R O
M A N S
CHAP. I.
In
this chapter we may observe, I. The preface and introduction to the whole
epistle, to ver. 16. II. A description of the deplorable condition of the
Gentile world, which begins the proof of the doctrine of justification by
faith, here laid down at ver. 17. The first is according to the then usual
formality of a letter, but intermixed with very excellent and savoury
expressions.
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The
Apostle's Commission.
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A. D.
58.
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1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to
be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he
had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God
with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the
dead: 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for
obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among
whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: 7 To all that be in
Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from
God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this paragraph we have,
I. The person who writes the epistle described (v. 1): Paul, a
servant of Jesus Christ; this is his title of honour, which he glories in,
not as the Jewish teachers, Rabbi, Rabbi; but a servant, a more
immediate attendant, a steward in the house. Called to be an apostle.
Some think he alludes to his old name Saul, which signifies one called for,
or enquired after: Christ sought him to make an apostle of him, Acts
ix. 15. He here builds his authority upon his call; he did not run without
sending, as the false apostles did; klhtoV apostoloV--called
an apostle, as if this were the name he would be called by, though he
acknowledged himself not meet to be called so, 1 Cor. xv. 9. Separated to
the gospel of God. The Pharisees had their name from separation, because
they separated themselves to the study of the law, and might be called afwrismenoi
eiV ton nomon; such a one Paul had formerly been;
but now he had changed his studies, was afwrismenoV
eiV to Euaggelion, a gospel Pharisee, separated by
the counsel of God (Gal. i. 15), separated from his mother's womb, by
an immediate direction of the Spirit, and a regular ordination according to
that direction (Acts xiii. 2, 3), by a dedication of himself to this work. He
was an entire devotee to the gospel of God, the gospel which has God for its
author, the origin and extraction of it divine and heavenly.
II. Having mentioned the gospel of God, he digresses, to give us an encomium
of it.
1. The antiquity of it. It was promised before (v. 2); it was no
novel upstart doctrine, but of ancient standing in the promises and prophecies
of the old Testament, which did all unanimously point at the gospel, the
morning-beams that ushered in the sun of righteousness; this not by word of
mouth only, but in the scriptures.
2. The subject-matter of it: it is concerning Christ, v. 3, 4. The
prophets and apostles all bear witness to him; he is the true treasure hid in
the field of the scriptures. Observe, When Paul mentions Christ, how he heaps
up his names and titles, his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, as one that
took a pleasure in speaking of him; and, having mentioned him, he cannot go on
in his discourse without some expression of love and honour, as here, where in
one person he shows us his two distinct natures. (1.) His human nature: Made
of the seed of David (v. 3), that is, born of the virgin Mary, who
was of the house of David (Luke i. 27), as was Joseph his supposed father,
Luke ii. 4. David is here mentioned, because of the special promises made to
him concerning the Messiah, especially his kingly office; 2 Sam. vii. 12; Ps.
cxxxii. 11, compared with Luke i. 32, 33. (2.) His divine nature: Declared
to be the Son of God (v. 4), the Son of God by eternal generation,
or, as it is here explained, according to the Spirit of holiness. According
to the flesh, that is, his human nature, he was of the seed of David;
but, according to the Spirit of holiness, that is, the divine nature
(as he is said to be quickened by the Spirit, 1 Pet. iii. 18, compared
with 2 Cor. xiii. 4), he is the Son of God. The great proof or demonstration
of this is his resurrection from the dead, which proved it effectually
and undeniably. The sign of the prophet Jonas, Christ's resurrection, was
intended for the last conviction, Matt. xii. 39, 40. Those that would not be
convinced by that would be convinced by nothing. So that we have here a
summary of the gospel doctrine concerning Christ's two natures in one person.
3. The fruit of it (v. 5); By whom, that is, by Christ
manifested and made known in the gospel, we (Paul and the rest of the
ministers) have received grace and apostleship, that is, the favour to
be made apostles, Eph. iii. 8. The apostles were made a spectacle to the
world, led a life of toil, and trouble, and hazard, were killed all the day
long, and yet Paul reckons the apostleship a favour: we may justly reckon
it a great favour to be employed in any work or service for God, whatever
difficulties or dangers we may meet with in it. This apostleship was received for
obedience to the faith, that is, to bring people to that obedience; as
Christ, so his ministers, received that they might give. Paul's was for this
obedience among all nations, for he was the apostle of the Gentiles,
ch. xi. 13. Observe the description here given of the Christian
profession: it is obedience to the faith. It does not consist in a
notional knowledge or a naked assent, much less does it consist in perverse
disputings, but in obedience. This obedience to the faith answers the law
of faith, mentioned ch. iii. 27. The act of faith is the obedience
of the understanding to God revealing, and the product of that is the
obedience of the will to God commanding. To anticipate the ill use which might
be made of the doctrine of justification by faith without the works of the
law, which he was to explain in the following epistle, he here speaks of
Christianity as an obedience. Christ has a yoke. "Among whom are you,
v. 6. You Romans in this stand upon the same level with other Gentile
nations of less fame and wealth; you are all one in Christ." The gospel
salvation is a common salvation, Jude 3. No respect of persons with God. The
called of Jesus Christ; all those, and those only, are brought to an
obedience of the faith that are effectually called of Jesus Christ.
