You asked

what understanding of the 'creation of the world' would paul's original audience have held?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Romans 1:20

“For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through the things that are made, so that they are without excuse.”

Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome, a diverse mix of Jewish and Gentile believers. In this section of his letter, he is laying the groundwork for why humanity—both Jew and Gentile—needs God's saving grace, starting by arguing that everyone has some knowledge of God through the natural world.

How does observing the natural world influence your understanding of what is eternal, powerful, or divine?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 19:1-4
This Psalm speaks of the heavens declaring God's glory and handiwork, echoing the idea that creation reveals its maker.
Acts 17:24-28
Paul, speaking in Athens, similarly argues that God, as Creator of all things, is not confined to temples or human service.
Genesis 1:1-2
The opening verses of the Bible establish God as the sole creator, forming the foundation of biblical understanding of the world's origin.

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