Rom 16:25-27 | 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 16:25-27

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 Verse 26. But now is made manifest. Is revealed, or made known; that which was so long concealed is now divulged, i.e. God's plan of saving men is now made known to all nations.

And by the Scriptures, etc. By the writings of the prophets. The prophetic writings contained the doctrines, obscurely indeed, but so as to be an important means of disseminating and confirming the truth, that the Gentiles should be made acquainted with the gospel. To those writings the apostle had repeatedly appealed in his defence of the proposition, that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentile world, chapters 10, 11, 15. The prophetic writings, moreover were extensively scattered among the Gentile nations, and thus were readily appealed to in defence of this position. Their writings being thus translated, and read, were an important means of propagating the truths of the Christian religion.

According to the commandment, etc. By his command through Jesus Christ; made known in the gospel of his Son.

The everlasting God. God who is eternal, and therefore unchanged. He who has indeed concealed this truth, but who has always intended that it should be revealed.

To all nations. Mt 28:19. Comp. Col 1:23.

(l) "all nations" Mt 28:19

Verse 27. To God only wise. The apostle here resumes the doxology which had been interrupted by the parenthesis. The attribute of wisdom is here brought into view, because it had been particularly displayed in this plan which was now revealed. It evinced, in an eminent degree, the wisdom of God. That wisdom was evinced in devising the plan; in adapting it to the renewing of the heart; the justification of the sinner; his preservation, guidance, and sanctification; and in the manner in which the Divine attributes had all been seen to harmonize. All this the apostle had illustrated in the previous parts of the epistle; and now, full of the convictions of this wisdom, he desires that all the praise and honour should be to God. The tendency of the plan is to promote His glory. The obligation on all who are benefited by it is to give him praise.

Be glory. Praise; honour.

Through Jesus Christ. By means of the work which Jesus Christ has performed; through him now as Mediator and Intercessor in the heavens.

The subscription, "written to the Romans," etc., is evidently added by some other hand, but by whom is unknown. Paul assuredly would not write this to inform the Romans that it was sent by Phebe, whom he had just commended to their kindness. It has been shown, moreover, that no reliance is to be placed on any of the subscriptions to the epistles. Some of them are known to be false. By whom they were added is unknown. In this case, however, the fact which it states is correct, that it was written from Corinth, and sent by Phebe.

THE END

(m) "To God only wise" 1Timm 1:17, Jude 1:25