ROMANS CHAPTER 14 ROMANS 14:1 Directions to treat a weak brother kindly, and not to despise or censure one another in matters of indifference. ROMANS 14:6 Christ's right to our best services, whether we live or die. ROMANS 14:10 We must all be answerable for our respective conduct at his judgment-se... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE BELIEVETH THAT HE MAY EAT ALL THINGS; i.e. one that is informed aright of his Christian liberty, is fully persuaded, and that upon good grounds, that he may eat any thing that is wholesome, though forbidden by the ceremonial law; that there is now no difference of clean and unclean meats: see MA... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT HIM THAT EATETH DESPISE HIM THAT EATETH NOT; i.e. Let not him that makes use of his liberty in eating any thing indifferently, vilify or contemn him that is of a contrary mind, as one that is ignorant and over scrupulous; and let not him that forbears such meats as were of old forbidden, jud... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO ART THOU THAT JUDGEST ANOTHER MAN'S SERVANT? TO HIS OWN MASTER HE STANDETH OR FALLETH: a sharp reprehension of the forementioned evil. You have the like: JAMES 4:12. q.d. This phrase is repugnant not only to the law of God, but to the very law of nature, which tells us, that one man must not con... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE MAN ESTEEMETH ONE DAY ABOVE ANOTHER: ANOTHER ESTEEMETH EVERY DAY ALIKE: there were differences in the church of Rome about the observation of days, as well as the choice of meats; and in this he endeavours an accommodation as well as in the other. The converted Jew was of opinion, that the festi... [ Continue Reading ]
In this verse you have a reason why Christians should not censure one another, upon an account of different opinions and practices, because they have all the same end and scope, which is the pleasing and glorifying of God. It is with regard to him that they eat, or eat not; that they observe those f... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 7,8. Here he proves what he had before asserted, that Christians have regard to God and his glory in their particular actions; and that from their general end and design, which is to devote themselves, and their whole life, and death, to God. He tells them first, in the negative, that NONE OF U... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "ROMANS 14:7... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; TO THIS END CHRIST BOTH DIED, AND ROSE: q.d. This is the fruit that accrues to Christ, by his death and resurrection, _that he might, _ & c. AND REVIVED: the Vulgar Latin leaves out this word. Chrysostom left out the former word, he _arose._ Ambrose inverts the order of the words, and reads... [ Continue Reading ]
He goes on to persuade them to a mutual forbearance, to dehort them from condemning or contemning one another about indifferent things. He suggests two arguments against it in this verse; one (which is more implied) is taken from the relation they bore one to another; they were brethren, not by natu... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse proves what was before asserted, that all must _stand before the judgment-seat of Christ._ The proof is from ISAIAH 45:23. The prophet speaks only of God's swearing; the apostle sets down the form of his oath; which form is frequently mentioned in Scripture: see NUMBERS 14:21,28 JER 22:24... [ Continue Reading ]
Here you have the end of our standing before the judgment-seat of Christ, which is to give account: see MATTHEW 12:36 1 PETER 4:5. He saith: EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT, whether he be great or small, strong or weak; and that he _shall give account of himself; _ i.e. of his own actions, and no... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US NOT THEREFORE JUDGE ONE ANOTHER ANY MORE: q.d. Seeing all must be judged by Christ, let us no more judge one another, but mend this fault for time to come. BUT JUDGE THIS RATHER: hitherto his counsel was more general, respecting both the strong and the weak. Here he begins, in a more particul... [ Continue Reading ]
Here he obviates an objection. Some might say, they were thoroughly persuaded, that no meat was unclean in itself, and therefore they might, and would, use their liberty in eating any thing that was before them. To this the apostle answers, first, by way of concession; he grants what they say is tru... [ Continue Reading ]
In this verse you have two reasons to induce the strong not to offend the weak: First, it is contrary to charity; to grieve a brother upon the score of meats, is to walk uncharitably; it is a violation of the royal law of love, which is against the grieving or offending others, 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4. T... [ Continue Reading ]
Here is another argument against offences; it will cause our _good_ to be blasphemed, or _evil spoken of._ Some, by _good_ here, would understand the Christian faith, or the gospel in general; but others do rather understand it of our Christian liberty in particular: q.d. Give none occasion for this... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse contains a new argument to persuade Christians not to strive about meats, or such like things; and that is, that the _kingdom of God_ doth not consist in these, but in weightier matters. By the _kingdom of God, _ you may understand the gospel, or true religion and godliness; that kingdom... [ Continue Reading ]
This proves the foregoing assertion, that _the kingdom of God_ consisteth in _righteousness, peace, and joy, _ because _he that serveth Christ in_ and by _these things, is accepted of God, and approved of men; _ this cannot be affirmed of meat and drink, &c. When he says that the serving of Christ i... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is the application of the foregoing discourse, in which you have an exhortation to the practice of two great duties. The one is peace, or peaceableness; the other is mutual edification. He had persuaded before to peace with all men, ROMANS 12:18; and here he speaks more especially of peac... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MEAT DESTROY NOT THE WORK OF GOD: here you have a further argument against scandals: q.d. For so inconsiderable a matter as eating a little meat, or for the use of an indifferent thing, do not destroy the work of God. By THE WORK OF GOD, some understand the soul of a brother; that is styled God'... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle proceedeth to enlarge his doctrine touching this particular, beyond the controversy that occasioned this his discourse; for he showeth, that to avoid the scandal or offence of our brethren, we are to abstain, not only from things prohibited by the law, but also from things that are not p... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU FAITH? HAVE IT TO THYSELF BEFORE GOD: some read the first clause without an interrogation, thou hast faith; either way the sense is the same. The apostle here anticipates an objection. The stronger Christian might be ready to say, as it is in ROMANS 14:14: I KNOW AND AM PERSUADED BY THE LO... [ Continue Reading ]
In this verse is another aphorism, respecting especially the weaker Christian. HE THAT DOUBTETH of the lawfullness of any meat, whether he may or may not eat it, IS DAMNED IF HE EAT, i.e. His own conscience condemns him, or he makes himself liable to damnation, BECAUSE HE EATETH NOT OF FAITH. The wo... [ Continue Reading ]