Romans 1

Ver. 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,] Not only a disciple, but a servant in a special manner, that is, a minister of Jesus Christ, and that of the highest rank, being made an Apostle by the immediate call of Christ Himself. Dr. Wells. The word denotes, in a metaphorical sense, one who acts in the name of another; one, whose ministry another uses, as in the case of Moses and the Prophets, Rev. xv. 3; x. 7; and Apostles, Acts xvi. 17; Tit. i. 1. It is a title of distinction, usually conferred on every interpreter of the Divine will and teacher of the Christian religion, but especially on the Apostles; whence it is often interchanged with the word Apostle. See Gal. i. 10, compared with ver. i. Phil. i. 1; Tit. i. 1; Jam. i. 1; &c. See also 2 Tim. ii. 24; Col. iv. 12. Parkhurst, Schleumer.

— called to be an apostle,] Constituted and appointed by Christ to that holy function: he did not assume the honour of an Apostle, till he was “called.” Burkitt. Rather, “a called,” or special “Apostle.” “To be” is not in the original. Dr. Hammond.

— separated unto the gospel of God,] That is, set apart in the purpose and decree of God, “separated from his mother’s womb,” Gal. i. 15. Immediately and extraordinarily called by Christ Himself to this great work, Acts ix. 15; and mediately by the officers of the

— the gospel of God,] Elsewhere styled “the Gospel of Christ.” It is the Gospel of God, as He was the author and contriver of it: it is the Gospel of Christ, as He is also the subject matter and scope of it. Indeed St. Paul sometimes calls it “his Gospel,” Rom. ii. 16; because he was the dispenser and promulgator of it: it was a Divine treasure committed to his care and trust. Burkitt.

&c.] In the beginning of his Epistles, St. Paul generally subjoined to the apostolical benediction a solemn thanksgiving for the faith, charity, patience, and other virtues of the brethren, to whom he wrote, to make them sensible of their happy state, and to lead them to a right improvement of the advantages which they enjoyed as Christians. Dr. Macknight. He adds “through Jesus Christ,” because, as no petition is acceptable to the Father, so no thanks, but through Christ: through whom descend all our blessings, by whom are presented all our prayers; the Mediator in all things between God and us. See Eph. v. 20; Heb. xiii. 15. Bp. Fell.

— throughout the whole world.] Meaning, the whole Roman empire. See Luke ii. 1. Dr. Wells. The faith of the Romans, which occasioned so much discourse, was their turning from idols. An event of this kind could not fail to be spoken of with wonder through the whole empire, as there were multitudes of strangers continually coming to Rome from the provinces, who, on their return home, would report what they had seen. For this the Apostle thanked God, because the conversion of the Romans encouraged the inhabitants of other cities to forsake the established idolatry. Besides, Rome being the metropolis of the world, the conversion of so many of its inhabitants brought no small credit to the evidences of the Gospel. Dr. Macknight.

— and served the creature] In the twenty-third verse they are charged only with false representations of God; in this also with a false object of their worship, by giving the Divine honours to a creature. Dr. Whitby.

— to a reprobate mind,] The word, rendered “reprobate,” is used both in a passive and in an active sense. In the former it is properly applied to metals, and refers to that part of them, which upon refining is thrown away as drossy and worthless. In this sense it means, disapproved, rejected, cast away; and occurs at 1 Cor. ix. 27; Heb. vi. 8. Compare 2 Cor. xiii. 5—7. In an active sense it means undiscerning, undistinguishing, void of judgment; and is so used in this passage, as also at 2 Tim. iii. 8; Tit. i. 16. Parkhurst.

A mind not capable of discovering or approving what is good, either in principle or practice; a mind void of all knowledge and relish of virtue. Dr. Macknight.

The Gentiles not exercising their minds to search out the truth, and form their judgments right, God left them to an unsearching, unjudicious mind. Locke.

