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' DIVINITY SCHOOL
TROWBRIDGE LIBRARY

THE EPISTLE

APOSTLE PAUL TO THE ROMANS;
WITH NOTES,
CHIEFLY EXPLANATORY.

DESIGNED AS

AN ACCOMPANIMENT TO THE AUTHOR'S NOTES ON THE
GOSPELS AND THE ACTS.

B Y
HENRY J. RIPLEY,
NEWTON THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTION.

BOSTON:
QOTJLD AND LINCOLN,
59 WASHINGTON STREET.
NEW YOKK: SHELDON, E L A K E M A N s CO.
CINCINNATI : GEORGE S. BLANCHARD.
1868.

Yale Divinity Library
New Haven. Conn.

FN 38

Entered accordiiyj to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by
GOULD A IV D LINCOLN,
In the Clerk's Oflice of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

P HE FACE,

The present volume has for its purpose the elucidation of the
phraseology and reasoning of the Epistle to the Romans. My
aim has been, to aid readers in correctly apprehending the
Apostle's thoughts, not stopping short of a full exhibition of his
meaning and not going beyond his meaning. I have sought
definitely to express my own views, the result of a long-continued
and earnest study of the epistle, during which I have, of course,
welcomed help from others, but have endeavored to keep myself
from subjection to them. My plan did not require me to detail
the grammatical and exegetical processes which conducted to the
results ; nor to introduce the opinions of others for the purpose
of refuting them, or of sustaining my own. I regard it a better
service, simply and definitely to present what I consider the
Apostle's ideas.
Though the Notes are adapted to our common English version,
yet in reality the original epistle is their basis ; and I trust they
will be found useful to theological students and ministers of the
'gospel, as well as to others.
As the epistle is mostly a connected course of thought, it ought
to be studied, not in detached and widely distant portions, but
(iii)

TV PREFACE.
continuously from the beginning onward, so that the attitude of
the writer's mind may be discovered and the reader may place
himself in the same position ; and thus the early portions may
make the subsequent ones more intelligible. Passages separated
from their connection and examined without reference to points
which have been previously established, or without reference to
the author's design and circumstances, are easily misunderstood
and may even appear inexplicable ; while difficulties may be sur
mounted, with a good degree of satisfaction, by one who reads in
connection, and who discerns the relation of one part, or topic, to
another. To aid the reader in observing the continuity of thought in the
epistle, and the transitions to related thoughts, I have advised its
being printed here, not according to the customary and arbitrary
division into verses, but by paragraphs. For the convenience,
however, of notes and of reference, the figures, which in ordi
nary editions designate the verses, are retained on the side of the
page. I have also placed at the head of each chapter, a mention,
in the form of an analysis, of the topics occupying its several
paragraphs. Those who are acquainted with my Notes on the Gospels, and
on the Acts of the Apostles, will discover a general conformity in
the present work to the design and principles of those volumes.
H. J. E.

INTRODUCTION.

Origin or the Romas Chueoh.

The origin of the church in Eome is hid in obscurity. In the ab
sence of all reliable historical information, we can readily beheve that,
soon after the events of the day of Pentecost, as related in the second
chapter of the Acts, Christians would be found in the great capital of
the Koman empire, which had so active a connection, both political
and commercial, with all parts of the known world. Many of its cit
izens could not fail, in their journeys for business, to become acquainted
with the gospel ; and some, doubtless, both Gentiles and Jews, became
true converts, who would, on their return, seek to promote in their
own city the religion of Christ. Various occasions would, also, lead
to Rome, both for temporary and for stated residence, persons who
had become Christians. Preachers of the gospel, too, doubtless found
their way to the imperial city. Through these and similar concurring
circumstances, a church was soon formed, consisting, like the other
early churches, of converted Gentiles and Jews.
The Apostle's Acquaintance with the Christians at Rome.
At the time of writing this epistle, Paul had not been at Rome,
though he had for many years cherished the desire to visit the church
there and to strengthen its interests. Seel: 10-13. 15: 22-24,
28, 29. The importance of this church, as situated in the capital of
the world, and thus having a wide influence on Christian affairs, suffi-
(v)

VI INTRODUCTION.
ciently accounts for this desire : but, besides, he was personally
acquainted with not a few of its members, as appears from the 16th
chapter, having met with them in his various journeys ; some of them
were his own relatives, 16 : 7, 11 ; some of them had shared with him
in labors and privations for the gospel's sake, 16 : 7, 9 ; and from some
he had received many attentions, 16 : 6, 13. Having been thus far
prevented from visiting them by the demand for his services in regions
where the gospel had not yet been made known, 1 : 13. 15 : 22, he
availed himself of a favorable opportunity for writing to them. He
knew sufficiently the affairs of the church ; by current report, doubt
less, as to some things ; as to others, we may well believe, by informa
tion from members with whom he had met in various places, and from
preachers who were personally acquainted with its condition.
Main Purpose of the Epistle.
The epistle is a connected discourse. It presents and establishes
the distinguishing doctrine of the gospel in reference to the salvation
of men, particularly in view of the objections and difficulties which
Jews would be likely to feel. The distinctive feature of the gospel is
stated in 1 : 17 ; namely, it discloses the righteousness which avails for
men's acceptance with God, the righteousness which comes from faith.
The statement there made is, so to speak, the main theme of discourse,
in reference both to men's present acceptance with God and their be
coming prepared, through personal holiness, for heaven. The first
eight chapters are devoted to this subject.
Analysis op the first eight Chapters.
The apostle shows, in the first place, the need of salvation, in
respect both to Gentiles and Jew's, in consequence of the exposure of
all alike to divine wrath on account of sin, 1 : 18 to 3 : 20 ; and then,
as all are sinners and none can he saved by virtue of their own deeds,
he presents faith in the propitiatory death of Christ as required alike
from all, and as that which will be accepted as righteousness and will
avail for justification in the sight of God, 3 : 21-30. As meeting the
queries of a Jewish mind at this point, he affirms that this mode of jus
tifying men does not invalidate the law as exhibited by Moses ; that,
on the contrary, it establishes the law; and that the Old Testament

INTRODUCTION. VII
presents essentially the same principle of acceptance with God, 3 : 31
to 4: 25.
The happy consequences of this justifying faith are next presented,
5 : 1-11 ; and a contrast is drawn between Adam, through whom sir
and death came, and Christ, through whom come righteousness and
hfe. 5: 12-21.
The principle, that faith is put to a person's account as righteous
ness, illustrative as it is of the grace, or loving favor, of God, is next
viewed in its relation to the hohness of a believer.
Faith in Christ, so far from allowing sin, makes its possessor dead to
sin through his participation in the death of Christ, or through his
union with Christ in respect to his death, 6 : 1-14. The believer is
no longer under the law, the requisitions of which prove an occasion
of excitement to sin : he now serves God, having a new spirit towards
him and standing in a new relation to him, 6 : 15 to 7 : 1-6.
The apostle then portrays the influence of the divine law on the
human soul, when a man is viewed aside from the gracious provision
which faith in Christ secures. The law of God, though in itself holy
and good, yet when brought into contact with the human soul, awakens
a distressing sense of sinfulness and of criminal inability to obey it. In
stead of securing obedience, the law, though it commends itself to the
reason and conscience, as just and good, awakens and stimulates in
the human soul sinful desires, and can produce only a sense of sinful
ness and danger, 7 : 7-24.* Deliverance from this misery can come only
through Christ, 7 : 25. Faith in Christ delivers from this bondage to sin ;
because to the believer in Christ the Spirit of God imparts life ; the
believer is a child of God, enjoying his paternal treatment and the
hope of partaking in the glory of Christ ; a hope which is sure, having
its foundation in the eternal purpose and unchanging love of God,
8: 1-39. Rejection op the Jews.
Since it is by faith in Christ, and not through the Mosaic law, that
men can be accounted as righteous in the sight of God, the Jews, re
fusing to beheve in him, are rejected/ This inevitable result could not
but be painful to the Christian Jews ; and it needed explanation, as
being apparently inconsistent with the promises of God. To relieve

VIH INTRODUCTION.
this difficulty and vindicate the divine conduct towards the nation, the
apostle next takes up the subject of the Jews' rejection and devotes to
it the 9th, 10th and 11th chapters.
Analysis op Chapters 9, 10, 11.
After avowing his grief at the sad condition of the Jews, 9 : 1-5, the
apostle repels the supposition that God had failed to fulfil his promise.
God's promise remains true : in its fulfilment, however, he acts, not
on the principle that any men have, or can acquire, a ground for
claiming blessings from him, as though deserving them, but according
to his own free designs and grace, 9 : 6-29. The fault lay in the
unbelief of the Jews themselves, 9 : 30. 10 : 1-21.
Grounds for consolation are next presented : namely, it is only a
part of the Jews that are rejected ; their rejection has proved favora
ble, and will yet prove favorable to the Gentiles ; their recovery is,
also, to be expected, 11 : 1-32.
Hortatory Section, and Conclusion or the Epistle.
Then follows the hortatory part of the epistle, 12 : 1 to 15 : 13, con
taining exhortations adapted, in part, to all Christians, and specially
appropriate, in part, to the Christians in Rome.
The remainder of the epistle, from 15 : 14, is occupied with expres
sions of the apostle's kind feelings towards the Roman church, with
salutations to numerous individuals, and wfth other kindred matter.
The whole ends with an ascription of glory to God.
Time and Place op Writing the Epistle.
The epistle was written, probably, in the year 58 or 59, while the
apostle was on his way to Jerusalem, 15 : 25, with a contribution from
the Gentile Christians in Macedonia and Achaia for the indigent
among the Christians in Jerusalem.
From the commendation which it contains, 16: 1, of Phebe of
Cenchreaj since this place was a sea-port of Corinth, and from the
mention of Gaius, a member of the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:4),
as the apostle's host, 16 : 23, it is sufficiently clear that the epistle was
sent from Corinth, and conveyed by Phebe.

THE

EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

CHAPTER I.
Opening salutation, 1-7. Gratitude to God for the steadfastness of the Roman Christians,
and desire to visit them, together with ft statement of the essential principle of the gospel,
8-17. Sinfulness and condemnation of the Gentiles, 18-33,
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, sep-
2 arated unto the gospel of God, (which he had promised afore

CHAPTER I.
After an opening salutation, vs. 1-
7, and the expression of desire to be
come personally acquainted with the
Christians at Rome, 8-15, the apos
tle avows his sense of the glory of
the gospel, and states its essential
and distinctive principle, 16, 17, thus
proposing the main subject of the
epistle. As the first step in the
treatment of his subject, he exposes
the sinfulness and consequent con
demnation of the Gentiles, 18-32.
1-7. The first seven verses are an
introductory paragraph, containing
the apostle's opening salutation to the
Roman Christians collectively, an
assertion of his call to the apostleship
among the Gentiles, and an avowal
of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
1. A servant of Jesus Christ.
This expression might designate a
person either as a follower of Christ,
a Christian, as in Eph. 6 : 6, or as
sustaining some official relation to
Christ, in the same manner as the
ancient prophets were called servants
of Jehovah. The latter is the mean
ing here intended. The expression
is a general one, not indicating the

particular kind of service to which
the writer had been cailed : the kind
of service is indicated in the next
clause. || Called to be an apostle: or,
a called apostle; that is, an apostle
called to office by Christ ; 1 Cor. 1 :
1. It was important to mention the
fact of his having been called to the
apostleship, since that placed him on
an equality with the other acknowl
edged apostles who had been speci
ally called by Christ to their office.
Like them, he was a called apostle,
appointed, not by any human author
ity, but by Christ ; not impelled sim
ply by his own desires, but by divine
influence. Compare 1 Cor. 1:1. 2
Cor. 1:1. Gal. 1:1. || Separated
unto the gospd of God; set apart to
the work of making known the gos
pel. Reference is had either to the
historical date of his conversion,
when he was instructed by Christ to
become an apostle, as in Acts 26 :
15-18, compare Acts 13 : 2, or to
the original purpose of God concern
ing him, as in Gal. 1: 15. — The
etymological signification of the
word gospd is here retained : it not
only signifies a particular system of
(9)

10

ROMANS.

3 by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) concerning his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord, — which was made of the seed of David
4 according to the flesh ; and declared to be the Son of God with
power according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection

religion, but also denominates this
as the joyful announcement, the glad
tidings, which God has communi
cated concerning his Son our Saviour.
Paul here represents himself as
divinely set apart to the special work
of widely making known this joyful
message from God, of explaining
and inculcating the doctrines of the
gospel, particularly the doctrine of
faith in Christ as the appointed
medium of our salvation.
2. Which he had promised afore
by his prophets, etc. Reference is
here made to the ancient prophecies
concerning the Messiah which are
scattered throughout the scriptures
of the Old Testament. — Thus, in
his introductory paragraph, Paul
brings distinctly to view one of the
chief arguments for the truth and
divinity of the gospel : God's own
prophets, specially instructed by him,
had uttered, in great variety, predic
tions concerning a Saviour and the
new order of things which he would
introduce for the salvation of men ;
and these predictions had received
their fulfilment in Christ and his
religion. — As specimens of the man
ner in which this argument was per
petually employed by the apostles,
see Acts 2 : 22-36. 10 : 43. 13 :
29-41. 3. Concerning his Son ; more cor
rectly, his own Son; his Son in a
peculiar sense. The joyful message
iu the gospel, promised by God in
former ages, had respect to his own
Son, by whose advent, life and death,
the promised scheme of redemption
was consummated. || Which was
.made of die seed of David according
to the' flesh; who, according to his
fleshly, or human nature, was born
from the posterity of David : as to
his human nature, he was a descend
ant of David. So the evangelists,
Matthew and Luke, in giving the

genealogy of Jesus, Matt. 1 : 1-16
Luke 3 : 23-38, show him to havo,
descended from the royal house of
David. In reference to this view of
Christ as a man, descended from
David, see Matt. 2:5. 22 : 41-46
Rom. 9 : 5. Gal. 4 : 4.
4. And declared to be the Son of
God. The word declare formerly
meant to make clear. This suffi
ciently well corresponds to the orig
inal term, which signifies marked out,
designated. In addition to the view
of Christ presented in the preceding
verse, he is the Son of God, partak
ing of the divine nature. || With
power; powerfully, with convincing
evidence. He is, in a powerful man
ner, with convincing evidence, set
forth as the Son of God. || Accord
ing to the spirit of holiness. It is not
the Holy Spirit, personally, that is
here meant ; but, in contrast with the
flesh, mentioned in the preceding
verse, that spiritual holy nature by
which Christ was distinguished from
men and was so worthy of venera
tion. Compare 1 Pet. 3 : 18. — Thus
a twofold view of Christ is here pre
sented : one, in reference to his
human descent, as the son of David :
the other, in reference to his pre-ex
isting spiritual and holy nature which
distinguished him as the Son of God.
Compare John 1 : 1-3. 17:5. 2
Cor. 4 : 4. Phil. 2 : 6, 7. Col. 1 :
15, 16. Heb. 1 : 3. This spiritual
nature is here characterized as holy,
probably m contrast with the sinful
ness of men, whose nature Christ
assumed, and as a ground for ador
ing veneration. || By the resurrection
from the dead. Our Lord's resurrec
tion from the dead was the specially
powerful, convincing, evidence that
he was what he claimed to be, the
Son of God. His prediction that ho
should be delivered up to death and
be raised from the dead, Luke 18 :

CHAPTER I.

11

5 from the dead : by whom we have received grace and apostle-
6 ship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his
7 name : among whom are ye also, the called of Jesus Christ : —
to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints :
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord
Jesus Christ.

33, was exactly fulfilled. This argu
ment was repeatedly employed by
the apostles, as satisfactory and com
plete confirmation of his being the
Son of God and the Messiah. See
Acts 2 : 30-32. 13 : 29-38. 1 Cor.
15 : 4, 14, 17. The resurrection of
Christ from the dead was so mani
festly a work of God, that its attesta
tion to the truth of our Lord's claims
was irresistible.
5. By whom we have received.
Paul, though using the plural num
ber, is here speaking of himself, since
he is making grateful acknowledg
ment of the high service to which he
had been called. || Grace: not so
much the grace, or favor, of God, by
which he had received pardon and all
personal spiritual good, as that favor,
or kindness, by which he had been
selected and qualified for the public
service of Christ. Compare 12 : 3.
15 : 15. Eph. 3 : 2, 8. || Apostle
ship. The special design of this
grace is now exhibited, as selecting
and qualifying him to be an apostle
of Christ, to publish and vindicate
the principles of his i-eligion. || For
obedience to the faith ; or, for obedi
ence to faith. The purpose for
which the apostle was called to his
office was, that he might bring men
to obey the religion of the gospel, in
which faith is a cardinal principle, in
distinction from works, or the per
formance of religious deeds, as a
medium of salvation. In truly re
ceiving the gospel, men render obe
dience to faith, since faith is the in
dispensable requisite to its blessings.
|| Among all nations ; among all the
Gentiles as well as among the Jews.
Obedience to faith, or to the requisi
tion of faith in Clirist for salvation,
was to be accomplished among all

nations. || For his name; in behalf
of llis name : that he might be uni
versally known and acknowledged,
and that due honor might be every
where rendered to him.
6. The called of Jesus Christ;
those who have been called to be dis
ciples of Christ and to partake of the
blessings which he bestows. As this
calling to the blessings of the gospel
is usually ascribed to God the Father,
the Roman Christians may here be
spoken of as those who have been
called of God to a participation in
the blessings which Jesus Christ be
stows. The calling, frequently men
tioned in the New Testament, in
volves also, generally, the idea of au
acceptance of the invitation, so that
the invited are also actually the par
takers of the offered blessings, the
called are the chosen. Sometimes a
distinction is made between the called
and the chosen; as in Matt. 20: 16;
usually, however, as in Rom. 8 : 30,
the calling is of that effectual charac
ter which includes the idea of being
chosen and of being actually admitted
to the possession of the blessings pro
posed. — A large number of the
Roman Christians were converted
Gentiles. 7. To all that be in Rome, beloved,
etc. ; more exactly according to the
original, To all the beloved ones of
God that are in Rome, his called
saints. || Beloved of God; regarded
with love by him as disciples of his
Son; hence, regarded as Christians
in a state of reconciliation with God-
|| Called to be saints. The word
saints is a designation of Christians :
Christians are God's called saints,
those whom he has called to holii-
ness. Compare Eph. 1 : 4. The de
sign for which the religion of Christ

12

ROMANS.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that

was established and for which his
followers were called of God is here
expressed : namely, that they might
be holy and devoted to God. The
term saints is not a mere appellation
transferred from the Jews to the
Christians ; for not external and cer
emonial holiness is here signified, but
real purity of character, such as the
gospel enjoins and cultivates. The
Jews anciently, as being the chosen
people of God, were called a holy
people, Nam. 16: 3. Deut. 7: 6;
they were distinct from other nations
as to idolatry and various moral cor
ruptions and were required, as being
the professed people of God, to be
truly holy. Lev. II : 44. 19 : 2. 20 :
7, 8. This word, holy or saints, was
particularly applicable to the people
of Christ, as the gospel is eminently
a religion of the heart. Since the
gospel thus primarily and eminently
required holiness as the chief dis
criminating element between those
who embraced it and others, all who
professed to adopt it might be appro
priately addressed as saints, or holy
persons^since it might be assumed
in writing to a company of avowed
Christians that they were what they
professed to be. j| Grace to you and
peace: the Christian form of saluta
tion, frequently occurring in the epis
tles of Paul, both at the opening and
at the close. It acknowledges the
grace, or favor, of God as the source
of all spiritual good ; peace here be
ing that blessed state of well-being
which is designed for the followers
of Christ and which results from
God's gracious disposition towards
them. — A usual form of salutation
among the ancient Hebrews was,
Peace be with you. In the apostle's
use and generally among Christians,
it had of course a deeper signification
than when employed in ordinary life,
as it related to spiritual well-being
and acknowledged the divino source
of such a blessing. Compare John
20: 19, 21, 26. — A customary form

of salutation among the Greeks in
their epistles was a word correspond
ing to the term, greeting, or, joy be to
you. This occurs but twice in the
New Testament; namely, Acts 15:
23, and James 1:1. It was not
universally employed among the
Greeks; and seems to have been
generally laid aside among the Chris
tians, since they preferred a form of
expression which distinctly acknowl
edged the true God and Jesus Christ,
divine grace as the source of good,
and the blessed condition in which
the Lord Jesus places his followers.
|| From God our Father; as the giver
of all good. || The Lord Jesus
Christ; as the Mediator, through
whom the kindness of God bestows
all spiritual good.
8-17. Before entering on the main
subject of the epistle, Paul expresses
his gratitude to God for the well-
known steadfastness of the Roman
Christians, his interest in their spir
itual welfare, his desire to visit Rome
in order that he might be useful to
them by his personal ministry, his
disappointment in not having yet
been able to gratify this desire, and
his sense of obligation to make
known the gospel as widely as possi
ble, since it discloses the righteous
ness which God has prescribed for
men's being justified in his sight.
He is thus led to intimate the great
topic of the epistle. This may be
stated as a reply to the question,
How shall man be just with God ? by
works of his own, or by faith ? Not
by his own works, but by faith. —
Xhis paragraph was well fitted to
attract attention, to excite and
strengthen the Romans' fraternal
feelings towards the writer, to awak
en interest in the subsequent discus
sion, and to promote their readiness
to receive his views.
8. First; that is, as the first thing:
as if tho writer had said, Before en
tering on the main design of my epis
tle, let me express my gratitude to

CHAPTER I.

15

9 your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God
is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of
his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always
10 in my prayers ; making request, if by any means now at

God, etc. A corresponding word in
subsequent verses, such as secondly,
or next, is not, therefore, requisite.
The apostle here writes in the free
epistolary style which does not re
quire the formality of elaborate and
exact composition. || My God :
Him to whom eminently I belong,
whose servant in proclaiming the
gospel which you have received I
avow myself. || Through Jesus
Christ; the Mediator, in whose
name I give thanks to God and
through whom the great blessing, for
which I give thanks, namely, faith in
tlie gospel, has been conferred on
you. || For you all; in behalf of
you all. || That your faith is spoken
of, etc. ; that your faith in Christ and
your steadfast discipleship to him
are everywhere spoken of. Not only
the personal Christian character of
the Roman believers was a ground
of gratitude to the apostle, but also
the wide-spread influence of their
example, as decided followers of
Christ. — Rome was, at that time,
the great central city, or capital, of
the known world. What took place
at Rome was soon known through
out the empire which comprised al
most the entire known world. The
religion of Christ, which could not
but create a sensation in an idola
trous city, would become, when
planted in this great capital, very
widely known by the connection,
political, commercial, literary and
religious, of this city with all parts
of the empire. It was indeed a
ground for gratitude that the Chris
tians at Rome were universally
known as steadfast believers in
Christ. || Throughout the whole world,
a hyperbolical expression, equivalent
to everywhere iD our ordinary conver
sation ; not, of course, to be under
stood with literal exactness, but sig-
2

nifying very extensively, or all over the
Roman empire. *
9. The gratitude which the apos
tle expressed was necessarily asso
ciated with an interest in the spirit
ual welfare of the Roman Christians.
This interest seems to be the ground
of the present verse. For God is my
witness, whom I serve, etc. ; for the
sincerity of my interest in you I
appeal to the all-knowing God who
has called me to serve him. — The
original word here rendered serve
shows that the service referred to is
not a general obedience to God in all
circumstances, but the service of God
in religious matters specifically. The
apostle conceives of himself here as
set apart to the public duties of re
ligion; and his official service he
renders in laboring for the extension
of the gospel. To him who brought
him into this official relation he ap
peals for the truth of his professed
interest in the spiritual well-being of
the Roman Christians. || With my
spirit. The sincerity of the apostle's
service of God is here intimated ; it
was not an external heartless routine
of observances, but a service in which
his soul was truly engaged; not a
blind, but an intelligent service ; not
of constraint, but willingly. || In the
gospel of his Son. The particular
service rendered was the publishing
and vindicating of the gospel. || That
without ceasing I make mention of you ;
that I bear you in mind unceasingly,
as objects of prayer to God. See
Phil. 1:3. 1 Thess. 1 : 2. Com
pare Phil. 1 : 7, 8. || Always in my
prayers. This clause would be bet
ter placed at the commencemer t of
the following verse, so that we might
read thus — Always in my prayers
making request, etc.
10. If by any means, etc. ; if by
any means I may succeed, by the

14

ROMANS.

length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God
11 to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart
unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be estab-
12 lished: that is, that I maybe comforted together wilh you,
13 by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not
have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to
come unto you (but was let hitherto) that I might have some
14 fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am
debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the

will of God, in my purpose to come
to you.
11. For I long to see you. His
constant remembrance of them and
prayers for them proceeded from an
earnest desire to see them and con
tribute to their spiritual good.
|| Some spiritual gift ; some gift of a
spiritual character, adapted to benefit
your souls, and corresponding to the
new temper which the Holy Spirit
has imparted. The apostle wished
to increase their Christian knowl
edge, and strengthen their purposes
and hopes. — It is not necessary to
suppose that he meant by spiritual
gift any miraculous endowment, but,
as would appear from the next verse,
the gift of knowledge and of confir
mation in Christian faith and hope.
|| To the end ye may be established ; in
order that ye may be confirmed in
your Christian character. ¦ Such was
the result which he would anticipate
from a visit to them.
12. That is. As the thought of
their becoming established might
seem to imply a deficiency of Chris
tian strength on their part and a sup
position that they needed the pres
ence of an apostle to render them
stable, and so might possibly make
the impression that he felt himself
superior to them, the apostle at once,
in the very considerate and conde
scending spirit which he habitually
cherished, modifies the language and
urbanely gives such a direction to
the thought as to make himself a
participator in the good result of a
visit, since he needed, like all Chris
tians, encouragement and strength

ening. || That I may be comforted
together with you ; that while among
you, not only you, but myself also,
may receive encouragement and
strength from my visit, by our mu
tual faith.
13. In accordance with his desire
to see the Roman brethren, he as
sures them that ho had long since
purposed to visit them but had been
hitherto prevented. — I would not have
you ignorant ; I wish you to know : a
form of expression frequent with the
apostle. See II: 25. I Cor. 10: 1.
1 Thess. 4 : 13. || Some fruit; soma
result of my apostolical labors.
14. Tlie apostle's desire and pur
pose to visit Rome sprang from his
sense of obligation to preach the gos
pel as extensively as possible, among
people of all nations and of whatever
degree of culture. I am debtor; I
am under obligation. He had re
ceived a charge from the Saviour to
publish the gospel among the Gen
tiles, and thus was under obligation
to Christ in reference to them. || To
the Greeks and to the Barbarians ; bar
barians, not necessarily in the sense
of wild, savage men, but simply as
not being Greeks, but being foreign
ers in respect to the Greeks : com
pare Acts 28: 2, 4. 1 Cor. 14: 11.
The twofold expression, Greeks - and
barbarians, includes all Gentile na
tions. Among the Greeks, however,
the apostle doubtless included the
Romans, since he could address them
in the Greek language and the Ro
man empire had, at that time, ab
sorbed the Grecian states. || To the
wise and to the unwke; the educated

CHAPTER I.

15

15 wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am
ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
1 6 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ : for it is
the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ;

and the untaught, the refined and the
rude. Ho felt under obligation, hav
ing been separated to this work, to
preach the gospel to all.
16. The gospel had encountered
opposition and reproach : in view of
this and of the probability that in
Rome especially it would meet with
hostility and contempt, self-denial
and elevation above the world were
required in one who would appear
in Rome as the champion of the
gospel. Compare Acts 17 : 18, 32.
1 Cor. 1 : 22, etc. But such a view
could not shake the apostle's pur
pose; for he had an exalted esti
mate of the gospel. — I am not
ashamed of the gospel. By this nega
tive expression he avows his lofty
idea of the excellence of the gospel :
as if he had said, It is not a matter to
be ashamed of, but one to glory in.
|| For it is the power of God unto salva
tion. God employs the gospel as the
medium of his power in saving men.
The method of salvation made known
in the gospel enables him to save sin
ners consistently with his perfections
and righteous government ; or, more
strictly in accordance with the apos
tle's following words, it is the me
dium through which the power of
God acts on the spirit of man, reno
vating and transforming it, making
¦ it holy, and thus saving it from the
condemnation and ruin which sin, if
not thus counteracted, would inevita
bly produce. As in complicated
machinery, when we ask, where is
the power that regulates it and effects
the result, we are directed to some
wheel, or shaft, and are told, That is
the power ; so in the work of human
salvation, the gospel is the power: it
is God's power, as being that through
which he accomplishes the result;
aud in an important sense we might
say, divine power resides in it. A

similar view of the gospel, particu
larly of its central doctrine concern
ing Christ, is presented in 1 Cor. 1 :
18. — Salvation, agreeably to the
thoughts in the two following- verses,
included both the idea of deliverance
from the wrath of God against sin
and that of a person's actual accept
ance to his favor as justified, that is,
treated as if righteous. The term is
equivalent to eternal life. || To every
one; not to persons of a particular
nation : thus the exclusiveness of
God's favor to Jews, as the Jews
were disposed to restrict it to them
selves, is guarded against. Not
merely for Jews is salvation pro
vided, but for Gentiles also. || That
believeth ; that reposes faith in Christ
as the Saviour : thus the Jewish idea
of salvation through a legal right
eousness, or through obedience to
the Mosaic law, is also counteracted.
A genuine personal faith in Christ,
or becoming his disciple, is indispen
sable to the gospel's being to any
person a divine power effecting hia
salvation : and such faith in Christ,
exclusive of a meritorious obedience
to the law, secures the salvation of
him who has it. — The apostle is evi
dently preparing the way to intro
duce the main subject of the epistle.
|] To the Jeiv first and also to the Greek,
As Greek is here the contrast of Jew,
it consequently means Gentile, or,
rather, the Greek is here employed as
the representative of all who are not
Jews. Whether the believer is a Jew
or a Gentile is immaterial : whoever,
of any nation, reposes faith in Christ
partakes of salvation. In the gospel,
so far as concerns the relation to
God and the principle of acceptance
with him, the distinction between
Jew and Gentile fades away. — To
the Jem first; not through a special
preference of the Jew to others on

16

ROMANS.

17 to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, for therein ia
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OP GOD REVEALED FROM FAITH TO

any moral ground ; nor that there is
any inherent recommendation of a
Jew above a Gentile in the sight of
God, or that faith in the gospel on
the part of a Jew will more surely be
acceptable to God : but the Jew is
regarded as the first candidate for the
blessings of the gospel, because the
Jews first received the revelation of
God's design to save men, and his
promises of salvation. As a histor
ical fact, salvation proceeded from the
Jews. Compare John 4 : 22. Rom.
9 : 5. 11 : 24. It was, also, the case,
almost of course, as circumstances
were, that the gospel was first
preached to Jews, and in the cities
which the apostles visited they first
sought the Jewish synagogues in
order to make known the Lord Jesus
to their countrymen, and through
them, and after making efforts in
their behalf, to the Gentile popula
tion. 1 7 That the gospel is the power
of God unto salvation appears from
the fact, that it discloses God's pecu
liar method of justifying men ; that
is, of acquitting them from the
charge of guilt and accepting them,
or treating them as if they had not
sinned, but were righteous. For
therein is revealed, etc. ; for in the gos
pel is disclosed, etc. A clear revela
tion of the way by which men could
be pardoned and accepted of God,
had not been previously made; it
was -reserved for the gospel. || The
righteousness of God ; not the personal
righteousness of God, or that which
belongs to him as one of his perfec
tions ; but that which he has ap
pointed for men in order to their
justification in his sight. This is
called the righteousness of God in dis
tinction from the idea of a righteous
ness consisting in obedience to the
law of God and which is denominated
by the apostle, in 10 : 3, one's own

righteousness, also, in Phil. 3 : 9, right
eousness of [from] ihe law. C-juld
this latter be justly claimed by any
man, it would be the ground of his
acceptance with God ; since, in that
case, sin could not be charged on
him : but as no man has such a
righteousness of his own, or a right
eousness springing from the divine
law, 3: 20. Gal. 2 : 16, God has
adopted a different method, by which
he may treat men as if they were
righteous. This method is called
God's righteousness, since it has been
prescribed by him and since by
virtue of it he bestows the result of
righteousness, namely, justification.
The method and the result proceed
from God : the righteousness, there
fore, is called, in contrast with a per
sonal righteousness and claim to jus
tification, God's righteousness, that
which he has appointed and that
which he puts to our account, though
we are destitute of a legal righteous
ness. This method of pronouncing
men acquitted and of admitting them
into favor with God is eminently his,
and the disclosure of it is the chief
distinctive feature of the gospel. It
is a reckoning of righteousness to the
account of a person who is himself
destitute of righteousness, and liable
to condemnation by the divine law, as
a sinner ; or, a putting it gratuitously
to his account so that he may be
accepted as if he were righteous.
|| From faith to faith. These words
are not, in meaning, to be connected
with the word revealed, but with the
words righteousness of God. This
sort of righteousness which God is
pleased to put to our account, viewed
particularly in its result of justifica
tion, proceeds from faith, or is an
effect of faith : compare 3: 30. 10.
6. Phil. 3 : 9. Eaith is itself spoken
of elsewhere as being this righteous
ness. See 4 : 3, 5, 9, 22. The precise

CHAPTER I.

17

faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

difference between the two modes of
representation is, probably, that in
the latter the righteous quality as
cribed to faith is had in view, and
in the former the result of that as
cribed quality, namely, justification,
is had in view. — To faith. In this
part of the clause the word faith is
used probably in the way of person
ification, as equivalent to the expres
sion those who have faith, believers : to
such persons this righteousness will
be ascribed, or reckoned ; the benefits
flowing from this method of regard
ing a person as righteous will be ex
tended to them. The form of speech
is kindred with that in 3 : 22, unto all
and upon all them that believe. — The
whole expression, from faith to faith,
seems to be a twofold form of stating
the same thought : this righteousness
proceeds from faith and belongs to
faith. It is thus a comprehensive and
intensive mode of stating the princi
ple on which God will ascribe, or
impute, a justifying righteousness to
man. Eaith is that principle ; and it
is a pervading principle, the begin
ning and the end of man's justifica
tion in the sight of God. || As it is
written ; in Hab. 2 : 4. As harmo
nious with his statement relative to
the principle involved in this right
eousness, the apostle quotes from the
Old Testament a passage which cor
responds with his own language.
|| The just. The apostle's purpose,
in quoting this passage, would have
been more obvious, had the translation
here used the words righteous man,
and thus preserved resemblance be
tween the expression righteousness of
God from faith and this quotation by
which Paul illustrated and confirmed
his statement. The clause would
then have been, the righteous man shall
live by faith ; in other words, faith is
the vital element to a righteous man ;
from faith springs all his blessedness.
A still closer connection of thought is
believed, by some editors of the Greek 2*

Testament, to exist between the apos
tle's words, righteousness of God from
faith, and the quoted language, which
connection they show by so arranging
the punctuation as to obtain the sig
nification, He who is righteous from
faith, or by faith, shall live. The word
faith being thus brought into close
grammatical connection with the word
righteous, the dependence of a right
eous, or justified, state on faith as its
principle, becomes more obvious.
This mode of punctuation, however,
though advantageous, is not free
from grammatical objection ; and ne
cessity does not require it, in order
to show the quotation to be available
to the apostle's purpose, since in the
ordinary mode of punctuation the
quoted clause expresses his essential
thought, namely, the vital dependence
of a righteous man on faith. — The
apostle quotes the passage, probably,
not as containing an argument, but
merely as illustrating, or as involving,
the principle which is essential to the
gospel. The prophet's language in
the original Hebrew is variously ex
plained : some regard the Hebrew
word rendered faith as signifying
fidelity to one's duties. But the
apostle here quoted from the Greek
translation ; and the current interpre
tation of the passage, which was also
the apostle's, and its verbal appro
priateness to the apostle's thought,
would give it just weight among his
readers as confirming his declaration.
By other writers, the prophet is under
stood as originally conveying the idea
that while the wicked would indulge
in pride, good men would put faith
in his prophecy and thus secure a
true hfe, a blessed state of peace. —
Some commentators have regarded
the words righteousness of God as
meaning the goodness, or clrmenry, of
God; bnt the passage from the Old
Testament, produced by the apostle
for illustrating and confirming his
thought, makes it evident that right-

18

ROMANS.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all

eousness is the only proper rendering ;
also, that righteousness in this verse
does not designate a quality of God,
but something which he regards in
the liglit of a righteousness put to
man's account. || Faith. In the
apostle's sense, faith is not mainly an
intellectual belief in certain historical
facts, or certain moral principles, but
a corresponding feeling of the heart,
deeply seated, permanent, and affect
ing the entire character. As he who
believes a declaration in which his
interests are deeply involved, places
confidence in it and acts accordingly,
so faith, in the apostle's sense, is a
trusting to, or confiding in, certain
declarations and arrangements of
God relative to our salvation, and
acting accordingly. It may be re
garded both as a state of soul harmo
nious with God's declarations and
arrangements, and as a specific act
of acceding to those declarations and
arrangements : regarded as a state of
soul, the specific act of trusting will
exist and will be, more or less dis
tinctly, a matter of consciousness to
the subject of it ; regarded as a speci
fic act, it presupposes the state of soul
which is harmonious with it. Trust
ing in another, whose qualities and
acts warrant this trust, and whose
authority is also thereby acknowl
edged, is the main element in genuine
faith ; that is, trusting in Christ as
the atoning Saviour, through whom
God bestows pardon and eternal life.
Paith in Christ is conjoined with a
consciousness of personal sinfulness
and ill desert, and with penitence ; it
acknowledges Christ as a Redeemer
from the condemnation and power of
sin, and trusts in him as such. A
man who thus believes in Christ is a
disciple of Christ, relying on him for
religious doctrine, for deliverance
from condemnation and for spiritual
influences to complete the moral reno
vation of the soul and make him
right in the sight of God. Thus
faith, or trust, is the pervading spirit

of discipleship to Christ. The gos
pel presupposes the sinfulness of
men and the impossibility of their
being accepted of God through a per
sonal obedience to the divine law ; it
is, consequently, an arrangement for
the benefit of men as sinners, by
which God can treat them as if right
eous, and place them under the disci
pline of his Spirit for their complete,
though gradual, recoveiy from sin.
He will thus treat them, if with a
state of soul in harmony with his ar
rangement, they accept his arrange
ment and subject themselves to it.
This state of soul is that of disciple
ship to Christ, or of trust in him ;
and this is signified by the -word faith.
The point of difference between this
mode of acceptance with God and
that which the apostle denominates
one's own righteousness, or righteousness
from the law, that is, righteousness
consisting in one's deeds and procur
ing justification by his own works, is
obvious : in the former,. the person is
conscious of being a sinner, con
demned by the law and having in
himself no ground for acceptance
with God ; he is penitent and humble
in view of his sins aud, with self-re
nunciation, relies on the mercy of God
in Christ for acceptance and for all
spiritual blessings ; and thus he heart
ily assents to God's view of his char
acter and ill desert, and confides in
God's mode of deUverance from con
demnation : in the latter, the person,
while he may have a vague sense of
sinfulness, does not feel himself to bo
utterly illdeserving and destitute of
ability to acquire a claim on God for
acceptance, 'and therefore he relies on
deeds of his own for pardon and the
favor of God. The two cases may
be illustrated by our Lord's parable
of the Pharisee and the Publican, in
Luke 18: 9-14.

