believes is saved, but that salvation is a secret unknown to anyone, and

unconfirmed to himself, apart from those good works that manifest the reality

of the faith.  The point of this passage is that while the unevangelized

heathen cannot believe a message he has never heard, yet if he manifests by

his works that he would have believed had he been given the opportunity, God

reveals that this will be fully recognized `in that day'.

`(... For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the

things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto

themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,

their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean

while accusing or else excusing one another;) in the day when God shall

judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel' (Rom.

2:14 -16).

The second occurrence of `my gospel' is in Romans 16:25, and the third

in 2 Timothy 2:8 :

`Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the

dead according to my gospel'.

These three occurrences have reference (1) to the unevangelized

heathen, (2) to the revelation of a mystery hitherto kept in silence, and (3)

to the position of the Lord Jesus Christ in the dispensation of the Mystery.

Three concentric circles, each narrower than the preceding one, yet each

vitally associated with the peculiar ministry of Paul.

It is, then, evident that what Paul calls `my gospel' is a distinctive

message, not to be confused with the good news proclaimed by others.

Associated with this gospel is the preaching of Jesus Christ, `according to

the revelation of a secret which hath been silenced in aionion times, but is

now made manifest, and through prophetic writings'.

The reader will be conscious that there is something missing in the

above rendering.  He naturally feels that the phrase `and through prophetic

writings' should be followed by `as well as ... `.  In other words, the

particle te is often followed by kai, so that there appears to be an ellipsis

here.  Elsewhere te is passed over in our Version, but to be accurate it

should always be translated.  Look at the difference the recognition of the

particle makes in 1 Corinthians 1:30 :

`But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom,

as well as righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption'.

Consequently we read Romans 16:26 as follows:

`But now made manifest, both through prophetic writings as well as' (by

the apostle's preaching) `according to the commandment of the aionion

Every commentator speaks of the grammatical `gaps' that appear in this

great doxology, as though the apostle's thoughts were too great to find