Title: Romans 16:21-27 Greetings and Gospel
Content Main text: Romans 16:21 - 27
Subject: Text and Gospel
The text is the exhortations, final greetings, and chanting of the gospel of the Apostle Paul.
Paul greeted by listing the names of about 30 people in Romans 16:1-16. These were the church members in Rome who received Paul's letter. However, the people introduced in the text (verses 21-23) were members of the Corinthian church, who worked with Paul. They were co-workers. These are people who are known for good faith in the Corinthian church. That is, they were the ones who had good news. This is to introduce these well-known people to the Romans. This introduction is to help the Romans in their faith.
1. Let’s look at the people Paul introduces (verses 21-23).
Paul introduces eight people.
Verse 21: "My fellow workers, Timothy, and Nuchius, my relatives, and Jason, and Soshpater greet you."
1) Timothy is called my co-worker.
It means working together. He was Paul's assistant and successor. He is the most trusted co-worker.
Philippians 2:19-20 says, "I send Timothy to you soon, that in the Lord you may be comforted by the knowledge of your circumstances, for I have no one else to agree and consider your circumstances sincerely."
Paul recommends a person who can work for him.
Philippians 2:21-22 says, “They all sought their own things, not those of Christ Jesus, but you know the training of Timothy, that they labored with me for the gospel as a child does a father.”
Nugius, Jason, and Soshibather are said to be Paul's relatives.
2) Nuchius is recorded in Acts 13:1.
He was one of the young workers among the prophets and teachers of the Antioch Church.
When Paul was writing this letter to the church in Corinth, being with him was helping him.
3) Jason is introduced in Acts 17:5-9.
He was persecuted by the Jews because he accepted Paul into his home. Not only that, he followed Paul and preached the gospel.
4) Soshibather was introduced in Acts 20:4.
5) Verse 22, “I, Tertius, who is writing this letter, also greet you in the Lord.”
Tertius was the author of Paul's letters. He was a hidden assistant who worked hard in hiding. Paul's eyesight was so bad that he could not write or read at will. A writer stood by and wrote Paul's words for him, and Paul only signed autographs.
In 1 Corinthians 16:21 it is written, “I, Paul, greet you with my own hand.” It's just stating that you wrote it yourself.
6) In verse 23, “Me and Gaius, the owner of the whole church, greet you, and Erastus, the treasurer of this city, and Guado, the brother, also greet you.”
Gaio said, "Gaio is the food of me and the whole church."
As a wealthy man in Corinth, he took Paul and all his family members to his house and took care of them.
Paul and his companions, the evangelists, must have paid for all the accommodation costs.
2. Preach the word of the gospel (verses 25-26)
The gospel is Jesus Christ. Paul is completely preaching only Jesus Christ.
Verse 25 says, “My gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ have been hidden from time immemorial.” Paul calls the gospel my gospel.
It has already been said in Romans 1:1-2.
“Paul was set apart for the gospel, which God promised in advance through the prophets concerning his Son in the Scriptures.”
My gospel that Paul preached was the gospel of salvation only through faith in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is, preaching the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul says that he exists in this world to preach Jesus Christ.
"Hidden from eternity" means 'Silent from eternity'.
God's plan of salvation was decreed by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the eternity before creation, but it was hidden in silence for a long time.
Paul received this gospel as my gospel.
In this way, the gospel must be received as the word given to me as my gospel. You must not pass it on to others. We often say that this is the word that anyone should hear. no. These are the words of my gospel that I need to hear.
It is a question of when did the gospel exist. It is the origin of the gospel.
The gospel has existed since time immemorial. The gospel was with God before the foundation of the world. There was, but it was hidden. Therefore, people could not hear or know. This hidden thing came to be revealed through the preaching of the gospel.
Verse 26, “Now it has been revealed, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was made known to all nations for the obedience of faith through the writings of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God.”
1) It says that the gospel existed from eternity.
2) This gospel strengthens us. (Don't shake it.)
Let's brag about this gospel, Jesus. Let's be proud of our faith in Jesus.
“Now it has been made manifest” is the revelation of the gospel.
In the Old Testament times, the prophet was a person who received a revelation from God and delivered it to the people in the Old Testament times, saying, "According to the command of the eternal God, through the writings of the prophets, that all nations may believe and obey."
Therefore, the word of prophecy that has been handed down historically from the Old Testament has come to be fulfilled today. That is, the Eternal One came in the history of time and space in life. You became incarnate.
History is History. Ultimately, it is the history of redemption that speaks of the developmental stages of the redemption of Jesus Christ.
History is divided into B.C and A.D. It is divided into Before Christ (Before Christ, BC) and Anno Domini (Year of the Lord, AD). Jesus Christ is the master of history.
"To make all nations believe and obey"
It is a message to preach the gospel to every nation and every language. It is a word to evangelize. The great command of Jesus is also evangelism. (Matthew 28:18-20)
We must preach the gospel to all nations so that they can believe and obey. Only then will you be saved. If I obey the Word, the wonderful power of the Word takes hold of me and makes me obedient. make it warm. The gospel (the Word) is eternal and does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
3. Pick-up
"To the wise God be glory through Jesus Christ forever and ever.