ROMANS CHAPTER 1 ROMANS 1:1 Paul, commending to the Romans his calling, greets them, ROMANS 1:8 and professes his concern for, and desire of coming to see them. ROMANS 1:16,17 He shows that the gospel is for the justification of all mankind through faith. ROMANS 1:18 And having premised that s... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HE HAD PROMISED; the meaning is not, that the history of the gospel was promised by the prophets, but that Jesus Christ, with all his benefits, (which is the direct subject of the gospel history and revelation), was promised or foreshown by them. AFORE; this word is added to prevent the imputa... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD: this phrase either respects the Holy Scriptures, mentioned immediately before in ROMANS 1:2; the sum and substance of them is, concerning the Messiah, the Son of God: or else it respects the gospel, that was spoken of in the ROMANS 1:1,2 being only a parenth... [ Continue Reading ]
Not made the Son of God, as he was said before to be _made of the seed of David; _ but DECLARED, or demonstrated, TO BE THE SON OF GOD. WITH POWER: this refers either to the word declared, and then the meaning is, he was powerfully or miraculously declared to be the Son of God; the Greek word ordina... [ Continue Reading ]
BY WHOM; or of whom; by whom, as Mediator, or of whom, as Author and Giver. GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP: some make these two distinct gifts; the one common, which is grace; the other special, which is apostleship: others think, that, by an hendiadis, he means the grace of apostleship; which he so calls, b... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG WHOM ARE YE ALSO; the Romans are in this number, and a part of the nations to whom I have a commission, and for whom I have received the grace of apostleship. He adds this, to show his warrant for writing to them, he did it by virtue of his office; as also to humble them; for though they were... [ Continue Reading ]
TO ALL THAT BE IN ROME; he doth not direct this Epistle to all that there inhabited, as to the emperor and senate, &c.; but to the church, and all the Christians there, as appears by the two following phrases. He wrote not to those only which were Romans by nation, but to all the faithful, whether J... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRST, here, is not a word of order, for there follows no secondly, &c.; but it serves to show, that here the Epistle begins, for all before was but a preface or inscription: q.d. In the first place. See the like, 1 TIMOTHY 2:1. THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD, that is, through many parts of it; it is a... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD IS MY WITNESS; in these words there is the force, if not the form, of an oath. See the like, 2 CORINTHIANS 1:18, 2 CORINTHIANS 11:31 GALATIANS 1:20. His great love and care of them was a hidden thing, and known only to God; to him therefore he appeals for the truth thereof. Oaths, in certain cas... [ Continue Reading ]
MAKING REQUEST; this was one thing he requested of God, that what he had long desired and designed might happily (if it seemed good in God's sight) be at last accomplished, that he might come in person to them. This desire of Paul to see the Romans might be one cause of that appeal which he made to... [ Continue Reading ]
He declares his end in desiring to see them; it was not his own profit, but their edification. BY SOME SPIRITUAL GIFT, he means some one or other of those gifts of the Spirit, of which particular mention is made, 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7. TO THE END YE MAY BE ESTABLISHED: q.d. I do not intend to bring any... [ Continue Reading ]
This is added to qualify what he had said before, lest he should seem to arrogate too much to himself; he tells them, he hoped not only to comfort them, but to be comforted by them. The meanest of Christ's members may contribute somewhat to the edifying even of an apostle. The apostle John did hope... [ Continue Reading ]
He prevents a cavil; they might say, If Paul hath such a longing desire to see us, why doth he not come to us? To this he answers, it was not for want of will or affection; for he often intended and attempted it. BUT WAS LET HITHERTO; either by Satan, as 1 THESSALONIANS 2:18; or by the Holy Spirit o... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM DEBTOR; as being obliged by virtue of my calling, and as being intrusted by God with talents to that purpose. You are not beholden to me for this desire, as if it were an arbitrary favour, for it is my bounden duty. BOTH TO THE GREEKS, AND TO THE BARBARIANS; i.e. to all nations, which he divide... [ Continue Reading ]
q.d. I have preached it at Antioch, at Athens, at Ephesus, at Corinth, &c.; and I: am ready (if God permit) to preach it in the most splendid city of Rome likewise. So the reason is not in myself, or in my own will, why I have not come to you all this while.... [ Continue Reading ]
Though Rome be the head of the empire, and the Romans bear the name of wise and learned persons; and though the gospel hath the show of simplicity, and is foolishness to the wise men of this world; yet I AM NOT ASHAMED to own and publish this GOSPEL OF CHRIST. I do not shrink back, and withdraw myse... [ Continue Reading ]
