He includes in the category of weak some Gentile Christians who may have been attracted to Jewish practices, and in the category of strong some Jewish members who may have considered themselves now free of Mosaic Law. In this pursuit Reasoner provides an interesting study of the social world of the addressees according to classical sources. By way of this insight Reasoner seeks to penetrate the social salience of Paul's language for the addressees as Romans. These were not fixed categories as much as relative social statuses, so that from Caesar down there is a ranking at every level of society, and a variety of criteria of ability and competence that might apply in determining people's level of social influence, their worth in society measured against those over whom they could exercise social power. Such clout did not go uncontested, and the vulnerability of the stronger reinforced the ideal of discrimination in the cultivation of relationships of advantage.
Discussion includes other Roman terms of reference for relative strength and weakness.
Reasoner presses this evidence to argue that these terms were used by the Roman addressees to distinguish among themselves before Paul's letter. Although admitting that the letter provides no explicit evidence for social status differentiation in terms of wealth or civil position, he nevertheless argues that it implies different social estimations of honor at work within the confines of these groups. Reasoner has made a good case that the terms were used to indicate one's relative social standing in Roman society, and that this dynamic should be considered in Paul's use of the language in this letter. This is an important work for anyone studying Romans, especially this section, and should stimulate further consideration of the possible implications of Paul's use of these labels, as well as the occasion and message of the letter. Moreover, it is very useful for anyone studying Roman culture.