18, etc. This peculiarity of the
gospel, that faith, not legal obedience,
is the essential element in the right

CHAPTER I.

19

ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth

eousness by which men can be justi
fied in the sight of God, the apostle
now proceeds to establish.
_ In order to establish it, he brings
distinctly to view the fact that men
are under the displeasure, or wrath,
of God on account of their sins : they
are thus in a state of condemnation
by the law of God and, of course,
cannot be justified in his sight on the
ground of obedience to that law, or
by a personal righteousness of their
own. Such a righteousness they have
not ; but are sinners, under condem
nation. Of necessity, then, they
must be justified ' on a different
ground ; and hence God has dis
closed, in the gospel, his own method
of justifying men ; namely, through
faith in Christ which is, by the divine
appointment, as really available for
their acceptance with God, as a com
plete personal obedience to his law
would have been, especially since it
places the believer in union with
¦Christ who has perfectly obeyed that
law and died the just for the unjust.
1 Pet. 3:18.
The sinfulness of all men is, then,
the first thing to be proved. The
apostle commences with the case of
the Gentiles, and then passes to that
of the Jews. The fonner he easily
disposes of, in 1 : 18-32, as it was so
plain and was, of course, admitted by
the Jews, for whose conviction mainly
he was writing : the case of the Jews
he argues more at length, taking up
the various objections which, he
knew, would arise in a Jew's mind,
particularly as to the consequence
which results from the truth that
Jews, too, are sinners, in chapters 2-4.
This is the chief point with the apos
tle; namely, to show that Jews,
though specially favored of God with
knowledge of his will, cannot reason
ably hope for justification on the
ground of obedience to the divine
law. It is important to keep this
thought in mind as being really the
principal point, since it will help to

elucidate some items in the argument
which would not otherwise appear so
necessary, or so convincing. Besides,
if this point be established, a princi
ple is evidently involved, which would
be applicable to all men ; namely, if
Jews, even, to whom the law of God,
both moral and ritual, has been given,
cannot be justified on the ground of
that law, of course those who have
not had the advantage of a religious
code from heaven cannot be justified
on the ground of personal obedience.
Moreover, the Jews indulged the
thought, that the only way for Gen
tiles to find acceptance with God
was, to embrace Judaism and live
according to its prescriptions : but, if
even Jews themselves must be saved
on a different ground, of course the
estimate of Judaism must be lowered,
and God's method of justification,
through faith in Christ, be regarded
as the all-sufficient and the only
ground of salvation for both Jews
and Gentiles.
18. For ihe wrath of God; his dis
pleasure, including the judgments
which that displeasure leads him to
inflict. || Is revealed from heaven ; has
been made manifest from heaven,
where God is conceived of as dwell
ing ; the manifestation, then, has
been made by God himself. || Against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men. Ungodliness relates particularly
to men's spirit and conduct towards
God ; unrighteousness has respect to
all the moral relations of men gen
erally and expresses their lack of
conformity to what is just and right.
The two terms are here combined in
order to present more fully and inten
sively the ground of God's displeas
ure against men. || Who hold the
truth in unrighteousness ; who possess
the truth which would naturally lead
to righteousness, but live, notwith- ^
standing, in unrighteousness. They
know the right, but pursue the wrong :
they possess the truth, but do not
allow it to govern them. — A prefer-

20

ROMANS.

19 in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of
God is manifest in them ; for God hath showed it unto them ;
20 for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they
are without excuse : because that when they knew God, they
19. Knowledge respecting God
has been given to men. — That which
may be knoivn of God ,- not all which
is capable of being known, or which
men are capable of receiving. The
expression is equivalent to knowledge
of God, concerning his existence, his
relation to men as their Creator, and
his consequent claims on them. || Is
manifest in them ; in their souls. The
apostle speaks not of philosophers
merely, but of the people in general ;
and indicates the conviction, which
arises in the human soul, of the ex
istence of God and of men's obliga
tion to him. || God hath showed it unto
them ; by his works which evince a
Creator, as the apostle immediately
explains. 20. The invisible things of him; his
perfections and supremacy. These
are things not to be perceived by the
eye, but to be apprehended by the
mind. || From the creation of the
world ; from the date of the creation,
ever since the work of creation.
|| Are clearly seen, etc., though invisi
ble, and not of a nature to come under
the observation of the eye, yet thoy
are clearly manifested to the mind,
being apprehended by means of God's
works. Compare Ps. 19 : 1. || Even
his eternal power and Godhead. These
are the invisible things of him. His
eternal power is here specified as
manifested in creation and in the up
holding of all things. Godhead, or
Deity, comprehends the quahties of
God generally which are impressed
on the human mind by the work of
creation and providence. || So that
they are without excuse. This mani
festation of eternal power and Deity
leaves men without excuse for their
ignorance of God, and thtsir sinful
indulgences.

able version of this clause, in the judg
ment of eminent interpreters, is, who
hinder the truth by unrighteousness ; hin
der it, by their unrighteous propensi
ties, from producing its appropriate
effects, repress its legitimate influ
ences. Their wickedness prompts
them to disobey the truth and to make
it powerless. — Many of the erroneous
opinions of men concerning God and
their moral relations spring from a
sinful inclination. — How is this reve
lation of God's .wrath against men's
unrighteousness made 1 The apostle
does not probably allude to any de
clarations of God to men in the Old
Testament, since he is speaking of
the heathen. He may have reference
to the testimony of God in men's
consciences ; but more probably, to
the actual manifestation of Ms wrath
in giving up men to their perverse
inclinations and allowing them to in
volve themselves in all the pollution
and miseiy to which idolatry, in a
particular manner, leads. The illus
tration of the apostle's remark by the
judgments with which God visited
idolatrous nations commences at the
24th verse. — The 18th verse seems
to be a statement applicable to all
men, though made with special refer
ence to the heathen world who had so
widely departed from the truth which
God had made accessible to all. The
verse contains two distinct thoughts
concerning men : first, that they pos
sess a knowledge of religious truth ;
next, that they disregard it, or hinder
its proper influence by their wicked
ness. The first of these ho confirms
in verses 19 and 20 ; and the second,
in verses 21-2.3 ; the result of their
disregarding tho truth, namely, the
wrath of God, his punitive judgments,
he begins to unfold in the 24th verse.

CHAPTER I.

21

21 glorified Mm not as God, neither were thankful, but became
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was dark-
92 ened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image
made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed
beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them
24 up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonor their own bodies between themselves : who changed
25 the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever !
Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. For
even their women did change the natural use into that which

21. The apostle next shows that
the unrighteousness of men led them
to disregard the knowledge which
they had of God. — They glorified him
not as God, etc. ; they did not honor
him as the true God, nor thankfully
acknowledge him as the giver of
all good. They framed vain and silly
conceptions of God, refusing to admit
into their minds the hght of truth.
22, 23. Professing themsdves to be
wise, etc. Reference is here had, not
only to the philosophers, but to the
educated generally among the hea
then. With all their mental cultiva
tion and their pretensions to wisdom,
they were foolish as to religious mat
ters. The wisdom of the world
proved itself folly. Compare 1 Cor.
1:21. The professedly wise, instead
of admiring and adoring the glory of
God to whose nature nothing cor
ruptible, or perishable, belongs, paid
honors to images resembling perish
able men, birds, fourfooted beasts and
serpents. So deeply debased had the
human mind at length become as to
rank mortal creatures among objects
of adoration. || Changed the glory,
etc. ; exchanged the glory of the im
mortal God for an image like to
mortal man. — The fourfold division,
here given, may have been a current
division of living creatures ; or, it may
have denoted various objects of idola
try among various nations. The
Greeks and Romans employed images

in human form for idolatrous pur
poses ; other nations, the Egyptians
for example, paid divine honors to
the other objects here mentioned.
24. The foolish views of God,
which the heathen had adopted, and
the practice of idolatiy had led to
their appropriate results in still fur
ther debasing men and making them
victims of shameless lewdness and
pollution. To this they were aban
doned by the judgment of God. —
Idolatry is generally connected with
gross licentiousness.
25. The debasement, to which the
Gentiles had been left, led the apostle
again to advert to the cause of their
having been judicially given up. —
Who changed the truth, etc. ; who ex
changed the truth concerning God
for a lie ; or, exchanged the true God
for lying vanities, for idols, paying
homage to created things in prefer
ence to the Creator. || Who is
blessed forever ; rather, who is worthy
to be praised and spoken gloriously
of forever. — With a holy indignation
at the perversion which men had
made of God's revelation of himself
in the work of creation, and at the
pollution to which idolatiy had de
based them, the apostle utters an
ascription of praise to the living God
of truth and hohness.
26 — 32. A more detailed view now
follows of the debasement and misery
to which the Gentiles were given up

22

ROMANS.

27 is against nature : and likewise also the men, leaving the
natural use of the women, burned in their lust one toward
another ; men with men working that which is unseemly,
and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error
28 which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain
God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
29 mind to do those things which are not convenient : being
¦filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covet
ousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit,
30 malignity ; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
31 parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without
natural affection, implacable, unmerciful : who knowing the
32 judgment of God, that they which commit such things are
worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in
them that do them.

in consequence of their forsaking the
true God and practising idolatry. All
kinds of vice sprung from the repro
bate mind to which God gave them
up. 27. Their error; their moral error,
their wickedness.
28. As they did not like to retain
God, etc. They disliked his charac
ter and rejected him : he consequently
gave them over to a mind which he
must dislike, and left that reprobate
mind to tho consequences of its own
foolish choices. || Not convenient ; not
suitable : a, delicate mode of saying
abominable. 29. Whisperers ; slanderers in se
cret ; or, those who merely whisper
their malice.
32. Have pleasure in them that do
them : au additional mark of moral
debasement. Besides indulging in
practices which they know God ab

hors, they also approve of persons
who indulge in the same practices.
However sinful a man may be, he
disapproves commonly of those who
indulge in the same excesses as him
self. Such was tho picture of the Gen
tile world. The description was not
intended, however, to be applicable
in every particular to every individual ;
but it was generally applicable : some
were chargeable with some of these
sins and some with others, while yet
all these sins were abundantly prac
tised. Exceptions, doubtless, there
were ; and the apostle seems to allow,
in 2: 14, 15, that some of the Gen
tiles strove to obey the moral law of
their being. . Tliese very persons,
however, would be among the first to
acknowledge the prevailing sinfulness
and would be painfully conscious of
something wrong in themselves.

CHAPTER n.
Righteousness of God in his retributions to men, 1-16. Sinfulness of the Jews, 17-24.
The heart, the seat of genuine piety, 25-29.
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou
art, that judgest : for wherein thou judgest another, thou con-
demnest thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things.

CHAPTER II.
Gentiles, it would be granted by
the Jews, are under condemnation, as
sinners. But how stands the case
with Jews i. If the Jews, too, not
withstanding their superior advan
tages, are transgressors and are guilty
of sins similar to those of the Gen
tiles, their hope of being accepted in
the sight of God by virtue of their
being Jews and their punctilious ob
servance of religious requisitions, must
be abandoned ; and for them, as well
as for Gentiles, the ground of justifi
cation must be the special method
made known in the gospel. The
apostle, . therefore, next proceeds to
consider the case of Jews as to the
question of their sinfulness and the
ground on which they were hoping
for justification.
Every Jew would at once pro
nounce condemnation on the Gentiles
for the sins which had just been men
tioned. The apostle, then, takes ad
vantage of the judgment, which every
Jew would thus pass; to bring a
charge of inexcusable guilt on the
Jews themselves ; for they were guilty
of the same sins. He makes a direct
assertion of this fact ; and on the
strength of it prepares the way for
the conclusion that Jews, as well as
Gentiles, are under condemnation. —
His purpose requires him to establish
the righteousness of God in his retri
butive treatment of men, whether
Gentiles or Jews, vs. 1-16. He then
exposes the resemblance, in point, of
moral conduct, of the Jews to the
Gentiles, 17-24; and insists on the
spiritual character of genuine piety,
25-29.

The apostle has, evidently, before
his mind a Jew whom lie considers as
passing judgment on the Gentiles :
for he now leaves the case of the
Gentiles and turns to those who
would unite with him in condemning
them ; and such were the Jews, here
represented by an individual. He
does not attempt to conceal his pur
pose to show that Jews, also, are in a
state of sin and condemnation ; for
he very soon distinctly mentions
them. He asserts at tlie outset that
the person, whom he introduces as
condemning the Gentiles, is doing
the same things. The case is not
stated as a hypothetical one : the posi
tive assertion is made, as one which
cannot be questioned, that the person,
now in his eye, commits the same
deeds. He pronounces it absurd for
such a one to think of escaping the
righteous judgment of God. The
force of his statements consists very
much in the self-conviction which
would arise in the mind of such a
man, when he should look at the
naked facts and place them by the
side of the impartial moral principle
which must regulate the coming re
tribution. 1 . Whosoever thou art that judgest.
The original is veiy emphatic — 0
man, every one judging, that is, judg
ing the Gentiles : thou condemnest
thyself; because while thou judg
est those who do these things, thou
thyself doest the same. The apostle
docs not say, If. thou do the same
things, as though he wcic making a
supposition so as to gain assent to a
moral principle, before his purpose to
apply it was perceived, and then to
show that the Jews were actually
(23;

24

ROMANS.

2 Bui we are sure that the judgment of God is according to
3 truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest
thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things,
and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of
4 God y/Or deapisest thou the riches of his goodness, and for
bearance, and long-suffering ; not knowing that the goodness
of God leadeth thee to repentance ? but after thy hardness
5 and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against
the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment

chargeable with the same sins. He
makes the assertion as an indisputable
one, and applies it in proof that they
were under condemnation ; since, if
God did not regard them as under
condemnation, he would not be true
to his principles. — The charge here
made does not require for its support,
that precisely all and the same immo
ralities and excesses should be found
among the Jews, as among the Gen
tiles ; but that transgressions of the
same kind existed among them, and
that they were as really guilty, as the
Gentiles, of disregarding the will of
God and of doing things which were,
equally with the sinful practices of
Gentiles, violations of the divine law.
2. But we are sure, etc. It is a
settled point with us, that the sentence
which God passes on those who do
such things accords with truth ; it is
a perfectly right sentence, such as a
true view of the case requires. In
this, God is faithful to his holy char
acter and government.
3. And thinkest thou this, etc.
Thinkest thou that thou, who doest
the veiy things which thou condemn-
est in others, shalt escape the judg
ment of a righteous God f How ab
surd ! how subversive of all justice !
The Jews did virtually indulge such
a thought, cherishing a mistaken re
liance on their descent from Abraham
and on the covenant of God with
him. Compare Matt. 3 : 7-9. Yet
by placing the matter on the ground
of common sense and conscience, the
apostle would show how futile was
such a thought.

4. Or despisest thou, etc. Chang
ing the ground from that of simple
justice to that of gratitude and a
proper use of advantages, he would
more fully expose the futility of the
Jewish view. — Thou hast, as a Jew,
been peculiarly favored of God, hav
ing largely enjoyed his goodness and
forbearance : and dost thou overlook
all this goodness and the design of
God to lead thee, thereby, to repent
ance 1 — The Jews had shown an in
sensibility to their obligations and
slighted, so far as its real purpose
was concerned, the distinguishing
goodness of God towards them.
5. But after thy hardness, etc.
The apostle here urges on the Jews
the inevitable result of such insensi
bility to the special goodness of God.
A day of righteous retribution will
come, when God will render to every
one according to his deeds, not accord
ing to his nationality or parentage ;
according to his obligations, not his
baseless hopes. This result comes
from the very nature of things, and
from the rectitude of God's retribu
tion. || Day of wrath ; the appointed
time when the wrath of God against
the wicked will be displayed. That
wrath is now threatened ; and though
doubts concerning it are often ex
pressed, it will in due time be exe
cuted. || Revelation of the righteous
judgment of God. The final judg
ment is here meant, which will fully
disclose the righteousness of God in
his rejection, or his acceptance, of
men, respectively, according to their
characters.

CHAPTER II.

25

6 of God, who will render to every man according to his
7 deeds : to them who by palieut continuance in well doing,
seek for glory, and honor, and immortality : eternal life : but
8 unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth,
but obey unrighteousness : indignation and wrath, tribulation
and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the
10 Jew first, and also of the Gentile : but glory, honor, and
peace, to every man that worketh good ; to the Jew first, and
also to the Gentile : for there is no respect of persons with
~od.J For as many as have sinned without law shall also

9

1112

6-8. Who will render, etc. God
will, without distinction of nations
or regard to external circumstances,
render eternal life to those who
through persevering obedience to him
are seeking for future glory ; but his
indignation and wrath will fall on
those, of whatever nation, who are
rebellious against him and disobey
the truth. || Eternal life. These
words are grammatically dependent
on the verb render. — The terms glory,
honor and immortality are here impres
sively grouped together, as conveying
substantially the same idea in some
what different aspects, namely, the
glory of heavenly perfection, the honor
of being approved and rewarded by
God, the immortal, deathless, state of
heaven. These are all combined in
eternal life. || Them that are conten
tious ; rebellious against God.
9, 10. Tribulation, etc. A pecu
liarly solemn repetition of the same
great truth, with the distinct declara
tion that it is applicable both to Jews
and to Gentiles : utter misery on the
doers of evil, glory and bliss for the
doers of good, whether Jews or Gen
tiles. Yet to the Jew first, because he
had pre-eminence above the Gentiles
in being favored with a revelation
from God. — The word first here sets
before the mind the jews and the
Gentiles respectively, as two com
munities : of these, the Jews had
been the more highly favored as to
moral advantages and might there
fore he regarded as first to be dealt
with, whether for reward or for pun

ishment. Compare 1 : 16. In the
verse before us. as in 1 : 16, the origi
nal has the word which means Gm-k;
but it is obviously equivalent to Gen
tile. The very extensive spread of
the Greek language and customs in
the apostle's time accounts for this
comprehensive use of the word.
1 1 . For there is no respect of per
sons, etc. The ground of this disre
gard of the outward distinction be
tween Jew and Gentile in men's final
award, is the impartiality of God :
he does not respect persons in judg
ment, but looks at the heart and the
deeds. 12. For as many as hare sinned,
etc. In confirmation of the truth
that God has no respect of persons,
or is not partial, iu judgment, and
that he treats men according to the
demands of right, without favorit
ism, the apostle affirms that God, in
passing judgment on those who have
sinned, will treat them according to
the degree of light which they have
had : those who have sinned without
the advantage of the revealed law,
or the revelation from heaven by
Moses, making known the will of
God, will not be condemned by that
law; though they will perish, their
doom will not proceed from that law,
and will not have the aggravations
which will be felt by those who have
sinned, and who perish notwithstand
ing their possession of the law : but
those who, possessing that law, have
lived in sin, will be condemned by it.
Thus it is not as Gentiles that any

26

ROMANS.

perish without law : and as many as have sinned in the la w,
13 shall be judged by the law, (for not the hearers of the law
are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justi-
14 fied. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law, these having not the
law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the
15 law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing wit
ness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else ex-

will be rejected, but as sinners, whe
ther Jews or Gentiles, and their
doom, respectively, will accord with
the measure of light which they had.
As the apostle had the case of Jews
and Gentiles before his mind, it seems
most congruous to regard him as re
ferring particularly to the revelation
made to the Jews, that is, to the
Mosaic law, or the Mosaic religious
institute. A general principle is,
of course, involved which will apply
in all parallel cases.
13. For not the hearers, etc. As
illustrating and sustaining the idea,
that the possession of the law, or the
religious institution, which God had
revealed, will not secure acceptance
with God, the apostle suggests the
thought that, iu order to attain the
blessings which the law promised, it
was not sufficient to havo the law
and to know its directions ; but it
was necessary to obey it : not those
who merely hear the law are held as
righteous before God, but those who
obey it. The apostle is here stating
a universal principle as to the claims
of a law, or a religious institution,
and the condition on which those
who have it may, by means of it, be
held and treated as righteous ; name
ly, obeying it. This holds true both
in respect to a legal institution and
in respect to the gospel. Each re
quires obedience in order to salvation.
A law must be obeyed, if those who
have it would be saved by it; the
revelation in tho Old Testament must
be obeyed, if those who have it would
be saved by it ; the gospel must be
obeyed, if those who have it would
be saved by it. It was not, however,

in this connection, the apostle's pur
pose to state the evangelical princi
ple of salvation, in distinction from
the legal.
14, 15. For when the Gentiles, etc.
That not mere knowledge of the
written law is sufficient to secure its
blessings, but that compliance with
its demands is requisite, and that any
who obey the degree of moral light
which has been given them will en
joy the blessings of obedience to the
law, is obvious from the fact, that
even the Gentiles, who have not the
law, but, by the force of natural reason
and conscience, act in harmony with
the law, do yet possess a law as really
as the Jews, though not to the same
extent : they feel the influence and
enjoy the benefits of a law. They
are, through the divine constitution
of man's nature, a law to themselves ;
they have a law written on their
hearts. This is manifest from their
having within them a consciousness
of self-approval, or of self-condem
nation, according as they have obey
ed, or violated, the inward law, the
law of their moral nature. It is evi
dently, then, tho doers of the law of
God who enjoy its blessings, and not
merely the hearers of it : so far as the
heathen do, by nature, the things
which it enjoins, they enjoy its bless
ings as well as do those Jews who
obey. Thus it is not the Jews alone,
who have a law ; the Gentiles also
have the same law essentially, and
are a law to themselves, though they
know not Moses as a lawgiver. — The
impartiality of God is thus manifest
in judging men either by the written
law, or by the inward unwritten law

CHAPTER II.

27

16 cusing one another ;) in the day when God shall judge the
secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and
makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest

according as they have had the one,
or only the other. That the requisi
tions of the divine law are inscribed
on the Gentiles' hearts, and thus that
they have a law, is evident ; since
their conscience bears a joint testi
mony with that law, and their reflec
tions on their deeds either accuse
them of guilt, or defend them against
the suspicion of guilt : their thoughts
incline this way and that, accusing
and excusing, according as con
science disapproves, or allows. — The
idea of a contest among the thoughts
of the heathen may also be conveyed
by the apostle ; their thoughts, or
reasonings, alternately accusing, or
defending, according as conscience,
or as inclination, prevails. || By
nature; that is, by the light of natural
reason and the impulse of conscience,
the higher principles of our nature.
It may not be amiss to remark, that
while, in the case here stated by the
apostle, nature, that is, natural reason
and conscience, prompts to obedience,
in the case stated in Eph. 2 : 3 na
ture, that is, natural inclination,
prompts to disobedience. || The work
of tlie law ; that which the law re
quires ; an expression of the same im
port as the things contained in the law.
16. In the day, etc. This verse
is to be connected, in sense, with the
12th, as an addition to the thought
there expressed. || Secrets ; the se
cret acts, the purposes and affections
of men. These are all open and
naked to the sight of God : deeds
both open and concealed, purposes
and feelings, will be brought into
judgment. Thus the extent, the
strictness, and the exact justice of
the final sentence are indicated.
|| According to my gospel ; the gospel
which I preach. In this clause, refer
ence is particularly had to the state
ment which precedes it, that the judg

ment will be conducted by Christ,
Compare Matt. 25 : 31-46. John 5-
22. 2 Cor. 5 : 10.
17-29. Having thus shown the
impartiality of God in his judgment
of men, whether Jews or Gentiles,
the apostle now returns to the asser
tion which he had made concerning
the Jews, that they did the things
which they condemned in the Gen
tiles. In order to give this the greater
effect, he reminds them of the emi
nent moral position in which they re
garded themselves as standing, and
of their superiority in point of reli
gious knowledge. He then, by a
series of pertinent questions, appeals
to their own consciousness, and to
their lives, as bearing testimony to
that assertion and showing how sin
gularly inconsistent and inexcusable
were their sins. Without designing
to intimate that it was of no benefit to
be a Jew, he proceeds to affirm that
their boasted privileges, having been
abused, are of no avail in securing
eternal life, and that only genuine up
rightness of heart towards God will
be accepted by him.
17. Thou art called a Jew; thou
bearest the name of Jew. To be a
Jew was to have the honor of belong
ing to the descendants of Abraham,
the favored race, distinguished from'
the corrupt Gentile world, by privi
leges which God had bestowed.
|| Restest in the law ,- confidest in the
law, the religious system given by
God through Moses ; trustest in that,
as an assurance of the divine favor.
The Jews prided themselves on their
possessing the religious institution
which God had revealed, as well as
on thoir knowledge of. God and their
relation to him as his people. || Mak
est thy boast of God ; boastest of God
as specially pledged to bless and save
Jews.

28

ROMANS.

18 the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of
19 the law, and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of
20 the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor
of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of
21 knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which
teachest another, teachest thou not thyself ? thou that preach-
22 est, a man should not steal, dost thou steal ? thou that sayest,
a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adul
tery ? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege ?

18. Knowest his ivill ; the-will of
God as communicated in the Old
Testament. || Approvest the things
that are more excellent ; or, as some
translate, triest things that differ, or
distinguishest between things that differ;
that is, makest moral distinctions
more exactly than other people, dis
criminating between what it is proper
and what it is not proper to do, be
tween what is pleasing and what is
displeasing- to God. The ground of
the ability to discriminate is, that a
Jew is instructed out of the law of God.
Great care was taken to instruct Jew
ish children in all the peculiarities of
the nation, as to history and religion;
and provision was maile by the occur
rence of festivals and the religious
exercises connected with them, as
well as by more private methods, and
by frequent religious acts, personal,
domestic and public, to keep the peo
ple acquainted with the divine deal
ings and requisitions.
19, 20. And art confident, etc.
The Jews took not a little pride in
comparing themselves with Gentiles,
in respect to religion. They regarded
tlie Gentiles, in comparison with
themselves, as blind, in darkness,
mero children, and fools : but they
had, in their law, knowledge and
truth respecting God brought into
form and system ; their law was the
embodiment of religious knowledge
and truth.
21, 22. Thus favorably situated,
according to their own acknowledg
ment, and in their own esteem, what,
notwithstanding, was the fact in re
gard to their conduct 1 — Teachest

thou not thyself? They failed rightly
to apprehend and to learn for them
selves the instructions of which they
boasted. Enjoining on others the
prohibition to steal, they were them
selves guilty of stealing. So in the
case of adultery and kindred sins.
j| Thou tluit abhorrest idols, dost thou
commit sacrilege1? The fundamental
idea in this inquiry is not perfectly
obvious. As robbing from sacred
places of articles belonging to them
was a form of sacrilege, some sup
pose the apostle here charges on the
Jews the commission of sacrilege by
robbing God of what belonged to
him, namely, requisite honor and
obedience. The worship of idols
detracted from the honor of the name
of God, and was therefore abhorred
by the Jews ; yet they themselves
grossly detracted from that honor.
Others explain the question more
literally : they suppose that Jews
were in the habit of visiting idolatrous
temples and purloining valuable arti
cles which had been left there in
honor of the gods of those temples :
thus, though they professed to abhor
idols, thoy would gladly visit idol
temples and commit sacrilege, turn
ing idolatry to their personal account
and cherishing a secret pleasure in
idolatry. — This latter view of the
passage seems most in harmony with
the connected passages ; since they
present actual contrasts. It would
be more satisfactory, however, if his
torical evidence could be found that
Jews did, sometimes, at least, visit
idolatrous temples for such a pur
pose. In favor of this view, it is to

CHAPTER II.

29

23 thou that makest thy boast of tlie. law, through breaking the
law dishonorest thou God ? For the name of God is blas-
24 phemed among the Gentiles through you ; as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law ;
but if thou^e a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made
uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the
righteqjisness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be
counted for circumcision ? And shall not uncircumcision
which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by
28 the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law ? For he

26

27

be said that the expression, robbers of
churches, more correctly, robbers of
temples, is given as the translation of
the kindred noun in the only passage
of the New Testament where it oc
curs, Acts 19 : 37. It is also worthy
of- notice that one of the laws of
Moses, Deut. 7 : 25, prohibits taking
off from idols the silver and gold
which might be found on them.
This implies that in the days of
Moses the Jews were exposed to the
temptation of appropriating to them
selves such treasures ; and though
this prohibition may have had re
spect to idols which had in some way
fallen into their possession, yet in
subsequent times purloining from
idol-temples may haise been prac
tised. Josephus in his Antiquities
of the Jews, iv. 8. 10. gives, as one
of the regulations of Moses, the fol
lowing : — " Nor may any one steal
what belongs to strange temples ;
nor take away tho gifts that are dedi
cated to any god ; " a prohibition,
which whether rightly traced to Moses
or not, implies the existence of the
practice which it forbids.
23, 24. Thou that makest thy boast
of the law, etc. Though they made a
boast of possessing the revealed law
of God, yet they dishonored him by
their notorious transgressions of it,
and virtually exemplified a declara
tion in tlieir own scriptures, Is. 52 : 5,
that by their vices the name of God
was reviled among the heathen. —
This quotation is taken from the
Greek translation of the Hebrew 3*

scriptures, so much in use among the
Jews in the apostle's days, and is
specially applicable to his purpose
by the verbal addition made in that
translation. It was not necessary for the apostle
to enter with greater detail on the
evidence of his position, that the
Jews did the same things as the Gen
tiles. By a few comprehensive ques
tions, he could awaken attention and
give a right direction to the reflec
tions of the considerate. Enough
was said to produce conviction that
the Jews were sinners, as well as the
Gentiles. 25-27. For circumcision verily
profiteth, etc. The Jews placed great
reliance on circumcision, as the sign
of their being in covenant with God.
The apostle now wished to forestall
an objection which would arise in the
mind of a Jew ; namely, that he
made no account of this ordinance
and that, according to his view, it
was of no advantage to be a Jew.
He affirms, that circumcision in itself
is. of no avail ; it must, hi order to
be of efficacy in securing the favor
of God, be connected with a spiritual
obedience to the religious institute
which enjoined it. The requisitions
of God have respect to the spirit of
man : his heart must be right, in
order that he may be accepted of
God. A Jew who should live in
violation of the religious temper en
joined in his scriptures might just as
well bo a Gentile, so far as possession
of the divine favor is concerned. Tf

30

ROMANS.

is not a Jew, which is one outwardly: neither is that circum-
29 cision, which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew, which
is one inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the
spirit, and not in the letter: whose praise is not of men, but
of God.
CHAPTER III.
Objections, or queries, in regard to the alleged sinfulness of the Jews, 1-8. Testimony of
the Jewish scriptures to the sinfulness of Jews and Gentiles, 9-18. The righteous prin
ciple which God observes in his treatment of men, and the impossibility of any man's
being justified through a legal obedience, 19, 20. The righteousness which is availablo
to men's justification, 21-26. The boasting of the Jews inadmissible, 27-30 ; yet tho
law not invalidated by faith, 31.

a Gentile have an obedient spirit,
he will receive from God as favorable
treatment as if he were a Jew ; and
though uncircumcised and having
uo outward sign of a covenant-rela
tion to God, his obedience would con
demn the Jew who, favored with the
written law and being circumcised,
should live in transgression of the
law. In other words, circumcision
merely and the mere possession of
the law of God, or of the system of
religion revealed by him, are of no
account in his sight. Ho requires an
obedient spirit, inward piety.
28, 29. For he is not a Jew, etc.
The ground of the view that God
accepts a pious Gentile and rejects a
disobedient Jew is, that a genuine
Jew, one whom God will acknowl
edge as such, is a Jew in heart ; and
circumcision, to be acceptable, must
be inward, that of the spirit. Compare
Deut. 10 : 16. Jer. 4 : 4. The ex
ternal obedience presupposes a corre
sponding temper of heart, conformed
to the divine will. God looks not on
the outward appearanco, but on tho
heart : not what man praises has true
worth, but what God approves.
|| Circumcision is that of the heart, in
the spirit, not in the h/trr; spiritual
circumcision, the obedience of the
heart, not merely an outward com
pliance with a written precept; but
inward, as is the spirit of a man, not
a mere outward thing, as is the let

ter of a law, or a written precept.
|| Whose praise : the word ivhose re
lates here, according to the original,
to the word Jeio. The thought of
the apostle, however, is equally ap
plicable to circumcision, and, of
course, to any act of outward obedi
ence. — These spiritual views of reh
gion, though harmonious with those
presented in various parts of the Old
Testament, had been greatly over
looked, and had nearly, or quite,
faded away from the Jewish mind.
Religion had become a matter of
form and ceremony .- and yet the
Jews relied on this external religion
with an assurance that it would avail
to their salvation. The apostle di
rectly and earnestly assailed the pride
of the Jews in their external formal
religion, and made prominent the
nature of true religion, as spiritual,
and quite independent of circumci
sion, or any mere ritual observances.
CHAPTER III.
The apostle had distinctly denied
to the Jew, as such, any moral pre
eminence above the Gentile : the one
was a sinner as well as the other.
This view, placing both Gentiles and
Jews on a common level, as to the
fact of being sinners, and asserting
the uselessness, for acceptance with
God, of tlie external observance of
circumcision, would naturally raiso

CHAPTER III

31

objections in the minds of Jews, since
it was so different from tho view then
prevalent among them. Before he
closes up, therefore, his argument in
proof of the sinfulness of the Jews
and presents the inference resulting
from it in regard to justification, he
pauses in order to remove such ob
jections. We need not conceive of the apos
tle as introducing an objector and
conducting a dialogue with him,: ho
rather, as he know the Jewish mind,
states substantially what a Jew might
be expected to say. The queries
proposed are founded on external
views of religion, and on an abuse of
the covenant relation in which God
had stood to the Jewish people. The
chief question is, Of what advan
tage, then, is it to be a Jew rather
than a Gentile ? The reply to this
suggested another query concerning
the faithfulness of God to his engage
ments : and the reply to this latter
suggested, in its turn, another con
cerning the justice of God, should he
inflict wrath on the Jews. The reply
to this is followed by another query
which calls in question the rightful
ness of condemning an unfaithful
Jew, as if he were to be classed with
ordinary sinners, or with Gentile sin
ners. Vs. 1-8.
Declarations of the Jewish scrip
tures are next adduced to confirm the
charge that both Jews and Gentiles
are sinners, 9-18, and the righteous
principle which regulates the judicial
retributions of God is stated, as also
the conclusion, that no man can be
justified through the law, 19,20. —
The righteousness which is available
with God for justification is then an
nounced, and the ground of it ex
hibited, 21-25. — The boasting in
which the Jews indulged is shown to
bo baseless, 27-30 ; yet the law is not
invalidated by faith, 31.
In order to apprehend the import
of the objections, rather cavils, pre
sented and disposed of in verses 1-8,
we must consider, that the Jews had
come to regard the promises of divine
favor and eternal life to the posterity

of Abraham as dependent on theit
observance of circumcision, particu
larly, and of the other prescriptions
of the Mosaic ritual ; but these prom
ises they held to be otherwise uncon
ditional, so that they would be, of
course, fulfilled to all Jews whether
faithful, or not, to the spiritual requi
sitions of tho Mosaic religion. It
was the privilege of a Jew, they
thought, to be one of the chosen peo
ple of God and hence to be interested
in divine promises which would not
fail : Jews, therefore, were not to be
treated, in the divine administration,
like Gentiles, whom they branded
with the name of sinners. Compare
Matt. 3 : 9. John 8 : 33-40. Rom.
2: 17. 9:4. They could not rid
themselves of the thought that, if
they were circumcised, it would be
unjust in God to withhold from them
eternal life and to treat them as he
would uncircumcised sinners of the
Gentiles : though Jews should be
unfaithful, still God would in all
faithfulness fulfil his part of the
covenant engagements and bestow
eternal life; the righteousness and
veracity of God would even become
more glorious by his being constant
to his covenant and blessing his cho
sen people, though they should be
unrighteous and false. The profane
thought, even, was cherished that,
even though they should be unright
eous and false, God would not have
fair ground for proceeding against
them as sinners, since by adhering to
his engagements he would have the
benefit of more signally illustrating
llis righteousness and veracity : he
would by this glorifying of himself
not only have an ample equivalent,
on his side, for their unfaithfulness,
but even be seen in a more advan
tageous light. They flattered them
selves that they had a regard for tha
honor of God and seemed to cherish
a fear that, by refusing to them eter
nal life, he would impair his own
glory. Thus oven their acknowledged
wickedness furnished them an addi
tional ground for presumption.

32

ROMANS.

1 What advantage then hath the Jew ? or what profit «i
2 there of circumcision ? Much, every way : chiefly, because
3 that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
For what if some did not believe ? shall their unbelief
4 make the faith of God without effect ? God forbid : yea, let
God be true, but every man a liar ; as it is written, That
thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest over
come when thou art judged.

1. What advantage, then, hath the
Jew, etc. This is the language of
objection. — Wherein, then, is the
Jew more favorably situated than the
Gentile % And what is the profit of
circumcision? The former of the
two questions is the main one, and
that which receives an answer : the
second is subordinate, and did not
require immediate attention. The
apostle had, indeed, explicitly avow
ed, 2 : 25-29, the utter inefficacy, for
acceptance with God, . of outward
circumcision. 2. Much, every way; much, in
every respect pertaining to religion.
In what pertained to religion, a Jew
was far more favorably situated than
a Gentile. || Chiefly, etc. The chief
point of advantage was, that the Jews
were entrusted with the oracles of
God; that is, his promises to Abra
ham and the other patriarchs, and all
the revelations of the divine will
through Moses and the prophets.
3. For ivhat if some did not bdieve?
Another objection to the apostle's
views is here introduced. — Some
editions of the Greek Testament
punctuate this verse differently from
the mode adopted in our version :
the words believe, unbelief faith, also,
do not convey the original idea. The
verse may be thus rendered : — For
what ? If some have been unfaithful,
will their unfaithfulness make void the
faithfulness of God? — Jews, gen
erally, indulged the thought that God
was pledged, by his engagement with
Abraham, to bless them. Henco the
query, Though some of the Jews
have proved faithless, will their faith
lessness to their obligations destroy
the faithfulness of God to his prom

ises 1 Though we are sinners, will
God be faithless to his engage
ments 1
4. God forbid. These words are
not a hteral rendering of the original ;
but seem to have been adopted by
the translators as expressive of the
pious decision with which the apostle
would repel the cavilling query. A
literal rendering would be, Let it not
be : an expression strongly indicative
of aversion and showing how abhor
rent the apostle regarded" the query
to every right feeling. In replying,
then, to the thought advanced in ob
jection to his view, Paul repels with
abhorrence the insinuation, that God
would be faithless should he not save
the Jews ; and at the same time, by
a quotation from their own scrip
tures, maintains that in condemning
the unfaithful, God would be ac
knowledged to be just. || Yea, let
God be true, etc. So far from calling
in question the faithfulness of God,
let us hold it as a fixed principle,
never to be surrendered, that God is
true, of unimpeachable veracity,
though every man should prove false,
faithless to his engagements. || As
it is written, etc. The sentiment just
expressed is confirmed by a quota
tion from Ps. 51 : 4, to the effect that
God will be proved righteous in all
his declarations, that, were his deal
ings brought under a judicial exam
ination, he would gain the cause and
be pronounced just. — Tho quotation
from the Greek translation of the
Hebrew scriptures is verbally differ
ent from tho original in the Old Tes
tament, but is apposite to the pur
pose of showing that God will inva
riably be found just and true: it

CHAPTER III.

