To the Wise and the Unwise

Romans 1:14

In verse thirteen we looked at the three different fruits that we see referenced in Scripture. We have also seen how important fellowship is amongst believers. Today’s verse focuses again on the fruit and how Paul has experienced it amongst all types of people. The verse says, “I am a debtor both to Greek and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.”

Why is he a debtor? We look back at the previous verse to get our answer. The end of verse thirteen says, “that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles” [emphasis mine]. He is a debtor to these people groups because of the fruit that he gained from them.

We looked at the different types of fruit last time and concluded that the fruit Paul was referring to was the fruit of addition. Therefore, what Paul is saying is that he has gained fruit from their salvation. They have been added into the family of God and Paul has experienced the blessing and fruit from it.

What kind of people were these? The Greeks are commonly known to be a wise people. Think of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle, philosophers that we read even to this day, 2,300+ years later. They would be the “wise” that Paul referrers to in this verse.

Barbarians in Greek is βάρβαρος (bárbaros) and, according to the HELPS Word-studies, are specifically referred to in the Bible as “non-Greeks.” It refers to anyone who is uncivilized or lacking culture. Think of someone who is uneducated. They have more street smarts then book smarts. They are who Paul is referring to as the “unwise” in this verse.

I should note that the “wise” and “unwise”  is not how Paul saw them but how they were viewed. We see in 1 Corinthians that God uses what man regards as foolish as true wisdom. The Greeks seek after wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22) but it is the foolish that God uses. Paul is not claiming that the Greeks are actually wise, they are just regarded as wise in the world’s eyes, nor is he claiming the barbarians are unwise, it just how the world views them.

What this verse shows us is that the gospel is for everyone. There is no race or gender that cannot be saved. No one is too foolish; no one is too smart. The gospel is not only for the Jews, Greeks, or barbarians. Paul has experienced the fruit of addition for all different types of people because God has made it available to all different types of people. Whoever believes in Him shall not perish.

Aren't you glad that your eternal home is not determined by your wisdom or the color of your skin or where you were born? Aren't you glad God does not discriminate the way that we do? God loved the world and sent His Son to die so that anyone who believed would spend eternity with Him. It is not only the Jews, not only those living in a Christian nation (if one exists), not only the wise, but all. 

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