The Strong and the Weak

This book situates Romans 14.1-15.13 in the context of first-century Roman thought, from the perspective of asceticism (especially vegetarianism), superstition, and obligation. It seeks to situate this section of Romans within the letter as a whole, and concludes that the section illustrates the theme of the letter: that Paul, his gospel, and those who follow it are not shameful. New contributions to Romans research surface through a fresh examination of the terms "strong" and "weak" in light of their use within Roman social discourse.