NOTES
ON
ST PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
Many of the writings of the New Testament are written in the
form of epistles. Such are not only those of St. Paul, James,
Peter, Jude, but also both the treatises of St. Luke, and all
the writings of St. John. Nay, we have seven epistles herein
which the Lord Jesus himself sent by the hand of John to the
seven churches; yea, the whole Revelation is no other than an
epistle from Him.
Concerning the epistles of St. Paul, we may observe, he
writes in a very different manner to those churches which he
had planted himself, and to those who had not seen his face in
the flesh. In his letters to the former, a loving or sharp
familiarity appears, as their behaviour was more or less suitable
to the gospel. To the latter, he proposes the pure, unmixed
gospel, in a more general and abstract manner.
As to the time wherein he wrote his epistles, it is probable he
wrote about the year of Christ, according to the common
reckoning,
48 From Corinth, The Epistle to the Thessalonians.
49 From Phrygia, To the Galatians.
52 From Ephesus, The First to the Corinthians.
From Troas, The First Epistle to Timothy.
From Macedonia,The Second to the Corinthians,
and that to Titus.
From Corinth, To the Romans.
57 From Rome, To the Philippians, to Philemon,
the Ephesians, and Colossians.
53 From Italy, To the Hebrews.
66 From Rome, The Second to Timothy.
As to the general epistles, it seems, St. James wrote a little
before his death, which was A. D. 63. St. Peter, who was martyred
in the year 67, wrote his latter epistle a little before his death,
and not long after his former. St. Jude wrote after him, when the
mystery of iniquity was gaining ground swiftly. St. John is
believed to have wrote all his epistles a little before his
departure. The Revelation he wrote A. D. 96. That St. Paul wrote
this epistle from Corinth we may learn from his commending to the
Romans Phebe, a servant of the church of Cenchrea, # Rom 16:1,
a port of Corinth; and from his mentioning the salutations of
Caius and Erastus, # Rom 16:23, who were both Corinthians.
Those to whom he wrote seem to have been chiefly foreigners, both
Jews and gentiles, whom business drew from other provinces; as
appears, both by his writing in Greek, and by his salutations of
several former acquaintance.
His chief design herein is to show,
1, That neither the gentiles by the law of nature, nor the Jews
by the law of Moses, could obtain justification before God; and
that therefore it was necessary for both to seek it from the free
mercy of God by faith.
2, That God has an absolute right to show mercy on what terms he
pleases, and to withhold it from those who will not accept it on
his own terms.
This Epistle consists of five parts:-
I. The introduction,..................................... C.i.1-15
II. The proposition briefly proved,
1. Concerning faith and justification,
2. Concerning salvation,
3. Concerning the equality of believers, Jews or gentiles, 16-17
To these three parts, whereof
The first is treated of,......................... C.i.18-iv.
The second,....................................... C.v-viii.
The third,......................................... C.ix.-xi
not only the treatise itself, but also the
exhortation, answers in the same order.
III. The treatise,
1. Concerning justification, which is,
(1.) Not by works, for................................. C.i.18
The gentiles,..................................... C.ii.1-10
The Jews, and......................................... 11-29
Both together are under sin,..................... C.iii.1-20
(2.) But by faith,...................................... 21-31
as appears by the example of Abraham,
and the testimony of David,................... C.iv.1-25
2. Concerning salvation,............................. C.v.-viii.
3. Concerning the equal privileges of Jewish
and gentile believers,............................. C.ix.-xi.
IV. The exhortation,.................................... C.xii.1-2
1. Concerning faith and its fruits, love and
practical holiness,..................................... 3-21
C.xiii.1-10
2. Concerning salvation,.................................. 11-14
3. Of the conjunction of Jews and gentiles,....... C.xiv.1-xv.13
V. The conclusion,...................................... 14-xvi.25
To express the design and contents of this epistle a little
more at large: The apostle labours throughout to fix in those to
whom he writes a deep sense of the excellency of the gospel, and
to engage them to act suitably to it. For this purpose, after a
general salutation, # Rom 1:1-7, and profession of his affection
for them, # Rom 1:8-15, he declares he shall not be ashamed
openly to maintain the gospel at Rome, seeing it is the powerful
instrument of salvation, both to Jews and gentiles, by means of
faith, # Rom 1:16,17. And, in order to demonstrate this,
he shows,-
1. That the world greatly needed such a dispensation, the
gentiles being in a most abandoned state, # Rom 1:18-32, and the
Jews, though condemning others, being themselves no better,
# Rom 2:1-29; as, not withstanding some cavils, which he
obviates, # Rom 3:1-8, their own scriptures testify, Rom 3:9-19.
So that all were under a necessity of seeking justification by
this method, # Rom 3:20-31.
2. That Abraham and David themselves sought justification
by faith, and not by works, # Rom 4:1-25.
3. That all who believe are brought into so happy a state, as
turns the greatest afflictions into a matter of joy, # Rom 5:1-11.
4. That the evils brought on mankind by Adam are abundantly
recompensed to all that believe in Christ, # Rom 5:12-21.
5. That, far from dissolving the obligations to practical
holiness, the gospel increases them by peculiar obligations,
# Rom 6:1-23.
In order to convince them of these things the more deeply,
and to remove their fondness for the Mosaic law, now they were
married to Christ by faith in him, # Rom 7:1-6, he shows how
unable the motives of the law were to produce that holiness
which believers obtain by a living faith in the gospel,
# Rom 7:7-25, 8:1,2, and then gives a more particular view
of those things which rendered the gospel effectual to this
great end, # Rom 8:3-39.
That even the gentiles, if they believed, should have a share
in these blessings, and that the Jews, if they believed not,
should be excluded from them, being a point of great importance,
the apostle bestows the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters in
settling it. He begins the ninth chapter by expressing his
tender love and high esteem for the Jewish nation, # Rom 9:1-5,
and then shows,-
1. That God's rejecting great part of the seed of Abraham, yea,
and of Isaac too, was undeniable fact, # Rom 9:6-13.
2. That God had not chosen them to such peculiar privileges for
any kind of goodness either in them or their fathers, # Rom 9:14-24.
3. That his accepting the gentiles, and rejecting many of the
Jews, had been foretold both by Hosea and Isaiah, # Rom 9:25-33.
4. That God had offered salvation to Jews and gentiles on the
same terms, though the Jews had rejected it, # Rom 10:1-21.
5. That though the rejection of Israel for their obstinacy was
general, yet it was not total; there being still a remnant among
them who did embrace the gospel, # Rom 11:1-10.
6. That the rejection of the rest was not final, but in the end
all Israel should be saved, # Rom 11:11-31.
7. That, meantime, even their obstinacy and rejection served to
display the unsearchable wisdom and love of God, # Rom 11:32-36.
The rest of the epistle contains practical instructions and
exhortations. He particularly urges,
1. An entire consecration of themselves to God, and a care to
glorify Him by a faithful improvement of their several talents,
# Rom 7:1-11.
2. Devotion, patience, hospitality, mutual sympathy, humility,
peace, and meekness, # Rom 7:12-21.
3. Obedience to magistrates, justice in all its branches, love
the fulfilling of the law, and universal holiness, # Rom 8:1-14.
4. Mutual candour between those who differed in judgment,
touching the observance of the Mosaic law, # Rom 14:1-23, 15:1-17;
in enforcing which he is led to mention the extent of his own
labours, and his purpose of visiting the Romans; in the mean time
recommending himself to their prayers, # Rom 15:18-33.
And, after many salutations, # Rom 16:1-16, and a caution
against those who caused divisions, he concludes with a suitable
blessing and doxology, # Rom 16:17-27.
Verse 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ-To this introduction
the conclusion answers, # Romans 15:15, &c.
Called to be an apostle-And made an apostle by that calling. While
God calls, he makes what he calls. As the Judaizing teachers disputed
his claim to the apostolical office, it is with great propriety that he
asserts it in the very entrance of an epistle wherein their principles
are entirely overthrown. And various other proper and important thoughts
are suggested in this short introduction; particularly the prophecies
concerning the gospel, the descent of Jesus from David, the great
doctrines of his Godhead and resurrection, the sending the gospel to the
gentiles, the privileges of Christians, and the obedience and holiness
to which they were obliged in virtue of their profession. Separated
-By God, not only from the bulk of other men, from other Jews, from other
disciples, but even from other Christian teachers, to be a peculiar
instrument of God in spreading the gospel.
2. Which he promised before-Of old time, frequently, solemnly.
And the promise and accomplishment confirm each other.
# De 18:18; Isa 9:6,7; 53:1; 61:1; Jer 23:5.
3. Who was of the seed of David according to the flesh-That is,
with regard to his human nature. Both the natures of our Saviour
are here mentioned; but the human is mentioned first, because the
divine was not manifested in its full evidence till after his
resurrection.
4. But powerfully declared to be the Son of God, according to
the Spirit of Holiness-That is, according to his divine nature.
By the resurrection from the dead-For this is both the fountain
and the object of our faith; and the preaching of the apostles
was the consequence of Christ's resurrection.
5. By whom we have received-I and the other apostles.
Grace and apostleship-The favour to be an apostle, and
qualifications for it. For obedience to the faith in all nations
-That is, that all nations may embrace the faith of Christ.
For his name-For his sake; out of regard to him.
6. Among whom-The nations brought to the obedience of faith.
Are ye also-But St. Paul gives them no preeminence above others.
7. To all that are in Rome-Most of these were heathens by birth,
# Ro 1:13, though with Jews mixed among them.
They were scattered up and down in that large city, and not yet
reduced into the form of a church. Only some had begun to meet
in the house of Aquila and Priscilla. Beloved of God-And
from his free love, not from any merit of yours, called by
his word and his Spirit to believe in him, and now through faith
holy as he is holy. Grace-The peculiar favour of God.
And peace-All manner of blessings, temporal, spiritual, and
eternal. This is both a Christian salutation and an apostolic
benediction. From God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ
-This is the usual way wherein the apostles speak, "God the
Father," "God our Father." Nor do they often, in speaking of him,
use the word Lord, as it implies the proper name of God,
Jehovah. In the Old Testament, indeed, the holy men generally
said, "The Lord our God;" for they were then, as it were, servants;
whereas now they are sons: and sons so well know their father,
that they need not frequently mention his proper name. It is
one and the same peace, and one and the same grace, which is
from God and from Jesus Christ. Our trust and prayer fix on
God, as he is the Father of Christ; and on Christ, as he presents
us to the Father.
Verse 8. I thank-In the very entrance of this one epistle
are the traces of all spiritual affections; but of thankfulness
above all, with the expression of which almost all St. Paul's
epistles begin. He here particularly thanks God, that what
otherwise himself should have done, was done at Rome already.
My God-This very word expresses faith, hope, love, and
consequently all true religion. Through Jesus Christ-The
gifts of God all pass through Christ to us; and all our
petitions and thanksgivings pass through Christ to God.
That your faith is spoken of-In this kind of congratulations
St. Paul describes either the whole of Christianity, as
# Col 1:3, &c.; or some part of it, as # 1Cor 1:5.
Accordingly here he mentions the faith of the Romans, suitably
to his design, # Rom 1:12,17.
Through the whole world-This joyful news spreading everywhere,
that there were Christians also in the imperial city. And the
goodness and wisdom of God established faith in the chief cities;
in Jerusalem and Rome particularly; that from thence it might be
diffused to all nations.
9. God, whom I serve-As an apostle. In my spirit-Not only with
my body, but with my inmost soul. In the gospel-By preaching it.
10. Always-In all my solemn addresses to God.
If by any means now at length-This accumulation of
particles declares the strength of his desire.
Verse 11. That I may impart to you-Face to face, by laying
on of hands, prayer, preaching the gospel, private
conversation. Some spiritual gift-With such gifts the
Corinthians, who had enjoyed the presence of St. Paul,
abounded, # 1Cor 1:7; 12:1; 14:1. So did the Galatians
likewise, # Gal 3:5; and, indeed, all those churches which
had had the presence of any of the apostles had peculiar
advantages in this kind, from the laying on of their hands,
# Acts 19:6; 8:17, &c., # 2Tim 1:6. But as yet the Romans
were greatly inferior to them in this respect; for which
reason the apostle, in the twelfth chapter also, says little,
if any thing, of their spiritual gifts. He therefore desires
to impart some, that they might be established; for by
these was the testimony of Christ confirmed among them. That
St. Peter had no more been at Rome than St. Paul, at the time
when this epistle was wrote, appears from the general tenor
thereof, and from this place in particular: for, otherwise,
what St. Paul wishes to impart to the Romans would have been
imparted already by St. Peter.
12. That is, I long to be comforted by the mutual faith both of
you and me-He not only associates the Romans with, but even
prefers them before, himself. How different is this style of
the apostle from that of the modern court of Rome!
13. Brethren-A frequent, holy, simple, sweet, and yet grand,
appellation. The apostles but rarely address persons by their
names; 'O ye Corinthians," "O Timotheus." St. Paul generally
uses this appellation, " Brethren;" sometimes in exhortation,
" My beloved," or, " My beloved brethren;" St. James, "Brethren,"
"My brethren," My beloved brethren;" St. Peter and Jude always,
" Beloved;" St. John frequently, " Beloved;" once, " Brethren;"
oftener than once, My little children." Though I have been
hindered hitherto-Either by
business, see # Rom 15:22; or
persecution, # 1Thes 2:2; or
the Spirit, # Acts 16:7.
That I might have some fruit-Of my ministerial labours.
Even as I have already had from the many churches I have planted
and watered among the other gentiles.
14. To the Greeks and the barbarians-He includes the Romans
under the Greeks; so that this division comprises all nations.
Both to the wise, and the unwise-For there were unwise
even among the Greeks, and wise even among the barbarians.
I am a debtor to all-I am bound by my divine mission to preach
the gospel to them.
16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel-To the world, indeed, it
is folly and weakness, # 1Cor 1:18; therefore, in the judgment
of the world, he ought to be ashamed of it; especially at Rome,
the head and theatre of the world. But Paul is not ashamed,
knowing it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth-The great and gloriously powerful means of saving all
who accept salvation in God's own way. As St. Paul comprises the
sum of the gospel in this epistle, so he does the sum of the
epistle in this and the following verse. Both to the Jew, and
to the gentile-There is a noble frankness, as well as a
comprehensive sense, in these words, by which he, on the one
hand, shows the Jews their absolute need of the gospel; and,
on the other, tells the politest and greatest nation in the
world both that their salvation depended on receiving it, and
that the first offers of it were in every place to be made to
the despised Jews.
Verse 17. The righteousness of God-This expression
sometimes means God's eternal, essential righteousness, which
includes both justice and mercy, and is eminently shown in
condemning sin, and yet justifying the sinner. Sometimes it
means that righteousness by which a man, through the gift of
God, is made and is righteous; and that, both by receiving
Christ through faith, and by a conformity to the essential
righteousness of God. St. Paul, when treating of justification,
means hereby the righteousness of faith; therefore called the
righteousness of God, because God found out and prepared,
reveals and gives, approves and crowns it. In this verse the
expression means, the whole benefit of God through Christ for
the salvation of a sinner. Is revealed-Mention is made here,
and # Rom 1:18, of a twofold revelation,-of wrath and of
righteousness: the former, little known to nature, is revealed by
the law; the latter, wholly unknown to nature, by the gospel.
