Romans 2:16

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) This verse takes up the main thread of the subject. “God will judge Jew and Gentile alike at the last day.” It cannot refer (as some would make it) to what immediately precedes, because there the Apostle is referring to the daily process that goes on whenever doubtful actions are submitted to the law of conscience, here he is speaking expressly of the final judgment held by God and not by man.

By Jesus Christ.—As the Son of God is the Mediator of salvation, so also is He the Mediator of judgment. The function of judgment is specially committed to Him. This is the consistent teaching of Scripture. (Comp. John 5:27, “the Father hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man”; Acts 17:31, “He hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world . . . by that Man whom He hath ordained”; 1Corinthians 4:5; 2Corinthians 5:10, et. al.)

According to my gospel.—How is this to be taken? To what is it that the gospel, as preached by St. Paul, testifies? It may be either to the simple fact that God will judge the secrets of men, or to the particular law or standard by which He will judge them. Probably, on the whole, the former is the preferable explanation. “In the day when, as I teach, God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.”

Benson Commentary

Romans 2:16. In the day, &c. — This relates to Romans 2:12, the intermediate verses, from the 13th, being a parenthesis; when God shall judge the secrets of men — Not only their outward actions, good and evil, which are manifest to all men, but their most secret and hidden ones, with their internal desires and designs, their intentions, purposes, schemes, contrivances, with the various workings of their passions, imaginations, and thoughts; for he will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, Ecclesiastes 12:14; will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, 1 Corinthians 4:5. On secret circumstances depends the real quality of actions, frequently unknown to the actors themselves, Romans 2:29. Men generally form their judgments, even of themselves, merely from what is apparent. By Jesus Christ — To whom the Father hath committed all judgment; according to my gospel — According to the tenor of that gospel which is committed to my trust, and is preached by me: or as I testify in my preaching the gospel, Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 2:8. For it is not the apostle’s intention to signify that all men shall be judged by the gospel, but only that the gospel teaches such a judgment.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-16 The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, treasuring up wrath. In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, and brought to light.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In the day - This verse is doubtless to be connected with Romans 2:12, and the intermediate verses are a parenthesis, and it implies that the pagan world, as well as the Jews, will be arraigned at the bar of judgment. At that time God will judge all in righteousness, the Jew by the Law which he had, and the pagan by the Law which he had.

When God shall judge - God is often represented as the Judge of mankind; Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 50:4; 1 Samuel 2:10; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Romans 3:6; Hebrews 13:4. But this does not militate against the fact that he will do it by Jesus Christ. God has appointed his Son to administer judgment; and it will be not by God directly, but by Jesus Christ that it will be administered.

The secrets of men - See Luke 8:17; Ecclesiastes 12:14, "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing," etc., Matthew 10:26; 1 Corinthians 4:5. The expression denotes the hidden desires, lusts, passions, and motives of people; the thoughts of the heart, as well as the outward actions of the life. It will be a characteristic of the day of judgment, that all these will he brought out, and receive their appropriate reward. The propriety of this is apparent, for,

(1) It is by these that the character is really determined. The motives and principles of a man constitute his character, and to judge him impartially, these must be known.

(2) They are not judged or rewarded in this life. The external conduct only can be seen by people, and of course that only can be rewarded or punished here.

(3) People of pure motives and pure hearts are often here basely aspersed and calumniated. They are persecuted, traduced, and often overwhelmed with ignominy. It is proper that the secret motives of their conduct should be brought out and approved.

On the other hand, people of base motives, people of unprincipled character, and who are corrupt at the heart, are often lauded, flattered, and exalted into public estimation. It is proper that their secret principles should be detected, and that they should take their proper place in the government of God. In regard to this expression, we may further remark,

(1) That the fact that all secret thoughts and purposes will be brought into judgment, invests the judgment with an awful character. Who should not tremble at the idea that the secret plans and desires of his soul, which he has so long and so studiously concealed, should be brought out into noon-day in the judgment? All his artifices of concealment shall be then at an end. He will be able to practice disguise no longer. He will be seen as he is; and he will receive the doom he deserves. There will be one place, at least, where the sinner shall be treated as he ought.

(2) to execute this judgment implies the power of searching the heart; of knowing the thoughts; and of developing and unfolding all the purposes and plans of the soul. Yet this is intrusted to Jesus Christ, and the fact that he will exercise this, shows that he is divine.

Of men - Of all people, whether Jew or Gentile, infidel or Christian. The day of judgment, therefore, may be regarded as a day of universal development of all the plans and purposes that have ever been entertained in this world.

