The book of James, an introduction and study of chapter 1 verses 1-4.

The book of James

Written about A.D. 45-50.

In a world that denies the validity of Jesus and God’s word, but is willing to accept the validity of someone like Socrates or Plato wholeheartedly; I would like to offer Dr. Gary Habermas. As I sat in an Apologetics conference, Dr. Habermas came on stage. He had notes, but he never opened them. Everything said was said from memory and a genuine understanding. Sadly, I do not remember exactly which philosopher he was talking about, but I found an article entitled “Recent Perspectives on the Reliability of the Gospels. (Originally published in the Christian Research Journal /vol.28, no.1, 2005.) This excerpt is from Dr. Habermas' website

“Older strategies that support the historical reliability of the New Testament often begin their case by pointing out that the New Testament documents enjoy superior manuscript evidence.  Recent indications are that the New Testament is supported by more than 5500 copies and partial copies in Greek and other languages, while most ancient classical Greek and Roman texts have fewer than ten each.  Moreover, there is comparatively little significant variation between these manuscripts, even when they are derived from different textual families.

While this extraordinary quantity and quality of the available texts do not tell us if the New Testament writings are historically reliable, most scholars think that the far more manuscripts and portions do indicate that we essentially have what the authors originally wrote.  This is obviously a crucial point to begin.

Further, the New Testament copies are much earlier—that is, closer to the original writings—than the classical texts.  Most of the New Testament is available from copies that are only 100-150 years after its completion, while a copy of the entire New Testament dates from about another 100 years after that.  In contrast, the classical counterparts generally date from 700-1400 years after their original compositions.  This enormous difference significantly closes the distance between the authors and the earliest copies, placing the dates of the New Testament copies much closer to the events themselves.  This makes it at least possible that the biblical writers were in a better position to know what actually occurred.¹

Generally speaking, critical scholars readily admit these initial two points of manuscript number and date.  John A. T. Robinson agrees that “The wealth of manuscripts, and above all the narrow interval of time between the writing and the earliest extant copies, make it by far the best-attested text of any ancient writing in the world.”²  Even the skeptical Helmut Koester attests: “Classical authors are often represented by but one surviving manuscript . . . . But there are nearly five thousand manuscripts of the NT in Greek . . . . the manuscript tradition of the NT begins as early as the end of II CE... . . Thus it seems that NT textual criticism possesses a base which is far more advantageous than that for the textual criticism of classical authors.”³

In the conference I attended, Dr. Habermas spoke of James, the half brother of Jesus, as you can see above in my introduction, and how he wrote his letter to the early church about 45 to 50 years after the death of Jesus. Dr. Habermas continued, but if you think that is too far removed and memory is diminished, then you should know that the Apostle's creed was documented to be about 30 years after the death of Jesus. The point here is that there were those who physically walked with Jesus and were still alive, and so this is eyewitness testimony.

There have been those who have said that James wrote his epistle to combat the teachings of Paul; they argue that James emphasizes works while Paul emphasizes faith. However, the earliest of Paul's epistles, 1Thessalonians, was written about A.D. 52-56. Therefore, even Paul's first epistle was not written until after the Epistle of James, which was the first book of the New Testament to be written. It is clear that James' theme is not works, but faith—the same as Paul's theme, but James emphasizes what faith produces.” From Dr. J. Vernon McGee's commentary

It is obvious, based on this letter, that James figured out that wisdom was the better course of action.

One other thing before I move on, and it is also from Dr. McGee that get this discussion.

“The problem of authorship is a major one. There is no question that James wrote the Epistle of James, but which James was the author? Some find at least four men by the name of James in the New Testament. I believe that you can find three who are clearly identified:

1. James, the brother of John and one of the sons of Zebedee. These two men were called "sons of thunder" by our Lord (see Mark 3:17). He was slain by Herod, who, at the same time, put Simon Peter into prison (see Acts 12:1-2).

2. James, the son of Alphaeus, called "James the less" (see Mark 15:40). He is mentioned in the list of apostles, but very little is known concerning him. I automatically dismiss him as the author of this epistle.

3. James, the Lord's brother. He was a son of Mary and of Joseph, which made him a half brother of the Lord Jesus. In Matthew 13:55, we read: "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?" In the beginning, the Lord's brethren did not believe in Him at all, but the time came when James became head of the church at Jerusalem. In Acts 15, James seems to have presided over that great council in Jerusalem. At least he made the summation and brought the council to a decision under the leading of the Holy Spirit. I believe it was this James whom Paul referred to in Galatians 2:9, "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision.” This James is the man whom we believe to be the author of this epistle.

We are aware that Jesus' family did not believe him; this is evidenced in Mark 3:21

Matthew 13:55 NASB "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

Count it all joy.

James 1:1 NASB James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

What do we know immediately about who James is writing to?

That they are not only Jews but are also those caught up in the dispersion. Isn't it a strange irony that Saul – soon to be known as Paul, played a significant role in that dispersion. Another dimension to this overarching theme – Count it all joy. These Jews, who were followers of Christ, were running for their lives. For many, in so many ways, this was a horrendous burden. The immediate reactions of most people would be to pack quickly and run; there would be time later for the animosity to develop. It is in light of this that James moves beyond his greeting and says, count all of it as a reason to have joy. If you look up the words in the Greek, the possibilities range from the immediate to everything, but there is no getting around the imperative tone surrounding the word joy. So, this then becomes a very appropriate word to these believers then, and to us, in these days of quarantine over a created, deadly, scenario that has several purposes to it. If you don't think that is true, then why aren't you having fellowship with your church body?