III. The persons to whom it is written (v. 7): To all that are in
Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints; that is, to all the professing
Christians that were in Rome, whether Jews or Gentiles originally, whether
high or low, bond or free, learned or unlearned. Rich and poor meet together
in Christ Jesus. Here is, 1. The privilege of Christians: They are beloved
of God, they are members of that body which is beloved, which is God's Hephzibah,
in which his delight is. We speak of God's love by his bounty and beneficence,
and so he hath a common love to all mankind and a peculiar love for true
believers; and between these there is a love he hath for all the body of
visible Christians. 2. The duty of Christians; and that is to be holy, for
hereunto are they called, called to be saints, called to salvation
through sanctification. Saints, and only saints, are beloved of God with a
special and peculiar love. KlhtoiV agioiV--called
saints, saints in profession; it were well if all that are called saints
were saints indeed. Those that are called saints should labour to answer to
the name; otherwise, though it is an honour and a privilege, yet it will be of
little avail at the great day to have been called saints, if we be not really
so.
IV. The apostolical benediction (v. 7): Grace to you and peace.
This is one of the tokens in every epistle; and it hath not only the affection
of a good wish, but the authority of a blessing. The priests under the law
were to bless the people, and so are gospel ministers, in the name of the
Lord. In this usual benediction observe, 1. The favours desired: Grace and
peace. The Old-Testament salutation was, Peace be to you; but now
grace is prefixed--grace, that is, the favour of God towards us or the
work of God in us; both are previously requisite to true peace. All gospel
blessings are included in these two: grace and peace. Peace, that is
all good; peace with God, peace in your own consciences, peace with all that
are about you; all these founded in grace. 2. The fountain of those favours, from
God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. All good comes, (1.) From God
as a Father; he hath put himself into that relation to engage and encourage
our desires and expectations; we are taught, when we come for grace and peace,
to call him our Father. (2.) From the Lord Jesus Christ, as Mediator,
and the great feoffee in trust for the conveying and securing of these
benefits. We have them from his fulness, peace from the fulness of his merit,
grace from the fulness of his Spirit.
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Paul's
Love to the Roman Christians.
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A. D.
58.
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8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ
for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son,
that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous
journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see
you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be
established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you
by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I would not have
you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was
let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among
other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the
Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as
in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
We may here observe,
I. His thanksgivings for them (v. 8): First, I thank my God. It
is good to begin every thing with blessing God, to make that the alpha and
omega of every song, in every thing to give thanks.--My God.
He speaks this with delight and triumph. In all our thanksgivings, it is good
for us to eye God as our God; this makes every mercy sweet, when we can say of
God, "He is mine in covenant."--Through Jesus Christ. All our
duties and performances are pleasing to God only through Jesus Christ, praises
as well as prayers.--For you all. We must express our love to our
friends, not only by praying for them, but by praising God for them. God must
have the glory of all the comfort we have in our friends; for every creature
is that to us, and no more, which God makes it to be. Many of these Romans
Paul had no personal acquaintance with, and yet he could heartily rejoice in
their gifts and graces. When some of the Roman Christians met him (Acts xxviii.
15), he thanked God for them, and took courage; but here his true catholic
love extends itself further, and he thanks God for them all; not only
for those among them that were his helpers in Christ, and that bestowed much
labour upon him (of whom he speaks ch. xvi. 3, 6), but for them all.--That
your faith is spoken of. Paul travelled up and down from place to place,
and, wherever he came, he heard great commendations of the Christians at Rome,
which he mentions, not to make them proud, but to quicken them to answer the
general character people gave of them, and the general expectation people had
from them. The greater reputation a man hath for religion, the more careful he
should be to preserve it, because a little folly spoils him that is in
reputation, Eccl. x. 1.--Throughout the whole world, that is, the
Roman empire, into which the Roman Christians, upon Claudius's edict to banish
all the Jews from Rome, were scattered abroad, but had now returned, and, it
seems, left a very good report behind them, wherever they had been, in all the
churches. There was this good effect of their sufferings: if they had not been
persecuted, they had not been famous. This was indeed a good name, a name for
good things with God and good people. As the elders of old, so these Romans, obtained
a good report through faith, Heb. xi. 2. It is a desirable thing to be
famous for faith. The faith of the Roman Christians came to be thus talked of,
not only because it was excelling in itself, but because it was eminent and
observable in its circumstances. Rome was a city upon a hill, every one took
notice of what was done there. Thus those who have many eyes upon them have
need to walk circumspectly, for what they do, good or bad, will be spoken of.
The church of Rome was then a flourishing church; but since that time how is
the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! Rome is not what it
was. She was then espoused a chaste virgin to Christ, and excelled in
beauty; but she has since degenerated, dealt treacherously, and embraced
the bosom of a stranger; so that (as that good old book, the Practice
of Piety, makes appear in no less than twenty-six instances) even the
epistle to the Romans is now an epistle against the Romans; little
reason has she therefore to boast of her former credit.