That goes before, and prepares the way; this follows. Each, the
apostle says, is revealed at the present time, in opposition to
the times of ignorance. From faith to faith-By a gradual
series of still clearer and clearer promises. As it is written
-St. Paul had just laid down three propositions:
1. Righteousness is by faith, # Rom 1:17:
2. Salvation is by righteousness, # Rom 1:16:
3. Both to the Jews and to the gentiles, # Rom 1:16.
Now all these are confirmed by that single sentence,
The just shall live by faith-Which was primarily
spoken of those who preserved their lives, when the Chaldeans
besieged Jerusalem, by believing the declarations of God, and
acting according to them. Here it means, He shall obtain the
favour of God, and continue therein by believing.
# Hab 2:4
18. For-There is no other way of obtaining life and salvation.
Having laid down his proposition, the apostle now enters upon
the proof of it. His first argument is, The law condemns all
men, as being under sin. None therefore is justified by the
works of the law. This is treated of # Rom 3:20.
And hence he infers, Therefore justification is by faith.
The wrath of God is revealed-Not only by frequent and signal
interpositions of divine providence, but likewise in the sacred
oracles, and by us, his messengers.
From heaven-This speaks the majesty of Him whose wrath is
revealed, his all-seeing eye, and the extent of his wrath:
whatever is under heaven is under the effects of his wrath,
believers in Christ excepted. Against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness-These two are treated of,
# Rom 1:23, &c.
Of men-He is speaking here of the gentiles, and chiefly
the wisest of them. Who detain the truth-For it struggles
against their wickedness. In unrighteousness-The word here
includes ungodliness also.
19. For what is to be known of God-Those great principles which
are indispensably necessary to be known. Is manifest in them;
for God hath showed it to them-By the light which enlightens
every man that cometh into the world.
20. For those things of him which are invisible, are seen-By the
eye of the mind. Being understood-They are seen by them, and
them only, who use their understanding
V. 21. Because, knowing God-For the wiser heathens did know that there
was one supreme God; yet from low and base considerations they conformed
to the idolatry of the vulgar.
They did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful-They neither
thanked him for his benefits, nor glorified him for his divine perfection.
But became vain-Like the idols they worshipped.
In their reasonings-Various, uncertain, foolish. What a terrible instance
have we of this in the writings of Lucretius! What vain reasonings, and
how dark a heart, amidst so pompous professions of wisdom!
23. And changed-With the utmost folly. Here are three degrees
of ungodliness and of punishment: the first is described,
# Rom 1:21-24; the second, # Rom 1:25-27; the third, in
# Rom 1:28, and following verses. The punishment in each case
is expressed by God gave them up. If a man will not worship God
as God, he is so left to himself that he throws away his very
manhood. Reptiles-Or creeping things; as beetles, and various
kinds of serpents.
24. Wherefore-One punishment of sin is from the very nature of
it, as # Rom 1:27; another, as here, is from vindictive justice.
Uncleanness-Ungodliness and uncleanness are frequently joined,
# 1Thes 4:5 as are the knowledge of God and purity.
God gave them up-By withdrawing his restraining grace.
25. Who changed the truth-The true worship of God.
Into a lie-False, abominable idolatries. And
worshipped-Inwardly. And served-Outwardly.
26. Therefore God gave them up to vile affections-To which the
heathen Romans were then abandoned to the last degree; and none
more than the emperors themselves.
27. Receiving the just recompense of their error-Their idolatry
being punished with that unnatural lust, which was as horrible
a dishonour to the body, as their idolatry was to God.
28. God gave them up to an undiscerning mind-Treated of,
# Rom 1:32.
To do things not expedient-Even the vilest abominations,
treated of verses # Rom 1:29-31.
29. Filled with all injustice-This stands in the first place;
unmercifulness, in the last. Fornication-Includes here every
species of uncleanness. Maliciousness-The Greek word properly
implies a temper which delights in hurting another, even without
any advantage to itself.
30. Whisperers-Such as secretly defame others.
Backbiters- Such as speak against others behind their
back. Haters of God-That is, rebels against him, deniers
of his providence, or accusers of his justice in their
adversities; yea, having an inward heart-enmity to his justice
and holiness. Inventors of evil things-Of new pleasures,
new ways of gain, new arts of hurting, particularly in war.
31. Covenant-breakers-It is well known, the Romans, as a nation,
from the very beginning of their commonwealth, never made any
scruple of vacating altogether the most solemn engagement, if
they did not like it, though made by their supreme magistrate, in
the name of the whole people. They only gave up the general who
had made it, and then supposed themselves to be at full liberty.
Without natural affection-The custom of exposing their own new
-born children to perish by cold, hunger, or wild beasts, which
so generally prevailed in the heathen world, particularly among
the Greeks and Romans, was an amazing instance of this; as is
also that of killing their aged and helpless parents, now common
among the American heathens.
32. Not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that
practise them-This is the highest degree of wickedness.
A man may be hurried by his passions to do the thing he hates;
but he that has pleasure in those that do evil, loves wickedness
for wickedness' sake. And hereby he encourages them in sin, and
heaps the guilt of others upon his own head.
Verse 1. Therefore-The apostle now makes a transition
from the gentiles to the Jews, till, at # Rom 2:6, he
comprises both. Thou art inexcusable-Seeing knowledge
without practice only increases guilt. O man-Having
before spoken of the gentile in the third person, he
addresses the Jew in the second person. But he calls him by
a common appellation, as not acknowledging him to be a Jew.
See verses # Rom 2:17,28.
Whosoever thou art that judgest-Censurest, condemnest.
For in that thou judgest the other-The heathen.
Thou condemnest thyself; for thou doest the same things
-In effect; in many instances.
Verse 2. For we know-Without thy teaching That the
judgment of God-Not thine, who exceptest thyself from
its sentence. Is according to truth-Is just, making no
exception, # Rom 2:5,6,11; and reaches the heart as well
as the life, # Rom 2:16.
3. That thou shalt escape-Rather than the gentile.
Verse 4. Or despisest thou-Dost thou go farther still,
-from hoping to escape his wrath, to the abuse of his love?.
The riches-The abundance. Of his goodness, forbearance,
and longsuffering-Seeing thou both hast sinned, dost sin,
and wilt sin. All these are afterwards comprised in the single
word goodness. Leadeth thee-That is, is designed of God
to lead or encourage thee to it.
Verse 5. Treasurest up wrath-Although thou thinkest thou
art treasuring up all good things. O what a treasure may a man
lay up either way, in this short day of life! To thyself
-Not to him whom thou judgest. In the day of wrath, and
revelation, and righteous judgment of God-Just opposite to
"the goodness and forbearance and longsuffering" of God. When
God shall be revealed, then shall also be "revealed" the
secrets of men's hearts, # Rom 2:16.
Forbearance and revelation respect God, and are opposed to each
other; longsuffering and righteous judgment respect the sinner;
goodness and wrath are words of a more general import.
6. # Prov 24:12
7. To them that seek for glory-For pure love does
not exclude faith, hope, desire, # 1Cor 15:58.
Verse 8. But to them that are contentious-Like thee, O
Jew, who thus fightest against God. The character of a false
Jew is disobedience, stubbornness, impatience. Indignation
and wrath, tribulation and anguish-Alluding to
# Psalm 78:49: "He cast upon them," the Egyptians. "the
fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble;"
and finely intimating, that the Jews would in the day of
vengeance be more severely punished than even the Egyptians
were when God made their plagues so wonderful.
Verse 9. Of the Jew first-Here we have the first express
mention of the Jews in this chapter. And it is introduced
with great propriety. Their having been trained up in the true
religion, and having had Christ and his apostles first sent to
them, will place them in the foremost rank of the criminals
that obey not the truth.
Verse 10. But glory-Just opposite to "wrath," from the
divine approbation. Honour-Opposite to "indignation," by the
divine appointment; and peace now and for ever, opposed to
tribulation and anguish.
Verse 11. For there is no respect of persons with God-He
will reward every one according to his works. But this is
well consistent with his distributing advantages and
opportunities of improvement, according to his own good
pleasure.
Verse 12. For as many as have sinned-He speaks as of the
time past, for all time will be past at the day of judgment.
Without the law-Without having any written law. Shall
also perish without the law-Without regard had to any
outward law; being condemned by the law written in their
hearts. The word also shows the agreement of the manner of
sinning, with the manner of suffering. Perish-He could not
so properly say, Shall be judged without the law.
Verse 13. For not the hearers of the law are, even now,
just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified
-Finally acquitted and rewarded a most sure and important truth,
which respects the gentiles also, though principally the Jews.
St. Paul speaks of the former, # Rom 2:14, &c.; of the latter,
# Rom 2:17, &c. Here is therefore no parenthesis; for the
sixteenth verse also depends on the fifteenth, not on the twelfth.
# Rom 2:16,15,12.
Verse 14. For when the gentiles-That is, any of them. St.
Paul, having refuted the perverse judgment of the Jews
concerning the heathens, proceeds to show the just judgment of
God against them. He now speaks directly of the heathens, in
order to convince the heathens. Yet the concession he makes
to these serves more strongly to convince the Jews. Do by
nature-That is, without an outward rule; though this also,
strictly speaking, is by preventing grace. The things
contained in the law-The ten commandments being only the
substance of the law of nature. These, not having the written
law, are a law unto themselves-That is, what the law is
to the Jews, they are, by the grace of God, to themselves; namely,
a rule of life.
Verse 15. Who show-To themselves, to other men, and, in a
sense, to God himself. The work of the law-The substance,
though not the letter, of it. Written on their hearts-By the
same hand which wrote the commandments on the tables of stone.
Their conscience-There is none of all its faculties which
the soul has less in its power than this. Bearing witness-
In a trial there are the plaintiff, the defendant, and the
witnesses. Conscience and sin itself are witnesses against the
heathens. Their thoughts sometimes excuse, sometimes
condemn, them. Among themselves-Alternately, like plaintiff
and defendant. Accusing or even defending them-The very
manner of speaking shows that they have far more room to accuse
than to defend.
Verse 16. In the day-That is, who show this in the day.
Everything will then be shown to be what it really is. In
that day will appear the law written in their hearts as it
often does in the present life. When God shall judge the
secrets of men-On secret circumstances depends the real
quality of actions, frequently unknown to the actors themselves,
# Rom 2:29. Men generally form their judgments, even of
themselves merely from what is apparent. According to my gospel
-According to the tenor of that gospel which is committed to my
care. Hence it appears that the gospel also is a law.
Verse 17. But if thou art called a Jew-This highest point
of Jewish glorying, after a farther description of it
interposed, # Rom 2:17-20, and refuted, Rom 2:21-24, is
itself refuted, # Rom 2:25, &c. The description consists of
twice five articles; of which the former five, # Rom 2:17,18,
show what he boasts of in himself; the other five, # Rom 2:19,20,
what he glories in with respect to others. The first particular
of the former five answers to the first of the latter;
the second, to the second, and so on.
And restest in the law-Dependest on it, though it can
only condemn thee. And gloriest in God-As thy God; and
that, too, to the exclusion of others.
19. Blind, in darkness, ignorant, babes-These were
the titles which the Jews generally gave the gentiles.
20. Having the form of knowledge and truth-That is,
the most accurate knowledge of the truth.
Verse 21. Thou dost not teach thyself-He does not teach
himself who does not practise what he teaches. Dost thou
steal, commit adultery, commit sacrilege-Sin grievously
against thy neighbour, thyself, God. St. Paul had shown the
gentiles, first their sins against God, then against themselves,
then against their neighbours. He now inverts the order: for
sins against God are the most glaring in an heathen, but not in
a Jew. Thou that abhorrest idols-Which all the Jews did,
from the time of the Babylonish captivity. Thou committest
sacrilege-Doest what is worse, robbing Him "who is God over
all" of the glory which is due to him. None of these charges
were rashly advanced against the Jews of that age; for, as
their own historian relates, some even of the priests lived
by rapine, and others in gross uncleanness.
And as for sacrilegiously robbing God and his altar, it had
been complained of ever since Malachi; so that the instances
are given with great propriety and judgment.
24. # Isaiah 52:5
Verse 25. Circumcision indeed profiteth-He does not say,
justifies. How far it profited is shown in the third and
fourth chapters. Thy circumcision is become uncircumcision
-is so already in effect. Thou wilt have no more benefit by it
than if thou hadst never received it. The very same observation
holds with regard to baptism.
26. If the uncircumcision-That is, a person uncircumcised.
Keep the law-Walk agreeably to it.
Shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision
-In the sight of God?
Verse 27. Yea, the uncircumcision that is by nature-Those
who are, literally speaking, uncircumcised. Fulfilling the
law-As to the substance of it. Shall judge thee-Shall
condemn thee in that day. Who by the letter and circumcision
-Who having the bare, literal, external circumcision,
transgressest the law.
Verse 28. For he is not a Jew-In the most important sense,
that is, one of God's beloved people. Who is one in outward
show only; neither is that the true, acceptable circumcision,
which is apparent in the flesh.
Verse 29. But he is a Jew-That is, one of God's people.
Who is one inwardly-In the secret recesses of his soul.
And the acceptable circumcision is that of the heart
-Referring to # Deut 30:6; the putting away all inward
impurity. This is seated in the spirit, the inmost soul,
renewed by the Spirit of God. And not in the letter-Not
in the external ceremony. Whose praise is not from men,
but from God-The only searcher of the heart.
1. What then, may some say, is the advantage of the Jew, or
of the circumcision-That is, those that are circumcised,
above the gentiles?
Verse 2 Chiefly in that they were intrusted with the oracles
of God-The scriptures, in which are so great and precious
promises. Other prerogatives will follow, # Romans 9:4-5.
St. Paul here singles out this by which, after removing the
objection, he will convict them so much the more.
3. Shall their unbelief disannul the faithfulness of God-Will
he not still make good his promises to them that do believe?
4. # Psalm 2:4.
Verse 5. But, it may be farther objected, if our
unrighteousness be subservient to God's glory, is it not
unjust in him to punish us for it? I speak as a man-As
human weakness would be apt to speak.
Verse 6. God forbid-By no means. If it were unjust in God
to punish that unrighteousness which is subservient to his
own glory, how should God judge the world-Since all the
unrighteousness in the world will then commend the
righteousness of God.
Verse 7. But, may the objector reply, if the truth of
God hath abounded-Has been more abundantly shown. Through
my lie-If my lie, that is, practice contrary to truth,
conduces to the glory of God, by making his truth shine with
superior advantage. Why am I still judged as a sinner-Can
this be said to be any sin at all? Ought I not to do what
would otherwise be evil, that so much "good may come?" To
this the apostle does not deign to give a direct answer, but
cuts the objector short with a severe reproof.
Verse 8. Whose condemnation is just-The condemnation of
all who either speak or act in this manner. So the apostle
absolutely denies the lawfulness of " doing evil," any evil,
"that good may come."
9. What then-Here he resumes what he said, verse 1.
# Rom 3:1.
Under sin-Under the guilt and power of it: the Jews, by
transgressing the written law; the gentiles, by transgressing
the law of nature.
