What are the `prophetic writings' that Paul refers to? The words

translated in the A.V., `the scriptures of the prophets', are not exactly the

same as those used in Romans 1:2.  In Romans 1:2 the original reads: dia ton

propheton autou en graphais hagiais, whereas Romans 16:26 reads: dia te

graphon prophetikon.  The suggestion is made by some that not only a

difference of expression is intended here, but a real difference, and that

the reference in Romans 1:2 is to Old Testament  prophets, whereas that in

Romans 16 is to New Testament prophets.  It may be so, but the reader should

be aware that nothing in the language used constitutes a proof of this.

Prophetikos is to prophetes, what pneumatikos is to pneuma, simply the

adjectival form.  As the only other occurrence of the word will show, every

one of the Old Testament  prophecies are `prophetic writings' (2 Pet. 1:21).

It was when the apostle received commandment to make this early truth known,

that the prophetic writings which had for generations held their secret began

to speak.  The fact that what was made known both in Romans 1 and 16 was `for

the obedience of faith to all nations', establishes the unity of purpose that

links the whole of Romans together as an indivisible whole.  There is no need

to adopt the suggestion of Lightfoot that the doxology was added some years

after.  The ascription of praise is to the only wise God, and wisdom is

associated with the unfolding purpose of the ages (Rom. 11:33; 1 Cor. 2:7;

Eph. 1:8,9; 3:10).  On this high note the epistle ends.

We have already demonstrated that Acts 28 forms

a dispensational boundary, having on the one side Abrahamic covenants and

promises, and having on the other an entirely new dispensation.  The terms of

the Abrahamic covenant cannot operate here, for Galatians 3:13,14 makes it

clear that the blessings of Abraham to the Gentiles and the redemption of

Israel go together, and Israel went into their Lo -ammi condition at Acts 28.

If, therefore, the Gentile is to be saved, and not only saved but called to a

height of glory that transcends all revelation hitherto given, then God must

put into operation some new way of dealing with men; in other words, a new

dispensation must begin, and did begin, at Acts 28:28.  It is to the

demonstration of the fact that this new dispensation is the dispensation of

the Mystery, that we now ask the reader's attention.

There are four epistles that bear the marks of Paul's imprisonment, and

two of them deal very fully with the subject of the Mystery.  These epistles

are Ephesians and Colossians.  Let us note the references to the subject:

mystery of His Will'

mystery of Christ'

dispensation of the mystery'

3:9 R.V.).

great mystery'

mystery of the gospel'

mystery among the Gentiles'

mystery of God'

mystery of Christ'

The first epistle to Timothy is not a `prison' epistle, but it bears

marks of having been written after Paul had been liberated, and so describes

the newly -formed Church as it was at the beginning.  There we have two more

references to the Mystery, which we will add for the sake of completeness: