25 And to Him who is able to establish you, according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, in the times of the ages having been kept silent,
having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself,
but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a secret, that God foreordained before the ages to our glory,
that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few `words' -- in regard to which ye are able, reading `it', to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit --
For the Lord Jehovah doth nothing, Except He hath revealed His counsel unto His servants the prophets.
and now, I commend you, brethren, to God, and to the word of His grace, that is able to build up, and to give you an inheritance among all those sanctified.
for not ourselves do we preach, but Christ Jesus -- Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus;
the secret that hath been hid from the ages and from the generations, but now was manifested to his saints, to whom God did will to make known what `is' the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations -- which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory,
to which He did call you through our good news, to the acquiring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ;
And the God of all grace, who did call you to His age-during glory in Christ Jesus, having suffered a little, Himself make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle `you';
upon hope of life age-during, which God, who doth not lie, did promise before times of ages,
foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, and manifested in the last times because of you,
concerning which salvation seek out and search out did prophets who concerning the grace toward you did prophecy, searching in regard to what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them was manifesting, testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory after these, to whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they were ministering these, which now were told to you (through those who did proclaim good news to you,) in the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, to which things messengers do desire to bend looking.
and if also our good news is vailed, in those perishing it is vailed,
He is revealing deep and hidden things; He hath known what `is' in darkness, and light with Him hath dwelt.
And having turned unto the disciples, he said, by themselves, `Happy the eyes that are perceiving what ye perceive; for I say to you, that many prophets and kings did wish to see what ye perceive, and did not see, and to hear what ye hear, and did not hear.'
and immediately in the synagogues he was preaching the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
also we -- we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness,
And I, having come unto you, brethren, came -- not in superiority of discourse or wisdom -- declaring to you the testimony of God, for I decided not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified;
I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,
and I went up by revelation, and did submit to them the good news that I preach among the nations, and privately to those esteemed, lest in vain I might run or did run;
and to Him who is able above all things to do exceeding abundantly what we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, to Him `is' the glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age of the ages. Amen.
and in behalf of me, that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth, in freedom, to make known the secret of the good news,
and may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father, who did love us, and did give comfort age-during, and good hope in grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.
who did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, that was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Romans 16
Commentary on Romans 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
Paul is now concluding this long and excellent epistle, and he does it with a great deal of affection. As in the main body of the epistle he appears to have been a very knowing man, so in these appurtenances of it he appears to have been a very loving man. So much knowledge and so much love are a very rare, but (where they exist) a very excellent and amiable-composition; for what is heaven but knowledge and love made perfect? It is observable how often Paul speaks as if he were concluding, and yet takes fresh hold again. One would have thought that solemn benediction which closed the foregoing chapter should have ended the epistle; and yet here he begins again, and in this chapter he repeats the blessing (v. 20), "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, Amen.' And yet he has something more to say; nay, again he repeats the blessing (v. 24), and yet has not done; an expression of his tender love. These repeated benedictions, which stand for valedictions, speak Paul loth to part. Now, in this closing chapter, we may observe,
Rom 16:1-16
Such remembrances as these are usual in letters between friends; and yet Paul, by the savouriness of his expressions, sanctifies these common compliments.
Rom 16:17-20
The apostle having endeavoured by his endearing salutations to unite them together, it was not improper to subjoin a caution to take heed of those whose principles and practices were destructive to Christian love. And we may observe,
Rom 16:21-24
As the Apostle had before sent his own salutations to many of this church, and that of the churches round him to them all, he here adds an affectionate remembrance of them from some particular persons who were now with him, the better to promote acquaintance and fellowship among distant saints, and that the subscribing of these worthy names, known to them, might the more recommend this epistle. He mentions,
Rom 16:25-27
Here the apostle solemnly closes his epistle with a magnificent ascription of glory to the blessed God, as one that terminated all in the praise and glory of God, and studied to return all to him, seeing all is of him and from him. He does, as it were, breathe out his soul to these Romans in the praise of God, choosing to make that the end of his epistle which he made the end of his life. Observe here,