By Jesus Christ - The fact that Jesus Christ is appointed to judge the world is abundantly taught in the Bible, Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; John 5:22, John 5:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Matthew 25:31-46.

According to my gospel - According to the gospel which I preach. Compare Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 4:8. This does not mean that the gospel which he preached would be the rule by which God would judge all mankind, for he had just said that the pagan world would be judged by a different rule, Romans 2:12. But it means that he was intrusted with the gospel to make it known; and that one of the great and prime articles of that gospel was, that God would judge the world by Jesus Christ. To make this known he was appointed; and it could be called his gospel only as being a part of the important message with which he was intrusted.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. In the day, &c.—Here the unfinished statement of Ro 2:12 is resumed and closed.

shall judge the secrets of men—here specially referring to the unfathomed depths of hypocrisy in the self-righteous whom the apostle had to deal with. (See Ec 12:14; 1Co 4:5).

according to my gospel—to my teaching as a preacher of the Gospel.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

These words may be referred to Romans 2:12, and so they express the time when Jews and Gentiles shall be judged. Though some annex them to the words immediately preceding: q.d. Now the consciences of men do testify for or against them, and their thoughts accuse or excuse them; but in the day of judgment they will do it more especially. Shall judge the secrets of men; so that the most secret sins shall not escape the notice and censure of the Judge: see Ecclesiastes 12:14 1 Corinthians 4:5.

My gospel; i.e. the gospel which I preach. So, John 12:48, our Saviour calls his word, his disciples word. He calls it his gospel, not as the author, but as the publisher of it; it was not his in respect of revelation, but in regard of dispensation, Romans 16:25 1 Corinthians 9:17 2 Corinthians 5:18,19 2 Timothy 2:8. As for the fiction of a Gospel written by Paul, as was by Matthew, Mark, &c., the papists themselves begin to be ashamed of it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

In the day when God shall judge,.... These words are to be read in connection with Romans 2:13, and express the time when both Jews and Gentiles will be judged, called a "day", both because of the clearness and evidence of the judgment that will be made, and because a certain time is fixed, though not known, which will surely come; also the matter of the judgment, which will be,

the secrets of men: whether good or bad, which are only known to God and themselves, and which may have been done ignorantly by them; "for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil", Ecclesiastes 12:14, which is so interpreted by the Jews (t),

"when R. Jochanan came to that Scripture, he wept; "for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing";''

upon which the gloss says, yea, for those things which are hidden from him, which he has committed through ignorance, will he bring him into judgment; everything, even the least thing in a literal sense, but not for such silly trifling things they mention in the same place; doubtless the Holy Ghost means the secrets of men's hearts and actions, and the hidden things of darkness which are contrary to the holy law of God. The person by whom this awful judgment will be carried on is,

Jesus Christ; to whom all judgment is committed, who is ordained Judge of quick and dead, and is every way fit for that office, being God as well as man, and so both omniscient and omnipotent: and this the apostle says will be,

according to my Gospel; his meaning is not that the Gospel will be the, rule of judgment, because he speaking of the judgment of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews, who never heard of the Gospel; but that what he had said concerning a day of judgment, of Christ's being the Judge, and of God's judging by him the secrets of men, were as true and as certain as the Gospel which he preached was; and was "conformable", or agreeable to it, as the Arabic version reads it, and might be learned and proved from it. This he calls, "my Gospel"; not because the author or subject of it; but because it was committed to his trust and was preached by him; and in opposition to, and to distinguish it from the Gospel of the false apostles. Eusebius says (u), that the Apostle Paul had used to call the Gospel according to Luke his Gospel, and that it is said, that whenever he makes mention of his Gospel, he designs that.

(t) T. Bab. Chagigah, fol. 5. 1.((u) Eccles. Hist. l. 3. c. 4. p. 73.

Geneva Study Bible

{7} In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to {m} my gospel.

(7) God defers many judgments, which he will nonetheless execute at their convenient time by Jesus Christ, with a most candid examination, not only of words and deeds, but of thoughts also, be they ever so hidden or secret.