Verse 10. As it is written-That all men are under sin
appears from the vices which have raged in all ages. St. Paul
therefore rightly cites David and Isaiah, though they spoke
primarily of their own age, and expressed what manner of men
God sees, when he "looks down from heaven;" not what he makes
them by his grace. There is none righteous- This is the
general proposition. The particulars follow: their dispositions
and designs, # Rom 3:11,12; their discourse, # Rom 3:13,14;
their actions, # Rom 3:16-18. # Psalm 14:1, &c.
11. There is none that understandeth-The things of God.
Verse 12. They have all turned aside-From the good way.
They are become unprofitable-Helpless impotent, unable
to profit either themselves or others.
Verse 13. Their throat-Is noisome and dangerous as an
open sepulchre. Observe the progress of evil discourse,
proceeding out of the heart, through the throat, tongue, lips,
till the whole mouth is filled therewith. The poison of asps
-Infectious, deadly backbiting, tale-bearing, evil-speaking,
is under (for honey is on) their lips. An asp is a
venomous kind of serpent.
# Psalm 5:9; Psalm 140:3.
14. Cursing-Against God. Bitterness-Against their neighbour.
# Psalm 10:7.
15. # Isaiah 59:7,8
V. 17. Of peace-Which can only spring from righteousness.
V.18. The fear of God is not before their eyes-Much less is the love of
God in their heart. # Psalm 36:1.
Verse 19. Whatsoever the law-The Old Testament. Saith,
it saith to them that are under the law-That is, to those
who own its authority; to the Jews, and not the gentiles. St.
Paul quoted no scripture against them, but pleaded with them
only from the light of nature. Every mouth-Full of bitterness,
# Rom 3:14, and yet of boasting, # Rom 3:27.
May become guilty-May be fully convicted, and apparently liable
to most just condemnation. These things were written of old,
and were quoted by St. Paul, not to make men criminal, but
to prove them so.
Verse 20. No flesh shall be justified-None shall be
forgiven and accepted of God. By the works of the law-On
this ground, that he hath kept the law. St. Paul means
chiefly the moral part of it, # Rom 3:9,19 Rom 2:21,26; &c.
which alone is not abolished, # Rom 3:31. And it is not without
reason, that he so often mentions the works of the law,
whether ceremonial or moral; for it was on these only the Jews
relied, being wholly ignorant of those that spring from faith.
For by the law is only the knowledge of sin-But no
deliverance either from the guilt or power of it.
Verse 21. But now the righteousness of God-That is, the
manner of becoming righteous which God hath appointed.
Without the law-Without that previous obedience which
the law requires; without reference to the law, or dependence
on it. Is manifested-In the gospel. Being attested by
the Law itself, and by the Prophets-By all the
promises in the Old Testament.
Verse 22. To all-The Jews. And upon all-The gentiles
That believe: for there is no difference- Either as to the
need of justification, or the manner of it.
Verse 23. For all have sinned-In Adam, and in their own
persons; by a sinful nature, sinful tempers, and sinful
actions. And are fallen short of the glory of God-The
supreme end of man; short of his image on earth, and the
enjoyment of him in heaven.
Verse 24. And are justified-Pardoned and accepted.
Freely-Without any merit of their own. By his grace
-Not their own righteousness or works. Through the
redemption-The price Christ has paid. Freely by his
grace-One of these expressions might have served to convey
the apostle's meaning; but he doubles his assertion, in order
to give us the fullest conviction of the truth, and to impress
us with a sense of its peculiar importance. It is not
possible to find words that should more absolutely exclude all
consideration of our own works and obedience, or more
emphatically ascribe the whole of our justification to free,
unmerited goodness.
Verse 25. Whom God hath set forth-Before angels and men.
A propitiation-To appease an offended God. But if, as
some teach, God never was offended, there was no need of this
propitiation. And, if so, Christ died in vain. To declare
his righteousness-To demonstrate not only his clemency,
but his justice; even that vindictive justice whose essential
character and principal office is, to punish sin. By the
remission of past sins-All the sins antecedent to their
believing.
Verse 26. For a demonstration of his righteousness-Both of
his justice and mercy. That he might be just-Showing his
justice on his own Son. And yet the merciful justifier of
every one that believeth in Jesus. That he might be just
-Might evidence himself to be strictly and inviolably righteous
in the administration of his government, even while he is the
merciful justifier of the sinner that believeth in Jesus.
The attribute of justice must be preserved inviolate; and
inviolate it is preserved, if there was a real infliction of
punishment on our Saviour. On this plan all the attributes
harmonize; every attribute is glorified, and not one superseded
no, nor so much as clouded.
27. Where is the boasting then of the Jew against the gentile?
It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay-This would have
left room for boasting. But by the law of faith-Since this
requires all, without distinction, to apply as guilty and
helpless sinners, to the free mercy of God in Christ.
The law of faith is that divine constitution which makes faith,
not works, the condition of acceptance.
Verse 28. We conclude then that a man is justified by faith
-And even by this, not as it is a work, but as it receives Christ;
and, consequently, has something essentially different from all
our works whatsoever.
29. Surely of the gentiles also-As both nature and the
scriptures show.
30. Seeing it is one God who-Shows mercy to both,
and by the very same means.
Verse 31. We establish the law-Both the authority, purity,
and the end of it; by defending that which the law attests; by
pointing out Christ, the end of it; and by showing how it may
be fulfilled in its purity.
Chapter IV. Having proved it by argument, he now proves by
example, and such example as must have greater weight with the
Jews than any other.
1. That justification is by faith:
2. That it is free for the gentiles.
1. That our father Abraham hath found-Acceptance with God.
According to the flesh-That is, by works.
Verse 2. The meaning is, If Abraham had been justified by
works, he would have had room to glory. But he had not room
to glory. Therefore he was not justified by works.
Verse 3. Abraham believed God-That promise of God
concerning the numerousness of his seed, # Gen 15:5,7; but
especially the promise concerning Christ, # Gen 12:3, through
whom all nations should be blessed. And it was imputed to
him for righteousness-God accepted him as if he had been
altogether righteous. # Gen 15:6.
Verse 4. Now to him that worketh-All that the law
requires, the reward is no favour, but an absolute debt.
These two examples are selected and applied with the utmost
judgment and propriety. Abraham was the most illustrious
pattern of piety among the Jewish patriarchs. David was the
most eminent of their kings. If then neither of these was
justified by his own obedience, if they both obtained
acceptance with God, not as upright beings who might claim it,
but as sinful creatures who must implore it, the consequence
is glaring It is such as must strike every attentive
understanding, and must affect every individual person.
Verse 5. But to him that worketh not-It being impossible
he should without faith. But believeth, his faith is
imputed to him for righteousness -Therefore God's affirming
of Abraham, that faith was imputed to him for righteousness,
plainly shows that he worked not; or, in other words, that he
was not justified by works, but by faith only. Hence we see
plainly how groundless that opinion is, that holiness or
sanctification is previous to our justification. For the sinner,
being first convinced of his sin and danger by the Spirit of God,
stands trembling before the awful tribunal of divine justice ;
and has nothing to plead, but his own guilt, and the merits of
a Mediator. Christ here interposes; justice is satisfied; the
sin is remitted, and pardon is applied to the soul, by a divine
faith wrought by the Holy Ghost, who then begins the great work
of inward sanctification. Thus God justifies the ungodly, and yet
remains just, and true to all his attributes! But let none
hence presume to "continue in sin;" for to the impenitent, God
"is a consuming fire." On him that justifieth the ungodly
-If a man could possibly be made holy before he was justified,
it would entirely set his justification aside; seeing he could
not, in the very nature of the thing, be justified if he were
not, at that very time, ungodly.
Verse 6. So David also-David is fitly introduced after
Abraham, because be also received and delivered down the
promise. Affirmeth-A man is justified by faith alone,
and not by works. Without works-That is, without regard
to any former good works supposed to have been done by him.
Verse 7. Happy are they whose sins are covered-With the
veil of divine mercy. If there be indeed such a thing as
happiness on earth, it is the portion of that man whose
iniquities are forgiven, and who enjoys the manifestation of
that pardon. Well may he endure all the afflictions of life
with cheerfulness, and look upon death with comfort. O let us
not contend against it, but earnestly pray that this happiness
may be ours! # Psalm 32:1,2.
Verse 9. This happiness-Mentioned by Abraham and David.
On the circumcision-Those that are circumcised only.
Faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousness-This is
fully consistent with our being justified, that is, pardoned
and accepted by God upon our believing, for the sake of what
Christ hath done and suffered. For though this, and this
alone, be the meritorious cause of our acceptance with God,
yet faith may be said to be "imputed to us for righteousness,"
as it is the sole condition of our acceptance. We may observe
here, forgiveness, not imputing sin, and imputing
righteousness, are all one.
10. Not in circumcision-Not after he was circumcised; for he
was justified before Ishmael was born, # Gen 15:1-21; but he was
not circumcised till Ishmael was thirteen years old, # Gen 17:25.
Verse 11. And-After he was justified. He received the
sign of circumcision-Circumcision, which was a sign or token
of his being in covenant with God. A seal-An assurance on
God's part, that he accounted him righteous, upon his believing,
before he was circumcised. Who believe in uncircumcision
-That is, though they are not circumcised.
Verse 12. And the father of the circumcision-Of those who
are circumcised, and believe as Abraham did. To those who
believe not, Abraham is not a father, neither are they his seed.
Verse 13. The promise, that he should be the heir of the world
-Is the same as that he should be "the father of all nations,"
namely, of those in all nations who receive the blessing.
The whole world was promised to him and them conjointly.
Christ is the heir of the world, and of all things; and so are all
Abraham's seed, all that believe in him with the faith of Abraham
Verse 14. If they only who are of the law-Who have kept the
whole law. Are heirs, faith is made void-No blessing being
to be obtained by it; and so the promise is of no effect.
Verse 15. Because the law-Considered apart from that
grace, which though it was in fact mingled with it, yet is no
part of the legal dispensation, is so difficult, and we so
weak and sinful, that, instead of bringing us a blessing, it
only worketh wrath; it becomes to us an occasion of wrath,
and exposes us to punishment as transgressors. Where there
is no law in force, there can be no transgression of it.
Verse 16. Therefore it-The blessing. Is of faith, that it
might be of grace-That it might appear to flow from the free
love of God, and that the promise might be firm, sure, and
effectual, to all the spiritual seed of Abraham; not only
Jews, but gentiles also, if they follow his faith.
Verse 17. Before God-Though before men nothing of this appeared,
those nations being then unborn. As quickening the dead -The dead
are not dead to him and even the things that are not, are before God.
And calling the things that are not-Summoning them to rise into
being, and appear before him. The seed of Abraham did not then exist;
yet God said, "So shall thy seed be." A man can say to his servant
actually existing, Do this; and he doeth it: but God saith to the light,
while it does not exist, Go forth; and it goeth.
# Gen 17:5.
Verses 18-21. The Apostle shows the power and excellence of that
faith to which he ascribes justification. Who against hope
-Against all probability, believed and hoped in the promise. The
same thing is apprehended both by faith and hope; by faith, as a
thing which God has spoken; by hope, as a good thing which God has
promised to us. So shall thy seed be-Both natural and spiritual,
as the stars of heaven for multitude.
# Gen 15:5.
19. See note ... "Ro 4:18"
20. See note ... "Ro 4:18"
21. See note ... "Ro 4:18"
23. On his account only-To do personal honour to him.
Verse 24. But on ours also-To establish us in seeking
justification by faith, and not by works; and to afford a full
answer to those who say that, " to be justified by works means
only, by Judaism; to be justified by faith means, by embracing
Christianity, that is, the system of doctrines so called."
Sure it is that Abraham could not in this sense be justified
either by faith or by works; and equally sure that David
(taking the words thus) was justified by works, and not by
faith. Who raised up Jesus from the dead-As he did in a
manner both Abraham and Sarah. If we believe on him who
raised up Jesus-God the Father therefore is the proper
object of justifying faith. It is observable, that St. Paul
here, in speaking both of our faith and of the faith of Abraham,
puts a part for the whole. And he mentions that part, with
regard to Abraham, which would naturally affect the Jews most.
Verse 25. Who was delivered-To death. For our offences
-As an atonement for them. And raised for our justification
-To empower us to receive that atonement by faith.
Verse 1. Being justified by faith-This is the sum of the preceding
chapters. We have peace with God-Being enemies to God no longer,
# Rom 5:10; neither fearing his wrath, # Rom 5:9.
We have peace, hope, love, and power over sin, the sum of the
fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters. These are the fruits
of justifying faith: where these are not, that faith is not.
2. Into this grace-This state of favour.
Verse 3. We glory in tribulations also-Which we are so far
from esteeming a mark of God's displeasure, that we receive
them as tokens of his fatherly love, whereby we are prepared
for a more exalted happiness. The Jews objected to the
persecuted state of the Christians as inconsistent with the
people of the Messiah. It is therefore with great propriety
that the apostle so often mentions the blessings arising from
this very thing.
Verse 4. And patience works more experience of the
sincerity of our grace, and of God's power and faithfulness.
Verse 5. Hope shameth us not-That is, gives us the highest
glorying. We glory in this our hope, because the love of God is
shed abroad in our hearts-The divine conviction of God's love
to us, and that love to God which is both the earnest and the
beginning of heaven. By the Holy Ghost-The efficient cause
of all these present blessings, and the earnest of those to come.
Verse 6. How can we now doubt of God's love? For when we were
without strength-Either to think, will, or do anything good.
In due time-Neither too soon nor too late; but in that very
point of time which the wisdom of God knew to be more proper than
any other. Christ died for the ungodly-Not only to set them a
pattern, or to procure them power to follow it. It does not appear
that this expression, of dying for any one, has any other
signification than that of rescuing the life of another by laying
down our own.
Verse 7. A just man-One who gives to all what is strictly
their due The good man-One who is eminently holy; full of
love, of compassion, kindness, mildness, of every heavenly and
amiable temper. Perhaps-one-would-even-dare to die-Every
word increases the strangeness of the thing, and declares even
this to be something great and unusual.
Verse 8. But God recommendeth-A most elegant expression.
Those are wont to be recommended to us, who were before either
unknown to, or alienated from, us. While we were sinners
-So far from being good, that we were not even just.
Verse 9. By his blood-By his bloodshedding. We shall be saved
from wrath through him-That is, from all the effects of the
wrath of God. But is there then wrath in God? Is not wrath a
human passion? And how can this human passion be in God? We may
answer this by another question: Is not love a human passion? And
how can this human passion be in God? But to answer directly:
wrath in man, and so love in man, is a human passion. But wrath
in God is not a human passion; nor is love, as it is in God.
Therefore the inspired writers ascribe both the one and the other
to God only in an analogical sense.
Verse 10. If-As sure as; so the word frequently signifies;
particularly in this and the eighth chapter. We shalt be saved
-Sanctified and glorified. Through his life-Who "ever liveth
to make intercession for us."
Verse 11. And not only so, but we also glory-The whole sentence,
from the third to the eleventh verse, may be taken together thus:
We not only "rejoice in hope of the glory of God," but also
in the midst of tribulations we glory in God himself through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Verse 12. Therefore-This refers to all the preceding discourse;
from which the apostle infers what follows. He does not therefore
properly make a digression, but returns to speak again of sin and of
righteousness. As by one man- Adam; who is mentioned, and not Eve,
as being the representative of mankind. Sin entered into the world
-Actual sin, and its consequence, a sinful nature. And death-With
all its attendants. It entered into the world when it entered into
being; for till then it did not exist. By sin-Therefore it could not
enter before sin. Even so-Namely, by one man. In that-So the
word is used also, # 2Cor 5:4.
