The Strong and the Weak

Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. 'Strong' and 'weak' in Romans: past portraits and significance; 2. Romans 14.1-15.13 refers to an historical situation in Rome; 3. 'Strong' and 'weak' as terms of social status in first-century Rome; 4. 'Strong' and 'weak' eating and drinking patterns; 5. Paul's clues for identifying the abstinence of the 'weak'; 6. The motivation behind the abstinence of the 'weak'; 7. The observance of days in Romans 14.5-6; 8. The identification of day observance in the Roman churches; 9. Superstition in Rome and in Romans 14-15; 10. Obligation: Paul's solution to the controversy; 11. Portraits of the 'strong' and 'weak'; 12. The 'strong' and 'weak' and the topos of Romans; Bibliography; Index of biblical references; Index of early Christian literature; Index of Hellenistic and rabbinic Jewish sources; Index of Greco-Roman sources; Index of authors; Index of subjects.

"...the study advances our understanding of this much-debated problem by situating the apostle's appeal in the context of his intended readers' likely cultural setting, concentrating on the realities of social stratification, religious praxis, and moral discourse prevailing in first-century Rome." Walter T. Wilson, The Journal of Religion "For most readers...Reasoner's monograph helps move Paul's almost monolithic Romans from the stratosphere of early Christian theology...into the religious and social context of both early Christianity and first century Roman religious life." Bryn Mawr Classical Review "This is an important work for anyone studying Romans...Moreover, it very useful for anyone studying Roman culture." Joural of Bibilical Literature