(m) As my doctrine witnesses, which I am appointed to preach.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Romans 2:16 has its connection with what goes before very variously defined. While Ewald goes so far as to join it with Romans 2:5, and regards everything intervening as a parenthesis, many, and recently most expositors, have connected it with the immediately preceding συμμαρτ.… ἀπολογ.; in which case, however, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ cannot be taken for εἰς ἡμέραν (Calvin), nor the present participles in a future sense (Fritzsche), since, in accordance with the context, they are contemporary with ἐνδείκνυνται. And for that very reason we must reject the view, which has been often assumed, that Paul suddenly transports himself from the present into the time of the judgment, when the exercise of conscience in the Gentiles will be specially active, and that for this reason he at once adds ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κ.τ.λ[666] directly without inserting a ΚΑῚ ΤΟῦΤΟ ΜΆΛΙΣΤΑ, or ΚΑῚ ΤΟῦΤΟ ΓΕΝΉΣΕΤΑΙ, or the like (Rückert; Tholuck, de Wette, Reithmayr, Philippi, van Hengel, Umbreit; comp Estius). The supposition of such an illogical and violent leap of thought in so clear and steady a thinker as Paul is thoroughly arbitrary and wholly without analogy. Moreover, the simple temporal self-judgment of the Gentiles fits into the connection so perfectly, that Paul cannot even have conceived of it as an anticipation of the last judgment (Mehring). Quite an incorrect thought, repugnant to Romans 2:12 and to the whole doctrinal system of the Apostle, is obtained by Luthardt (v. freien Willen, p. 410 f.), when, very arbitrarily joining it only with ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων, he discovers here the hope “that to such the reconciling grace of Christ shall one day be extended.” This is not confirmed by Romans 2:26. A relative natural morality never in the N. T. supplies the place of faith, which is the absolutely necessary condition of reconciling grace. Compare Romans 3:9; Romans 3:22, Romans 7:14 ff. al[668] Lastly Hofmann, who formerly held a view similar to Luthardt’s (see Schriftbew. I. p. 669), now connects ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Κ.Τ.Λ[669] to ἐνδείκνυνται in such a way, that he explains Romans 2:16 not at all of the final judgment, but, in contrast even to the latter, of every day on which God causes the Gospel to be proclaimed among the Gentiles; every such day shall be for all, who hear the message, a day of inward judgment; whoever believingly accepts it, and embraces salvation, thereby proves that he himself demands from himself what the revealed law enjoins on those who possess it. This interpretation, which would require us to read with Hofmann κρίνει (the present) instead of κρινεῖ, is as novel as it is erroneous. For the expressions in Romans 2:16 are so entirely those formally used to denote the last judgment (comp on ἡμέρᾳ 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14 al[671]; on κρινεῖ, Romans 2:2-3; Romans 2:5; Romans 3:6 al[672]; on Θεός as the Jdg 3:6; Jdg 14:10; Jdg 14:12 al[673]; on τὰ κρυπτά, 1 Corinthians 4:5; on διὰ ʼΙησοῦ Χ. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Acts 17:31), that nothing else could occur to any reader than the conception of that judgment, which moreover has been present to the mind since Romans 2:2, and from which even κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγ. μου does not draw away the attention. Every element in Hofmann’s exposition is subjectively introduced, so that Paul could not have wrapped up the simple thought, which is supposed to be expressed in so precious a manner, in a more strange disguise—a thought, moreover, which is here utterly irrelevant, since Paul has to do simply with the natural law of the Gentiles in its relation to the revealed νόμος of Judaism, and apart as yet from all reference to the occurrence of their conversion; and hence also the comparison with Hebrews 4:12 is here out of place. The proper view of the passage depends on our treating as a parenthesis, not (with Winer and others) Romans 2:13-15, but with Lachmann, Romans 2:14-15. This parenthetical insertion is already indicated as such by the fact, that the great judicial proposition previously expressed: οἱ ποιηταὶ νόμου δικαιωθήσονται is in Romans 2:14-15 proved only with reference to a part of mankind, with regard to which it might seem possibly doubtful: it is required by the circumstance, that without it ἐν ἡμέρᾳ has no proper logical reference whatever; and lastly, it is confirmed by the consideration that, if it is adopted, the whole is wound up not with an illustration having reference to the Gentiles, but—and how emphatically and solemnly!—with the leading thought of the whole discussion.[674]

τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρ.] The hidden things of men, i.e. everything in their inner or outer life which does not come to the knowledge of others at all, or not according to its moral quality. This special characteristic of the judgment is given with reference to Romans 2:13, inasmuch as it is just such a judging that is necessary for, and the preliminary to, the realisation of what is affirmed in Romans 2:13.

κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλ. μου] contains, according to the usual view, the accordance of the assertion κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός τὰ κρυπτὰ τ. ἀνθρ. διὰ ʼΙ. Χρ. with the Apostle’s official proclamation of salvation. But the fact that God will judge, etc., was so universally known and so entirely undoubted, that the addition in that sense would have been in the highest degree superfluous; and indeed the μου in that case would have no significance bearing on the matter, since no one proclaiming the Gospel could call in question that truth. We must therefore explain it, with Pareus, Calovius, and many others, including Umbreit and Hofmann, as referring to the manner of the κρινεῖ. Paul was so certain of the sole truth of the Gospel committed to him (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 4:20 f.) which he had by revelation of God (Galatians 1:11 f.), that he could not but be equally certain that the future judgment would not be held otherwise than according to his Gospel, whose contents are conceived as the standard of the sentence. In that same Gospel he knew it to be divinely determined, to whom the στέφανος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, the eternal life and its δόξα, or on the other hand its opposite, eternal ἀπώλεια, should be awarded by the judge. But he knew at the same time the axiom announced in Romans 2:13, with which Romans 2:16 connects itself, to be not at variance therewith (comp Romans 3:31); as indeed on the contrary, it is just in the Gospel that perfection in the fulfilment of the law is demanded, and accordingly (see ch. Romans 6:8, Romans 13:8 ff.) the judicial recompense is determined conformably to the conduct, Romans 8:4; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ephesians 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9 f.; Galatians 5:19-23. On μου Calvin’s note suffices: suum appellat ratione ministerii, and that, to distinguish it from the preaching not of other apostles, but of false, and especially of Judaizing teachers. Comp Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8. The mistaken view is held by Origen, Jerome and other Fathers (see Fabricius, Cod. apocr. p. 371 f.), that Paul meant by his Gospel that of Luke.

διὰ Ιησοῦ Χρ.] As He is the Mediator of eternal salvation, so also it is He who is commissioned by God to hold the judgment. Comp Acts 17:30-31; 1 Corinthians 4:5;

Expositor's Greek Testament

Romans 2:16. The day meant here is the same as that in Romans 2:5. Westcott and Hort only put a comma after ἀπολογουμένων, but a longer pause is necessary, unless we are to suppose that only the day of judgment wakes the conscience and the thoughts of man into the moral activity described in Romans 2:15. This supposition may have some truth in it, but it is not what the Apostle’s argument requires. The proof he gives that Gentiles are “a law to themselves” must be capable of verification now, not only at the last day. Hence Romans 2:16 is really to be taken with the main verbs of the whole paragraph, ἀπολοῦνται, κριθήσονται, δικαιωθήσονται: the great principle of Romans 2:6—ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ—will be exhibited in action on the day on which God judges the secret things of men through Christ Jesus. A final judgment belonged to Jewish theology, and perhaps, though this is open to question, one in which the Messiah acted as God’s representative; but what Paul teaches here does not rest merely on the transference of a Jewish Messianic function to Jesus. If there is anything certain in the N.T. it is that this representation of Jesus as judge of the world rests on the words of our Lord Himself (Matthew 7:22 f., Matthew 25:31 ff.). To assert it was an essential part of the Gospel as preached by Paul: cf. Acts 17:31. (Baldensperger, Das Selbstbewusstsein Jesu, . 85 f., thinks that in the circles of Jewish Pietism, in the century before Christ, the Messiah was already spoken of as the Divine judge, and as sharing the titles and attributes of Jehovah.)

In Romans 2:17-24 the Apostle brings to a point the argument for which he has been clearing the way in Romans 2:1-16. The Jew makes much of the possession of the law, but when we pass from possession to practice, he is not a whit better than the “lawless” Gentile. The construction is not quite regular, but the meaning is clear. The natural order would be: If thou bearest the name of Jew, and restest upon the law, and yet in thy conduct settest the law at nought, art not thou equally under condemnation with sinners of the Gentiles? But the construction is interrupted at the end of Romans 2:20, and what ought in logic to be part of the protasis—if in thy conduct thou settest the law at nought—is made a sort of apodosis, at least grammatically and rhetorically: dost thou, in spite of all these privileges, nevertheless set the law at nought? The real conclusion, which Paul needs for his argument, Art not thou then in the same condemnation with the Gentiles? is left for conscience to supply.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. in the day, &c.] This sentence is often connected with the close of Romans 2:12. But the parenthesis is thus, even in the style of St Paul, highly difficult and peculiar; and Romans 2:13 stands in close natural connexion with Romans 2:12. Meanwhile the sequence of Romans 2:16 on Romans 2:15 is not hard to trace; the allusion to the Great Day is anticipatory; q. d., “These moral convictions and verdicts have their good and final confirmation in the day, &c.;” “all that was true in them will be recognized and carried out in Divine action then.”

the secrets of men] i.e. of men in general, heathens as well as Jews. The “secret things” are here named, as implying also of course the judgment of all that is “open beforehand.” Perhaps the word alludes too to the “cloke” of Jewish formality, and faith in privileges.

