WHEREFORE (διο). See Romans 1:24; Romans 1:26 for this relative conjunction, "because of which thing."WITHOUT EXCUSE (αναπολογητος). See on Romans 1:21.WHOSOEVER THOU ART THAT JUDGEST (πας ο κρινων). Literally, "every one that judgest," vocative case in apposition with ανθρωπε. Paul begins his... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGMENT (κριμα). Decision rendered whether good or bad.ACCORDING TO (κατα with accusative). As the rule of measure. Cf. John 7:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DOEST THE SAME (κα ποιων αυτα). "And doest them occasionally."THAT THOU SHALT ESCAPE (συ εκφευξη). Emphasis on συ, "thou conceited Jew expecting to escape God's κριμα because thou art a Jew." Cf. Matthew 3:8. Paul justifies the bitter words of the Baptist to the Pharisees and Sadducees. The... [ Continue Reading ]
OR DESPISETH THOU? (η καταφρονεισ?). Another alternative, that of scorn of God's kindness (χρηστοτητος, 2 Corinthians 6:6) and forbearance (ανοχης, old word, holding back from ανεχω, only here in N.T.) and longsuffering (μακροθυμιας, late word for which see 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 6:6). Κ... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THY HARDNESS (κατα την σκληροτητα σου). "According to thy hardness (old word from σκληρος, hard, stiff, only here in N.T.) will God's judgment be."AND IMPENITENT HEART (κα αμετανοητον καρδιαν). See μετανοιαν just before. "Thy unreconstructed heart," "with no change in the attitude of thy... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WILL RENDER (ος αποδωσε). Paul quotes Proverbs 24:12 as in 2 Timothy 4:14. See also Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12. The rendering will be in accord with the facts.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEM THAT SEEK (τοις μεν--ζητουσιν). Dative plural of the articular present active participle of ζητεω with μεν on the one hand.ETERNAL LIFE (ζωην αιωνιον). Accusative case object of αποδωσε above.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE FACTIOUS AND OBEY NOT THE TRUTH BUT OBEY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (τοις δε εξ εριθειας κα απειθουσιν τη αληθεια πειθομενοις δε αδικια). The other side with δε and the articular present participles in the dative again, only with εξ εριθειας, there is no participle ουσιν. But the cons... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY SOUL OF MAN (πασαν ψυχην ανθρωπου). See Romans 13:1 for this use of ψυχη for the individual.OF THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO OF THE GREEK (Ιουδαιου τε πρωτον κα Hελληνος). See on Romans 1:16. First not only in penalty as here, but in privilege also as in Romans 2:11; Romans 1:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
RESPECT OF PERSONS (προσωπολημψια). Milligan (_Vocabulary_) considers this word (in N.T. only here, Colossians 3:25; Ephesians 6:9) and προσωπολημπτης (Acts 10:34) and προσωπολημπτεω (James 2:9) the earliest definitely known Christian words, not in LXX or non-Christian writings. See on Acts 10:34... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE SINNED (ημαρτον). Constative aorist active indicative, "sinned," a timeless aorist.WITHOUT LAW (ανομως). Old adverb "contrary to law," "unjustly," but here in ignorance of the Mosaic law (or of any law). Nowhere else in N.T.SHALL ALSO PERISH WITHOUT LAW (ανομως κα απολουντα). Future midd... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THE HEARERS--BUT THE DOERS (ου γαρ ο ακροαται--αλλ' ο ποιητα). The law was read in the synagogue, but there was no actual virtue in listening. The virtue is in doing. See a like contrast by James between "hearers" and "doers" of the gospel (James 1:22-25).BEFORE GOD (παρα τω θεω). By God's... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HAVE NO LAW (τα μη νομον εχοντα). Better, "that have not the law" (the Mosaic law).BY NATURE (φυσε). Instrumental case of φυσις, old word from φυω, to beget. The Gentiles are without the Mosaic law, but not without some knowledge of God in conscience and when they do right "they are a law... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT THEY (οιτινες). "The very ones who," qualitative relative.WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS (γραπτον εν ταις καρδιαις αυτων). Verbal adjective of γραφω, to write. When their conduct corresponds on any point with the Mosaic law they practise the unwritten law in their hearts.THEIR CONSCIENCE BEARI... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL (κατα το ευαγγελιον μου). What Paul preaches (1 Corinthians 15:1) and which is the true gospel... [ Continue Reading ]
