Romans 1:14
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.
Paul felt an obligation and duty to preach the good news of Jesus to all kinds of people. Just like God (Acts 10:34), he did not show favoritism, partiality or prejudice. Paul knew that “in every nation, whoever fears [God] and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” (Acts 10:35)
Greeks represent the more civilized people of the world. Even today ancient Greece stands out as one of the great societies of human history. Barbarians represent the less civilized people of the world. They would be the third world countries of today as well as the lower social classes in all countries. Paul feels the same obligation to preach the gospel to civilized peoples as well as uncivilized, to the high class as well as the low class, and to the cultured as well as the unsophisticated.
Wise refers to educated people and unwise to the uneducated and ignorant. Education is always a dividing point among people. Paul would not be too impressed by the educated or too put off by the ignorant to preach Jesus to them. Regardless of our education, every person stands before God as a sinner in need of a savior. Knowledge of Jesus and His death on the cross for our sins is true wisdom. All who know Him are wise and everyone who rejects Him is a fool, no matter how much education we have.
