Romans 14

— Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.] Or, act with fulness of persuasion that he doth what is lawful. Dr. Whitby.

Christ.] And from Him, who is the Lord and Master of us all, shall receive the sentence according to our works. Dr. Whitby.

— that there is nothing unclean of itself: &c.] Nothing is in its own nature unclean, for God made all things good; but in a man’s conceit and opinion some creatures seem unclean; and, while a man is in that mind, surely that creature is unclean to him, because his conscience riseth up against the use thereof. Bp. Hall.

— All things indeed are pure;] Rather, ‘clean.’ The known distinction of meats among the Jews, which is here alluded to, was into clean and unclean. Dr. Wells.

— who eateth with offence.] That is, so as to offend and endanger others, who are not satisfied of their lawfulness. Burkitt.

Romans 14:2

2. For one believeth that he may eat all things: &c.] The Apostle here declares the first ground of difference between them. One thought all meats to be lawful under the Gospel; another, rather than eat any meats forbidden by the law, will eat only herbs. Burkitt.

— eateth herbs.] It appears that some of the Jews used to eat no flesh at all, and others looked upon it as a very high pitch of virtue to abstain from it in Gentile countries, and to subsist entirely on vegetables: because they did not know but any flesh sold in the shambles might have been offered to idols, or might at least have contracted some other ceremonial pollution. Drs. Whitby and Doddridge.

Romans 14:3

3.— for God hath received him.] That is, hath admitted him into the Church, without laying that yoke upon him, as a servant into His family; and he is not to be excluded by the Judaiser for such things as these. Dr. Hammond.

Romans 14:4

4.— another man’s servant?] Rather, ‘another’s servant.’

Where thou art certain, neither of the badness of his action, nor of his intention, nor hast any authority or jurisdiction over him, to meddle with or question his actions. Bp. Fell.

— to his own master he standeth or falleth.] By God’s sentence alone he is to be acquitted or condemned. Dr. Wells.

— Yea, he shall be holden up: &c.] But he certainly shall be cleared; for God is able to clear him, if He please; and He certainly will, having, by receiving him into His family, given him this liberty. Dr. Hammond.

4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime &c.] That is, in any Scriptures of the Old Testament. Pyle. We learn hence the great end for which the Holy Scriptures were written: namely, “for our learning,” or the informing of our judgment, and for the directing of our practice, that, by the examples which we there find of the patience of holy men under sufferings, and of God’s relieving and comforting them in their distresses, “we might have hope” that God will relieve and comfort us also under the like burdens. Burkitt.

Romans 14:5

5. One man esteemeth one day above another: &c.] The second case, as to indifferent things, was about the observation of days. Many of the believing Jews could not be taken off from solemnizing those feasts, which were instituted by God among the Jews. Another with reason looked upon them as abrogated by Christ. Burkitt.

This is by no means to be extended to a neglect of the observance of the Lord’s day in a Christian manner, or of the moral part of the commandment, concerning the observance of the sabbath for the worship of God, and the practice of humanity, which is founded in the nature and reason of things, and therefore is of perpetual obligation; it respects only the ritual and instituted part of the observance of that absolute and strict rest from every sort of work whatsoever, which had relation, as a particular memorial, to the deliverance of the Jews out of Egypt, and was peculiar to that nation, but is now abolished by the Gospel, as well as the observance of other Jewish festivals, insomuch that St. Paul, Col.

We may not condemn each other for things indifferent.

5. Now the God of patience and consolation] Who works this “patience” in us, and gives to us this “consolation.” Dr. Whitby. Having in the preceding verse mentioned the “patience and comfort,” or consolation, “of the scriptures,” the Apostle in this verse calls God “the God of patience and consolation,” to shew that the patience and consolation of the saints proceeded from God. In like manner, having in the twelfth verse said, “in Him shall the Gentiles trust,” he calls God in the following verse, “the God of hope,” to shew that the hope, which the Gentiles entertained of salvation, proceeded from God. So also ver. 33, “the God of peace;” and elsewhere, “the God of glory,” &c. Dr. Macknight.