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of
God, what shall we say ? Is God unrighteous who taketh
vengeance ? (I speak as a man.) God forbid : for then how
shall God judge the world ?
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my
lie unto his glory ; why yet am I also judged as a sinner ?

conveys, also, the thought that, in
such a trial, God would not only be
cleared, but that his righteous char
acter would be triumphantly dis
played. 5. Another objection is brought
against the sentiment that Jews, as
well as Gentiles, might be objects of
divine wrath. It is grounded on a
professed regard for the glory of God
and on the assumption, that his right
eousness would be impaired should
he inflict wrath on the Jews. The
purport of it is, If the unrighteous
ness of the Jews occasion to God the
advantage of signally glorifying him
self as righteous in adhering, not
withstanding their unrighteousness,
to his covenant engagements and in
blessing them, will God bo unright
eous and, instead of bestowing on
them eternal life, inflict wrath on
them ? — If out unrighteousness com
mend, etc ; if our unrighteousness set
forth in a favorable Hght the right
eousness, or justice, of God. — The
words righteousness of God, being
here contrasted with our unrighteous
ness, mean the personal righteous
ness of God, and correspond to the
expression in the preceding verse
that thou mightest be justified, or shown
to be just. || Is God unrighteous, etc.
Is God, or will God be, unrighteous
and inflict wrath, instead of bestow
ing on us eternal life and thus glori
fying his righteousness in keeping his
covenant? || Taketh vengeance; lit
erally, inflicteth wrath. || / speak as
a mini. The query was not at all.
expressive of the apostle's own mind :
he spoke as personating another, or,
as some man might think and speak.
6. For then how shall God judge
the world? The thought, that God
is unrighteous, would be inconsistent

with the belief held among the Jews,
that God is to judge the world. The
Judge of the world must discriminate
in regard to the characters and de
serts of men; and thus the acknowl
edged truth, that God is to judge the
world, involves the idea of his per
sonal justice.
7. The cavilling objector propo
ses another query, similar to the one
just disposed of, an illustration, in
deed, of it, but carried to a greater
length : If the veracity of God in
adhering to his engagements be,
through my falseness, more abun
dantly glorified, why am I also, a
Jew whom God has engaged to bless
and by blessing whom, though I be
false to my engagements, he may so
much the more glorify his veracity
why am I also, like the sinful Gen
tile world, brought to trial as a sin
ner? God would glorify his veracity
by bestowing eternal life on me,
though false to my engagements, and
even by occasion of my falseness :
why then, notwithstanding this ad
vantage to himself, am I brought to
trial as a sinner ? — The truth of
God; the truthfulness, or veracity,
of God. || My lie; my falsehood to
God, my falseness, faithlessness.
|| Why yet am I also judged, etc. The
word also seems to refer to other per
sons who are expected to be brought
to judgment ; and it may have a
reference to the thought, in the pre
ceding verse, that God is to judge the
world, since by this term the Jews
meant, more particularly, the Gentile
world, and some of them seem to
have believed that the judgmont was
designed solely for the Gentiles.
The query of the objector may be
thus presented : Why am even I, as
if a sinner of the Gentiles, or as a

Yale Divinity Library

34

ROMANS.

8 And not rather (as we be slanderously reported, and as some
affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come?
whose damnation is just.
9 What then ? are we better than they ? No, in no wise :
for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they
10 are all under sin ; as it is written, There is none righteous, no
11 not one : there is none that understandeth, there is none that
12 seeketh after God, they are all gone out of the way, the)- are
together become unprofitable : there is none that doeth good,

sinner, like the Gentile world, still
held to trial ?
8. This verse contains the reply
to the question in the seventh. The
apostle seems to interrupt the cavil
ler, and bring him on a sudden to
consider the extreme to which he had
gone; as if the apostle had said,
'And not rather say (as we are slan
derously reported and as some affirm
that we say), Let us do evil that good
may come ! Shall we say that 1 ' —
The original may bo variously ren
dered : thus, And shall we say (as
. . some affirm that we say), that we
may do evil that good may come ? —
or thus, And, let us not do (as . . . some
affirm we say we may do) evil that-
good may come. || We be slander
ously reported, etc. Doubtless some
of Paul's opponents had made such
an affirmation concerning him, abus
ing perhaps some of his avowed sen
timents, and drawing from them un
authorized inferences. The senti
ment which occurs in this epistle, 5 :
20, Where sin abounded grace did
much more abound, may exemplify
the class of thoughts which his ad
versaries thus abused. || Whose
damnation is just. This is affirmed
of those who act on the principle of
doing evil that good may come ; not
of those who reviled the apostle.
Those who act thus, he solemnly
affirms, will meet with a righteous
condemnation. 9-18. Having shown what ad
vantage the Jew had over the Gen
tile, and disposed of the questionings
which a Jew would suggest in oppo
sition to the sentiment that he, hke

any sinner, was exposed to the
wrath of God, the apostle now puts
directly the question, whether Jews
wore better thau Gentiles, as to the
fact of being sinners. This was, in
truth, the point to which he had been
steadily looking. He denies that
Jews are, at all, better than Gentiles
in this respect : they are both under
sin, as he had already, in 1 : 1 8-32.
2 : 1-29, charged on them. His
charge, he proceeds to show, is in
harmony with the Jewish scriptures
themselves. — This argument from
the Jewish scriptures, doubtless, had
special reference to the case of the
Jews, since no one had doubts wheth
er the Gentiles were sinners, while
yet the passages speak in general
terms, and arc evidently produced in
support of tho charge that Jews and
Gentiles are all under sin.
9. What then, etc. What are we
to conclude respecting the Jews ?
Are we better than the Gentiles as to
the fact of being sinners ? Not at
all : the Jews, as well as the Gen
tiles, are sinners and exj^osed to the
penalty of sin. || For we have before
proved; more correctly, We have be
fore brought the charge.
10-18. As it is written, etc. Tho
apostle now produces passages from
the Old Testament fortifying the
charge which ho had made; Ps. 14:
1-3. Ps. 5: 9. Ps. 140: 3. Ps.
10: 7. Is. 59: 7, 8. Ps. 36: 1.—
|| They are together become unprofita
ble; a mild form of saying, They
are abominable, fit only to be re
jected. || Their throat is an open
sepulchre. They send forth mora)

CHAPTER III.

35

13 no, not one: their throat is an open sepulchre ; with thei>-
tongues they halve used deceit ; the poison of asps is undei
1 4 their lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
15 Their feet rare swift to shed blood; destruction and misery
17 are in their ways ; anfl the way of peace have they not
18 known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Now we know that what, things soever the law saith, it
saith to them who are under the law ; that every mouth may
be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of
sin.

19

20

defilement, as an opened tomb emits
noisomeness. — As in tho case of the
Gentiles, so here, the apostle's lan
guage does not require, for its verifi
cation, that every Jew should have
been guilty of each of these kinds of
sin. It is enough, that the Jewish
world could be thus described ; that
some committed one class of sins and
others another, while no individual
was able to escape from the charge
of being a sinner: the more tender
any one's conscience and the clearer
his understanding of the law of God,
the more ready would he be to ac
knowledge himself a sinner.
19. Having shown the sinfulness
of both Jews and Gentiles, the apos
tle states anew the principle, which
he had already exhibited, in 2: 11-
16, concerning the condemnation of
sinners and the award which will be
measured out to tliem ; namely, that
these will be regulated by their pos
session, or their lack, of the written
law of God. — Now we know that
what things soever, etc. It is a settled
point with us, that the law is of force
to those who are under it, those who
have it. Those who have the written
law of God will be judged by it;
those who have it not will not be
judged by it : it does not speak to
them. || That every mouth may be
stopped, etc. ; so that every sinner
may feel the justice of his doom, and
the whole world, Jewish and Gentile,
being sinners, may be adjudged

guilty in the sight of God; guilty,
severally, according to a just esti
mate of advantages, «.nd of disad
vantages, for knowing the will of
God. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the
law, etc. Since all men, those under
the law as well as others, are sinners,
it follows that no man can be justi
fied, or treated as righteous, by deeds
of the law : all hope, that any human
being ban be justified by deeds of the
law, is cut off ; for by the law is th.
knowledge of sin ,- the law is efficat
cious only in awakening a *ense of
sinfulness in those who possess the
law. The law of God making
known his will leads to the convic
tion that we are transgressors. Thus
the possibility of being justified by
the law is absolutely negatived. —
As the apostle has Jews particularly
in his mind, the law is to be taken in
its whole extent, both ceremonial and
moral, for to a Jew the distinction
between the moral law and the cere
monial was of no account. Judaism,
or the Mosaic religion, consisted of
the entire code of divine prescriptions
given through Moses, relative to
ritual services as well as to the affec
tions of the heart; and the outward
was regarded by Jews in general as
equally important, at least, with the
inward, since the whole rested on
divine command. Every precept of
the law was a demand for pious obe
dience, and every compliance with

8G

ROMANS.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is man
ifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets ; even
22 the- righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jeous Christ

the law was held as an act of obedi
ence to a divine command. The
performance of a required ceremony
was, in a Jew's esteem, a pious act,
au instance of obedience to God, as
well as any personal, or social, vir
tue. The apostle, then, covers the
whole ground ; he presents, also, a
conclusion, which is as wide spread
ing as law itself, in reference to the
human family.
21-26. The apostle now asserts
that while justification cannot result
from the law)#since the law produces
only the consciousness of sin, God
has, apart from the law, made known
a kind of righteousness which he ac
cepts for men's justification. The
essential principle of this righteous
ness is faith in Jesus Christ : this
righteousness is for those who be
heve in Christ, their faith in him be
ing put to their account as righteous
ness : this righteousness is for all
who believe, whether Jews or Gen
tiles, since there is no difference as to
the ground of their justification in
the sight of God ; for both Jews and
Gentiles are sinners and can be justi
fied only in a gratuitous way, by the
grace, or favor, of God. Christ, in
whom the faith which God accepts as
righteousness is reposed, has by his
expiatory death made manifest the
righteousness of God's character, so
that he is scon to be righteous while
he accepts, and regards as righteous,
the believer in Christ.
21. But now. These words are
here not significant of time, but are
merely a formula of transition to the
contrast which the apostle is about to
present. \\ The righteousness of God ;
a righteousness which God has ap
pointed and will accept for man's jus
tification. It is called the righteous
ness of God, also, as being distin
guished from a man's own righteous
ness, that is, such as would be his,

had he obeyed the law. It also pro
ceeds from God, both because by his
appointment, faith is put to the be
liever's account and because faith
and the disposition connected with it
result from a divine influence on
man's heart. || Without the law;
aside from the law, on a different
ground from that which the law can
present, the law being set aside as a
ground for justification and contri
buting nothing to that result. || Be
ing witnessed, etc. ; being testified of in
the Old Testament. In 4 : 1-8 the
apostle produces from that book in
stances of a righteousness not consist
ing in actual obedience to the law.
Compare the quotation in 1 : 17. —
When the apostle said in verse 20, By
the law is the knowledge of sin, he did
not express a sentiment in opposition
to that which he affirms in this verse,
since the word law is not there em
ployed in the wide sense of the ex
pression law and prophets. He there
referred simply to the effect of the
law of God on the human conscience
and to the certainty that men cannot
obtaiu justification through it. In
the present passage, he affirms that
even the Old Testament contains
proofs of a righteousness which does
not consist in obedience to the law,
but which, notwithstanding, can be
put to a man's account for his justifi
cation and secure for him acceptance
with God.
22. By faith of Jesus Christ.
Faith in Christ is the medium through
which a person is brought into this
state of justification, that faith being
put to his account, or reckoned to
him, as righteousness ; so that,
through it, he is as really accepted
of God as if he had not been a sin
ner. || Unto all and upon all, etc.
There is but little, if any, difference
in meaning between these two prepo
sitions, unto and upon, as here used.

CHAPTER III.

37

23 unto all, and upon all them that believe ; for there is no dif-
24 ference : for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God ; being justified freely by his grace, through the re-
25 demption that is in Christ Jesus ; whom God hath set forth
to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through

Paul occasionally employs a twofold
method of expression with, perhaps,
a shade of difference between the
words, but chiefly for the sake of
more fully and emphatically conveying
his idea. Compare 1 : 17. 3 : 30.
|| For there is no difference : no differ
ence between Jew and Gentile, be
tween one man and another, in regard
to the righteousness which is revealed
for men's justification. All are situ
ated alike in this respect :¦ all are to
be treated alike, as occupying com
mon ground : one and the same mode
of justification is required for all.
23. For all have 'sinned. No dif
ference exists between Jew and Gen
tile in regard to the mode of justifi
cation, because all alike are sinners :
not that all are equally sinful, but all
are really sinners, and therefore all
must, if justified, or accepted, be jus
tified on a different principle from
that of obedience to the law of God.
|| And come short of the glory of God ,-
are destitute of that glory which
cometh from God. However much
any may be esteemed, and have glory,
among their fellow men, yet they fall
short of, are destitute of, that glory
which God bestows on beings who
have not violated his laws. The glory
here mentioned is the praise, or ap
proval, which God ever gives to
those with whose characters he is
pleased : and the word, here used, in
the original, is the same as in John
5 : 44, How can ye believe who re
ceive honor, glory, one of another,
and not the honor, glory, which'cometh
from God only; and in John 12 : 43,
For they loved tho praise, glory, of
men more than the praise of God.
24. Being justified freely ; not on
the ground of their deservings, but

gratuitously ; receiving justification
as a gift, not as a recompense for
obedience to the law of God. || By
his grace ; by the tender mercy of
God, not through their own desert :
they cannot claim justification on
their own account ; it is gratuitously
bestowed on them as a matter of favor,
or kindness. || Through the redemp
tion that is in Christ Jesus. Christ
has procured redemption, deliver
ance, from the condemnation due to
them as sinners, having given him
self as a ransom, 1 Tim. 2 : 6. By
virtue of his death, as a consideration
meeting all the demands of the case,
those who believe in him are re
deemed, rescued, from condemnation
and the penalty of sin. Compare
Matt. 20 : 28. Is. 53 : 10.
25. Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation ; whom God hath set forth
as a propitiatory offering, an expia
tory victim, by virtue of whose death
he might treat men propitiously, and
bestow on them pardoning mercy,
without impairing the claims of his
righteous law. It is in this view of
Christ, as an expiatory offering de
signed to effect reconciliation between
God and men, that he is called the
Lamb of God, taking away the sin
of the world. John 1 : 29. Com
pare also 1 John 2 : 2. Eph. 5 : 2.
Heb. 9 r 15, 26. I Pet. 1 : 18, 19.
|| Through faith in Ms blood ; through
faith in his death ; that is, through
faith in him as having shed his blood,
or undergone a violent death. The
faith which secures justification is
here represented as referring specially
to the death of Christ, or to him as
having suffered death in our behalf,
his death being necessary to the pro-
piation. — Some editions of the orig-

38

ROMANS.

26 the forbearance of God : to declare, 7" say, at this time his
righteousness ; that he might be just, and the justifier of him
which believeth in Jesus.

inal give a different punctuation and
connect the words in his blood with
the word propitiation ; thus, a propi
tiation in, that is, by, his blood. No
material dift'erence in the thought,
however, is produced by this alter
ation : for in either mode of reading
the passage, the death of Christ is
represented as necessary and avail
able for propitiation, and faith in
Christ is represented as the medium
for receiving the benefits of his pro
pitiatory death. || To declare his
righteousness; literally, for showing
forth his own righteousness, or, for
making it manifest. — The word de
clare is here used, as in 1 : 4, in the
old sense of making clear, or evident ;
as it is used in Matt. 13 : 36 and 15 :
15. || For the remission of sins that
are past ; literally, on account of the
remission, that is, the passing by,
without merited punishment, of sins
committed in former ages, namely,
before the coming of Christ. — The
word here translated remission is not
the word which signifies forgiveness
in the full sense ; it properly means
passing by without deserved retribution,
declining to punish. The idea, here
conveyed by the apostle, is similar to
that in Acts 17: 30, where God is
said to have winked at sins committed
in the times of comparative ignorance,
and in Acts 14 : 16, where he is said
to have suffered all nations to walk in
their own ways, without giving full
expression to his displeasure at their
sins. The sins of former ages were
passed by without merited punish
ment through tlie divine forbearance,
not through indifference on tho part
of God. Since, however, God had
shown such forbearance in declining
to punish the sins of men, his for
bearance might • be misunderstood,
.and the opinion be cherished that he
was regardless of men's acts and
would not be found strictly just in

his moral administration. But the
death of Christ, as a means of pro
pitiation, would effectually correct
this error : it would fully display the
justice of God and set all his former
forbearance in its true light. — In
order to present the apostle's thought,
the passage may be read in the fol
lowing manner : — For showing forth
his own righteousness on account of the
passing by, through tlie forbearance of
God, of sins formerly committed. The
apostle's remark is applicable to
modern times ; for the righteousness
of God might be called in question
by reason of his forbearing to inflict
merited punishment in his providen
tial dealings ; but his righteousness
is fully vindicated by the death of
Christ for man's redemption.
26. To declare, I say, at this time,
etc. ; a repetition of the thought that
the death of Christ manifested the
righteousness of God, with the addi
tional thought that this is done
now, at the present time, that is, since
Christ has come and submitted to
death, in contrast with the former
ages alluded to in the preceding verse.
A complete manifestation of the right
eous character of God, as the su
preme Ruler, was reserved for the
Messiah's advent and death. || That
he might be just, etc. The ultimate
purpose of the death of Christ is
now stated, at least so far as men's
justification is concerned ; namely,
that God might be seen to be per
fectly righteous while even justifying
men, that is, accepting them as if
righteous, though sinners, on t'ioir
becoming believers in Jesus.
The death of Clirist should be re
garded not so much in the light of an
external extent, as in the ideas it rep
resents, or the views which it fur
nishes of the character and govern
ment of God. We are not to sup
pose that God takes pleasure iu suf-

CHAPTER III.

39

27 Where is boasting then ? It is excluded. By what law ?
28 Of works ? Nay ; but by the law of faith. Therefore we
conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of

fering, or in the shedding of blood :
this would be abhorrent to the spirit
uality of his nature and to his tender
ness ; but the efficacy of Christ's
death consists, so far as the apostle
shows in this paragraph, in its so man
ifesting the righteous character of
God that, though he pardon and ac
cept the sinner who believes in Jesus,
he cannot justly be suspected of any
dereliction of righteousness. But
how did his death thus show forth the
righteousness of God ? In reply :
His death was vicarious ; he died the
just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3 : 18 ; that
is, the righteous one in behalf of the
unrighteous ; he bore their sins in his
own body on the cross, 1 Pet. 2 : 24,
in their stead, the Lord having laid on
him the iniquity of us all, Is. 53 : 6 ;
and thus, in his unmeasurable, in
conceivable sufferings endured in con
sequence of his taking on himself
our sins, we have a demonstration of
God's righteous hatred of sin and of
the ill desert of sinners ; namely, their
deserving to be abandoned of God to
an unutterable depth of misery. In
view then, of this drfladful and signi
ficant death, undergone for us, God
can righteously avert from us our
merited doom if we. come to possess
a temper of mind suitable to our case,
that is, a penitent temper, and with
all our heart accede to the view which
God takes of us and of himself, con
fiding, with entire self-renunciation,
in Christ, and becoming his followers,
united in spirit with him. — The faith
in Cluist to which so much impor
tance is attached may be either the
specific conscious act of trusting in
Christ from a deep sense of our per
sonal sinfulness and need of pardon,
or the state of moral feeling which is
involved in discipleship to Jesus : for,
the specific act will be followed by
entire discipleship, and discipleship,
viewed as a moral state, involves the
personal trusting iu Christ as the

Redeemer. Faith, viewed as a speci
fic act, is also the germ of entire
Christian character and obedience.
27-30. In these verses the apostle
infers that tho boasting, in which the
Jews indulged, of their superiority to
the Gentiles, in consequence of their
possessing tlie Mosaic law, must now
be regarded as baseless. Since, also,
it was tho design of God to abolish the
distinction between Jew and Gentile,
in regard to privileges, the fact, that
justification by faith for both Jews
and Gentiles does effectually remove
the Jewish ground of self-estimation,
may furnish in its turn confirmation
to the doctrine that justification stands
connected with faith, not with works
of the law. This doctrine is, more
over, in harmony with the fact that
there is but one God, who is tho God
of the Gentiles, as well as of the
Jews. 27. Where is boasting, then? Lit
erally, the boasting, the well-known
glorying of the Jews over the Gen
tiles as being so highly distinguished
by God in the privilege of being his
people and having his law.— Through
out his discussion, the apostle keeps
the Jews before his mind : the reason
ing is conducted with special reference
to them. || By what law ? By what
rule, or governing principle ? || Of
works ? By the principle that works
of obedience to the law will avail for
men's justification ? The Jews held
to this principle, and hence boasted
in their outward distinction from the
Gentiles, as having the law, or the
religious institution by Moses. || But
by the law of faith, by the rule, or
governing principle, that faith in
Christ avails for justification. This
leaves no room for personal glorying,
since it places justification on the
ground of a free gift, not of a de
served payment, or of a reward.
28. Therefore we conclude, etc.
Since justification by faith in Christ

40

ROMANS.

29 the law. Is he the God of the Jews only ? is he not also
30 of the Gentiles ? Yes, of the Gentiles also : seeing it is
one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and
uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith ? God for
bid : yea, we establish the law.

excludes self-glorying, and thus ef
fects the purpose of God to place all
men on a common level, we deem
that a man is justified by faith aside
from the deeds of the law ; the ob
servances of the law contribute noth
ing to our justification.
29. Is he the God of the Jews only ?
That faith in Christ, and not the
observance of the Mosaic law, is re
quired for justification, and conse
quently that no difference exists be
tween Jews and Gentiles in this
respect, is also in harmony with the
truth that there is but one God, and
he must be acknowledged the God of
the Gentiles as well as of the Jews ;
having a regard for the one as well as
for the other. But if justification
come from the Mosaic law, then God
would be exclusively the God of the
Jews, to the detriment of the Gentiles
who had not received that law : being,
however, the God of all men in com
mon, he has established that principle
of justification which is equally ap
plicable to all and available for all.
He justifies the circumcision, the Jews,
b}' faith, and the uncircumcision, the
Gentiles, by faith. — No essential dif
ference in meaning is intended by
using the different prepositions by
and through. It is an instance of the
apostle's practice, which has already
been noticed, on vorse 22 ; compare
too, in the original, verses 25 and 26.
If the prepositions, in this verse,
were rendered in a strictly literal
manner, the representation would be
that justification comes to believing
Jews from faith, as its source; and to
believing Gentiles by, or through, faith,
as its medium. Tho apostle's mind
fastened on faith as the principal
word. In the paragraph just considered,

vs. 27-30, the apostle proceeded on
what he held as an indisputable truth,
which he inculcated, also, on all
proper occasions, that the distinction
between Jews and Gentiles was no
longer to be regarded : the gospel
placed them both on a common level.
Compare Eph. 2 : 11-17. Thoy
were, in common, men and sinners ;
and one common principle was to be
apphed in their deliverance from a
common state of sin and Exposure to
divine wrath.
31. Do we then make void the law,
etc. The apostle here replies to a
queiy which would naturally arise, in
a Jew's mind, from the doctrine that
obedience to the Mosaic law is not the
ground of justification, but that justi
fication depends on faith in Christ.
This doctrine involves the sentiment
that Gentiles, as well as Jews, are
graciously regarded by God, and that
Jews have no just ground for boast
ing of superiority to Getitiles. It
might seem to a Jew, that this denial
to him of any ground of boasting was
a depreciation and a virtual renuncia
tion of the law of Moses, that is, of the
religious system of Moses. Hence the
query, Do we, then, by this doctrine of
faith invalidate the law ? With the ut
most positiveness and with a solemnity
which shows how utterly abhorrent
was such a thought to all his religious
convictions and feelings, he replies,
that, so far from making void the law
by this principle of justification, he
does in fact confirm it. — From Acts
21 : 21, 28, it is clear that Paul was
believed by large numbers of the con
verted Jews, as well as of the uncon
verted, to be unfriendly to the law of
Moses. This supposed hostility on
his part to the Mosaic religion was
employed by his adversaries to defeat

CHAPTER III.

41

his efforts for promoting the gospel.
If the Mosaic rehgion must- be re
garded, as it doubtless was by Jews
in general, as designed for the justi
fication of men by obedience to the
works it enjoined, he would indeed be
opposed to it ; but this he held to be
an erroneous view of it. So far as
man's justification is concerned, he
held that the law could not accom
phsh it, but that it must come through
Christ. Compare 10 : 5. Gal. 2 :
16. 3: 10-14. Viewing the religion
of Moses in its proper design and re
lations, he regarded it with reverence
and gratitude. Acts 24: 14, 15.
He could with the utmost sincerity
aver, that he would by no means
weaken it, if it were apprehended ac
cording to its real design ; and that
his Christian views went to confirm
it, as a revelation of the eternal and
immutable principles of piety. But
in what manner his views confirmed
the law, he does not here say. Per
haps he intended, by making a strong
asseveration, to show distinctly his
conviction, that the doctrine of justi
fication by faith, though it utterly
removes the Jews' ground of boast
ing, is not at variance with the reh
gion of Moses, and thus to disabuse
his Jewish readers' minds of the hurt
ful prejudice which had been indulged,
leaving his solemn averment to the
considerate regard of his readers.
Opinions as to the manner in which
the apostle's doctrine confirms the
law are various. Three only need be
mentioned : 1 . It confirms the law
viewed particularly in its moral as
pects, since it acknowledges the law
as awakening a sense of sin ; it is
thus built on the law as an immutable
basis of moral right. If we were
not under condemnation by tho law,
a gratuitous justification would not
be needed : hence, this doctrine in
volves the binding and inevitable
authority of the law. — The distinc
tion, here implied, between the moral
and the ritual in the Mosaic law, was
not made by Jews generally, (see on
verse 20) ; since they regarded the
4*

entire law, in all its parts, as resting
equally on one and the same basis of
divine command, and considered all
acts of comphanee with it as religious
obedience, entitling to recompense.
They did not discriminate between
the law as enjoined on their nation
through Moses, and the eternal and un
changeable law designed for all moral
created beings, which formed the basis
of their peculiar national code. An
enlightened Jew, however, could not
but feel that in spirit, at least, he had
not kept the whole law ; and there
fore, however broadly he might use
the word law, the law would convict
him of sin and make him feel his
need of a different basis for accept
ance with God. The disclosure of
an adequate basis would confirm the
law, since the necessity of it was oc
casioned by the inviolable force of
the law. — 2. This doctrine confirms
the law, because it is only by the effi
cacy of the provision which this doc
trine presents, that the real intent of
the law, as requiring a moral dispo
sition conformed to the will of God,
can be fulfilled among men. See 8 :
4. This doctrine, then, maintains the
law as the authoritative expression of
what is right in the sight of God, and
aims to accomplish the results con
templated by the law. — 3. The law,
viewed as the rehgion of Moses pre
sented in the Old Testament, is con
firmed by this doctrine, because this
doctrine is really contained in that
religion. So far, then, from giving
up the law as developed in the Jew
ish scriptures themselves, we derive
proofs of this doctrine from those very
scriptures, and therefore by no means
invalidate the law. — The last of these
views is regarded by some writers as
being in harmony with the apostle's
employing, in the following chapter,
as proofs of his doctrine, instances
furnished by the Old Testament.
This view, however, is not satisfac
tory. — Perhaps the apostle's remark
should be classed among the very
comprehensive ones, which are capa
ble of diverse replies, according Ur

CHAPTER IV.
The ld.se of Abraham, as suggesting an objection. 1-8. His acceptance with God not rest-
in r on obedience to the law of circumcision, but on faith, 9-17. Commendation of Abra
ham's faith in God, 18-22. The principle on which he was justified, applicable to all,
23-25.

the diverse points of view which a
reader takes. Each reply, in such a
case, may be worthy of acceptance ;
though, doubtless, some one should
be considered the main reply, and
others coincident aud subservient.
CHAPTER IV.
The conclusion to which the apos
tle had conducted his readers, that
acceptance with God is dependent on
faith in Christ, and the idea, that this
mode of justification effectually re
moves all ground of boasting, would
naturally, since the Jews were very
prone to boast, lead a Jew to men
tion the case of Abraham as opposing
a strong objection to the apostle's
doctrine. Abraham was a man of
singular obedience to the will of God,
Gen. 26 : 5 ; yet, according to the
apostle's view, he had no claim on
God. A Jew, then, would naturally
ask, ' According to this view, what
did Abraham obtain from his works
of obedience ? Did he have even the
slightest ground for self-gratulation ? '
The question, obviously, involves a
negative answer. The apostle takes
for granted the negative answer,
and proceeds to show its propriety.
Granting that Abraham had a ground
for self-gratulation if he were justified
by works, Paul asserts that he had no
such ground in the sight of God.
That he had no such ground for
glorying in the sight of God, the
apostle argues from the statement of
the scripture that faith, not a legal
obedience, was reckoned to Abraham
as righteousness. — That a righteous
ness aside from works is reckoned to
the man whom God accepts, appears,
in like manner, from the language of
David, who describes a person as
(42)

blessed that had confessedly been
guilty of sin, but is, notwithstanding,
accepted of God, his sin not being
put to his account. Vs. 1-8.
Now, does this state of blessedness
depend on being circumcised ? No :
for Abraham was justified in the sight
of God before he was circumcised,
and circumcision was the seal, or the
confirmation, of the fact that his faith
was set to his account as righteous
ness. Thus it was that Abraham
became the father of all believers, both
uncircumcised and circumcised. Vs.
9-12. As Abraham was to be the father
of all believers, a promise was vir
tually made to him that he should
possess the entire world, Gentiles and
Jews. Now this promise to Abraham
was not made through the medium
of the law, but through the medium
ot faith, or through the medium of
that righteousness which was reck
oned to faith. If the fulfilment of
this promise had been dependent on
the law, faith would then have been
invalidated, which yet is plainly tho
ground of the promise, and tho prom
ise would inevitably have failed. For
if its fulfilment had been made de
pendent on obedience to the law, the
condition would not have been com
plied with : the law would have been
broken and divine wrath, instead of
a fulfilment of the promise, would
have ensued. In order, therefore,
that the promise might be surely ful
filled, it must rest on the ground of a
gratuity : hence, faith is tho appointed
medium. Vs. 13-17.
As Abraham's faith was reckoned
to him for righteousness, so will our
faith be put to our account as right
eousness, and secure to us justification
in the sight of God. Vs. 18-25.

CHAPTER IV.

43

1 "What shall we then say that Abraham our father, as per-
2 taming to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were
justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before
3 God. For what saith the scripture ? Abraham believed
4 God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now
to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace,
5 but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on

1. What shall we say, then, that
Abraham, etc. The arrangement of
the words in the original does not
connect the clause, as pertaining to the
flesh, with Abraham our father, but
with hath found. The following ex
presses the view of the original :
\Vhat shall we say, then, that Abraham
our father found as pertaining to the
flesh, or, according to the flesh ? — Ac
cording to the flesh would seem, from
the immediate connection, to have
signified the performance of works, per
haps as distinguished in the apostle's
mind from the inward spirit of faith.
Among such works of obedience, cir
cumcision was included. — The ques
tion here proposed by the apostle, as
a thought that would naturally occur
to a Jew, involves a negative reply ;
as if a person should inquire, with
surprise, ' What then, according to
this view of justification, are we
to think that even Abraham received
as the reward of his deeds ? What
one thing docs it allow him to have
obtained 1 ' The apostle may be con
ceived of as tacitly assenting to the
negative here involved, namely, that
Abraham did indeed obtain no bless
ing, as a deserved recompense of
deeds. 2. He now proceeds to sustain
this negative reply. — For. This word
connects the implied negative with
the argument on which the apostle
grounds it : as if he had said, Abra
ham obtained nothing in respect to
justification, in consequence of his
works ; for, if he had, he would have
possessed some ground for glorying ;
but, in the sight of God, he had no
such ground. Whatever merits in
the sight of men, and when compared

with men, he may have, before God
he has no ground for glorying.
3. The reason for denying to
Abraham any title for glorying before
God, is now presented : namely, the
scripture rests his justification on his
faith, not on his works ; and faith, as
the medium of justification, implies,
on the part of the justified person, a
gratuitous reception of blessings. —
What saith the scripture ? See Gen.
15 : 6. || Abraham believed God; re
posed faith in God, who had made
him such a promise as could not be
fully admitted by him without a gen
uine, unwavering confidence in God.
|| And it was counted unto him for right
eousness ; it was put to his account as
righteousness, so that he was thereby
justified, or treated as righteous.
4. The apostle now shows how
entirely adverse is this scripture-lan
guage, concerning Abraham, to the
opinion that he was justified by works.
To have faith put to a person's ac
count as righteousness is applicable,
he says, only to the case of one who
is not regarded as righteous by virtue
of his own works.— To him that work
eth, etc. ; to one who by his own
works is accounted righteous, the
recompense is not reckoned of grace,
that is, as a gratuity, a favor, bestowed
through kindness, but as a debt, as
something due to him on the ground
of justice.
5. To him that worketh not, etc. ;
to one who is not by virtue of his
own works accounted righteous, but
who is characterized as reposing trust
in him that justifieth the ungodly, that
is, justifieth a man that has been a
sinner and is therefore without claim,
to such a person his faith is reckoned.

44

ROMANS.

him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for right-
6 eousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of
the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without
7 works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are for-
8 given, and whose sins are covered ; blessed is the man to
whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only,

or counted, as righteousness. Now
Abraham is characterized as having
thus reposed faith in God, and hav
ing been, in consequence, justified.
Righteousness was, therefore, not
reckoned, or counted, to him as a
result of works, and consequently he
had not a ground of glorying in the
sight of God. — The apostle's idea in
the 4th and 5th verses may also be
thus expressed : To a person who
has performed required works, and
thus satisfied the conditions of the
law, the recompense is not a matter
of favor, or a gratuity (and therefore,
not dependent on faith; see verse
16), but a matter of debt. It is to a
person who has not performed the
works of the law, but who trusts to
Him who can treat as righteous one
that is confessedly a sinner, it is only
to such a person that his faith is reck
oned as righteousness. The reckon
ing of faith as righteousness is incon
sistent with the reckoning of works as
righteousness. Abraham, therefore,
since faith was put to his account as
righteousness, had a righteousness
aside from works, a righteousness
resting on a different ground.
6. Even as David also describeth,
etc. In harmony with this representa
tion concerning Abraham, is David's
language concerning the blessed state
of the man to whom God reckons
righteousness without works, that is,
aside from works, or on a different
ground from that of works ; to whose
account God puts righteousness, and
whom he accepts as if righteous,
though he has not a righteousness
founded on his own works. — The
word impul, th, in this verse, represents
precisely the same word in the orig

inal, as is, in the preceding verses,
translated count and reckon. These
three words are, in our version, used
in the same sense.
7, 8. Blessed, etc. See Ps. 32 :
1, 2. The force of this quotation con
sists in the fact, that a blessed, or
happy, state in respect to God is here
represented as enjoyed by a man who
yet had been confessedly sinful, and
who could not, therefore, have been
accepted on the ground of personal
righteousness, but on the ground of
mere favor, God not charging his sins
to his account. His blessed state was
to him not a matter of debt, which he
could claim, but of grace, coming to
him as a gratuity, a free gift. God
might have justly imputed sin to
him ; that is, might have put his sin
to his account, but he graciously fore
bore to do so.
9-17. The apostle now more par
ticularly shows that this blessed state
does not rest on the ground of the law,
but on that of grace ; that it proceeds
not from a legal obedience on the part
of the person who is thus blessed, but
from grace on the part of God. He
maintains that it did not, in the case
of Abraham, depend on circumcision,
nor on the law at all.
9. Cometh, then? etc. Is this state
of blessedness affirmed^of the cir
cumcised only, as the Jews main
tained, or of the uncircumcised also ?
The very form of this question shows
how the subject stood in the apostle's
mind, and indicates the proper reply;
namely, it is affirmed of the uncircum
cised also. To establish this implied
affirmative answer to the second part
of the question, the apostle remarks,
For we say that faith was reckoned to

CHAPTER IV.