— to do those things which are not convenient,] Things not agreeable to nature or to reason. Dr. Whitby. The most abominable vices, as the following catalogue plainly shews. This way of speaking is very common in the Old Testament: see Prov. xx. 23; xxviii. 21; Jer. vii. 31; xix. 5. See Rev. iii. 2. Pyle.

have pleasure in them that do them.] This, say the Greek commentators, is much worse than the bare doing of them. For a man may do them through the force of temptation, and by consideration may afterwards become sensible of his folly, and repent of it: but when he is arrived at such a height of wickedness, that he not only approves, but delights in seeing the like things done by others, he demonstrates such a strong affection to them, as is incurable. Dr. Whitby.

We have from nature strong appetites and passions in our corrupted frame, which tempt us so vehemently, and hurry us often so suddenly, into some sins, that perhaps we may not be altogether void of excuse. But there is no original principle within us, that leads us coolly and deliberately to approve them in others. This other can only proceed from a peculiar and wilful depravation of heart, equivalent to what might be produced by many repeated acts of transgression. Abp. Secker.

The description which the Apostle hath given of the national manners of the Greeks, however disgraceful to human nature, being perfectly true, merits attention; because it is a complete confutation of those who contend, that natural reason hath always been sufficient to lead mankind to just notions in religion, and to a proper moral conduct. For after the weakness of human reason, in matters of religion and morality, hath been so clearly demonstrated by experience in the case of the Greeks, who, of all mankind, were the most distinguished for their intellectual endowments, the futile pretence of the sufficiency of the light of nature, set up by modern infidels, for the purpose of rendering revelation needless, should be rejected with the contempt due to so gross a falsehood. And all, who are acquainted with the actual state of the world under the guidance of the light of nature, ought thankfully to embrace the instruction contained in the Gospel, as the most effectual means of training ignorant sinful creatures to virtue; and should humbly submit to the method of salvation by Christ, therein revealed, as of Divine appointment, and as the only method by which sinners can be saved. Dr. Macknight.

Chap. II. I. St. Paul having shewn, in the foregoing chapter, that the Gentiles were sinners, proves in this, that the Jews, who condemned the Gentiles, were sinners also; and by abusing the light they enjoyed, and the goodness of God, they would appear much more guilty before His tribunal than the Gentile, who knew no other law but that of nature and conscience. Whence it follows, that the Jews could not pretend to be justified before God by their works, and that they had no more right to salvation than the Gentiles. II. And because the Jews gloried in having the law of God

and circumcision, which was the token of the covenant, the Apostle declares, that all these external advantages, which distinguished them from the Gentiles, did not render them more acceptable to God, but were useless to them whilst they neglected to keep the law. Ostervald.

Ver. 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, &c.] Here the illative particle “therefore” is used to introduce a conclusion, not from what goes before, but from something not expressed, the proof of which is to be immediately added. As if the Apostle had said, For this reason, O Jew, thou art without excuse, in judging the Gentiles worthy of death, because by that judgment thou condemnest thyself. Accordingly, to shew that he was thinking of the judgment, which the Jews passed on the Gentiles for their crimes, he immediately adds, “for wherein thou judgest” the Gentiles worthy of death, “thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Josephus assures us, that there was not a nation under heaven more wicked than the Jews in his time; and accuses them of every sin imputed by the Apostle to the Gentiles in the former chapter. Drs. Macknight and Whitby.

By the appellation, “O man,” the Apostle with admirable dexterity denotes the Jew, without expressly naming him, so as to avoid exasperating him. Dr. Wells.

Or the conclusion may be understood as drawn from the 32d verse of the first chapter; and the whole of the reasoning, down to ver. 17 of this chapter, as equally addressed to Jew and Gentile, “whoever he is that judgeth,” all who are sensible of moral distinctions either from natural light or from revelation. Edit.

Romans 1:2

2. (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)] And which therefore contains no new doctrines repugnant to the will of God, made known in the Old Testament, but only a more clear revelation of that will. Dr. Wells. The Gospel, or glad tidings of a Saviour, was first preached to Adam by God Himself, Gen. iii. 15; next to Abraham, Gen. xvii; then it was predicted by all “the Prophets, which have been since the world began.” Burkitt.