II. His prayer for them, v. 9. Though a famous flourishing church, yet
they had need to be prayed for; they had not yet attained. Paul
mentions this as an instance of his love to them. One of the greatest
kindnesses we can do our friends, and sometimes the only kindness that is in
the power of our hands, is, by prayer to recommend them to the loving-kindness
of God. From Paul's example here we may learn, 1. Constancy in prayer: Always
without ceasing. He did himself observe the same rules he gave to others,
Eph. vi. 18; 1 Thess. v. 17. Not that Paul did nothing else but pray, but he
kept up stated times for the solemn performance of that duty, and those very
frequent, and observed without fail. 2. Charity in prayer: I make mention
of you. Though he had not particular acquaintance with them, nor interest
in them, yet he prayed for them; not only for all saints in general, but he
made express mention of them. It is not unfit sometimes to be express in our
prayers for particular churches and places; not to inform God, but to affect
ourselves. We are likely to have the most comfort in those friends that we
pray most for. Concerning this he makes a solemn appeal to the searcher of
hearts: For God is my witness. It was in a weighty matter, and in a
thing known only to God and his own heart, that he used this asseveration. It
is very comfortable to be able to call God to witness to our sincerity and
constancy in the discharge of a duty. God is particularly a witness to our
secret prayers, the matter of them, the manner of the performance; then our
Father sees in secret, Matt. vi. 6. God, whom I serve with my spirit.
Those that serve God with their spirits may, with a humble confidence, appeal
to him; hypocrites who rest in bodily exercise cannot. His particular prayer,
among many other petitions he put up for them, was that he might have an
opportunity of paying them a visit (v. 10): Making request, if by
any means, &c. Whatever comfort we desire to find in any creature, we
must have recourse to God for it by prayer; for our times are in his hand,
and all our ways at his disposal. The expressions here used intimate that he
was very desirous of such an opportunity: if by any means; that he had
long and often been disappointed: now at length; and yet that he
submitted it to the divine Providence: a prosperous journey by the will of
God. As in our purposes, so in our desires, we must still remember to
insert this, if the Lord will, James iv. 15. Our journeys are
prosperous or otherwise according to the will of God, comfortable or not as he
pleases.
III. His great desire to see them, with the reasons of it, v. 11-15. He
had heard so much of them that he had a great desire to be better acquainted
with them. Fruitful Christians are as much the joy as barren professors are
the grief of faithful ministers. Accordingly, he often purposed to come,
but was let hitherto (v. 13), for man purposeth, but God disposeth.
He was hindered by other business that took him off, by his care of other
churches, whose affairs were pressing; and Paul was for doing that first, not
which was most pleasant (then he would have gone to Rome), but which was most
needful--a good example to ministers, who must not consult their own
inclinations so much as the necessity of their people's souls. Paul desired to
visit these Romans,
1. That they might be edified (v. 11): That I may impart unto you.
He received, that he might communicate. Never were full breasts so desirous to
be drawn out to the sucking infant as Paul's head and heart were to be
imparting spiritual gifts, that is, preaching to them. A good sermon is a good
gift, so much the better for being a spiritual gift.--To the end you may be
established. Having commended their flourishing he here expresses his
desire of their establishment, that as they grew upward in the branches they
might grow downward in the root. The best saints, while they are in such a
shaking world as this, have need to be more and more established; and
spiritual gifts are of special use for our establishment.
2. That he might be comforted, v. 12. What he heard of their
flourishing in grace was so much a joy to him that it must needs be much more
so to behold it. Paul could take comfort in the fruit of the labours of other
ministers.--By the mutual faith both of you and me, that is, our mutual
faithfulness and fidelity. It is very comfortable when there is a mutual
confidence between minister and people, they confiding in him as a faithful
minister, and he in them as a faithful people. Or, the mutual work of faith,
which is love; they rejoiced in the expressions of one another's love, or
communicating their faith one to another. It is very refreshing to Christians
to compare notes about their spiritual concerns; thus are they sharpened, as
iron sharpens iron.--That I might have some fruit, v. 13. Their
edification would be his advantage, it would be fruit abounding to a good
account. Paul minded his work, as one that believed the more good he did the
greater would his reward be.
3. That he might discharge his trust as the apostle of the Gentiles (v.
14): I am a debtor. (1.) His receivings made him a debtor; for they
were talents he was entrusted with to trade for his Master's honour. We should
think of this when we covet great things, that all our receivings put us in
debt; we are but stewards of our Lord's goods. (2.) His office made him a
debtor. He was a debtor as he was an apostle; he was called and sent to work,
and had engaged to mind it. Paul had improved his talent, and laboured in his
work, and done as much good as ever any man did, and yet, in reflection upon
it, he still writes himself debtor; for, when we have done all, we are but
unprofitable servants.--Debtor to the Greeks, and to the barbarians, that
is, as the following words explain it, to the wise and to the unwise.
The Greeks fancied themselves to have the monopoly of wisdom, and looked upon
all the rest of the world as barbarians, comparatively so; not cultivated with
learning and arts as they were. Now Paul was a debtor to both, looked upon
himself as obliged to do all the good he could both to the one and to the
other. Accordingly, we find him paying his debt, both in his preaching and in
his writing, doing good both to Greeks and barbarians, and suiting his
discourse to the capacity of each. You may observe a difference between his
sermon at Lystra among the plain Lycaonians (Acts xiv. 15, &c.) and his
sermon at Athens among the polite philosophers, Acts xvii. 22, &c. He
delivered both as debtor to each, giving to each their portion. Though a plain
preacher, yet, as debtor to the wise, he speaks wisdom among those that are
perfect, 1 Cor. ii. 6. For these reasons he was ready, if he had an
opportunity, to preach the gospel at Rome, v. 15. Though a
public place, though a perilous place, where Christianity met with a great
deal of opposition, yet Paul was ready to run the risk at Rome, if called to
it: I am ready--proqumon.
