THE DUTY OF SYMPATHY AND TOLERATION In chapter Romans 13:12 St. Paul urged his readers, by their expectation of Christ's coming, to avoid the licence and immorality of the heathen. Now he turns to the opposite extreme, and deals with the ascetic scrupulousness of certain Christians. Under the Jewis... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FAITH] RV 'faith.' TO DOUBTFUL DISPUTATIONS] RM 'for decisions of doubts.'... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVETH THAT HE MAY] RV 'hath faith to'; i.e. has such a grasp of the gospel of Christ that he recognises the indifference of these matters.... [ Continue Reading ]
DESPISE] cp. Matthew 5:22. HATH RECEIVED] i.e. into the Church.... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD] RV 'the Lord,' i.e. Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE DAY ABOVE ANOTHER] The reference is, no doubt, to Jewish observances: cp. Galatians 4:10; Colossians 2:16. The principle is that salvation does not depend upon the observance of special days and seasons. These are indifferent in themselves, although to set apart special days may be practically u... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT REGARDETH NOT THE DAY, TO THE LORD HE DOTH NOT REGARD _it_] RV omits. EATETH] i.e. eateth flesh. THANKS] cp. Matthew 15:36; Acts 27:35; 1 Corinthians 10:30; 1 Corinthians 11:24; 1 Timothy 4:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
RV 'For to this end Christ died, and lived again.' 'He who, to save them, had dwelt in both worlds, was their Master in both' (Moule).... [ Continue Reading ]
RV 'But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou, again, why dost thou,' etc. ALL] emphatic. CHRIST] RV 'God.' 'It is important to notice how easily St. Paul passes from “Christ” to “God” (Sanday and Headlam).... [ Continue Reading ]
From Isaiah 45:23. CONFESS] i.e. God's sovereignty.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIMSELF] emphatic.... [ Continue Reading ]
STUMBLINGBLOCK] cp. Matthew 18:6.; 1 Corinthians 8:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE LORD] RV 'in the Lord,' i.e. in communion with Christ. UNCLEAN] lit. 'common': cp. Acts 10:14; Acts 10:28. BUT] RV 'save that.' 'Mistaken conscience calls for correction by better light, but never for violation. To follow conscience is, by itself, no security that we are doing what is in itse... [ Continue Reading ]
KINGDOM OF GOD] i.e. the Messianic kingdom, expected by the Jews as an earthly kingdom, but really the reign of Christ over man, whether in grace or glory: cp. 1 Corinthians 4:20. RIGHTEOUSNESS] i.e. here, right dealing in relation to others. PEACE] i.e. with one another. JOY] i.e. of the united Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THESE THINGS] RV 'herein'; i.e. in the exercise of such a life of Christian love.... [ Continue Reading ]
EDIFY] i.e. build up the Christian society, which is called in the next v. 'the work of God.'... [ Continue Reading ]
RV 'overthrow not for meat's sake.' PURE] RV 'clean': cp. 1 Corinthians 10:23. WITH OFFENCE] i.e. to others.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOR _any thing_] RV 'nor to do anything': cp. 1 Corinthians 8:13. OR IS OFFENDED, OR IS MADE WEAK] RV omits.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU FAITH?] RV 'The faith which thou hast.' HAVE _it_ TO THYSELF] i.e. do not force it upon others; respect the scruples of the weak. CONDEMNETH] RV 'judgeth.' ALLOWETH] RV 'approveth.'... [ Continue Reading ]
DAMNED] RV 'condemned.' FAITH] here = strong conviction. 'The words do not apply to those who are not Christians, nor to the works of those who are Christians done before they became such, but to the conduct of believing Christians; and faith is used somewhat in the way we should speak of a “good co... [ Continue Reading ]