1._Him indeed, etc. _He passes on now to lay down a precept especially necessary for the instruction of the Church, — that they who have made the most progress in Christian doctrine should accommodate themselves to the more ignorant, and employ their own strength to sustain their weakness; for among... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Let him who believes, etc. _What [Erasmus ] has followed among the various readings I know not; but he has mutilated this sentence, which, in Paul’s words, is complete; and instead of the relative article he has improperly introduced _alius _ — one, “One indeed believes,” etc. That I take the inf... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Let not him who eats, etc. _He wisely and suitably meets the faults of both parties. They who were strong had this fault, — that they despised those as superstitious who were scrupulous about insignificant things, and also derided them: these, on the other hand, were hardly able to refrain from r... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Who art thou who judgest, etc. _“As you would act uncourteously, yea, and presumptuously among men, were you to bring another man’s servant, under your own rules, and try all his acts by the rule of your own will; so you assume too much, if you condemn anything in God’s servant, because it does n... [ Continue Reading ]
5._One indeed, etc. _He had spoken before of scruples in the choice of meats; he now adds another example of difference, that is, as to days; and both these arose from Judaism. For as the Lord in his law made a difference between meats and pronounced some to be unclean, the use of which he prohibite... [ Continue Reading ]
6._He who regards a day, etc. _Since Paul well knew that a respect for days proceeded from ignorance of Christ, it is not probable that such a corruption was altogether defended by him; and yet his words seem to imply, that he who regarded days committed no sin; for nothing but good can be accepted... [ Continue Reading ]
7._For no one of us, etc. _He now confirms the former verse by an argument derived from the whole to a part, — that it is no matter of wonder that particular acts of our life should be referred to the Lord’s will, since life itself ought to be wholly spent to his glory; for then only is the life of... [ Continue Reading ]
8._To the Lord we live, etc. _This does not mean the same as when it is said in Romans 6:11, that we are made _alive unto God _by his Spirit, but that we conform to his will and pleasure, and design all things to his glory. Nor are we only to live to the Lord, but also to die; that is, our death as... [ Continue Reading ]
9._For to this end Christ also died, etc. _This is a confirmation of the reason which has been last mentioned; for in order to prove that we ought to live and to die to the Lord, he had said, that whether we live or die we are under the power of Christ. He now shows how rightly Christ claims this po... [ Continue Reading ]
10._But thou, why dost thou, etc. _As he had made the life and death of us all subject to Christ, he now proceeds to mention the authority to judge, which the Father has conferred on him, together with the dominion over heaven and earth. He hence concludes, that it is an unreasonable boldness in any... [ Continue Reading ]
11._As I live, etc. _He seems to me to have quoted this testimony of the Prophet, not so much to prove what he had said of the judgment-seat of Christ, which was not doubted among Christians, as to show that judgment ought to be looked for by all with the greatest humility and lowliness of mind; and... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Every one of us, etc. _This conclusion invites us to humility and lowliness of mind: and hence he immediately draws this inference, — that _we are not to judge one another; _for it is not lawful for us to usurp the office of judging, who must ourselves submit to be judged and to give an account.... [ Continue Reading ]
14._I know, etc. _To anticipate their objection, who made such progress in the gospel of Christ as to make no distinction between meats, he first shows what must be thought of meats when viewed in themselves; and then he subjoins how sin is committed in the use of them. He then declares, that no mea... [ Continue Reading ]
15._But if through meat thy brother is grieved, etc. _He now explains how the offending of our brethren may vitiate the use of good things. And the first thing is, — that love is violated, when our brother is made to grieve by what is so trifling; for it is contrary to love to occasion grief to any... [ Continue Reading ]
17._For the kingdom of God, etc. _He now, on the other hand, teaches us, that we can without loss abstain from the use of our liberty, because the kingdom of God does not consist in such things. Those things indeed, which are necessary either to build up or preserve the kingdom of God, are by no mea... [ Continue Reading ]
18._For he who in these things, etc. _An argument drawn from the effect: for it is impossible, but that when any one is acceptable to God and approved by men, the kingdom of God fully prevails and flourishes in him: he, who with a quiet and peaceful conscience serves Christ in righteousness, renders... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Let us then follow, etc. _He recalls us, as much as possible, from a mere regard to meats, to consider those greater things which ought to have the first place in all our actions, and so to have the precedence. We must indeed eat, that we may live; we ought to live, that we may serve the Lord; a... [ Continue Reading ]
20._All things are indeed pure, etc. _By saying, that all things are pure, he makes a general declaration; and by adding, that it is evil for man to eat with offense, he makes an exception; as though he had said, — “Meat is indeed good, but to give offense is bad.” Now meat has been given to us, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
22._Hast thou faith? _In order to conclude, he shows in what consists the advantage of Christian liberty: it hence appears, that they boast falsely of liberty who know not how to make a right use of it. He then says, that liberty really understood, as it is that of faith, has properly a regard to Go... [ Continue Reading ]
23._But he who is undecided, etc. _He very fitly expresses in one word the character of that mind which vacillates and is uncertain as to what ought to be done; for he who is undecided undergoes alternate changes, and in the midst of his various deliberations is held suspended by uncertainty. As the... [ Continue Reading ]