All sinned-In Adam. These words assign the reason why death came
upon all men; infants themselves not excepted, in that all sinned.
Verse 13. For until the law sin was in the world-All, I say,
had sinned, for sin was in the world long before the written law;
but, I grant, sin is not so much imputed, nor so severely
punished by God, where there is no express law to convince men of it.
Yet that all had sinned, even then, appears in that all died.
Verse 14. Death reigned-And how vast is his kingdom! Scarce can
we find any king who has as many subjects, as are the kings whom he
hath conquered. Even over them that had not sinned after the
likeness of Adam's transgression-Even over infants who had never
sinned, as Adam did, in their own persons; and over others who had
not, like him, sinned against an express law. Who is the figure of
him that was to come-Each of them being a public person, and a
federal head of mankind. The one, the fountain of sin and death to
mankind by his offence; the other, of righteousness and life by his
free gift.
Thus far the apostle shows the agreement between the first and second
Adam: afterward he shows the differences between them. The agreement
may be summed up thus: As by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; so by one man righteousness entered into the world, and
life by righteousness. As death passed upon all men, in that all had
sinned; so life passed upon all men, (who are in the second Adam by
faith,) in that all are justified. And as death through the sin of
the first Adam reigned even over them who had not sinned after
the likeness of Adam's transgression; so through the righteousness
of Christ, even those who have not obeyed, after the likeness of his
obedience, shall reign in life. We may add, As the sin of Adam, without
the sins which we afterwards committed, brought us death ; so the
righteousness of Christ, without the good works which we afterwards
perform, brings us life: although still every good, as well as evil,
work, will receive its due reward.
Verse 15. Yet not-St. Paul now describes the difference between Adam
and Christ; and that much more directly and expressly than the agreement
between them. Now the fall and the free gift differ,
1. In amplitude, # Rom 5:15.
2. He from whom sin came, and He from whom the free gift came, termed
also "the gift of righteousness," differ in power, # Rom 5:16.
3. The reason of both is subjoined, # Rom 5:17.
4. This premised, the offence and the free gift are compared,
with regard to their effect, # Rom 5:18,
and with regard to their cause, # Rom 5:19.
Verse 16. The sentence was by one offence to Adam's condemnation
-Occasioning the sentence of death to pass upon him, which, by
consequence, overwhelmed his posterity. But the free gift is of
many offences unto justification-Unto the purchasing it for all
men, notwithstanding many offences.
Verse 17. There is a difference between grace and the gift.
Grace is opposed to the offence; the gift, to death,
being the gift of life.
Verse 18. Justification of life-Is that sentence of God,
by which a sinner under sentence of death is adjudged to life.
Verse 19. As by the disobedience of one man many (that is,
all men) were constituted sinners-Being then in the loins
of their first parent, the common head and representative of
them all. So by the obedience of one-By his obedience
unto death; by his dying for us. Many-All that believe.
Shall be constituted righteous-Justified, pardoned.
Verse 20. The law came in between-The offence and the free gift.
That the offence might abound-That is, the consequence (not the
design) of the law's coming in was, not the taking away of sin, but
the increase of it. Yet where sin abounded, grace did much more abound
-Not only in the remission of that sin which Adam brought on us, but
of all our own; not only in remission of sins, but infusion of
holiness; not only in deliverance from death, but admission to
everlasting life, a far more noble and excellent life than that which
we lost by Adam's fall.
Verse 21. That as sin had reigned-so grace also might reign-Which
could not reign before the fall; before man had sinned. Through
righteousness to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord-Here is
pointed out the source of all our blessings, the rich and free grace
of God. The meritorious cause; not any works of righteousness of man,
but the alone merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. The effect or end of all;
not only pardon, but life; divine life, leading to glory.
Verse 1. The apostle here sets himself more fully to vindicate his
doctrine from the consequence above suggested, # Rom 3:7,8.
He had then only in strong terms denied and renounced it: here he
removes the very foundation thereof.
2. Dead to sin-Freed both from the guilt and from the power of it.
Verse 3. As many as have been baptized into Jesus Christ have
been baptized into his death-In baptism we, through faith, are
ingrafted into Christ; and we draw new spiritual life from this
new root, through his Spirit, who fashions us like unto him, and
particularly with regard to his death and resurrection.
Verse 4. We are buried with him-Alluding to the ancient manner
of baptizing by immersion. That as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory-Glorious power. Of the Father, so we also,
by the same power, should rise again; and as he lives a new life
in heaven, so we should walk in newness of life. This, says the
apostle, our very baptism represents to us.
5. For-Surely these two must go together; so that if we are
indeed made conformable to his death, we shall also know
the power of his resurrection.
Verse 6. Our old man-Coeval with our being, and as old as the
fall; our evil nature; a strong and beautiful expression for that
entire depravity and corruption which by nature spreads itself
over the whole man, leaving no part uninfected. This in a
believer is crucified with Christ, mortified, gradually killed, by
virtue of our union with him.
That the body of sin-All evil tempers, words, and actions,
which are the "members" of the "old man," # Col 3:5,
might be destroyed.
Verse 7. For he that is dead-With Christ. Is freed from the guilt
of past, and from the power of present, sin, as dead men from the
commands of their former masters.
8. Dead with Christ-Conformed to his death, by dying to sin.
10. He died to sin-To atone for and abolish it. He liveth
unto God-A glorious eternal life, such as we shall live also.
12. Let not sin reign even in your mortal body-It must be
subject to death, but it need not be subject to sin.
13. Neither present your members to sin-To corrupt nature,
a mere tyrant. But to God-Your lawful King.
Verse 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you-It has neither
right nor power. For ye are not under the law-A dispensation of
terror and bondage, which only shows sin, without enabling you
to conquer it. But under grace-Under the merciful dispensation
of the gospel, which brings complete victory over it to every one
who is under the powerful influences of the Spirit of Christ.
Verse 17. The form of doctrine into which ye have been delivered
-Literally it is, The mould into which ye have been delivered;
which, as it contains a beautiful allusion, conveys also a very
instructive admonition; intimating that our minds, all pliant and
ductile, should be conformed to the gospel precepts, as liquid
metal, take the figure of the mould into which they are cast.
Verse 18. Being then set free from sin-We may see the
apostles method thus far at one view:-
Chap. Ver.
1. Bondage to sin # Ro 3:9
2. The knowledge of sin by the law; a
sense of God's wrath; inward death # Ro 3:20
3. The revelation of the righteousness
of God in Christ through the gospel # Ro 3:21
4. The centre of all, faith, embracing
that righteousness # Ro 3:22
5. Justification, whereby God forgives all
past sin, and freely accepts the sinner # Ro 3:24
6. The gift of the Holy Ghost; a sense of # Ro 5:5,
God's love new inward life # Ro 6:4
7. The free service of righteousness # Ro 6:12
Verse 19. I speak after the manner of men-Thus it is necessary
that the scripture should let itself down to the language of men.
Because of the weakness of your flesh-Slowness of understanding
flows from the weakness of the flesh, that is, of human nature.
As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and
iniquity unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of
righteousness unto holiness-Iniquity (whereof uncleanness is
an eminent part) is here opposed to righteousness; and unto
iniquity is the opposite of unto holiness. Righteousness
here is a conformity to the divine will; holiness, to the
whole divine nature. Observe, they who are servants of
righteousness go on to holiness; but they who are servants
to iniquity get no farther. Righteousness is service, because
we live according to the will of another; but liberty, because of our
inclination to it, and delight in it.
Verse 20 When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from
righteousness-In all reason, therefore, ye ought now to be free
from unrighteousness; to be as uniform and zealous in serving
God as ye were in serving the devil.
21. Those things-He speaks of them as afar off.
Verse 23. Death-Temporal, spiritual, and eternal. Is the due
wages of sin; but eternal life is the gift of God-The difference
is remarkable. Evil works merit the reward they receive: good works
do not. The former demand wages: the latter accept a free gift.
Verse 1. The apostle continues the comparison between the
former and the present state of a believer, and at the same time
endeavours to wean the Jewish believers from their fondness for
the Mosaic law. I speak to them that know the law-To the Jews
chiefly here. As long-So long, and no longer. As it liveth
-The law is here spoken of, by a common figure, as a person, to
which, as to an husband, life and death are ascribed. But he
speaks indifferently of the law being dead to us, or we to it,
the sense being the same.
Verse 2. She is freed from the law of her husband-From that law
which gave him a peculiar property in her.
Verse 4. Thus ye also-Are now as free from the Mosaic law as an
husband is, when his wife is dead. By the body of Christ-Offered
up; that is, by the merits of his death, that law expiring with him.
Verse 5. When ye were in the flesh-Carnally minded, in a state of
nature; before we believed in Christ. Our sins which were by the
law-Accidentally occasioned, or irritated thereby. Wrought in
our members-Spread themselves all over the whole man.
Verse 6. Being dead to that whereby we were held-To our old
husband, the law. That we might serve in newness of spirit-In a
new, spiritual manner. And not in the oldness of the letter-Not in
a bare literal, external way, as we did before.
Verse 7. What shall we say then-This is a kind of a digression, to
the beginning of the next chapter, wherein the apostle, in order to
show in the most lively manner the weakness and inefficacy of
the law, changes the person and speaks as of himself, concerning
the misery of one under the law. This St. Paul frequently does,
when he is not speaking of his own person, but only assuming
another character, # Rom 3:5, 1Cor 10:30, 1Cor 4:6.
The character here assumed is that of a man, first ignorant of
the law, then under it and sincerely, but ineffectually, striving
to serve God. To have spoken this of himself, or any true
believer, would have been foreign to the whole scope of his
discourse; nay, utterly contrary thereto, as well as to what is
expressly asserted, # Rom 8:2.
Is the law sin-Sinful in itself, or a promoter of sin.
I had not known lust-That is, evil desire. I had not known
it to be a sin; nay, perhaps I should not have known that any such
desire was in me: it did not appear, till it was stirred up by the
prohibition.
Verse 8. But sin-My inbred corruption. Taking occasion by the
commandment-Forbidding, but not subduing it, was only fretted,
and wrought in me so much the more all manner of evil desire.
For while I was without the knowledge of the law, sin was dead
-Neither so apparent, nor so active; nor was I under the least
apprehensions of any danger from it.
Verse 9. And I was once alive without the law-Without the close
application of it. I had much life, wisdom, virtue, strength: so
I thought. But when the commandment-That is, the law, a part put
for the whole; but this expression particularly intimates its
compulsive force, which restrains, enjoins, urges, forbids,
threatens. Came-In its spiritual meaning, to my heart, with the
power of God. Sin revived, and I died-My inbred sin took fire,
and all my virtue and strength died away; and I then saw myself
to be dead in sin, and liable to death eternal.
10. The commandment which was intended for life-Doubtless it was
originally intended by God as a grand means of preserving and
increasing spiritual life, and leading to life everlasting.
Verse 11. Deceived me-While I expected life by the law, sin
came upon me unawares and slew all my hopes.
Verse 12. The commandment-That is, every branch of the law. Is
holy, and just, and good-It springs from, and partakes of, the
holy nature of God; it is every way just and right in itself; it is
designed wholly for the good of man.
Verse 13. Was then that which is good made the cause of evil to me;
yea, of death, which is the greatest of evil? Not so. But it
was sin, which was made death to me, inasmuch as it wrought death
in me even by that which is good-By the good law. So that sin
by the commandment became exceeding sinful-The consequence of
which was, that inbred sin, thus driving furiously in spite of
the commandment, became exceeding sinful; the guilt thereof being
greatly aggravated.
14. I am carnal-St. Paul, having compared together the past and
present state of believers, that "in the flesh," # Rom 7:5, and
that "in the spirit," # Rom 7:6, in answering two objections,
(Is then the law sin? # Rom 7:7, and,
Is the law death? # Rom 7:13,) interweaves the whole process of
a man reasoning, groaning, striving, and escaping from the legal
to the evangelical state.
This he does from # Rom 7:7, to the end of this chapter.
Sold under sin-Totally enslaved; slaves bought with money were
absolutely at their master's disposal.
16. It is good-This single word implies all the three that
were used before, # Rom 7:12, "holy, just, and good."
Verse 17. It is no more I that can properly be said to do it, but
rather sin that dwelleth in me-That makes, as it were, another
person, and tyrannizes over me.
Verse 18. In my flesh-The flesh here signifies the whole man as
he is by nature.
Verse 21. I find then a law-An inward constraining power,
flowing from the dictate of corrupt nature.
Verse 22. For I delight in the law of God-This is more than
"I consent to," # Rom 7:16. The day of liberty draws near.
The inward man-Called the mind,
# Rom 7:23,25.
Verse 23. But I see another law in my members-Another inward
constraining power of evil inclinations and bodily appetites.
Warring against the law of my mind-The dictate of my mind,
which delights in the law of God. And captivating me-In spite
of all my resistance
Verse 24. Wretched man that I am-The struggle is now come to
the height; and the man, finding there is no help in himself,
begins almost unawares to pray, Who shall deliver me? He then
seeks and looks for deliverance, till God in Christ appears to
answer his question. The word which we translate deliver, implies
force. And indeed without this there can be no deliverance. The
body of this death-That is, this body of death; this mass of sin,
leading to death eternal, and cleaving as close to me as my body
to my soul. We may observe, the deliverance is not wrought yet.
Verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord-That is,
God will deliver me through Christ. But the apostle, as his
frequent manner is, beautifully interweaves his assertion with
thanksgiving;' the hymn of praise answering in a manner to the
voice of sorrow, "Wretched man that I am!" So then-He here
sums up the whole, and concludes what he began, # Rom 7:7.
I myself-Or rather that I, the person whom I am personating, till
this deliverance is wrought. Serve the law of God with my mind
-My reason and conscience declare for God. But with my flesh
the law of sin-But my corrupt passions and appetites still rebel.
The man is now utterly weary of his bondage, and upon the brink
of liberty.
Verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation-Either for
things present or past. Now he comes to deliverance and liberty.
The apostle here resumes the thread of his discourse, which was
interrupted, # Rom 7:7.
Verse 2. The law of the Spirit-That is, the gospel. Hath freed
me from the law of sin and death-That is, the Mosaic dispensation.
Verse 3. For what the law-Of Moses. Could not do, in that it
was weak through the flesh-Incapable of conquering our evil
nature. If it could, God needed not to have sent his own Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh-We with our sinful flesh were devoted
to death. But God sending his own Son, in the likeness of that
flesh, though pure from sin, condemned that sin which was in
our flesh; gave sentence, that sin should be destroyed, and the
believer wholly delivered from it.
Verse 4. That the righteousness of the law-The holiness it
required, described, # Rom 8:11.
Might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit-Who are guided in all our thoughts, words, and
actions, not by corrupt nature, but by the Spirit of God. From
this place St. Paul describes primarily the state of believers,
and that of unbelievers only to illustrate this.
