Romans 1

Romans 1:4

[a] resurrection from the dead] Ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν is the general word which contains under it the rising again of every dead body, and is applicable to every such particular that riseth, and so here denotes the resurrection of Christ, being by the context particularly determined to that, as in other places it may denote the resurrection of any one or more men, as the context shall enforce.

Romans 1:14

I count myself obliged to do whatsoever I can (either in the preaching of the gospel or confirming them which have received it) to all sorts of men in the world, both those of the churches in Asia, Ephesus, &c. which are in Greece, and others which are most distant from them, and by the Greeks called Barbarians; and so I count myself to owe to you Romans the taking a journey to you at this time, from which I have hitherto been hindered, ver. 13.

Romans 1:15

And so it is not my fault, who for my part, and as much as my will is concerned in it, am most cheerfully ready to take this journey to Rome also, to preach the gospel among you.

Romans 1:16

For I am so far from concealing that I am very forward and earnest to make known the gospel of Christ, whatsoever opposition or persecution or pains it cost me, knowing it to be a most effectual means, the only one now designed by God, to bring all men that embrace it to repentance and reformation of life, (see note [a] ch. x,) and that which is by God appointed to be made known not only to the Jews, who had the privilege of having it first revealed to them, (see Acts iii. 26,) but to all others of all the nations of the world.

Romans 1:17

For that economy of God’s, that gracious method of accepting and rewarding all those that shall receive the faith and obedience of Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles, is in or by the gospel revealed and promulgated, to this end, that men should believe on him and obey him sincerely, and so be partakers of it, and being justified by faith should continue to live by faith; that according to that which is said by the prophet Habakkuk, ch. ii. 4, The just shall by God’s mercy accepting and rewarding his faith (his adherence and fidelity to him) return from captivity and live happily, so now in like manner all that fear God should return from the captivity of sin, and continue

¹⁰ the righteousness of God by faith is revealed to faith. B 2

[b] righteousness] For the explaining of this verse, the first thing to be examined is the notion of δικαιοσύνη, righteousness, and with the addition of Θεοῦ, the righteousness of God. Δικαιοσύνη, righteousness, signifies not always the virtue of just dealing, but sometimes, by a metonymy, the matter about which that is conversant, the things which by law are required of any, and in performance of which his righteousness consequently consists. Thus when, Matt. iii. 15, Christ saith to John, Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness, by righteousness are meant all those things that under that more imperfect ministry of John were prescribed men, and required of them to do, to their being approved by God. Thus those things which are required of Jews to perform under the Mosaical law are called δικαιοσύνη ἡ ἐν νόμῳ, the righteousness which is in the law, Phil. iii. 6. And there being two sorts of proselytes of the Jews, one, of those which undertook the whole law of the Jews, were circumcised, &c. the other, of those which only received the seven precepts of the sons of Adam and Noah, the former of these were called indifferently λυγὶς, proselytes of the covenant, and λυγὶς, proselytes of righteousness. Where righteousness signifies all those commands and ordinances which in that Mosaical covenant were required of the Jews, and without submission to which no stranger was permitted to come into their inner court of the temple, and join with them in the worship of God. To this purpose it is observable what was the prime occasion of this Epistle, the great charge which by the Jews was laid on Paul for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, and thereby promising them acceptance and mercy from God for all their past sins on condition of their embracing the gospel, and living for the future according to that rule, without any performance of the ritual laws of Moses, circumcision, &c. This the Jews violently opposed, as that which was an apostatizing from the law of Moses, and the setting up a new righteousness, a new summary of performances, a new law, to the prejudice of the Mosaical. What Paul had thus done he here asserts and stands to, as that which was now the declared will of God, under the gospel, though distant from that which had before been required of Jews under the law. And as now

Romans 1:18

For on the other side the displeasure and vengeance of God is most severely denounced against those that join impious and unrighteous lives with the profession of Christianity, that obey not the gospel which they receive, ch. ii. 8, (and such are the Gnostic heretics among you,) or that by indulgence in vicious courses obstruct the gospel, suffer it not to have force on themselves or others: (see ch. ii. 24.)

