Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 16:25
Verse 25. Now to him] In the note at chap. xiv. 23. I have shown that this and the following verses are by the most reputable MSS. and versions placed at the end of that chapter, which is supposed by most critics to be their proper place. Some of the arguments adduced in favour of this transposition may be found in the note above mentioned. I shall therefore refer to Griesbach, and proceed to make a few short remarks on the verses as they occur here. Of power to stablish you] To that God, without whom nothing is wise, nothing strong; who is as willing to teach as he is wise; as ready to help as he is strong.
According to my Gospel] That Gospel which explains and publishes God's purpose of taking the Gentiles to be his people under the Messiah, without subjecting them to the law of Moses. This is what he here calls the preaching of Jesus Christ; for without this he did not think, as Mr. Locke observes, that Christ vas preached to the Gentiles as he ought to be; and therefore in several places of his epistle to the Galatians he calls it the truth, and the truth of the Gospel, and uses the like expressions to the Ephesians and Colossians. This is that mystery which he is so much concerned that the Ephesians should understand and adhere to firmly, and which was revealed to him according to that Gospel whereof he was made a minister. And it is probable that this grand mystery of bringing the Gentiles into the kingdom of God, without passing through the rites of the Mosaic law, was revealed more particularly to St. Paul than to any other of the apostles, and that he preached it more pointedly, and certainly with more success. See Taylor and Locke.
Which was kept secret] This purpose of calling the Gentiles, and giving them equal privileges to the Jews, without obliging them to submit to circumcision, &c.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 25. Now to him that is of power to stablish you , etc..] God is here described by his power, and the particular instance of it is the establishing of his people; that is, in the Gospel, as the Syriac version reads the next clause, and in the profession of it, with grace in their hearts, and in the exercise of it, and more lively and cheerful discharge of duty; (see Gill on Romans 1:11); according to my Gospel ; this is the means by which God usually establishes his people in faith and holiness; it is, indeed, an act of divine power, and which there is reason to hope and believe will be exerted; for words which express the power of God to do this, or the other thing, generally import willingness to do it, as the word does here; but then this is commonly done in the use of means: and that is the Gospel, than which nothing has a greater tendency to, and is better calculated for, and with a divine blessing always issues in the establishment of the saints. The apostle calls the Gospel his, not because he was the author of it, or the subject of it; but because he was the minister of it; it was that Gospel which he was sent and qualified to preach, and did preach fully and faithfully, and which he explains by the following clauses: and the preaching of Jesus Christ : being that Gospel which Jesus Christ himself preached, for which he was anointed and sent, and which first began to be spoken by him in its power and purity, and in such a manner as it never was before or since: and of which he also is the subject; it treats of his person, offices, righteousness, blood, sacrifice, and salvation; and which when preached aright is done in his name, by his authority, through gifts, grace, and strength received from him, and with a view to his glory: it follows as a further explanation of it, according to the revelation of the mystery ; by which is meant, not, as some think, only the calling and conversion of the Gentiles through the preaching of the Gospel, though what is said of it well agrees with it; (see Ephesians 3:3-5); nor merely the mystery of Christ's incarnation and redemption by him; but the whole Gospel, and all the truths of it, which is often in Scripture called a mystery, because the reason of many of its important doctrines does not clearly appear to the carnal reason of men; and the modus of several of them will ever remain inexplicable by us, as the doctrine of the Trinity, the sonship of Christ, and his incarnation, the resurrection, etc.. though the things themselves are most clearly revealed, as here revelation is ascribed unto them; by which is meant not that internal revelation of them, by the Spirit of God to the souls of men, though absolutely necessary to the understanding of them in a spiritual manner; nor the revelation of them to the apostles by Christ, by which, and not by men, they were taught