Romans 16:25

f. τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ : cf. Ephesians 3:20; Jude 1:24. στηρίξαι : this word takes us back to the beginning of the epistle (Romans 1:11.) Paul wished to impart to them some spiritual gift, to the end that they might be established; but only God is able (cf. Romans 14:4) to effect this result. The stablishing is to take place κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου : in agreement with the gospel Paul preached. When it is achieved, the Romans will be settled and confirmed in Christianity as it was understood by the Apostle. For τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου cf. Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 2:8 : also 1 Timothy 1:11, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον … ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ. The expression implies not only that Paul's gospel was his own, in the sense that he was not taught it by any man (Galatians 1:11 f.), but also that it had something characteristic of himself about it. The characteristic feature, to judge by this epistle, was his sense of the absolute freeness of salvation (justification by faith, apart from works of law), and of its absolute universality (for every one that believeth, Jew first, then Greek). τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ is practically the same as τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου. It was in a preaching (1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 15:14; Titus 1:3) of which Jesus Christ was the object that Paul declared the characteristic truths of his gospel: and this preaching, as well as the gospel, may be said to be the rule according to which the Romans are to be established as Christians. κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου … γνωρισθέντος. This passage “goes not with στηρίξαι, but with κήρυγμα ” (Sanday and Headlam). This is the simplest construction: the gospel Paul preaches, the gospel in accordance with which he would have them established, is itself in accordance with we may even say identical with the revelation of a mystery, etc. The μυστήριον here referred to is God's world-embracing purpose of redemption, as it has been set out conspicuously in this epistle. One aspect of this one element of the mystery is referred to where μυστήριον is used in Romans 11:25; but the conception of the Gospel as a μυστήριον revealed in the fulness of the time dominates later epistles, especially Ephesians (cf. Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:3-4; Ephesians 3:9; Ephesians 6:19). The Gospel as Paul understood it was a μυστήριον, because it could never have been known except through Divine revelation: μυστήριον and ἀποκάλυψις are correlative terms. χρόνοις αἰωνίοις : the dative expresses duration. Winer, p. 273; cf. 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2. For φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν cf. Romans 3:21. The aorist refers to Christ's appearing, though the significance of this had to be made clear by revelation (Weiss). διά τε γραφῶν προφητικῶν … γνωρισθέντος : for τε cf. Romans 2:16. The connection is meant to be as close as possible: the γνωρίζειν follows the φανεροῦν as a matter of course. The γραφαὶ προφητικαί are the O.T. Scriptures of which Paul made constant use in preaching his gospel (cf. κατὰ τὰς γραφὰς in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). For him the O.T. was essentially a Christian book. His gospel was witnessed to by the law and the prophets (Romans 1:2; Romans 3:21; Romans 3:4, passim), and in that sense the mystery was made known through them. But their significance only came out for one who had the Christian key to them the knowledge of Christ which revelation had given to Paul. κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου θεοῦ : cf. 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:3. The idea is that only an express command of the Eternal God could justify the promulgation of the secret He had kept so long. For the “Eternal God” cf. Genesis 21:33; 1 Timothy 1:17 (τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων). εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως : cf. Romans 1:5 εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη : in Romans 1:5 it is ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν : for εἰς in this sense see Romans 3:22. It is very difficult to believe that such mosaic work is the original composition of Paul.