Verse 2 starts with a relative pronoun linking back to the phrase, “the gospel”. Paul says, “Hey folks, this gospel is not new”. It was promised before. The Jews had a saying: “If it’s true, it’s not new.”
The Greek word translated “he promised before” is a compound word. The prefix means before and is attached to the word meaning to promise or announce. This is the same promise that the Jews trace back to Abraham. God gave Abraham a promise that was not conditional or dependant. It was a flat-out promise. He said, “I will make you the father of many nations; and through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed”. All Abraham had to do was believe what God said. Everything that God says is a promise. God cannot lie and He is more than capable of doing whatever He says He will do. The gospel is not dependant on us. It is God’s promise, and He will do it. And it is not a new promise. The gospel is not a new message. It was promised long ago. It was God's preordained plan!!
It is interesting that faith is always connected to promise. Faith is believing that what God promises will come to pass; His words are Truth. Faith is believing that God can and will do it. Notice how there is no claiming, or doing, or being, or acting. The gospel is something that God has promised. We believe in faith, that He will do what he promised.
Paul is setting up to show his readers that this is not a new gospel. He uses two prepositional phrases, (1) "through the prophets", and (2) "in Holy writings". Paul will go on to quote the Old Testament 61 times in this letter. He is careful to lie out for his readers throughout the letter that this IS the same gospel, the same God, the same Messiah prophesied.
We don't have to get all wrapped around the axle over the Old Covenant, New Covenant debate. Paul shows us here that God is so much bigger than that. He didn't revise His plan. This IS His original plan. I love resting in the fact that nothing can thawart God.
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