—grant you to be likeminded &c.] Give you the grace of unity and charity, such as Christ commanded and expects from you. Dr. Hammond.

Romans 14:6

6. — regardeth it unto the Lord.] That is, in obedience to the Lord, forasmuch as he looks upon himself as still commanded by the Lord to regard it. Dr. Wells.

— to the Lord he doth not regard it.] He, as well as the other, acts in obedience to the Lord, forasmuch as he looks upon himself as released by the Gospel from the obligation of observing the Jewish festivals. Dr. Wells.

— and giveth God thanks.] Both he that eateth freely of all kinds of meats, and he that doth not, eateth to the glory of the Lord: for the former “giveth God thanks” for his liberty thus to eat; the latter, for the herbs or other food provided for him. Dr. Whitby.

6. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God,] That ye may join unanimously, Jews and Gentiles, into one; and assembling together, worship and serve the Lord, in all unity of affections and form of words. Dr. Hammond.

Not only praising God with the same words in your doxologies, but also joining in those praises with a mind full of Christian love and a sense of the Divine goodness. Dr. Whitby.

—God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.] Rather, “the God and Father,” &c. Dr. Hammond. So 2 Cor. i. 3, and xi. 31; Eph. i. 3, 17; Col. i. 3; 1 Pet. i. 3; Rev. i. 6. On which words the comment of the Fathers is to this effect, That the first Person of the sacred Trinity is “the God” of Jesus Christ, in respect of His Manhood; His “Father,” in respect of His Divinity, or as He is the Word. Dr. Whitby.

Romans 14:7

7. For none of us liveth to himself, &c.] That is, None of us Christians, according to our profession, liveth so as to please only himself, and as if he was his own master: and none of us dies such a death as seems good to himself, or as if he was at his own disposal herein. Dr. Wells.

8. Wherefore receive ye one another,] Into mutual love. Dr. Wells. In all humility of condescension and kindness embrace and succour one another. Dr. Hammond.

—as Christ also received us] Both Jews and Gentiles, into His love. Dr. Wells.

Romans 14:8

8. For whether we live, &c.] If we act suitably to our duty and our obligations, we “live unto the Lord;” that is, under His dominion, and under the governance of His laws. Dr. Whitby.

— whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord.] In both states we are absolutely His property, and entirely at His disposal. If we obey Him, “we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He will also deny us,” 2 Tim. ii. 12. Abp. Secker.

Romans 14:9

9. — that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.] He, by His resurrection being constituted “Lord of all,” and having conferred upon Him “all power in heaven and in earth,” must have power over all; we being all His servants, and so obliged “not to live unto ourselves, but unto Him that died for us and rose again,” 2 Cor. v. 15. He being also the rewarder of all those, who serve Him faithfully, He must be the “Lord of the dead,” so as to be able to bring them to life again, that they may receive the promised reward. Dr. Whitby.

10. — we shall all stand before the judgment seat of

Romans 14:11

11. For it is written.] We must observe that these words, spoken by God Jehovah at Isai. xlv. 23, are here applied by St. Paul to Jesus Christ. Bp. Wilson. Such instances frequently occur, and afford plain proofs of the Divinity of our Saviour, and of the Prophets of the Old Testament having spoken of the Messiah as God. W. Lowth.

Romans 14:12

12. — to God.] Here Oecumenius notes, that it is said of God the Father, that “He judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” John v. 22; and therefore what the Apostle here says, “Every one shall confess to God, and bow the knee to Him,” ver. 11; and “shall give account of himself to God,” ver. 12; is manifestly spoken of Christ as Judge, and therefore Christ is God. This argument was used before the Nicene council by Novatian and others.

