The "practical" portion of Paul's Roman epistle continues this week. A typical pastoral issue confronts the Jewish-Gentile relationship within these Christian churches.

It is thought that Paul's letter to the Romans was written about 51 A.D., a date corresponding to a significant population shift. In 49 A.D., the emperor Claudius had temporarily banished a large number of Roman Jews, in part because of the considerable disturbances plaguing their synagogues over the issue of one "Chrestus." Historians generally agree that this "Chrestus" was indeed the message of Christ as it rippled through the Jewish community. By 51 A.D., however, Roman Jews were once again invited back into the city. This influx of a strong Jewish presence challenged the Jewish/Gentile identity of the new Christian com…