Because James speaks in a broad sense about those in the dispersion, we can also understand that there is the anticipation that his letter would be copied and spread abroad.

Does the fact that he is writing to Jews exclude us?

The answer to the question is NO, and the Apostle Paul speaks to that kind of thinking in his second letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:16 NASB All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

What else can we perceive in this sentence, about James?

That James, a brother of Jesus who did not believe, now, not only believes but is willing to lay his own life down because he believes. Something life-changing has happened, and that had to have been the resurrection, and, because of this life-changing event, James now addresses himself as the bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

Where else do we see this phrase, a bondservant?

Th e Apostle says almost the exact same thing in his letter to the church in Rome.

Romans 1:1 NASB Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Did Paul merely copy James, or did they both separately come to grasp the depth of this relationship we have with Christ? I will leave this question for you to ponder.

Testing of Your Faith

James 1:2 MKJV  My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations,

While to some, it seems like a simple directive, and I suppose it is, what makes it difficult is when you are wallowing neck-deep in pain, persecution or you are the victim of a robbery, a swindle, or any number of things, that WE think we can control and hence bring about some form of justice to the perpetrator. Ah, there it is, the underlying truth as to why “counting it all joy” is difficult.

A story. Years ago, at a Kenneth Copeland convention where Jerry Savelle was a speaker, Jerry related how things had finally turned around for his family financially, and they bought a home that had a long driveway lined with trees that needed to be trimmed. Jerry told us, "I hired a man that had been recommended, and left the man that morning with specific instructions about which trees to trim." When Jerry returned later that day, the man had his crews do much more than agreed upon and handed Jerry a very expensive bill that reflected their extra work. Needless to say, Jerry was angry and sought for ways to fight back against this man and his deceitful methods. Joy!, that went right out the window, and the energy Jerry used to fight the man was draining. This is when the Holy Spirit spoke to Jerry and said, “if Satan can't steal your joy, he can't keep your goods!” The short end to this is that Jerry had to choose joy. That means, much like my decision to forgive my first wife for cheating on me, the opportunity to rehearse and practice my decision, for a time, popped up frequently.

So, it is not just a matter of choosing joy; it is a confidence that resides deep within you, that knows there is something better on the other side, regardless of how this turns out. We call this our hope.

Translation variations include: regard it, and be very happy.

The Greek word count is hēgeomai and means to lead, that is, command (with official authority); figuratively to deem, or, consider.

Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit that we find in Galatians 5; and, it is the Greek word chara and means cheerfulness, calm delight, and exceeding joy.

So I am to consider, or handle the circumstance, no matter how hard or ugly, with cheerfulness, calm, and exceeding joy.

What other examples do we have of someone responding with joy in the midst of a bad situation?

In Acts 13:47-52, we see Paul and Barnabas experiencing trials.

Acts 13:47-52 NASB "For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'" (48) When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (49) And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. (50) But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. (51) But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. (52) And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

After having a falling out with Barnabas, we now see Paul and Silas out preaching this “new”gospel. As usual, the Jewish leadership rose up against them again, but watch what happened when they allowed the joy to take control.

In front of the Roman officials, they said, "These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They're Jews, and they're advocating customs that we can't accept or practice as Roman citizens." The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered the guards to beat them with sticks. After they had hit Paul and Silas many times, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security. So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.

(Acts 16:20-25 GW)

Does considering it all joy demand that you play dead?

Not at all. Look at Paul's example from Acts 16.

Acts 16:37-38 NASB But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out." (38) The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

Read 1 Samuel 30 and pay particular attention to verse 6. Notice the usage of the word strengthen as it pertains to David. It, too, means to lead with authority. Having come back from a battle, and with your current homes in sight, what does one do? They relax, let down their guard, and throw away any stale rations, as the little misses will have a hot dish waiting for you. But that did not happen, for their new homes had been looted, pillaged, and everything important to them had been taken. David's family is missing as well, and now some of David's troops wanted to kill him; consider what David did.

You might ask, what had David done to deserve death?

Nothing really; I happen to think this test had everything to do with the type of men that had joined themselves to David.

David left Gath and ran away to the cave of Adullam. David's brothers and relatives heard that David was at Adullam and went to see him there. Many people joined David. There were men who were in some kind of trouble, men who owed a lot of money, and men who were just not satisfied with life. All kinds of people joined David, and he became their leader. He had about 400 men with him.

(1 Samuel 22:1-2 ERV)

An attack on their city could have been completely random, and they should have understood that, but the fact that they were outcasts and discontents open the door to all variety of irrational reactions.

So what did David seize upon at this moment?

There is one word that answers that question, but you have to dig for the answer. It is the word that most of the translators interpreted as strengthen. So, based upon this, I can assume that David pumped some iron and fought back against the bullies that had joined his ranks. Get real, there was no time for this, or anything else for that matter, especially if they are hot-tempered and now have spears pointed at him.

That word strengthened is the Hebrew word châzaq and can also mean to fortify, harden, recover, repair, and withstand.