45

" or upon the uncii 2umcision also ? For we say that faith was
10 reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then
reckoned ? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumci-
11 sion? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he
received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness
of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised : that he
might be the father of all them that believe, though they be
not circumcised, (that righteousness might be imputed unto
12 them also,) and the father of circumcision to them who are
not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps

ABRAHAM as righteousness. An
unreflecting Jew might hastily infer
that Abraham's justification was, of
course, connected with circumcision ;
but this very instance of Abraham
makes the contrary evident, as the
apostle proceeds to show.
10. Flow was it then reckoned? In
what circumstances was Abraham,
when his faith was put to his account
as righteousness ? Was he circum
cised, or uncircumcised ? He was, at
that time, uncircumcised ; and, there
fore, circumcision bore no part in his
justification before God.
11. And he received '-the sign, etc.
In addition to the historical fact that
Abraham was held righteous in the
sight of God, or was justified, pre
viously to his circumcision, the very
design of circumcision, in respect to
Abraham, shows that his justification
was not dependent on it. It was
after he was justified through his
faith, that he received the sign, or
mark of circumcision as a seal, that
is, in confirmation, of the fact that
God accepted as righteousness the faith
which he had reposed in God, while
he was yet uncircumcised. || That
he might be the father, etc. ; so that he
might be the father, in a spiritual
sense, of all uncircumcised believers,
to whom, as well as to himself, on
account of their being believers, or
on account of their having faith,
righteousness is reckoned ; in other
words, to whom their faith is reckoned
as righteousness, and who are thereby
justified. 12. And the father of circumcision ;

that is, the father of the circumcised,
the Jews : yet not of all who are cir
cumcised, but of those only among
them who, hke him, have faith. This
-discrimination is immediately ex
pressed. || To them who are not of the
circumcision only, etc. ; rather, for, in
respect to, those, who should be not
merely circumcised, but who should,
also, partake of Abraham's faith, the
faith which he reposed in the divine
declaration while he was yet uncir
cumcised. — Abraham became a spir
itual father of believing Gentiles and
of believing Jews. The paternal re
lation of Abraham to his lineal pos
terity, or to those who merely by
circumcision avowed their connection
with him, was, to the apostle, of no
account in respect to justification.
He does not here allow to such this
kindredship with Abraham : only per
sonal faith constituted one a descend
ant, or child, with Abraham. So our
Lord, in John 8 : 39, etc. Compare
also Gal. 6 : 15. Luke 3 : 8, 9.
From Gen. 17 : 1-14 it appears,
that God enjoined circumcision on
Abraham at a time subsequent to the
occasion on which his faith, Gen. 1 5 :
6, was so signally accepted. This
ordinance, however, appointed at a
later date as the seal of God's cove
nant with Abraham, had direct refer
ence to his former behef, or faith, in
God's declarations ; so that without
this faith, that covenant would not
have been made. The apostle seems
to have conjoined this covenant and
the faith of Abraham, -and to have
regarded the confirmatory desigD of

46

ROMANS.

of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet
13 uncircumcised. For the promise that he should be the heir
of the world was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the

circumcision as relating not only to
the promise itself of a numerous pos
terity, but also to Abraham's faith in
God. This was the more natural,
sines the promise, belief in which was
so acceptable to God, had reference
to Abraham's immediate and remote
posterity, and the covenant of cir
cumcision had reference, in like man
ner, to his succeeding and remote
posterity. The promises on the two
occasions were the same, so far as
numerousness of posterity was con
cerned ; and the confirmation, or seal,
of the latter did really involve the
confirmation of the former, and was,
therefore, a confirmation of God's
having accepted, as righteousness, the
faith which Abraham reposed in his
promise. 13-17. As still further showing
that faith is the medium of accept
ance with God, the apostle maintains
that the promise to Abraham and his
spiritual posterity concerning their
possession of the world, was depend
ent on faith, and could have been ac
complished through no other medium
than a gratuitous one, such as faith is.
13. For. The apostle proceeds
to state a reason for the preceding
view, that Abraham was, by his faith,
to be the father of believers in all
nations, Gentiles and Jews. The
reason is, that the distinguished prom
ise to Abraham was not made through
the medium of the law, but through
the medium of faith reckoned as right
eousness. || The promise that he should
be tlie heir of the world. The original
word translated heir is not used with
so strict a meaning in the scriptures
as the word heir is with us ; it does
not necessarily involve the idea of
obtaining possession by descent, or by
bequest from a former owner ; but
signifies, likewise, possessoi- in tho
generic sense, one who has acquired,
or obtained, something. It is so used

in this passage ; and the clause might
be rendered, that he should be the pos
sessor of the world. The world here
means the earth and its inhabitants.
Abraham was to possess these.
How ? By there being multitudes
throughout the earth, in every nation,
who should look up to him, as their
common spiritual father. From hira
was to descend the Messiah, whose
blissful reign would extend over the
whole earth. In Gen. 15: 18-21.
17:8, the possession of the land of
Canaan and of extensive neighboring
countries was promised to Abraham ;
in Gen. 15 : 5, 22 : 17, (compare
also 17 : 4-6), it was promised that
his posterity should be innumerable ;
in Gen. 12:3. 18:18. 22:18, that
all nations should be blessed through
him. The promises, viewed con
jointly, involved the idea, that the
whole world was in reality embraced
in them. The world was to belong
to Abraham and his posterity in a
sense substantially the same as we
intend when we say, the world is to
be overspread with Christians and
they are to possess it. Thus the
whole world was to be Abraham's,
the sphere throughout which he would
be acknowledged as a father, and
throughout which the Messiah, the
distinguished One of his posterity,
would diffuse blessings. — This prom
ise, according to the view which the
apostle here takes of it, had reference
to the spiritual posterity of Abraham,
as well as to Abraham himself; and
in reference to both, it may have had
a twofold signification : first, Abra
ham was to possess the world, since
by the world's coming under the
sway of the religion of which he was
to be so eminent an instrument, he
would have a sort of spiritual posses
sion, or dominion, in all nations : his
posterity, too, would possess the
world, inasmuch as his spiritual chil-

CHAPTER IV.

47

14 law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they
which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the
15 promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh
16 wrath : for where no law is there is no transgression. There
fore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; to the end the
promise might be sure to all the seed : not to that only which

dren, the followers of Christ, would
overspread the world, and the prin
ciples of their religion supplant those
of every other. Secondly : The pos
session of the world is indicative of
dignity and bliss ; and the eminence
and happiness, thus represented, em
braced all the spiritual and immortal
blessings which God would bestow
on his favored ones. This view of
the promise is applicable both to
Abraham and to his spiritual pos
terity ; and thus viewed, the promise
is of the same nature as that which
frequently occurs concerning the
righteous ; namely, they shall inherit
the earth ; in other words, they shall
possess the truly good things of
earth, true happiness, a blessed state.
|| Not through the law; the law, or
legal obedience, was not the medium
through which this promise came, and
the fulfilment of this promise was
not, therefore, made to depend on
legal obedience. || But through the
righteousness of faith ; faith, accepted
as righteousness, was the medium
through which this promise came.
14. That the fulfilment of the
promise to Abraham and his spiritual
posterity is dependent on faith, arises
not merely from a view of historical
dates in reference to Abraham, and
from the design of circumcision, but
also from the very nature of the law,
or of a system of legal requirements.
This the apostle next presents, as sus
taining the affirmation in the 13th
verse. — For, etc. : for, if they are to
inherit the promise who are of the law,
who possess the law, and seek the
promised blessings from the law as the
recompense of their obedience, then
faith is made void, has no efficacy as
to securing the fulfilment of the
promise ; faith as a condition of the

blessing, is done away with, as being
inconsistent with a legal obedience
and a consequent claim. Faith, as
the medium, is wholly opposite to
legal obedience, as the medium ; and
consequently, if legal obedience bo
made the medium, faith is annulled ;
and then, wltat will be the inevitable
result as to the promise ? || The
promise made of none effect ; the prom
ise is, then, virtually annulled, it has
become fruitless ; it must fail entirely
of accomplishment.
15. Because the law worketh wrath.
The promise, were its fulfilment con
ditioned on legal obedience, would
inevitably fail ; because the law, as
acting on human beings, brings to
them,- not the fulfilment of tlie prom
ise, but the wrath of God ; since they
will break the law, and transgression
of it demands the penalty. Such is
the moral state of men, that, if wo
seek for freedom from transgression,
we must search for it whore the law
is not. The law must, therefore, be a
medium of divine wrath ; and tho
promise, if resting on that ground,
must fail ; for the law enjoins duty
alone, it provides not deliverance from
the penalty for disobedience. — The
inevitable result, that human beings
will transgress under law, is else
where shown by the apostle. In 3 :
20 the law is said to occasion a con
sciousness of transgri ssion ; in 5 : 13,
20, to increase accountability and
occasions of sin ; and in 7 : 7, etc.,
to awaken and even stimulate men's
sinful propensities, rather than to free
from them.
16. Therefore it is of faith, etc.
Hence the inheritance, or the posses
sion of the promised blessings, is
made dependent on faith, in order
that it might be according to grace,

48

ROMANS.

is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abra-
17 ham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, I have
made thee a father of many nations) before him whom he be
lieved, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those
18 things which be not, as though they were : who against
hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of
many nations ; (according to that which was spoken ; So

Since the promised blessings could
not be secured through a legal medium,
God has appointed a gracious medium :
through faith the blessings are to be
received. Faith was appointed as the
medium of a gracious bestowal, in
order that the promise might prove
sure to the entire spiritual posterity
of Abraham ; not only to that part
which possessed the law, namely, the
Jews, but also to that which, not
having the law, yet had faith such as
Abraham's, who, by his faith, is the
spiritual father of us all who have
faith, Jews and Gentiles, trusting, as
he also did, to the declarations of
God. 17. As it is written, etc. This
idea of Abraham's being the father
of all believers agrees with God's
declaration to him, in Gen. 17:5,
concerning his becoming a father of
many nations ; the numerousness of
his natural posterity being a fore
tokening of the innumerable multi
tude, out of all nations, that should
follow him in .faith. || Before him,
etc. These words are to be connected
with the preceding verse : Abraham
is father of all believers, before God,
that is, in the view of God in whom
he trusted. God thus regards him.
|| Whu quickeneth the dead; who mak
eth ali ve the dead : a recognition of
the almighty power of God. Allu
sion is, probably, made to the thought
in the 1 9th verse, which would natu
rally have forbidden the expectation
of a posterity from Abraham : but
this thought connects itself with the
more general one of God's having
power even to make the dead alive,
and of Abraham's trusting to God as
au almighty Being. || And calleth,

etc. ; calleth forth, and disposeth of,
things which are not yet in being, as
though they were ; through his al
mighty creative power, he gives order
concerning things not yet in existence,
just as if they were in existence, for
his purposes concerning them will
stand. It is immaterial to him, whe
ther they are now in existence, or are
to be ; he foresees every thing, and
has power to accomplish whatever he
pleases. The future hes before him
as really as the present. Nothing is
beyond his power. He is able to
make promises concerning a remote
future, just as easily as concerning
time near at hand. Abraham trusted
in him as being thus powerful and
faithful, aud unhesitatingly believed
the divine promise.
18-22. The remarkable strength
of Abraham's faith is now shown by
the apostle. The patriarch trusted
in the declarations of God, as the
Almighty and as, therefore, able to ac
complish whatever He should please,
though in circumstances, to human
view, the most forbidding.
18. Who against hope, etc. ; who
though all natural circumstances were
adverse to hope, yet in hope beheved
the promise of (Jod, that he should
become a father of many nations, of
an innumerable posterity. || Accord
ing to that which was spoken, etc. ; in
accordance with God's declaration to
him, when bidding him look toward
heaven and number the stars, he said,
So shall thy seed be. Gen. 15 : 5.
A similar declaration is recorded iu
Gen. 13 : 16. 22 : 17. Compare
also Heb. II : 12.
19. He considered not, etc. ; he
paid no regard to the circumstance

CHAPTER IV.

49

19 shall thy seed be,) and being not weak in faith, he considered
not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred
20 years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb : he
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but
21 was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully
persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to
22 perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for right
eousness.
23 Now, it was not written for his sake alone, that it was im-
24 puted to him : but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed,

of his advanced age. Though the
thought of this entered Abraham's
mind, Gen. 17 : 17, yet he allowed it
no influence in opposition to God's
promise. 20. He staggered not, etc.; wavered
not, did not indulge in doubts, but
was strong in his confidence that
God's promise would be fulfilled.
|| Giving glory to God ; honoring God,
as One that could not but prove faith
ful to his word. — A full belief of
God's promises admits his real char
acter and gives him the honor which
is his due.
22. And therefore it was imputed,
etc. His faith in God, that is, his
believing, so readily and fully, the
declaration of God, was put to his
account as righteousness. His faith
was peculiarly strong ; it paid special
honor to God, as the Being who would
not fail to accomplish his word, how
ever unlikely its fulfilment might
seem. By thus fully believing in
him, though all circumstances were
unfavorable to the fulfilment of the
promise, Abraham acknowledged and
honored the true nature and character
of God ; and because he thus simply
and heartily relied on God, when, to
all human appearance, he had no
rational ground for hope, his faith
was regarded as righteousness, and
by virtue of it he had favor with
God. — The apostle had in mind the
remarkable strength of Abraham's
faith, as well as its genuineness ; and
as this strong faith, resting simply
and without wavering on the veracity
of God while, according to the course

of nature, the promised event was
hopeless, paid honor to God as the
almighty fulfiller of his word, it was
peculiarly acceptable to him and was
put to Abraham's account as right
eousness, without any external works
of legal obedience.
23-25. The case of Abraham ia
now applied to that of believers in
Jesus. 23. Now it was not written, etc.
The fact, that Abraham's faith was
put to his account as righteousness,
was not recorded, Gen. 15 : 6, for his
own sake merely ; not merely that an
honorable and enduring testimony
might be borne to him.
24 . But for us also ; it was recorded
for our sake also, in order to show us
the principle on which we too may be
justified. Though the object of Abra
ham's faith, in the instance produced
by the apostle, was not the same as
that of the Christian's faith, yet the
nature of faith, and its moral quahty,
in the two cases are the same. It is
a confiding in God, in his declara
tions and his arrangements, and is
indicative of right feelings and pur
poses towards him : as directed to
Christ, it is a trusting in him as our
Redeemer and Lord, and a virtual
uniting of ourselves to him for a per
sonal participation in the spiritual
and eternal blessings which can come
to us only through him. || To whom
it shall be imputed; to whom faith,
similar to Abraham's, shall be reck
oned as righteousness for our justifi
cation. || If we bdieve on him, etc.
Abraham had faith in God respecting

50

ROMANS.

if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the
25 dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised
again for our justification.
a case which was like making alive nected with our enjoyment of the
the dead ; so we are to have faith in divine favor, 1 Pet. 3 : 21 ; but then
God as having raised up Jesus from it is the resurrection, as preceded by
the dead. It is in God, as having a peculiar death. — We are here
raised up Jesus, that we are here said viewed in a twofold state ; first, as
to believe, because the resurrection of sinners under condemnation, and
Jesus was the great fact which proved next, as justified. The former view
hira to be the Son of God, 1 : 4. connects itself with the son-owful
Luke 18 : 33. Acts 2 : 29 — 32, and scene of the Saviour's death on ac-
confirmed the acceptableness to God count of our sins ; the latter con-
of his life and death, John 10 : 17 ; nects itself rather with the Saviour's

his resurrection was necessary, also,
to the consummation of his media
torial work in heaven. — To bdieve in
God, thus viewed, is the same as to
bttieiv in Christ ; the one involves the
other. The mode of speaking, here

triumph over death, as having com
pleted his propitiatory work and
delivered his followers from the just
desert of their sins, securing their jus
tification and acceptance with God. — ¦
As our justification results from be-

adopted, originated from the apostle's lieving in Christ, and we should not
mention of Abraham's believing in have adequate reason for believing in
God, and from his desire to preserve him, had he not risen from the dead
similarity in the cases of Abraham agreeably to his prediction, there is a
and of believers in Christ. Compare, special appropriateness in connecting
for this mode of expression, 1 Pet. our justification with his resurrection,
1 : 21. the signal event which proved that
25. Who was ddivered; delivered his death was not that of a common
up to death. || For our offences; on man, but of the Son of God, and
account of our transgressions ; as a that it was accepted of God as the
sin-offering, a propitiatory sacrifice, ground of human salvation.
3: 25. || Raised again; from the 
¦dead. || For our justification ; on Additional Note on the expres-
account of our justification ; so that sion, Faith was counted for righteous-
we might be justified. — The death ness, or imputed, or reckoned for right-
,and resurrection of Christ, and, we eousness. — These three words, as has
might add, his ascension to heaven, been already stated under verse 6,
are parts of a great transaction, hav- represent one and the same word in
ing for its object our justification and the original. This expression does
salvation. The apostle looks separ- not mean that faith is put to a per-
ately at the death and the resurrection son's account instead of righteousness
¦of Christ, and at their propitiatoiy in any such sense as to imply that a
and justifying efficacy, rather for the justified person may be still an un-
sake of completeness and vivid im- righteous man; but that faith is put
prossion than for the purpose of mak- to his account as righteousness, so as
ing minute doctrinal distinctions. In to be regarded by God in the light of
.other passages, the death of Christ is a righteousness : that is, faith towards
[represented as the ground of justifi- God, or Christ, in other words, tho
cation through faith in him, 3 : 25. believing temper of mind which con-
5 : 6, 8, 10 ; but then it is a death fides in God's declarations, is gra-
which was followed by a resurrection : ciously accepted by him as righteous-
.the resurrection of Christ is sometimes ness, through which its possessor,
•regarded with prominence, as con- though sin might justly b& put to his

CHAPTER V.
Con sequences of justification by faith, 1-11. Parallel and contrast between Adam and
Christ, 12-19. Purpose for which the Mosaic law was introduced, 20, 21.
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
2 God through our Lord Jesus Christ : by whom also we have
access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in
3 hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in

account, is justified in the sight of
God. This believing, or confiding,
temper is also an obedient temper;
but the obedience has its root in faith
towards God, not in an originally
righteous spirit. The reckoning of
righteousness to a believer, then, is
not a mere show. The difference,
however, is easily perceived between
a law-righteousness, consisting in a
personal obedience to the divine law,
which obedience would be a ground
of justification in the sight of God ;
and afaith-rigtheousness, consisting in
a cordial trust in God, or Christ,
which trust, being a bond of union to
Christ, is, by the grace of God, ac
cepted as available to the person's
justification, while, if judged on
strictly legal grounds, he would be
condemned. CHAPTER V.
The apostle has now completed
his reasoning on the question of jus
tification in the sight of God ; and
proceeds to touch on the blissful re
sults of justification to believers, or
the happy condition into which they
are brought as to then- relation to
God, as to their hopes and their pres
ent joys. He instances, as these
results, peace with God, hope of
future glory, exultation even in trou-
oles, exultation in reference to God.
Vs. 1-11.
Resemblances and contrasts be
tween Adam and Christ are then
presented. Vs. 12-19. A reason is
next given for the introduction of
the Mosaic law. 20,21.
1 . ' Beina justified by faith / being

treated as righteous, being accepted
of God, through faith in Christ.
|| Peace with God; a peaceful mind
towards God, in contrast with the
dread formerly felt in view of his jus
tice and deserved wrath.
2. Access — into this grace; admis
sion into this state of favor, or gra
tuitous blessing, namely, justification
in the sight of God and reconciliation
with him. || Wherein we stand; in
which we stand fast. — The careful
ness of the apostle in keeping Christ
before the minds of his readers, as
the author of this justification, and
faith in him, as the medium of its
attainment, is very noticeable : both
are mentioned in the first verse and
both again in the second. — 1| Rejoice;
exult. The word in the original ex
presses such feelings as are often con
veyed by the term boast of employed
in a commendable manner. || Tlie
glory of God; the glory of heaven.
which belongs to God and to which
he will admit the disciples of Christ..
3. Not only so, but we glory in
tribulations also ; not only do we exult-
in the hope of heavenly glory, but in
troubles also. Not dismayed by our
troubles, we even make our boast of
them. The idea of the sacred writer-
is not exhausted by the thought that
we exult in the midst of troubles, oi:
afflictions : but the troubles them
selves he seems to regard as a ground.
of exultation. — The reasons of this
sentiment are next given. || Tribu
lation worketh patience; trouble con
duces to patient endurance, steadfast
ness. In trials, the believing heart
remains constant, does not admit tha
(51)

52

ROMANS.

tribulations also ; knowing that tribulation worketh patience ;
4 and patience, experience ; and experience, hope : and hope
5 maketh not ashamed ; because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

thought of abandoning the Saviour ;
it adheres the more closely to him.
Troubles, as being a part of the ap
pointed discipline, promote steadfast
ness. 4. Patience worketh experience. Ex
perience, here, means not the process
of subjection to trials, but the result,
namely, approved integrity, which the
patient endurance of troubles works
out. Patient endurance of afflictions,
or steadfastness in the midst of them,
results in tried integrity towards God.
|J Experience worketh hope ; experi
ence of afflictions, issuing in the re
sult of confirmed Christian integrity,
produces hope. — The hope, here in
tended, is an advanced stage of hope
as mentioned in the second verse and
amounts to strong confidence in the
attainment of its objects. It is hope,
strengthened and matured by trials.
5. Hope maketh not ashamed. The
hope thus matured, warranted and en
couraged by confirmed Christian in
tegrity, does not disappoint its pos
sessor. It will not fail to be realized,
and will not, through failure, make
him ashamed of his confident expecta
tions : it will issue in the actual pos
session of the unutterable glory which
it anticipates. — The ground of this
persuasion is next presented. || Be
cause the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts, etc. ; because God loves us,
and has given abundant expression
to his love by the Holy Spirit bestowed
on us. By the Holy Spirit he has
imparted an assured and felt convic
tion of his love to us ; and has awak
ened within us a corresponding affec
tionate temper towards him, so that
we feel that he has loved us. As the
confiding child knows, and feels, that
his parent loves him, and this filial
temper helps him rightly to estimate
his parent's acts, as emanating from
parental love, so the believer, under

the copious influence of the Holy
Spirit has such a temper of mind
towards God as makes him feel that
God has loved him. God has not
kept his love to us pent up, as it
were, in his own breast ; he has given
copious and full expression to it : he
has come to our hearts, and poured
it forth abundantly on them, so that
we feel he has loved us. An affec
tionate friend makes known his lovo
by appropriate tokens and acts, and
these produce, in the object of his
regard, u, sense of the love which is
thus expressed ; so God makes us
sensible of his love to us. This is
done by the agency of the Holy
Spirit, whose access to our souls pro
duces not so much a conviction as a
feeling, that God loves us, a sensibil
ity to God's love. — The reciprocal
action of mind and heart must here
be acknowledged ; but the superior
action is that of the heart, cherishing
affection towards God . through the
power of the Holy Spirit. — 1| By the ,
Holy Ghost, etc. By the agency of
the Holy Spirit, God's love to us
becomes a matter of conviction and
deep feeling. The Spirit renovates
our hearts and imparts to us a filial
temper, making us genuine disciples
of Christ, so that God can consist
ently with his holy character abun
dantly express his love to us. This
expression of God's love for us, as
believers on his Son, is a sufficient
assurance that the hope resting on
Christ will never fail. — While, by tho
Holy Spirit, God makes manifesta
tions, in our hearts, of his love and
acknowledges us as his children, the
gift of tbe Spirit is itself a fruit of his
love. The apostle's idea is substan
tially the same here as in tiie passages
where the Spirit is spoken of as "the
earnest, of the promised inheritance,
given before-hand to believers. See 2

CHAPTER V.

53

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ
7 died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will
one die ; yet peradventure for a good man some would even
8 dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in
9 that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much
more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
10 from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we

Cor. 5 : 5, God, who also hath given
Io us the earnest of the Spirit ; and
Eph. 1 : 13, 14, Ye were sealed with
that Holy Spirit of promise, or, the
promised Holy Spirit, which is tho
earnest of our inheritance. It is the
earnest, since it makes us holy and fits
us for the heavenly inheritance, awak
ens filial feelings towards God and
draws us to an affectionate intercourse
with him.
6. The love of God had been
mentioned, v. 5, as the ground of
confidence that the hope enjoyed by
believers would not be disappointed.
The apostle now proceeds to the evi
dence of God's love, consisting in
what he has done in our behalf. —
When we were yet without strength ;
while we were weak, unable to help
ourselves ; while we were in sin and
wretchedness, and unable to rescue
ourselves from condemnation. This
state is, indeed, a guilty one ; but the
precise point, which the apostle has
in mind, is the helplessness to which
sin had reduced us, as to attaining
deliverance and the divine favor.
|| In due time ; at the appointed time,
according to the divine arrangement
of events : as the apostle says in Gal.
4 : 4, when the fulness of the time was
come. || Christ died for the ungodly ;
for the benefit, or in behalf, of the
ungodly. Those who had just been
spoken of as having no spiritual
strength to extricate themselves from
their wretched state, are here denom
inated ungodly ; as, in the 8th verse,
they are in like manner called sin
ners. It is here assumed, as well
known and remembered by readers,
that Christ is the Son of God : and
thus his dying for the ungodly attests
God's love to men. 5*

7. That Christ's dying in behalf
of men attests the greatness of God's
love, is shown by contrast. Scarcely
would any one die in behalf of even
a just man, fallen into calamity: but
Christ died for us sinners, meriting his
displeasure. — Scarcdy for a righteous
man ; a just man, a man of integrity,
acknowledged to have committed no
offence. || Yet peradventure for a
good man, etc. The apostle concedes
the possibility, that one might offer
his life in behalf of another ; in be
half of a generous, noble-hearted
man, always ready to do a favor, and
endearing himself to everybody by
his kind and noble deeds, perhaps
some one might offer to die. This
admission, however, does not dimin
ish the force of the contrast ; for such
a case cannot exist in reference to
Christ. No acts of generosity could
have been done by men towards him,
in requital for which he would offer
himself to death.
8. So far from having secured
regard by the bestowal of benefits,
men were not even simply just, they
were not without guilt, in the sight of
God. They were positively sinners,
justly condemned. God commendeth
Ms love towards us ; shows forth, gives
proof of, his deep love for us.
9. Much more then, etc. A strong
inference from the preceding verse :
If through the death of his Son, as
the proof of his love for us, we are
now justified, that is, treated as if
righteous, much more shall we, as
justified, be saved through his Son
from final wrath.
10. For if when we were enemies,
etc. The same idea is more strongly
presented. If, having been enemies
to God, we have, through the death

54

ROMANS.

were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ; much more,
1 1 being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not
only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world,

of his Son, become his friends, much
more, now that we are his friends, we
shall be completely saved through his
life, since he now ever liveth in heaven
to act as our patron. Compare 8 :
31 ; the idea of which verse is, since
Christ has died for us, rather is risen,
and is at the right hand of God,
pleading our cause, no one can rise
up to condemn us. See, also, Heb.
7 : 25, He is able to save to the ut
termost, that is, completely, them that
come unto God through him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession
for them ; also, 1 John 2:1. That
Christ should die for us, while we
were sinners, is more surprising than
that he will complete our salvation
by acting in our behalf on high, now
that we have become justified and
reconciled to God through his death.
1 1 . Not only so, but we also jot/ in
God. Not only does the love of God
warrant this confidence of future sal
vation, so that we can exult in the
troubles which assail us, but we also
exult in God, make our boast of him
as bearing to us, through Christ, most
endearing relations. || We have re
ceived the atonement ; that is, the recon
ciliation intimated in the preceding
verse. The word atonement bore this
signification, when our translation of
the scriptures was made, and the
original word is, as to its root, the
same as is translated reconciled in the
10th verse. The result of our Lord's
death, namely, reconciliation, is here
meant ; not the means, or process, by
which that result was reached. This
reconciliation is a matter of present
enjoyment ; we have it now. — Well
may we exult, since God, the al
mighty and most merciful, is our
friend. For this state of reconcili
ation with God we are indebted to
Christ.

12-19. The apostle had been un
folding the method of justification,
and had just shown its happy results
in those who avail themselves of its
benefits by believing in Christ. The
idea of reconciliation to God and its
consequent bliss, was now particu
larly prominent in his mind : and the
conception of the unhappy state of
men, as sinners, and the glorious con
trast as to the state of Christ's fol
lowers, seems to have suggested to
him a parallel between Adam, the
head of the human race, through
whom sin, condemnation and wo en
tered into the world, and Christ, the
head of believers, through whom
come justification, recovery to hoh
ness, and bliss. The advantage is
immensely on Christ's side of the
parallel, and strikingly confirms the
views given in the preceding part of
the chapter.
12. Wherefore. This word relates
to the preceding train of thought
which had established the great truth,
that justification and eternal life come
to us through Jesus Christ. This
truth places Christ at the head of the
justified and reconciled company, a
position, corresponding to that of
Adam as the head of the human
race. || By one man ; Adam, as ap
pears from the following verses.
|| Sin entered into the world ; into the
world of mankind, the human family :
mankind became sinful. || Death.
This word has various significations,
according to the connection in which
it occurs. It is, at least mainly,
in this paragraph, the contrast of
spiritual and eternal life, the blessed
state of favor with God, all spiritual
good for time and eternity. See
verses 17 and 21 ; compare Deut.
30: 15. Spiritual life consists in the
conformity of our hearts to the divine

CHAPTER V.

55

and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that
13 all have sinned : (For until the law, sin was in the world ;

will, and in our harmony with God
as to affections, purposes and con
duct : its possession secures to us the
exalted bliss, in time aud eternity,
which cannot but flow from our stand
ing in right relations towards God.
Death is the opposite of this ; it is
that miserable condition in which a
moral and accountable being stands,
whose heart is not right with God,
who has no delight in his will and no
well-grounded peace of mind, who is
filled with dread in respect to God,
and who, when awakened to his spir
itual state, can anticipate only con
demnation. The death of the body
does not furnish an adequate contrast
to the life which is connected with
being justified in the sight of God ;
yet bodily death, as eminently a form
of human misery, is included in the
apostle's idea ; for, that he regarded
the death of the body as a conse
quence of sin, and of our connection
with Adam, is evident from 8: 10
and from 1 Cor. 15: 22. Compare
Gen. 3 : 19. — Death, as it now occurs
to man, would not have been endured
" but on account of sin ; for though
the Creator may never have designed
that men should have an uninter
rupted existence on this earth, and in
their present material bodies, yet the
transition to a different sphere of
being, and the laying aside of the
animal body, might have been ef
fected in a way not suitable to be
called death, but only a change unac
companied by pain or any disagree
able circumstances, a desirable and
glorious change, like that which will
take place on those who, instead of
dying, will be changed at the resur
rection. 1 Thess. 4: 15-17. 1 Cor.
15 : 51, 52. The dissolution of soul
and body, as it now takes place, must,
however j be put to the account of
sin ; and bodily death, as being the
most dire evil to unholy men, and
far from being void of terror even to
the righteous, may well be included

among the miserable results of sin.
|| Death passed upon all men. The
original is quite expressive, hath
passed through unto all men. || For
that all have sinned. The reason is
here given, why the wretched state
of death, taken comprehensively, has
extended to all. The apostle seems
careful to prevent an abuse of his
statement that, in consequence of
one man's sin, all men are become
subject to death : all, he says, are
subject to the doom of sin, sinc6 all
have sinned.
13, 14. For until the law sin was in
the world. The assertion that all had
sinned and incurred the doom of
sin, needed confirmation, particularly
among Jews. The apostle had al
ready shown that Jews, as well as
Gentiles, were sinners ; and now he
finds it necessary to show that men
were all sinners, previously to the
introduction of the Mosaic law which
drew the distinction so broadly be
tween Jews and other nations. In
stead, therefore, of presenting at once
the contrasted thought concerning
Clirist, namely, that righteousness
and eternal life come by Christ, he
interrupts his course in order to sus
tain that assertion. He affirms that,
as a matter of fact, sin was commit
ted previously to the introduction of
the law, from the time of Adam
down to the time when the law was
introduced ; though he concedes that,
without so clear an announcement of
the divine will as the law made, sin
is not charged to men's account, that
is, comparatively : notwithstanding,
it was a fact, that sin was in the world
and that men were subjected to its
doom, from Adam to Moses, even
before the law was given, and there
fore in the absence of a direct and
full revelation of the divine mil. —
He here viewed sin as a violation of
that law which is involved in our very
being, as subjects of God : men dis
regarded the inalienable, though uu-

56

ROMANS.

14 but sin is not imputed when there is no law ; nevertheless,
death reigned from Adam to -Moses, even over them that had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is
15 the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence,
so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one
many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by
grace, ivhich is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto

written, claims of God as their Cre
ator and Ruler. The Mosaic law
was not the beginning of divine legis
lation ; it was a more direct and sys
tematic declaration of moral princi
ples which lie necessarily in man's
nature. || Sin is not imputed; sin is
not put to a person's account. Com
paratively speaking, the sins of men
were not held to be so aggravated as
to be put to their account with strict
ness, while a clear revelation of the
divine will was not possessed; in
such circumstances, sin is not charged
in all its fulness ; God makes mer
ciful allowances. Compare John 15 :
22. Acts 14: 16. 17 : 30.
14. Death reigned; death bore
sway, as a domineering tyrant, sub
jecting men, soul and body, to its
power. The misery consequent on
sin, is here personified : sin comes,
and death, the inflictor of all misery,
follows in its train. || Them that had
not sinned after the similitude, etc.;
those who had not sinned in circum- ,
stances like Adam's : that is, against
clearly expressed commands. The
idea, in this clause, corresponds to
the expression in the preceding verse,
when there is no law. The assertion
of the apostle is, that the sway of
death was felt before the giving of
the law, during the whole time from
Adam to Moses : men were, there
fore, sinners ; they were subjected to
misery, as being sinners, notwith
standing the merciful allowances,
which God makes in reference to
those who have not the means of a
clear knowledge of his will. All
men were in a state of condemnation,
and death had sway ovar them, as
sinners, though the law had not yet

been given. || Adam, who is the figure,
etc. ; who is a counterpart, a resem
blance, of Christ, as to the relation in
which he stood. The resemblance,
or correspondence, between Adam
and Christ, consists in the fact, that
both of them stood as heads of re
spective companies ; Adam the sin
ner, by means of whom sin and death
pervaded the human family ; Christ
the righteous, by means of whom
come righteousness and life. — The
sentiment that Adam was a figure, or
resemblance of Christ, contained a
thought of great importance, as really
suggesting the corresponding- part of
the comparison commenced in the
12th verse, but not there carried out,
namely, that righteousness and eter
nal life come by ChrisU This part
of the comparison having thus been
really suggested, the apostle leaves it
for the present and proceeds, in verses
15-17, to indicate contrasts between
Adam and Christ, as to the results
which have flowed from them respect
ively. These results are, immeasur
ably, to the advantage of the grace .
of Christ.
15. The transgression and the
free gift are hero contrasted as to
their results. — If through the offence of
one many be dead, etc.; more literally,
If through the offence of the one, that
is, Adam, the many, that is, the mass of
men, mankind, be dead. — On one side,
the many were, through the offence of
theone, in a state of death, for that they
all sinned : on the other side, the grace,
or favor, of God and the free gift of
righteousness and life bestowed in
consequence of that grace, through
the one man Jesus Christ, far more
abounded to the many, for that they

CHAPTER V.

57

16 many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift.
For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free
gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one
17 man's offence, death reigned by one ; much more they which
receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteous-
18 ness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ). Therefore, as

believed in Christ. The many, in the
former case, are all who have sinned,
as appears from the 12th verse ; the
many, in the latter case, are all who
have believed, as appears from the
doctrine established in the preceding
chapters of the epistle and from the
17th verse of the present chapter. —
Death is to all who sin ; the free gift
of life is to all who believe in Christ.
These conditions on which death and
life, respectively, are adjudged, must
not be overlooked ; since, if over
looked, neither the condemned state
of men, nor the justified state of
Christ's disciples, would be properly
estimated. — The point of contrast,
here, is, the great abundance of divine
favor by Jesus Christ, so far exceed
ing tlie doom incurred through the
tramgression of Adam. The inflic
tion of misery, on the part of God,
is always kept within the limits of
justice, so that no one is ever unjustly
treated : the bestowal of happiness,
however, does not require so strict a
regard to measure, since God delights
in the exuberance of his love to those
who are prepared to enjoy it ; and he
need not repress it, for his goodness
can be indulged towards righteous
beings without injustice, or harm, to
any. — Tho thought seems, also, in
volved here, that life is a gift pro
ceeding from divine favor, while death
is a just desert of men's sins.
16, 17. The persons, Adam and
Christ, are next contrasted ; first, as
to the judicial sentence and the free
gift ; secondly, v. 1 7, as to the results,
both in kind and in magnitude. — For
*he, judgment was by one to condemna
tion, etc. The judicial sentence, oc
casioned by Adam, and the gift, pro
cured by Christ, are here contrasted.
The sentence proceeded from one of

fence to condemnation; but the free
gift, from many offences to justifi
cation. Adam's one transgression was
a prolific source of condemnation, as
it was followed by the fact that all
have sinned, and come under con
demnation ; but, through Christ,
many sins are followed by justifica
tion as a free gift to believers, not
withstanding the many sins.
17. The second point of contrast
between the persons, Adam and
Christ, is found in the nature and
magnitude of the respective results
produced by each. — If by one man's
offence, death reigned by one, etc. If
by the offence, or transgression, of
the one, Adam, death reigned, through
that one, over men, lorded it over
them, inflicting all miseries on them,
in body and soul ; on the other hand,
by the one, Jesus Christ, shall men
reign, become kings in the future
glory, be exalted to a royal state in
eternal hfe, exalted to spiritual glory
and bliss ; those men, namely, who
become partakers of the abundant
divine favor and the free gift of right
eousness, that is, righteousness by
faith, so as to be justified in the sight
of God. — The description here given
of those who should be blessed with
eternal life shows that, throughout
this paragraph, the idea of believing
in Christ', on the part of those who
are justified, is to be understood.
Death and life are here contrasted ;
also, the reign of death over sinners
and the glorious reign of those who
are justified through the righteousness
of faith ; so that, instead of being
reigned over by death, they them
selves shall reign in life, shall be
elevated to signal glory and bliss.
As to degree, the contrast will emi
nently honor the grace of God, since

58

ROMANS.

by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to con
demnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift
19 came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one
man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obe
dience of one shall many be made righteous.

the abundance of glory and bliss,
enjoyed by those who receive the gift
of righteousness, will so entirely out
weigh the misery consequent on sin.
18. Having shown contrasts be
tween Adam and Christ, who resem
ble one another in regard to being at
the head of their respective compa
nies, the apostle returns to the com
parison which was partially stated in
the 12th verse, but was there inter
rupted. This comparison is, how
ever, rendered more complete and
impressive by the connection in which
it is here resumed. — By the offence of
one ; more correctly rendered, by one
offence, the first sin of Adam. This
was the commencement of human
transgressions, the first in a long se
ries : it issued in the condemnation
of all, since all have followed in
transgression. See verse 12. || So
by the righteousness of one; more cor
rectly, by one righteous act. Special
reference is here had to the crown
ing act of Christ's righteousness,
namely, the laying down of his life.
Compare John 10 : 17. This view
of the passage is in harmony with the
prominence given, throughout this
epistle, to the death of Christ. || The
free gift. These words are supplied
by the translators, as also the word
judgment, from the 16th verse. The
subject was so completely and vividly
before the apostle's mind, and the
idea had, already, been so clearly ex
pressed, that he naturally leaves the
reader to supply these terms. The
result of the transgression, on the
one hand, is contemplated, and of
the righteousness, or righteous deed,
on the other, in respect to the con
trasted companies. || Came upon ail
men. As the extent of the judgment
is regulated bj the fact that all have
sinned, so the extent of the free gift

is regulated by the fact that all who
receive it have believed in Christ . the
word all is applicable in each ca-:e,
since tlie entire company, in eaoh case,
is contemplated by the apostle. || Unto
justification of life; justification which
secured eternal life. This was the
ultimate result in regard to the entire
company of believers in Christ.
19. The reason is now given for
the ultimate result in the two cases
respectively, mentioned iu the preced
ing- verse ; condemnation, leading to
death, justification, leading to life.
This reason is, that in the one case
the many had become sinners, in the
other, the many had become right
eous. By one man's disobedience, etc.;
through the disobedience (v. 8, the
offence), specially the first act of dis
obedience, of the one man, Adam,
the many (such is a literal expression
of the original), that is, the multitude
of whom he was the head, became
sinners. || So by the obedience of one
shall many, etc. The obedience here
mentioned is, in accordance with the
righteousness, or righteous act, men
tioned in verse 18, tho special and
crowning act of obedience on the part
of Christ ; namely, his giving him
self up to death, thus forming a corre
spondence and contrast to the first act
of disobedience on the part of Adam.
Compare Phil. 2 : 8, where death is
mentioned as the extent to which the
obedience of Christ was carried.—
Through the obedience of the one,
namely Christ, particularly in submit
ting to tho death of the cross, shall
the many, the multitude of whom he
is the Head, become righteous.
|| Were made sinners. According to
the original verb here used, the clause
may be properly rendered, were con
stituted, came into the standing, or con
dition, of sinners ; that is, became sin-

CHAPTER V.

