awaiting Christ's return
50–51/52	2 Thessalonians	Corinth	Stand firm while awaiting the Day of the Lord
53–55	1 Corinthians	Ephesus, third missionary journey	Living faithfully as the Church of Christ
55–56	2 Corinthians	Macedonia	Christ's power revealed through human weakness
56–57	Romans	Corinth, near end of third journey	God's righteousness is revealed through the gospel, bringing salvation by faith and transforming how believers live.
60–63	Ephesians	Rome, Prison Epistles	Christ and His Church
60–63	Colossians	Rome, Prison Epistles	Christ above all
60–63	Philemon	Rome, Prison Epistles	Christ transforming relationships
60–63	Philippians	Rome, Prison Epistles	Christ and Christian living
63–65	1 Timothy	Pastoral Epistles (Later ministry)	Faithful leadership produces a healthy church
63–65	Titus	Pastoral Epistles (Later ministry)	Sound doctrine must produce godly living
66–67	2 Timothy	Pastoral Epistles (Final Roman imprisonment)	Remain faithful to God's Word and finish well

As  Paul writes Romans, he has already wrestled in his letters with questions such as:

• Galatians: What is the relationship between faith, grace, circumcision, and the Law?
• 1–2 Thessalonians: What does Christian faithfulness look like while awaiting Christ's return?
• 1 Corinthians: What does the gospel mean for an actual congregation struggling with division, morality, worship, marriage, spiritual gifts, and resurrection?\
• 2 Corinthians: What does authentic Christian ministry look like in weakness, suffering, reconciliation, and generosity?
• And then comes Romans.

Our chronology suggests that Romans comes at a particularly mature point in Paul's missionary ministry.

He has already preached these truths.

He has defended them.

He has watched churches struggle to live them.

He has confronted Jewish-Gentile tensions.

He has defended justification by faith.

He has dealt with Christian freedom.

He has taught about the resurrection.

He has collected an offering from predominantly Gentile churches for Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.

And now he writes Romans.

That context helps explain the extraordinary theological breadth of the letter to Rome.