Suddenly I see David differently, more like one who just regained his bearings. You have to remember; it wasn't that long ago that he killed a lion, a bear, and then cut the head off of Goliath. The question he then may have asked the crowd, who thought they were bold enough to stand against him, who wants to take the first swing at me. Yeah, that's what I thought.

What do you seize upon when life is falling apart?

It may not have been a bear or a lion, but you have won some battles. Remember those.

There is very little about this idea of counting the hardships as joy, that makes sense, unless there is something more, and that is where verse three takes us.

James 1:3 NASB knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

That something more comes in knowing that the tests are producing endurance.

Endurance? You might say, I have no plans on running a 26K race. Ah, but we are in a race, so to speak, and the writer of the letter to the Hebrews spells that out.

Hebrews 12:1 NASB Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

When Moses left Egypt with God's people, he wasn't running as if in fear, he was striding out confidently. However, there is no doubt that he, along with God's children, endured forty more years of testing, because in his heart, he could see this Messiah that was his hope.

Hebrews 11:27 NASB By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

David, in the Psalms, speaks of holding to God's promises as part of this race we are in.

I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart.

(Psalms 119:32 NASB)

An interesting side note: Not that long ago, the devotional, I and about thirty others were reading, spoke about how, in “this New Testament age, we should not be asking, what does the word say about it, but we should be saying, what does Christ's love have to say about it.” The premise for the statement has everything to do with the fact that the early Church did not have the Word of God, as we do. The primary thing they had was Jesus' resurrection, and for many, that was only validated by word of mouth, from someone like Peter, James, or John. If this information, held in this manner, caused such growth and excitement, then we too should be looking at the only thing that is real – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The world challenges back with, do you have any hard evidence for this resurrection? The answer is yes.

Jesus did what He said He would do;

He arose from the dead.

Many witnessed Him in His resurrection, saw Him walking the streets,

saw Him walk into their presence even though the door was locked,

and, in the case of Thomas, he got to touch Him.

I get it, Christ's love redeemed me and did many things for many people – Acts 10:38 proves that out.

As we endure the tests that produce patience, what can we expect to happen?

James 1:4 NASB And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

The variations of translation are vast; here are a few.

• Moffatt states: let your endurance be a finished product.
• The NLT proclaims that you must, let it grow.
• God's Word translation expresses how we are to “endure until your testing is over.”

This last one most certainly conveys the idea of endurance, but the question is, when will this testing be over?

For when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Probably not until we die, or change addresses due to the catching away of the church. That may seem a little negative, but it's true because as soon as you finish one test, the next one comes. Since we are stuck here, working through this act of having joy then our only option is to let is grow.

So let it grow. Is this an admonition from God?

Since all scripture is God-breathed, then yes, it is. When we are in discomfort and pain, all we have on our minds is to relieve that discomfort. For some, it's called divorce; for others, it is acting out. Sadly, there are a variety of ways to avoid the growth process. If you think suicide is the answer, then let me ask you how that would be letting your endurance grow?

Since we know that God is not doing the testing, then who is?

That's easy, the enemy. Job's testing came from the enemy.

The LORD replied, "All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job." Then Satan left. (Job 1:12 CEV)

The skeptics will read this and say, 'See, God did it to him, but if you had taken the entire context of the Job's actions into consideration, you would find that Job did this to himself. Consider this:

When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's customary practice. (Job 1:5 NET.)

God's people were supposed to operate in faith, and there was no faith in his actions concerning his children.

Will the enemy ever stop trying to get your goat?

Not as long as you look like Jesus, and regardless of what you think, if Christ lives in you, then you are in His image, not yours.

Eugene Peterson's The Message says this about James 1:4 and endurance.

“So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

1  For many details, see F.F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960), 16-18; Josh McDowell, The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), especially Chapter 3.

2 John A.T. Robinson, Can We Trust the New Testament? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977), 36.

3 Helmut Koester, History and Literature of Early Christianity, two vols. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1982), II:16-17.

Daniel's vision of the ram and goat. Daniel chapter 8.

I am doing a quick study on Daniel chapter 8. If you know my writing, then you know that quick is a relative term for me, as this is eight pages long.

I took this study on because a teacher, whom I thought to be very knowledgeable in end times prophecy, seems to have changed his stance. To be straight, Joel Richardson wrote a book called The Islamic Antichrist, and it caused the prophetic books of the Bible to come alive for me. Suddenly, everything made sense. Having studied my Bible in light of this brother's books, I was able to respond when a pastor of mine told me, “No one can understand the Revelation!” I responded firmly with, I can, and I am no longer challenged by any of the prophetic books like Daniel or Ezekiel. So, Joel Richardson must have been experiencing tremendous pressure, for he asked his readers if there was anything they had read that gave them hostile or negative reactions toward Muslims. 

Inside myself, I heard this resounding answer, YES!, and I garnered that feeling from you, brother. 

Now, the reality of his question is that he perceived a growing level of animosity and was hoping that he had not fed into that. Think about this response to information and the reaction to such, when you learn that the most logical person to fulfill the roles of Antichrist and false prophet are Muslims, or, at least, strict followers of the Quran. 

Simply put, if you are a follower of the Quran, then you are a Muslim, and if you are a Muslim, then you know that the Quran demands that you follow the guidelines outlined in the Quran. 

For us naive Christians, who know little to nothing about the Quran, there are older passages that speak of respect and peace, but others have changed the rules, added newer passages, and made it clear that newer passages superseded the older ones, and that the newer ones call for an unquestioning elimination of those who do not bow to Mohamed, particularly, those of the book – the Bible.