Verse 5. They that are after the flesh-Who remain under the
guidance of corrupt nature. Mind the things of the flesh-Have
their thoughts and affections fixed on such things as gratify
corrupt nature; namely, on things visible and temporal; on things
of the earth, on pleasure, (of sense or imagination,) praise, or
riches. But they who are after the Spirit-Who are under his
guidance. Mind the things of the Spirit-Think of, relish, love
things invisible, eternal; the things which the Spirit hath
revealed, which he works in us, moves us to, and promises to
give us.
Verse 6. For to be carnally minded-That is, to mind the things of
the flesh. Is death-The sure mark of spiritual death, and the way
to death everlasting. But to be spiritually minded-That is, to
mind the things of the Spirit. Is life-A sure mark of spiritual
life, and the way to life everlasting. And attended with peace
-The peace of God, which is the foretaste of life everlasting; and
peace with God, opposite to the enmity mentioned in the next verse.
7. Enmity against God-His existence, power, and providence.
8. They who are in the flesh-Under the government of it.
Verse 9. In the Spirit-Under his government. If any man have
not the Spirit of Christ-Dwelling and governing in him. He is
none of his-He is not a member of Christ; not a Christian; not in
a state of salvation. A plain, express declaration, which admits of
no exception. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!
Verse 10. Now if Christ be in you-Where the Spirit of Christ is,
there is Christ. The body indeed is dead-Devoted to death.
Because of sin-Heretofore committed. But the Spirit is life
-Already truly alive. Because of righteousness-Now attained.
From # Rom 8:13, St. Paul, having finished what he had begun,
# Rom 6:1, describes purely the state of believers.
12. We are not debtors to the flesh-We ought not to follow it.
Verse 13. The deeds of the flesh-Not only evil actions, but evil
desires, tempers, thoughts. If ye mortify-Kill, destroy these.
Ye shall live-The life of faith more abundantly here, and hereafter
the life of glory.
14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God-In all the ways
of righteousness. They are the sons of God-Here St. Paul enters
upon the description of those blessings which he comprises, # Ro 8:30,
in the word glorified; though, indeed, he does not describe mere
glory, but that which is still mingled with the cross. The sum
is, through sufferings to glory.
Verse 15. For ye-Who are real Christians. Have not received
the spirit of bondage-The Holy Ghost was not properly a spirit of
bondage, even in the time of the Old Testament. Yet there was
something of bondage remaining even in those who then had received
the Spirit. Again-As the Jews did before. We-All and every
believer. Cry-The word denotes a vehement speaking, with desire,
confidence, constancy. Abba, Father-The latter word explains the
former. By using both the Syriac and the Greek word, St. Paul seems
to point out the joint cry both of the Jewish and gentile believers.
The spirit of bondage here seems directly to mean, those operations
of the Holy Spirit by which the soul, on its first conviction, feels
itself in bondage to sin, to the world, to Satan, and obnoxious to the
wrath of God. This, therefore, and the Spirit of adoption, are one
and the same Spirit, only manifesting itself in various operations,
according to the various circumstances of the persons.
Verse 16. The same Spirit beareth witness with our spirit-With
the spirit of every true believer, by a testimony distinct from
that of his own spirit, or the testimony of a good conscience.
Happy they who enjoy this clear and constant.
Verse 17. Joint heirs-That we may know it is a great inheritance
which God will give us for he hath given a great one to his Son.
If we suffer with him-Willingly and cheerfully, for righteousness'
sake. This is a new proposition, referring to what follows.
Verse 18. For I reckon-This verse gives the reason why he but
now mentioned sufferings and glory. When that glory "shall be
revealed in us," then the sons of God will be revealed also.
Verse 19. For the earnest expectation-The word denotes a lively
hope of something drawing near, and a vehement longing after it.
Of the creation-Of all visible creatures, believers excepted,
who are spoken of apart; each kind, according as it is capable.
All these have been sufferers through sin; and to all these (the
finally impenitent excepted) shall refreshment redound from the
glory of the children of God. Upright heathens are by no means
to be excluded from this earnest expectation: nay, perhaps
something of it may at some times be found even in the vainest of
men; who (although in the hurry of life they mistake vanity for
liberty, and partly stifle. partly dissemble, their groans, yet)
in their sober, quiet, sleepless, afflicted hours, pour forth many
sighs in the ear of God.
Verse 20. The creation was made subject to vanity-Abuse, misery,
and corruption. By him who subjected it-Namely, God,
# Gen 3:17, 5:29. Adam only made it liable to the sentence which
God pronounced; yet not without hope.
Verse 21. The creation itself shall be delivered-Destruction is not
deliverance: therefore whatsoever is destroyed, or ceases to be, is
not delivered at all. Will, then, any part of the creation be
destroyed? Into the glorious liberty-The excellent state wherein
they were created.
Verse 22. For the whole creation groaneth together-With joint
groans, as it were with one voice. And travaileth-Literally,
is in the pains of childbirth, to be delivered of the burden of
the curse. Until now-To this very hour; and so on till the time
of deliverance.
Verse 23. And even we, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit
-That is, the Spirit, who is the first-fruits of our inheritance.
The adoption-Persons who had been privately adopted among the
Romans were often brought forth into the forum, and there publicly
owned as their sons by those who adopted them. So at the general
resurrection, when the body itself is redeemed from death, the sons
of God shall be publicly owned by him in the great assembly of men
and angels. The redemption of our body-From corruption to glory
and immortality.
24. For we are saved by hope-Our salvation is now only in
hope. We do not yet possess this full salvation.
Verse 26. Likewise the Spirit-Nay, not only the universe, not only
the children of God, but the Spirit of God also himself, as it
were, groaneth, while he helpeth our infirmities, or weaknesses.
Our understandings are weak, particularly in the things of God our
desires are weak; our prayers are weak. We know not-Many times.
What we should pray for-Much less are we able to pray for it as
we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us-In our hearts,
even as Christ does in heaven. With groanings-The matter of which
is from ourselves, but the Spirit forms them; and they are
frequently inexpressible, even by the faithful themselves.
Verse 27. But he who searcheth the hearts-Wherein the Spirit
dwells and intercedes. Knoweth-Though man cannot utter it.
What is the mind of the Spirit, for he maketh intercession for the
saints-Who are near to God. According to God-According to his
will, as is worthy of God. and acceptable to him.
Verse 28. And we know-This in general; though we do not always
know particularly what to pray for. That all things-Ease or pain,
poverty or riches, and the ten thousand changes of life. Work
together for good-Strongly and sweetly for spiritual and eternal
good. To them that are called according to his purpose-His
gracious design of saving a lost world by the death of his Son.
This is a new proposition. St. Paul, being about to recapitulate
the whole blessing contained in justification, (termed
"glorification," # Rom 8:30,) first goes back to the purpose or
decree of God, which is frequently mentioned in holy writ.
To explain this (nearly in the words of an eminent writer) a
little more at large:-When a man has a work of time and importance
before him, he pauses, consults, and contrives; and when he has
laid a plan, resolves or decrees to proceed accordingly. Having
observed this in ourselves, we are ready to apply it to God also;
and he, in condescension to us has applied it to himself.
The works of providence and redemption are vast and stupendous,
and therefore we are apt to conceive of God as deliberating and
consulting on them, and then decreeing to act according to "the
counsel of his own will;" as if, long before the world was made,
he had been concerting measures both as to the making and governing
of it, and had then writ down his decrees, which altered not, any
more than the laws of the Medes and Persians. Whereas, to take
this consulting and decreeing in a literal sense, would be the
same absurdity as to ascribe a real human body and human passions
to the ever-blessed God.
This is only a popular representation of his infallible knowledge
and unchangeable wisdom; that is, he does all things as wisely as a
man can possibly do, after the deepest consultation, and as steadily
pursues the most proper method as one can do who has laid a scheme
beforehand. But then, though the effects be such as would argue
consultation and consequent decrees in man, yet what need of a
moment's consultation in Him who sees all things at one view?
Nor had God any more occasion to pause and deliberate, and lay
down rules for his own conduct from all eternity, than he has now.
What was there any fear of his mistaking afterwards, if he had not
beforehand prepared decrees, to direct him what he was to do? Will
any man say, he was wiser before the creation than since? or had he
then more leisure, that he should take that opportunity to settle
his affairs, and make rules (or himself, from which he was never
to vary?
He has doubtless the same wisdom and all other perfections at this
day which he had from eternity; and is now as capable of making
decrees, or rather has no more occasion for them now than formerly:
his understanding being always equally clear and bright, his wisdom
equally infallible.
Verse 29. Whom he foreknew, he also predestinated conformable
to the image of his Son-Here the apostle declares who those are
whom he foreknew and predestinated to glory; namely, those who are
conformable to the image of his Son. This is the mark of those who
are foreknown and will be glorified, # 2Tim 2:19.
# Php 3:10,21.
Verse 30. Them he-In due time. Called-By his gospel and his
Spirit. And whom he called-When obedient to the heavenly calling,
# Acts 26:19.
He also justified-Forgave and accepted. And whom he justified
-Provided they "continued in his goodness," # Rom 11:22,
he in the end glorified-St. Paul does not affirm, either here
or in any other part of his writings. that precisely the same
number of men are called, justified, and glorified. He does not
deny that a believer may fall away and be cut off between his
special calling and his glorification, # Rom 11:22.
Neither does he deny that many are called who never are justified.
He only affirms that this is the method whereby God leads us step
by step toward heaven. He glorified-He speaks as one looking
back from the goal, upon the race of faith. Indeed grace, as it
is glory begun, is both an earnest and a foretaste of eternal glory.
Verse 31. What shall we say then to these things-Related in the
third, fifth, and eighth chapters? As if he had said, We cannot
go, think, or wish anything farther. If God be for us-Here follow
four periods, one general and three particular. Each begins with
glorying in the grace of God, which is followed by a question
suitable to it, challenging all opponents to all which, "I am
persuaded," &c., is a general answer. The general period is, If
God be for us, who can be against us? The first particular
period, relating to the past time, is, He that spared not his own
Son, how shall he not freely give us all things? The second,
relating to the present, is, It is God that justifieth. Who is he
that condemneth? The third, relating to the future, is, It is
Christ that died-Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Verse 32. He that-This period contains four sentences: He
spared not his own Son; therefore he will freely give us all
things. He delivered him up for us all; therefore, none can
lay anything to our charge. Freely-For all that follows
justification is a free gift also. All things-Needful or
profitable for us.
Verse 33. God's elect-The above-cited author observes, that
long before the coming of Christ the heathen world revolted from
the true God, and were therefore reprobated, or rejected.
But the nation of the Jews were chosen to be the people of God,
and were therefore styled,
"the children" or "sons of God," # Deut 14:1;
"holy people," # Deut 7:6; 14:2;
"a chosen seed," # Deut 4:37;
"the elect," # Isaiah 41:8,9; 43:10;
"the called of God," # Isaiah 48:12.
And these titles were given to all the nation of Israel,
including both good and bad.
Now the gospel having the most strict connexion with the Books
of the Old Testament, where these phrases frequently occur; and
our Lord and his apostles being native Jews, and beginning to
preach in the land of Israel, the language in which they preached
would of course abound with the phrases of the Jewish nation.
And hence it is easy to see why such of them as would not receive
him were styled reprobated. For they no longer continued to be
the people of God; whereas this and those other honourable titles
were continued to all such Jews as embraced Christianity. And the
same appellations which once belonged to the Jewish nation were now
given to the gentile Christians also together with which they were
invested with all the privileges of "the chosen people of God;" and
nothing could cut them off from these but their own wilful apostasy.
It does not appear that even good men were ever termed God's elect
till above two thousand years from the creation. God's electing or
choosing the nation of Israel, and separating them from the other
nations, who were sunk in idolatry and all wickedness, gave the first
occasion to this sort of language. And as the separating the
Christians from the Jews was a like event, no wonder it was
expressed in like words and phrases only with this difference, the
term elect was of old applied to all the members of the visible
church; whereas in the New Testament it is applied only to the
members of the invisible.
Verse 34. Yea rather, that is risen-Our faith should not stop at
his death, but be exercised farther on his resurrection, kingdom,
second coming. Who maketh intercession for us-Presenting there
his obedience, his sufferings, his prayers, and our prayers
sanctified through him.
Verse 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ-Toward
us? Shall affliction or distress-He proceeds in order, from
less troubles to greater: can any of these separate us from his
protection in it ; and, if he sees good, deliverance from it?
36. All the day-That is, every day, continually.
We are accounted-By our enemies; by ourselves.
# Psa 44:22.
Verse 37. We more than conquer-We are not only no losers, but
abundant gainers, by all these trials. This period seems to
describe the full assurance of hope.
Verse 38. I am persuaded-This is inferred from the thirty-fourth
verse, in an admirable order:-
Neither death" shall hurt us; For "Christ is dead:"
"Nor life;" 'is risen"
Nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers; nor things pre-
sent, nor things to come;" "is at the right hand of God:"
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature;" "maketh intercession for us."
Neither death-Terrible as it is to natural men; a violent death in
particular, # Rom 8:36.
Nor life-With all the affliction and distress it can bring,
# Rom 8:35; or a long, easy life; or all living men.
Nor angels-Whether good (if it were possible they should attempt it)
or bad, with all their wisdom and strength. Nor principalities, nor
powers-Not even those of the highest rank, or the most eminent
power. Nor things present- Which may befal us during our pilgrimage;
or the whole world, till it passeth away. Nor things to come-Which
may occur either when our time on earth is past, or when time itself is
at an end, as the final judgment, the general conflagration, the
everlasting fire. Nor height, nor depth-The former sentence respected
the differences of times; this, the differences of places. How many great
and various things are contained in these words, we do not, need not,
cannot know yet. The height-In St. Paul's sublime style, is put for
heaven. The depth-For the great abyss: that is, neither the heights,
I will not say of walls, mountains, seas, but, of heaven itself, can
move us; nor the abyss itself, the very thought of which might astonish
the boldest creature. Nor any creature-Nothing beneath the Almighty;
visible enemies he does not even deign to name. Shall be able-Either
by force, # Rom 8:35; or by any legal claim, # Rom 8:33, &c.
To separate us from the love of God in Christ-Which will surely save,
protect, deliver us who believe in, and through, and from, them all.
CHAP. IX. In this chapter St. Paul, after strongly declaring his
love and esteem for them, sets himself to answer the grand
objection of his countrymen; namely, that the rejection of the
Jews and reception of the gentiles was contrary to the word of
God. That he had not here the least thought of personal election
or reprobation is manifest,
1. Because it lay quite wide of his design, which was this, to
show that God's rejecting the Jews and receiving the gentiles
was consistent with his word
2. Because such a doctrine would not only have had no tendency
to convince, but would have evidently tended to harden, the
Jews;
3. Because when he sums up his argument in the close of the
chapter, he has not one word, or the least intimation, about it.
Verse 1. In Christ-This seems to imply an appeal to him.
In the Holy Ghost-Through his grace.
Verse 2. I have great sorrow-A high degree of spiritual sorrow
and of spiritual Joy may consist together, # Rom 8:39. By
declaring his sorrow for the unbelieving Jews, who excluded
themselves from all the blessings he had enumerated, he shows
that what he was now about to speak, he did not speak from any
prejudice to them.
Verse 3. I could wish-Human words cannot fully describe the
motions of souls that are full of God. As if he had said, I could
wish to suffer in their stead; yea, to be an anathema from Christ
in their place. In how high a sense he wished this, who can tell,
unless himself had been asked and had resolved the question?