by Jesus Christ according to my gospel] The word “Gospel” is here used (a deeply significant use) of the entire contents of the Apostle’s teaching; of holy principles and threats of condemnation as well as holy promises of life.—“My Gospel:”—same word as Romans 16:25. The original of the phrase is not strongly emphatic, but certainly not without point. It indicates on one hand St Paul’s deep certainty of his direct Divine commission and its precise import, and on the other his consciousness (much more strongly expressed in the Galatian Epistle) of opposition to his position and doctrine. Cf. e.g. Galatians 1:6-12.—“By Jesus Christ:”—the words emphatically close the sentence; perhaps with implicit reference to the rejection, by the unbelieving Jews whom the Apostle now more distinctly addresses, of Him who is to judge the world.

Bengel's Gnomen

Romans 2:16. Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, in the day) It is construed with show, for the present tense is no objection; Romans 2:5 employs the present in the same general way. And Paul often says, in the day of the Lord, which implies more than against [or unto the day] 1 Corinthians 5:5—comp. before, or in the presence of 1 Timothy 5:21, note. Such as each thing was, such it shall then be seen, be determined, and remain. In that day, that writing of the law on the hearts of men will be manifest, having also joined with it some defence of upright acts, although the man be condemned [fall] in the judgment, himself being his own accuser, on account of other offences. And that circumstance implies, as a consequence, [infers] (reasoning, from the greater to the less, i.e., from the final judgment, to the judgments of conscience in the present life), accusation, or even defence, exercised in this life also, as often as either the future judgment itself is vividly presented before a man, or its anticipations, without the man’s own privity (consciousness), are at work in the conscience.—Comp. 1 John 4:17. And Scripture often speaks so of the future, especially of the last things, as that it presupposes those which precede them. The Jews at Romans 2:5, as the Gentiles in this passage, are threatened with the future judgment.—τὰ κρυπτὰ, the secrets) the conscience, and the thoughts.—Comp. 1 Corinthians 4:5. This confirms the connection of this verse with the preceding. The true quality of actions, generally unknown even to the agents themselves, depends on the secrets.—See Romans 2:29. Men judge by outward manifestations, even concerning themselves. Outward manifestations of good or evil will also be judged, but not then for the first time; for they are judged, even from the time in which they are wrought; deeds, that are secret, are then at length brought to judgment.—τῶν ἀνθρώπων, of men) even of the Gentiles.—κατὰ, according to) i.e. as my Gospel teaches. Paul adds this short clause, because he is here dealing with a man, who does not yet know Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the whole preaching as to Christ; and Christ will be the Judge; and the judgment in regard to the Gentiles, is not so expressly declared in the Old, as in the New Testament. And it is called the Gospel of Paul, as it was preached by Paul, even to the Gentiles.—Acts 17:31. All the articles of evangelical doctrine, and the article concerning the final judgment, greatly illustrate one another; and moreover, this very article, even in respect of believers, is altogether evangelical.—Acts 10:42; 1 Peter 4:5.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. About this verse the main question is, what previous assertion the "when" refers to. The time denoted by "when" (whether we suppose κρίνει or κρινεῖ - i.e. the present or future tense - to have been intended by the writer) is certainly the ἡμέρα of 1 Corinthians 3:13, and ether passages - the day of doom, when "every man's work shall be made manifest." Hence immediate connection of this verse with the preceding one, which would otherwise have been the natural one, seems to be precluded; for in ver. 15 the present operation of conscience, during this present life, was described. One way of making the connection obvious is by understanding ver. 15 as itself denoting the manifestation reserved for the day of judgment, when all will stand self-convicted. But not only the verb ἐκδείκνυντααι in the present tense, but also the fact of the whole verse being so obvious a description of present human consciousness, seems to preclude this view. Some would connect ver. 16 with ver. 12, of which it is in itself a natural sequence; and this connection is intimated in the Authorized Version, which includes the three verses that come between in a parenthesis. The objection to it is the length of the parenthesis. Probably the apostle, in his characteristic way, paid little regard to precise logical sequence; he only desired to express, in this concluding verse, that in the great day full justice would be done, and all that he had been speaking of would be made plain. My gospel means "the gospel committed unto me to preach" (cf. Romans 16:25; 2 Corinthians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Timothy 2:8). The idea that it means "the Gospel according to St. Luke," said to have been written under St. Paul's superintendence, is too improbable to call for serious notice. Romans 2:16

Vincent's Word Studies

My gospel

As distinguished from false teaching Paul's assurance of the truth of the Gospel is shown in his confident assertion that it will form the standard of judgment in the great day.