So it comes across as though this author has now disavowed any knowledge of his first work, and, to make matters worse, I recently began to listen to him, as he spoke about his changing understanding of Daniel chapter 8 and how it did not speak to the future. 

To be honest, I cut him off before I became too disillusioned, and because of that, I cannot outrightly say that he is leading people into false teaching. I will say that what I heard prompted me to look, once again, at what Daniel tells us in chapter 8, and here it is.

Daniel's vision of the Ram and the Goat

Daniel 8:1-2 NET. "In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me previously. In this vision, I saw myself in Susa, the citadel, which is located in the province of Elam. In the vision, I saw myself at the Ulai Canal."

Daniel tells us that he has had a vision (again) after the previous vision. Do a quick check, and you will find that Daniel has had two previous visions. In Daniel 2:9, God has revealed to him the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. This dream is immensely significant, as it tells us who the first three kingdoms are.

Daniel 7:2 shows Daniel interpreting the dream of King Belshazzar. The passage reads like this:

Daniel 7:2-3 NET. "Daniel explained: "I was watching in my vision during the night as the four winds of the sky were stirring up the great sea. (3) Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another."

These beasts are empires, with their associated rulers. 

Daniel 7:4 gives us a description that sounds much like the years that Nebuchadnezzar spent without any sense, and when his sense returned.

If you compare the fourth beast to Nebuchadnezzar's statue dream, there are some remarkable similarities.

Daniel 7:7 NET. "After these things, as I was watching in the night visions, a fourth beast appeared -- one dreadful, terrible, and very strong. It had two large rows of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns."

Daniel 2:33 NET. Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay.

Most pairs of feet have ten toes.

Daniel 8:3 NET. I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing at the canal. Its two horns were both long, but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one.

The ram with two horns is soon explained in Daniel 8:20

Daniel 8:20 NET. The ram that you saw with the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia.

Pay attention to this aspect of verse three, as this begins to play a role in the identification of the fourth beast.

" Its two horns were both long, but one was longer than the other. The longer one was coming up after the shorter one."

Dr. J. Vernon McGee has this to say about these horns

“The higher came up last." In other words, the horn representing Media came up first when Gobryas, the Median general, destroyed Babylon. Then later, the Persian monarchs gained the ascendancy over the Medes and took the great empire to its highest peak. This ram, then, with its two horns and one horn more prominent than the other, is the Medo-Persian Empire with the Persians being in the ascendancy.”

From Dr. John Gill

“a ram, which had two horns; a symbol of the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, signified by the two horns, Dan_8:20, an emblem of power and dominion, and sometimes used to signify kings and kingdoms; see Dan_7:24 and these as united in one monarchy, under one monarch, Cyrus, and continued in his successors unto the times of Alexander; and therefore called "a ram", or "one ram" (m), as in the original; and which in sound has some likeness to Elam or Persia: and this kingdom or monarchy may be signified by it, partly because of its strength and power, and partly because of its riches, as some think, as well as because it is a fighting creature, and it may be chiefly because this monarchy was mild and kind, and gentle to the Jewish nation: and it is very remarkable, that, according to Ammianus Marcellinus (n), the ram was the royal ensign of the Persians; whose kings used to wear for a diadem something made of gold, in the shape of a ram's head, set with little stones:”

Dr. Gill, in the paragraph above, states that Daniel 7:24 demonstrates these kings as a unified monarchy/kingdom.

Illustration 1: The Persian Empire, about 500 B.C. From the Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923/1926

Daniel 8:4 CJB  "I saw the ram pushing to the west, north, and south; and no animals could stand up against it; nor was there anyone that could rescue from its power. So it did as it pleased and became very strong."

As we can see from the map above, the Persian empire was very extensive.

Daniel 8:5 CJB  "I was beginning to understand, when a male goat came from the west, passing over the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a prominent horn between its eyes."

Many understand this male goat to be Alexander the Great, of the Grecian Empire – they seemed to be unstoppable. The singular horn then indicates one ruling body, Alexander.

Daniel 8:6 CJB  "It approached the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the river, and charged it with savage force."

“It” would be Alexander's troops attacking the Medo-Persian empire.

Daniel 8:7 CJB  "I watched as it advanced on the ram, filled with rage against it, and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it. It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one that could rescue it from the goat's power."

The fact that it was powerless to stand, and that there was no one who could rescue it, does NOT mean that all persons were obliterated.

Daniel 8:8 CJB  "The male goat then became extremely strong; but when it was strong, the big horn was broken, and in its place arose what appeared to be four horns in the directions of the four winds of heaven."

The bighorn was Alexander, but the four horns that arose in its place were Alexander's four generals, and they took the Grecian kingdom as far as they could.

Daniel 8:9 NASB "Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land."

Out of the four, came two: the Seleucid kingdom to the North, and the Ptolemaic kingdom to the South. Out of the Seleucid kingdom came Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He is the one who is responsible for the desecration of the temple. The Beautiful land is Israel.

Daniel 8:10-11 NASB "It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. (11) It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host, and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down."

To be honest, verses 10 and 11 are difficult, that is, until we consider the role of Antiochus in Israel's history. The problem here is that most of this information is not available to us in approved scripture.