It denotes a great readiness of mind, and that he was very forward to it. What
he did was not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. It is an excellent thing
to be ready to meet every opportunity of doing or getting good.
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Paul's
Discourse on Justification.
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A. D.
58.
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16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just
shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth
in unrighteousness;
Paul here enters upon a large discourse of justification, in the latter part
of this chapter laying down his thesis, and, in order to the proof of it,
describing the deplorable condition of the Gentile world. His transition is
very handsome, and like an orator: he was ready to preach the gospel at Rome,
though a place where the gospel was run down by those that called themselves
the wits; for, saith he, I am not ashamed of it, v. 16.
There is a great deal in the gospel which such a man as Paul might be tempted
to be ashamed of, especially that he whose gospel it is was a man hanged upon
a tree, that the doctrine of it was plain, had little in it to set it off
among scholars, the professors of it were mean and despised, and every where
spoken against; yet Paul was not ashamed to own it. I reckon him a Christian
indeed that is neither ashamed of the gospel nor a shame to it. The reason of
this bold profession, taken from the nature and excellency of the gospel,
introduces his dissertation.
I. The proposition, v. 16, 17. The excellency of the gospel lies in
this, that it reveals to us,
1. The salvation of believers as the end: It is the power of God unto
salvation. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel, how mean and contemptible
soever it may appear to a carnal eye; for the power of God works by it the
salvation of all that believe; it shows us the way of salvation
(Acts xvi. 17), and is the great charter by which salvation is conveyed and
made over to us. But, (1.) It is through the power of God; without that
power the gospel is but a dead letter; the revelation of the gospel is the
revelation of the arm of the Lord (Isa. liii. 1), as power went along
with the word of Christ to heal diseases. (2.) It is to those, and those only,
that believe. Believing interests us in the gospel salvation; to others it is
hidden. The medicine prepared will not cure the patient if it be not taken.--To
the Jew first. The lost sheep of the house of Israel had the first offer
made them, both by Christ and his apostles. You first (Acts iii. 26),
but upon their refusal the apostles turned to the Gentiles, Acts xiii. 46.
Jews and Gentiles now stand upon the same level, both equally miserable
without a Saviour, and both equally welcome to the Saviour, Col. iii. 11. Such
doctrine as this was surprising to the Jews, who had hitherto been the
peculiar people, and had looked with scorn upon the Gentile world; but the
long-expected Messiah proves a light to enlighten the Gentiles, as well
as the glory of his people Israel.
2. The justification of believers as the way (v. 17): For therein,
that is, in this gospel, which Paul so much triumphs in, is the
righteousness of God revealed. Our misery and ruin being the product and
consequent of our iniquity, that which will show us the way of salvation must
needs show us the way of justification, and this the gospel does. The gospel
makes known a righteousness. While God is a just and holy God, and we are
guilty sinners, it is necessary we should have a righteousness wherein to
appear before him; and, blessed be God, there is such a righteousness brought
in by Messiah the prince (Dan. ix. 24) and revealed in the gospel; a righteousness,
that is, a gracious method of reconciliation and acceptance, notwithstanding
the guilt of our sins. This evangelical righteousness, (1.) Is called the righteousness
of God; it is of God's appointing, of God's approving and accepting. It is
so called to cut off all pretensions to a righteousness resulting from the
merit of our own works. It is the righteousness of Christ, who is God,
resulting from a satisfaction of infinite value. (2.) It is said to be from
faith to faith, from the faithfulness of God revealing to the faith of man
receiving (so some); from the faith of dependence upon God, and dealing with
him immediately, as Adam before the fall, to the faith of dependence upon a
Mediator, and so dealing with God (so others); from the first faith, by which
we are put into a justified state, to after faith, by which we live, and are
continued in that state: and the faith that justifies us is no less than our
taking Christ for our Saviour, and becoming true Christians, according to the
tenour of the baptismal covenant; from faith engrafting us into Christ, to
faith deriving virtue from him as our root: both implied in the next words, The
just shall live by faith. Just by faith, there is faith justifying us; live
by faith, there is faith maintaining us; and so there is a
righteousness from faith to faith. Faith is all in all, both in the
beginning and progress of a Christian life. It is not from faith to works, as
if faith put us into a justified state, and then works preserved and
maintained us in it, but it is all along from faith to faith, as 2 Cor. iii.
18, from glory to glory; it is increasing, continuing, persevering
faith, faith pressing forward, and getting ground of unbelief. To show that
this is no novel upstart doctrine, he quotes for it that famous scripture in
the Old Testament, so often mentioned in the New (Hab. ii. 4): The just
shall live by faith. Being justified by faith he shall live by it both the
life of grace and of glory. The prophet there had placed himself upon the
watch-tower, expecting some extraordinary discoveries (v. 1), and the
discovery was of the certainty of the appearance of the promised Messiah in
the fulness of time, not withstanding seeming delays. This is there called the
vision, by way of eminence, as elsewhere the promise; and while
that time is coming, as well as when it has come, the just shall live by
faith. Thus is the evangelical righteousness from faith to faith--from
Old-Testament faith in a Christ to come to New-Testament faith in a Christ
already come.