BEAREST THE NAME (επονομαζη). Present passive indicative in condition of first class of επονομαζω, old word, to put a name upon (επ), only here in N.T. "Thou art surnamed Jew" (Lightfoot). Jew as opposed to Greek denoted nationality while Hebrew accented the idea of language.RESTEST UPON THE LAW... [ Continue Reading ]
A GUIDE OF THE BLIND (οδηγον τυφλων). Accusative οδηγον in predicate with εινα to agree with σεαυτον, accusative of general reference with infinitive εινα in indirect discourse after πεποιθας. Late word (Polybius, Plutarch) from οδος, way, and ηγεομα, to lead, one who leads the way. Τυφλων is obj... [ Continue Reading ]
A CORRECTOR OF THE FOOLISH (παιδευτην αφρονων). Old word (from παιδευω) for instructor, in Plato, and probably so here, though corrector or chastiser in Hebrews 12:9 (the only N.T. instances). See Luke 23:16. Late inscriptions give it as instructor (Preisigke). Αφρονων is a hard word for Gentiles... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU THEREFORE THAT TEACHEST ANOTHER (ο ουν διδασκων ετερον). Paul suddenly breaks off (anacoluthon) the long sentence that began in verse Romans 2:17 and starts over again with a phrase that gathers it all up in small compass (teachest) and drives it home (therefore) on the Jew (thyself).NOT TO... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ABHORREST (ο βδελυσσομενος). Old word to make foul, to stink, to have abhorrence for. In LXX, in N.T. only here and Revelation 21:8. The very word used by Jesus to express their horror of idols (ειδωλα, see on Acts 7:41; 1 Corinthians 12:2). See Matthew 24:15 for "abomination."DOST THOU ROB... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH THY TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW (δια της παραβασεως του νομου). Old word for stepping across a line. Trench calls attention to "the mournfully numerous group of words" for the varieties of sin like αγνοημα, ignorance, ανομια, violation of law, αμαρτια, missing the mark, εττημα, falling short... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE OF YOU (δι' υμας). Free quotation from the LXX of Isaiah 52:5. The Jews were jealous for the Name of God and would not pronounce the Tetragrammaton and yet acted so that the Gentiles blasphemed that Name.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU BE A DOER OF THE LAW (εαν νομον πρασσεις). Condition of third class and the present (continued action) subjunctive of πρασσω, a verb meaning to do as a habit.IS BECOME UNCIRCUMCISION (ακροβυστια γεγονεν). The Jew is then like the Gentile, with no privilege at all. Circumcision was simpl... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEP (φυλασση). Present subjunctive with εαν, condition of third class, mere supposition like that in verse Romans 2:25, "keep on keeping" perfectly, Paul means.FOR (εις). As often in N.T.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF IT FULFILL THE LAW (τον νομον τελουσα). Present active participle (conditional use of the participle) of τελεω, to finish, continually fulfilling to the end (as would be necessary).JUDGE THEE (κρινει--σε). Unusual position of σε (thee) so far from the verb κρινε.WITH THE LETTER AND CIRCUMCIS... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH IS ONE OUTWARDLY (ο εν τω φανερω). Ιουδαιος (Jew) has to be repeated (ellipse) with the article, "the in the open Jew" (circumcision, phylacteries, tithes, etc.). Likewise repeat περιτομη (circumcision).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS ONE INWARDLY (ο εν τω κρυπτω). Repeat Ιουδαιος (Jew) here also, "the in the inward part Jew" (circumcision of the heart περιτομη καρδιας and not a mere surgical operation as in Colossians 2:11, in the spirit εν πνευματ, with which compare 2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:6). This inward... [ Continue Reading ]