Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith — to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 16:25-27 (ESV)
Paul’s doxology at the end of his letter to the Romans is one very long sentence. His opening thought, “Now to him,” is completed at the end of the doxology, “[the only wise God] be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ.”
God is able to strengthen us according to the gospel message Paul preached and the message about Jesus. The contents of the gospel message can be found in the pages of this letter that Paul has written. It can also be found in the gospel accounts and the other writings in the New Testament.
But this message was not new with Paul or the other writers. Paul tells us here that it was a mystery that had been kept hidden for long ages. But it was a mystery that had now been revealed. Where was this message hidden? It was in the prophetic writings of the Old Testament.
This disclosed mystery was not exclusively for the Jews. Instead, it has been made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith. The gospel message, hidden in the Old Testament and revealed in the New, is for all people.
And this is in accordance with the command of the eternal God. Reaching the whole world with the gospel of Jesus was always God’s plan. Jew and Gentile alike, there is one gospel. The revelation of this mystery that was hidden in the pages of the Old Testament is in the person of Jesus and the preaching of his apostles.