II. The proof of this proposition, that both Jews and Gentiles stand in need
of a righteousness wherein to appear before God, and that neither the one nor
the other have nay of their own to plead. Justification must be either by
faith or works. It cannot be by works, which he proves at large by describing
the works both of Jews and Gentiles; and therefore he concludes it must be by
faith, ch. iii. 20, 28. The apostle, like a skilful surgeon, before he
applies the plaster, searches the wound--endeavours first to convince of guilt
and wrath, and then to show the way of salvation. This makes the gospel the
more welcome. We must first see the righteousness of God condemning, and then
the righteousness of God justifying will appear worthy of all acceptation.
In general (v. 18), the wrath of God is revealed. The light of
nature and the light of the law reveal the wrath of God from sin to sin. It is
well for us that the gospel reveals the justifying righteousness of God from
faith to faith. The antithesis is observable. Here is,
1. The sinfulness of man described; he reduceth it to two heads, ungodliness
and unrighteousness; ungodliness against the laws of the first table,
unrighteousness against those of the second.
2. The cause of that sinfulness, and that is, holding the truth in
unrighteousness. Some communes notitæ, some ideas they had of the
being of God, and of the difference of good and evil; but they held them in
unrighteousness, that is, they knew and professed them in a consistency with
their wicked courses. They held the truth as a captive or prisoner, that it
should not influence them, as otherwise it would. An unrighteous wicked heart
is the dungeon in which many a good truth is detained and buried. Holding
fast the form of sound words in faith and love is the root of all religion
(2 Tim. i. 13), but holding it fast in unrighteousness is the root of all sin.
3. The displeasure of God against it: The wrath of God is revealed from
heaven; not only in the written word, which is given by inspiration of
God (the Gentiles had not that), but in the providences of God, his
judgments executed upon sinners, which do not spring out of the dust, or fall
out by chance, nor are they to be ascribed to second causes, but they are a
revelation from heaven. Or wrath from heaven is revealed; it is not the
wrath of a man like ourselves, but wrath from heaven, therefore the
more terrible and the more unavoidable.
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The
Excellency of the Gospel.
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A. D.
58.
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19 Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20 For
the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that,
when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became
fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an
image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and
creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness
through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and
worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for
ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile
affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is
against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural
use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men
working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of
their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to
retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind,
to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with
all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil
things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding,
covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are
worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
In this last part of the chapter the apostle applies what he had said
particularly to the Gentile world, in which we may observe,
I. The means and helps they had to come to the knowledge of God. Though they
had not such a knowledge of his law as Jacob and Israel had (Ps. cxlvii. 20),
yet among them he left not himself without witness (Acts xiv. 17): For
that which may be known, &c., v. 19, 20. Observe,
1. What discoveries they had: That which may be known of God is manifest,
en autoiV--among them;
that is, there were some even among them that had the knowledge of God, were
convinced of the existence of one supreme Numen. The philosophy of
Pythagoras, Plato, and the Stoics, discovered a great deal of the knowledge of
God, as appears by abundance of testimonies. That which may be known,
which implies that there is a great deal which may not be known. The being of
God may be apprehended, but cannot be comprehended. We cannot by searching
find him out, Job xi. 7-9. Finite understandings cannot perfectly know an
infinite being; but, blessed be God, there is that which may be known, enough
to lead us to our chief end, the glorifying and enjoying of him; and these
things revealed belong to us and to our children, while secret things are not
to be pried into, Deut. xxix. 29.
2. Whence they had these discoveries: God hath shown it to them. Those
common natural notions which they had of God were imprinted upon their hearts
by the God of nature himself, who is the Father of lights. This sense
of a Deity, and a regard to that Deity, are so connate with the human nature
that some think we are to distinguish men from brutes by these rather than by
reason.
3. By what way and means these discoveries and notices which they had were
confirmed and improved, namely, by the work of creation (v. 20); For
the invisible things of God, &c.
(1.) Observe what they knew: The invisible things of him, even his eternal
power and Godhead. Though God be not the object of sense, yet he hath
discovered and made known himself by those things that are sensible. The power
and Godhead of God are invisible things, and yet are clearly seen in their
products. He works in secret (Job xxiii. 8, 9; Ps. cxxxix. 15; Eccl. xi. 5),
but manifests what he has wrought, and therein makes known his power and
Godhead, and others of his attributes which natural light apprehends in the
idea of a God. They could not come by natural light to the knowledge of the
three persons in the Godhead (though some fancy they have found footsteps of
this in Plato's writings), but they did come to the knowledge of the Godhead,
at least so much knowledge as was sufficient to have kept them from idolatry.
This was that truth which they held in unrighteousness.
(2.) How they knew it: By the things that are made, which could not
make themselves, nor fall into such an exact order and harmony by any casual
hits; and therefore must have been produced by some first cause or intelligent
agent, which first cause could be no other than an eternal powerful God. See
Ps. xix. 1; Isa. xl. 26; Acts xvii. 24. The workman is known by his work. The
variety, multitude, order, beauty, harmony, different nature, and excellent
contrivance, of the things that are made, the direction of them to certain
ends, and the concurrence of all the parts to the good and beauty of the
whole, do abundantly prove a Creator and his eternal power and Godhead. Thus
did the light shine in the darkness. And this from the creation of the
world. Understand it either, [1.] As the topic from which the knowledge of
them is drawn. To evince this truth, we have recourse to the great work of
creation. And some think this ktisiV kosmou,
this creature of the world (as it may be read), is to be understood of
man, the ktisiV kat exochn--the
most remarkable creature of the lower world, called ktisiV,
Mark xvi. 15. The frame and structure of human bodies, and especially the most
excellent powers, faculties, and capacities of human souls, do abundantly
prove that there is a Creator, and that he is God. Or, [2.] As the date of the
discovery. It as old as the creation of the world. In this sense apo
ktisewV kosmou, is most frequently used in
scripture. These notices concerning God are not any modern discoveries, hit
upon of late, but ancient truths, which were from the beginning. The way of
the acknowledgement of God is a good old way; it was from the beginning. Truth
got the start of error.
