Epístola aos Romanos, 16
"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.” [Romans 16:25-27 ESV]
The Apostle Paul ends his letter to the Romans by giving glory to God for the gospel that he preaches to the gentiles.
What is this gospel? For Paul, the gospel of God is Jesus Christ himself, who had been promised through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures [Romans 1:1-4]. The whole Jesus—in his conception, in his birth, in his life, in his sufferings, in his death, and in his resurrection—is the content of the gospel of God. This gospel was first promised to Eve in the Garden of Eden after the fall [Genesis 3:15] and affirmed anew throughout the Old Testament. In Advent and Christmas, we celebrate the beginning of the fulfillment of this promise in the body of Jesus. For it is in the body of Jesus that God enters our history and dwells among us in order to save us.
Jesus is the disclosure of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages. He is the disclosure of God’s glory in human flesh [John 1:14]. He opens up heaven before our eyes.