[c] hold] The word κατίχω signifies two things, (very distant,) to retain and hold fast, and to obstruct or hinder. Κατίχειν, κρατεῖν, κωλύειν, συνέχειν, saith Hesychius, it signifies, to hold fast, to hinder, to compress. In the notion of hindering it is taken, 2 Thess. ii. 6, 7, and in the other in divers places. By this means it is become uncertain what it should signify here, especially when either way the sense is very commodious: for even they that retain the truth in unrighteousness, that under the acknowledgment and profession of the truth, veil and join all manner of impious living, do thereby hinder and obstruct the truth, viz. the force of it on themselves, and the propagation of it to others by that impious living of theirs. But the former is the more likely sense of it, and most agreeable to the consequents, of their knowing the truth and becoming unexcusable thereby.

Romans 1:19

It being certain (and by their profession acknowledged) that God, as far as is necessary, is made known among them; for indeed God himself hath revealed and made himself known (beyond all excuse of ignorance) by the various methods that he hath made use of.

Romans 1:20

For those things that are not of themselves visible, the infinite power and divinity of God, which from time to time, ever since the creation of the world, have been in themselves invisible, yet being beheld and seen, (as in reflection,) by his various dealings in the world, are now become visibly discernible, so far as to render them which do not discern, or which knowing do not serve and worship him as God, that is, do not live according to the rule of the gospel, utterly uncapable of the excuse of faultless ignorance: (see note [k] Matt. i.)

[d] from the creation] The phrase ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου is here joined with ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ, the invisible things or attributes of God, his power and Godhead, from the foundation or creation of the world, that is, ever since the creation; so doth ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως, from the beginning of the creation, signify, Mark x. 6, and xiii. 19, and 2 Pet. iii. 4; so κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, Matt. xiii. 35, the things hidden from the foundation of the world, and ch. xxv. 34, Luke xi. 50, Heb. iv. 3, where it clearly signifies from, that is, ever since the creation; and so ch. ix. 26: so Rev. xiii. 8, and xvii. 8, names written and not written in the book of the Lamb from, that is, ever since, the foundation of the world. By which it appears that there is no necessity of understanding God’s ποιήματα, doings or actions here, of the works of the creation, but of all things that from that time to this inclusively have been done in the world by him; and so it will be extended to all the doctrines and miracles and actions of Christ, the whole business of the gospel.

Romans 1:21

Because that knowledge which they have and boast of (and from thence style themselves Gnostics, the deepest knowing men) is not by them made use of to the worshipping or acknowledging of him, but they have fallen to the worshipping of images, (which are in Hebrew called vanities, falsities, ver. 25, and nothings, see note [d] ch. viii.) and by so doing put out that light which was vouchsafed them by God. (How this was true of the Gnostics, see notes [e] [f].)

[e] knew God] The phrase γνόντες τὸν Θεόν, knowing God, here seems to refer the whole present discourse to the Gnostics, who were so called from their assuming to themselves so much of the knowledge of God and the mysteries of religion. And these being a sort of heretics in that first age under the apostles, who affirmed Simon to be God the Father that appeared in Mount Sinai, as also God the Son that

Romans 1:22

Assuming the title of Gnostics, of knowing more, of being wiser than other men, they have proved more sottish than any,

Romans 1:23

And instead of the invisible majesty and glorious appearances of God in bright clouds, &c., wherein God on mount Sinai manifested himself to Moses, but was not seen by him, they have expressed him and worshipped him in the images of Simon

¹¹ retain, or, hinder. that they are, εἰς τὸ εἶναι. εἰκόντε φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

¹² among them, ἐν αὐτοῖς. ¹³ done, ποιήμασι. ¹⁴ so far ¹⁵ the likeness of an image of corruptible man, ὁμοιόματι

[f] glory] The word δόξα, glory, here seems to refer to the notion or use of it, Exod. xxiv. 16, where it is said of God’s presence and appearance there in the Mount Sinai, וַיִּשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹר יְהוָה עַל ה’, the glory of the Lord abode upon the mount. From whence it is that the word schechinah, “abiding,” is ordinarily used to signify this or the like glorious appearance, or presence of God, and is directly parallel to δόξα, glory, here. Now of God’s appearance on Mount Sinai it is to be observed, 1. that God did not there exhibit himself in any bodily shape;

Romans 1:24

Upon which provocation of theirs God hath withdrawn his grace from them, hath not restrained, but left them to themselves, to the pursuit of all their filthy desires, and permitted them to break out into all uncleannesses of the most odious unnatural kinds, one with another to commit all reproachful and unnatural villainies:

Romans 1:25

A just punishment on them that had changed the gospel into a fable, (see note [f]), or the true invisible God into an idol, (a falsity, an empty vain nothing, ver. 21,) worshipping mere creatures even above and in opposition to the Creator, (see 2 Thess. ii. 4,) that one eternal Majesty whom all are obliged to worship.

