ROMANS CHAPTER 2 ROMANS 2:1 They that condemn sin in others, and are guilty of the like themselves, cannot escape God's judgment, ROMANS 2:6 which will be according to every man's deserts, without distinction of Jew or Gentile. ROMANS 2:14 The Gentiles are not left without a rule of conduct. ROMANS... [ Continue Reading ]
We know assuredly, and it is evident, both from Scripture and reason, that God's judgment, both here and hereafter, is true and upright; see 1 SAMUEL 16:7. He judgeth righteous judgment; he judgeth of persons and things, not as they are in appearance, but as they are in reality. Against them which c... [ Continue Reading ]
When other men's facts escape not thy censure, who art but a man; what folly and madness is it to imagine, that thine own evil deeds should escape the judgment of God! See 1 JOHN 3:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
Here he taxeth such as thought God approved of their persons and courses, at least that he would not regard or punish their evil actions, because he had hitherto forborne them, and heaped up abundance of worldly blessings upon them, as he did upon the Romans especially, above other people. It is com... [ Continue Reading ]
TREASUREST UP UNTO THYSELF WRATH AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH; this passage seems to respect DEUTERONOMY 32:34,35, or JOB 36:13. You have a parallel place, JAMES 5:3. The meaning is, Thou provokest more and more the wrath of God against thee; by heaping up sins, thou heapest up judgments of God upon thy... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; This proves what he had said, that the judgment of God, in that day, will be according to righteousness, or most righteous judgment. Parallel places you will find, PSALMS 62:12 MATTHEW 16:27 2 CORINTHIANS 5:10 REVELATION 22:12. The papists from hence infer the merit of works; but the reward... [ Continue Reading ]
What he had laid down in general, he amplifies more particularly. PATIENT CONTINUANCE; or perseverance IN WELL DOING, which implies patience: see MATTHEW 2:22; MATTHEW 10:13 HEBREWS 10:36. IMMORTALITY; or incorruption: he adds this to show, that the GLORY AND HONOUR he speaks of was not such as the... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ARE CONTENTIOUS; or, that are of contention: so, _they of the circumcision, _ for such as are circumcised, ACTS 10:45 GALATIANS 2:12. By _contentious, _ understand such as are refractory and self-willed; that, from a spirit of contradiction, will not be persuaded; that strive and kick against t... [ Continue Reading ]
TRIBULATION AND ANGUISH; the word render is here again understood, he shall render tribulation and anguish. Some refer the former to the punishment of sin, the latter to the punishment of loss; or the one to the unquenchable fire, the other to the never dying worm: it seems to be a rhetorical exagge... [ Continue Reading ]
PEACE; what he called immortality, ROMANS 2:7, he now calls _peace; _ which word, according to the usual acceptation of it amongst the Hebrews, is comprehensive of all good and happiness, both here and hereafter. TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GENTILE; as the ungodly and unbelieving Jews shall ha... [ Continue Reading ]
This seems to be borrowed from 2 CHRONICLES 19:7, and DEUTERONOMY 10:17. You have the same again, ACTS 10:34: see JOB 34:19 GALATIANS 2:6, GALATIANS 3:28 EPHESIANS 6:9 1 PETER 1:17. _Obj._ God loved Jacob, and hated Esau, when they were yet unborn, and had done neit [ Continue Reading ]
By the former he means the Gentiles, by the latter, the Jews; the like distribution he makes, 1 CORINTHIANS 9:20,21. IN THE LAW; i.e. under the law, or against it.... [ Continue Reading ]
This and the two following verses are included in a parenthesis, and they serve to obviate an objection against what was said, ROMANS 2:12. The Jews might plead, that they were superior to the Gentiles, and should be exempted or privileged, in judgment, forasmuch as they knew and professed the law o... [ Continue Reading ]
Here he preoccupates the Gentiles plea. They might object, that having not the law, they could not transgress, nor be culpable in judgment: see ROMANS 4:15. To this he says, that though they had not the law written in tables of stone, as the Jews had, yet they had a law written in their hearts, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
By THE WORK OF THE LAW, either understand the sum of the law, which is, To love God above all, and our neighbour as ourselves; or the office of the law, which consists in directing what to do, and what to leave undone; or the external actions which the law prescribes. WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS; this s... [ Continue Reading ]
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 judg... [ Continue Reading ]
He now comes to deal more particularly and expressly with the Jews, reciting their privileges, in which they trusted, and of which they boasted; and shows, that notwithstanding them, they stood in as much need of the righteousness of God as the Gentiles did. THOU; he speaks in the singular number, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 18,19. ART CONFIDENT; thou dost proudly arrogate all that follows to thyself, and conceitest that thou hast all the points of the law in thy breast, and full knowledge of all the secrets thereof.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "ROMANS 2:18... [ Continue Reading ]
BABES; such as have little or no knowledge. THE FORM OF KNOWLEDGE; a scheme or system of notions, a compendious model or method, which is artificially composed; such as tutors and professors of arts and sciences, do read over again and again to their pupils and auditors.... [ Continue Reading ]
TEACHEST THOU NOT THYSELF? q.d. Dost not thou thyself do what thou pressest upon others? see MATTHEW 23:3. DOST THOU STEAL? the Jews were infamous of old for this sin, PSALMS 50:18 MATTHEW 23:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
DOST THOU COMMIT ADULTERY? to this sin also the Jews were greatly addicted: see PSALMS 50:18 JEREMIAH 5:8. DOST THOU COMMIT SACRILEGE? Here he varies the crime; he does not say: Dost thou commit idolatry, but sacrilege. The Jews, after their return out of captivity, kept themselves free from idolatr... [ Continue Reading ]
Dost thou bring a reproach upon religion, and give occasion to the Gentiles to blaspheme his name? So it follows in the next words. See ROMANS 2:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH YOU; because of your and your forefathers sins. AS IT IS WRITTEN: the apostle doth not tell them where it was written; he supposeth they were not ignorant of it: see ISAIAH 52:5 EZEKIEL 36:20,23.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Jews might object: If the former privileges availed not to righteousness and salvation, yet circumcision at least might stand them in some stead. In answer whereunto you have, 1. A concession; circumcision indeed is profitable. 2. A limitation; _if thou keep the law; _ which is illustrated by... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UNCIRCUMCISION; i.e. the uncircumcised; a figurative and frequent way of speaking: see ROMANS 3:30, ROMANS 4:9. KEEP THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW; which none of them ever did; but admit they could, or else, which some of them have done, in sincerity, though with manifold imperfections; such as t... [ Continue Reading ]
UNCIRCUMCISION WHICH IS BY NATURE; a periphrasis of the Gentiles, who want circumcision, or are by nature without it. FULFIL THE LAW; here is another word; before it was _keep, _ but now it is _fulfil the law:_ though the word be varied, yet the sense is the same: see JAMES 2:8. JUDGE THEE; i.e. ris... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS NOT A JEW; a right or true Jew, who is heir of the promises made to the fathers. THAT IS ONE OUTWARDLY; the word _only_ is to be understood: see 1 CORINTHIANS 1:17. NEITHER IS THAT CIRCUMCISION; the right and true circumcision, which God principally requires, and is available unto salvation: t... [ Continue Reading ]
He is a right and true Jew, an Israelite indeed, that hath taken away the foreskin of his heart, JEREMIAH 4:4; that is cleansed from all corrupt affections, and hath laid aside all superfluity of naughtiness; that worshippeth God in the Spirit, rejoiceth in Christ Jesus, and hath no confidence in th... [ Continue Reading ]