Certainly he did not then consider himself at all, but only others
and the glory of God. The thing could not be; yet the wish was
pious and solid; though with a tacit condition, if it were right and
possible.
Verse 4. Whose is the adoption, &c.-He enumerates six
prerogatives, of which the first pair respect God the Father, the
second Christ, the third the Holy Ghost. The adoption and the
glory-That is, Israel is the first-born child of God, and the God
of glory is their God, # Deut 4:7; Psalm 106:20. These are
relative to each other. At once God is the Father of Israel, and
Israel are the people of God. He speaks not here of the ark, or
any corporeal thing. God himself is "the glory of his people
Israel." And the covenants, and the giving of the law-The
covenant was given long before the law. It is termed covenants,
in the plural, because it was so often and so variously repeated,
and because there were two dispositions of it, # Gal 4:24,
frequently called two covenants; the one promising, the other
exhibiting the promise. And the worship, and the promises-The true
way of worshipping God; and all the promises made to the fathers.
5. To the preceding, St. Paul now adds two more prerogatives.
Theirs are the fathers-The patriarchs and holy men of old, yea,
the Messiah himself. Who is over all, God blessed for ever-The
original words imply the self-existent, independent Being, who
was, is, and is to come. Over all-The supreme; as being God,
and consequently blessed for ever. No words can more dearly
express his divine, supreme majesty, and his gracious sovereignty
both over Jews and, gentiles.
Verse 6. Not as if-The Jews imagined that the word of God
must fail if all their nation were not saved. This St. Paul now
refutes, and proves that the word itself had foretold their falling
away. The word of God-The promises of God to Israel. Had
fallen to the ground-This could not be. Even now, says the
apostle, some enjoy the promises; and hereafter "all Israel shall
be saved." This is the sum of the ninth, tenth, and eleventh
chapters. For-Here he enters upon the proof of it. All are not
Israel, who are of Israel-The Jews vehemently maintained the
contrary; namely, that all who were born Israelites, and they
only, were the people of God. The former part of this assertion
is refuted here, the latter, # Rom 9:24, &c. The sum is, God
accepts all believers, and them only; and this is no way contrary
to his word. Nay, he hath declared in his word, both by types
and by express testimonies, that believers are accepted as the
"children of the promise," while unbelievers are rejected, though
they are "children after the flesh." All are not Israel-Not
in the favour of God. Who are lineally descended of Israel.
Verse 7 Neither because they are lineally the seed of Abraham,
will it follow that they are all children of God-This did not
hold even in Abraham's own family; and much less in his remote
descendants. But God then said, In Isaac shall thy seed be
called-That is, Isaac, not Ishmael, shall be called thy seed;
that seed to which the promise is made.
Verse 8. That is, Not the children, &c.-As if he had said,
This is a clear type of things to come; showing us, that in
all succeeding generations, not the children of the flesh, the
lineal descendants of Abraham, but the children of the promise,
they to whom the promise is made, that is, believers, are the
children of God.
# Gen 21:12
Verse 9. For this is the word of the promise-By the power of
which Isaac was conceived, and not by the power of nature. Not,
Whosoever is born of thee shall be blessed, but, At this time
-Which I now appoint. I will come, and Sarah shall have a son
-And he shall inherit the blessing.
# Gen 18:10.
Verse 10. And that God's blessing does not belong to all the
descendants of Abraham, appears not only by this instance,
but by that of Esau and Jacob, who was chosen to inherit the
blessing, before either of them had done good or evil. The
apostle mentions this to show, that neither were their ancestors
accepted through any merit of their own. That the purpose of
God according to election might stand-Whose purpose was, to
elect or choose the promised seed. Not of works-Not for any
preceding merit in him he chose. But of him that called-Of his
own good pleasure who called to that privilege whom he saw good.
Verse 12. The elder-Esau. Shall serve the younger-Not in
person, for he never did; but in his posterity. Accordingly the
Edomites were often brought into subjection by the Israelites.
# Gen 25:23.
Verse 13. As it is written-With which word in Genesis, spoken
so long before, that of Malachi agrees. I have loved Jacob-With
a peculiar love; that is, the Israelites, the posterity of Jacob.
And I have, comparatively, hated Esau-That is, the
Edomites, the posterity of Esau. But observe,
1. This does not relate to the person of Jacob or Esau
2. Nor does it relate to the eternal state either of
them or their posterity.
Thus far the apostle has been proving his proposition, namely,
that the exclusion of a great part of the seed of Abraham, yea,
and of Isaac, from the special promises of God, was so far from
being impossible, that, according to the scriptures themselves,
it had actually happened. He now introduces and refutes an
objection.
# Mal 1:2,3.
Verse 14. Is there injustice with God-Is it unjust in God to
give Jacob the blessing rather than Esau? or to accept believers,
and them only. God forbid-In no wise. This is well consistent
with justice; for he has a right to fix the terms on which he will
show mercy, according to his declaration to Moses, petitioning
for all the people, after they had committed idolatry with the
golden calf. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy
- According to the terms I myself have fixed. And I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion-Namely, on those
only who submit to my terms, who accept of it in the way that
I have appointed.
15. # Ex 33:19.
Verse 16. It-The blessing. Therefore is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth-It is not the effect either of
the will or the works of man, but of the grace and power of God.
The will of man is here opposed to the grace of God, and man's
running, to the divine operation. And this general declaration
respects not only Isaac and Jacob, and the Israelites in the
time of Moses, but likewise all the spiritual children of Abraham,
even to the end of the world.
V. 17. Moreover-God has an indisputable right to reject those who will
not accept the blessings on his own terms. And this he exercised in the
case of Pharaoh; to whom, after many instances of stubbornness and
rebellion, he said, as it is recorded in scripture, For this very thing
have I raised thee up-That is, Unless thou repent, this will surely be
the consequence of my raising thee up, making thee a great and glorious
king, that my power will be shown upon thee, (as indeed it was, by
overwhelming him and his army in the sea,) and my name declared through all
the earth-As it is at this day. Perhaps this may have a still farther
meaning. It seems that God was resolved to show his power over the river,
the insects, other animals, (with the natural causes of their health,
diseases, life, and death,) over the meteors, the air, the sun, (all of
which were worshipped by the Egyptians, from whom other nations learned
their idolatry,) and at once over all their gods, by that terrible stroke of
slaying all their priests, and their choicest victims, the firstborn of man
and beast; and all this with a design, not only to deliver his people
Israel, (for which a single act of omnipotence would have sufficed,) but to
convince the Egyptians, that the objects of their worship were but the
creatures of Jehovah, and entirely in his power, and to draw them and the
neighbouring nations, who should hear of all these wonders, from their
idolatry, to worship the one God. For the execution of this design, (in
order to the display of the divine power over the various objects of their
worship, in variety of wonderful acts, which were at the same time just
punishments for their cruel oppression of the Israelites,) God was pleased
to raise to the throne of an absolute monarchy, a man, not whom he had made
wicked on purpose, but whom he found so, the proudest, the most daring and
obstinate of all the Egyptian princes; and who, being incorrigible, well
deserved to be set up in that situation, where the divine judgments fell
the heaviest.
# Ex 9:16.
V. 18. So then-That is, accordingly he does show mercy on his own
terms, namely, on them that believe. And whom he willeth-Namely, them
that believe not. He hardeneth-Leaves to the hardness of their hearts.
V. 19. Why doth he still find fault-The particle still is strongly
expressive of the objector's sour, morose murmuring. For who hath
resisted his will-The word his likewise expresses his surliness
and aversion to God, whom he does not even deign to name.
Verse 20. Nay, but who art thou, O man-Little, impotent,
ignorant man. That repliest against God-That accusest God
of injustice, for himself fixing the terms on which he will
show mercy? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed
it, Why hast thou made me thus-Why hast thou made me capable
of honour and immortality, only by believing?
Verse 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay-And much
more hath not God power over his creatures, to appoint one vessel,
namely, the believer, to honour, and another, the unbeliever,
to dishonour?
If we survey the right which God has over us, in a more general
way, with regard to his intelligent creatures, God may be
considered in two different views, as Creator, Proprietor, and
Lord of all; or, as their moral Governor, and Judge.
God, as sovereign Lord and Proprietor of all, dispenses his gifts
or favours to his creatures with perfect wisdom, but by no rules
or methods of proceeding that we are acquainted with. The
time when we shall exist, the country where we shall live, our
parents, our constitution of body and turn of mind; these, and
numberless other circumstances, are doubtless ordered with
perfect wisdom, but by rules that lie quite out of our sight.
But God's methods of dealing with us, as our Governor and
Judge, are dearly revealed and perfectly known; namely, that
he will finally reward every man according to his works: "He
that believeth shalt be saved, and he that believeth not shall be
damned."
Therefore, though "He hath mercy on whom he willeth, and
whom he willeth he hardeneth," that is, suffers to be hardened
in consequence of their obstinate wickedness; yet his is not the
will of an arbitrary, capricious, or tyrannical being. He wills
nothing but what is infinitely wise and good; and therefore his
will is a most proper rule of judgment. He will show mercy, as
he hath assured us, to none but true believers, nor harden any
but such as obstinately refuse his mercy.
# Jer 18:6,7
Verse 22. What if God, being willing-Referring to
# Ro 9:18,19.
That is, although it was now his will, because of their obstinate
unbelief, To show his wrath-Which necessarily presupposes
sin. And to make his power known-This is repeated from the
seventeenth verse. Yet endured-As he did Pharaoh. With
much longsuffering-Which should have led them to repentance.
The vessels of wrath-Those who had moved his wrath by still
rejecting his mercy. Fitted for destruction-By their own wilful
and final impenitence. Is there any injustice in this ?
Verse 23. That he might make known-What if by showing such
longsuffering even to "the vessels of wrath," he did the more
abundantly show the greatness of his glorious goodness, wisdom,
and power, on the vessels of mercy; on those whom he had
himself, by his grace, prepared for glory. Is this any
injustice?
Verse 24. Even us-Here the apostle comes to the other
proposition, of grace free for all, whether Jew or gentile.
Of the Jews-This he treats of,
# Ro 9:25.
Of the gentiles-Treated of in the same verse.
25. Beloved-As a spouse. Who once was not beloved-Consequently,
not unconditionally elected. This relates directly to the final
restoration of the Jews.
# Hosea 2:23
26. There shall they be called the sons of God-So that they
need not leave their own country and come to Judea.
# Hosea 1:10
Verse 27. But Isaiah testifies, that (as many gentiles will
be accepted, so) many Jews will be rejected; that out of all the
thousands of Israel, a remnant only shall be saved. This was
spoken originally of the few that were saved from the ravage of
Sennacherib's army.
# Isa 10:22,23
28. For he is finishing or cutting short his account-In rigorous
justice, will leave but a small remnant. There will be so general
a destruction, that but a small number will escape.
Verse 29. As Isaiah had said before-Namely,
# Isa 1:9, concerning those who were besieged in Jerusalem
by Rezin and Pekah.
Unless the Lord had left us a seed-Which denotes,
1. The present paucity:
2. The future abundance.
We had been as Sodom-So that it is no unexampled thing for the
main body of the Jewish nation to revolt from God, and perish in
their sin.
Verse 30. What shall we say then-What is to be concluded
from all that has been said but this, That the gentiles, who
followed not after righteousness-Who a while ago had no
knowledge of, no care or thought about, it. Have attained to
righteousness-Or justification. Even the righteousness which
is by faith. This is the first conclusion we may draw from the
preceding observations. The second is, that Israel-The Jews
Although following after the law of righteousness-That law
which, duly used, would have led them to faith, and thereby to
righteousness. Have not attained to the law of righteousness
-To that righteousness or justification which is one great end of
the law
V. 32. And wherefore have they not? Is it because God eternally
decreed they should not? There is nothing like this to be met with but
agreeable to his argument the apostle gives us this good reason for it,
Because they sought it not by faith-Whereby alone it could be attained.
But as it were-In effect, if not professsedly, by works. For they
stumbled at that stumblingstone-Christ crucified.
Verse 33. As it is written-Foretold by their own prophet.
Behold, I lay in Sion-I exhibit in my church, what, though it
is in truth the only sure foundation of happiness, yet will be in
fact a stumblingstone and rock of offence-An occasion of ruin
to many, through their obstinate unbelief.
# Isa 8:14; Isa 28:16
1. My prayer to God is, that they may be saved-He would not
have prayed for this, had they been absolutely reprobated.
2. They have a zeal, but not according to knowledge-They had
zeal without knowledge; we have knowledge without zeal.
Verse 3. For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God
-Of the method God has established for the justification of a
sinner. And seeking to establish their own righteousness
-Their own method of acceptance with God. Have not submitted
to the righteousness of God-The way of justification which he
hath fixed.
4. For Christ is the end of the law-The scope and aim of it.
It is the very design of the law, to bring men to believe in
Christ for justification and salvation. And he alone gives
that pardon and life which the law shows the want of, but
cannot give. To every one-Whether Jew or gentile, treated of,
# Ro 10:11, &c.
That believeth-Treated of,
# Ro 10:5.
Verse 5. For Moses describeth the only righteousness which is
attainable by the law, when he saith, The man who doeth these
things shall live by them-that is, he that perfectly keeps all
these precepts in every point, he alone may claim life and
salvation by them. But this way of justification is impossible to
any who have ever transgressed any one law in any point.
# Lev 18:5
Verse 6. But the righteousness which is by faith-The method of
becoming righteous by believing. Speaketh a very different
language, and may be considered as expressing itself thus: (to
accommodate to our present subject the words which Moses
spake, touching the plainness of his law:) Say not in thy heart,
Who shall ascend into heaven, as if it were to bring Christ
down: or, Who shall descend into the grave, as if it were to
bring him again from the dead-Do not imagine that these things
are to be done now, in order to procure thy pardon and salvation.
# Deut 30:14.
Verse 8. But what saith he-Moses. Even these words, so
remarkably applicable to the subject before us. All is done
ready to thy hand. The word is nigh thee-Within thy reach;
easy to be understood, remembered, practised. This is
eminently true of the word of faith-The gospel. Which we
preach-The sum of which is, If thy heart believe in Christ,
and thy life confess him, thou shalt be saved.
9. If thou confess with thy mouth-Even in time of persecution,
when such a confession may send thee to the lions.
Verse 10. For with the heart-Not the understanding only.
Man believeth to righteousness-So as to obtain justification.
And with the mouth confession is made-So as to obtain final
salvation. Confession here implies the whole of outward, as
believing does the root of all inward, religion.
11. # Isa 28:16.
12. The same Lord of all is rich-So that his blessings are
never to be exhausted, nor is he ever constrained to hold his
hand. The great truth proposed in # Ro 10:11 is so repeated
here, and in # Ro 10:13, and farther confirmed, # Ro 10:14,15,
as not only to imply, that "whosoever calleth upon him shall be
saved;" but also that the will of God is, that all should savingly
call upon him.
13. # Joel 2:32.
15. But how shall they preach, unless they be sent-Thus by a
chain of reasoning, from God's will that the gentiles also
should "call upon him," St. Paul infers that the apostles were
sent by God to preach to the gentiles also. The feet-Their
very footsteps; their coming.