This might seem like an odd conversation to many of you, but it took on a whole new meaning one day when I tried to have a conversation with a family at church that I had never spoken with before. The husband seemed taken aback that I would even try to discuss something biblical. He told me that we should only discuss things that are in the Bible. I responded back with, it's funny you should say that, for during the time of Herod, an entrepreneurial Jew, noticed that the law in Deuteronomy listed very specific items that would become ceremonially unclean; however, it never listed granite, and so they devised a method of lathing cups, bowls, and jugs from granite. The advantage here is that the granite dinnerware would never be deemed unclean and, therefore, unusable. This was such a novel idea that it became a standard and exists to this day. 

Does scripture tell us that, and therefore make it valid? 

Not exactly, but then there is that amazing moment in time, when Jesus, the tektōn son, ordered the servants at the Jewish wedding to fill up the stone vessels with water. We do not know if the servants were Gentiles or not, but if they had been, and the vessels had not been made of granite, those vessels would have been instantly made unclean by their touch and unusable. Did Jesus know the vessels were granite? Apparently, he did, and that is where this point of saying, he was a tektōn son, comes into play; for you see, a tektōn is the Greek word for a craftsman, and a craftsman could even apply to a poet. The scripture does not say that Joseph was a carpenter; it says he was a craftsman. He may well have been a craftsman with granite. Considering that a granite quarry was found just a half-mile outside of Nazareth, it could easily have been a place where Jesus learned a trade, lathing the very granite vessels that were at this party. Now, should I ignore outside information, especially when it paints a more accurate picture of the scene? No.

Verses 10-12 of Daniel chapter 8 are very clearly defined when they are read in 1Macabees 1:44-64, and in 2Macabees 4:13-17.

Suddenly, Daniel 8 takes a turn toward the future, which is about the time in which we live.

Daniel 8:13-14 NASB "Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?" (14) He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."

In Matthew's gospel, it is recorded that the disciples, upon leaving the temple with Jesus, turned and pointed out the outstanding architecture and construction materials that made up the temple to Jesus. Jesus had his mind on other things and replied with this.

Matthew 24:1-2 NASB "Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. (2) And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."

Interesting how Daniel 9 tells us that from the order to rebuild Jerusalem until the time of the Messiah, it would be 490 years. That is equal to 70 weeks of years. 483 of those years have transpired. There is nothing to prevent that seventieth week of years from taking place and bringing this all to an end, and yet we are still here. Are you ready?

It is almost as if there is nothing left to do but flip the switch, and I assure you, it will feel like it. And then, the church will be caught away.

Daniel 8:15-18 NLT  "As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me.  (16)  And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”  (17)  As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. “Son of man,” he said, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.”  (18)  While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet."

Gabriel tells Daniel, understand, for the vision is for the time of the end.
The time of the end is a relative term. To the Jews who are looking for the Messiah (still), this can only happen when He comes riding back onto the scene on His white horse, as the angry judge of the earth. To the church, the time of the end applies to the catching away of the church, and others still see this as the outpouring of God's wrath upon the earth.

In all of the above cases, none apply to Daniel.

Daniel 8:19 NASB "He said, 'Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end."

Much like the disciples, who asked Jesus two specific questions, Daniel is going to get an answer about a very detailed time frame. Another translation tells us,

Daniel 8:19 NLT  "Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time."

Perhaps you didn't catch the difference. One calls the last seven-year period the indignation, while the NLT appropriately calls it “the time of wrath.” There really is no difference, but it is easy to assign some bluster to the word indignation and still have no action added to it. I see this nonsense all the time with my grandchildren. Wrath, on the other hand, includes a good whipping. Webster's dictionary defines indignation as 1. Anger or extreme anger mingled with contempt, disgust, or abhorrence. Most certainly, these last seven years on earth will be all of the above.

Gabriel tells Daniel, “what you have seen pertains to the very end of time.” The NASB states, “it pertains to the appointed time of the end.” We have spoken of this before, but many get very confused and cannot make a distinction between the end of the seven-years and the coming of Christ for His church.
Revelation 14:7 speaks of that very time when God will come and sit as judge over the earth. Revelation 19 gives a detailed description of what He will look like when He comes.
But if you are looking for a heavily detailed description of Jesus in His return for His church, you won't find much. Here is what we do have.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 NASB (14) "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. (15) For this, we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."

Titus 2:11-14 NASB "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (12) instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, (13) looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, (14) who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."

Revelation, chapters 1-3, speaks of the church age, that time in which we live. This is an era that began when Jesus Christ rose from the dead, ascended into the heavens, and sent the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, teach, and comfort us. Chapter three of Revelation ends by talking about the Laodicean church, the last of the seven personifications of the church. 

With that, Revelation chapter 4 opens with these words, “after these things,” and thus begins the seven-years of wrath, and the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth.

Thus begins an explanation, by Gabriel, of Daniel's vision.

Daniel 8:20 NASB "The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia."

When Daniel interpreted the statue for Nebuchadnezzar, he said, you, oh king, are that head. With that information, we know, with precision, how the four kingdoms begin. 

In Daniel chapter five, we see Belshazzar now ruling as king. The chain of events takes us from Nebuchadnezzar to Armel-Marduk, and then to Nabonidus (Belshazzar), but these are all considered the Babylonian kingdom. 

The kingdom changed hands when Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. (Daniel 5:31). Daniel enjoyed success in Babylonian captivity through the reign of Cyrus, the king of Persia.

