_PAUL COMMENDETH HIS CALLING TO THE ROMANS, AND HIS DESIRE TO COME TO THEM. WHAT HIS GOSPEL IS, AND THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IT SHEWETH. GOD IS ANGRY WITH ALL MANNER OF SIN. WHAT WERE THE SINS OF THE GENTILES._ _Anno Domini 58._ THE unbelievingJews having violently opposed the Gospel because it was... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL, A SERVANT, &C.— From this to the fifteenth verse we have the introduction to this epistle, in which St. Paul asserts his commission as the apostle to the Gentiles; throws in such reflections concerning the Gospel and our Lord, as were proper to arrest the attention of the Jews; and testifies h... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HE HAD PROMISED AFORE, &C.— The Apostle, it is likely, asserts this to insinuate a good idea of the Gospel into the mind of the Jews at first setting out, and to put them upon inquiring; for even an unbelieving Jew, if at all disposed to think, could not overlook or slightly regard this sentim... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE FLESH— That is, with regard to his human nature. Both the natures of our Saviour are mentioned in this and the following verse. This too regards the Jew, and puts him in mind that Jesus, whom Paul preached, was of the royal stock, whence they expected the Messiah would spring. See T... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH POWER— See on Romans 1:16. He who will read in the original what St. Paul says, Ephesians 1:19 concerning the power which God exerted in raisingChrist from the dead, will hardly avoid thinking that he there sees St. Paul labouring for words to express the greatness of it. The word _declared_ do... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE RECEIVED— This is a modest way of expression; the Apostle meaning himself by the word _we. Grace_ or _favour,_ and _apostleship,_ some think mean the favour of being made an apostle. Hence χαρις, _grace,_ is put for the apostolic office; ch. Romans 12:3 Romans 15:15. 1 Corinthians 3:10. Ephe... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CALLED OF JESUS CHRIST, &C.— _Called of Jesus Christ,—called to be saints,_—are but different expressions for professors of Christianity. Any nation or people is _called_ or _invited_ of Jesus Christ, _called to be saints,_ who have in fact received the Gospel, by what means soever it has been c... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRST, I THANK, &C.— In the very entrance of this epistle are the traces of all spiritual affections; but of thankfulness above all, with the expression of which almost all St. Paul's epistles begin. He here particularly thanks God, that what otherwise himself should have done, was doneat Rome alrea... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH MY SPIRIT— "Not only with my body, but with the whole bent, the greatest integrity and ardour of my soul.... [ Continue Reading ]
SOME SPIRITUAL GIFT— That the Jews were the outward worshippers of the true God, and had been for many ages his people nominally, could not be denied by the Christians; whereupon the former were apt to persuade their convert Gentiles, that the Messiah was promised and sent to the Jewish nation alone... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT IS, THAT I MAY BE COMFORTED— St. Paul, in the former verse, had said, that he desired to come among them, _to establish them._ In these words _that is,_ he explains, or as it were recals, what he had said, that he might not seem to think them not sufficiently instructed or established in the fa... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WAS LET— _Hindered._... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM A DEBTOR— As the Gospel was committed to his trust, he was a trustee, and so a _debtor_ to dispense it freely to all, as he should have opportunity, 1 Timothy 1:11. 1 Thessalonians 2:4. St. Paul includes the Romans under the term _Greeks;_ for the Jews called all foreigners _Greeks_ or _Gentile... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM READY, &C.— The Greek word προθυμος not only expresses _readiness,_ but in some cases an _eagerness of desire._ "I am ready and desirous to preach the Gospel even at Rome, though it be the capital of the world, a place of the greater politeness and grandeur, and a place where it might seem pecu... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED, &C.— The Apostle here enters upon his subject, by affirming the excellency of the Gospel, as a scheme of goodness calculated for the salvation of mankind, Romans 1:16 and then shews what need the Gentile world had of the mercy of God, as they stood obnoxious to his wrath for th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEREIN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED, &C.— The term Δικαιοσυνη Θεου plainly signifies here, and in several other passages of this epistle, not the essential righteousness of God's nature, but the manner of becoming righteous which God has appointed and exhibited in the Gospel (compare ch... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR— "There is no other way of obtaining life and salvation." Having laid down his proposition, the Apostle now enters upon the proof of it. His first argument is, "The law condemns all men, as being under sin; none therefore are justified by the works of the law." This is treated of to chap. Romans... [ Continue Reading ]