II. Their gross idolatry, notwithstanding these discoveries that God made to
them of himself; described here, v. 21-23, 25. We shall the less wonder
at the inefficacy of these natural discoveries to prevent the idolatry of the
Gentiles if we remember how prone even the Jews, who had scripture light to
guide them, were to idolatry; so miserably are the degenerate sons of men
plunged in the mire of sense. Observe,
1. The inward cause of their idolatry, v. 21, 22. They are therefore
without excuse, in that they did know God, and from what they knew might
easily infer that it was their duty to worship him, and him only. Though some
have greater light and means of knowledge than others, yet all have enough to
leave them inexcusable. But the mischief of it was that, (1.) They glorified
him not as God. Their affections towards him, and their awe and adoration
of him, did not keep pace with their knowledge. To glorify him as God is to
glorify him only; for there can be but one infinite: but they did not so
glorify him, for they set up a multitude of other deities. To glorify him as
God is to worship him with spiritual worship; but they made images of him. Not
to glorify God as God is in effect not to glorify him at all; to respect him
as a creature is not to glorify him, but to dishonour him. (2.) Neither
were they thankful; not thankful for the favours in general they received
from God (insensibleness of God's mercies is at the bottom of our sinful
departures from him); not thankful in particular for the discoveries God was
pleased to make of himself to them. Those that do not improve the means of
knowledge and grace are justly reckoned unthankful for them. (3.) But they
became vain in their imaginations, en toiV
dialogismoiV--in their reasonings, in their
practical inferences. They had a great deal of knowledge of general truths (v.
19), but no prudence to apply them to particular cases. Or, in their notions
of God, and the creation of the world, and the origination of mankind, and the
chief good; in these things, when they quitted the plain truth, they soon
disputed themselves into a thousand vain and foolish fancies. The several
opinions and hypotheses of the various sects of philosophers concerning these
things were so many vain imaginations. When truth is forsaken, errors multiply
in infinitum--infinitely. (4.) And their foolish heart was
darkened. The foolishness and practical wickedness of the heart cloud and
darken the intellectual powers and faculties. Nothing tends more to the
blinding and perverting of the understanding than the corruption and
depravedness of the will and affections. (5.) Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools, v. 22. This looks black upon the
philosophers, the pretenders to wisdom and professors of it. Those that had
the most luxuriant fancy, in framing to themselves the idea of a God, fell
into the most gross and absurd conceits: and it was the just punishment of
their pride and self-conceitedness. It has been observed that the most refined
nations, that made the greatest show of wisdom, were the arrantest fools in
religion. The barbarians adored the sun and moon, which of all others was the
most specious idolatry; while the learned Egyptians worshipped an ox and an
onion. The Grecians, who excelled them in wisdom, adored diseases and human
passions. The Romans, the wisest of all, worshipped the furies. And at this
day the poor Americans worship the thunder; while the ingenious Chinese adore
the devil. Thus the world by wisdom knew not God, 1 Cor. i. 21. As a
profession of wisdom is an aggravation of folly, so a proud conceit of wisdom
is the cause of a great deal of folly. Hence we read of few philosophers who
were converted to Christianity; and Paul's preaching was no where so laughed
at and ridiculed as among the learned Athenians, Acts xvii. 18-32. FaskonteV
einai--conceiting themselves to be wise. The
plain truth of the being of God would not content them; they thought
themselves above that, and so fell into the greatest errors.
2. The outward acts of their idolatry, v. 23-25. (1.) Making images of
God (v. 23), by which, as much as in them lay, they changed the
glory of the incorruptible God. Compare Ps. cvi. 20; Jer. ii. 11. They
ascribed a deity to the most contemptible creatures, and by them represented
God. It was the greatest honour God did to man that he made man in the image
of God; but it is the greatest dishonour man has done to God that he has made
God in the image of man. This was what God so strictly warned the Jews
against, Deut. iv. 15, &c. This the apostle shows the folly of in his
sermon at Athens, Acts xvii. 29. See Isa. xl. 18, &c.; xliv. 10, &c.
This is called (v. 25) changing the truth of God into a lie. As
it did dishonour his glory, so it did misrepresent his being. Idols are called
lies, for they belie God, as if he had a body, whereas he is a Spirit, Jer.
xxiii. 14; Hos. vii. 1. Teachers of lies, Hab. ii. 18. (2.) Giving
divine honour to the creature: Worshipped and served the creature, para
ton Ktisanta--besides the Creator. They did
own a supreme Numen in their profession, but they did in effect disown
him by the worship they paid to the creature; for God will be all or none. Or,
above the Creator, paying more devout respect to their inferior
deities, stars, heroes, demons, thinking the supreme God inaccessible, or
above their worship. The sin itself was their worshipping the creature at all;
but this is mentioned as an aggravation of the sin, that they worshipped the
creature more than the Creator. This was the general wickedness of the Gentile
world, and became twisted in with their laws and government; in compliance
with which even the wise men among them, who knew and owned a supreme God and
were convinced of the nonsense and absurdity of their polytheism and idolatry,
yet did as the rest of their neighbours did. Seneca, in his book De
Superstitione, as it is quoted by Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 6, cap.
