For some reason, the Epistle reading that is set for this coming Sunday, the Fourth Sunday in Advent, is the last few verses of Paul’s long and complex letter to the Romans. This short passage is just one sentence in length; it offers a benedictory closure to this long and complex letter: “now to God who is able to strengthen you … to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen” (Rom 16:25–27).
It is a somewhat flowery benediction which is quite similar to the closing verses of the letter of Jude: “now to him who is able to keep you from falling … to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever; Amen” (Jude 24–25).
Some commentators observe that the wording of this benediction is somewhat alien to the theological argumentation that Paul sets forth in the body of the letter. “The revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed” and reference to “the eternal God” are the key terms in view. Perhaps this benediction was added after the letter itself was completed, they suggest, arguing that these words were likely written by another hand who did not like the way the series of greetings (Rom 16:21–23) ends quite abruptly.
In fact, the Roman closure reads like an extension of a typical Pauline blessing found in some other letters he wrote. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”, he begins his early letter to the Galatians, continuing “who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever; Amen” (Gal 1:3–5).
“To our God and Father be glory forever and ever; Amen” he writes in a later letter, as he prepares to conclude his words to the Philippians (Phil 4:20). And still later, an unknown writer claiming the authority of Paul writes a slightly extended blessing in similar form, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever; Amen” (Eph 3:20-21).
From another perspective, these three verses look straightforward; they bring to a fine conclusion “the proclamation of Jesus Christ” that Paul has offered in his long letter to the Romans, especially noting that the Gospel has been “made known to all the Gentiles” and that this has been evident “through the prophetic writings”. Each of these phrases pick up key elements in the theological argument that Paul has developed in Romans.
However, although we will read them here, at the very end of the letter, in all current versions of our Bibles, these verses are missing from a number of important early manuscripts of this letter. Further, some other manuscripts place them after 14:23; still others after 15:33; and some even add a short blessing after this longer benediction. This reminds us that the finely-crafted Bibles that we have today are a long way from the ragged manuscripts that circulated in the early centuries of the church.
Still, there are gems in these words of benediction, which it would be a shame to miss. That the story of Jesus is “made known to all the Gentiles” is a significant statement. Paul himself had a firm commitment to bringing the good news to the Gentiles (1:5, 13; 3:29; 9:24; 11:11–13; 15:9–12, 15–21). He declares that “I am an apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom 11:13) who had been “entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised” (Gal 2:7–9; see also 1 Tim 2:7).
That the letter has aimed “to bring about the obedience of faith” is a second affirmation worth remembering. This affirmation links back with a very early statement by Paul, as he introduced himself to the believers in Rome, where he indicates that “we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name” (Rom 1:5).
There is a peculiar textual variation in the closing section of this benediction. Some manuscripts include the phrase “to whom”, but others omit it. Its inclusion seems to place a bump in what would be the usual conclusion to a benedictory sentence, which would read, “to the only wise God be the glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen”. That flow of words brings the letter to a most fitting climax of praise.
Finally, the last hope expressed in this letter is that God might strengthen those who read it. This has been part of Paul’s intention in writing to the Romans, and in planning to visit them; as he declares in the opening phrases of the letter, “I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you” (1:11).
This has been Paul’s practice in relation to other communities. “May [the Lord] so strengthen your hearts in holiness”, he prays for the Thessalonians (1 Thess 3:13; see also 2 Thess 2:17). He assures the Corinthians that the Lord “will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:8) and exhorts them, “stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong” (1 Cor 16:13).
Others writing later letters in the name of Paul echo this prayer: “may you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power” (Col 1:11), “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power” (Eph 6:10), and “you then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 2:1).
Why is this closing benediction included as the Epistle reading for this fourth Sunday in Advent? Perhaps because “the mystery that was kept secret for long ages” is “now disclosed” by a “revelation” in the story of Jesus, whose birth we are soon to celebrate? Perhaps because it is in Jesus that Christians most clearly perceive “the glory of God” to be evident? I can’t be sure; but there it is, for us to hear and ponder, this coming Sunday.
An Informed Faith 