[g] more than the Creator] Of the use of παρὰ for above one instance will suffice in the * Epistle of Eleazar the high priest to Ptolemy, telling him by way of great acknowledgment and gratitude, Πάντα ὅσα σοι συμφέρει, καὶ εἰ παρὰ φύσιν ἐστίν, ὑπακουσόμεθα, “All things that are profitable to you, though they be above nature, we will obediently perform.” Thus Luke xiii. 2 and 4, ἁμαρτωλοὶ παρὰ πάντας, sinners above all others; though, Luke iii. 13, it be more fully expressed by πλέον παρὰ, more besides or above. As for the other notion of παρὰ for contrary to, (which here may have place also, for he that worships any thing above or beside the one true God, doth it in opposition to him, and to the wronging and robbing him,) we have an express testimony for it, Acts xviii. 13, παρὰ τὸν νόμον, contrary to the law.

Romans 1:26

This, I say, hath provoked God to leave them to their own lusts without restraint, to permit them to fall into reproachful sins, and mere violences, and contumelies of nature: for even their women—

ᵇ their idolatry bringing these unnatural lusts upon them, the punishment of that former sin: (see note [f] Jude.)

Romans 1:28

And this by way of retaliation, as they have not thought fit to acknowledge God in their practices, (but only to boast of their deep knowledge,) so God hath left them to themselves, and given them up to a villainous, detestable, abominable state of mind, to commit unnatural things, such as nobody will think tolerably fit, or approve of;

29, 30. Whether sins of uncleanness of all sorts, of which they are full, or whether malice, bloodiness, contention, (which also these Gnostics every where professed against the Christians,) falseness, baseness of disposition, infusing hatred and variance secretly into all, detestable abominable people, most insolent in their reproaching of others, and boasting of themselves, inventors of all sorts of strange villainies, especially those of uncleanness, contemners of all that are

[h] reprobate] The word ἀδόκιμος hath two notions especially, one among the metallists, the other belonging to the agones. Any metal that will not bear the δοκιμή, or trial, or which, being tried, betrays itself to be adulterate, is ἀδόκιμος, reprobate. But the notion that seems most peculiarly to belong to it in the New Testament is the other, taken from the agones, where, as he that strives as he ought, and conquers, is δόκιμος, approved, 2 Tim. ii. 15, and James i. 12, δόκιμοι καὶ ληψόμενοι στέφονον, approved, and such as shall receive the crown, and in other authors, εὐδόκιμοι, well approved, (and of other creatures, ἵππος δόκιμος, an approved horse, in the Ἱππατρικά,) so he that loses the game and prize, that doth not run or strive, νομίμως, according to the laws of the game, and so overcome, is said to be ἀδόκιμος, to miscarry in the race, and so to lose the reward of it. Thus in Democrats, Δόκιμος ἀνὴρ καὶ ἀδόκιμος οὐκ ἐξ ὧν πρᾶσσει μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ὧν βούλεται, “A man is approved or rejected not only by what he doth, but by what he wills.” So in the Sibylline Oracles,

‘Ἀγνὸς γὰρ Χριστὸς τούτοις τὰ δίκαια βραβεύσει, Καὶ δοκίμους στέψει—

“Christ will crown the approved.” Thus 1 Cor. ix. 27, it is at the conclusion of an agonistical discourse of running and cuffing, &c., the close of which is, that the apostle uses all his most earnest endeavours, lest, (being a κήρυξ, preacher, crier, officer, in the agones, to propose the laws and rewards of the agones to others, which is ἀνακηρύττειν and ἀποκηρύττειν, to proclaim such a man conqueror, such a man to have lost,) he himself should ἀποκηρυχθῆναι, be rejected, found incapable of the reward by all aspired to, that is, fail of that crown of eternal life. So 2 Tim. iii. 8, ἀδόκιμοι περὶ τὴν πίστιν, in the matter of faith, such as were found unworthy of reward by God, proposed to Christians. So Titus i. 16, ἀδόκιμοι to every good work, that do nothing fit to be approved by God or man: where yet, as in all the former places, the figure λιτότης is to be observed, the word being used, not for him only that deserves no reward, or that misses it, but for him that is most contrary, the most vile and wicked, that deserves the contrary punishment, (as ἀσεβής, and ἄνομος, and ἀχρεῖος, and ἀσχημοσύνη, ungodly, without law, unprofitable, uncomeliness, signify the most wicked, the most unfaithful servant, most violent opposer of the law, the greatest impurities, and many other the like,) and therefore is interpreted by βδελυκτοὶ ὄντες καὶ ἀπειθεῖς that went before, being abominable, and dis-