And seeing Christ is “Lord over the dead,” by the power, by which “He is able to subdue all things unto Himself,” Phil. iii. 21, which doubtless is the power of God; and seeing that having raised all men, He will “bring to light the hidden things” which they have done, and “make manifest the counsels of their hearts,” 1 Cor. iv. 5, and so must be omniscient, and have the knowledge of the secrets of the heart; and seeing it is the property of God alone to raise the dead by His power, and to be the searcher of hearts; these properties ascribed to Christ, here and elsewhere, must shew that He is truly God. Dr. Whitby.

Romans 14:13

13. Let us not therefore judge one another &c.] He had before reproved the weak, who censured the strong in the use of their liberty. He comes now to restrain the strong from offending their weak brethren by a too free use of their liberty, in not forbearing the use of it, where it might give offence to the weak. Locke.

— an occasion to fall] The original word here, as well as that in the former clause, is sometimes rendered “a stumblingblock.” It denotes whatever actually makes, or has a tendency to make, men fall, stumble, or be remiss in the ways of duty; and particularly what hinders men from becoming the disciples of Christ, or discourages them in their new profession, or tempts them to forsake the faith they had lately embraced. Parkhurst.

Romans 14:14

14. — am persuaded by the Lord Jesus.] By the faith of the Lord Jesus. Dr. Whitby. By revelation from the Lord Jesus. Dr. Macknight.

We must not offend our brother’s tender conscience. Anno DOMINI 60. men. men. ing to charity. e 1 Cor. 8. 11.

Romans 14:15

15. — if thy brother be grieved with thy meat.] So grieved and hurt, as hereby to be drawn into a scandal (Bp. Hall:) and by that means driven off from the profession of Christianity. Dr. Hammond.

— Destroy not him — for whom Christ died.] The Apostle here plainly supposes, that he, for whom Christ died, might perish. See the note on 1 Cor. viii. 11. Dr. Whitby.

Romans 14:16

16. — your good] That is, your liberty herein, which is justly esteemed a “good” enjoyed by you under the Gospel. Dr. Wells.

The business of the Apostle here is, not to deter from the practice of evil, but to direct in the use and practice of that which is good, that our virtue may be without offence, and secured from calumny and reproach. The passage may be thus paraphrased: Be not content with merely doing that which is in itself good and commendable, but look forward to its probable consequences, and endeavour to prevent any mischief that may grow out of it to yourself or others, that your good may be inoffensive and irreproachable. Bp. Sherlock.

Romans 14:17

17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; &c.] Christianity consists not in such external matters, eating or not eating such or such meats, but in the practice of Christian virtues. Dr. Hammond. “Drink” is mentioned as well as “meat,” because, though the law of Moses did not forbid any kind of drink, the Nazarites abstained from wine, and all kinds of fermented liquors. Hence the exhortation in Col. ii. 16. Dr. Macknight.

“Righteousness,” towards God and our neighbour; “peace,” that is, peaceableness of disposition, Christian love, concord and unity; and “joy in the Holy Ghost,” that is, the joyful sense of the love of God, shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost. Burkitt.

Romans 14:18

18. — approved of men.] Of wise, charitable, and good men. Burkitt.

Romans 14:19

19. — wherewith one may edify another.] Or build up one another in Christian love and unity into one spiritual temple in the Lord. Dr. Whitby. “Edification” is a metaphor, formed upon that noble idea, which St. Paul hath so frequently inculcated, that all Christians constitute one great temple, erected for the worship of God, Eph. ii. 20. Dr. Macknight.

Romans 14:20

20. — destroy not the work of God.] Thy weak brother. Dr. Wells. The Christian converts, 1 Cor. iii.

Romans 14:21

21. — stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.] Is kept from receiving the faith; or discouraged and driven from the profession; or any way wounded or hurt, that is, brought to any kind of sin. Dr. Hammond.