3. — according to truth] That is, most impartial and just, without any respect to persons. Dr. Wells. It is equitable that He should, and certain that He will, deal with men according to His word, and reward every man according to his work. Burkitt.

Romans 1:3

3. — which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;] Or, as to His human nature. Dr. Wells, Schleumer. The phrase, “according to the flesh,” in this and many other places, properly denotes descent or family relation of a person. See Rom. iv. 1; ix. 3, 5; 1 Cor. x. 18. Pyle, Parkhurst.

Romans 1:4

4. And declared to be the Son of God &c.] “Declared,” that is, ‘determinately marked out.’ Parkhurst. As if the Apostle had said, That our Lord Jesus Christ, though, according to the frailty and weakness of His human nature, He was of the seed of David, yet, in respect of that Divine power of the Holy Ghost, which manifested itself in Him, especially in His resurrection from the dead, “was declared to be the Son of God with power,” that is, mightily and powerfully demonstrated so to be. Burkitt.

— the spirit of holiness,] He is probably called the Holy Spirit so frequently in Scripture, and “the Spirit

4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness] His extraordinary goodness to thee, a Jew, above them, Gentiles, in giving thee the law, the covenants and the promises, chap. ix. 4. Drs. Wells and Whitby. God’s goodness, of which the Jews formed a wrong opinion, consisted in His having made them his church and people and in His having bestowed on them a revelation of His will. From these marks of the Divine favour they vainly inferred, that God would punish no descendant of Abraham for his sins. But in this they formed a very wrong judgment of the goodness of God, which was intended, not to make sinning safe to the Jews, but to lead them to repentance. Dr. Macknight.

— and longsuffering;] The Apostle means God’s patiently bearing the ill use, which the Jews made, of

Romans 1:5

5. By whom we have received &c.] Who hath afforded me the favour or honour to be sent as Apostle of the Gentiles to all the nations of the world, to reveal to them, and work in them, obedience to the doctrine of the Gospel, (called “the faith,” Acts vi. 7;) in His name and to His glory. Dr. Hammond.

— grace and apostleship.] This is plainly a Hebraism, and signifies the favour, or honour, of the Apostleship. Pyle. The Apostolical office, the office of declaring and propagating the Christian religion, the receiving of which office the Apostles referred to the grace of God. Schleumer. But since, wherever the Apostle calls this office “grace,” there is always something added of the gifts and powers by which they were enabled to exercise it, (see Rom. xv. 15, 16, 19; Gal. ii. 8, 9; Eph. iii. 2, 7;) it is fit to join both together, and to consider St. Paul as speaking of the office of an Apostle, and the grace belonging to it. Dr. Whitby.

Romans 1:6

6. — the called of Jesus Christ.] That is, who have been called to the profession of Christianity. Dr. Wells.

Romans 1:7

7. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, &c.] To all that be in Rome, professors of Christianity, and so members of that body, to which now belong those titles formerly given to the Jews, such as these, the “beloved of God,” the “called,” the “saints,” “grace and peace,” that is, all blessings spiritual and temporal, be unto you. Dr. Wells.

Christians are very frequently in the New Testament, particularly in St. Paul’s Epistles, styled “holy, saints,” because they are set apart or separated from the world for sacred purposes, and consecrated to the service of God, and so lie under a necessary obligation to be true and real saints. Parkhurst, Burkitt.

— Grace to you and peace] The usual salutation in former times was, “Peace be unto you!” but after the new gift of the grace of the Holy Ghost, purchased by our Lord, the new evangelical salutation adds “grace!” “Grace and peace.” See 1 Pet. i. 2; 2 John 3. Bp. Fell.

— from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.] St. Paul begins or ends most of his Epistles with a salutation in the form of a wish, which is indeed a prayer or benediction, in the name of those who are so invoked; or an invocation of Christ, in conjunction with the Father, for the greatest blessings of favour and mercy. Bp. Burnet.

