Day 10 The Final Doxology (1)

The Final Doxology (1)

Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 6 but now revealed … Romans 16:25,26a

This great letter concludes with a doxology which takes up the letter’s central themes, summarises them, and then relates them to each other. It consists of four parts, focusing respectively on the power of God, the gospel of Christ, the evangelisation of the nations and praise of God’s wisdom. We begin here with the first two and will conclude the final devotion with the third and Paul’s praise of God’s wisdom.

First, the power of God. ‘Now to him who is able to establish you’ (16:25a). The letter to Romans begins and ends with a reference to the power of God through the gospel. The gospel is God’s power to save (1:16) and to ‘establish.’ Paul uses a word (sterizo) that is almost a technical term for nurturing new converts and strengthening new churches. Luke uses it in Acts of Paul and his companions revisiting the churches they had planted to ‘establish’ them (Acts 14:21f; 15:41;18:23). Paul himself uses the term in relation to making Christians firm, strong and stable, whether in their faith against error, in their holiness against temptation, or in their courage against persecution (1:11; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:21; Colossians 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:17; 3:7).

Secondly Paul writes of the gospel of Christ. God is able to establish you ‘by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed’ (16:25b,26a). Paul would think ‘my gospel’ and ‘the proclamation of Jesus Christ’ are one and the same. He is affirming that God’s power to establish the church is part of his gospel, which is in itself the proclamation of Christ. Paul saw the gospel as a ‘mystery,’ as a cluster of truths ‘hidden for long ages past, but now revealed’ (16:25b,26a). This hiddenness does not mean that one could have no knowledge of the content of the mystery but more that one could not fully understand it or experience it. God’s mystery is essentially Christ Himself in His fullness (Colossians 2:2). Relating first to Gentiles, they now have an equal share with Israel in God’s promises (Ephesians 3:6ff; 6:19f). Relating then to the Jews, one day ‘all Israel will be saved’ (11:25f). Believing Jews can look forward to future glory (1 Corinthians 2:7ff) when God will bring all things together under Christ (Ephesians 1:9f).

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