# Isa 52:7.
16. # Isa 53:1.
17. Faith, indeed, ordinarily cometh by hearing;
even by hearing the word of God.
Verse 18. But their unbelief was not owing to the want of
hearing For they have heard. Yes verily-So many nations
have already heard the preachers of the gospel, that I may in
some sense say of them as David did of the lights of heaven.
# Psa 29:4
Verse 19. But hath not Israel known-They might have known,
even from Moses and Isaiah, that many of the gentiles would be
received, and many of the Jews rejected. I will provoke you
to jealousy by them that are not a nation-As they followed
gods that were not gods, so he accepted in their stead a nation
that was not a nation; that is, a nation that was not in covenant
with God. A foolish nation-Such are all which know not God.
# Deut 32:21
Verse 20. But Isaiah is very bold-And speaks plainly what
Moses but intimated.
# Isa 65:1,2.
Verse 21. An unbelieving and gainsaying people-Just
opposite to those who believed with their hearts, and made
confession with their mouths.
1. Hath God rejected his whole people-All Israel? In no wise.
Now there is "a remnant" who believe, # Rom 11:5; and hereafter
"all Israel will be saved," # Rom 11:26.
Verse 2. God hath not rejected that part of his people whom
he foreknew-Speaking after the manner of men. For, in fact,
knowing and foreknowing are the same thing with God, who knows
or sees all things at once, from everlasting to everlasting.
Know ye not-That in a parallel case, amidst a general apostasy,
when Elijah thought the whole nation was fallen into idolatry, God
"knew" there was "a remnant" of true worshippers.
3. # 1Kin 19:10.
4. To Baal-Nor to the golden calves.
Verse 5. According to the election of grace-According to that
gracious purpose of God, "He that believeth shall be saved."
6. And if by grace, then it is no more of works-Whether
ceremonial or moral. Else grace is no longer grace-The very
nature of grace is lost. And if it be of works, then it is no
more grace: else work is no longer work-But the very nature of
it is destroyed. There is something so absolutely inconsistent
between the being justified by grace, and the being justified by
works, that, if you suppose either, you of necessity exclude the
other. For what is given to works is the payment of a debt;
whereas grace implies an unmerited favour. So that the same
benefit cannot, in the very nature of things, be derived from
both.
Verse 7. What then-What is the conclusion from the whole? It
is this: that Israel in general hath not obtained justification;
but those of them only who believe. And the rest were blinded
-By their own wilful prejudice.
Verse 8. God hath at length withdrawn his Spirit, and so given
them up to a spirit of slumber; which is fulfilled unto
this day.
# Isa 29:10
9. And David saith-In that prophetic imprecation, which is
applicable to them, as well as to Judas. A recompence-Of their
preceding wickedness. So sin is punished by sin; and thus the
gospel, which should have fed and strengthened their souls, is
become a means of destroying them.
# Psa 69:22,23
Verse 11. Have they stumbled so as to fall-Totally and finally? No
But by their fall-Or slip: it is a very soft word in the original.
Salvation is come to the gentiles-See an instance of this,
# Acts 13:46.
To provoke them-The Jews themselves, to jealousy.
Verse 12. The first part of this verse is treated of, # Rom 11:13,
&c; the latter, How much more their fulness, (that is, their
full conversion,) # Rom 11:23, &c.
So many prophecies refer to this grand event, that it is
surprising any Christian can doubt of it. And these are greatly
confirmed by the wonderful preservation of the Jews as a distinct
people to this day. When it is accomplished, it will be so strong
a demonstration, both of the Old and New Testament revelation, as
will doubtless convince many thousand Deists, in countries nominally
Christian; of whom there will, of course, be increasing multitudes
among merely nominal Christians. And this will be a means of swiftly
propagating the gospel among Mahometans and Pagans; who would
probably have received it long ago, had they conversed only with
real Christians.
Verse 13. I magnify my office-Far from being ashamed of
ministering to the gentiles, I glory therein; the rather, as
it may be a means of provoking my brethren to jealousy.
14. My flesh-My kinsmen.
15. Life from the dead-Overflowing life to the world,
which was dead.
Verse 16. And this will surely come to pass. For if the first
fruits be holy, so is the lump-The consecration of them was
esteemed the consecration of all and so the conversion of a few
Jews is an earnest of the conversion of all the rest. And if the
root be holy-The patriarchs from whom they spring, surely God
will at length make their descendants also holy.
Verse 17. Thou-O gentile. Being a wild olive tree-Had the
graft been nobler than the stock, yet its dependance on it for life
and nourishment would leave it no room to boast against it. How much
less, when, contrary to what is practised among men, the wild olive
tree is engrafted on the good!
18. Boast not against the branches-Do not they do this
who despise the Jews? or deny their future conversion?
Verse 20. They were broken off for unbelief, and thou standest
by faith-Both conditionally, not absolutely: if absolutely,
there might have been room to boast. By faith-The free gift
of God, which therefore ought to humble thee.
Verse 21. Be not highminded, but fear-We may observe, this
fear is not opposed to trust, but to pride and security.
22. Else shalt thou-Also, who now "standest by faith,"
be both totally and finally cut off.
Verse 24. Contrary to nature-For according to nature, we graft
the fruitful branch into the wild stock; but here the wild branch
is grafted into the fruitful stock.
Verse 25. St. Paul calls any truth known but to a few, a
mystery. Such had been the calling of the gentiles: such
was now the conversion of the Jews. Lest ye should be wise in
your own conceits-Puffed up with your present advantages;
dreaming that ye are the only church; or that the church of
Rome cannot fail. Hardness in part is happened to Israel,
till-Israel therefore is neither totally nor finally rejected.
The fullness of the gentiles be come in-Till there be a vast
harvest amongst the heathens.
26. And so all Israel shall be saved-Being convinced by the
coming of the gentiles. But there will be a still larger harvest
among the gentiles, when all Israel is come in. The deliverer
shall come-Yea, the deliverer is come; but not the full fruit of
his coming.
# Isa 59:20
Verse 28. They are now enemies-To the gospel, to God, and
to themselves, which God permits. For your sake: but as for
the election-That part of them who believe, they are beloved.
Verse 29. For the gifts and the calling of God are without
repentance-God does not repent of his gifts to the Jews,
or his calling of the gentiles.
Verse 32. For God hath shut up all together in disobedience
-Suffering each in their turn to revolt from him. First, God
suffered the gentiles in the early age to revolt, and took the
family of Abraham as a peculiar seed to himself. Afterwards he
permitted them to fall through unbelief, and took in the
believing gentiles. And he did even this to provoke the Jews to
jealousy, and so bring them also in the end to faith. This was
truly a mystery in the divine conduct, which the apostle adores
with such holy astonishment.
33. O the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God
-In the ninth chapter, St. Paul had sailed but in a narrow sea:
now he is in the ocean.
The depth of the riches is described,
# Ro 11:35;
the depth of wisdom,
# Ro 11:34;
the depth of knowledge,
in the latter part of this verse.
Wisdom directs all things to the best end;
knowledge sees that end.
How unsearchable are his judgments-With regard to unbelievers.
His ways-With regard to believers.
His ways are more upon a level;
His judgments "a great deep."
But even his ways we cannot trace.
34. Who hath known the mind of the Lord-Before or any farther
than he has revealed it.
# Isa 40:13.
35. Given to him-Either wisdom or power?
Verse 36. Of him-As the Creator. Through him-As the
Preserver. To him-As the ultimate end, are all things.
To him be the glory of his riches, wisdom, knowledge.
Amen-A concluding word, in which the affection of the
apostle, when it is come to the height, shuts up all.
Verse 1. I exhort you-St. Paul uses to suit his exhortations to
the doctrines he has been delivering. So here the general use
from the whole is contained in the first and second verses. The
particular uses follow, from the third verse to the end of the
Epistle. By the tender mercies of God-The whole sentiment is
derived from Rom. i.-v. The expression itself is particularly
opposed to "the wrath of God," # Rom 1:18. It has a reference
here to the entire gospel, to the whole economy of grace or
mercy, delivering us from "the wrath of God," and exciting us to
all duty. To present
-So # Rom 6:13; 16:19; now actually to exhibit before God.
Your bodies-That is, yourselves; a part is put for the whole;
the rather, as in the ancient sacrifices of beasts, the body was
the whole. These also are particularly named in opposition to
that vile abuse of their bodies mentioned, # Rom 1:24.
Several expressions follow, which have likewise a direct
reference to other expressions in the same chapter.
A sacrifice-Dead to sin and living-By that life which
is mentioned, # Rom 1:17; 6:4, &c.
Holy-Such as the holy law requires,
# Rom 7:12.
Acceptable-
# Rom 8:8.
Which is your reasonable service-The worship of the heathens
was utterly unreasonable, # Rom 1:18, &c; so was the glorying
of the Jews, # Rom 2:3, &c. But a Christian acts in all things
by the highest reason, from the mercy of God inferring his own duty.
Verse 2. And be not conformed-Neither in judgment, spirit, nor
behaviour. To this world-Which, neglecting the will of God,
entirely follows its own. That ye may prove-Know by sure trial;
which is easily done by him who has thus presented himself to
God. What is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God
-The will of God is here to be understood of all the preceptive
part of Christianity, which is in itself so excellently good,
so acceptable to God, and so perfective of our natures.
Verse 3. And I say-He now proceeds to show what that will of
God is. Through the grace which is given to me-He modestly
adds this, lest he should seem to forget his own direction.
To every one that is among you-Believers at Rome. Happy, had
they always remembered this! The measure of faith-Treated of
in the first and following chapters, from which all other gifts
and graces flow.
5. So we-All believers. Are one body-Closely connected together
in Christ, and consequently ought to be helpful to each other.
Verse 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace
which is given us-Gifts are various: grace is one. Whether
it be prophecy-This, considered as an extraordinary gift, is
that whereby heavenly mysteries are declared to men, or things
to come foretold. But it seems here to mean the ordinary gift
of expounding scripture. Let us prophesy according to the
analogy of faith-St. Peter expresses it, "as the oracles of
God;" according to the general tenor of them; according to that
grand scheme of doctrine which is delivered therein, touching
original sin, justification by faith, and present, inward
salvation. There is a wonderful analogy between all these;
and a close and intimate connexion between the chief heads of
that faith "which was once delivered to the saints." Every article
therefore concerning which there is any question should be
determined by this rule; every doubtful scripture interpreted
according to the grand truths which run through the whole.
Verse 7. Ministering-As deacons. He that teacheth
-Catechumens; for whom particular instructers were appointed.
He that exhorteth-Whose peculiar business it was to urge
Christians to duty, and to comfort them in trials.
Verse 8. He that presideth-That hath the care of a flock.
He that showeth mercy-In any instance. With cheerfulness
-Rejoicing that he hath such an opportunity.
Verse 9. Having spoken of faith and its fruit, # Rom 12:3, &c.,
he comes now to love. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh verses
refer to chapter the seventh; the twelfth verse to chapter the
eighth; the thirteenth verse, of communicating to the saints,
whether Jews or gentiles, to chapter the ninth, &c. Part of the
sixteenth verse is repeated from # Rom 11:25.
Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good-Both
inwardly and outwardly, whatever ill-will or danger may follow.
Verse 10. In honour preferring one another-Which you will do,
if you habitually consider what is good in others, and what is
evil in yourselves.
Verse 11. Whatsoever ye do, do it with your might. In every
business diligently and fervently serving the Lord-Doing
all to God, not to man.
12. Rejoicing in hope-Of perfect holiness and everlasting
happiness. Hitherto of faith and love; now of hope also, see
the fifth and eighth chapters; afterwards of duties toward
others; saints, # Ro 12:13 persecutors, # Ro 12:14 friends,
strangers, enemies, # Ro 12:15, &c.
Verse 13. Communicate to the necessities of the saints-Relieve
all Christians that are in want. It is remarkable, that the
apostle, treating expressly of the duties flowing from the
communion of saints, yet never says one word about the dead.
Pursue hospitality-Not only embracing those that offer, but
seeking opportunities to exercise it.
14. Curse not-No, not in your heart.
15. Rejoice-The direct opposite to weeping is laughter;
but this does not so well suit a Christian.
16. Mind not high things-Desire not riches, honour,
or the company of the great.
17. Provide-Think beforehand; contrive to give as
little offence as may be to any.
Verse 19. Dearly beloved-So he softens the rugged spirit.
Revenge not yourselves, but leave that to God. Perhaps it
might more properly be rendered, leave room for wrath; that
is, the wrath of God, to whom vengeance properly belongs.
# Deut 32:35
20. Feed him-With your own hand: if it be needful, even put
bread into his mouth. Heap coals of fire upon his head-That
part which is most sensible.
"So artists melt the sullen ore of lead,
By heaping coals of fire upon its head;
In the kind warmth the metal learns to glow,
And pure from dross the silver runs below."
# Prov 25:21, &c.
Verse 21. And if you see no present fruit, yet persevere.
Be not overcome with evil-As all are who avenge themselves.
But overcome evil with good. Conquer your enemies by kindness
and patience.
Verse 1. St. Paul, writing to the Romans, whose city was the
seat of the empire, speaks largely of obedience to magistrates:
and this was also, in effect, a public apology for the Christian
religion. Let every soul be subject to the supreme powers-An
admonition peculiarly needful for the Jews. Power, in the
singular number, is the supreme authority; powers are they who
are invested with it. That is more readily acknowledged to be
from God than these. The apostle affirms it of both. They are
all from God, who constituted all in general, and permits each
in particular by his providence. The powers that be are
appointed by God-It might be rendered, are subordinate to, or,
orderly disposed under, God; implying, that they are God's
deputies or vicegerents and consequently, their authority being,
in effect, his, demands our conscientious obedience.
Verse 2. Whosoever resisteth the power-In any other manner than
the laws of the community direct. Shall receive condemnation-Not
only from the magistrate, but from God also.
Verse 3. For rulers are-In the general, notwithstanding some
particular exceptions. A terror to evil works-Only. Wouldest
thou then not be afraid-There is one fear which precedes evil
actions, and deters from them: this should always remain.
There is another fear which follows evil actions: they who do
well are free from this.
4. The sword-The instrument of capital punishment, which
God authorizes him to inflict.
5. Not only for fear of wrath-That is, punishment from man.
But for conscience' sake-Out of obedience to God.
Verse 6. For this cause-Because they are the ministers
(officers) of God for the public good. This very thing-The
public good.
Verse 7. To all-Magistrates. Tribute-Taxes on your persons
or estates. Custom-For goods exported or imported.
Fear-Obedience. Honour-Reverence. All these are due to the
supreme power.
Verse 8. From our duty to magistrates he passes on to general
duties. To love one another-An eternal debt, which can never be
sufficiently discharged; but yet if this be rightly performed,
it discharges all the rest. For he that loveth another-As he
ought. Hath fulfilled the whole law-Toward his neighbour.
Verse 9. If there be any other-More particular.
Commandment-Toward our neighbour; as there are many in the law.
It is summed up in this-So that if you was not thinking of it,
yet if your heart was full of love, you would fulfil it.
10. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law-For the same
love which restrains from all evil, incites us to all good.
