Click to join the conversation with over 500,000 Pentecostal believers and scholars
Click to get our FREE MOBILE APP and stay connected
| PentecostalTheology.com
In the doxology of Romans, Paul writes:
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)
The gospel is here spoken of as a mystery, which has been “kept secret for long ages, but has now been disclosed.” This statement seems to imply that it was previously hidden, and only now made known through Christ.
At the same time, however, overlapping is the statement that this mystery “through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations,” which seems to imply that the mystery was already revealed back at the time of the prophets.
Even setting aside commitments to scriptural authority and biblical inerrancy, the mere fact that Paul adjoined these two statements gives one reason to think that this apparent contradiction is both intentional and non-contradictory. How does one reconcile these two statements?