59

nets. || Shall be made righteous ; shall
be constituted, come into the standing,
or condition, of righteous ones ; that
is, shall, become righteous in the sight
of God, through faith in Christ. — The
precise nature of men's moral con
nection with Adam, or the way in
which all become sinners through his
transgression, the apostle does not
explain : he asserts the fact, and that,
for the purpose of illustrating the
mercy of God in the redemption of
believers in Christ. The question
belongs to the domain of speculative
religious philosophy and will always
bo variously answered. Whatever
account is to be given of human sin
fulness, as to its origination, two
things are certain : first, As soon as
human beings reflect on tlieir moral
state, they find themselves sinners
and under condemnation : second,
Every enlightened mind passes con
demnation on itself, as personally
guilty for every one of its sinful
affections, purposes and acts. Tlie
genuine religious philosopher cannot
be contented with a theory which
overlooks either of these facts.
Is the justification spoken of by the
apostle actual, or oniy possible, jus
tification 1 justification itself, or a
provision for it t In reply, it must
be considered, that the language will
not admit of any other meaning than
that of actual justification. The
terms are such as occur in other
places where the meaning is not liable
to such a question. Again ; the con
demnation which is the opposite of it
is a real condemnation : so too then,
is tho justification.
The difficulty which prompts this
inquiry can be more satisfactorily ob
viated than by resorting to the sup
position, that merely a provision for
justification is here spoken of. The
difficulty is, that justification seems
here made co-extensive with condem
nation, and consequently seems to
include all men. Now we must not
•brget, that through all the preceding
part of the epistle the writer has been

exhibiting the medium of justifica
tion, namely, faith in Jesus Christ :
without this, he teaches, the hope of
justification is not to be cherished.
This is clearly his doctrine, and it
must be regarded as running through
this paragraph, though not here for
mally mentioned. Compare the 17th
verse. Let this paragraph be ex
plained in conformity with the apos
tle's principles, so largely manifested
and so elaborately and carefully
wrought out in the preceding chap
ters, and difficulty vanishes. — This is
also obvious from the need of there
being, in reference to those who are
justified, a thought corresponding to
that, distinctly stated, in reference to
those who are condemned ; namely,
for that all have sinned. Now, keep
ing in view the two companies, that
is, the condemned and the justified
under the two corresponding heads,
Adam and Christ, we may employ in
reference to the justified the corre
sponding formula, for that they have
all believed; a formula not capable
indeed, from the facts in the case, of
application to men universally ; but
strictly applicable to all who are jus
tified. Thus all the parts of this
paragraph are in harmony with one
another ; and the paragraph is, in
deed, a virtual, though extended and
amplified, re-statement of the apos
tie's leading doctrine. — The work of
Christ in reference to the human race
is, indeed, such that all hindrances to
God's reconciliation with men, and
their acceptance with him, are re
moved, except only those which are
in men's own breasts ; so that God
may be said to occupy the attitude
of reconciliation to men, 2 Cor. 5 :
19. John 3: 16, 17. 1 John 2 : 2;
and he stands ready to accept them
as justified in his sight. Justification
for the human family is procured, so
far as the relation of God to them is
concerned; and it is only requisite
now that men, having a sense of
tlieir guilt and their need of redemp
tion, should by faith in Christ, as the
Redeemer, appropriate to themselves

60

ROMANS.

20 Moreover, the law entered that the offence might abound.
21 But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound : that
as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal Hfe, by Jesus Christ our
Lord.

this justification. The apostle, how
ever, is evidently speaking, in this
paragraph, of those who, by believing
in Christ, have actually become par
takers of justification, and, through
discipleship to him, are becoming
prepared for eternal life.
20. The apostle now returns to
the thought suggested in the 13th
verse, that sin is not reckoned to
men's account in the absence of the
law. This thought might appear to
some to furnish a reason for the per
petual withholding of the law ; for,
if, while the law was withholden, sin
was not charged, why would it not
have been better to decline giving the
law, and thus prevent the accumula
tion of sins ? Why the law was in
troduced, then, was an important
inquiiy. This inquiiy the apostle
answers. It might have been, in
part, appropriate to say, that the
withholding of the law would not
have so far prevented the commission
of sin as also to prevent the reign of
death, and secure eternal life to man
kind. Men were sinners and would
have perished, even if the law had
not been introduced. No advantage,
then, would have been gained by
withholding the law, while yet an in
dispensable step to the felt necessity
for a merciful redemption would not
have been taken. The law must be
introduced as. a necessaiy historical
step in the development of human
character and wants, and as the
means of awakening and deepening
men's consciousness of being under
sin, and of the helplessness and misery
to which it subjects its victims, and
thus as preliminary and preparatory
to the scheme of redemption. — The
law ; the Mosaic law viewed in all its
parts, though specially its moral prin
ciples. The apostle is still to be con

ceived of as reasoning with Jews ;
while yet his argument connects it
self with all men, since the moral
principles of the Jewish code are but
a clearer and fuller exhibition of the
duties of all men, as grounded in
their relation to God and their ac-
countableness to him, and as acknowl
edged in the moral consciousness of
all men. || That the offence might
abound; that transgressions might
abound in number and aggravation.
This was not the ultimate purpose
of the law, but an intermediate and
subordinate one for awakening a
more vivid and distressing conscious
ness of personal guilt and of the
need of redemption, and an appre
ciating sense of God's grace in pro
viding the plan of salvation. — The
agency of the law when distinctly
applied to the souls of men in calling
forth to activity their latent sinful
ness, producing greater guilt and a
deeper sense of the need of redemp
tion, finds an illustration in the
agency of some medical prescriptions
which put the elements of disease
into activity and would seem for a
time to be only aggravating the dis
order, wliile the intention and the re
sult of the application may be to
eradicate and remove the elements of
disease. || Grace did much more
abound. The loving kindness of God
proved itself surpassingly great, how
ever great became the sinfulness and
ill desert of men.
21. Here appears the ultimate
purpose of the introduction of the
law ; namely, that the reigning power
of sin might be overcome, evidently
and completely, by the immensely
superior power of divine grace in se
curing righteousness and eternal life
for men. — That as sin liath reigned unto
death, so, etc.; that as sin has exerted

CHAPTER VI.

Believers in Christ will not live in sid, since they are in union with him in respect to his
death and his resurrection, and are not under the law, but under grace, 1-14. The
grace of God by which believers are justified is incompatible with their living in sin,
Bincc those who live in sin are servants of sin, not servants of God, 15-22. The ser
vice of sin will be followed by its deserved recompense ; while to those who are in Christ
God gives oternal life, 23.

n, kingly, despotic sway by reducing
men to death, so, and in outweighing
contrast, the grace of God should
bear sway, displaying a kingly, su
preme power in believers, through
righteousness, issuing in eternal life.
This righteousness and eternal life
are by Jesus Clirist: it is, conse
quently, the righteousness by faith in
Christ, which thus magnifies the grace
of God. It is the thought of justifi
cation, that is present to the apostle's
mind ; hence it is the faith-righteous
ness, that is here intended. — The
mention of Jesus Christ as our Lord
shows that, throughout this part of
the chapter, believers in Christ are
had in view, and not men universally,
so far as justification is the topic of
discourse. We should do violence to
the apostle's language, were we to
omit this thought, so perpetually
and strongly stated in the preceding
part of the reasoning. Faith in him
is there represented as the cardinal
principle of our justification ; and
this is necessary, in order that we
may belong to his company and
have him really as our Lord. The
repetition of this in the summary
view, which this chapter presents,
was no more necessary, in the apos
tle's judgment, in order that he might
not be misunderstood, than was the
repeated statement, that men's own
sins are the procuring cause of their
condemnation, after having distinctly
stated this in the 1 2th verse.
CHAPTERS VI— VHI.
In 5 : 20, the apostle had expressed
the sentiment, that the abounding of
transgression was to prove the occa- 6

sion of the abounding of divine grace
in forgiving sin and rescuing men
from its fatal sway. The thought
might naturally arise in some minds
that, according to this sentiment,
hberty might be taken to indulge in
sin in order to give opportunity for
the display of divine grace in forgiv
ing it and preventing its legitimate
consequences. The apostle, there
fore, takes up this thought and ex
poses its absurdity; and from this
point proceeds to dilate on the sanc
tifying power of the gospel, showing
that the faith in Christ which avails
for justification also promotes holi
ness of heart and life, inspires the
believer with filial love to God, im
parts spiritual strength, and thus
secures obedience to God. — He was
thus led to a consideration of the gos
pel, as designed and adapted to se
cure holiness in believers, as well as
their justification in the sight of God.
This part of the epistle occupies the
sixth, seventh, and eighth chapters.
CHAPTER VI.
The question now under consider
ation is, Whether believers, towards
whom divine grace has abounded in
their justification, may continue in
sin, in order to give occasion for a
more ample display of that grace.
The question divides itself into two
parts : in the first place, May believ
ers continue in sin ? In reply to this,
the apostle states it as a well known
and acknowledged sentiment, that
bcUevers in Christ are united with
him in respect to his death for sin
and in respect to his resurrection to a
glorious life. Since, now, they are
(61)

62

ROMANS.

1 What shall we say then ? Shall we continue in sin, that
2 giace may abound ? God forbid : how shall we, that are dead
3 to sin, live any longer therein ? Know ye not that so many
of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into

dead in respect to sin, having fellow
ship with Christ in his death for sin,
its sway over them is to cease, just as
Christ, having once died for sin, is
henceforth no more held liable to
death, and they are henceforth to live
in righteousness to the glory of God,
as those who, in conformity to the
resurrection of their Lord, and in fel
lowship with him as risen to a glorious
life, have become spiritually alive
through Jesus Christ. Since faith in
Christ has reference to his death and
his resurrection, that faith necessarily
involves a renunciation of sin and
an entering on a new life, a hfe of
righteousness. Vs. 1-14.
Having disposed of the first part
of the query, he proceeds to the
second, which is presented in a some
what modified form ; namely, Wheth
er the believer's being on the foot
ing of grace, not of law, allows of
his committing sin. To this a nega
tive answer is given, on the ground
that the obedience we render, whether
to sin or to righteousness, shows
whom we serve as our master, and
consequently that those who live in
sin are its servants, and not servants
of God, as believers have avowed
themselves to be. Believers, then,
being servants of God, should surren
der to him all their powers : God will
bestow on them the gift of eternal
life ; while those who serve sin will
receive the wages of sin. Vs. 15-
23. 1. Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound? Shall we still
live in sin, on the ground that thereby
we may give an opportunity for the
grace of God to be more abundantly
exercised and honored 1
2. God forbid. See 3: 4. The
apostle strongly protests against the
thought presented in the preceding
•verse. || How shall we, etc. With

out affirming the obvious insincerity
of a person who should make such a
proposal, and without insisting that
continuance in sin could not arise
from a respect and love for God and
from adesire to glorify his grace, but
must be traced to a preference of sin
and a supreme regard to one's own
selfish gratification, the apostle con
fines himself to the question, Whether
a believer in view of his character
and profession of union with Christ
can continue in sin ? This question
finds a prompt reply in the thought,
that believers in Christ are dead to
sin ; that is, to its dominion and to
the gratifications which it may prom
ise. Continuance in sin would be
utterly inconsistent with death to sin
and life to God ; to such a death, and
such a life, believers have pledged
themselves. || Dead to sin; dead to
its power, so that it does not control
us ; dead to its attractions, so that we
are not drawn towards it; dead to
any claim which it might assert to
our regard. || How shall we ... . live
any longer therein ? Death and life in
respect to the same thing, do not co
exist : it would be absurd for a per
son who has renounced the claims of
sin still to subject himself to those
claims ; absurd for a, person whose
affections have been withdrawn from
sin, still to indulge in sinful desires
and be governed by sinful principles.
If we live in sin, we arc not dead in
respect to it : now, genuine believers
are dead to sin and alive to righteous
ness, and consequently cannot live in
sin. Sin is at variance with their in
most principles.
3. Know ye not, etc. The spiritual
import of baptism was well known.
By it a person professed to belong to
Christ, avowing a participation in the
death of Christ, a fellowship with
him in respect to death, and an ob

CHAPTER VI.

63

4 his death ? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism
into death : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead

ligation to be conformed to him in
respect to his death ; so that as he
died, his follower has also become
dead. As Christ died on account of
sin, his followers, in avowing theh
union with him and pledging them
selves to him, avow particularly their
sharing with him in his death, having
become dead to sin by virtue of their
union with him, he being their Lord
and they his people, he the Head and
they his members. || Baptized into
Jesus Christ. This phrase is indi
cative of baptism as a profession of
discipleship to Christ ; baptism con
tains an avowal of our belonging to
him as our Master, of our union with
him as our Head : it is an acknowl
edgment of our obligation to obey
him. — In the apostolic age, baptism
was restricted to professed believers,
and was the public act by which they
bound themselves to the observance
of his religion ; it was their pubhc
avowal of being disciples of Christ,
and of belonging to his people. A
similar expression occurs in 1 Cor.
10:2, where the Israelites are spoken
of, figuratively, as having been bap
tized unto [in the original, into] Moses ;
that is, as having avowed themselves
the people of Moses, those who had
submitted themselves to his guidance
and acknowledged him as their leader.
|| Were baptized into his death ; into
an avowed participation of his death.
Compare verse 8. As Christ died, so
his followers have died ; He, on ac
count of sin, they, to sin, renouncing
its claims and dominion, declaring
and pledging themselves to be no
longer in subjection to it : as he died
in reference to sin, so they avow
themselves dead in reference to sin :
they have fellowship with Christ in
his death for sin. Not that baptism
introduces a person into a participa
tion of death with Christ, in such a
sense that it precedes the spiritual
participation, or is essential to it ; but
baptism is the avowal of it, and by

this emblematic act the followers of
Christ pledged themselves to such a
death, and expressed tlieir union with
Christ in respect to his death. — Com
pare the similar phrase in Matt. 3 :
11, to be baptized unto [more properly,
into] repentance, by which phrase bap
tism is indicated as an avowal of re
pentance, and as a pledge of entering
on a penitent and righteous life. — If,
now, we have been baptized into the
death of Christ, this avowal of disci
pleship to him, as having died for
sin, and of our having undergone a
corresponding death, namely, death
to sin, the moral state itself, in which
we have avowed ourselves to be is
utterly inconsistent with our living in
sin, since, if we live in sin, we are not
dead to it.
4. Therefore we are buried with
him by baptism into death. By our bap
tism into Christ's death, and our thus
avowing a participation of death with
him, a fellowship with him in death,
and an obligation to die with him in
respect to sin, u-e are buried with him,
we partake also of his burial, we have
fellowship with him also in burial.
The idea of death is here extended,
so as to make it complete and to pre
pare the way for introducing the idea
of a resurrection. Burial follows
death, and is the last full and definite
expression of death and of the ending
of a person's connection with this
world. This thought it was requisite
for the apostle to present, in order to
extend the analogy between Christ
and the believer, so as to include the
idea of a resurrection. As Christ
has died, been buried, and has arisen
from the dead to a, glorious life, the
believer, in like manner, having par
ticipated with Christ in death andi
burial, as is emblematically shown in
baptism, has fellowship also with him
in his resurrection, and rises from
the death of trespasses and sins to a
new life of righteousness. || By the
glory of the Father. Perhaps our

64

ROMANS.

by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life. For if we have been planted together in
the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of
his resurrection : knowing this, that our old man is crucified
with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that hence-

word majesty expresses the meaning
of the word glory as here employed :
and in the majesty of God, power, so
strikingly manifested in the resurrec
tion of Christ, is a distinguished ele
ment. In the resurrection of Christ
from the dead, more than power, how
ever, was displayed by the Father :
wisdom, mercy, faithfulness, indeed
all the divine perfections, were con
nected with that event ; but the
power of God first strikes the mind
as producing it. Compare 1 Cor. 6 :
14. || Even so we also should walk in
newness of life ; should lead a new life ;
an obedient, righteous life, in contrast
with our hfe before we subjected our
selves to Christ ; the new life differ
ing from the old, somewhat as the
present glorious life of Christ in
heaven differs from his past life of
humiliation and suffering on earth. —
This participation with Christ, in
death, burial and resurrection, would
naturally associate itself in the minds
of the earliest Christians with their
baptism, because, in their day, bap
tism was, according to the literal
meaning of the term, an immersion
of the person. It was no empty
ceremony ; but a highly instructive
and impressive transaction. Com
pare Col. 2 : 12.
5. For if, etc. In this verse the
apostle presents the ground of the
view given in the preceding verse, as
to believers' leading a new life : this
participation with Christ in a life suc
ceeding the death to sin, or tlieir fel
lowship with Christ as risen, no less
than as dead and buried, results from
the truth that believers are kindred
with him as to their affections and
purposes, have a similar moral nature,
having become most intimately united
to him, so that what he underwent,
gnd what he afterwards enjoyed, finds

a correspondence in them and may
be naturally expected from them.
1| We have been planted together in the
likeness, etc. A different rendering
of the word here translated planted
together would more directly express
the apostle's thought : it is not,
strictly, the idea of planting that was
present to his mind, but that of Icin-
dredship in nature existing between
Christ and his disciples, manifesting
itself in respect to death and to resur
rection, in regard to both of which
there is likeness to Christ on the part
of his followers. It is, then, similar
ity in moral nature that is here con
templated, as of persons grmving up
together with feelings and purposes
harmonious. The apostle may be
considered as saying, If we have been
conjoined with Christ in respect to
death, so as to bear a likeness to him,
and thus are kindred with him as to
death, this will not be the end of the
kindrcdship and resemblance ; but we
shall also be kindred with him in
bearing a resemblance to his resurrec
tion : as he arose, so we shall arise ;
as he arose from the dead to enter on
the life in heaven, so we shall arise
from the death of sin to enter on the
new life of holiness.
6. Knowing this, etc. The same
idea, substantially, is here repeated
in another form, as a sentiment of
which no one, at all instructed in
Christianity, could be ignorant. —
I! That our old man is crucified with
him ; our former temper of mind, the
sinful disposition which we formerly
indulged, our former self, is crucified
with Christ, has participated with
Christ in crucifixion, and undergone
a death as he did : we have fellow
ship with Christ in his crucifixion.
The propensity to sin is here personi
fied and regarded as an internal agent

CHAPTER VI.

65

7 forth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed

influencing our purposes and conduct,
and subjecting the entire man, soul
and body, to itself. This sinful dis
position has, in believers, been made
to participate with Christ in cruci
fixion : as Christ was crucified, so
our sinful nature, our former sinful
self, has, in company with him, been
crucified, that its power might be
broken, and that it might no longer
subject our minds and bodies to its
control. — Or, as Christ was crucified,
so our coiTupt inclination is crucified,
is put to death, that we might no
longer be held under its sway. — How
interesting and impressive it is, to
regard the Christian as, in respect to
his former sinful inclination, under
going a death ; a crucifixion, in com
pany with his Lord ! This associat
ing of himself with his Lord awakens
tender sensibilities, and adds strength
to resolution. The warmth of grati
tude and love to Christ unites with a
sense of duty, and the believer feels
himself cheerfully constrained to give
no allowance to sin. || That the body
of sin might be destroyed. The design
contemplated in this crucifixion of
our fonner selves is, that we should
no longer render service to sin in the
use of our bodily powers ; that the
power which sinful propensities, orig
inating some of them in the bodily
nature and employing the body as the
means of their gratification, should
be broken and made void, and the
soul, under the power of a new life,
be devoted to God in its use of the
body. — The body of sin ; that is, the
body, which has been a minister of
sin, obeying its mandates ; the body,
which has been a source of tempta
tion to sin, which has been the seat
of many sinful gratifications, and the
members of which have been the in
struments of sin. Sinful body would
be a suitable expression and in har
mony with the idiom of the original,
provided we carefully guard against
the idea that sin is inherent in the
rody, instead of being a quality of
6*

the soul. The body is a sinful body,
not as being in itself sinful, for it is
not by itself a moral agent ; and if
the soul with which it is connected,
were completely holy, the body would,
as in the case of our Lord, be a fit
instrument for performing the soul's
righteous desires and purposes : but
it is sinful, as being the associate and
instrument of a sinful soul, and as
being the seat of many desires which
a sinful soul perverts. — Might be de
stroyed ; more strictly in accordance
with the original, might be made void,
might be divested of its power and
lose its sway. || That henceforth we
should not serve sin. The result is
here stated, which is to be expected
from the fact that the former dispo
sition, or propensity, has been cruci
fied, and that the bodily nature,
formerly abused and brought under
the sway of sin, has been deprived of
its power to control and gratify ;
namely, that we should no longer
serve sin, or be in subjection to'- it.
Compare Col. 3 : 1-3, 9, 10.
7. For he that is dead is freed from
sin. The ground of the sentiment,
advanced in verse 6, is here stated ;
namely, whoever is dead in reference
to an authority that has been exer
cised over him, is no longer held
bound by that authority, but is re
leased from its sway. Compare 7 .
1,2. In conformity with this ground,
he that is dead, that is, in the sense
of which the apostle is speaking,
dead to sin, having undergone a
death in respect to it, is absolved from
the sway of sin : sin, regarded as a
master, can no longer hold him as
its servant, cr subject, to follow its
bidding. Freed from sin ; released,
or absolved from its dominion. The
expression in the original does not
relate directly to moral purity, or
personal holiness, but is a legal term,
regarding sin, by personification, as a
master having held control and as
serted dominion over a person, as its
slave ; that dominion has ceased.

66

ROMANS.

8 from sin. Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that
9 we shall also live with him : knowing that Christ, being
raised from the dead, dieth no more ; death hath no more
10 dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin
11 once ; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise
reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but

Sin is no longer his master ; he is
dead to its service. He that is dead
in respect to sin, having participated
with Christ in a crucifixion which
had reference to sin, is no longer
held as a bond slave to sin, but is
absolved from its lordship.
8. Now, if, etc. Thus far the apos
tle has taken a negative view, regard
ing the disciple of Christ as dead to
sin, and not held by its sway. He
now passes to the positive view.
The disciple participates with Christ
in the fact of having a new life : he
has fellowship with Christ in respect
to life as well as to death. We have
died with Christ; we resemble him,
and participate with him, in regard
to death ; we shall, also, live with him ;
we shall resemble him, and participate
with him, in regard to life. || We
believe. The belief that we, who have
become dead to sin, and are in this
respect conjoined with Christ, shall
also be conjoined with him in respect
to life, and shall lead a new life, a
life of righteousness, is grounded on
the fact that Christians have a spirit
ual union with Clirist, and conse
quently that between him and them
there is harmony in the chief points
of character and condition. Thus in
respect to life as well as death, genu
ine Christians will exemplify a fel
lowship with him.
9. Knowing that Christ being raised,
etc. Christ, having been raised from
the dead, is no more liable to death :
henceforth, death has no power over
him, and he will have no occasion to
subject himself again to its power. His
disciples are united to him, as then-
Head ; and as they participated in a
death corresponding to his, have had
fellowship with him in his death, they
will participate with him in freedom

from death, being delivered from the
death of trespasses and sins ; they
will participate with him, also, in a
life corresponding to his, a spirit
ual life, a life of righteousness ; they
will have fellowship with him also in
his life.
10. For in that lie died, he died unto
sin once, etc. That Christ is now
forever free from death, having once
submitted to it and having been raised
from the dead, follows from the fact
that the design which he came to
accomphsh was answered by dying
once ; but the hfe to which he arose,
having reference to God and the ad
vancement of God's dominion, must,
from the nature of the case, be an
ever-during life. To overthrow sin,
to destroy its dominion, could be
secured by his once for all dying and
thus stripping sin of its power. His
relation to sin was but temporary,
and a once for all dying secured his
object ; but his relation to God is an
ever-during one, and requires con
tinued, endless, life : his state, hence
forth, therefore, is to be a state of life.
11. Likewise reckon ye also your
selves to be dead, etc. Since then
Christ has died on account of sin,
and is henceforth free from liability
to death, leading a glorious life with
reference to the consummation of
God's purposes, the followers of
Christ ought to regard themselves
as, in like maimer, dead to sin, ac
knowledging its sway no longer, and
as alive to the claims of God and the
advancement of his honor. || Through
Jesus Christ, etc. ; by virtue of spirit
ual union with him, or of being in
him. If we are united to Christ and
belong to him, we should be like him,
as to the death he underwent, so far
as the design of it is concerned ; we

CHAPTER VI.

67

12 alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin
therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it
13 in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as in
struments of unrighteousness unto sin : but yield yourselves
unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
14 members as instruments' of righteousness unto God : for sin
shall not have dominion over you ; for ye are not under the
law, but under grace.

should also be like him, as to the
life he is now leading, so far as re
spects its design of cariying fonvard
the divine purpose of redemption.
12-14. An exhortation now fol
lows, grounded ou the view of Chris
tians as being spiritually alive, alive
to the claims and the honor of God,
and as having renounced 'the domin
ion of sin, having become dead to it,
so that it should no longer govern
them. — Let not sin reign ; bear sway,
hke a king. || In your mortal body.
The body being the instrument which
sin, in so many instances, employs,
and the soul conceived of as residing
in it, the expression is a very natural
one, that sin rules in die body. The
epithet mortal, here added, preserves
the idea of death as connected with
the body ; since not only is the body
soon to die, and therefore it ought
not to be allowed a governing influ
ence, but withal it subjects to death,
in the higher sense, those who yield
to its demands in disregard of the
claims of God and of the sphitual
nature. || That ye should obey it in
the lusts thereof; that ye should obey
sin which seeks to lord it over you,
as a ruling power, through the
inordinate desires of the body, de
sires which originate in the body,
or are gratified in the body, or
pertain in various ways to our
present bodily state. — The word it
relates to sin, and the word thereof to
the body. The verse may become
more intelligible by the following
paraphrase — Let not sin, therefore,
reign in your mortal body, so that
you shall obey sin by yielding to the
body's inordinate desires : — the body

being here considered as the seat of
many sinful indulgences, as the occa
sion of many sins, or the instrument
which sin employs ; while yet all sin,
whether relating to the body and tho
outward estate, or to the spirit of
man, is here cautioned against.
13. The same idea, substantially,
is again presented in an expanded
form. Two masters, as it were, are
here spoken of, to whose service
the powers of man will be yielded,
sin and God : Christians should not
be in subjection to sin, but should
yield themselves willing servants to
God. — Neither yield ye your mem
bers as instruments of unrighteousness to
sin, etc. ; yield not the members of
your body to sin. Our bodily powers
are not to be surrendered to sin, as its
instruments or tools, to do its bid
ding : we are to yield ourselves to
God, to choose him for our Master,
as those who have died to sin, who
have become insensible to its de
mands and are liberated from its
bondage, and who have arisen to a
new life, being no more dead in sin,
but alive to righteousness. || And
your members unto God; and yield
your members unto God, as instru
ments of righteousness.
14 The ground of the exhortation
in verses 12, 13, or rather of encour
agement to obey it, is now presented.
— For sin shall not have dominion over
you ; sin is not to lord it over you.
The control of sin over you is broken ;
you are liberated from its power:
yield yourselves, therefore, to God. —
But how comes it to pass, that sin
has not dominion over the disciple
of Christ, that he is liberated from

68

ROMANS.

15 What then ? shall we sin, because we are not under the

its power and is no longer its bond
slave ? The reason immediately fol
lows. || For ye are not under the law,
but under grace. The apostle here
alludes to the moral principle which
he fully expands and illustrates in
chapter 7 : 7-25 ; namely, that the
influence of a law, prohibiting a sin
ful desire, stimulates that desire, when
directly encountering it, rather thau
deadens the desire ; it does not re
strain the sinful heart from seeking
gratification ; so that if a sinner be
under the power of mere law, and
his heart be not in full concert with
the law, he will break it and incur its
penalty. But genuine disciples of
Christ are not under law, not under
a legal system, since by their recep
tion of Christ, as a Redeemer from
condemnation and sin, they are under
a different dispensation, and stand on
a different footing, in relation to God,
from the legal one : thus the law, as
a governing system, is not their lord,
they are dead to its claims for a jus
tifying obedience ou their part, and
to its doom of death for disobe
dience. They do not stand in a legal
relation to God, and are not treated
by him as if they were on that foot
ing. Legal influences are not those
by which they are moved. Looked
at from a legal position, they are dead
to the law, 7:4; the law has ceased
to have a hold on them. On the
contrary, they are under grace ; under
a system of mercy and favor, in which
God acts towards them on the prin
ciple oi favor on his part, not of good
desert on theirs : the system is one of
gratuities, not of merited compensa
tion for obedience to law. Being
placed on such a footing, and having
a new spirit in harmony with this
method of treatment, and with its
design of recovering them from sin,
they can, though ill-deserving, be
treated with positive favor, be ac-
copted of God, and reclaimed from
sin ; they can be adopted as children
of God, aud enjoy the benefits of

the filial relation, and the favorable
treatment and discipline which that
relation involves. Gratitude for
God's love to them, and all generous
emotions, are cherished, and the af
fectionate purpose of obedience which
is characteristic of theh new heart, is
Confirmed. By virtue of this new
system, the Holy Spirit awakens and
strengthens in them love to God, as
theh- controlling principle. The spir
itual influence bestowed, and the in
genuous feelings excited, by this new
system, overcome sinful tendencies,
and affectionate filial obedience to
God is seemed. By this system, pro
vision is made for renewing power,
pardoning mercy, and influence to
strengthen the disciple in the course
of righteousness. For these things a
legal system makes no provision.
Hence proceeds the encouragement
to the disciples of Christ, that sin
shall not have dominion over them ;
they are not under law, but under
grace. 15-23. Having shown the utter
incongruity of a sinful life with a
believer's relation to Christ, as united
to him in death, and with his own
avowed character and obligations,
the apostle proceeds to the second
part of the query proposed in the
first verse, the query being slightly
modified. A person, who did not
properly apprehend the relation of
grace in which the disciple of Clirist
stands, might naturally think that
if a believer be not under law,
but under grace, he would take en
couragement to indulge in sin. —
Hence the question, If we are not
under tlie law, but are on a foot
ing of grace, or favor, may wo not
then sin with impunity 1 What hin
drance is there to our sinning, if we
are not held by the law ? The apos
tle repels this suggestion by main
taining, that if we commit sin we are
servants of sin, and consequently not
servants of God, and must, therefore,
receive the recompense of siu. The

CHAPTER VI.

69

16 law, but under grace ? God forbid. Know ye not, that to
whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye
are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of
17 obedience unto righteousness ? But God be thanked, that
ye were the servants of sin ; but ye have obeyed from
the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
19 righteousness : (I speak after the manner of men, because of
the infirmity of your flesh :) for as ye have yielded your

idea of two masters is again pre
sented, or of two opposite principles
exercising control ; sin on the one
hand, obedience on the other : and
these two opposite principles, or
kinds of service, are to be followed
by their appropriate results. — The
word servants throughout this para
graph, vs. 15-23, whether in refer
ence to sin or in reference to right
eousness, is used as the opposite of
free, or freed, men ; and men are here
conceived of as being in subjection,
that is, in servitude, either to sin, or
to righteousness ; the servants of sin
being in subjection to their master
and not owning the sway of right
eousness, but living as if free from its
sway and not bound by its claims ;
and on the other hand, the servants
of righteousness being in subjection
to their master, not owning the sway
of sin, but being freed from it, eman
cipated from it. In both cases, the
bondage is voluntary and involves
the idea of personal responsibility as
to the choice of masters. In the one
case, however, inclination governs the
person in disregard of the dictates of
his reason and conscience, so that he
is, emphatically, in a state of bond
age : while in the other case, sub
jection to righteousness is in perfect
harmony with the free action of all
the powers of man, the reason, the
will, the affections. The latter is, in
brief, the only normal state of man,
as a moral being.
16. To whom ye obey. The word
to is here, in our modern style, super
fluous. || Unto death; unto utter
misery, sphitual and eternal death.

as the result of the service of sin.
|| Unto righteousness. The word right
eousness here includes the idea of jus
tification and its result, eternal life,
standing as the opposite of death, or
condemnation. 17. But God be thanked, etc. In
applying the universal principle, con
tained in the 16th verse, to those
whom he was addressing, the apostle
renders thanks to God that, though
they were formerly in bondage to sin,
they had, from the heart, obeyed the
gospel and become interested in its
influences and blessings. || That ye
were, etc. The cause for gratitude
was the obedience which the Roman
Christians had rendered to the gos
pel. — In a sentence constructed like
this, the point aimed at by the writer,
or speaker, is contained in the latter
part. Compare Matt. 9 : 14. || That
form of doctrine, etc. ; the gospel of
Christ, conceived of as a religious
system, a form, or scheme, of relig
ious doctrine, mentioned with partic
ular reference to the doctrine of jus
tification and deliverance from sin by
faith in Christ.
1 8. Being then made free, etc. ; be
ing now emancipated, liberated, from
sin, ye have subjected yourselves, as
servants, to righteousness : being
freed from the yoke of sin, ye have
come under the yoke of righteous
ness. 19. I speak after the manner of men,
etc. ; I address you in a manner
suggested by human affairs. — The
Romans were well acquainted with
slavery, as it was a condition com
mon in theh country ; and this sub-

70-

ROMANS.

members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto in
iquity ; even so now yield your members servants to right-
20 eousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of
21 sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye
then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the
22 end of those things is death. But now being made free
from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit
23 unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages
of sin is death : but the gift of God is eternal life, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

ject furnished modes of expression
well suited to illustrate deliverance
from sin and subjection to God, and
to impress the minds of those who
were not accustomed to spiritual and
elevated contemplations. Though
the service of God is not slavery,
but a willing obedience, yet submis
sion to God, and the surrender of all
our powers to his will, would be at
once apprehended, particularly by
weaker minds, through this manner
of speaking. The experience, also,
which Christian readers had had of
spiritual frailty, and of subjection to
bodily appetites and other modes
of sinful gratification, would help
them to appreciate the apostle's lan
guage. — This clause, though it
stands in our version, as a part of
the 19th verse, is yet more properly
an appendage to the 1 8th, as it evi
dently relates to the terms employed
in that verse. || For as ye have, etc.
Since they had become liberated from
sin, and had become subject to right
eousness, they were expected to live
accordingly. || Your members: your
bodily members. || To uncleanness
and to iniquity unto iniquity, etc. ; to
unchastity with its kindred defile
ments, and to general disregard of
God's law, so as freely to practise
iniquity. Instead of continuing such
a course, employ your members, now,
in the service of righteousness, so as
to be truly holy.
20. For when ye were the servants
of sin, etc. ; while ye wore slaves of
sin, ye were free in respect to right
eousness ; that is, ye felt and acted,

as if exempted from the claims of
righteousness, ye rendered it no ser
vice, ye abjured its claims, sin being
your acknowledged master. This
fact is here stated as an argument for
the preceding exhortation ; as if the
apostle had said, Do justice now to
the claims of righteousness which
you formerly disowned.
21, 22. To strengthen the exhorta
tion, he appeals to their own judg
ment and feeling's, as to the results
of these opposite courses, one of them
issuing in present shame and self-
reproach and terminating, hereafter,
in utter misery ; the other securing
the satisfactions of holiness in heart
and conduct, and terminating, here
after, in endless bliss. — What fruit,
etc. ; what profit did you gain from
the unworthy deeds which you for
merly practised ? || Death ; the utter
misery consequent on being excluded
from the favor of God.
22. He now presents the opposite
spiritual condition and its opposite
results. — Being made free, etc.; be
ing emancipated from sin, and come
into subjection to God, having chosen
him for your Master. || Ye have your
fruit unto holiness, etc. ; you have
the profit, the advantage, of holi
ness, which is accompanied with hap
piness on earth and issues in eternal
life, in the endless bliss which springs
from the presence aud favor of God
in heaven.
23. These opposite results aro
easily explained. For the wages of
sin is death. Sin pays its servants
their wages, namely, death. The mis-

CHAPTER VII.

Believers in Christ, not under the legal system, 1-6.
under a legal system, 7-25.

Bondage of the human soul whilo

ery consequent on exclusion from the
presence and favor of God, rs the
appropriate recompense of sin. But
while death is awarded to the servant
of sin as his due, life eternal is be
stowed ou the servants of God, not
as what they may claim, in the light
of a payment, but as a free gift from
him through Christ. Having re
ceived Christ as their Redeemer and
Lord, they are regarded as united to
him, as belonging to him, and are,
therefore, admitted to the blessings
which he has secured, and for which
they have here become prepared.
CHAPTER VII.
Having disposed of the inquiry
whether Christians may sin because
they are not under law but under
grace, the apostle now returns to the
sentiment advanced in 6 : 14, which
had suggested this inquiry ; namely,
sin shall not have dominion over you,
because ye are not under the law, but
under grace. That Christians are
not under the law, and in what man
ner tlieir removal from a legal posi
tion has been effected, he shows in 7 :
1-6 ; that they could not obtain deliv
erance from the bondage of sin while
under the law, or while in a state of
legal relation to God, he illustrates in
7 : 7-25 ; and thus prepares the way
for showing that deliverance conies
to them through the state of grace
provided by the gospel, and that
those who are truly in Christ, united
to him by faith, are freed from con
demnation and from the servitude of
sin. This is brought to view in 7 :
25 and in chapter 8th.
In order to show that the disciples
of Christ are not under the law, but
are removed from a legal relation to
a relation of grace, he states and ap
plies the principle, that a law is of

force over a person only so long as,
by the continuance of life, he is in a
condition to be bound by it ; it con
templates a person as alive and in
such circumstances as the law recog
nizes : death, however, intervening,
sets aside the action of the law in
reference to a person whose relations
are by that occurrence esientially
altered. In such a case the hold of
a law ceases. Thus, a married woman
is bound by the law to her husband.
During his life-time, she cannot unite
herself to another without incurring
guilt : but should her husband die,
the law, in that particular, has no ap
plication to her ; it has lost its hold,
and she is dead in regard to it. She
is now at liberty to marry another.
As the woman, in consequence of the
death of her husband, became dead
to that provision of the law and was
at liberty to enter into the marriage
relation with another, so by the death
of Christ, as illustrating and vindi
cating the righteousness of God, 3 :
25, 26, the demands of the legal sys
tem are met and fully satisfied, and
without any infraction of it, or disre
gard of it, men are at liberty to enter
on a new arrangement, to transfer
their allegiance from the law to
Christ as the head of a new system,
thus coming from under the demands
and penalties of the law. Those who
accept Christ, or become united to
him, are dead to the law, or the legal
system, by virtue of Christ's death
and then- participating in death with
him, 6 : 8, or their union with him as
one who has died. As the husband's
death makes the wife dead in respect
to a particular statute, so Christ's
death makes believers in him dead to
the legal system. By virtue of their
connection with him, they occupy a
different ground from that of the law ;
from the domain of law they have
.(71)

72

ROMANS.

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know
the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man' as long
as he liveth ? For the woman which hath a husband, is
bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth ; but
if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of hir
husband. So then, if while her husband liveth, she be mar
ried to another man, she shall be called an adulteress : but if
her husband be dead, she is free from that law ; so that she
is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law
by ths body of Christ ; that ye should be married to
another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we

passed to that of grace, and are to be
dealt with, not according to the de
mands of law, but according to the
provision of God's grace. While
under the law, in their sinful state,
they could live only in disobedience
to the law and become doomed to its
penalty, death ; but now, being united
to Christ and enjoying the provision
and influences of the system of grace,
they enter on a new life towards God,
render service to him and are accepted
by him.
1 . The law. It is immaterial for
the purpose of the illustration here
intended, whether the apostle meant
law in the abstract, or the Mosaic
code, as an actual system, in particu
lar ; for in either case, law in respect
to human society contemplates men
as living ; it does not extend beyond
death ; death puts an end to its con
trol. Thus viewed, the apostle's
reasoning may be considered as
grounded in the universal sentiments
of men. His readers, too, were suffi
ciently acquainted with the nature of
law to appreciate his argument, whe
ther they were Jews by birth, or were
Jewish proselytes, or had become
Christians directly from a state of
heathenism. When, however, we
consider the apostle's habits of
thought in regard to law, and those
of the majority, at least, of his ear
hest readers, it is most reasonable
to think that he had in mind the
Mosaic code. This would appear,

also, from the connection between the
present paragraph and the 14th verse
of the 6th chapter, where the Mosaic
legal system is mentioned in contrast
with the Christian system of grace.
|| A man ; a human being, a person.
|| So long as he liveth ; that is, only so
iong as he liveth.
2. An illustration of the state
ment, just made by the apostle, now
follows. For the woman which hath
an husband. The form of expression
in the original is, the woman who is in
subjection to a man ; and this view of
a married woman's relation, as being
in subjection to her husband, is spe
cially adapted to the apostle's purpose
of instituting a parallel between a
married woman, in reference to her
husband, and human beings, in refer
ence to the law of God to which they
are, from their very nature, subject.
|| She is loosed from the law of her hus
band ; from the law which defines and
regulates her relation to her husband.
From this law she is released by the
death of her husband ; his death ter
minates her subjection to him.
3. So then, etc. Though during
his life she could not rightfully take
a different husband, yet his death puts
her at liberty to do so. Her hus
band's death made her dead to that
law, so that there is no legal hin-'
drance to her forming another con
nection. 4. The parallel case is now stated.
It is not, however, stated with minute

CHAPTER VII.