A bit of information concerning Darius the Mede. 

There is no known historical character named Darius before Darius the Great, who is too late to fit in here. 

Since Cyrus became ruler when Babylon fell, some have identified Darius the Mede and Cyrus as one and the same (see Dan_6:28). The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Copyright © 2000 by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas.

Daniel 8:21 NASB "The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king."

We just covered that information. So we transition from the Babylonian to the Medo-Persian, to the Grecian Empire, and Alexander.

Daniel 8:22 NLT  The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first.

Note how the verse tells us what the chain of events will be.

• The Grecian empire was ruled by one man, Alexander. In a relatively short time, he dies, and the kingdom splits into four, ruled by four of Alexander's generals.
• Now the Grecian kingdom is in four parts. (1) Seleucus, who had Syria and Babylon; (2) Lysimachus, who had Asia Minor; (3) Ptolemy, who had Egypt; and (4) Cassander, who had Greece.

We know from the beginning of our look into Daniel eight that the four horns end up being two.

Daniel 8:3 NLT  "As I looked up, I saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had grown later than the other one."

These two horns were the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires.

Daniel 8:23-25 NLT  “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.  (24)  He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people.  (25)  He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power."

A quick stab at verses 23, 24 for a moment.
The Contemporary English Version tells us this: “when these rulers have become as evil as possible, their power will end, and then a king who is dangerous and cannot be trusted will appear.”
This guy has a variety of descriptives attributed to him: a king of fierce countenance, full of pride, and an arrogant king. These titles could fit a variety of people or ideologies.

Dan_8:25. stern-faced king. The description in verse Dan_8:23-25 pertains to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who reigned from 175 to 164 B.C. His wisdom was corrupted for use in hypocrisy, intrigue, double-crossing, and treachery. For a summary of his actions, see comments on Dan_11:21-39.
[The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Copyright © 2000 by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas]

Dan_11:21. Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164). Antiochus IV, the brother of Seleucus, had been in Rome as a political hostage and was just returning (he got as far as Athens) when the assassination of his brother took place. His goals included converting Jerusalem into a center for Greek culture and helping the Jews to make the transition to becoming Greek citizens with Greek ways. The intrigues that he became involved in were many, but certainly, the main one concerning Jerusalem was how he handled the high priesthood (see next entry). The text calls him contemptible, and indeed he was. His title “Epiphanes” means “god manifest”—but the people preferred “Epimanes”—“madman.” While he was certainly a member of the royal line, the throne should have gone to Seleucus's son, Demetrius (who instead was taking Antiochus's place as a hostage in Rome). Another intrigue concerned the throne. He set up a co-regency with his nephew (a minor), who, a few years later, was murdered.
[The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Copyright © 2000 by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas]

While Antiochus fulfills the prophecy in many ways, there is another that is to come.
"The holy people" refers to Israel. 

The slaughter of these people by Antiochus Epiphanes seems almost unbelievable. He was as bad as Hitler. However, he is merely an adumbration of the Antichrist who is coming, of whom it is said: "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" (Rev_13:7).” Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

Note: An adumbration is a shadow, a faint resemblance, or an imperfect representation of a thing.

Since Dr. McGee referenced Revelation 13:7, let's go there for a minute.

“and there was given to it to make war with the saints, and to overcome them, and there was given to it authority over every tribe, and tongue, and nation.” (YLT)

If we were looking at Antiochus as the complete fulfillment:

• How does he move forward in time to fulfill Revelation 13:7?   He doesn't.
• Did Antiochus have authority over every tribe, tongue, and nation?   The answer is NO.
• Could we say that Antiochus was able to make war with the saints and to overcome them? Again, the answer is NO.

Then it seems, for legitimacy's sake, I have to ask if God refers to His people as saints. 

Look for a reference to saints in the Old Testament, and you will only find it used twice in the Psalms and again in Daniel's writings. In Daniel, it is always used in the future tense. So let's consider what David said.

Psalms 16:3 NASB "As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight."

The word saints are the Hebrew word qadosh, which means sacred, holy: - consecrated.

While there may have been a few, like Moses and Joshua, only names like Samuel or Elijah come to mind, and we are certainly not talking about David – he was a man of flaws. 

But what do I learn about the character of God when I read about these people? 

God looks at people with different eyes than we do. The Word of God, which I must consider in its entirety, does not portray Israel as saints. If it helps to understand, I give you the Complete Jewish Bible translation.

Psalms 16:2-4 "I said to Adonai, 'You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you."  (3)  The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.  (4)  Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; to such gods, I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips." (CJB)

Pay attention to these words: “The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.” The potential is there, but the predominant theme throughout the Old Testament comes across like this:

Deuteronomy 1:35 'Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers,"

So, yes, Antiochus has an immediate impact, but certainly not a future one.

However, there is one more aspect, and we see it in Revelation 13:7 when it says,

“and there was given to it to make war with the saints.”

What is God trying to say when He calls this “beast” an “it”? 

Perhaps God is trying to tell us that there is an evil spiritual entity that is migrating through powerful world leaders.

Let's stay on Daniel 8:25 for a minute.

Daniel 8:25 CJB  "He will succeed through craftiness and deceit, become swelled with pride, and destroy many people just when they feel the most secure. He will even challenge the prince of princes; but, without human intervention, he will be broken."

