1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,

— Romans 1:1-2

Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

— Isaiah 40:9

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

— Isaiah 52:7

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

— Isaiah 60:1

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

Paul’s letter to Rome’s believers centers on the good news of Jesus Christ. Jesus’s saving work on the cross on behalf of all humanity, His resurrection that justifies us and gives us new life, and His promise of the eternal kingdom to come are central to Paul’s message and the life of every believer. While Christian gospel may have seemed new to Paul’s original audience in the first century, the incredible good news of salvation through the work of Jesus Christ was not a novelty. God promised this good news “through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.”

God’s prior revelations during the Old Testament period pointed to God’s gift of His Son. The prophets had recorded God’s announcements of the gospel. When Paul referred to the Holy Scriptures, he spoke of the Old Testament. We cannot find the totality of God’s good news in experiences, impressions, or any other subjective way. But we thank God that He has given us His own words in writing to study and understand the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ. (BSF’s Study of Romans)