73

5 should bring forth fruit unto God

For when we were in
the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did

accuracy, but substantially and with
particular reference to the event of
death, as opening the way for a
change of relation. In applying the
illustration, the apostle, since he
wished to present distinctly and
strongly the main thought, that Chris
tians are dead to the law, and are not
under it, commences with the death
in reference to believers which the death
of Christ had effected. Ye also are
become dead to the law ; you are re
leased from the law as to its demands
and penalties, you are to it as dead,
it has lost its dominion in respect to
you. || By the body of Christ ; by the
body of Christ as having been put to
death ; by the death of Christ. — As
if the apostle had said, Christ has
died, and you as being united to
Christ, share in the results of his
death. By his death the demands of
the law were satisfied ; and on you,
consequently, as being united with
him, it has no further demands. A
husband's death terminates the wife's
subjection to a particular statute, in
consequence of her having been one
with him and of her sharing in what
ever affected him : so Christ's death
has terminated the Christian's sub
jection to the legal system in conse
quence of his union with Christ and
sharing in whatever affects Him. —
The idea of union with Christ per
vades the apostle's view ; to appre
hend it fully, we should have in mind
the figure of the vine and its branches,
John 15 : 1-7, the body and its
members, Eph. 5 : 23-32. Oneness
with Christ would not be too strong
an expression to show the bearing on
Christ's disciples of whatever per
tains to him. Compare John 17 :
21-23. || That ye should be married
to another; that ye should become
another's, that ye might enter into
relation with another. || Even to him
who is raised from the dead. Christ,
as raised from the dead, is the Lord
and Head with whom this new con

nection may be formed. He is the
head of the system of grace to which
we may become transferred from tho
bondage of the law. || That we
should bring forth fruit unto God; that
we might be fruitful in works of
obedience to God, might render him
acceptable service in holy lives. The
resurrection of Christ was necessary
for this, because the bestowal of the
Holy Spirit for our renovation to a
holy life was to be consequent on his
resurrection. John 16 : 7. The
resurrection and ascension of Christ
were essential to the completeness
and the full operation of the system
of grace. 1 Pet. 3: 21, 22. Matt.
28 : 18-20. The Holy Spirit's agency
in this system makes us new creatures
in our will and affections, gives us a
new spirit, delivers us from the domi
nation of sin, so that we do not yield
our powers to its sway. 6 : 17,18.
5. For when we were in the flesh.
The apostle now shows why we must
become connected with Clirist as
raised from the dead, in order that
we may be friutful in obedience to
God ; that is, why we must become
released from the legal system and
come under the system of grace, in
order to lead holy lives. — In the flesh.
Our bodily nature gives occasion and
opportunity for many sinful indul
gences : the bodily members are in
struments which sin employs. 6 :
12, 13. To be in the flesh, then, is to
be in subjection to sinful appetites.
It is the opposite of being in the
Spirit, that is, in subjection to the
Spirit, or of being in a renewed, spir
itual state. Flesh is the carnal nature,
taken comprehensively, as including
sins of the spirit, as well as of the
body. || The motions of sins, which
were by the law ; the emotions of sins,
or sinful affections, which were awak
ened, excited, by the law ; sinful af
fections which, through abuse of the
law, made it a provocative of sin,
instead of its being a director in holy

74

ROMANS.

6 work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death : but
now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein
we were held ; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and
not in the oldness of the letter.

obedience. || Wrought in our mem
bers ; became vigorously active in
subjecting our bodily members to the
s-.-rvice of sin, so -that, instead of
being fruitful in obedience to God,
we were fruitful in obedience to
Death : death being here personified,
as the power which executes the
doom of exclusion from the presence
and favor of God.
6. But now ; now that we are not
in the flesh, but in the Spirit, in sub
jection to the Holy Spirit and enjoy
ing his renewing influence, we are
no longer under the law, we are re
leased from it as a system for procur
ing the divine favor ; we are no
longer held bound by its demands
which we could not satisfy and which,
instead of being obeyed by us, would
rather awaken and stimulate sinful
affections in us and thus, instead of
procuring us salvation, would make
us work out our ruin. || That being
dead wherein we were held. The gen
uine reading here, according to cor
rect editions of the original Greek,
is, being dead, or having become dead
to that in which, or by which, we were
held : not that the law is dead, but we
are dead to the law. The apostle
describes those who havo accepted
the system of grace, by uniting them
selves to Christ who submitted to
death, verse 4, as having become dead
to the law, to the legal system, under
which they were previously held.
The idea is the same as is conveyed
in the 4th verse, Ye are become dead
to the law. || That we should serve in
newness of spirit, etc. Tho result of
this death to the law, this transfer of
ourselves to the system of grace, and
of this choice of Christ as our Re
deemer and Lord is, that we now ren
der service to God with a new spirit,
a new temper of mind, a spirit which
prompts a cheerful and loving obedi

ence, as commg spontaneously from
the heart which beats in unison with
that of Christ. This new spirit is
contrasted with the oldness of the let
ter, or, of the writing, that is, the old
written law, the system of statutes
and penalties, the system which could
only require obedience to authorita
tive demands as the ground of ac
ceptance with God, while yet the
hearts of men were indisposed to
obedience. From subjection to this
system and from the fatal results'
which, since men have no heart to
obey the law, are inevitable, Christ
delivers all who welcome him as their
Lord. — The apostle does not here in
timate that, in point of fact, there
ever were two ways for men's accept
ance with God ; one, through a per
sonal legal obedience ; the other,
through divine grace. The latter
has been the only possible way ever
since man became a sinner. But he
is here reasoning with special refer
ence to Jews, who were vainly cher
ishing the thought that, through
obedience to the Mosaic law, they
were enjoying favor with God and
would attain eternal life. Taking
them on their own ground, he unfolds
the nature and tendency of a legal
system and of the system of grace,
in view of the actual state of men's
hearts, and thus shows the neces
sity of the gracious system through
Christ, of which, since all need it, all
may avail themselves. Though the
salvation of men has always pro
ceeded from grace, yet it is only in
the gospel of Christ that the system
of grace is fully made known and
developed, since its basis is in the life
and death of Christ. Previously to
his advent, men who had the right
temper of mind were pardoned and
accepted ; still, their acceptance was
au act of grace, having the same re-

CHAPTER VII.

75

7 What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid.
Nay, 1 had not known sin, but by the law : for I had not
known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

lation to Christ as the acceptance of
penitent and believing sinners under
the gospel, or subsequently to the
actual death of Christ. See Heb. 9 :
15. Compare Rev. 13 : 8. While,
however, salvation has always been
impossible for sinners by a legal sys
tem, no mistake is more common
than for men to suppose that by some
works of righteousness of their own
they can obtain favor with God : and
hence, the apostle's reasoning has
value for all men. For whoever,
through any causes, dechnes the pro
posals of the gracious system and
seeks eternal life according to the
terms of a legal system, must fail of
becoming righteous in the sight of
God and of having spiritual life, be
cause he is actually a sinner and a
.egal system contains no provision
far acceptance after disobedience, or
for recovering sinners to hohness : he
will also inevitably fail of rendering-
such an obedience as the holy law
prescribes, because in his inmost
heart he is indisposed to such obedi
ence ; and any supposed obedience to
mere authority, while the authority is
disliked and the heart is not in ac
cordance with the law, is of no ac
count in the sight of God.
7-12. What shall we say then, etc.
In 6 : 14 the apostle had said, Sin
shall not have dominion over you,
for ye are not under the law ; imply
ing, that sin would rule over them so
long as they should be under the law.
This might seem a reflection on the
law, as though it gave aid to sin and
was of a sinful tendency. He had
also just said, 7 : 5, that sinful affec
tions were stimulated by the law.
The inquiiy then would naturally
arise, Whether the law was sinful,
the blamable cause of sin. He re-
filies, By no means : nevertheless, the
aw becomes the occasion of activity
to a sinful inlination, the existence

of which was hardly before suspected.
Thus the law leads to a distinct con
sciousness of sin and illdesert, and
of inability, under the influence and
guidance of the law, to secure eternal
life ; a sinful disposition being ex
cited, by the law's laying restraints
on it, to resist the law and thus in
evitably incurring its penalty, death,
spiritual ruin. The law, then, so far
from being sinful, or in itself the
cause of sin, is holy, opposed to all
sin. Viewed in itself and as a direc
tory to an obedient spirit, it leads to
hfe and bliss.
7. Is the law sin ? Is the law sin
ful 1 Is it the cause of sin ? Is its
tendency sinful ? || God forbid. See
3:4. || Nay. The word neverthe
less, or still, represents more accu
rately the apostle's word. He had
strongly disavowed the thought, that
the law was sinful ; but while that
thought was not, for a moment, to be
entertained, it was still, or nevertheless,
true that the law was a means of pro
ducing a distinct consciousness of sin.
While it does not lead to sin, but for
bids it, it is yet an occasion of sin's
exerting its power, and thus makes
us sensible that we are sinners. || For
I had not known lust, except, etc. By
a particular commandment in the
law, the apostle illustrates his thought
that the law leads to a distinct con
sciousness of sin. The word lust was
formerly used in a more general sense
than at present, and was equivalent
to inordinate desire or coveting. In
the original of this verse and the fol
lowing, the same word, substantially,
is used for lust, covet, and concupis
cence; so that the apostle's idea in
the 7th and 8th verses might be more
directly conveyed by the following
language — For I should not have
known coveting, unless the law had
said, Thou shalt not covet ; but sin,
taking occasion by the command-

76

ROMANS.

8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in
me all manner of concupiscence. Bor without the law sin
9 was dead. For I was alive without the law once : but when
10 the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the
commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto
11 death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, de-
12 ceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy,
and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

ment, wrought in me all manner of
coveting. 8. Sin, taking occasion, etc. Sin
is here regarded as an active inter
nal power. Sinful inclination, stimu
lated by this prohibition, became un
usually vigorous. Such is human
experience ; a latent and dormant in
clination to a certain thing becomes
aroused, and demands gratification,
in consequence of a prohibition to its
indulgence. || Without the law, etc. ;
aside from the law, at a distance, so
to speak, from the law, sin lay in
active, had not betrayed its existence
and power.
9. For I was alive without the law
once, etc. ; up to a certain period,
while away from the pressure of the
law, not distinctly apprehending and
feeling its claim on me, I was free
from disquietude, was happy in my
supposed enjoyment of the good will
of God and a sure hope of heaven.
But when the commandment, men
tioned in verse 7, came in contact
with me and I felt its pressure, then
sin put forth a new life in resisting
the command and promising gratifi
cation from disobeying it, aud I sunk
into misery through a sense of guilt
and apprehension of the displeasure
of God. My consciousness of being
under the power of sin destroyed my
enjoyment and my hope of future
bliss, and made me sensible that I
had within me no spiritual life.
10. The commandment, etc. That
very commandment which pointed
out the path of righteousness and was
thus designed to secure life, that is,
true bliss, issued in producing death
to me.

1 1 . For sin taking occasion by the
commandment deceived me, etc. ; when
the commandment, the prohibition
mentioned in verse 7, was distinctly
apprehended by me and its force was
felt, sin promised me gratification
from disobedience ; but it deceived
my expectation of enjoyment and
wrought out misery for me instead of
happiness : it slew me, brought me
into a state of death, making me sen
sible of my subjection to depraved
inclinations, of my condemnation in
the sight of God and my inability,
by any moral strength of my own,
to avert his displeasure and attain
eternal life. I felt myself doomed to
death, as a deluded victim of sin.
12. Wherefore the law is holy, etc.
Since, then, the law is only the occa
sion of sin by coming in collision
with a sinful inclination and laying
its prohibitions on it, the law itself is
holy, announcing the holy will of God
in opposition to all sin ; and every
commandment of the law, like the
one instanced in verse 7, is holy, just
and good iu its requisition and its ten
dencies. 13-25. The view just given of the
law of God suggests another inquiry :
Was that which is a good thing and
adapted to secure bliss, namely, the
holy and good law of God, made the
cause of death to me 1 Is my death,
that is, my loss of the divine favor
and my exclusion from all bliss and
hope, the fruit of a good law ? By
no moans, the apostle replies : Sin is
tho cause of this death ; and sinco it
brings about death by occasion of a
law which is in itself holy and good,
the nature of sin, as only evil and

CHAPTER VII.

77

13 Was then that which is good made death unto me ? God
forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in
me by that which is good ; that sin by the commandment
14 might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law

malignant, becomes thereby fully
manifest. The law, too, as we all
know, is spiritual, requiring a spir
itual, or holy, obedience and a spiritual
mind in order, to render such obedi
ence, and recompensing such obedi
ence with eternal life: but I, on
whom the demands of this law came
with pressure, am carnal, sinful, even
in bondage to sin ; and being thus
under its sway, sin controls me, so
that the dictates of my judgment and
moral nature, which approve of the
divine law, are overmastered, and I
do not act according to my convic
tions of right ; that which I approve
I fail to perform ; that which I con
demn and cannot but hate, I yet do.
Sin overpowers me ; so that it is not
so much I who act, as sin that lords
it over me. It is sin, then, to which
I am in bondage, that is working out
my ruin ; and not the holy and good
law. Thus miserably enslaved by
sin, I can be delivered from its power,
and from the death to which it in
evitably leads, only by ceasing vainly
to strive for spiritual life and the
favor of God by means of the law,
and by coming into the state of grace
through faith in Christ, that is,
through uniting- myself to him as
the head of the system of grace, my
Redeemer and Lord, and thus secur
ing to myself the benefits and in
fluences of this system.
13. That which is good ; the law,
mentioned in verse 12. j| That it
might appear sin : rather, that sin
might be made to appear, that it
might be manifested as to its evil and
malignant nature and be no longer
concealed under a deceitful garb.
Compare verse 11. || That sin —
might become exceeding sinful ; that sin
might, by occasion of the command
ment, go to great lengths in trans
gressing the law, and thus, by means
7*

of the law which forbade its indul
gence, it might become worse and
worse. Compare 5 : 20.
14. For we know. It is not sur
prising that sin should thus abuse
the law of God and increase its vio
lations of it. This the apostle re
gards as resulting from the spiritual,
or holy, nature of the law acting on
a mind that is sinfully inclined and is
in bondage to sin as its ruling power.
|| The law is spiritual ,- it requires a
spiritual, or holy, service, and conse
quently a spiritual mind in order to
render that service. || But I am car
nal. So far from having the needed
spiritual mind, I am carnal, fleshly,
disposed to obey the impulses and in
dulge the appetites of the flesh, in
stead of obeying the dictates of the
Sphit. I am the very opposite of
what is required. — As the body, or
the flesh, is the seat of so many sin
ful appetites, and the members of tho
body are the means by which a sinful
inclination gratifies itself, to be in the
flesh, or to be carnal, is the same as to
be sinful, to be under the influence of
sin, to be sinfully disposed. It is ex
pressive, therefore, of sinfulness, a
source of sin, a sinful state, in general,
whether the sins consist in bodily in
dulgence, or are strictly internal.
Compare Gal. 5 : 19-21. It is the
opposite of being spiritual, of being
under the influence of the Holy Spirit
which awakens holy desires and leads
to a holy life. A carnal, or unspiritual,
mind is affirmed of all persons, whether
unregenerate or regenerate, so far as
they are not in subjection to the Holy
Spirit in tlieir feelings and conduct :
hence, it was ascribed to the Corin
thian Christians, 1 Cor. 3 : 3, 4,. who
had so far lost the truly Christian
temper of mind as to be indulging
in dissensions ; a course of conduct
more characteristic of worldly men

78

ROMANS.

15 is spiritual : but I am carnal, sold under sin. Fcr that
which I -do, I allow not : for what I would, that do I not ;
16 but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would
17 not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is
18 no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I

than of the spiritually minded. || Sold
under sin ; bought, as it were, by sin
and reduced to bondage by it as an
imperious master, so as to do its bid
ding rather than what my own sober
judgment would dictate.
15. The proof, or illustration, of
the remark that he was a bondslave
of sin, now follows. As a slave is
subject to the will and command of
his master and thus acts by another's
bidding, not by his own judgment
and choice, and may not be pleased
with what he is doing, nor approve
of it, and might seem to himself to
be often acting without knowing what
he was doing, so it is with one in
bondage to sin. — For that which I do
I allow not ; literally, / know not ; I
scarcely know what I am doing, I am
so impelled by a power that sways
me and overrides my sober convic
tions. — The original word, here ren
dered allow, but more correctly know,
has sometimes the accessary idea
of approving, that is, of knowing with
approval. The idea of allowing and
disallowing, or of approval and disap
proval, is, however, more directly ex
pressed in the following clause ; while
this clause rather indicates a mind
doubting whether to do a thing or
not, beclouded by sinful desire, half
willing and half-unwilling to do the
sinful deed, and yet yielding to sinful
desire, as if impelled, without being
fully aware of thus doing. || For
what I would, that do I not, etc. The
term would here is indicative of the
desire, or preference, which the soul
of man cannot but feel for that which
is morally good, when it is soberly
reflected on. It does not indicate a
settled, determined choice, but a lik
ing, or wishing. The apostle, then,
may be understood as saying, For
what I like, what in itself and accord

ing to my sober judgment I approve,
and wish to do, I do not perform ;
but what I cannot help hating, that I
actually do. So truly has sinful in
clination the mastery, that I sacrifice
my sober preferences to it ; I am held
bound by sinful desire ; under its in
fluence, what I prefer I fail to do, but
what I dislike and condemn that I
do : such is the power of sin over
me. Compare Gal. 5 : 17.
16. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent unto tlie law, etc. Since,
then, in my judgment I disapprove
of what I do in teansgressing, and
dislike it, I thereby pronounce in
favor of the law which forbids what I
do : the law has a testimony in my
reason and conscience that it is really
good. Compare verse 12.
17. Noiv.then it is no more I that
do it but sin, etc. Now, too, since I
pronounce in favor of the law which
I violate, and since I do not act in
harmony with my convictions of
what is right, but in opposition to
them, it is henceforth not I myself, I
in the full and free exercise of the
faculties of my nature, I as endowed
with reason and conscience, who act ;
but sin that dwells in me is the acting
power. Sin, an imperious master
within me, performs the deeds through
me. — The apostle here personifies sin,
representing it as a personal agency
within the soul, lording it over the
rational and moral nature : as though
there were two opposing powers
within him, reason with conscience,
on one side, and sinful desire, on the
other ; and sinful desire actually hav
ing the predominance and controlling
his actions. Without a figure, it is
strong sinful inclination, a bent to
wards sin, the apostle here speaks of,
that impels a person to a sinful act,
or course, iu opposition to his ac-

CHAPTER VII.

79

18 know that in me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing : for to will is present with me ; but how to perform
19 that which is good, I find not. For the good that I would,
20 I do not ; but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now
if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
21 that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that when I would
22 do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law
23 of God, after the inward man : but I see another law in my
members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing
me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the
25 body of this death ? I thank God, through Jesus Christ

knowledgment of the claims of God's
law and to the dictates of his sober
judgment. 18-20. In confirmation of the
thought that sin was the actor, the
apostle declares it as a matter of his
consciousness that in him viewed as
carnal, destitute of the Holy Spirit,
goodness did not dwell, as a predom
inating power; since while to like
and wish for what is good was near
him, to perform what is good was far
away from him, he could not reach
it : the one was within his reach, was
easy ; the other was far beyond him,
he found not access to it, his efforts
to attain it were baffled. — In me, that
is, in my flesh ¦ in me, while, or so far
as, under the influence of the flesh, or
unspiritual : so far as the Spirit is not
ruling me, goodness does not dwell
in me ; it is sin that actuates me.
Compare Gal. 5 : 17. || For to will is
present with me, etc.; to like and pre
fer what is good is within my reach,
but actually to do it is beyond me ;
for sin sways me and not goodness,
and I do the evil, notwithstanding
my convictions of duty and my sense
of the preferableness of the good.
21. I find then a law, etc.; I find
within me a governing principle,
which, though I cannot but hke, and
approve of, the good, makes me Jo
the evil : evil is ever near at hand
and I yield to it, notwithstanding my
discernment of the right and the de
cision of my judgment in its favor.

22, 23. The proof, or illustration,
of this predominating power of sin, in
the absence of the Spirit, is now given
in a very emphatic manner. — For I de
light in the law of God after the inward
man ; that is, in my soul : my judg
ment and moral convictions are de
cidedly in favor of the law of God,
and I take delight in contemplating
it. But I perceive in my members,
in my bodily, or sensual, nature,
another law, another ruling principle,
namely, sinful appetite, opposing the
law which my rational and moral
nature approves, and subjugating me,
as a captive, to the law of sin, that
law which rules in my bodily mem
bers and subjects my sensual nature
to itself.
24. 0 wretched man, etc. Thus
being a captive to sin and acting ac
cording to its impulses rather than to
my own sober judgment and moral
sense, I am a wretch indeed, and
despair of rescuing myself from this
bondage. || Who shall deliver me?
Is there any one who can deliver me t
To whom can I look for deliverance ?
|| From the body of this death ; or,
from this body of death; from this
body, this sensual nature, which sin
subjects to itself and which, under
such subjection, leads to death (com
pare 8 : 13), that is, to hopeless misery
in exclusion from the favor of God
and in the endurance of his- frown
and wrath.
25. I thank God through Jesus

80

ROMANS.

our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law
of God ; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Christ our Lord. The law gives no
hope of deliverance ; but the gospel
of Christ, the system of grace through
Clirist, inspires hope. Through Jesus
Christ deliverance can come ; for he
bestows the Spirit who imparts a
new life and sets up a new dominion
in man. |[ So then with die mind, etc.
As the result of the preceding view
of his sinful and enslaved condition
aside from the influence of the Spirit
through Jesus Christ, the apostle
makes a personal statement : In my
mind, that is, my reason and con
science, I acknowledge the goodness
and claims of the law of God and
my duty to obey it ; but in my flesh,
my bodily members, my sensual na
ture, I obey the law of sin. — The over
throw of this sway of sin, by the new-
creating Spirit of God is indispensa
ble to the reign of righteousness in a
human being, or to the subjection of
the whole man to the dominion of God.

In this chapter the apostle seems
to have spoken from his own ex
perience of his sinfulness. At va
rious times in his life, we may well
beheve, he felt the pressure of the
divine law ou his conscience, and con
viction was awakened that he was
not guiltless. His endeavors for a
more strict conformity to it, in feeling
and conduct, were unsatisfactoiy ; and
notwithstanding all his ceremonial
obedience and his general freedom
from pain of conscience, he doubtless
was dissatisfied with himself at times.
Not until he found true and abiding
fieace through believing in Christ, was
le free from conscious servitude to sin.
And after this turning point in his
religious llistory, he knew of a con
flict between the flesh and the Spirit.
Self-acquaintance, no doubt, led him
to say to the Galatians, Gal. 5 : 16, 17,
Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not
fulfil the lusts of the flesh ; for the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the
Spirit against the flesh. He nowhere

else enters so much into detail, as
here, in regard to the workings of two
opposing influences ; but the lan
guage throughout this chapter is most
naturally explained, as disclosing his
own mental exercises. In these he
was, doubtless, a specimen of human
nature : those who know their own
hearts in reference to the law of God
have an inward commentary on his
language. Remarkably similar to
his ideas here is the passage in Gala
tians, 5 : 16, 17, ending with the re
mark, So that ye cannot do the things
that ye would. Universally, the in
fluence of the divine law on the un
regenerate spirit fully shows the bon
dage of such a spirit to sin and
the inevitable tendency to spiritual
rain ; and in all, both regenerate and
unregenerate, so far as the heart,
through any unfavorable circum
stances, is not under the influence of
the Holy Spirit and of a conscious
practical dependence on Christ and
the system of free grace, the over
powering influence of sin is felt. To
the renewed, as well as the unrenewed,
the influences of the system of grace
are indispensable for their deliverance
from sin and for then- spiritual life.
In both, the sensual nature, so far as
not subordinated to the Spirit of God,
is a source of sin, and proves stronger
than the preferences and wishes awak
ened by a view of what is right.
Even the apostle felt the necessity of
keeping his body under and bringing
it into subjection, 1 Cor. 9 : 27, lest
that after having preached to others
he should himself be a castaway.
For illustrating the apostle's de
scription, it is not necessaiy to resort
to grosser forms of sin. While such
forms of sin do, indeed, forcibly illus
trate it, the workings of a dishonest,
and of an ambitious, heart in full
view of the demands of God's law
furnish, also, ample illustration : our
self-love, when not subordinated to
the love of God, may easily create

CHAPTER VIII.
Believers in Christ are delivered from the bondage of sin through the Holy Spirit whc abide!
in them, 1-4. They have an affection for spiritual things, and the promise Of a resurrec
tion, 5-11. The obligations, filial privileges, and blissful assurances, connected wilh the
Bystem of grace, 12-39.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after

such a conflict between duty and in
clination as is here described : and in
those affections, purposes and acts
which more directly relate to God,
our weakness and vacillation and de
clining to obey the commands of God,
and our thus contracting increased
guilt and strengthening the imperious
sway of sin over us, and our falling
deeper and deeper into a sense of
present misery, with the prospect of a
hopeless doom, are matters of daily
occurrence. Those, too, who have
the most satisfactory evidence of hav
ing been renewed by the Holy Spirit,
are fully sensible that their ability to
do the "will of God is dependent on
the Spirit's continued influence. —
Compare 1 Cor. 15 : 10. Gal. 2 : 20.
CHAPTER VIII.
In 7 : 1-5, the apostle had shown
that by the death of Christ the legal
system which inevitably brings men
into hopeless condemnation, had been
terminated in respect to those who
connect themselves with Christ as the
head of a new arrangement, the sys
tem of grace. By virtue of this
union with him as their Lord, they
are enabled, with the new spirit im
parted to them, to live in obedience
to God and to glorify him. The
treatment of the two questions sug
gested by the apostle's view of the
divine law, namely, Is the law sin 1
and, Was that which is good made
death to me ? 7 : 7, 13, and which
occupied the chief part of the 7th
chapter, had brought into very bold
relief the utter hopelessness of a sin
ner's rendering* legal obedience and
(81)

of freeing himself from condemna
tion. The way is now thoroughly
prepared to resume the consideration
of the new system, the scheme of
grace : and in the present chapter the
apostle affirms that those who accept
Clirist as their Lord and Head are
freed from condemnation ; for the
dominion, or ruling power of tho
Holy Spirit imparted to them through
Jesus Christ, has liberated them from
the enslaving dominion of sin, in
order that they might obey the will
of God, vs. 1-4. As enjoying the
influence" of the Holy Spirit, who
abides in them, they have a spiritual
bent of mind, an affection for spiritual
things, and the promise of a resurrec
tion, 5-11. The obligations, grow
ing out of the new relation to God
into which the system of grace has
brought believers, as being under the
influence of the Holy Spirit and as
being children of God, together with
the blissful assurances which are war
ranted by the system of grace, are
also here presented, 12-39.
1. There is therefore now no con
demnation, etc. Freedom from con
demnation is impossible to men
through the law, or the legal system :
but Christ has established a system
of grace ; those, therefore, who are
in Christ, that is, who have become
united to Christ by faith in him, are no
longer under the law, but are under
grace. See 6 : 14. The law, as a
means of justification through obedi
ence, or of condemnation for disobe
dience, has ceased in respect to them
They now stand on a different ground
from that of the law, so that they are

82

ROMANS.

2 the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
3 hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For
what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful

beyond the application of its con
demnatory sentence. || Who walk,
etc. ; who live not according to the
impulses of the carnal nature, of
which sin avails itself, but according
to the influences of the Holy Spirit
who gives a new life to the soul, or
imparts power to man's spiritual
nature. 2. Being thus in Christ, and under
grace, the Holy Spirit, as a sanctify
ing agent for securing the purposes
of the system of grace, influences
them with his life-imparting power
and delivers them from the dominion
of sin. — The law of the Spirit of life;
the ruling power, or dominion, of
the Holy Spirit which imparts spir
itual life to the soul and secures eter
nal life. || In Christ Jesus ; by Christ
Jesus. Compare John 7 : 39, where
the bestowal of the Spirit is spoken
of as connected with the exaltation
of Jesus to glory ; also John 16:7,
etc. The liberation from sin which
results from the Spirit's agency is
also traceable to Christ, since by him
the system of grace was founded and
the Spirit sent forth. See John 15 :
26. 16 : 7. || Hath made me free,
etc. ; hath liberated me from the rul
ing power, or dominion, of sin,
which dominion inevitably issues in
death, the final misery of a soul re
jected of God and abiding under
condemnation. Sin had been a rul
ing power in the soul, making it
dead as to any service to God and
subjecting it to the death of exclu
sion from the favor of God and, con
sequently, from all true bliss. The
counteracting dominion of the Spirit
had overthrown this sway of sin and
given spiritual liberty to the captive.
The apostle here uses the personal
mode of speech, ' hath made me free,'
in harmony with the mode of speak
ing in the 7th chapter aud in order to

make the contrast more striking be
tween the two states in which he con
ceived of himself as being ; namely,
as first being under the influence of
the law aud next under the influence
of the system of grace : in both of the
views in which he presents himself,
he is a specimen of human nature,
an illustration of what is naturally
to be expected iu human beings sim
ilarly situated. — It is not necessary
to consider the apostle as here affirm
ing respecting himself an entire and
final liberation from all influence of
sin : he affirmed a liberation from its
thraldom, so that it did not bear sway
in him, subjecting him to itself. The
extent of this liberation, in any case,
may be dependent on a variety of
circumstances. 3. The ground of this deliverance
from the sway of sin is now presented.
For, what the law could not do, in that
it was weak, etc. The legal system
was unable to secure obedience from
men, so strong and controlling was
the carnal disposition in its resistance
to the law : but what was impossible
to be accomplished through the law,
God has effected in another way. —
The inability of the law to subdue sin,
or to overcome the carnal disposition
in man, has been fully illustrated in the
7th chapter. || God, sending his own
Son, etc. God, having sent his own
Son in the flesh, so that he was like
man in having that nature which sin
had subjected to itself, and having
sent him with special reference to sin,
has in his person effectually con
demned sin : in the very nature over
which sin had triumphed, a condem
nation of it has been effected aud a
triumph over it gained. Christ by
coming in human nature was, though
sinless, like those who had sinned ;
and the human nature in Christ, that
is, the flesh, (by having which iu com-

CHAPTER VIII.

83

4 flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh : that the right
eousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
5 after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after
the flesh do mind the things of the flesh : but they that are

mon with man, he was, though sin
less, like those who had sinned,) ef
fectually resisted sin, was victorious
over it and exposed it as condemned
and subjugated. — This condemnation
of sin was effected by the overpower
ing holiness of Christ, through which
every temptation to sin was overcome
and he obeyed most perfectly the law
of God ; also, by his sacrificial death,
in which while suffering fjbr sins, the
just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3:18, he
most impressively showed God's con
demnation of sin. Thus in human
flesh, through which sin had brought
auiut condemnation to men by sub
jecting them to its sway, in human
flesh as borne by Christ in common
with man, sin is itself condemned and
divested of its power. — -|| And for sin;
either, with reference to sin, an expres
sion denoting generally the design
for which God sent his Son, namely,
that sin might be effectually con
demned and its power broken ; or, a
sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10 : 6, 8, 12,
denoting specifically his death, which,
being endured on account of sin, con
tained an emphatic condemnation of
it and secured the overthrow of its
power. || Condemned sin ; not merely
pronounced condemnation on it, for
this was done by the law ; but effec
tually condemned it, so that it was
brought down to a subjugated state,
its dominion was broken, it was ex
posed as condemned and enfeebled.
|| In the flesh ; in human nature, as
borne, however, by Christ. — Thus in
the person of Christ, and in a nature
like sinful man's, God had effected
what the law could not do, since car
nal inclination was too strong to be
effectually withstood by it.
4. This effectual condemnation of
sin had for its design, the obedience
of Christ's disciples to the precepts
of that law, which men's carnal in

clination will not obey. To the dis
ciples of Christ the Holy Spirit has
been imparted : by his influence on
them they cease to live in subjection
to the flesh. The dominion of the
Spirit has broken the dominion of
sin, and they now obey the will of
God. The righteousness of the law ;
or, the righteous requirement of the
law ; that is, its collective body of
precepts as enjoining the will of God.
|| Might be fulfilled ; performed, obey
ed. To what extent the law, or will,
of God is actually obeyed by believ
ers is not here the object of remark ;
but the intent, or design, of God to
secure complete obedience to Ms will.
Comparatively speaking, that is, as
compared with other men and with
their former selves, the disciples of
Clirist obey the will of God ; and the
tendency of the new spirit which they
possess is towards universal and per
fect obedience. Among them, and
only among them, is obedience to the
divine will exemplified on earth.
|| In us ; in us individually, and
among us collectively. || Who walk,
etc. See verse 1 . Disciples of Clirist
are here characterized as those in
whom the flesh, that is, carnal affec
tion, or inclination, has given way to
the Spirit, so that they follow the
monitions of the Spirit and have a
spiritual tendency of thought and
feeling. 5. This spiritual tendency is in
dispensable to obedience ; because
carnal affection is towards carnal
things, not towards those which the
law enjoins ; the law being spiritual,
requiring the subjection of our spirit
to the will of God. The law, then,
is in direct opposition to carnal affec
tion, which leads us to seek earthly
and personal gratifications, and con
fines our desires and pursuits to tho
present world, the region of flesh and

84

ROMANS.

6 after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally
minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life and
7 peace : because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for
it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 9 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But
ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the

sense- They that are after the flesh do
mind etc. ; they whose temper of
mind is carnal, in accordance with
sensual and worldly desires, have
affection for carnal things merely,
and consequently disregard spiritual
things, the things which God requires
us to love. But in order to have af
fection for spiritual things and thus
obey the will of God, we must have
a temper of mind accordant with the
Spirit. — In other words, subjection
to the flesh is utterly inconsistent
with obedience to the law of God,
since God requires a supreme regard
to his will and a decided preference
of spiritual things. Carnal men will
have affection for carnal things ; in
order to have affection for spiritual
things, men must be spiritual : the
Spirit, not the flesh, must be the rul
ing power.
6. For to be carnally minded, etc.
Another reason for the necessity of a
spiritual dominion in man is, that the
natural and inevitable result of being
carnally minded, that is, of loving
and pursuing carnal things, is death,
rejection from God's favor and from
all bliss ; while genuine life, living to
good purpose for the present and the
future, and peace, freedom from dread,
bliss, both present and anticipated,
iu possessing God's favor, can come
only from being spiritually minded,
from loving and pursuing spiritual
things. 7. The disastrous result of carnal
affection is next accounted for. The
carnal mind, etc. ; literally, according
to the original, theminding of the flesh;
the indulging of carnal affections, is
direct hostility to God and makes
him hostile to us ; of course, it must
issue in death to the soul. || For it is

not subject, etc. The direct hostility
of the carnal temper to God and its
making him an enemy to us comes
from its entire opposition to his law ;
it is a refusing to submit to him.
|| Neither indeed can be. A carnal
disposition cannot, in the very nature
of things, be in subjection to the law
of God, for it is the direct contrast
of that law; it must cease to be a
carnal disposition in order to be sub
ject to it. The contrast is the same
as between sin and holiness.
8. They that are in the flesh cannot
please God. They who are ruled by
carnal affection cannot please God,
because such affection is directly at
variance with him ; and while they
are governed by it, they cannot but
offend him. Besides, they are so
much under its influence that it sways
them even against their judgment and
conscience. See 7 : 18-23. A new
spirit must be possessed by them
before they can please God.
9. Freedom from the carnal tem
per, and ability to please God, de
pend on the presence and agency of
the Spirit of God in the soul. Ye
are not in the flesh, etc. Ye are not
carnal, but spiritual, if indeed, agree
ably to your avowal of belonging to
Christ, the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Compare John 14: 16, 17. 1 Cor.
6:9-11. || Now if; more correctly,
But if: the contrast of the preceding
statement is here made. || The Spirit
of Christ. The expressions, Spirit of
God and Spirit of Christ, are sub
stantially the same ; the Holy Spirit
being thus variously denominated as
sent forth either by the Father or the
Son, and for the purpose of carrying
into effect the design of Christ to save
men. Compare John 14: 16, 26.

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85

10 Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you,
the body is dead because of sin ; but the spirit is life because
of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ
from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Therefore, brethren, ye are debtors, not to the flesh, to
live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die : but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the

11

12 13

15: 26. 16: 7. As the apostle was
thinking of believers in Christ he natu
rally spoke of the Spirit as being
specially the Spirit of Christ ; just as
with another shade of thought he
might have said, If any man have
not the Spirit of God he is none of
God's people.
10. Some blissful results of hav
ing the Spirit and of being under
his influence are next stated. If
Christ be in you; Christ, by the agency
of his Spirit. Compare John 14 :
16, 17, with verse 23. || The body is
dead, etc. ; the body does, indeed, re
main subject to death on account of
sin, agreeably to the threatening,
Th ou shalt surely die, Gen. 2:17, and
to the doom, Dust thou art and unto
dust shalt thou return, Gen. 3 : 19 ;
yet the soul on account of righteous
ness which, through Christ, has begun
to rulo in it, has true life towards
God and will have eternal life. —
Though Clirist has procured life for
the believer, yet it is the righteous
will of God that the believer should,
in his body, still be the prey of death.
So far as the threat related to the
body, it is unrevoked ; so far as it
related to the soul, it is reversed :
true life is given and will endure
forever. 11. Still further: Though the
bodies of believers must yield to
death, yet they too are to be rescued
from its power ; their bodies shall be
recovered to life by virtue of the
Spirit which dwells iu believers and
which is preparing them for-the end
less life of heaven. He that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken, 8

etc. ; God who raised up the dead
body of Christ will also make alive
again your mortal bodies by his Spirit,
that is, by virtue of his Spirit, that
dwells in you. Not that the Holy
Spirit raises the dead body to life :
this act is ascribed to the Son of God ;
John 5 : 21, 25, 28 ; but, by virtue
of the Spirit's dwelling in believers
and rescuing their souls from sin and
spiritual death, thus preparing them
for heaven, their bodies will also, as
an appropriate result, be delivered
from the dominion of death.
12-17. The obligations of believ
ers for the bestowal of the Holy
Spirit are now hinted, and the glori
ous state to which the disciples of
Christ will be exalted.
12. Therefore ye are debtors, etc. ;
ye are under obligations, not to the
flesh, to live according to its dictates ;
but to the Spirit, to live according to
his guidance.
13. The sure results of obeying
the flesh and of obeying the Spirit
enhance this obligation : in the one
case, death ; in the other, eternal life.
Compare 6: 23. If ye — mortify the
deeds of the body ; if ye put to death,
that is, resist and subdue, the evil de
sires of the carnal nature, so that they
shall not have power to sway you.
Such resistance can be effected only
through the Spirit. — Deeds of the body
is an expression of the same import
as works of the flesh in Gal. 5 : 19-21.
Compare also Col. 3 : 5-10. || Ye
shall live ; ye shall have eternal life.
Such resistance to sinful propensities,
as is here spoken of, shows alsc that
spiritual life is commenced and such

86

ROMANS.

