I N D E X
39
Romans 16 itself is concerned, there is no positive evidence
either way, so that we must turn to other passages for help. In
Romans 16 we have graphon prophetikon, `writings prophetic'
and in 2 Peter 1:19 prophetikon logon, `prophetic word'. In the
latter passage we are not left in doubt as to whether this
`prophetic word' was uttered by Old Testament or New
Testament prophets, for the inspired comment reads:
`For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost' (2 Pet. 1:21).
As this is the only other occurrence of prophetikon, we feel
bound to accept the view that the word refers definitely to the
Old Testament writers.
If we examine the Epistle to the Romans carefully, we
discover that it contains an inner and an outer section, which
may be set out as follows:
Romans 1:1 to 5:ll
Romans 5:12 to 8:39
Romans 9:1 to 16:27
Outer Portion
Inner Portion
Outer Portion
While the outer portion deals with Abraham, the inner is
concerned with Adam - and it was this truth relating to Adam
which, though incipient in the pages of Genesis, was `silenced'
while the truth relating to Abraham occupied the bulk of the Old
Testament.
Of the glorious doctrine of justification, the apostle wrote:
`But now the righteousness of God without the law is (hath been)
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets' (Rom. 3:21).
Of the equally glorious doctrine of Romans 5:12 to 8:39 the
apostle declares that it had been silenced in age-times, but was