8. — I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all,

of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Romans 1:11

11. — that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, &c.] That I may confirm and strengthen you in your Christian profession, by giving you some seasonable counsels; or rather by imparting some spiritual gifts and endowments of the Holy Ghost to some of you, by the imposition of hands. This the Apostles used to do. Acts viii. 17; xix. 6; 2 Tim. i. 6. Pyle, Dr. Whitby.

Romans 1:12

12. — that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith] “Both of you,” through faith receiving, “and me,” by faith imparting, these gifts. It being both a comfort and establishment of faith in them, to receive these gifts of the Spirit, and in him, to be able to impart them to them, and to find God so effectually working by him. Dr. Whitby.

In the former verse St. Paul had said, that he desired to come amongst them, to establish them: in these words, “that is,” he explains, or, as it were, recalls what he had said, that he might not seem to think them not sufficiently instructed or established in the faith; and therefore turns the end of his coming to them to their mutual rejoicing in one another’s faith when he and they should come to see and know one another. Locke.

What his gospel is. CHAP. I. God is angry with all manner of sin. Anno DOMINI 60.

purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit || among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

Romans 1:13

13. — (but was let hitherto)] That is, hindered: probably by the unexpected opposition and hardships which be met with in Asia and Greece, from which latter country this Epistle was written. See Acts xiii. and xiv. &c. Pyle.

Romans 1:14

14. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; &c.] I am in duty bound by my special commission to preach the Gospel, as I have opportunity, to the Gentiles of all kinds, both to the Greeks, and to the rest, to whom the Greeks have given the name of “Barbarians;” both to “the wise” or learned, as the Greeks esteem themselves, and to the rest, esteemed by the Greeks, at least comparatively with themselves, “unwise,” or unlearned. Dr. Wells.

Romans 1:16

16. For I am not ashamed &c.] For though I am sensible that this Gospel of Christ is likely to meet with no little opposition from the vices and prejudices of mankind; though some of its doctrines will bear hard upon the false wisdom and pride of the Gentile philosophers, and others upon the malice and haughtiness of the Jews; though its professors may now seem mean and contemptible; yet it is attended with such evidences of truth, with such demonstrations of Divine power, wisdom, and goodness towards mankind, as will recommend it to all impartial and considering men, as the best and only method of happiness and salvation, both to Jew and Gentile, that will sincerely believe and obey it. Pyle.

— to the Jew first.] They having the honour that it should be first preached to them, to whom Christ was promised, and from whom He was descended. See Matt. x. 5; Rom. ix. 4; Acts xiii. 46. Bp. Fell.

It cannot be sufficiently admired, how skilfully, to avoid offending those of his own nation, St. Paul here enters into an argument so unpleasing to the Jews, as this of persuading them, that the Gentiles had as good a title to be taken in, to be the people of God under the Messiah, as they themselves, which is the main design of this Epistle. Locke.

Romans 1:17

17. — therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:] That is, it is revealed to beget faith in men, even such a faith as goes from faith to faith, that is, groweth and increaseth from one degree and measure to another. Burkitt. But it is a more natural construction of the passage to connect the words, rendered “from faith,” with “the righteousness of God;” and those, rendered “to faith,” with “revealed:” and the sense of it seems to be plainly this, “The righteousness of God, which is by faith,” that is, God’s method of justifying us by faith in Christ, “is revealed in the Gospel to faith,” that is, to beget faith in men, or to bring in all, both Jews and Gentiles, to believe and embrace it: for that is the scope of the Apostle’s argument. Dr. Whitby, Pyle.

— the righteousness of God] That righteousness, which is imputed to sinful man through faith in Christ, by which his past sins are forgiven or covered, or he is cleared, acquitted, or absolved from his past sins, and is himself accepted as righteous, to life eternal, is several times called “the righteousness of God;” as being that method, which God hath exhibited in the Gospel, of man’s justification, or being made righteous through the merits and death of Christ, whence it is once termed “the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ,” 2 Pet. i. 1. Parkhurst.