10 (for the book itself is lost), after he had largely shown the great folly
and impiety of the vulgar religion, in divers instances of it, yet concludes, Quæ
omnia sapiens servabit tanquam legibus jussa, non tanquam diis grata--All
which a wise man will observe as established by law, not imagining them
grateful to the gods. And afterwards, Omnem istam ignobilem deorum
turbam, quam longo ævo longa superstitio congessit, sic adorabimus, ut
meminerimus cultum ejus magis ad morem quam ad rem pertinere--All this ignoble
rout of gods, which ancient superstition has amassed together by long
prescription, we will so adore as to remember that the worship of them is
rather a compliance with custom than material in itself. Upon which
Augustine observes, Coleb at quod reprehendebat, agebat quod arguebat, quod
culpabat adorabat--He worshipped that which he censured, he did that which he
had proved wrong, and he adored what he found fault with. I mention this
thus largely because methinks it doth fully explain that of the apostle here (v.
18): Who hold the truth in unrighteousness. It is observable that upon
the mention of the dishonour done to God by the idolatry of the Gentiles the
apostle, in the midst of his discourse, expresses himself in an awful
adoration of God: Who is blessed for ever. Amen. When we see or hear of
any contempt cast upon God or his name, we should thence take occasion to
think and speak highly and honourably of him. In this, as in other things, the
worse others are, the better we should be. Blessed for ever,
notwithstanding these dishonours done to his name: though there are those that
do not glorify him, yet he is glorified, and will be glorified to eternity.
III. The judgments of God upon them for this idolatry; not many temporal
judgments (the idolatrous nations were the conquering ruling nations of the
world), but spiritual judgments, giving them up to the most brutish and
unnatural lusts. Paredwken autouV--He
gave them up; it is thrice repeated here, v. 24, 26, 28. Spiritual
judgments are of all judgments the sorest, and to be most dreaded. Observe,
1. By whom they were given up. God gave them up, in a way of righteous
judgment, as the just punishment of their idolatry--taking off the bridle of
restraining grace--leaving them to themselves--letting them alone; for his
grace is his own, he is debtor to no man, he may give or withhold his grace at
pleasure. Whether this giving up be a positive act of God or only privative we
leave to the schools to dispute: but this we are sure of that it is no new
thing for God to give men up to their own hearts' lusts, to send them strong
delusions, to let Satan loose upon them, nay, to lay stumbling-blocks before
them. And yet God is not the author of sin, but herein infinitely just and
holy; for, though the greatest wickedness follow upon this giving up, the
fault of that is to be laid upon the sinner's wicked heart. If the patient be
obstinate, and will not submit to the methods prescribed, but wilfully takes
and does that which is prejudicial to him, the physician is not to be blamed
if he give him up as in a desperate condition; and all the fatal symptoms that
follow are not to be imputed to the physician, but to the disease itself and
to the folly and wilfulness of the patient.
2. To what they were given up.
(1.) To uncleanness and vile affections, v. 24, 26, 27. Those
that would not entertain the more pure and refined notices of natural light,
which tend to preserve the honour of God, justly forfeited those more gross
and palpable sentiments which preserve the honour of human nature. Man
being in honour, and refusing to understand the God that made him, thus
becomes worse than the beasts that perish, Ps. xlix. 20. Thus one, by
the divine permission, becomes the punishment of another; but it is (as it
said here) through the lusts of their own hearts--there all the fault
is to be laid. Those who dishonoured God were given up to dishonour
themselves. A man cannot be delivered up to a greater slavery than to be given
up to his own lusts. Such are given over, like the Egyptians (Isa. xix. 4),
into the hand of a cruel lord. The particular instances of their uncleanness
and vile affections are their unnatural lusts, for which many of the heathen,
even of those among them who passed for wise men, as Solon and Zeno, were
infamous, against the plainest and most obvious dictates of natural light. The
crying iniquity of Sodom and Gomorrah, for which God rained hell from heaven
upon them, became not only commonly practised, but avowed, in the pagan
nations. Perhaps the apostle especially refers to the abominations that were
committed in the worship of their idol-gods, in which the worst of
uncleannesses were prescribed for the honour of their gods; dunghill service
for dunghill gods: the unclean spirits delight in such ministrations. In the
church of Rome, where the pagan idolatries are revived, images worshipped, and
saints only substituted in the room of demons, we hear of these same
abominations going barefaced, licensed by the pope (Fox's Acts and
Monuments, vol. 1, p. 808), and not only commonly perpetrated, but
justified and pleaded for by some of their cardinals: the same spiritual
plagues for the same spiritual wickednesses. See what wickedness there is in
the nature of man. How abominable and filthy is man! Lord, what is man?
says David; what a vile creature is he when left to himself! How much are we
beholden to the restraining grace of God for the preserving any thing of the
honour and decency of the human nature! For, were it not for this, man, who
was made but little lower than the angels, would make himself a great deal
lower than the devils. This is said to be that recompence of their error
which was meet. The Judge of all the earth does right, and observes a
meetness between the sin and the punishment of it.
(2.) To a reprobate mind in these abominations, v. 28.
