Lectionary Year B
December 22, 2002
Romans 16:25-27

Step II: Disposition

A. Genre

(JFC) This Epistle's concluding paragraph is an ascription of praise of/to God. Some call it a Doxology and many say it sums up all the major thoughts of the entire Epistle. It is, as usually from this pen, a long and run-on sentence covering several subjects. It declares Gospel, the Gospel's justification and its appropriate response for and by all people and it concludes with more Gospel. Of course it repeats itself - hardly a surprise.

B. Personal Interaction

(JFC) How personally does Paul consider to be "his" the Gospel he here calls "his"? Is it of any concern that Paul's Gospel precedes Jesus' proclamation? Has the message really been kept secret? And, if it has been revealed via the prophetic writings, how long has it been concealed? All nations, Paul, are you that confident? Would the yet-to-be-converted Jews believe they could praise God only because of Jesus Christ?

C. Organization

(JFC) Paul calls the Gospel "his" in verse 25, where "his Gospel" precedes Jesus' proclamation also. At the end of that same verse (25) the Gospel's secrecy is mentioned. The prophetic writings' revealing the message is in the 26th verse. All nations' obeying in faith concludes that verse (26). Praising God solely through Christ comes in the middle of the final verse, number 27.



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