— as it is written, The just shall live by faith.] As the pious Jews, in the time of the Babylonian captivity, did live and find comfort in their troubles by faith and affiance in God; in like manner the Apostle shews, that he, who is just or religious according to the Gospel, shall live a life of grace on earth, and glory in heaven, by faith in Christ. Burkitt.

Romans 1:18

18. For the wrath of God is revealed &c.] The Apostle proceeds to shew the absolute necessity of this faith in Christ being preached to and embraced by all men without exception, from a consideration of that deplorable condition of vice and wickedness, under which both Gentile and Jew were involved. He begins with the Gentiles. Pyle.

The wrath of God was before more expressly revealed against the unrighteousness of the Jews, God in the mean time so far “winking” at the unrighteousness of the Gentiles, as to make no express denunciation of His wrath against them: but now “He commandeth all men every where to repent” of their unrighteousness, “because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness,” Acts xvii. 30, 31. Dr. Whitby.

— against all ungodliness &c.] The “ungodliness of men” signifies their impiety in robbing God of His honour, and giving it to graven images, or to them which “by nature were no gods,” ver. 21—26. Their “unrighteousness” is their injustice to one another, ver. 26—30. And they are said to “hold (or retain) the truth in unrighteousness,” by acting contrary to the notions of it, which they had, or might have learned, from the law of nature, and by suppressing or corrupting the dictates of their natural conscience. Dr. Whitby.

The Apostle’s drift seems especially to aim at the wisest or greatest pretenders to knowledge among the Gentiles: see ver. 22, and chap. ii. 1: who were therefore more guilty also in their pride and contempt of others. Bp. Fell.

Romans 1:19

19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them:] Or, among them: that is, Much of the nature and properties of God may be known by the light of nature; His infinite power, wisdom, and good-

Romans 1:20

20. For the invisible things of him &c.] For those blessed attributes of God, which are not to be discerned by the sense of man; namely, His eternal power, His infinite goodness, wisdom, justice, mercy, and the truth of His deity, are, ever since the world was created, so clearly seen and made known by the visible and mighty work of His creation and government of all things, as that all those, which will not hereupon acknowledge them, are left without all excuse. Bp. Hall.

The meaning of the Apostle is, that the order, contrivance, and design, displayed in the creation, prove with certainty, that there is more in nature than what we really see; and that amongst the invisible things of the universe there is a Being, the Author and Origin of all this contrivance and design; and by consequence a Being of stupendous power, and of wisdom and knowledge incomparably exalted above any wisdom or knowledge which we see in man; and that He stands in the same relation to us as the maker does to the thing made. Archdeacon Paley.

Romans 1:21

21. Because that, when they knew God, &c.] The writings of Plato, Xenophon, Plutarch, Cicero, and other philosophers, which still remain, together with the quotations made by Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria from those which are lost, prove that the learned heathens, though ignorant of the way of salvation, were acquainted with the unity and spirituality of God, and had, to a certain extent, just notions of His perfection, of the creation and government of the world, and of the duties which men owe to God, and to one another. Dr. Macknight.

A sad account we have here of the state of religion in the heathen world, and a manifest proof how much nature stands in need of assistance. What we learn from St. Paul is plainly this: that notwithstanding the care which God had taken to display the evidences of His own being and Godhead in every work of the creation, so that men could not but have a notion of the Deity; yet, so little did they profit by that knowledge, that it served only to render them inexcusable in their superstition and idolatry. Bp. Sherlock.

From this verse to the end of the chapter we have a large and black catalogue of the sins, of which the old heathens or Gentiles were guilty. Burkitt.

—they glorified him not as God.] By giving Him the honour due to His Deity; “neither were thankful” to Him, who giveth to all men life, breath, and all things, Acts xvii. 28; and xiv. 17: (Dr. Whitby:) “but became vain in their imaginations,” lost themselves in

Romans 1:22

22, 23. Professing themselves to be wise.] And usurping that name, (ver. 14; 1 Cor. i. 20, 21,) “they became” in their actions “fools:” (Dr. Whitby:) “and” for an undeniable proof of their folly, “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God,” &c. that is, they debased and dishonoured the all-glorious God, by framing vile images of men and beasts, of birds and creeping things, whereby to represent Him. Dr. Wells, Burkitt.