IS MANIFEST IN THEM, &C.— _Is manifest among them, for God hath manifested it unto them._ See the next verse, and chap. Romans 2:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS, &C.— _For from the creation of the world those things of him which are invisible, are_ (_being duly attended to_) _clearly seen by the things which are made; even his eternal power and divinity._ Those invisible things of God, of which the Apostle here speaks, lie within th... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER WERE THANKFUL— It is worthy our observation, that gratitude to God is here put for the whole of religion; and as no principle can be nobler, so none can be stronger or more extensive. Mr. Locke illustrates the next clause by the stupid folly and vanity of their idolatry. See 2 Kings 17:15. A... [ Continue Reading ]
PROFESSING THEMSELVES TO BE WISE— The original seems equivalent to that term of Xenophon,— φαοκοντες φιλοσοφοι,— _professing to philosophise,_ which so evidently refers to the pride they took in the title of _lovers of wisdom._ See Raphelius.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CHANGED THE GLORY— As their folly was evident in a variety of other vices, in which the philosophers of heathen nations joined with the people in general, so, particularly, in the early and almost universal prevalence of idolatry among them; by which _they changed the glory of the_ immortal, _in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE GOD ALSO GAVE THEM UP— There are three degrees of ungodliness and of punishment described in these verses: the _first_ in Romans 1:21.; the _second_ in Romans 1:25.; the _third_ in the 28th and following verses. The punishment in each place is expressed: by _God gave them up._ If a man wil... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE— Elsner takes great pains to shew, that the _truth of God,_ here signifies what he really was; and _a lie,_ a false representation. It is well known that idols are often called _lies._ See Isaiah 44:20; Isaiah 44:28. "They changed the truth of God, the true d... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THAT WHICH IS AGAINST NATURE— Many horrible illustrations of this may be seen in Bos's Exercitations on the place.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LIKEWISE ALSO THE MEN— How just the Apostle's reflections are, and how pertinently he has placed this most abominable abuse of human nature at the head of the vices into which the heathen world were fallen, will be seen, if we observe, that Cicero,—the greatest philosopher in Rome,—a little befo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD, &C.— The word Δοκιμαζω, which we render _like,_ signifies to _search_ or _explore;_ as goldsmiths try metal, to distinguish the good from the counterfeit. 1 Thessalonians 5:21. 1 Peter 1:7. In opposition to this, the phrase αδοκιμος νους, which we render... [ Continue Reading ]
WICKEDNESS— The original word signifies _doing mischief:_ that rendered _maliciousness_ denotes a _malicious temper;_ and that rendered _malignity,_ a custom of repeating their malice frequently. _Unrighteousness_ or _injustice_ stands first in this black catalogue, _unmercifulness_ last. The whole... [ Continue Reading ]
HATERS OF GOD— Discontented with his government, and disaffected to his rule, as a righteous and holy Being who could not but be highly displeased with their abominations. The original word 'Υβριστας, rendered _despiteful,_ would be more properly rendered _violent_ or _overbearing_ in their behaviou... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING— _Without consideration,_ 'Ασυνετους. See on Romans 1:21.—_Covenant-breakers:_ it is well known that the Romans, as a nation, from the very beginning of their commonwealth, never made any scruple of vacating altogether the most solemn engagement, if they did not like it; though... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO KNOWING THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, &C.— It seems here to be strongly implied, that to look with complacency on the vices of others is one of the last degrees of degeneracy. A man may be hurried by his passions to do the thing he hates; but he who has pleasure in those that do evil, loves wickedness fo... [ Continue Reading ]