Lest the Jews should swell and be puffed up with pride, by hearing what the apostle said in the former chapter, of the detestable wickedness of the Gentiles, and the heavy displeasure of God against them for the same; St. Paul in this chapter pronounces the Jews to be guilty of the same sins of whic... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, We that are Jews know, by the light of the scripture, what the Gentiles knew imperfectly by the light of nature, that the just God judges uprightly, ACCORDING TO TRUTH, and not according to appearance. It is equitable that he should, and certain the he will, deal with men... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The indulgent carriage of Almighty God towards poor sinners, discovered in the vast expence of the riches of his goodness and bounty upon them, and in the patient exercise of his forbearance and long-suffering towards them. Observe, 2. The gracious end and design of God in his expe... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle in the foregoing verse had given. description of the general day of judgment, which he called, A REVELATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD. Here he acquaints us with the impartiality and uprightness of God in the distribution of rewards and punishments in that day, according to the mer... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, as many as have sinned without the WRITTEN law, which is the case of the Gentiles or Heathens, shall also perish without THAT law, being judged and condemned by the law of NATURE written in their hearts; but as many as have sinned IN or UNDER the law of Moses, which is the case of the Jews,... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, not the BARE HEARERS of the law shall, upon that account, be just before God, but the DOERS of the law shall be JUSTIFIED; that is, accepted of God, as acting suitable to their holy profession. It is notoriously known, that Jews gloried in, and rested upon, their outward privleges for salva... [ Continue Reading ]
The sense is, that the Gentiles, which have not the law of Moses promulged, are yet not without. law ingrafted in their consciences; and although they have not. written law; yet are they. LAW, that is. rule of living to themselves; doing those things which shew the work of the law written in their h... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, If any shall ask, when shall rewards and punishments be distributed to Jew or Gentile? The answer is, IN THAT DAY WHEN GOD SHALL JUDGE THE SECRETS OF MENS HEARTS BY JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL: That is, as my gospel testifies, he will most certainly do. Here obse... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle proceeds in his former argument; namely, to prove, That the Jews could no more rationally expect to be justified before God by the law of Moses, than the Gentiles by the law of nature; the apostle allows them all their privileges which they so much donated upon, boasted of, and glor... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle proceeds, to the end of this chapter, to convince the Jews, that they were equally in. sinful and wretched condition with the despised Gentiles, and therefore stood in need of Jesus Christ to justify them by his grace, as well as they: And because the Jews were so exceeding apt to dote u... [ Continue Reading ]
It is sufficiently known what great stress the Jews laid upon circumcision; they taught, that this alone was enough to procure the favour of God, and to free them from hell: "God having, as they said, promised Abraham, that if his children transgressed, he would remember the odour of the foreskins,... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle comes close and home to the self-confident Jews, and touches them in the most sensible part. It was the hardest saying that could sound in. Jewish ear, to affirm, that CIRCUMCISION WHICH IS OUTWARD IN THE FLESH, profiteth nothing; for they so gloried in it, that they accounted it eq... [ Continue Reading ]