Though the nations of the heathens generally thought themselves wise in the religion they embraced, yet the Apostle here, having all along in this and the following chapters used “Greeks” for “Gentiles,” may be thought to have an eye to the Greeks, among whom the men of study and inquiry had assumed to themselves the name of “wise.” Locke.

Romans 1:24

24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness] Wherefore God, on the other side, in a just punishment of their gross idolatry, as plaguing one sin with another, gave them over to their own unclean lusts. Bp. Hall. Those grievous immoralities, which St. Paul here describes as the consequences of idolatry, have been its consequences in all times and places. Abp. Secker.

St. Paul makes idolatry to be the original of all the corruption and immorality that was spread over the Gentile world: which came in, partly as the natural consequence of idolatry, of its debasing the ideas of God, and wounding true religion and virtue in its source and first seed; and partly as an effect of the just judgments of God upon those who thus dishonoured Him. Bp. Burnet. See note on ver. 28.

He withdrew His Spirit from them, as He did from the antediluvians: the consequence of which was, that their lusts excited them to commit every sort of uncleanness. The truth is, a contempt of religion is the source of all wickedness. Dr. Macknight.

The corruptions of the Gentile world. Anno DOMINI 60.

Romans 1:27

27. And likewise also &c.] The Apostle is not speaking simply of the Greeks committing the uncleanness which he mentions, but of their lawgivers authorizing these vices by their public institutions of religion, by their avowed doctrine, and by their own practice. When therefore the statesmen, the philosophers and the priests, notwithstanding they enjoyed the light of nature, improved by science, avowedly addicted themselves to the most abominable uncleannesses; nay, when the gods, whom they worshipped, were supposed by them to be guilty of the same morunities; when their temples were brothels, their pictures invitations to sin, their sacred groves places of prostitution, and their sacrifices a horrid mixture of superstition and cruelty; there was certainly the greatest need of the Gospel revelation, to make mankind sensible of their brutality, and to bring them to a more holy practice. Dr. Macknight.

— receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.] That is, being given up thus to dishonour their own bodies, and to commit things dishonourable to human nature, for the dishonour which they did by their idolatry to their almighty and blessed Creator. Dr. Whitby, Pyle.

The idolatry, whereby they dishonoured God, naturally led them to dishonour themselves by lascivious practices, in imitation of their gods. Idolatry is named “erreur,” because it was the greatest and most pernicious of all errours. Dr. Macknight.

Romans 1:28

28. — as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,] Or, to have a due acknowledgment of Him. That the Gentiles were not wholly without the knowledge of God in the world, St. Paul tells us in this very chapter, but they did not acknowledge Him as they ought, ver. 21. These two verses seem to express the same thing in different words. Locke.

— God gave them over to a reprobate mind,] See also verses 24 and 26. These phrases cannot be so understood, as to lay upon the persons, of whom St. Paul speaks, a necessity of being thus unclean and unnatural in their affections, or thus perverse in their minds. For then this would not be their fault, nor would it be

Romans 1:32

32. Who, knowing the judgment of God,] His righteous judgment or appointment. Parkhurst.

— that they which commit such things are worthy of death,] That murder, adultery, and unnatural lusts deserved death, they knew, not only by the light of nature and conscience, but by their own laws condemning them, who did such things, to death. That all these sins, being condemned by the law of nature, rendered them obnoxious to the displeasure of that God, who is the governour of the world, and the avenger of all unrighteousness, and so obnoxious to death for violating the laws which He had given them for their government, they might know by the light of nature. Dr. Whitby.

They that sin cannot excuse themselves, and much less Anno DOMINI 60. || have pleasure in them that do them. Or, consent with them. # CHAP. II.