It will give light to this whole Epistle, to explain what is here meant by THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. Some do thereby understand the whole doctrine of salvation and eternal life, which is revealed in the gospel; and they make it the same with _the faith of God,_ ROMANS 3:3, and with _the truth of God... [ Continue Reading ]
He proceeds to prove the principal proposition laid down in the foregoing verse; the causal particle _for_ implies as much. Men must be justified by the righteousness of God, because they have no righteousness of their own to justify them, they themselves are all unrighteous. This he proves both of... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH MAY BE KNOWN OF GOD; or, that which is knowable of God, viz. by the light of nature. The apostle, by a prolepis, prevents an objection which some might make in excuse of the Gentiles: how could they sufficate or suppress the truth, seeing they wanted the Scripture, and were without the kn... [ Continue Reading ]
Because it might be further objected in behalf of the Gentiles, that the notions of God imprinted in their nature are so weak, that they may be well excused; therefore the apostle adds, that the certainty of them is further confirmed by the book of the creatures, which was written before them in cap... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE; either this must be referred to the words immediately foregoing, and then it is a reason why the Gentiles are inexcusable, BECAUSE THAT, WHEN THEY KNEW GOD, THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT AS GOD, &c.; or else it refers to ROMANS 1:18, and then it is a proof of their withholding the truth in unright... [ Continue Reading ]
Some think, that all along this context the apostle hath reference to the Gnostics, a sort of heretics in the first age, (of which see Dr. Hammond _in locum_), and that the meaning of the words is this, That they, assuming the title of Gnostics, of knowing men, and of men wiser than others, have pro... [ Continue Reading ]
CHANGED THE GLORY OF THE UNCORRUPTIBLE GOD; you have the same phrase, PSALMS 106:20 JEREMIAH 2:11; and from thence it is borrowed. INTO AN IMAGE MADE LIKE TO CORRUPTIBLE MAN, &C.: the apostle proeeedeth from the more worthy to the less worthy creatures, that the grossness of their idolatry might the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE; their impiety was the cause of what followed: this is repeated again, that it may be the better observed. The contempt of God and of religion is the cause of all wickedness. GOD ALSO GAVE THEM UP; this phrase is thrice used in this context, viz. ROMANS 1:24,26,28: it seems to be taken out... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE; i.e. the God of truth, or the true God, into an idol, which is a lie, which seems to be that which it is not: or else, by _the truth of God, _ understand those true sentiments and notions that they had of God, and were taught them, as before, by the light of... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; FOR THIS CAUSE; i.e. for their idolatry and uncleanness both, for now their idolatry is aggravated by the uncleanness accompanying it. VILE AFFECTIONS; Gr. affections of dishonour, i.e. the most dishonourable and shameful affections; for as we are exhorted, 1 THESSALONIANS 4:4,5, to possess... [ Continue Reading ]
This was the sin of the Sodomites of old, for which they were destroyed, GENESIS 19:5: see LEVITICUS 18:22. How meet was it that they who had forsaken the Author of nature, should be given up not to keep the order of nature; that they who had changed the glory of God into the similitude of beasts, s... [ Continue Reading ]
TO RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE; or, to have God in acknowledgment. The apostle proceeds to show the analogy betwixt their sin and their punishment. The evil he here taxed them with is much the same with that in ROMANS 1:21; though they had some knowledge of God, yet they did not acknowledge him as... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; Now follow the sins against the second table, which reigned amongst the Gentiles; amongst which UNRIGHTEOUSNESS is as the fountain, from whence the rest as streams do flow. This is the genus that comprehends all the evils hereafter enumerated. It is not to be supposed that all the following... [ Continue Reading ]
HATERS OF GOD; the original word hath a passive termination, and therefore some read it, hated of God. But words passive are sometimes actively taken: see 2 PETER 1:3. And the apostle here intendeth a catalogue of the Gentiles sins, whereof this was one: see PSALMS 81:15. DESPITEFUL; or, injurious.... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING; or, without conscience; sunesiv, or snueidhsiv, being much the same. WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION; this evil also reigned amongst the Gentiles, who sacrificed their very children to their idols, and otherwise exposed them to ruin: see 2 TIMOTHY 3:3. IMPLACABLE; or, irrec... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THE JUDGMENT OF GOD; i.e. his just law and statute, or his justice in punishing sin and sinners. This the Gentiles knew by the light of nature, and by the examples of God's justice in the world. THAT THEY WHICH COMMIT SUCH THINGS ARE WORTHY OF DEATH; the barbarians of Melita judged murder wo... [ Continue Reading ]