This personification of evil, whom the Quranic verses indicate will be the “Jesus” they are looking for,

He:

• “will succeed through craftiness and deceit,”
• Will “become swelled with pride,”
• Will “...destroy many people just when they feel the most secure.”
• “He will even challenge the prince of princes.”
• “but, without human intervention, he will be broken.”Having watched enough war movies, I know that the bad guy always gets taken out. Yes, this typically means killed in a dramatic fashion, but that is not necessarily the case here; this is one of those times when the terminology is inappropriate, for this false prophet will not be slain, but dramatically disposed of, almost as if some crane-like device reaches down and picks up both the beast and the false prophet.

Daniel 8:26-27 NLT  “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.” Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward, I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it."

Daniel claims he could not understand. Perhaps that is because he did not need to understand, but the logic in that premise is thin, at best. But it is clear to me that WE were meant to understand. Read Daniel 12:10 in the NLT for it says, "Only those who are wise will know what it means."
In Christ, we are wise.

Paul ends his letter to the church in Rome with a validation. Romans 16.

Paul ends this journey through his letter to the church in Rome with what the NASB calls:

Personal Greetings.

It is so much more than that.

Romans 16:1-2 [CEV]  I have good things to say about Phoebe, who is a leader in the church at Cenchreae.  (2)  Welcome her in a way that is proper for someone who has faith in the Lord and is one of God's own people. Help her in any way you can. After all, she has proved to be a respected leader for many others, including me.

Immediately this phrase, “I have good things to say about Phoebe,” draws my attention. The Contemporary English Version is often a good one, but this phrase is pathetically weak here. The NASB puts it this way, I commend to you our sister Phoebe.

Commend is the Greek word sunistáō meaning to cause to stand with.

What Paul was doing was directing this congregation to treat Phoebe with respect, and to stand by her in ministry.
To add to what I believe I am seeing here, check out Eugene Peterson's Message, which often leans to the more emotional side of the conversation.

“Be sure to welcome our friend Phoebe in the way of the Master, with all the generous hospitality we Christians are famous for. I heartily endorse both her and her work. She's a key representative of the church at Cenchrea.”

Now, ask yourself this question, why is an introduction like this necessary?

Have you ever heard someone speak on the fact, that we do not see women, treated as human beings until Jesus comes on the scene? While you might want to argue that point and say, there were, what some would call powerful women in the Biblical narratives, but on the whole, you get junk like King David merely taking Bathsheba, a married woman. After the circumcision of Moses' sons, we do not see much of his wife; and note how Sarah, after Abraham takes Issac to sacrifice disappears from the conversation. What Jesus did for that woman caught in the act of adultery is amazing and life-changing.

So, is Paul aware of attitudes? Absolutely, and he, being a Jew, knows full well what the Jewish attitude toward women is. Considering that I have heard that Pharisees, as Paul was, were to be married men, and we never see Paul speaking of a wife or in-laws (much.)

I have wanted to be able to hold bible studies at the church. One of my pastors told me that I was too edgy to teach. He offered no explanation of what that meant. I know that if the pastor had told the audience to welcome me as a teacher; I have good things to say about him; and, you need to know that he has a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and an understanding of the Bible, that many would come, all because I was validated, just as Paul did with Phoebe.

What else did Paul say about her?

• “I heartily endorse both her and her work.”
• “She's a key representative of the church at Cenchrea.”
• “Help her out in whatever she asks.”
• “She deserves anything you can do for her.”

And

• “She's helped many a person, including me.”

Paul does not define what that help looked like; it could have been financial or she gave him a place to stay. The point is, that Paul showed tremendous respect for her and endorsed her to this new audience.

Continuing on.

Romans 16:3-5 NET. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, (4) who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. (5) Also, greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

So many translations call her Priscilla, it is unimportant. What is important, is that Paul is also throwing his support to this couple. The husband, Aquilla, is a Jew, and that alone may play a role in Paul's support of them. (I suppose it is best to think in terms of those who have served in the United States Marine Corps. They may now be 80 years old but they will insist that once you are a Marine, you are always a Marine.) We learn more about Priscilla and Aquilla in Acts 18.

After this, Paul left Athens and went on to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and stayed and worked with them, because he earned his living by making tents, just as they did. (Acts 18:1-3 GNB)

When Paul meets them in Corinth, they were effectively exiled from Italy. Since we know that the book of Acts was written around A.D. 33-29, then we know that Paul is writing this letter to the church that meets in Rome, some twenty years later. This would be plenty of time for Prisca and Aquilla to get the news of Claudius death and the rescinding of the Emperor's order for expulsion.
Paul tells us, they risked their own necks for my life. What do we have that explains what they did?

Paul went to see them, “and stayed and worked with them, because he earned his living by making tents, just as they did. He held discussions in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to convince both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul gave his whole time to preaching the message, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. When they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes and saying to them, "If you are lost, you yourselves must take the blame for it! I am not responsible. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." So he left them and went to live in the house of a Gentile named Titius Justus, who worshiped God; his house was next to the synagogue.” (Acts 18:3-7 GNB)

The problem we have with scripture is that we seldom get a clear timeline, and therefore assume that it was merely five minutes between events. So when Paul is not teaching or studying, he is making tents to support himself.

• “Every Sabbath Paul held his discussions in the Synagogue,”
• and we are told that he is trying to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus as the Messiah.
• Now that Silas and Timothy have arrived, Priscilla and Aquila have somehow removed Paul's financial burden and Paul is now able to commit his entire time to preaching the message, and testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah (this is huge.)