and received; but that revelation which they have made of them in the external ministry of the word: which was kept secret since the world began , or from eternal times: from all the ages of the former dispensation, or that have run out from the beginning of the world; not that this mystery of the Gospel was entirely unknown, nor any hints given of it in those ages; for there certainly were, as to our first parents after the fall, to Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and others; but it was but obscurely revealed, only some dark intimations were given of it; it was exhibited in types, shadows, and sacrifices; and, in a comparative sense, was wrapped up in darkness and silence, in reference to the more clear discovery and open exhibition of it under the Gospel dispensation.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 25-27 - That which establishes souls, is, the plain preaching of Jesus Christ Our redemption and salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, are, withou controversy, a great mystery of godliness. And yet, blessed be God there is as much of this mystery made plain as will bring us to heaven if we do not wilfully neglect so great salvation. Life and immortalit are brought to light by the gospel, and the Sun of Righteousness i risen on the world. The Scriptures of the prophets, what they left i writing, is not only made plain in itself, but by it this mystery is made known to all nations. Christ is salvation to all nations. And the gospel is revealed, not to be talked of and disputed about, but to be submitted to. The obedience of faith is that obedience which is paid to the word of faith, and which comes by the grace of faith. All the glor that passes from fallen man to God, so as to be accepted of him, mus go through the Lord Jesus, in whom alone our persons and doings are, or can be, pleasing to God. Of his righteousness we must make mention even of his only; who, as he is the Mediator of all our prayers, so he is, and will be, to eternity, the Mediator of all our praises Remembering that we are called to the obedience of faith, and tha every degree of wisdom is from the only wise God, we should, by wor and deed, render glory to him through Jesus Christ; that so the grac of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with us for ever __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
τω 3588 T-DSM δε 1161 CONJ δυναμενω 1410 5740 V-PNP-DSM υμας 5209 P-2AP στηριξαι 4741 5658 V-AAN κατα 2596 PREP το 3588 T-ASN ευαγγελιον 2098 N-ASN μου 3450 P-1GS και 2532 CONJ το 3588 T-ASN κηρυγμα 2782 N-ASN ιησου 2424 N-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM κατα 2596 PREP αποκαλυψιν 602 N-ASF μυστηριου 3466 N-GSN χρονοις 5550 N-DPM αιωνιοις 166 A-DPM σεσιγημενου 4601 5772 V-RPP-GSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
25. This is the only epistle of Paul which closes with a doxology. The doxology (see on ch. xiv. 23) stands at the close of this chapter in most of the very oldest MSS., and in the Peshito or Syriac and Vulgate versions. In a very few MSS. it is omitted or erased by a later hand. In many MSS. including most of the cursives, it is found at the close of ch. 14, and in a very few, at the close of both 14 and 16. 75 Weiss ("Introduction to the New Testament") says that the attempt to prove its un-Pauline character has only been the result of extreme ingenuity.Stablish (sthrixai). See on 1 Pet. v. 10 Mystery. See on ch. xi. 25. The divine plan of redemption. The particular mystery of the conversion of the Gentiles, which is emphasized in Eph. iii. 3-9; Col. i. 26, is included, but the reference is not to be limited to this.
Kept secret (sesighmenou). Rev., more accurately, kept in silence. In Eph. iii. 9; Col. i. 26, ajpokekrummenon hidden away, is used.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:25 Verses #25-27 conclude the noble epistle with the finest of Paul's doxologies. {To him that is able} (t"i dunamen"i). Dative of the articular participle of dunamai. See similar idiom in #Eph 3:20. {To stablish} (strixai). First aorist active infinitive of sterizw, to make stable. {According to my gospel} (kata to euaggelion mou). Same phrase in #2:16; 2Ti 2:8. Not a book, but Paul's message as here set forth. {The preaching} (to kerugma). The proclamation, the heralding. {Of Jesus Christ} (iesou cristou). Objective genitive, "about Jesus Christ." {Revelation} (apokaluyin). "Unveiling." {Of the mystery} (musteriou). Once unknown, but now revealed. {Kept in silence} (sesigmenou). Perfect passive participle of sigaw, to be silent, state of silence. {Through times eternal} (chronois ai"niois). Associative instrumental case, "along with times eternal" (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 527). See #1Co 2:6,7,10.
