Romans 16:26

Made manifest - To be made visible; to make clear.

Manifest - To make openly known; appear.

But now is made manifest - Now, under the New Testament dispensation, and by my preaching.

By the scriptures of the prophets - Hints relative to this important work being scattered up and down through all their works, but no clear revelation that the Gentiles, who should be admitted into the Church, should be admitted without passing under the yoke of the Mosaic law. This was the point which was kept secret: as to the calling of the Gentiles, this was declared in general terms by the prophets, and the apostle quotes and makes a most important use of their predictions; but the other was a point on which the prophets gave no information, and it seems to have been peculiarly revealed to St. Paul, who received the commandment of the everlasting God to make it known εις παντα τα εθνη, to all the Gentiles - all the people of the earth that were not of Jewish extraction. And it was to be made known for the obedience of faith, that they might believe its doctrines and obey its precepts; its universal voice requiring repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and circumcision of the heart, in the place of all Jewish rites and ceremonies.

But now is made manifest - Is revealed, or made known; that which was so long concealed is now divulged, that is, God's plan of saving people is now made known to all nations.

And by the Scriptures ... - By the "writings" of the prophets. The prophetic writings contained the doctrines, obscurely indeed, but so as to be an important means of disseminating and confirming the truth that the Gentiles should be made acquainted with the gospel. To those writings the apostle had repeatedly appealed in his defense of the proposition that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentile word; Romans 10; 11; 15. The prophetic writings; moreover, were extensively scattered among the Gentile nations, and thus were readily appealed to in defense of this position. Their writings being thus translated, and read, were an important means of propagating the truths of the Christian religion.

According to the commandment ... - By his command through Jesus Christ; made known in the gospel of his Son.

The everlasting God - God who is eternal, and therefore unchanged. He who has indeed concealed this truth, but who has always intended that it should be revealed.

To all nations - Matthew 28:19; compare Colossians 1:23.

For the obedience of faith - To produce obedience to the requirements of the gospel; see the note at Romans 1:5.

16:26 According to the commandment - The foundation of the apostolical office. Of the eternal God - A more proper epithet could not be. A new dispensation infers no change in God.Known unto him are all his works, and every variation of them, from eternity. Made known to all nations - Not barely that they might know, but enjoy it also, through obeying the faith.