Verse 11. And do this-Fulfil the law of love in all the instances
above mentioned. Knowing the season-Full of grace, but hasting
away. That it is high time to awake out of sleep-How beautifully
is the metaphor carried on! This life, a night; the resurrection,
the day; the gospel shining on the heart, the dawn of this day; we
are to awake out of sleep; to rise up and throw away our
night-clothes, fit only for darkness, and put on new; and, being
soldiers, we are to arm, and prepare for fight, who are encompassed
with so many enemies.
The day dawns when we receive faith, and then sleep gives place.
Then it is time to rise, to arm, to walk, to work, lest sleep steal
upon us again. Final salvation, glory, is nearer to us now,
than when we first believed-It is continually advancing, flying
forward upon the swiftest wings of time. And that which remains
between the present hour and eternity is comparatively but a moment.
13. Banqueting-Luxurious, elegant feasts.
Verse 14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ-Herein is contained
the whole of our salvation. It is a strong and beautiful expression
for the most intimate union with him, and being clothed with all
the graces which were in him. The apostle does not say, Put on
purity and sobriety, peacefulness and benevolence; but he says all
this and a thousand times more at once, in saying, Put on Christ.
And make not provision-To raise foolish desires, or, when they
are raised already, to satisfy them.
Verse 1. Him that is weak-Through needless scruples.
Receive-With all love and courtesy into Christian fellowship.
But not to doubtful disputations-About questionable points.
2. All things-All sorts of food, though forbidden by the law.
Verse 3. Despise him that eateth not-As over-scrupulous or
superstitious. Judge him that eateth-As profane, or taking
undue liberties. For God hath received him-Into the number
of his children, notwithstanding this.
Verse 5. One day above another-As new moons, and other Jewish
festivals. Let every man be fully persuaded-That a thing is
lawful, before he does it.
Verse 6. Regardeth it to the Lord-That is, out of a principle of
conscience toward God. To the Lord he doth not regard it-He also
acts from a principle of conscience. He that eateth not-Flesh.
Giveth God thanks-For his herbs.
7. None of us-Christians, in the things we do. Liveth
to himself-Is at his own disposal; doeth his own will.
10. Or why dost thou despise thy brother-Hitherto the apostle
as addressed the weak brother: now he speaks to the stronger.
Verse 11. As I live-An oath proper to him, because he only
possesseth life infinite and independent. It is Christ who is here
termed both Lord and God; as it is he to whom we live, and to whom
we die. Every tongue shall confess to God-Shall own him as their
rightful Lord; which shall then only be accomplished in its full
extent. The Lord grant we may find mercy in that day; and may it
also be imparted to those who have differed from us! yea, to those
who have censured and condemned us for things which we have done
from a desire to please him, or refused to do from a fear of
offending him.
# Isa 45:23
Verse 13. But judge this rather-Concerning ourselves. Not to lay
a stumblingblock-By moving him to do as thou doest, though against
his conscience. Or a scandal-Moving him to hate or judge thee.
Verse 14. I am assured by the Lord Jesus-Perhaps by a particular
revelation. That there is nothing-Neither flesh nor herbs.
Unclean of itself-Unlawful under the gospel.
Verse 15. If thy brother is grieved-That is, wounded, led into
sin. Destroy not him for whom Christ died-So we see, he for
whom Christ died may be destroyed. With thy meat-Do not value
thy meat more than Christ valued his life.
16. Let not then your good and lawful liberty be evil
spoken of-By being offensive to others.
Verse 17. For the kingdom of God-That is, true religion, does
not consist in external observances. But in righteousness
-The image of God stamped on the heart; the love of God and man,
accompanied with the peace that passeth all understanding,
and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18. In these-Righteousness, peace, and joy.
Men-Wise and good men.
Verse 19. Peace and edification are closely joined. Practical
divinity tends equally to peace and to edification. Controversial
divinity less directly tends to edification, although sometimes,
as they of old, we cannot build without it, # Neh 4:17.
Verse 20. The work of God-Which he builds in the soul by faith,
and in the church by concord. It is evil to that man who eateth
with offence-So as to offend another thereby.
Verse 21. Thy brother stumbleth-By imitating thee against his
conscience, contrary to righteousness. Or is offended-At what
thou doest to the loss of his peace. Or made weak-Hesitating
between imitation and abhorrence, to the loss of that joy in
the Lord which was his strength.
Verse 22. Hast thou faith-That all things are pure? Have it
to thyself before God-In circumstances like these, keep it to
thyself, and do not offend others by it. Happy is he that
condemneth not himself-By an improper use of even innocent
things! and happy he who is free from a doubting conscience! He
that has this may allow the thing, yet condemn himself for it.
Verse 23. Because it is not of faith-He does not believe it
lawful and, in all these cases, whatsoever is not of faith is
sin-Whatever a man does without a full persuasion of its
lawfulness, it is sin to him.
Verse 1. We who are strong-Of a clearer judgment, and free
from these scruples. And not to please ourselves-Without any
regard to others.
2. For his good-This is a general word: edification
is one species of good.
3. But bore not only the infirmities, but reproaches,
of his brethren; and so fulfilled that scripture.
# Psa 69:9
Verse 4. Aforetime-In the Old Testament. That we through
patience and consolation of the scriptures may have hope-That
through the consolation which God gives us by these, we may have
patience and a joyful hope.
5. According to the power of Christ Jesus.
6. That ye-Both Jews and gentiles, believing with one mind,
and confessing with one mouth.
7. Receive ye one another-Weak and strong, with mutual love.
Verse 8. Now I say-The apostle here shows how Christ received us.
Christ Jesus-Jesus is the name, Christ the surname. The latter was
first known to the Jews; the former, to the gentiles. Therefore he
is styled Jesus Christ, when the words stand in the common, natural
order. When the order is inverted, as here, the office of Christ is
more solemnly considered. Was a servant-Of his Father. Of the
circumcision-For the salvation of the circumcised, the Jews. For
the truth of God-To manifest the truth and fidelity of God.
Verse 9. As it is written-In the eighteenth psalm, here the
gentiles and Jews are spoken of as joining in the worship of
the God of Israel.
# Psa 18:49
10. # Deu 32:43.
11. # Psa 117:1.
12. There shall be the root of Jesse-That kings and the
Messiah should spring from his house, was promised to Jesse
before it was to David. In him shall the gentiles hope-Who
before had been "without hope," # Eph 2:12.
# Isa 11:10
Verse 13. Now the God of hope-A glorious title of God, but
till now unknown to the heathens; for their goddess Hope,
like their other idols, was nothing; whose temple at Rome
was burned by lightning. It was, indeed, built again not
long after, but was again burned to the ground.
14. There are several conclusions of this Epistle.
The first begins at this verse;
the second, # Rom 16:1;
the third, # Rom 16:17;
the fourth, # Rom 16:21;
and the fifth, # Rom 16:25;
Ye are full of goodness-By being created anew. And filled
with all knowledge-By long experience of the things of God.
To admonish-To instruct and confirm.
15. Because of the grace-That is, because I am an apostle
of the gentiles.
16. The offering up of the gentiles-As living sacrifices.
17. I have whereof to glory through Jesus Christ-All my
glorying is in and through him.
18. By word-By the power of the Spirit.
By deed-Namely, through "mighty signs and wonders."
Verse 20. Not where Christ had been named-These places he
generally declined, though not altogether, having an holy ambition
(so the Greek word means) to make the first proclamation of the
gospel in places where it was quite unheard of, in spite of all the
difficulty and dangers that attended it. Lest I should only build
upon another man's foundation-The providence of God seemed in a
special manner, generally, to prevent this, though not entirely,
lest the enemies of the apostle, who sought every occasion to set
light by him, should have had room to say that he was behind
other apostles, not being sufficient for planting of churches
himself, but only for preaching where others had been already;
or that he declined the more difficult part of the ministry
21. # Isa 52:15.
22. Therefore I have been long hindered from coming to you
-Among whom Christ had been named.
23. Having no longer place in these parts-Where Christ has
now been preached in every city.
Verse 24. Into Spain-Where the gospel had not yet been preached.
If first I may be somewhat satisfied with your company-How
remarkable is the modesty with which he speaks! They might
rather desire to be satisfied with his. Somewhat satisfied
-Intimating the shortness of his stay; or, perhaps, that
Christ alone can throughly satisfy the soul.
Verse 26. The poor of the saints that are in Jerusalem-It can
by no means be inferred from this expression, that the community
of goods among the Christians was then ceased. All that can be
gathered from it is, that in this time of extreme dearth,
# Acts 11:28,29, some of the church in Jerusalem were in want;
the rest being barely able to subsist themselves, but not to
supply the necessities of their brethren.
Verse 27. It hath pleased them; and they are their debtors-That
is, they are bound to it, in justice as well as mercy. Spiritual
things-By the preaching of the gospel. Carnal things-Things
needful for the body.
Verse 28. When I have sealed to them this fruit-When I have
safely delivered to them, as under seal, this fruit of their
brethren's love. I will go by you into Spain-Such was his
design; but it does not appear that Paul went into Spain.
There are often holy purposes in the minds of good men, which
are overruled by the providence of God so as never to take
effect. And yet they are precious in the sight of God.
Verse 30. I beseech you by the love of the Spirit-That is, by
the love which is the genuine fruit of the Spirit. To strive
together with me in your prayers-He must pray himself, who would
have others strive together with him in prayer. Of all the apostles,
St. Paul alone is recorded to desire the prayers of the faithful for
himself. And this he generally does in the conclusions of his Epistles;
yet not without making a difference. For he speaks in one manner to
them whom he treats as his children, with the gravity or even
severity of a father, such as Timothy, Titus, the Corinthians, and
Galatians; in another, to them whom he treats rather like equals,
such as the Romans, Ephesians, Thessalonians, Colossians, Hebrews.
Verse 31. That I may be delivered-He is thus urgent from a sense
of the importance of his life to the church. Otherwise he would
have rejoiced "to depart, and to be with Christ." And that my
service may be acceptable-In spite of all their prejudices;
to the end the Jewish and gentile believers may be knit together
in tender love.
32. That I may come to you-This refers to the former,
With joy-To the latter, part of the preceding verse.
Verse 1. I commend unto you Phebe-The bearer of this letter.
A servant-The Greek word is a deaconness. Of the church in
Cenchrea-In the apostolic age, some grave and pious women were
appointed deaconnesses in every church. It was their office, not
to teach publicly, but to visit the sick, the women in particular,
and to minister to them both in their temporal and spiritual
necessities.
2. In the Lord-That is, for the Lord's sake, and in a
Christian manner. St. Paul seems fond of this expression.
Verse 4. Who have for my life, as it were, laid down their own
necks-That is, exposed themselves to the utmost danger. But
likewise all the churches of the gentiles-Even that at Rome, for
preserving so valuable a life.
5. Salute the church that is in their house-Aquila had been
driven from Rome in the reign of Claudius, but was now returned,
and performed the same part there which Caius did at Corinth,
# Rom 16:23.
Where any Christian had a large house, there they all assembled
together though as yet the Christians at Rome had neither bishops
nor deacons. So far were they from any shadow of papal power.
Nay, there does not appear to have been then in the whole city any
more than one of these domestic churches. Otherwise there can
be no doubt but St. Paul would have saluted them also. Epenetus
-Although the apostle had never been at Rome, yet had he many
acquaintance there. But here is no mention of Linus or Cemens;
whence it appears, they did not come to Rome till after this. The
firstfruits of Asia-The first convert in the proconsular Asia.
Verse 7. Who are of note among the apostles-They seem to have
been some of the most early converts. Fellowprisoners-For the
gospel's sake.
9. Our fellowlabourer-Mine and Timothy's, verse 21.
# Rom 16:21
Verse 11. Those of the family of Aristobulus and Narcissus,
who are in the Lord-It seems only part of their families were
converted. Probably, some of them were not known to St. Paul by
face, but only by character. Faith does not create moroseness,
but courtesy, which even the gravity of an apostle did not hinder.
12. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa-Probably they were two sisters.
Verse 13. Salute Rufus-Perhaps the same that is mentioned,
# Mark 15:21.
And his mother and mine-This expression may only denote the
tender care which Rufus's mother had taken of him.
Verse 14. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, &c.-He seems to join those
together, who were joined by kindred, nearness of habitation, or
any other circumstance. It could not but encourage the poor
especially, to be saluted by name, who perhaps did not know that
the apostle bad ever heard of them. It is observable, that whilst
the apostle forgets none who are worthy, yet he adjusts the nature
of his salutation to the degrees of worth in those whom he salutes.
Verse 15. Salute all the saints-Had St. Peter been then at Rome,
St. Paul would doubtless have saluted him by name; since no one
in this numerous catalogue was of an eminence comparable to his.
But if he was not then at Rome, the whole Roman tradition, with
regard to the succession of their bishops, fails in the most
fundamental article.
Verse 16. Salute one another with an holy kiss-Termed by St.
Peter, "the kiss of love," # 1Pet 5:14. So the ancient
Christians concluded all their solemn offices; the men saluting
the men, and the women the women. And this apostolical custom
seems to have continued for some ages in all Christian churches.
Verse 17. Mark them who cause divisions-Such there were,
therefore, at Rome also. Avoid them-Avoid all unnecessary
intercourse with them.
Verse 18. By good words-Concerning themselves, making great
promises. And fair speeches-Concerning you, praising and
flattering you. The harmless-Who, doing no ill themselves,
are not upon their guard against them that do.
Verse 19. But I would have you-Not only obedient, but discreet
also. Wise with regard to that which is good-As knowing in this
as possible. And simple with regard to that which is evil-As
ignorant of this as possible.
Verse 20. And the God of peace-The Author and Lover of it,
giving a blessing to your discretion. Shall bruise Satan under
your feet-Shall defeat all the artifices of that sower of
tares, and unite you more and more together in love.
Verse 21. Timotheus my fellowlabourer-Here he is named even
before St. Paul's kinsmen. But as he had never been at Rome,
he is not named in the beginning of the epistle.
Verse 22. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you-Tertius,
who wrote what the apostle dictated, inserted this, either by St.
Paul's exhortation or ready permission. Caius-The Corinthian,
# 1Cor 1:14.
My host, and of the whole church-Who probably met for some time
in his house.
23. The chamberlain of the city-Of Corinth.
Verse 25. Now to him who is able-The last words of this epistle
exactly answer the first, chapter i. 1-5: # Ro 1:1-5: in
particular, concerning the power of God, the gospel, Jesus
Christ, the scriptures, the obedience of faith, all nations.
To establish you-Both Jews and gentiles. According to my gospel,
and the preaching of Jesus Christ-That is, according to the
tenor of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which I preach. According
to the revelation of the mystery-Of the calling of the gentiles,
which, as plainly as it was foretold in the Prophets, was still
hid from many even of the believing Jews.
Verse 26. According to the commandment-The foundation of the
apostolical office. Of the eternal God-A more proper epithet
could not be. A new dispensation infers no change in God.
Known unto him are all his works, and every variation of them,
from eternity. Made known to all nations-Not barely that they
might know, but enjoy it also, through obeying the faith.
27. To the only wise God-Whose manifold wisdom is known in the
church through the gospel, # Eph 3:10. "To him who is able," and,
to the wise God," are joined, as # 1Cor 1:24, where Christ is
styled "the wisdom of God," and "the power of God." To him be glory
through Christ Jesus for ever-And let every believer say, Amen!
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