“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also” (Romans 1:14-15).
In the social culture of the Apostle Paul’s era, this reference to “Greeks” from Romans 1:14 identified those who had adopted the Greek culture and language of that period. It also distinguished those who had been educated in the philosophy, art, and government of Greco-Roman society. A person who belonged to that social class was thus said to possess a greater degree of sophistication and cultural refinement than others who lacked such qualities.
On the other hand, the word “Barbarians” served as a broad designation that applied to groups and individuals who spoke languages other than Greek and lived outside those established social norms. Their languages sounded much like babble to Greek and Roman sophisticates and thus led to their identification as “bar–bar-rians.” While those people groups were not necessarily uneducated or uncivilized, their failure to assimilate into Greco-Roman culture relegated them to the ranks of the uncultured.
A similar division occurred with the “wise and unwise.” Today, we might make a comparable distinction between those who have had the benefit of a secondary, collegiate, or post-graduate education and those who have not. The extent of one’s educational experience is not necessarily an indicator of one’s intelligence, but it does establish a dividing line between those who hold such qualifications and those who do not. That was likely the case with the “educated and uneducated” (NLT) referenced here.
For his part, Paul did not allow those social barriers to prevent him from communicating God’s Word to others. Indeed, when a fellow Apostle began to follow a similar exclusionary practice, Paul stepped in to correct the situation. Even in his relationships with those who who held important or influential positions, Paul practiced what he preached. Consider the following aside from Paul’s epistle to the churches of Galatia: “Those who were recognized as important people didn’t add a single thing to my message. (What sort of people they were makes no difference to me, since God doesn’t play favorites)” (Galatians 2:6 GW).
So whether he was speaking to the philosophical sophisticates of Athens (Acts 17:16-34), or writing to the church in a relatively insignificant city like Colossae, Paul spoke to all classes of people. Thus, he was “…ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome” (AMP).