[1.] They did not like to retain God in their knowledge. The blindness
of their understandings was caused by the wilful aversion of their wills and
affections. They did not retain God in their knowledge, because they did not
like it. They would neither know nor do any thing but just what pleased
themselves. It is just the temper of carnal hearts; the pleasing of themselves
is their highest end. There are many that have God in their knowledge, they
cannot help it, the light shines so fully in their faces; but they do not
retain him there. They say to the Almighty, Depart (Job xxi. 14), and
they therefore do not retain God in their knowledge because it thwarts and
contradicts their lusts; they do not like it. In their knowledge--en
epignwsei. There is a difference between gnwsiV
and epignwsiV, the knowledge
and the acknowledgement of God; the pagans knew God, but did not, would
not, acknowledge him.
[2.] Answerable to this wilfulness of theirs, in gainsaying the truth, God
gave them over to a wilfulness in the grossest sins, here called a reprobate
mind--eiV adokimon noun,
a mind void of all sense and judgment to discern things that differ, so that
they could not distinguish their right hand from their left in spiritual
things. See whither a course of sin leads, and into what a gulf it plunges the
sinner at last; hither fleshly lusts have a direct tendency. Eyes full of
adultery cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. ii. 14. This reprobate mind was a
blind scared conscience, past feeling, Eph. iv. 19. When the judgment is once
reconciled to sin, the man is in the suburbs of hell. At first Pharaoh
hardened his heart, but afterwards God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Thus wilful
hardness is justly punished with judicial hardness.--To do those things
which are not convenient. This phrase may seem to bespeak a diminutive
evil, but here it is expressive of the grossest enormities; things that are
not agreeable to men, but contradict the very light and law of nature. And
here he subjoins a black list of those unbecoming things which the Gentiles
were guilty of, being delivered up to a reprobate mind. No wickedness so
heinous, so contrary to the light of nature, to the law of nations, and to all
the interests of mankind, but a reprobate mind will comply with it. By the
histories of those times, especially the accounts we have of the then
prevailing dispositions and practices of the Romans when the ancient virtue of
that commonwealth was so degenerated, it appears that these sins here
mentioned were then and there reigning national sins. No fewer than
twenty-three several sorts of sins and sinners are here specified, v.
29-31. Here the devil's seat is; his name is legion, for they are many. It was
time to have the gospel preached among them, for the world had need of
reformation.
First, Sins against the first table: Haters of God. Here is the
devil in his own colours, sin appearing sin. Could it be imagined that
rational creatures should hate the chief good, and depending creatures abhor
the fountain of their being? And yet so it is. Every sin has in it a hatred of
God; but some sinners are more open and avowed enemies to him than others,
Zech. xi. 8. Proud men and boasters cope with God himself, and put
those crowns upon their own heads which must be cast before his throne.
Secondly, Sins against the second table. These are especially
mentioned, because in these things they had a clearer light. In general here
is a charge of unrighteousness. This is put first, for every sin is
unrighteousness; it is withholding that which is due, perverting that which is
right; it is especially put for second-table sins, doing as we would not be
done by. Against the fifth commandment: Disobedient to parents, and without
natural affection--astorgouV,
that is parents unkind and cruel to their children. Thus, when duty fails on
one side, it commonly fails on the other. Disobedient children are justly
punished with unnatural parents; and, on the contrary, unnatural parents with
disobedient children. Against the sixth commandment: Wickedness (doing
mischief for mischief's sake), maliciousness, envy, murder, debate (eridoV--contention),
malignity, despiteful, implacable, unmerciful; all expressions of that
hatred of our brother which is heart-murder. Against the seventh commandment: Fornication;
he mentions no more, having spoken before of other uncleannesses. Against the
eighth commandment: Unrighteousness, covetousness. Against the ninth
commandment: Deceit, whisperers, back-biters, covenant-breakers, lying
and slandering. Here are two generals not before mentioned--inventors of
evil things, and without understanding; wise to do evil, and yet having no
knowledge to do good. The more deliberate and politic sinners are in inventing
evil things, the greater is their sin: so quick of invention in sin, and yet
without understanding (stark fools) in the thoughts of God. Here is enough to
humble us all, in the sense of our original corruption; for every heart by
nature has in it the seed and spawn of all these sins. In the close he
mentions the aggravations of the sins, v. 32. 1. They knew the
judgment of God; that is, (1.) They knew the law. The judgment of God is
that which his justice requires, which, because he is just, he judgeth meet to
be done. (2.) They knew the penalty; so it is explained here: They knew that
those who commit such things were worthy of death, eternal death; their
own consciences could not but suggest this to them, and yet they ventured upon
it. It is a great aggravation of sin when it is committed against knowledge
(James iv. 17), especially against the knowledge of the judgment of God. It is
daring presumption to run upon the sword's point. It argues the heart much
hardened, and very resolutely set upon sin. 2. They not only do the same,
but have pleasure in those that do them. The violence of some present
temptation may hurry a man into the commission of such sins himself in which
the vitiated appetite may take a pleasure; but to be pleased with other
people's sins is to love sin for sin's sake: it is joining in a confederacy
for the devil's kingdom and interest. Suneudokousi:
they do not only commit sin, but they defend and justify it, and encourage
others to do the like. Our own sins are much aggravated by our concurrence
with, and complacency in, the sins of others.
Now lay all this together, and then say whether the Gentile world, lying under
so much guilt and corruption, could be justified before God by any works of
their own.
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