14 body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit
15 of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not re
ceived the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye have re
ceived the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
1 6 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
17 the children of God : and if children, then heirs ; heirs of
God and joint-heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with
him, that we may be also glorified together.

life secures a hving sense of the fa
vor of God. Compare Gal. 6 : 7, 8.
14. For as many as, etc. The cer
tainty of eternal life to those who,
through the Spirit, subdue carnal in
clination, is grounded on the fact that
such persons are sons of God. They
have a moral likeness to God, being
born of the Spirit and led by him.
Compare John 1 : 12, 13.
15. For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear. Ye
were once in bondage to sin ; but the
spirit which you have now received
is not a servile one, harassing you
again with fear of God's condemna
tion. || But ye have received the spirit
of adoption, etc. ; the filial spirit, in
which we cry out to God, in our
prayers, with fervency of affection and
filial confidence. || Abba, Father.
'These two words have the same
meaning, the former being essen
tially Hebrew. The two-fold form
of address to God, as a Father, indi
cates intensity of desire for needed
spiritual blessings, coupled with de
light in God and filial trust in him.
See Gal. 4 : 6.
16. The Spirit itself beareth wit
ness, etc. The Holy Spirit, dwelling
in us and exciting childlike feelings
towards God, testifies, in union with
our own spirit as being conscious of
this childlike temper, that we are
children of God. A two-fold testi
mony is thus borne to our being chil
dren of God : that of our own con
sciousness of filial feelings towards
'God, and that of the Holy Spirit who
imparted to us, and who still cher
ishes, this temper. The filial temper
we had not formerly, but rather, being

in bondage to sin, we habitually dis
obeyed God and felt a dread of his
wrath and, consequently, had no filial
feelings towards him. The Holy
Spirit, who bestows on us the filial
temper, also cherishes it, calling forth
and directing childlike affections,
verse 26, so that at times we cannot
but acknowledge an agency superior
to our own, by which, in religious
affections, we are even carried beyond
ourselves : by the Spirit's co-operat
ing with, and strengthening, the filial
temper, he may well be considered as
bearing a testimony additional to
that of the renewed mind.
17. The blissful consequences of
the filial relation to God are suggested.
If children, then heirs. A child is also
an heir, and, as such, is to share in
his father's wealth. So with children
of God ; they are heirs of God, Gal.
4 : 7 ; God designs to bestow on
them a possession hereafter, suitable
to his and their mutual relation.
The inexhaustible resources of the
divine bounty will most amply pro
vide for them. || Joint-heirs with
Christ, etc. As they are in Christ,
intimately united to him, belonging
to him as his redeemed people, mem
bers of his body, Eph. 5 : 30, they
are to be his fellow-heirs ; in order
that, since they suffer with him and
for his sake, they may also be glori
fied together with him, participating
in his glory as well as in his suffer
ings. — The whole life of Christ on
earth was a continued humiliation ;
he endured temptations from the evil
One, and from men contumely and
rejection : without earthly resources,
he was dependent on the bounty of

CHAPTER VIII. 87
18 For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time are

others ; during his closing days he
underwent incomparable sufferings
till he expired, in anguish and ig
nominy, on the cross. His people
have often been called to bitter suffer
ings in consequence of being his dis
ciples and of steadfastly adhering to
his cause ; they have been hated, re
viled, persecuted even unto death.
The apostle had large experience of
suffering for the sake of Christ ; 2
Cor. 1 : 8, 9. 4 : 8-10. 6 : 4, 5.
11 : 23-27. 12: 10. Col. 1: 24.
But the issue will make amends for
all sufferings endured in his cause ;
for the design of God is, that his dis
ciples shall be also glorified together
with him. In his glory, they are to
participate. He has been their suffer
ing Head ; he is now their glorified
Head : they have been his suffering
members ; they are to be his glorified
members. Great and unspeakable as
is the glory awarded to Christ, his
disciples are to share in it. See
John 17 : 22-24. Compare I Pet.
4: 13. Rev. 3: 21.
18-23. The thought of the glory
which is in reserve for the people of
Christ, as being children of God,
brings fully before the apostle's mind
the consummation of God's purposes
in respect to the kingdom of Christ
and the corresponding renovation of
all things. So great will be the glory
to which the children of God will
then be elevated, that all present suf
ferings can bear no comparison with
it. So desirable is their entrance on
the expected glory, that the whole
creation is conceived ol' as anticipat
ing it with eagerness, hoping that
then the suffering and perishable state
to which it has been subjected will be
succeeded by one of freedom from
frailty and mortality ; a state of the
natural creation corresponding to
that which the glorified children of
God will enjoy. As the sinfulness
of men is now accompanied ivith
misery on the part of all sentient

beings in the world, so the future
glory of Christ's people, when entered
on by them as redeemed from sin, is
to introduce a new order of things,
from which decay and mortality will
be excluded, and1 in which permanent
bliss will be enjoyed. The apostle
and his fellow Christians, having by
the presence of the Spirit in their
hearts the commencement of spiritual
and eternal bliss, were also themselves
waiting with earnest desire for its
consummation in the expected glory.
The passage is highly figurative.
Nature, or tlie whole creation, is per
sonified, and is represented as con
scious of having been subjected to a
frail and. unsatisfying state, to- misery
and death, yet with hope of recovery
from that state and of a permanently
happy condition at the period when
the designs of redeeming mercy
should be accomplished in the en
trance of Christ's people on their
final glory. The general idea of the
termination of frailty and corruptible-
ness is conveyed ; but precisely in
what particulars this new state of
things will consist we are not in-
ormed, and it is useless to speculate
on the subject. The glowing descrip
tion in this passage is summarily
given by the apostle Peter when he
speaks, 2 Pet. 3 : 13, of " new heavens
and a new earth : " a resemblance to it
we have, also, in the 21st chapter of
Revelation. The expectation of a
renovated state of things, in which
even the inferior creation should
share, originated, probably,, in such
predictions as we find in Is. 11 :
6-9. 65: 17-25. That state how
ever, denominated the new heavens
and the new earth,, being so different
from the one with which we are now
familiar, all speculations about it and
attempts at minute explanation must
prove failures : but that the present
is to pass away and to be succeeded
by one of unspeakable glory to the
redeemed people of Christ, and of

88

ROMANS.

not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
1 9 revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature
20 waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the
creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
21 reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope ; because
the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage
of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of

wide-spreading influence and connec
tions beyond our definite knowledge,
seems, evidently, the teaching of the
scriptures. In harmony with the lan
guage of this paragraph we may say,
in the language of one of our hymns,
all "nature sighs to be renewed," and
is awaiting the period when the re
deemed shall enter on their promised
glory ; for then frailty and mortality
will have ceased, and all things will
have become new. The idea is also
a familiar one in the Old Testament,
that under the reign of the Messiah
the earth would become vastly im
proved in fruitfulness and beauty.
Seels. 35: 1. 29: 17. 32: 15,16.
18. For I reckon that the sufferings,
etc. The apostle was animated with
the thought of the glory with Christ,
which was to succeed the sufferings
that he and his fellow-Christians were
called to endure. He may be con
sidered as saying, We may well bear
patiently the sufferings, since they are
to be followed by such glory ; for I
judge that our present sufferings are
not worthy to be named in compar
ison with the glory that is to be re
vealed in respect to us. Compare 2
Cor. 4 : 17.
19. Tlie earnest expectation. The
word here used in the original is in
dicative of that eagerness which is
shown by a person looking off to
something with his head bent for
ward. || Of the creature ; more cor
rectly, the creation, as personified : the
sentient irrational creation is figu
ratively regarded as endued with
rational powers and, wliile exposed
to abuse, suffering and death, as long
ing for that signal event which will
put an end to its misery. As other

instances of this figure, see Jer. 12 : 4.
Is. 35 : 1. || 7'he manifestation oj die
sons of God; the revelation of the glory
of the sons of God, mentioned in the
preceding verse ; the word here trans
lated manifestation being radically
the same as that translated revealed.
The period is meant when the ex
pected glory shall be ushered in, and
when it may also be said that the sons
of God are manifested, or rendered
conspicuous, as such. Compare 1
John 3 : 2.
20, 21 . This manifestation, or rev
elation, is waited for with eager in
terest by the creation, since the crea
tion is to experience a corresponding
transformation. — For the creature;
more correctly, the creation. || Was
made subject to vanity. The creation
was subjected to a frail, perishable
state, as if made in vain, so far as
any enduring valuable purpose is
concerned. || Not willingly, but by
reason of him, etc. The figure is still
retained, which ascribes intelligence
and choice to the creation. This sub
jection was not of the creation's
choice, but of the sovereign appoint
ment of God. Compare Gen. 3 : 17,
Cursed is the ground for thy sake.
|| In hope. These words ought, agree
ably to the punctuation in the best
editions of the Greek Testament, to
be connected with the words made
subject to vanity in the first clause of
the verse, as indicating the hope, held
out lo the creation, of deliverance from
this state of frailty and transientness ;
though the creation was thus sub
jected, yet hope was given it that a
different state of things was in re-
servo. — The words the same, in Italics,
as supplied by the translators should

CHAPTER VIII.

89

22 God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and
23 travaileth in pain together until now : and not only they, but
ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even
we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adop-
24 tion, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved
by hope. But hope that is seen, is not hope : for what a
25 man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ? But if we hope for
26 that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Like
wise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities : for we know not

be omitted, and the word it take their
place. — In the 21st verse, the word
because should bo substituted by the
word that, which word should not be
separated from the word hope. The
apostle's language in these two verses,
in harmony with the suggestion just
made, would be better rendered in
the following manner: — For the
creation was subjected to vanity (not
willingly, but by reason of him who
subjected it), in hope that the creation
itself shall be set free from the bond
age of the corruption into the liberty
of the glory of the children of God.
The bondage of the corruption is the
same as the involuntary subjection to
vanity, corruption being significant of
that which is to decay and perish, and
being virtually a, bondage. The
liberty, or freedom, of the glory of the
children of God means liberty from that
bondage, which liberty stands con
nected with the glory to be possessed
by the children of God.
22. The whole creation groaneth,
etc.; the whole creation has, up to
this time, been enduring bitter an
guish. The liabilities of the lower
creation to suffering seem to be here
meant ; while we cannot but also
think of the mental and bodily mis
eries which have so perpetually ha
rassed mankind.
23. Not only they, but ourselves also,
etc. ; not only the creation in general
is thus in miseiy and longs for de
liverance from it, but we too, that is,
the apostle himself and his fellow
Christians, who have the Holy Spirit
as the earnest of the heavenly glory,

are weighed down with a sense of
present dissatisfaction and are sighing
for the completed adoption, the de
liverance of our bodies from the
power of death and an entrance on
the full possession of our inheritance,
the state of glory. Compare verses
11, 17. || The first-fruits of the Spirit.
The first-fruits are an earnest of the
coming harvest ; so the influences of
the Holy Spirit, imparting the spirit
of adoption, verse 14, are tho earnest
of the future glory, for which they are
preparing the children of God by
strengthening their filial affection for
him and maturing their conformity to
his own Son. || Waiting for the adop
tion ; the full enjoyment of the bless
ings of sonship, the adoption com
pleted. || The redemption of our body;
the deliverance of the body from the
power of death by the resurrection.
See verse 1 1 . This event, still waited
for, is here regarded as the last of the
preliminaries to the entrance of the
sons of God on the full possession of
their glory.
24, 25. This completed adoption
is waited for ; it is still an object of
hope. We are saved by hope ; more
properly, in hope. Salvation is not
yet realized ; it is an object of hope.
We have the promise of salvation, the
actual and complete possession of it
being in reserve. || Hope that is seen,
etc. Hope ceases as soon as its object
is really a matter of sight and posses
sion ; but while the desired object is
not yet possessed, we continue, through
patience, waiting for it.
26. Not only does om- hope of

90

ROMANS.

what we should pray for as we ought : but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
27 uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is
the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for
the saints, according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good, to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did pre
destinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he
30 might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom

28

29 his

salvation encourage a patient waiting
for it, but the Spirit, in like manner,
aids us in our weakness. Our infir
mities ; our weakness through ig
norance, error and sin. || For we
know not, etc. We need aid in our
prayers ; since through ignorance we
might pray for improper objects, and
through dulness of spiritual appre
hension and affection we might not
pray with the requisite confidence
and earnestness. But the Spirit him
self acts in our behalf and excites
within us intense desires for spiritual
blessings, felt but incapable of ex
pression. These ardent desires for
spiritual good and fitness for heaven
are here regarded as the entreaties of
the Holy Spirit himself in our behalf,
since it is he that awakens them and
feeds the flame of piety. || Groan
ings which cannot be uttered: unuttera
ble -sighings for spiritual blessings.
These are, indeed, the actings of our
own souls, but prompted by the
Spirit, and accepted as expressions
of the Spirit's desires in our be
half. — The more intense our gen
uine desires for spiritual good, the
less capable are they of being ade
quately expressed in language.
27. He that searcheth the hearts,
etc. God, the searcher of hearts,
knows our unexpressed desires and
will grant them, since in them he sees
the intent of the Holy Spirit in
respect to us ; and the Spirit's en
treaties are in accordance with the
will of God. || For the saints; the

people of Christ : so called, as being
really and professedly holy persons,
consecrated to God ; the counterpart
of the Jews, the ancient people of
God, who as a nation were called
saints, or holy, since they were sepa
rated from all other nations and taken
into. a peculiar relation to God. See
on 1 : 7. — The Spirit in our hearts
awakens no desires and prompts no
prayers but such as the heart-search
ing God fully apprehends, and such
as the prayer-hearing God will ac
knowledge as being accordant with
his will. How harmonious in all
their parts are the arrangements for
our salvation 1 and what encourage
ment we have patiently to wait for
it! 28. In addition to patience in
hoping for salvation, and to the spe
cial aid of the Spirit in our prayers,
we know that all things work together
for good to those who love God,
those whom he has also called to the
blessings and glory of the divine
kingdom. — For good; for their high
est good, the good result of heavenly
glory. In the divino administration.
all things will either directly con
duce, or be overruled, to this result.
|| Who are the called ; not merely in
vited, but so called that they havo
accepted the invitation. See on 1 :
7. || According to his purpose ; ac
cording to the purpose of making
them partakers of glory with Christ.
29, 30. The apostle proceeds to
disclose the ground of the certainty

CHAPTER VIII.

91

he called, them he also justified : and whom he justified, them
31 he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things?

that all things co-operate for good to
tlie people of Clirist. In doing this,
he commences with the fact that God
foreknew them as those who were in
cluded in his purpose ; then, that he
had fore-appointed them to become
partakers of a moral resemblance to
his own Son ; being thus fore-ap
pointed, he called, or invited, them to
the proposed blessings, which call
had effect, so that they became be
lievers in his Son ; being thus called,
he justified them, regarded and treated
them as righteous on the ground of
their being united to his Son by faith
in him ; and those thus justified he
glorified. The last step is here men
tioned, like the others, as already
taken, though it is an anticipation of
what is to be realized in heaven. The
apostle was here conceiving of the
entire Christian body as contemplated
in the divine purpose ; and therefore
regarded the event as certain, like the
preceding steps which led to it. With
ardor of mind, throwing himself for
ward to the era of the final accom
plishment, he seems rather describ
ing what has taken place than what
is yet future. The calling and the
justifying are also future and succes
sive, in reference to the individuals
included in the divine purpose.
Though to man the divine pm-pose
divides itself into parts, successively
realized, yet to God the purpose was
always present as including all the
parts : God's omniscient survey con
templates all these at once, while to
man they appear only in the process
of being effected and are successive
both in respect to individuals and to
generations. — Foreknow; know be
forehand, as those whom he had pur
posed to save : reference being, doubt
less, had to God's knowledge as con
nected with his eternal purposes.
Compare 1 Pet. 1 : 20, where the
word fore-ordained is the translation
of a word radically the same as the

one here used in the original. || Pre
destinate ; appoint, or determine, be
forehand. The same word is here
used in the original as is translated
determined before in Acts 4 : 28, and
ordained in 1 Cor. 2:7. || To be con
formed to the image of his Son, etc. ;
to the likeness of his own Son, in
reference to their affections and pur
poses, or their character : in this
respect it was fore-appointed that
they should become like him. Thus,
he being God's own Son, and they,
renewed in spirit and united to him
by faith, being adopted as children of
God, he would be the first-born of
the spiritual brotherhood, that is, the
Head of it ; for in oriental families
the first-born son occupied the place
of honor and power, or lordship, in
reference to the other children. — The
pm-pose of God, then, contemplated
holiness of character as indispensable
to its ultimate result : unless we are,
morally, like Christ, we have not
evidence that we belong to the com
pany whom he acknowledges as his
brethren. Mistake on this point is
also forestalled by the apostle's idea,
that it is those who love God that
were the objects of his purpose and
pre-determination. || Many brethren.
The redeemed will be an innumerable
multitude out of every nation and
kindred. See Rev. 5:9. 7:9.
|| Called. The connection shows that
the calling involves the idea of a cor
responding acceptance on the part of
the called. ' Justified ; treated as
righteous through their believing in
Christ. || Glorified; admitted to
glory : or, more coolly speaking, ho
regarded them as heirs of glory, as
those who were to be glorified with
Christ. Compare verse 17.
31. In view of these things, what
shall we say ? Is there the slightest
ground for doubt as to our participa
tion of glory with Christ, in whom
we believe and whom we arc follow-

92

ROMANS.

32 If God be for us, who can be against us ? He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how sha.l
33 he not with him also freely give us all things ? Who shall
lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that
34 justifieth. Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that
died : yea rather, that is risen again ; who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? ShaU tribu
lation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
36 peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed
all the day long ; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through
38 him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
39 present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ing on earth ? If God be for us, etc.
God is om- friend: who can harm
us? 32. He that spared not his own Son.
Since God has not withholden the
greatest possible gift, his own Son,
what things are too great for him to
bestow ! All things else are small,
compared with this ; having given us
this, the greatest, will he withhold the
less ? Especially will he bestow all
things which are needful for accom
plishing the object of this greatest gift.
33. Who shall lay any thing to the
charge of God's elect ? Who shall
bring an accusation against those
whom God has chosen and who are
objects of his special favor? It is
God, who has acquitted them of every
charge and accepted them. Who,
then, can revive a charge against
them, or prefer a new accusation 1
Who can reverse God's decision con
cerning them 1
34. Who is he that condemneth ?
Who can undertake to condemn us ?
Christ has died for us ; yea, rather,
has been raised from the dead for us ;
has been exalted to the right hand of
God, and is there our patron and
idvocate, entreating for us favor and

aid. Who is it, then, that can con
demn us ?
35, 36. Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ ? That is, from the
love which Christ cherishes for us.
What shall induce him to cease lov
ing us ? Shall affliction, in all the
diversified forms in which it may
assail us, be allowed to gain power
over us so as to make us deny Christ,
and thus induce him to separate him
self from us and cut us off from his
love ? || Nakedness ; a comparative
word, meaning destitution of suitable
apparel. || Sword. The sword, an
instrument of death, here signifies
exposure to violent death. The apos
tle was reminded of a passage in the
Old Testament, Ps. 44 : 22, expres
sive of exposure to murderous ene
mies, and which was but too applica
ble to himself and many of the early
followers nf Christ.
37. Nay, etc. Far from it. So
far from these things terminating in
Christ's withdrawal of his love from
us, it is he that carries us triumph
antly through the conflict.
38, 39. The apostle concludes his
animating view by avowing his con
viction that absolutely nothing, not

CHAPTER IX.

Rejection of the Jewish people from the favor of God, regretted, 1-5. Tlieir rejection re.
suiting, not from failure on the part of God to fulfil his word, but from his discriminat
ing between his professed and his real people, 6-13. Objection against the justice of
making this discrimination, considered, 14-18. Objection against the justice of imput
ing blame, considered, 19-29. Gentiles, obtaining righteousness through faith in Christ ,
Jews, through refusing to believe in Christ, failing to obtain righteousness, 30-33.

the most various and opposite in
fluences, shall be able to separate
genuine believers from the love which
God has for them and which he has
manifested in Christ Jesus their Lord.
This love will be abiding, and its de
sign in their behalf will certainly be
accomplished. — Neither death, with
whatever dread it maybe anticipated,
or with whatever terrors it may be
connected ; nor life, with all its allure
ments ; nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, that is, nor any superhu
man powers. Compare 1 Cor. 15 : 24.
Eph. 1: 21. 3: 10. 6: 12. Col.
1 : 16. 2: 15. Nor things present,
whether agreeable or painful, nor
things to come, whether desirable or
dreadful ; nor height, nor depth, noth
ing on high, in heaven, or the upper
air, the visible heavens where evil
spirits were popularly thought often
to be, Eph. 2:2. 6:12, and nothing
below, on earth, or under the earth ;
(compare Is. 7 : 11, where earth and
heaven seem to be meant by depth and
height;) nor any other creature, nor any
created thing. In short, nothing at
all shall prevail to remove from us
God's loving-kindness ; it will abide,
and will secure for us the end which
he has purposed to bestow, namely,
participation in the glory of Christ in
heaven. Such is the result to which the
apostle brings his reasoning on the
topics of the believer's justification
and sanctification by the death of
Christ and the renovating agency of
the Holy Spirit. In the last two
verses, tho ardor of his mind must be
kept in view when we are seeking to

interpret his language. He accumu
lates various particulars, some of
them entire contrasts, some of them
capable of being applied to beings
and things that might seem in them
selves helpful to Christians rather
than hostile to them ; but by such an
accumulation he brings out more fully,
than he otherwise could, his deep
conviction of the certainty of a glo
rious ssue to the believer in Christ.
CHAPTERS IX — XI.
Another section of the epistle com
mences at this point and occupies
three chapters. The doctrine of the
gospel, as unfolded in this epistle,
was entirely repugnant to the senti
ments of Jews in general. They had
been in the habit of regarding them
selves as the people of God, by virtue
of his promises to the patriarchs and
of their own obseivance of the Mo =aic
law : they held the observance of t his
law as a claim for acceptance with
God. The apostle regarded such a
claim as futile : acceptance with God,
he taught, is to be obtained by be
coming disciples of Christ and mist
ing in him. This utter opposition of
cherished Jewish ideas to the Chris
tian doctrine made the mass of the
nation reject the gospel and exclude
themselves from its benefits. The
apostle could not but commiserate
them. Their rejection from being
the people of God needed, in view ot
the ancient promises of God, to be
explained and vindicated. To this
subject the three following chapters
are devoted. (93)

94 ROMANS.
1 I sat the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience als*

CHAPTER IX.
The apostle first expresses his deep
regret at the reverse which had taken
place in the Jewish nation ; formerly,
so honored of God and favored with
rich promises ; now, cast off and hav
ing no portion in the Messiah. Vs.
1-5. Having expressed his grief, he next
undertakes to explain this deplorable
fact. Some might hastily conclude,
that God had failed to fulfil his word.
Paul repels that idea ; but, resorting
to the absolute purposes of God, af
firms that God did not make his
promise to the entire nation : God
discriminated between the nation and
those who were, or were to be, his
real people ; just as he discriminated,
among the descendants of Abraham,
between Isaac, the promised child, and
the other children ; and as he made a
distinction between the children of
Rebecca," namely Esau and Jacob,
even before they were born. Vs. 6-13.
Some might object that in making
such discrimination according to an
absolute purpose, God was unjust.
The apostle repels this suggestion by
an appeal to the Jewish scriptures,
the authority and sacredness of which
Jews would acknowledge. In the
Old Testament, God claims to exer
cise his mercy on whom he will, thus
selecting objects for his mercy, mak
ing distinctions in the bestowal of it,
and not allowing it to rest on any
meritorious ground, such, for instance,
as that of a person's desiring it, or
toiling for it so as to deserve it, but
purely on the ground of God's being
disposed to be merciful. So, on the
other hand, if mercy be withheld
and a man's heart become hardened,
the Old Testament traces this result
to God. A person, then, who re
garded the Old Testament as an au
thority, could not consistently reject
the thought that God made discrimi
nation among the Jews, showing

mercy to some and hardening others.
Vs. 14-18.
The objector might then say, Why
does he then blame us t for in any
event his will is done ; no one has
effectually opposed it. — The apostle
regards this as the language of im
piety. He suggests two replies to it :
first, God has a right to do as he
pleases with his creatures, designing
them respectively for honor or for dis
honor; secondly, In bringing about
the result of his purpose, he awards
men to an issue for which they have
become fitted, whether, as objects of
his displeasure, for destruction, or, as
objects of his favor, for glory. This
is true of men, whether they are Jews
or Gentiles, as Gentiles and Jews
were both found among Christians.
The apostle here quotes, in illustra
tion of his views, a passage from the
prophet Hosea which represents God
as, of his mere good pleasure, taking
into a relation of favor with himself
those who had not hitherto been thus
regarded, a thought applicable to
Gentiles, and from the prophet Isaiah
language which showed that a vast
number of Jews would be cast off.
Vs. 19-29.
It accords with these views, then,
that Gentiles, who had not been pur
suing after righteousness, had yet ob
tained righteousness, namely, that
which comes from believing in Christ ;
and that Jews, who had been pursu
ing after righteousness had not ob
tained it, because they sought it not
from faith in Christ, but from adher
ing to the Mosaic law. Vs. 30-33.
The cause of the Jews' exclusion-
from the favor of God and from being
his people is, thus, clearly shown ;
namely, their refusing to believe in
Christ. 1 / say the truth in Christ, 1 lie not,
etc. ; a solemn avowal of the ap-i-tle's
sincerity in the affirmation he was
about to make. He spoke as one
united to Christ and resting all his

CHAPTER IX.

95

2 bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great
3 heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could
wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren,
4 my kinsmen according to the flesh : who are Israelites : to
whom pertaine.th the adoption, and the glory, and the cove-

hopes of spiritual gcod on him, feel-,
ing that, if he should make a false
declaration, his conduct would be a
forfeiting of his relationship to Christ.
He spoke, also, as one under the in
fluence of the Holy Spirit, and hav
ing the testimony of his own con
science that he was about to utter
only the truth.
2. Thai 1 have great heaviness, etc.
The ground of his sorrow, namely,
God's rejection of the Jewish people,
he does not formally state, perhaps,
through delicacy towards the Jews ;
but it woull be easily conjectured and
would soon appear.
3. For I could wish, etc. Under
his intensity of emotion in view of
the hopeless reverse to which the
Jews were subjecting themselves, he
expresses a willingness to endure any
conceivable misery, however extreme,
even to being himself sundered from
Clirist and devoted to destruction,
were it possible thereby to save them
from their doom. — This passage is
not to be regarded as proceeding from
a cool, calculating mind, but as the
language of emotion, allowing the
deep hold which the welfare of his
countrymen had on his heart and how
little he ought to be suspected of in
difference towards them. His wil
lingness to meet such suffering must
also be understood as conditioned on
the possibility of its ocitig so ap
pointed, and of its being available for
the purpose contemplated. It should
be compared with expressions of so
licitude and compassion which are
sometimes made in reference to an
endeared object ; as when we say,
We would gladly have done any thing,
or endured any thing, to avert its
misery : as David said, 2 Sam. 18 :
83, Would God I had died for thee, 0

Absalom, my son, my son; that is, pro
vided my dying could have saved thy
life ; as Moses said, Ex. 32 : 32, Yet
now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin ;
and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out
of thy book which thou hast written ;
that is, provided that thus the people
might be saved. — The original word,
translated I could wish, may be com
pared with similar words in the origi
nal, as to their grammatical form, in
Acts 25 : 22. Gal. 4 : 20. || Ac
cursed from Christ. The word anathe
ma, here used in the original, signifies
something which has been devoted
to destruction and which could not be
redeemed. Compare Lev. 27 : 28,
29. The corresponding Hebrew term
was also employed in such cases as
those of the ancient cities of Pales
tine, and of various objects, taken as
spoils of war, that were to be de
stroyed. See Josh. 6 : 17, 18. 7 : 1,
11. To be an anathema, accursed,
was, to be given up to destruction. In
the earnest expression of his grief,
then, the apostle declares himself
ready, in behalf of his national kin
dred, to endure the very worst con
ceivable form of misery, even a sep
aration from Christ and meeting the
doom of an accursed object, could
such an arrangement avail to the sal
vation of his countrymen. In such
emotion, he Mould naturally name
something beyond possibility; since
any thing within his reach, any thing
really feasible, could not fathom the
depth of his grief at their loss of the
inconceivable good of the Messiah's
kingdom. || Fcr my brethren, etc.; in
behalf of my brethren, the Jews, my
kinsmen as to national descent and
national relation.
4. The apostle proceeds to men
tion the chief points by which the

96

ROMANS.

nants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and
5 the promises ; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as con
cerning the flesh, Christ came ; who is ovee all, God
blessed forever ! Amen.
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.

Jewish nation had been pre-eminently
distinguished, and reflection on which
could not but stimulate interest in
their welfare. — Who are Israelites.
They bore the honorable name of
Israelites (compare 2 Cor. 11 : 22),
as descended from the patriarch to
whom the appellation Israel was given
by the angel of God, Gen. 32 -. 24-28,
as an indication of divine favor to
wards him. || To whom pertaineth the
adoption ; more exactly, whose was the
adoption. The adoption here spoken
of is not the spiritual adoption, men
tioned in 8: 15-17, but the national,
by which the Hebrews were honored
in being selected from all other na
tions to be the people, or children, of
God. See Deut. 14: 1. 32: 6.
|| 2'he glory ; the visible manifestation
of Jehovah's presence in the taber
nacle and temple. See Ex. 40 : 34,
35. 1 Kgs. 8 : 10, 11. 2 Chron. 7 :
1. Compare also Ex. 24: 16, 17.
|| The covenants ; those made with
Abraham, Jacob, aud the whole peo
ple. || The giving of the law ; the
code, or system, of laws expressly
given from heaven through Moses.
|| The service of God; the divinely
appointed worship. || The promises ;
particularly those pertaining to the
coming and the reign of the Messiah.
5. Whose are the fathers ; the pa
triarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and
other honored progenitors of the Jew
ish nation. |1 Of whom, as concerning
the flesh, Christ came. As to his
fleshly, human, descent, the Messiah,
in whom the glory and hopes of the
nation and of the world centred, was
of the Jewish people. — He possessed,
however, a higher nature than the
human, in which he was in no respect
connected, for his existence, with any
3reated being. This divine nature is

immediately brought to our notice iu
contrast with the human. I| Who is
God. The mention of the human
descent of Christ, in such a connec
tion as this, where the privileges and
glory of the Jewish nation are exhib
ited, naturally led to a declaration of
his divine nature and of the apostle's
feelings of adoration towards him.
For a similar mention of his divine
nature, see 1 : 4. John 1:1. 1 Tim.
3 : 16. || Over all; over all men
without distinction of nations as being
Gentiles or Jews, and over all things.
See Matt. 28 : 18. Acts 10 : 36.
Eph. 1 : 22. Heb. 1:2. 1 Pet. 3 :
22. || Blessed forn-e-r ; worthy to bo
praised forever. — The words, who is
over all, God blessed forever, have been
variously interpreted. The principal
of these diverse modes of treating
them is that which regards them as,
in the original, not referring to Christ,
but as a doxology addressed to God.
The objections, however, against this
view are so strong that it is best to
understand the words as relating di
rectly to Christ.
6. Having so feehngly avowed his
soitow, the apostle proceeds to ac
count for the sad event of the Jews'
rejection. Some might regard it as
a failure, on the part of God, to fulfil
his promise to the seed of Abraham.
Such a view, however, the apostle
affirms, is not correct : for God's
promise had respect not to all the
Jews, but to a certain portion of them
whom in his own free purpose he had
designed to bless. To that portion,
originally had in view, the promise
had been, or would be, fulfilled. The
promise was made to the Israelites ;
but not all who have descended from
Israel are acknowledged as true Is
raelites : the promise was made to t

CHAPTER IX.

97

9
10

For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel : neither,
because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all chil
dren : but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called : that is, They
which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children
of God ; but the children of the promise are counted for the
seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I
come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this ;

children of Abraham ; but not all the
descendants of Abraham are acknowl
edged as his true children : just as in
a national point of view, it was only
the descendants of Abraham through
Isaac that were regarded as Abraham's
children. — Not as though the word of
God, etc. The case is not as though
the declaration of God, or his word
of promise, had failed : we are not
to reason on any such ground. || For
they are not all Israel, etc. ; for not all
who are descendants of Israel are the
true Israel, Israelites in the sight of
God. 7. Neither because they are the seed
of Abraham, etc. Not because they
are natural descendants of Abraham,
are they his true children, . having
part in the promises made to him.
|| But, in Isaac, etc. Though Abra
ham had other sons, yet only his de
scendants through Isaac were to be
accounted his posterity. See Gen.
21 : 12. — The same thing is observa
ble in regard to the possession of spir
itual blessings, as held true in regard
to being accounted the posterity of
Abraham. It was only the descend
ants through Isaac that were to be
regarded as his seed, while the de
scendants through Ishmael were not
accounted his posterity in reference
to the blessings which were promised
to Abraham ; those descendants were
not included in the divine promises.
As a distinction was made among the
immediate descendants of Abraham,
and only a certain portion were in
cluded within the promises, so, in
regard to the nation, a distinction was
made. It was not the natural relation
to Abraham that was the ground of
receiving the blessings of the Mes- 9

siah : not the descendants of Abra
ham, as such, were to inherit the
promises ; fleshly claims did not hold
here, and blessings were bestowed on
a different principle. The particular
principle which the apostle had in
mind is presented in the following
verse. 8. That is, etc. The apostle re
gards the promise which he had just
quoted, Gen. 21 : 12, as containing
the idea, that not those who are de
scended from Abraham by natural
birth are acknowledged as children
of God, but those to whom the prom
ise of God particularly related, and
who are therefore denominated chil
dren of the promise. The true children
of God are not those persons who
trace their natural descent to Abra
ham, but those who were the objects
of God's promise, or, agreeably to
verse 11, objects of God's purpose.
Sonship with God is not a result
of fleshly descent, but of God's prom
ise, or purpose.
9. For this is the wm-d of promise,
etc. This verse contains the proof
that only those are regarded as chil
dren of God, in respect to whom a
promise had been made ; just as only
Isaac, of all the sons of Abraham,
was regarded as his true child, or heir,
in consequence of his being born by
virtue of a divine promise. — The
promise, as here cited, is not a verbal,
but a free, quotation, according to
the sense, from Gen. 18 : 10.
10-13. And not only this ; but, etc.
Rebecca also is a case in point. — As
further illustrating the bestowal of
blessings in accordance with a di
vine promise, or purpose, aside from
the circumstance of birth, the apostle

98

ROMANS.

but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by oui
11 father Isaac, (for the children being not yet born, neither hav
ing done any good or evil, that the purpose of God accord
ing to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
12 calleth;) it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the
13 younger : as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have
I hated

adduces the case of Rebecca, the
mother of Esau and Jacob. Con
cerning her two sons respectively,
God had declared his purpose even
before they were born and when,
moreover, that purpose could not be
influenced by either good desert or
ill desert on their part ; and thus the
superior privileges and blessings of
Jacob must be traced to a divine pur
pose or promise, not to the circum
stance of descent from Abraham, nor
to a claim founded on meritorious
obedience. God discriminated, in his
purpose, between these two sons, giv
ing one pre-eminence over the other,
and giving the pre-eminence to that
one who, on the principle of domestic
relations acknowledged at that time,
could not have expected it.
11. That the purpose of God ac
cording to election might stand; accord
ing to his own spontaneous choice be
tween those two sons of Rebecca; a
choice, originating in his own mind,
not influenced by any thing extraneous
to himself. || Not of works ; originat
ing, not from any works performed, or
obedience rendered. This choice was
not a result of deeds on the part of
the children, either good deeds or evil,
and therefore not a result of desert,
but a result of God's own calling and
appointment. — A universal principle
as to the freeness of God's choice
seems hei-e involved : this choice rests
not at all on good desert, either pre
sent, or future as foreseen.
12. It was said unto her, etc. See
Gen. 25: 23. It was the rule in
oriental families that the first-born
son shouM have authority over the
-others ; but in the case of Esau and
-Jacob, God saw fit to disregard the

rule and to purpose that the older
should be in subjection to tbe younger,
thus making an unexpected discrim
ination as to superiority. This case
illustrated not only the limitation of
blessings to one in preference to
another of Abraham's descendants,
but also an antecedent choice of the
former, according to a divine purpose
as the ground of this limitation. — The
passage quoted had reference origin
ally to the posterity of Esau and
Jacob, though it doubtless applied also
to the two brothers personally ; and
in either case, it equally answered the
apostle's design ; since the relative
position of the two brothers, and of
the people descended from them, was
a result of the divine pre-arrange-
ment. The idea of the elder being a
servant to the younger had reference
to the inferior position, to which Esau
was reduced by his loss of his father's
blessing and of the right of primo
geniture, and by his beinar separated
from the family which enjoyed a spe
cial relation to Goal. — In reference
to the descendants of the two brothers,
the Old Testament proves the fulfil
ment of the divine purpose in the re
peated subjection of the Edomites.
descendants of Esau, to the Hebrews!
See 1 Sam. 14: 47. 2 Sam. 8: 14,
I Chron. 18: 11-13. 1 Kgs. 11: 15
13. As it is written, etc. In har
mony with the view just given of a
discrimination, in the purpose of
God, between Esau and Jacob, we
find it written in Mai. 1 : 2, 3, I loved
Jacob and I hated Esau. — The sub
sequent treatment of these individuals
and of their posterity was in harmony
with the declaration made before their
birth; Jacob and his descendants

CHAPTER IX.

