Problems and Prospects with Romans 1:13-14 and the Letter's Implication of a Gentile Audience

Abstract

Scholars often consider the implied audience of Romans to have been a mixture of Jews and gentiles, albeit with a gentile majority. Other scholars challenge this thesis, however, and argue that the implied audience is exclusively gentile. Romans 1:13-14 is an important locus in this debate, but four points about these verses require further consideration. These are (1) the case of the elements Paul unites with the τὲ καί constructions in verse 14, (2) the variety of complements Paul gives ὀφειλέτης elsewhere, (3) the explanatory relationship of verse 14 to verse 13, and (4) the clearly personal focus of the language that appears with the τὲ καί constructions in verse 14. Duly considered, these points argue strongly for an exclusively gentile implied audience.