• Aristena Hist. 70. Interpret. p. 861. A.

Romans 1:29

[i] covetousness] The word πλεονεξία in this and many other places of the New Testament, which we generally render covetousness, signifies excessive or unnatural lusts, (not desire of money only,) and is ordinarily set down among the basenesses of the Gnostic heresy, as I here suppose it is. So Eph. iv. 19, οἵτινες ἀπηλγηκότες, who giving over all labour, (as idleness was the mother-sin of the Sodomites,) gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness ἐν πλεονεξίᾳ, in inordinate unnatural desires. Thus in Photius Epist. 168, ἡ βάρβαρος πλεονεξία signifies “such lust as was among barbarians or heathens.” (and had been before exemplified in Joseph’s Egyptian mistress,) τὸν ὀχληρὸν ἑραστήν κτησαμένη, “which possessed the disturbed lover,” as there it follows. So in St. Chrysostom, speaking of these unnatural lusts, Ὁρᾶς, saith he, ὅτι ἀπὸ πλεονεξίας τὸ πᾶν, “You see that it comes all from this inordinate desire, ἐπιθυμίας οὐκ ἀνασχομένης εἴσω τῶν οἰκείων ὄρων μένειν, lust not enduring to stay or be contained within its own bounds.” So in Antiochus λογ. ξαὶ ἐπιθυμία γυναικῶν καὶ πλεονεξιῶν, “desire of women, and such like inordinations.” For as to the nature of the word, it is known to come from πλέον ἔξω, and to signify any immoderate desire of any thing above one’s portion. So in Aristotle it is opposed ἰσύτητι, to equality. So in Hesychius, Πλεονεξία, τὸ πλέον τοῦ δίοντος ἐκ τινὸς λαμβάνειν, “to take more than is due or meet of any thing.” So in Lucian de Cal, the calumniator is described to be one that will have and enclose all his auditors to himself, will let no man else be heard, and for this he calls him πλεονεκτήν, one that assumes more than belongeth to him. And so Democrats in his Γνωμ. defines πλεονεξία to be speaking all, and not enduring to hear anybody else. And in Themistus’ Paraphrase of the first book de Anima, πλεονεκτεῖν is taken for any kind of exceeding, πᾶσαν γνῶσιν τιμίαν εἶναι, πλεονεκτεῖν δὲ ἑτέραν ἑτέρας, “one exceeds or excels the other:” and in Isocrates,

ᵇ Tom. 2. p. 24. l. 13.

ᶜ In Nicocl.

Romans 1:30

[k] despiteful] The word ὑβρισταί may here most probably denote those unnatural lusts also. And so is it manifestly affirmed and defined by 8 Plato, Ἐπιθεμίας δὲ ἀλόγως ἱλκοῦσης ἐπὶ ἡδονὰς, καὶ ἀρξάσης ἐν ἡμῖν τῇ ἀρχῇ ὕβρις ἐπωνομίσθη, “When desire draws us irrationally to pleasures, and gets dominion over us, this is named ὕβρις, contumely.” So 9 Dio in Œconomico, Κλαίων οὐδεὶς προιτρέψατο ὑβριστήν, “By weeping none ever incited the contumelious,” that is, the unlawful lover. So in 1 Phintys’s book of the woman’s sobriety, the adulterous wife is said ἀδονὰς ἕνεκεν ἁμαρτάνεν καὶ ὑβρίσεν, “to be for pleasure’s sake guilty of sin and contumely.” And so in 2 Nicostratus, παῖδες ἐξ ἀκολασίας καὶ ὕβριως γεγονότες, are “adulterous brats.” So in Philostratus de Vita Apoll. l. 1. c. 11, ὑβριστὴς ἄνθρωπος is presently said to be κακὸς τὰ ἐρω-