Rom 16:25, Heb 13:20-21, Jude 24 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 25. Now to him . This and the two following verses are found in many manuscripts at the close of the fourteenth chapter. Its proper place, however, is here; and the apostle thus concludes the whole epistle with an ascription of praise. To him , etc. To God; be glory, . Is of power . Greek, Is able; who has power, , "Now unto him that is able to keep you from failing," etc. God only can keep Christians in the path of salvation; and it was well to bring that truth prominently into view at the close of the epistle. To stablish you . To strengthen and confirm you. According to my Gospel . According to the gospel which I preach; the doctrines which I have been defending in this epistle. It is called his gospel, not because he was the author of it, or because others did not preach it also, but because he had been particularly defending it in this epistle. The doctrines which he had advanced were just those which were fitted to strengthen and confirm them--the doctrine of justification, of election, of perseverance, and of the protection and favour of God to both Jews and Gentiles. These were the doctrines which he had defended; and it might easily be shown that these are the doctrines that give stability to the Christian faith, hope, and love. And the preaching of Jesus Christ . Not his personal preaching; but according to that preaching of which Christ is the author and the subject; and particularly, as the following clause shows, to the doctrines by which the partition between the Jews and the Gentiles was broken down, and by which they were admitted to the same privileges and hopes. According to the revelation . According to the communication of that which has been so long concealed, but which is now made manifest. The word revelation , refers to the publication of the plan by the gospel. Of the mystery . The word mystery means, properly, that which is hidden or concealed , and is thus applied to any doctrine which was not before known. It does not mean necessarily that which is unintelligible ; but that which had not been before revealed. . The word here seems to refer to the principal doctrines of the gospel; its main truths, which had been concealed, especially from the entire Gentile world, but which were now made known. Which was kept secret. Which was kept in silence, Greek, (σεσιγημενου) were not divulged or proclaimed. Since the world began . In all past times. This refers particularly to the Gentiles. The Jews had some obscure intimations of these truths, but they were now made known to all the world. The phrase "since the world began" is, in Greek, "in eternal times;" that is, in all past times; or, as we should say, they have been always concealed. (j) "to him that is of power" (k) "revelation of the mystery"

Romans 16:25

Verse 25. Now to him. This and the two following verses are found in many manuscripts at the close of the fourteenth chapter. Its proper place, however, is here; and the apostle thus concludes the whole epistle with an ascription of praise.

To him, etc. To God; be glory, Rom 16:20.

Is of power. Greek, Is able; who has power, Eph 3:20; Jude 1:24, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from failing," etc. God only can keep Christians in the path of salvation; and it was well to bring that truth prominently into view at the close of the epistle.

To stablish you. To strengthen and confirm you.

According to my Gospel. According to the gospel which I preach; the doctrines which I have been defending in this epistle. It is called his gospel, not because he was the author of it, or because others did not preach it also, but because he had been particularly defending it in this epistle. The doctrines which he had advanced were just those which were fitted to strengthen and confirm them--the doctrine of justification, of election, of perseverance, and of the protection and favour of God to both Jews and Gentiles. These were the doctrines which he had defended; and it might easily be shown that these are the doctrines that give stability to the Christian faith, hope, and love.

And the preaching of Jesus Christ. Not his personal preaching; but according to that preaching of which Christ is the author and the subject; and particularly, as the following clause shows, to the doctrines by which the partition between the Jews and the Gentiles was broken down, and by which they were admitted to the same privileges and hopes.

According to the revelation. According to the communication of that which has been so long concealed, but which is now made manifest. The word revelation, refers to the publication of the plan by the gospel.

Of the mystery. The word mystery means, properly, that which is hidden or concealed, and is thus applied to any doctrine which was not before known. It does not mean necessarily that which is unintelligible; but that which had not been before revealed. Mt 13:11. The word here seems to refer to the principal doctrines of the gospel; its main truths, which had been concealed, especially from the entire Gentile world, but which were now made known.

Which was kept secret. Which was kept in silence, Greek, (σεσιγημενου) were not divulged or proclaimed.

Since the world began. In all past times. This refers particularly to the Gentiles. The Jews had some obscure intimations of these truths, but they were now made known to all the world. The phrase "since the world began" is, in Greek, "in eternal times;" that is, in all past times; or, as we should say, they have been always concealed.

