Romans 1 - Introduction
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS Title The oldest form is the briefest, To (the) Romans. So in the "Subscription" to the Epistle, q. v.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS Title The oldest form is the briefest, To (the) Romans. So in the "Subscription" to the Epistle, q. v.... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 1:1-7. Greeting 1. _Paul_ On the name, see _Introduction_, i. § 2. _a servant_ Strictly, A BONDSERVANT. So Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Judges 1. For exposition of the word see Romans 6:18-19, with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20;... [ Continue Reading ]
_which he had promised afore_ This verse is not properly a parenthesis. See on Romans 1:3. The _Promise_of the great Deliverer, running through the O. T., is one of the most wonderful of the phenomena of history. It was such that, beyond all question, it had brought the hope of Israel to an intense... [ Continue Reading ]
_concerning his Son_, &c. The connexion is with the close of Romans 1:2: the "promise through the prophets" was "concerning the Son of God." In the Gr., the order of words in this verse and the next is peculiar and emphatic: CONCERNING HIS SON, WHO WAS MADE [lit. WHO CAME TO BE, WHO BECAME] OF THE S... [ Continue Reading ]
_declared_ Better, DEFINED, MARKED OUT BY SURE SIGNS. Same word as Hebrews 4:7 ("He _limiteth_a certain day"). His Resurrection shewed Him to be _none other than_the Son. The same Greek word is used in e.g. Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; and rendered there "ordained;" perhaps rightly so. But obviously its... [ Continue Reading ]
_by whom_ Lit. THROUGH WHOM. Ultimately from the Father, but through the Son. _we have received_ Better, perhaps, WE RECEIVED; (but see below on Romans 1:19.) "_We_" includes, possibly, all the Apostles, as certainly in 1 Corinthians 15:1; 1 Corinthians 15:11, &c. (where note the change from plural... [ Continue Reading ]
_the called of Jesus Christ_ JESUS CHRIST'S CALLED ONES; called, and as such belonging to Him. The "call" here referred to, as almost always in the Epistles, is _the effectual call of Divine grace;_more than the external message. In the Gospels "call" and "choice" are almost contrasted; e.g. Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
_to all that be in Rome, beloved of God_ Better perhaps without comma: TO ALL GOD'S BELOVED ONES WHO ARE IN ROME. The Gr. admits either construction. _called to be saints_ Lit. CALLED SAINTS; i.e., practically, "converted, so as to be saints." The idea is not of a "call" which may or may not result... [ Continue Reading ]
_First, I thank my God_ First, before any other message. Such messages of _thanksgiving_are characteristic of St Paul. See 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3;... [ Continue Reading ]
The good report of the Roman Church. Paul desires to visit them, and to preach the gospel of faith to them... [ Continue Reading ]
_For God is my witness_ A characteristic appeal. Cp. 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2Co 11:31; 2 Corinthians 12:19; Galatians 1:20; Philippians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:10. This is traceable in part, perhaps, to the incessant calumnies against his sincerity and veracity which grieved St Paul... [ Continue Reading ]
_making request_ Connect this with the previous verse, and read WITHOUT CEASING I MAKE MENTION OF YOU, ALWAYS IN MY PRAYERS MAKING REQUEST, IF BY ANY MEANS, &c. The special "request made known to God" was that the Apostle might, after long delays, be allowed to visit the Roman Christians. Cp. Acts 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift_ Some "_charisma_." The exact reference is not quite certain. It has been explained of miraculous gifts, which (on this view) St Paul desired to impart, by imposition of hands, to the Roman saints. And certainly it appears that these "gifts" were _as a... [ Continue Reading ]
_that is, that I may be comforted together_, &c. We have here St Paul's fine _tact_, to use a word "soiled by ignoble use," because sometimes associated with insincerity. The tact of the Apostle is only an exquisite combination of sympathy and judgment; he speaks the true word, in the right place, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now I would not have you ignorant_ A characteristic phrase. See Romans 11:25; 1Co 10:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13. _I purposed to come unto you Within limits_, evidently, St Paul's plans were no more inspired than those of modern missionaries; his most deliberate i... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am debtor_ i.e. "I owe it to them to impart to them the Gospel." See 1 Corinthians 9:16-17; where St Paul speaks as a "dispenser" or "steward" of the Gospel, who is absolutely bound ("it is laid on me") to give the "portion of food in due season" to those whom he can reach. _the Greeks, and to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_as much as in me is_, &c. Lit. THAT WHICH RELATES TO ME IS READY, &c.; "_my side_is ready." Perhaps the point of this periphrasis for "I" is the hope of an equal willingness on the side of the Romans to _hear_the message. _to you that are at Rome also_ This was the _climax_of his apostolic courage... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I am not ashamed_ The "_for_" links this verse to the last thought. At Rome, if anywhere, he might be "ashamed" (Mark 8:38) of the message of a _crucified_Saviour; a message, too, which pronounced "the whole world _guilty_before God." But he was _not_ashamed of his message, and so was ready to... [ Continue Reading ]