Suddenly, we learn that Paul is receiving not only opposition, but evil things are now being said about him. Is it possible that the opposition was strong enough, and ugly enough, to jeopardize the lives of Priscilla and Aquila? That is possible, but we don't know. Without casting any dispersion upon the couple, Paul shakes the dust off his clothing/shoes and moves into another house, the house of a Gentile, who happened to live right next to the synagogue.

We do know, based upon the accolades Paul is bestowing upon the couple in his letter to the church at Rome,

• that they risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but
• all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

And, that Priscilla and Aquila, now back in Rome, have a house church; and that, this church Paul is writing to should also greet the church that gathers in Priscilla and Aquila's house.

More Greetings

Romans 16:6-12 GNB  Greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for you.  (7)  Greetings also to Andronicus and Junia, fellow Jews who were in prison with me; they are well known among the apostles, and they became Christians before I did.  (8)  My greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the fellowship of the Lord.  (9)  Greetings also to Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ's service, and to Stachys, my dear friend.  (10)  Greetings to Apelles, whose loyalty to Christ has been proved. Greetings to those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.  (11)  Greetings to Herodion, a fellow Jew, and to the Christians in the family of Narcissus.  (12)  My greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who work in the Lord's service, and to my dear friend Persis, who has done so much work for the Lord.

It feels like this Church is a typical small-town church, where everybody knows each other.

Romans 16:13 GNB  I send greetings to Rufus, that outstanding worker in the Lord's service, and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son.

" and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son." Where and how did this interaction take place? Aside from the information in this letter, we are not aware. It could be that Priscilla and Aquila made some introductions, as the Jews who dispelled from Rome may have followed each other.

Romans 16:14-16 GNB  My greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and all the other Christians with them.  (15)  Greetings to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, to Olympas and to all of God's people who are with them.  (16)  Greet one another with the kiss of peace. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.

• “Greet one another with the kiss of peace.”

Final Instructions and Greetings

Romans 16:17 NET. Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!

• “watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!”

These people you are trying to avoid, are espousing self-willed opinion, and mean to split the church
.
Me and my stories. A brother invites me to his home church. He had only recently started coming to the church I go to. Our introduction to each other, was nothing short of rough as I had judged the man over a tee-shirt he was wearing one Sunday morning. Having apologized to him for my negativity, he said, I rarely meet people like you, who are willing to accept responsibility for their actions, would you like to come to my home church? I must have felt like I owed him, and so I said sure. After several meetings I found myself thoroughly disgusted. He wasn't holding to the doctrines of the church - things like mercy and grace, but hammered the small crowd of believers over SIN and hell. One night he said, does anyone have anything to say? And I now had plenty to say. I read him a scripture that rebutted his preaching, and made a comment about the seven layers of hell he was espousing. A dear lady also said something, in contrast, that night. We were squelched that evening, and ridiculed, publicly, the following meeting. I no longer attend there, and they fed you well. And to think, I was deemed too edgy to teach.

Paul goes on to explain,

Romans 16:18 NET. For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.

• “For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.”
• “By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.” I have seen and heard it all; they try to come across as concerned for the health of the Church, but in truth they are merely trying to advance their own egos.

A slight shift in the greeting.

Romans 16:19 NET. Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

Obedience to what?
The gospel that Paul preaches. Some could immediately see this as Paul dispensing his own law, but if you have read through the entirety of Romans, as a few of us have, then you would see that Paul preaches freedom, and does not evade the law.

Romans 16:20 ASV And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Let's take this letter, where Paul talks of God bruising Satan under our feet, as a relative thing, especially since the letter was written about two-thousand years ago and we are still battling with Satan and those who choose to be used by him. I get it, God has things in control, but it is difficult, at times, to remember that, especially when you are in anguish. However, the day will come, and there will be peace.

The greetings continue.

This next verse is in italics.

Romans 16:24 ASV The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

In almost every translation, italicized words are there merely for clarity. It then is presumed that Paul would have said this.

Doxology

Romans 16:25-27 ASV Now to him, that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, (26) but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: (27) to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

• “Now to him, that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,”

The obvious question is, WHO is establishing you?
The answer is the Holy Spirit/Jesus/God.

But by what standard?
The message that Paul preached.

• “according to my gospel”
• “and the preaching of Jesus Christ,”
• “according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested,”
• “and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God,”
• “is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith.”

All in all, this sort of demands that we understand the message that Paul preached. Simple, and yet, not so much. We think it was all mercy and grace, but it included the law, the prophets, the revelation of “the mystery, and things that Jesus taught.”

Now wait a minute, did Saul/Paul learn from the things that Jesus taught while He walked the earth? Not a chance, but then there was that day that Saul, the pharisee, got knocked to the ground, and Jesus spoke to him.
We seem to forget that Saul/Paul, went away by himself to seek God's voice. I can only believe that he heard that voice.
And, since the only documented “word” they had were the precious scrolls, kept in the synagogues, then Saul/Paul learned from this grace from the law and the prophets.
In there he found the mystery that many in Israel still seek.

What a joy it is to know that the mystery is made known unto all the nations, who express obedience of faith.


Know this, He is the only wise God, through Jesus Christ; and, to whom be the glory forever.
So Be it.