Even such actions as appear to us very allowable, yet, if they appear evil to others, it is, ordinarily speaking, both our prudence and our duty to abstain from, as much as with tolerable convenience we can. Whatever indeed on mature consideration we are fully persuaded we ought to do, that we must do, let the world think as it will. But where we apprehend a thing to be only permitted, if the wise will disapprove it, or the injudicious misinterpret it; if the good will be afflicted, or the bad rejoice at it; if rigid and warm tempers will be guilty of censuring us for it rashly, or easy and complying ones follow us in it against their judgments; if our taking harmless liberties will encourage others to take sinful ones; in short, if any how, by doing what otherwise we might, we shall induce any one else to do what he ought not: the great law of Christian charity requires, that “no man put a stumblingblock, or an occasion to fall, in his brother’s way;” or do any thing, whereby he is grieved, “or offended, or made weak.” Shewing this tender care neither to entice nor provoke a single person, if it can be avoided, into sin of whatever sort, but to “please our neighbour for his good, to edification,” chap. xv. 2, is a precept, I believe, peculiar to the Gospel: or at least hath so peculiar a stress laid on it there, as to distinguish our religion, greatly to its honour, from every other institution of life, that the world hath known. Abp. Secker.

22. Hast thou faith? Or a persuasion that all meats are clean and may lawfully be eaten. Dr. Whitby.

— have it to thyself before God.] Thou mayest use it betwixt God and thyself, but not always before men; as when there may be danger of hurting them. Dr. Hammond.

— Happy is he that condemneth not himself &c.] That is, who, when he knows a thing to be lawful, so practises it, as to have no reason to accuse or condemn himself. Dr. Hammond.

The strong must bear with the weak. ROMANS. Paul exhorteth to receive one the other, Anno DOMINI 66. Or, discerneth and puteth a different known man.

Romans 14:23

23. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat,] He, that doubteth whether he sin in eating or not, is condemned if he eat; because his conscience is unsettled, and he eateth sinfully, because he eateth doubtfully. Bp. Hall.

—for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.] Whosoever doth any thing without a persuasion of the lawfulness of his action, called “faith” here, and “knowledge,” 1 Cor. viii. 7, he certainly sins in so doing. Dr. Hammond.

In determining upon the difference of opinion and conduct between the Jews and Gentiles, and upon the jealousies and disputes occasioned by it, how admirably does St. Paul combine good sense and liberality of opinion with caution and prudence in conduct. He admits the error of the Jewish opinion, but maintains, that so long as it was retained, and influenced the persuasion of any man’s conscience, it ought to be followed in his practice: see ver. 14. But while he approves the rational freedom of the Gentiles in their opinions, he condemns the want of prudent and benevolent attention to the prejudices of their weak but well-meaning brethren, whose feelings they shocked, and whose affections they alienated, by openly despising and acting in defiance of their scruples, and even disturbing their conscience by tempting them to complainers which they could not sincerely approve; see ver. 15. And upon the whole he determines, that each should bear with the different opinions, and pass no uncharitable constructions, no sentence of reprobation on the conduct of the other; see ver. 3—5. How wholly inconsistent is this with the spirit of fanaticism! Dr. Graves.

Chap. XV. The Apostle still exhorts the Gentile Christians to bear with the scruples of the Jewish converts, from the example of Christ: and prays for their unanimity and mutual peace. He owns himself the Apostle of the Gentiles, and glories in his success amongst them. He then mentions his intended journey to Jerusalem and to Rome; and desires the concurrence of their prayers for his safe arrival and success at both places. Pyle.

Ver. 3. For even Christ pleased not himself.] That is, did not consult His own ease and satisfaction; but willingly exposed Himself to the insults of men in obedience to His Father’s will. Burkitt.

—as it is written.] Ps. lxix. 9. That this psalm was undoubtedly spoken of the Messiah, we learn from ver. 22, applied to Christ, John xix. 28, 29; and from the former part of the verse here cited, applied to Christ, John ii. 17. The Jews refer the accomplish-

ment of the things contained in this psalm to the days of the Messiah. Dr. Whitby.