Romans 16:25-27

This week’s passages are all about turning the world upside down. From the king who thinks he can build a house for God, only to be reminded that it is God who built a house for him (2 Samuel 7) to Mary’s song of the powerful brought down while the lowly are lifted up. With a few words, Paul’s benediction to his letter to the Christians in Rome also portrayed an upside-down world (or right-side-up, depending on your point of view!)

The benediction is bookended with a phrase: “Now to God…be the glory forever! Amen.” A lot of theology is packed between those bookends.

Starting with verse 25, “To God who is able to strengthen you.” Paul opens with a nod to God’s power, which is imparted unto his people. In the city at the heart of the Roman Empire, a city that surely felt the incredible power of Caesar at every turn, Paul reminded the Christians of who was truly powerful. While kings and rulers may reign for a time, God reigns for eternity. And it is this power that empowers the Christians. Paul deftly dethroned Caesar with a single phrase that put the power right back in God’s hands to be extended to the Christians.

This empowerment is through the good news and proclamation of Jesus Christ. Earlier in Romans, Paul wrote at length about the incredible message of Jesus Christ crucified. Again, this is another upside-down message. This story of death is good news, not to be hidden but proclaimed. It is Jesus’ power over death that enables the Roman Christians to stand, to be “more than conquerors.”

Paul opened the book of Romans with discussion about God’s revelation to humanity, and here he revisits that theme: the “revelation of the mystery,” the “secret,” “now disclosed.” This is no esoteric gospel, limited to the wealthy or the wise. This is good news for all of humanity. What was secret and hidden has been turned upside down and is now revealed and disclosed.

This secret is revealed through the prophetic writings. Is Paul referring to the Old Testament prophets? To his own prophetic writings? Maybe both.[1] Throughout the book of Romans, Paul drew heavily on Old Testament themes, characters, and scriptures to expound his arguments. This final benediction reminded the Christians of the power of these writings to reveal God to them.

But again, Paul turns the message upside-down.

The purpose of the prophetic writings in revealing God is not only for the Jewish people, but specifically here identified to be for the Gentiles. While the Jews protected and preserved the prophetic tradition, handing it down from one generation to the next, carefully studying it for greater understanding of God’s activity in the world, Paul had the nerve to say that this ultimate revelation was for the Gentiles too!

This is another continuation of a theme present throughout the book of Romans—the essential inclusion of Gentiles in the church. Not as outsiders but as full insiders, able to worship alongside Jewish Christians. The revelation is incomplete if it does not include Gentiles. Paul was quick to connect this revelation with the command of God. The inclusion of the Gentiles was not to be taken lightly.

Next Paul connected obedience and faith. In the tradition of Martin Luther, it may seem like this phrase does not fit in with the overall theme of Romans, but in fact, Paul also connects obedience and faith with the opening verses of chapter 12: “Therefore…offer your bodies as living sacrifices…” The benediction points back to the message that this incredible good news that we have received necessarily results in offering our bodies. Faith is not a verbal assent or change of heart; it is an action. In the benediction, Paul again reminded the church in Rome that faith is practiced through obedience.

With the final words of verse 27, Paul artfully made a theological statement of the oneness of God and Jesus Christ. Paul’s benediction opened with the phrase, “Now to God…,” and now it concludes with an addendum: “to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ…” Paul can be wordy, but here he is concise. Jesus is God and God is Jesus. And to God/Jesus, him/them, be the glory forever. Amen.

In today’s lectionary texts, this quick section from Paul’s message to the Roman Christians is where the rubber meets the road.

If kings are sustained only through the power of God (as 2 Samuel 7 points out), and peasant women can be blessed through all generations (as Mary prophesies in Luke 1), we can take heart in the world today.

But that strengthening comes with some mandates. First, no one has an exclusive claim over who gets to share in the revealed mysteries that come through Jesus. This is for everyone everywhere. As a lover of history, I can safely say that very few people with power are eager to share their power. But generosity is the mandate of the Early Church. This good news is for everyone. For Jews and Greeks. For insiders and outsiders. We must be careful even today of who we try to exclude from receiving the full revelation of God through Jesus Christ.

Second, our faith is enacted through our obedience. Our bodies are living sacrifices. The beautiful and powerful words of Mary come to fruition in our world when humble people follow the example of Mary and say, as she did, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Today, may we find strength in the good news that has been proclaimed, may we freely share the mysteries that have been revealed in Christ, may our faith be displayed by our obedience, and may we give glory to God for all of this. Amen.

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[1] See N.T. Wright’s commentary on Romans 16:26 in the New Interpreter’s Bible (1994, Nashville: Abingdon Press).