Bullinger - Re the Romans Postscripts

In Bullinger’s book ‘The Foundations of Dispensational Truth” cites his ‘Companion Bible,’ Appendix: pgs. 153-158) he explains how Romans, the last Acts period epistle written by Paul, from Rome while in Prison) can contain the Romans 16:25 reference “The Revelation of the MYSTERY that had been kept secret since the world began” even before Acts 28:28 concludes Israel’s kingdom program.

The excerpt below is Bullinger’s shortened and longer explanations taken from his Companion Bible’s notes for Romans 16, as slightly adapted for added clarity by Arthur J. Licursi.

Romans 16 POSTSCRIPTS

Verse 24 Text: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Romans 16:24 (KJV)

The amanuensis [scribe] repeats the words which close the initial Romans message of Paul in v. 20. Some (corrupt) ancient texts omit the second benediction of v 24, and the R.V. follows through not understanding the reason for the introduction of "the mystery" of v 25 as seen in vv. 25, 26, 27. There are clearly two postscripts, one in v. 20, the other in v. 24. The first closes the Epistle itself at the time of writing by Tertius (Paul’s scribe) in the spring of 58 A.D. The other was added by Paul during his first Roman imprisonment, and after Ephesians had been written, see below.

LONGER NOTE. - THE SECOND POSTSCRIPT (16:25-27).

That the "doxology" is a postscript added by the apostle after Paul after he had arrived at, and was residing in, Rome (61-63 A, D.: see Appendix. 180), and writing Ephesians, seems clear for the following reasons:

First, there is no question as to the genuineness or authenticity of these verses.

The question raised by their appearance not only after the close of the Epistle itself in v20, but also after the postscript of the amanuensis [the scribe], Tertius, relates to the “mystery” “kept secret” (v 25) in silence from age-times but now manifested by means of prophetic writings.

To find the subject-matter of Ephesians introduced suddenly, in such a position, and in the diction of this doxology of Romans, has been a difficulty for ancient transcribers and modern commentators alike.

This difficulty is shared by modern commentators. Some suppose the doxology was "the effusion of the fervent mind of the apostle on taking a general view of the Epistle." Others say— "it needs only to read the doxology to see that its main purpose is nothing lower than thanksgiving for the Universal Gospel as a whole, and that its weighty grandeur of tone belongs to the close not of a section, but of the whole Epistle."

But the suggestion that this “postscript” was added later by the apostle Paul removes all the difficulties, and shows that the minds of the ancient copyists were needlessly disturbed.

The truth of “the mystery” had been lost long before the date of our oldest MSS. Hence the transcribers' excitement and perplexity. Had it been known; they would have at once understood that the doxology was subsequently added. And the same remark applies to the modern commentators.

Though Paul must have had the “Mystery [secret]” revealed to him beforehand, probably 57 or 58 A D, yet he was not permitted to publish the truths of “the mystery” in writing until after he was in Rome, and in prison. Consequently, when the Epistle was sent first to the Romans, it was closed by the second benediction of v. 24 saying “Amen.”

Although given and revealed to Paul before the expiration of the period of grace enjoyed by the Jewish Pentecostal church, he was not allowed to divulge it. So long as the offer of the Kingdom (see App. 112-114) to earthly Israel was open, the “mystery” could not be made known.

But when the sentence of judicial “blindness” upon Israel (Rom. 11:25) had been promulgated and the prophecy of Isa. 6 fulfilled (Acts 28.26- 27), then the glorious truths for the later-born were allowed to be set forth by “prophetic writings” of Paul’s prison epistles. Therefore the apostle Paul then was guided by the Holy Spirit to add the postscript of Romans 16:25; thus completing in beautiful perfection the Divine arrangement of the Epistle (see Structure, p. 1661) and striking the key-note in the doctrinal teaching which is taken up and developed at large in Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians.