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"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" (II 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 O.T. 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 - 5: 11.
Romans 5: 12 - 8:
Romans 9: - 16:*
OUTER PORTION.
INNER PORTION.
OUTER PORTION.
[* - For a fuller treatment of this important theme,
the reader is referred to the articles on "The Epistle to the Romans".]
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 O.T.
Of the glorious doctrine of justification, the Apostle wrote:
"But now the righteousness of God without the law hath been manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets" (Rom. 3: 21).
Of the equally glorious doctrine of Rom. 5: 12 - 8: the Apostle declares that it had
been silenced in age-times, but was now made manifest and by prophetic scriptures made
known to all nations for the obedience of faith.
Truth has its times and seasons. Man must first realize his own sinnership and
personal transgression, before he learns of his association with a ruined race and a federal
head. At the time when Romans was written, the moment had come when the full
teaching concerning the "one offence" and the "one righteousness" must be brought out
of obscurity and made manifest. No uninspired commentator could ever have brought
out from Gen. 3: what Paul makes known in Rom. 5:, but, on the other hand, there is
nothing revealed in Rom. 5: which cannot be dimly perceived in the ancient record,
when once the light of inspiration is turned upon it.
The reconciliation of the Gentile was never a secret. We have already considered the
testimony of Moses and the prophets regarding the inclusion of the Gentile, and this
inclusion of necessity involved their reconciliation. The reconciliation of one portion of
the race (the circumcision) with the other (the uncircumcision) now gives place to the
deeper reconciliation of the race as such, for in Rom. 5:, where the silenced secret has
been made manifest and Gen. 3: made to speak, neither Jew nor Gentile is mentioned.
Here we must pause. The remaining "mysteries" must be reserved for another time;
for if we attempted to deal with them here, we should either have to give them scant
attention or else unduly lengthen the present article. We offer the above comments with
full confidence that all who are willing to follow the lead of the inspired scriptures only,