Connecting the Dots

Last night, I started reading a fairly detailed commentary on the book of Romans. In the Introduction section, I got lost in pondering how connected scriptures are to each other. The author cited scriptures to support the Dates in which the epistle of Romans was written. He notes that when Paul set his heart to preach the gospel in Rome, the three missionary journeys were over; and he cites Romans 15:19-23 to support this statement. (The passage goes on to say that Paul proposed to visit Rome after he completed a visit to Jerusalem in verses 24-32). 

by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written,

 

“Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.”

What caught my eye in reviewing these verses was the last two lines:  “those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand“. The text was blocked off in a way that demonstrates this is an OT quote – a quote from Isaiah 52:15.  I backed up a bit to the start of this Messianic passage, from verse 13 forward, we read:

Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—so shall he sprinkle many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.

In the scriptures above, the ESV notes some parallel passages – not only Rom 15:20, but also the closing Doxology of Romans – Rom 16:25-27.  With the Isaiah passage as a background, the close of Romans becomes much more rich and meaningful. God has preordained that Christ Jesus would be exalted and lifted up – one way this happens is that the mystery of who Christ Jesus is will be seen by those that have not been told, and understood by those who have not heard.  To preach the gospel to the Romans was something that God placed on Paul’s heart – to fulfill God’s plan revealed in the Isaiah passage above.  We also may have some people placed on our heart ( this is from God ) to share the gospel with –  those who have not yet heard.

Read the close of Romans slowly, with all this in mind, and marvel at how God is working today … 

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.