_the righteousness of God_ A phrase occurring elsewhere seven times in this Epistle (Romans 3:5; Romans 3:21-22; Romans 3:25-26; Romans 10:3 twice), once in the Gospels (Matthew 6:33), once in 2 Cor. (Romans 5:21), once in St James (Romans 1:20), and once in 2 Pet. (Romans 1:1). As regards Pauline u... [ Continue Reading ]
The necessity for the Gospel: Divine wrath; human (especially heathen) sin 18. _For the wrath of God_, &c. The "for" marks the connexion as follows: "The Gospel is the secret of _salvation_, of justification before the eternal Judge; and as such it is a thing of supreme importance; _for_the Judge h... [ Continue Reading ]
_that which may be known of God_ Lit. THAT WHICH IS KNOWN; i.e. ideally known; that which, under any circumstances, man has known. The E. V. is thus practically right. The word "knowable" has of late years become fashionable in philosophic language; and some writers have boldly taught that God is ... [ Continue Reading ]
_from the creation of the world_ i.e. "since the world was created." The Gr. scarcely allows the interpretation "from the framework, or constitution, of the world." He means that ever since there was a universe to observe, and man to observe it, the being and will of a Divine Artificer have been dis... [ Continue Reading ]
_because that, when they knew God_ i.e. as primevally revealed, and then constantly witnessed to by the visible Creation as Eternal and Omnipotent. "_To know God_" is a phrase capable of many degrees of meaning, from the rational certainty of a Supreme Personal Maker and Lord up to that holy intimac... [ Continue Reading ]
_Professing themselves to be wise_, &c. A severe but just description of speculation, primitive or modern, which ignores Revelation where Revelation has spoken. St Paul does not mean that in such speculations no intellectual power was exerted; surpassing power often was, and is, displayed in them. B... [ Continue Reading ]
_into an image made like to_ Lit. IN THE RESEMBLANCE OF THE LIKENESS OF; i.e. "_so as to appear in_a form like man, bird, beast, snake, and insect." Deity, and its prerogatives, were so degraded as to be (in the idolater's act) transferred to idols. The illustrations of the Apostle's words from anci... [ Continue Reading ]
The same subject: heathen sin judicially aggravated 24. _Wherefore God also gave them up_ The inevitable connexion of idolatry with debased morality is stated here. Nothing but the knowledge of the Holy One, Eternal and Almighty, can ever really teach and enforce human purity; even though conscienc... [ Continue Reading ]
_who changed_ The Greek relative pronoun implies that this was the _cause_of the special turn taken by the judicial hardening: SEEING THEY HAD CHANGED, &c. _the truth of God_ i.e. that which is true of Him alone, and revealed by Him; Omnipotence and Deity. Cp. Romans 1:18. _into a lie_ Lit. IN FAL... [ Continue Reading ]
_For this cause_ Resuming Romans 1:24. _vile affections_ Lit. PASSIONS OF DISGRACE; stamped with essential degradation. (Far different is the Greek, where (in E. V.) the same word "vile" appears, in Philippians 3:21: "the body _of humiliation_.") On this and the next verse we must not comment in de... [ Continue Reading ]
_And even as_, &c. In this and the following verses the developements of sin are followed into less monstrous but more pervading and not less guilty forms. _as they did not like_ DID NOT APPROVE. The Gr. is akin to the Gr. of "reprobate" just below. Knowledge of God met with no _approbation_, and H... [ Continue Reading ]
_fornication_ This word is to be omitted. _maliciousness_ Same word as 1 Peter 2:1, (where E. V. "malice,") 16. The Gr. is a wider word than these English words; EVIL in its largest sense, but specially, moral evil. _full of envy_ Lit. BRIMFUL; a word as strong as possible. _malignity_ Our "_ill-... [ Continue Reading ]
_backbiters_ Rather, EVIL SPEAKERS, without the special notion of speaking in the _absence_of the person attacked. _haters of God_ The Gr., by formation and classical usage, should rather mean HATEFUL TO GOD; men whose character is peculiarly abhorrent to Him. Similar words or phrases were familiar... [ Continue Reading ]
_without understanding, covenant-breakers_ The Gr. words are almost identical in form and sound. On "_without understanding_" see note on Romans 1:21, where "foolish" represents the same Greek word; an epithet full of deep meaning. _implacable_ Lit. TRUCE-LESS; an adjective used in the classics for... [ Continue Reading ]
_who knowing_ The Gr. relative is same word as Romans 1:25, where see note. Thus what is here stated of the world of sinners is, as it were, the _condition_for the special vices just enumerated: men are such _because_they resist conscience. _knowing_ The Gr. is strong, WELL KNOWING. The witness of... [ Continue Reading ]