(j) "to him that is of power" Eph 3:20, Jude 1:24 (k) "revelation of the mystery" Eph 1:9, Col 1:26,27

Hebrews 13:20-21

Verse 20. Now the God of peace. God who is the Author, or the Source of peace. 1Thes 5:23. The word peace in the New Testament is used to denote every kind of blessing or happiness. It is opposed to all that would disturb or trouble the mind, and may refer, therefore, to reconciliation with God; to a quiet conscience; to the evidence of pardoned sin; to health and prosperity; and to the hope of heaven. Jn 14:27.

That brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. Acts 2:32 1Cor 15:15. It is only by the fact of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus that we have peace, for it is only by him that we have the prospect of an admission into heaven.

That great shepherd of the sheep. Jn 10:1,14. The idea here is, that it is through the tender care of that great Shepherd that true happiness is bestowed on the people of God.

Through the blood of the everlasting covenant. The blood shed to ratify the everlasting covenant that God makes with his people. Heb 9:14, Heb 9:15-23. This phrase, in the original, is not connected, as it is in our translation, with his being raised from the dead; nor should it be so rendered, for what can be the sense of "raising Christ from the dead by the blood of the covenant?" In the Greek it is, "The God of peace, who brought again from the dead the shepherd of the sheep, great by the blood of the everlasting covenant, our Lord Jesus," etc. The meaning is, that he was made or constituted the great Shepherd of the sheep--the great Lord and Ruler of his people, by that blood. That which makes him so eminently distinguished; that by which he was made superior to all others who ever ruled over the people of God, was the fact that he offered the blood by which the eternal covenant was ratified. It is called everlasting or eternal, because

(1.) it was formed in the councils of eternity, or has been an eternal plan in the Divine Mind; and

(2.) because it is to continue for ever. Through such a covenant God can bestow permanent and solid "peace" on his people, for it lays the foundation of the assurance of eternal happiness.

(d) "God of peace" 1Thes 5:23 (e) "that brought" 1Pet 1:21 (+) "again" "brought back" (f) "shepherd" Eze 34:23 (g) "sheep" Zech 9:11 (2) "everlasting covenant" "testament" Verse 21. Make you perfect. The apostle here does not affirm that they were then perfect, or that they would be in this life. The word here used--καταρτιζω-means, to make fully ready, to put in full order; to make complete. The meaning here is, that Paul prayed that God would fully endow them with whatever grace was necessary to do his will and to keep his commandments. See the word explained Heb 11:3. It is an appropriate prayer to be offered at all times, and by all who love the church, that God would make all his people perfectly qualified to do all his will.

Working in you. Marg. Doing. The idea here is, that the only hope that they would do the will of God was, that he would, by his own agency, cause them to do what was well-pleasing in his sight: Comp. Php 2:12. It is not from any expectation that man would do it himself

Through Jesus Christ. The idea is, that God does not directly and by his own immediate agency convert and sanctify the heart, but it is through the gospel of Christ, and all good influences on the soul must be expected through the Saviour.

To whom be glory for ever and ever. That is, to Christ; for so the connexion evidently demands. It is not uncommon for the apostle Paul to introduce doxologies in this way in the midst of a letter. Rom 9:4. It was common among the Jews, as it is now in the writings and conversation of the Mohammedans, when the name of God was mentioned, to accompany it with an expression of praise.

Jude 24

Verse 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling. This ascription to one who was able to keep them from failing is made in view of the facts adverted to in the epistle--the dangers of being led away by the arts and the example of these teachers of error. Comp. Jude 1:3. On the ascription itself, comp. Rom 16:26-27. The phrase "to keep from falling" means here to preserve from falling into sin, from yielding to temptation, and dishonouring their religion. The word used (απταιστους) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means properly, not stumbling, as of a horse; then without falling into sin, blameless. It is God only who, amidst the temptations of the world, can keep us from falling; but, blessed be his name, he can do it, and if we trust in him he will.

And to present you faultless. The word here rendered faultless is the same which is rendered unblamable in Col 1:22. See the sentiment here expressed explained in the Notes on that passage.

Before the presence of his glory. In his own glorious presence; before himself encompassed with glory in heaven. The saints are to be presented there as redeemed and sanctified, and as made worthy by grace to dwell there for ever.

With exceeding joy. With the abounding joy that they are redeemed; that they are rescued from sorrow, sin, and death, and that heaven is to be their eternal home. Who now can form an adequate idea of the happiness of that hour?

(d) "him" Rom 16:25-27 (e) "keep" 2Ti 4:18 (f) "present" Col 1:22