Romans with Douglas Moo's commentary, Introduction (day 4 of 14)

(pp. 9-10)

   To read this section for the first time is like listening to discussion about an issue that must be important for some otherwise unknown reason to us readers.   What is the importance behind just exactly the proportion of Gentile converts to Jewish converts in Rome?  It's one of those issues that somebody, some people, are making much of, elsewhere, and the author is painstakingly keeping us out of that discussion, knowing that the audience includes some heavy investors in one or other of the possible conclusions.

   This happens quite a bit, doesn't it?  There is a natural variety in the language of address to subgroups, in a group letter.  To call such things "paradox" and "mixed signals" is the classic mountain of Mishnah on the beanhill of Torah.