99

14 What shall we say then ? is there unrighteousness with
15 God ? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have
mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compas-
16 sion on whom I will have compassion. So then, it is not of
him that willeth, nor him that runneth, but of God that

were favored of God, while Esau and
his descendants were comparatively
neglected : God, according to his own
purpose, in the one case, bestowed fa
vor, in the other he did not. — In the
quotation from Malachi, the two na
tions, the Hebrews and the Edomites,
are spoken of; but the apostle easily
associated the nations respectively
with their progenitors, and may be
considered as directing attention to the
resemblance between historical events
in the two nations and the original
prediction. — The word hated is here
to be understood comparatively, as in
Luke 14 : 26 ; and it indicates the
comparative lack of favor towards
Esau. — Throughout this paragraph,
vs. 8-13, the apostle evidently traces
back human affairs to the pre-deter-
mining will of God, and to his provi
dential administration as correspond
ing with that will. This recognition
of the sovereign purpose aud agency
of God is frequent with Paul. Com
pare 2 Cor. 5 : 18. Eph. 1:11. 2 :
8, 9. 2 Tim. 1 : 8, 9.
14. What shall we say then ? Is
there unrighteousness, etc. If God, in
his treatment of men, discriminate be
tween them according to an original
purpose of his own, what shall we
say to this 1 Is he unrighteous in so
doing ? — The apostle, forestalling
the thought that thereby the justice
of God might be impugned, himself
proposes the inquiry, whether there
be injustice in God's treating men
according to his own original spon
taneous purpose in regard to them.
|| God forbid ; be it not so : let not
such a thought be indulged.
15. For he saith to Moses. The
apostle now repels the idea that there
can be injustice on the part of God.
In order to perceive the force of his

reply, we must keep in mind the
actual case which he is considering;
namely, the rejection of the Jews.
He is not to be regarded as discussing,
in a philosophical manner, an abstract
question concerning the government
of God, but an actual case and in a
manner adapted to the Jewish mind.
The Jews held the Old Testament in
reverence as the word of God ; and if
it should appear that God had claim
ed, in his word, the right of discrim
inating between men according to
his own sovereign will and purpose,
the supposition of unrighteousness
in him must, by Jews, be abandoned.
This claim, together with correspond
ing conduct, on tlie part of God, is
clearly maintained in the Old Testa
ment. This appeal to the word of
God is of two parts ; the first, in
reference to the bestowal of mercy :
the second, in respect to the award
of vengeance. In a declaration to
Moses, Ex. 33 : 19, God claims the
right to show mercy on whomsoever
he will, having supreme regard to his
own good pleasure.
16. So then, etc. Erom the de
claration of God just quoted, it fol
lows that the bestowal of his mercy
is to be traced to his own will or
choice, and not to a person's own
desire, or strenuous efforts to deserve
it. || It is not of him that willeth;
the mercy of God is not a result of a
person's own will, or desire for it, as
the originating, or procuring, cause.
|| Noi- of him that runneth. Allusion
is here had to the races in which men
contended for prizes, 1 Cor. 9 : 24 ;
the prize was awarded, as a matter of
merit, to the successful racer. Not
so in regard to the mercy of God : it
is not bestowed as a compensation for
service, or for efforts, as iif man could

100

ROMANS.

17 showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh ;
Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I
might show my power in thee, and that my name might be
18 declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

obtain a claim to it, as he can for an
earthly prize, which is awarded on
the ground of the successful compet
itor's deserving it. — The apostle is
here contemplating the source of bless
ings : he traces them back to the
divine will ; he does not deny the
necessity, nor disparage the duty, of
desires and efforts for blessings.
Nothing is more evident, both from
tho word of God and from universal
experience, than that sincere and ear
nest seeking for blessings is requisite
in order to their bestowal : he that
asketh receiveth ; he that seeketh find
eth ; to him that knocketh it shall be
opened. But the apostle here denies
the meritorious character of such de
sires and efforts, as if they could con
stitute a claim for the blessings. Not
to man's desert, but to God's will and
unmerited mercy, must blessings be
traced. The apostle viewed the plan of
God in redemption as comprehend
ing the entire human family, not
merely Jews ; and the divine purpose
of forming subjects for the spiritual
kingdom, of which the Messiah was
to be the head, was by no means
limited to the Jewish people. He
also viewed God as acting from the
first, when he selected Abraham and
the Jewish nation, with reference to
that kingdom in its completed state.
In explaining the divine dealings
with the Jews, therefore, he resorts to
that governing purpose of God, by
which God selects and fits subjects of
his kingdom, not according to natural
descent, not according to men's orig
inal will, nor according to efforts
which men might make for a merito
rious claim for blessings, but wholly
according to mercy on his part, so
that his grace, and not human merit,

should be honored. This was the
apostle's habitual view : in opposition
to national descent and to human
merit even of the slightest degree, in
reference both to Jews and to all
men, he perpetually insisted that God
saves us and calls us with an holy
calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and
grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus, before the world began, 2 Tim.
1:9; and that it is not by works of
righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saves
us. Tit. 3: 5.
17. For the scripture saith unto
Pharuuh. Still further, and with re
ference particularly to that part of the
nation which was excluded from the
blessings of the gospel, a scripture
testimony is adduced, Ex. 9 : 16, in
which God affirms that he raised up
a certain man of eminent wickedness
for the express purpose of manifest
ing, by means of him, the divine
power and character. || Even for this
same purpose, etc : for this very thing
have I raised thee up, that is, have I
brought thee into being, that I might
show my power in thee, that is, in thy
destruction, and that my name might
be declared throughout all the earth, that
is, that I might become known far
and wide as the God of power and
justice. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on
whom he will, etc. In view of the
two passages quoted from the Jewish
scriptures, it follows that God claims
the right of showing favor to whom
soever he will, selecting the objects of
it as he pleases, without any good
desert on their part as the ground of
it ; and claims the right of withhold
ing favor from whomsoever he will,
hardening such a person and sentenc-

CHAPTER IX.

101

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault?
20 for who hath resisted his will ? Nay but, 0 man, who art
thou that repliest against God ? Shall the thing formed say
21 to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus ? Hath
not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to
make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor ?

ing him to destruction. — The apos
tle's design did not require him to
enter into an explanation of the man
ner in which God hardens a person's
heart ; it is merely a fact as presented
in scripture, with which he was con
cerned. Compare Eph. 1 : 5,11. 2
Thess. 2: 11. Ho aims to fix the
attention on God, and to trace all
things to him, as the original sover
eign controller, as doing his own
pleasure, carrying out his own pur
poses, both in cases of mercy and of
wrath. Since God claims "this for
himself, a Jewish adherent to the Old
Testament must admit it ; though the
application of it to his own nation
might make him demur. It is the
righteous God, revealed in the Old
Testament, whom that same book re
presents as originating distinctions in
regard to the issues to which men
come. 19. At this point, a, person dis
posed to make objections would natu
rally say, If God treats mercifully
whom he will, and hardens whom he
will, why does he still find fault 1
His will is accomplished ; why should
he complain against us % — In reply
ing to this, the apostle suggests, that
such a thought is presumption in
man towards God; that God has a
supreme right to determine the desti
nation of that which he creates ; and
that the design of God is supremely
good, while the manner of effecting
it is entirely just in respect bot^i to
God and to man. Thou wilt then say
unto me, etc. It may be well, in order
to apprehend the spirit of this pas
sage, to conceive here of a Jewish
objector, since the discussion has a
direct bearing on the rejection of the
Jews. || Why doth he yet find fault? 9*

Why does God, who hardens whom
he will, still find fault with us for our
sins ? || For who hath resisted his
will ? That is, Who hath effectually
resisted it, so as to endanger the ac
complishment of the divine purposes,
or to bring about a result not con
templated in the divine mind ? — The
question is grounded on the principle,
that the almighty power of God and
his supremacy in all respects render
the accomplishment of his absolute
will and of his determinations a cer
tainty. 20. Nay but, 0 man; etc. True
indeed, the apostle rejoins, no man
can defeat the will of God. — Allusion
may here be made, in the address, 0
man, to the contrast between man, ig
norant, impotent, wholly dependent,
and God independent, almighty, and
omniscient : Who art thou, weak, ig
norant, dependent man, that thou
repliest against God, calling in ques
tion his justice 1 What presumption,
to contend against God ! — The apos
tle would thus disclaim all right, in
any one, to arraign the justice and
wisdom of God in his treatment of
men. || Shall the thing formed say,
etc. Compare Is. 45 : 9. No crea
ture has a right to find fault for not
being made a different creature from
what he is : it is not for him to
know the reasons why precisely such
powers, and not different ones, were
given him, and such relations, and
not different ones, were established
for him, and such designs, and not
others, were to be answered by his
creation. 21. Hath not the potter, etc. Asa
potter decides what kind of vessels to
make of his clay, and for what use to
make this vessel and for what use to

102

ROMANS.

22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his
power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels

make that, so may God in his su
premacy make such beings as he
pleases, and make them for accom
plishing such purposes as he pleases.
The sovereign right of God to do-
whatever he pleases is here main
tained. Before the creation, it must
obviously have been for the Creator
alone to determine what orders of
being to create and what individuals,
with what capacities to endue each,
in what relations and circumstances
to place him, and what issues to bring
about in regard to him. The ob
jects to be subserved by the existence
of each, and to be effected by the
divine administration towards him,
depended on God's sovereign pleas
ure. 22, 23. The design of God, rela
tive both to the perdition of some
and the salvation of others, and his
manner of accomplishing that design,
show the unreasonableness of calling
in question his right to find fault with
the wicked. — What if God willing to
show his wrath, etc.; choosing to show
his wrath against sin, and to make his
power known in defeating the ill de
signs of those who are unreconciled
to him, overruling their wickedness,
and bringing them to merited punish
ment. — God's design is, on the one
hand, the manifestation of his wrath
against sin and his power in thwart
ing and punishing the wicked, and,
on the other, the manifestation of his"
abundant mercy. This design, so
eminently worthy, requires that there
be, on the one hand, persons who
shall be deserving objects of his
wrath, persons who, by their trans
gressions and their abuse of the long
suffering of God, shall become pre
pared for destruction ; and, on the
other hand, persons on whom God
will exercise his mercy in bringing
them to repentance, in pardoning
them, and preparing them through
holiness for glory. The former are

denominated, in these verses, the ves
sels of wrath, those on whom the wrath
of God is to be exercised and by the
punishment of whom his hatred of
sin is to be manifested ; the latter are
the vessels of ma cy, persons on whom
the mercy of God is to be exercised
and through whose salvation his
mercy is to be manifested. — Endured.
It is observable that in these verses
the apostle uses the past tense, en
dured, prepared, as if describing what
had actually taken place, or having
an actual case in mind : the use of
the present* tense would be more
suitable for the statement of a gen
eral principle, or mode of operation.
His mode of speaking may be ex
plained by supposing that he con
ceived of himself as at tho close of
the world's history and at the award
ing of men respectively to their final
states ; or, by supposing that he had
in mind the actual case, which he
was discussing, of the rejection of the
Jews and the acceptance of believers
in Clirist as the people of God. The
former supposition is hardly consist
ent with the cool and unimpassioned
character of the context : the latter
seems harmonious with the mention
in the 24th verse of Christians, as
being tho vessels of mercy just spoken
of. Such an allusion to the Jewish
people might rebuke the complain
ing spirit of the objector by remind
ing him of the great forbearance of
God towards them, and might show
that God had just ground for finding
fault. — In such a view of the passage,
however, the Jews must be considered
as furnishing a specimen of a general
mode of operation in tho divino gov
eminent, an instance of the mannei
in which God effects his design of
showing his wrath against sin and
making his power known. || Tha
vessels if wrath ; those on whom the
divine wrath was to be exercised, and
through whose punishment that wrath

CHAPTER IX.

103

23 of wrath fitted to destruction : and that he might make
known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which
24 he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath

was to be manifested. Compare the
expression in verse 21, "another to
dishonor." || Fitted to destruction;
prepared in their characters for de
struction, so that their punishment
would evidently be just. God's pur
pose was fulfilled, and their ill desert
and destruction resulted from their
voluntary course of life by which
their characters were fixed. In their
disobedience they acted according
to their own hearts and became
prepared for perdition. The history
of the Jewish people amply illus
trates the apostle's view : after ' much
long-suffering' on the part of God,
during which they filled up the
measure of their iniquities, Matt. 23 :
32-38, his wrath overtook them (com
pare 11:7-10. 1 Thess. 2 : 16), the
beginning, doubtless, of the wrath to
come. As an individual instance,
also, Pharaoh furnishes a similar il
lustration ; for every one, in reading
the account concerning him in Exo
dus, chapters 5-14, sees that he
wrought out his own destruction
freely, against warnings, against his
own convictions, abusing the clem
ency of God and perverting it into an
occasion of continued obstinacy in
disobedience : and thus Pharaoh is a
signal example of a person accom
plishing a divine purpose respecting
himself in the exercise of his own
will, and being himself the procuring
cause of his own destruction.
23. And that he might make known,
etc.; and, on the other hand, what if
God, that he might make known the
riches of his glory, his rich, or abund
ant, grace in which the divine glory so
eminently consists. The word glory
being here contrasted with wrath in
the preceding verse refers to the grace,
or beneficence, of God. || On the
vessels of mercy : the persons on whom
the mercy of God was to be exercised.
Compare the expression in verse 21,

"one to honor." || Which he had
before prepared unto glory. In the case
of those whom God had appointed
for mercy and salvation, as well as in
the case of the opposite class, a pre
paration, as to character, is effected
for the glorious state to which he pur
posed to bring them. They are here
spoken of as prepared, either compar
atively, or by anticipation. — It was,
probably, not without design that
while the apostle speaks of the others
merely as being fitted, or having become
fitted, for destruction, he here says
that God prepared for glory those
whom he had appointed for that re
sult. In this latter case, a special
influence from God was necessary to
secure the preparation ; in the former,
without any special agency of God,
preparation would be going on by
men's own choices. — The sentence,
in this verse, is left incomplete. The
full intent of it, however, is easily
seen, and may be expressed in the
following manner : AVhat if God, that
he might make known hisrichgraceon
the vessels of mercy, called them to the
enjoyment of his mercy, and prepared
them for glory ? — The purport of the
whole question in vs. 22 and 23 may
be thus stated : What if God purpos
ing to manifest his wrath against sin,
and his abundant mercy, should deal
with men in such a manner as has
been represented, can any objection
be made against his purpose and his
course of proceeding ? and has he not
ground for still finding fault with
sinners %
24. Even us, whom he hath called.
etc.; rather, according to the order of
the words in the original, Whom
he also called, us, etc. The word
whom refers to vessels of mercy whom
God called to be partakers of his
mercy ; us, who believe in Christ,
has God thus called not only from
among Jews who had regarded them-

104

ROMANS.

25 called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles ? As
he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were
not my people ; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said
unto them, Ye are not my people ; there shall they be called
27 the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concern
ing Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be
28 as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved ; for he
will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness : be
cause a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth
had left us a seed, we had been, as Sodoma, and been made
like unto Gomorrha.

selves as his people, but also from
among Gentiles. Before those who
believe in Christ had become believ
ers, they were not in reality the people
of God ; but by his signal mercy they
have become such and are acknowl
edged as such by him, in accordance
with his declaration through the pro
phet Hosea.
25, 26. As he saith also in Osee
[Hosea]. See Hos. 1: 10. 2: 23;
language, which, though originally
used in reference to idolatrous Israel
ites, was easily and naturally applica
ble also to Gentiles.
27-29. That some of the Jews,
as vessels of mercy, would be saved
from the wrath which was impending
over the nation, and would be called
and admitted to the blessings of the
gospel as true people of God, is ob
vious also from declarations of the
prophet Isaiah. — Esaias also crieth;
proclaimeth. See Is. 10: 22, 23;
the ideas in which verses, here quoted,
may be thus expressed : How-ever
numerous, like the sand of the sea,
might be the children of Israel, a
remnant would be saved from the im
pending destruction ; for the Lord ful
fils his word and he decrees in right
eousness ; because his decreed word
the Lord will perform on the land.
29. And as Esaias said before.
See Is 1:9. The idea of the pro
phet in this passage may be expressed

in the following manner : Unless the
Lord of hosts had reserved a seed for
us, we should have been utterly cut
off, like Sodom and Gomorrah. But
he had determined to reserve a seed,
a suiviving remnant, to prevent utter
extinction. || Sabaoth ; a Hebrew
word signifying hosts, either the an
gelic hosts ; see 2 Chron. 18 : 18.
Ps. 103: 21 (compare Luke 2: 13);
or the visible heavens ; see Gen. 2:1.
The expression Lord of hosts is equiv
alent to the Lord almighty.
30-33. The apostle has now pre
pared the way for a distinct state
ment of the positive reason for the
rejection of the Jews. He has main
tained that it was not caused by a
failure on the part of God to keep
his word, vs. 6-13 ; that God bestows
mercy according to his own good
pleasure without any claim to his
favor on the part of men, vs. 15-18 ;
and that, according to the prophetic
scriptures, Gentiles were to become
partakers of God's special mercy,
while a vast number of Jews would
be destroyed and comparatively few
of them be really the people of God,
vs. 25-29. In view of these things,
he now asks, What shall we say then ?
The reply states the fact in the case
and gives the explanation of it :
namely, We have to say, that Gen
tiles who were not pursuing after
righteousness, not striving for it, and

CHAPTER IX.

105

30 What shall we say then ? That the Gentiles, which fol
lowed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness,
31 even the righteousness which is of faith : but Israel, which
followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to
32 the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought
it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For
33 they stumbled at that stumbling-stone ; as it is written, Be
hold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence :
and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

who would therefore seem very un
likely to attain it, have yet attained
to righteousness, that is. the righteous
ness which comes from faith: but
Israel, the Jews, who were diligently
following after, or, in their own
esteem, seeking scrupulously to obey,
a law which defines and requires
righteousness, and who therefore
might be regarded as likely to attain
to righteousness, did not reach the
law, but fell short of it and of right
eousness. And why f Because they
sought righteousness not by faith, but
by works of the law ; for the princi
ple of justification, or of being ac
counted as righteous, by faith in
Clirist, was so offensive to them that
they would not admit it.
30. Which followed not, etc. The
idea, of diligently pursuing is contained
in the word here rendered followed. —
The Gentiles who had not, previously,
been earnestly seeking righteousness
and favor with God, having no writ
ten divine law for their guide and not
following " the law written in their
hearts," 2 : 15, who were regarded
also by the Jews only with aversion,
as sinners and outcasts from God,
yet attained to righteousness ; that,
namely, which is of faith.
31. The law of righteousness ; the
law which shows what is righteous
ness, which requires it and promises
to reward it. Though the Jews were,
at least in their own esteem, earnestly
pursuing after compliance with this
law, yet they had not attained to the
fulfilment of its requisitions. How
ever strenuo is any Jews might be in

endeavoring to obey their law, viewed
as a directory of man's spirit, they
would fail to render it a complete
obedience and would still be sinners,
needing a different mode of justifica
tion than by their own obedience. If
the law were viewed in its ceremonial
prescriptions, even had the Jews ob
served these with the utmost exact
ness, still external obedience cannot
recommend a person to Him who
requires the heart.
32. Wherefore? Why did they
not attain to righteousness > Because
they sought it not from faith, but
from works- of the law, as if they
could attain it by obedience to the
law. || As it were; that is, as if from
the law they could obtain righteous
ness which would avail for their ac
ceptance with God. || For they stum
bled at that stumbling stone ; more
properly, at the stumbling stone ; that
is, at Christ; for the term, stone of
stumbling, had become significant of
Christ. Compare 1 Pet. 2 : 7, 8.
They were offended at Christ, as to
his character and claims, and at the
cardinal principle in the gospel that
men's justification proceeds from faith
in Christ.
33. As it is written. See Is. 28 :
16. 8: 14. || Rock of offence; a
rock which would occasion offence
and ruin. || Whosoever believeth on
him, etc. Whosoever confides iu it,
that is, the stone, or confides in him,
that is, Christ, who is thus denom
inated, shall not suffer the shame of
abused and disappointed confidence,
shall have no occasion to haste

CHAPTER X.
Desire for the Jews' salvation, with acknowledgment of their zeal, though a mistaken one.
towards God, 1-4. Difference between justification through the Mosaic law and through
faith in Christ, 5-13. The Jews, made acquainted with the gospel and, in their own
scriptures, warned of their liability to be rejected, 14-21.
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel

away (compare Is. 28 : 16), to
another object of trust, but shall be
truly blessed. — The apostle quotes
from the Greek translation of the
Hebrew original ; hence the passage
slightly differs in its words from the
corresponding passage in our version
of the Old Testament. He seems,
also, to have dropped the figure, which
was in the prophet's mind, of a build
ing with a large and firm corner
stone, and to have contemplated
Christ himself under this appellation.
The term, whosoever, also, is of special
significance ; meaning every one, in
discriminately, whether Gentile or
Jew. In this closing paragraph of the
chapter, vs. 30-33, the cause of the
rejection of the Jews has been dis
tinctly presented : they took offence
at the cardinal principle of the gos
pel, namely, that faith in Christ, not
obedience to the law of Moses, is the
medium of justification in the sight
of God. The Jews relied on the law
of Moses, and were unwilling to
abandon the thought that, through
the law, they could acquire a merito
rious title to the kingdom of God.
Refusing to connect themselves with
Christ, the Head of this kingdom,
they cut themselves off from its bless
ings. To their rejection of Christ
must tho fact be traced, that God
rejected them from being his people.
CHAPTER X.
The apostle, having stated the
(106)

cause of the Jews' rejection, 9 : 30-33,
still dwells on that part of the subject,
after asserting anew his earnest de
sire for their salvation, and acknowl
edging their zeal towards God ; a zeal,
however, founded on mistake. They
still persisted in relying on the Mosaic
law and consequently on their own
religious deeds, though Clirist, in es
tablishing the principle that right
eousness is to be reckoned to those
who believe in him, or that faith in
him is the condition of justification,
had put an end to the law. The dif
ference between justification through
the law and justification through faith
is then illustrated, and the thought
fully presented that faith in Christ- is
the medium of salvation for all men,
Jews and Gentiles alike ; for whosoever
relics on the Lord Jesus shall be
saved. Vs. 1-13.
By a series of questions and by
quotations from the Old Testament,
the apostle shows that the Jews had
no valid excuse, since they had had
all necessary advantages for securing
the blessings of the gospel ; he also
shows that warning had been given
them of the hazard, which they were
incurring, of being rejected from the
divine favor. Vs. 13-21.
1 . My heart's desire and prayer, etc .
Lest the views which the apostle had
presented, and which he was about to
affirm with greater fulness, should
seem to imply an indifference to the
welfare of the Jews, he strongly as
serts anew his heart's desire for "their
salvation.

CHAPTER X.

107

is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record, that
they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going
about to establish their own righteousness, have not submit
ted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
believeth.

2. For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, etc. He could
not but cherish earnest desires for
their good, when ho remembered their
zeal towards God. or in respect to God.
Their zeal, however, was not accord
ing to knowledge; it was not an intel
ligent zeal, regulated by knowledge
of the way which God had appointed
for obtaining acceptance with him.
3. God's righteousness — their own
righteousness. These terms designate
respectively God's method of treating
men as righteous, 1:17. 3 : 21, 22,
and the Jews' idea of becoming right
eous by their own deeds. Disregard
ing God's method of accounting men
as righteous, acting as if they knew it
not, and seeking to establish a right
eousness of their own by their own
deeds, they have not subjected them
selves to God's method.
4. Foi- Christ is tlie end of the law
for righteousness, etc. Their zeal in
seeking to establish a righteousness
of their own, by a supposed obedience
to the law of Moses, is a mistaken zeal ;
for Christ in establishing the prin
ciple that every one, of whatever
nation, who believes in him is ac
cepted of God, his faith being set to
his account as righteousness, 4 :
22-24, has put an end to the law on
which the Jews rely. Their seeking
to establish their own righteousness
was therefore utterly vain, since only
by subjecting themselves to God's
method could they be saved. — This
was eminently true of the law, viewed
as a ritual system ; in which respect
the Jews generally relied on it for ac
ceptance with God : through Christ
the ritual system was abolished.
The law viewed as a code of moral

and religious principles, though, »is a
directory of feelings and conduct, it
must always have force and was not
destroyed by Christ, Matt. 5 : 17, yet
so far as justification in the sight of
God is concerned, never had force ; for
the sinfulness of men always required
a different mode of justification, and
the apostle finds evidence in the Old
Testament that faith was the requisite
for men's acceptance with God.
Still, accommodating ourselves to
human conceptions, we may justly
say that, when Christ came, he estab
lished a different system, and made it
evident that salvation cannot be ob
tained through the law. Compare
7 : 1-5. — The distinction between the
moral law and the ritual, as already
noted on 3 : 20, was of no practical
utility to Jews, since, as the whole
Mosaic code was binding on them by
divine authority, the observance of
rites was obedience to God, in their es
teem, as much as the compliance with
moral duties : if they did what the law
enjoined, whether ceremonialor moral,
it was doing, they flattered them
selves-, the will of God, and gave them
a claim for reward.
5-10. Having distinctly mentioned
two kinds of righteousness, or two
methods of being accounted as right
eous in the sight of God, one of which
is entirely set aside by Christ, the apos
tle shows the difference between them,
in order to place in duo prominence
faith in Christ as necessary for ac
ceptance with God, and to urge the
sentiment that, without regard to the
distinction between Jew and Gentile,
whosoever believes in him shall be
saved. He here avails himself of
language used in the Old Testament

108

ROMANS.

5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the
law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by
6 them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on
this wise, Say not in thine, heart who shall ascend into heaven ?

which, either in itself, or by a slight
modification as giving it a Christian
aspect, teaches and illustrates this
point. 5. For Moses describeth. See Lev.
18: 5. || The righteousness which is
of the law ,- denominated in the third
verse their own righteousness. \\ The
man which doeth these things, etc. The
actual performance of what the law
enjoins, as to the heart and the con
duct, is necessary in order to be
saved by the law : whoever is thus
righteous in view of the law will be
saved by it : whoever fails of being
thus righteous cannot, on the ground
of a legal system, be saved. The
doing of the law, as to all its requisi
tions, is necessary for salvation ou a
legal basis.
6. But the righteousness which is of
faith ; that which is reckoned to the
believer on account of his faith, and
named in the third verse God's right
eousness. Compare 9 : 32. — In this
and several following verses, the
apostle employs language which
Moses had used in addressing the
people of Israel, Deut. 30 : 1 1-14,
modifying it so as to render it a suita
ble medium for illustrating the dis
tinctive principle of the gospel. —
Moses had said, " This commandment
which I command thee this day, it is
not hidden from thee, neither is it far
off. It is not in heaven, that thou
shouldst say, Who shall go up for us
to heaven and bring it unto us, that
we may hear it and do it ? Neither
is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst
say, Who shall go over the sea for
us and bring it unto us, that we may
hear it and do it? But the word is
very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth
and in thy heart, that thou mayest do
it : " as if he had said, God has placed
you in peculiarly- favorable circum

stances for doing his will ; he has
made it clearly k'lowD to you ; you
have no need to send a messenger to
heaven to learn it ; you have no need
to send to remote regions of the earth
in order to learn it. What he re
quires of you he has brought- near to
you ; and all what is needed is, that
you have a heart to do his will. The
apostle, giving a Christian turn to
this language and illustrating by it
the requisition of the gospel, says, as
it were, Indulge not the thought that
God has not made provision for our
salvation and has not placed us in
favorable circumstances for obtaining
acceptance with him ; say not, in dis
belief of what has actually been done
in our behalf, that Christ has not
come down from heaven to be our
Saviour ; he is far away from us ;
would he but come and show us the
way, we would walk in it : who can
go up to heaven to bring him down
to us % Say not, again, in a spirit of
disbelief, Christ has not arisen from
the dead : he is far away from us :
who can descend to the region of the
dead to bring him up to us, that we
may obey him ? And while the gos
pel bids you not to indulge in such
disbelief, what does it positively say
to you 1 It says, Christ has come
down from heaven and has come up
from the region of the dead, to be
your Lord and Saviour : the word of
God is thus brought near to you ; it
is not afar off: what it requires of
you is easily apprehended and is level
to your necessities. It is, as Moses
said, in your mouth and in your
heart ; and all you have to do, ac
cording to the righteousness of faith,
is, with your mouth to avow Jesus to
be your Lord and with your heart to
confide in him ; for, according to the
righteousness of fcith, or the requisi-

CHAPTER X.

109

That is, to bring Christ down from above : or, Who shall
descend into the deep ? That is, to bring up Christ again from
the dead. But what saith it ? The word is nigh thee, even
in thy mouth, and in thy heart. That is the word of faith,
which we preach ; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath

tion of the gospel, believing with the
heart is accepted as righteousness by
which you will be justified in the
sight of God, and the acknowledg
ment of Jesus as your Lord, with the
sincere yielding to him of your heart,
will secure your salvation. You are
not required to do what the law en
joins, so as to have a claim on God
for reward : this would be as hope
less and as morally impossible as it
would be naturally impossible for a
person to ascend to heaven, or to de
scend to the place of the departed, in
order to bring Christ to the earth.
You are not required to do any such
impossibilities ; but are required sim
ply to bdieve in the Lord Jesus ; and
by a cordial faith in him you will be
accepted and treated as righteous.
Indulge not, then, such questionings ;
propose not such impossibilities : but
welcome the gospel into your heart ;
believe in Christ who has descended
from heaven and has arisen from the
dead. Whoever in his heart believes
in Christ shall bo saved. || Say not —
Who shall ascend into heaven ? That
is, etc. ; to speak thus, the apostle
says, is the same as to require that
Christ snould be brought down from
heaven, as though he had not already
come to earth ; and it is a virtual dis
belief of his having come.
7. Who shall descend into the deep ?
The deep, or the abyss, was a word
used, according to the popular cus
tom, to signify the place of departed
spirits. This was conceived of as
under the earth, and was the contrast
of heaven, which was above. — 1| That
is, to bring up Christ, etc. To make
this inquiry is the same as to require
that some one should go down to the
abode of the departed and bring up
10

Christ, as though he had not already
risen from the dead : it would be a
disbeliefof his resurrection, and would
be, like the proposal for sending a
person to heaven to bring Christ down
to earth, to require an impossibility.
8. The word is nigh thee, etc. ; the
word of God is nigh thee. || That is
the word of faith, etc. This language
of Moses, Deut. 30 : 14, the apostle
proceeds to say, is virtually the same
as the word, or doctrine, of faith
which we preach ; it happily expresses
the doctrine of the gospel. As the
word of God was very nigh to the
Israelites, in their mouth and in their
heart, so is the word, or doctrine, of
faith something very nigh to us : it is
in our mouth and in our heart ; we
have not to search far and wide to
know what is required, or to find op
portunities for obeying it : it is not a
toilsome routine of observances that
is required ; it is not a laborious and
hopeless attempt to gain for ourselves
a claim to recompense from God for
obeying his statutes ; it is not a re
quisition for impossibilities : it is,
rather, something which is exactly
suited to our necessities, something
on which we may lay hold, and which
may at once make us blessed : let but
the mouth avow our subjection to
Jesus and the heart yield him its
homage of love and trust.
9. If thou shalt confess with thy
mouth, etc. Adapting himself to the
language of Moses, the apostle first
mentions the acknowledgment with
tlie mouth, or the profession of Jesus
as our Lord, and next the believing
with the heart, in him as the Son of
God. || That God hath raised him
from the dead. The resurrection of
Christ from the dead was a pre-emi-

no

R O M A N S .

10 raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and with the mouth
11 confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith,

hent proof of his being the Son of
God, 1:4. To believe with the heart
this great fact, then, was the same as
to believe that he was the Son of God,
and to become his disciple. — The
avowal of Jesus as our Lord, by
which we make, on our part, an ac
knowledgment corresponding to his
claim of being Lord of all men, is of
course to be regarded as sincere and
indicative of our hearts' trusting in
him ; the believing in the heart and
the avowal with the mouth involve
each other. Hence, in the following
verse, the apostle reverses the order,
having no further occasion to conform
to the order of words used by Moses.
10. For with the heart, etc. This
verse is a repetition, in the form of an
abstract and universal proposition, of
the idea in the preceding verse. — Be
lieving with the heart is accepted as
righteousness which justifies in the
sight of God ; and acknowledgment,
with the mouth, of what is thus be
lieved in tho hoart, brings salvation.
•Compare Matt. 10 : 32. The apostle
does not ascribe greater efficacy to
confessing with the mouth than to be
lieving with the heart; for the right
eousness of faith which justifies also
saves ; justification and salvation in
volving one another, as believing and
confessing, according to the scripture
use of the terms, involve one another.
The difference between the right
eousness of the law and the righteous
ness of faith, presented in vs. 5-10, is
that the former requires a perfect doing
of all things commanded, and thus the
acquiring of a title to blessings as a
recompense ; the latter, contemplat
ing us as sinners under condemnation,
and the ample provision which God,
of his free mercy, has made for our
spiritual good, and his promises of
pardon and aid, requires us to believe
.his declarations, to confide in them,

and to receive as his free gift the
needed blessings. The difference is
that between doing and believing, as a
condition of acceptance ; and as Christ
established the system whose princi
ple is, that believing with the heart is
the medium of acceptance, the Mosaic
law, which required doing, as the
medium, is terminated by him. —
Another difference may be stated, as
intimately connected with that which
seems to have been mainly in the
apostle's mind : the doing of all things
commanded keeps a person in sus
pense during his whole life as to the
result, since at any time he may be
led into transgression, or may fail to
do some duty, and thus forfeit the
blessings ; the believing, on the con
trary, is put at once to a person's
account as righteousness, and he is,
at present, actually justified and
adopted as a child of God ; he is in
an incipient state of salvation, with
the purpose, on the part of God, of
making all things co-operate for his
good. In the one case, we have the
state of a servant ; in the other, that
of a son with the distinctive affections,
hopes and prospects warranted by the
relation of a son to a wise, good and
powerful father. — In view, also, of
the wearisome routine of service to
which the Jews, in the time of our
Lord and the apostles, held themselves
bound, it would be profitable to com
pare Acts 15: 10 with Matt. 11:
28-30, as showing the practical differ
ence between a scrupulous Jew and
an enlightened, confiding disciple of
Christ. 11. For the scripture saith, etc.
The apostle now confirms the senti
ment that faith in Christ is the sure
condition of salvation to all, whether
Jews or Gentiles, and consequently,
as affirmed in v. 4, that the Mosaic
system is ended. He here produces

CHAPTER X.

Ill

12 Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For
there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek : for
the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not
believed ? and how shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things !
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith,

the same passage as in 9 : 33, but
with particular reference to the ex
pression whosoever.
12. For there is no difference be
tween the Jew and the Gh-eek. The
Greek in contrast with the Jew means,
of course, the Gentile, a frequent use
of the word in the New Testament.
The system of mercy by Christ ac
knowledges no distinction, in regard
to the way of acceptance with God,
between a Jew and a Gentile ; of the
one as well as of the other faith is
required, and to both alike it is avail
able for justification. || For the same
Lord over all, etc. ; more correctly,
Por the same being, Christ, is Lord
of all, of Jews and Gentiles, Acts
10 : 36, rich in blessings to all who
call on him, that is, who sincerely
acknowledge him as their Lord and
rely on him, and invoke him, for
blessings. 13. For, Whosoever, etc. By another
quotation from the Old Testament,
Joel 2 : 32, he confirms the sentiment
that all, of whatever nation, who call
on the name of the Lord, as confiding
in him, will be richly blessed.
14,15. How then, etc. The apos
tle now anticipates a thought which
might arise in the mind of a Jew, as
accounting for the failure of his coun
trymen to receive the gospel ; namely,
that they had not all been favored
with the hearing of it. The thought
is conveyed in a series of questions

which, very naturally succeed one
another, the last of them implying
that preachers of the gospel had not
been sent to the Jews. || As it is
written; Is. 52: 7. In the passage
as here translated, it would have been
better, instead of the expression that
preach the gospel of peace, to have said
that publish glad tidings of peace.
These words of the prophet are quoted
to confirm the idea that preachers
must be sent forth to proclaim the
gospel. Though the words referred
primarily to the joyful event of the cap
tive Jews' return from the Babylonian
exile, they are happily expressive of
the joyful tidings of redemption by
Christ, or of the gospel, to which
their ultimate reference was doubtless
intended. 16. But they have not all obeyed,
etc. Instead of allowing the thought
contained in the series of questions
to be a just explanation of the de
plorable rejection of the Jews, the
apostle affirms, They did not all
obey the gospel ; and by their not
obeying the message sent them in the
gospel, they have fulfilled what the
prophet Isaiah said, 53 : I, Lord, who
hath believed the message which he
has heard from us ? — The words, our
report, mean the thing reported by us,
that is, the message which has been
heard from us. — The natural reply to
the inquiry made by the prophet is,
No one has beheved it ; that is, lis

112

ROMANS.

Lord, who hath believed our report ? So then, faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, Their sound
went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the
world. But I say, Did not Israel know ? First, Moses saith, I
will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and
20 by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very
bold, and saith, I was found of them. that sought me not;
I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth
my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

18

19

accordance with our ordinary modes
of speaking, very few have beiieyed
it, compared with all who heard it.
Compare John 1 : 11, 12. 3 : 32, 33.
17. So then, faith cometh by hear
ing, etc. In order to set forth dis
tinctly the thought that the Jews had
heard the gospel, the apostle shows
what is implied in the language which
he had just quoted from Isaiah.
Prom the prophet's language we in
fer, he, as it were, says, that faith, or
believing, comes from hearing a mes
sage ; and the message announced in
the hearing of the people is, in the
present case, through the word of
God ; it is the gospel, as the utterance
of God which has come to our hear
ing. By stating the connection be
tween hearing a message and believ
ing it, or reposing faith in it, the
apostle has prepared the way to pro
pose directly the question, whether
the Jews in all regions had not heard
the gospel.
18. Have they not heard? That
is, Have not the Jews heard the mes
sage which has come through the
word of God '! In reply to this ques
tion, the Old Testament again fur
nishes language which may well be
employed to express the wide diffu
sion among the Jews of the knowl
edge of the gospel. || Yes, verily,
Their sound, etc. See Ps. 19 : 4.
19. Butlsay. Still further ; warn
ing had been given to the Jews that

they were in danger of being rejected,
and that Gentiles would eventually
be admitted, instead of them, to the
divine favor. — Did not Israel know ?
Did not the Jews know that they were
in danger of being cast away from
God ? In reply to this inquiry, the
language of Moses is first quoted, in
which warning of their danger had
been given. In Deut. 32 : 21, Moses
had addressed the children of Israel
in language, of which the following
is the purport : By means of those
whom you do not consider worthy to
be called a nation, I will excite in
you a jealous sense of the privileges
which you will lose, and by means of
those whom you call an impious
people, I will make you angry with
yourselves for having allowed your
distinguished blessings to be taken
from you — The intimation here is,
that they were in danger of losing
their exalted privileges and of be
holding them transferred to others. —
|| A foolish nation; morally foobsh,
wicked, neglecting the true wisdom.
Compare Ps. 14 : 1.
20, 21. Bat Esaias is very bold,
etc. Besides the intimation which
Moses had given, the prophet Isaiah
had openly and boldly spoken of Gen
tiles as receiving knowledge of God
and being admitted to his favor, 65 :
1 ; and of the Jews as a disobedient
people, to whom God had in vain
been perpetually directing his expos-

CHAPTEE XI.

Rejection of the Jews, as a people, not final, 1-10. Through the transgressicn of the Jews,
the Gentiles obtain Falvation ; the Jews will, in their turn, be excited to regain favor with
God, to the advantage, also, of the Gentiles, 11, 12. Honor of being an apostle to the
Gentiles, since from their conversion benefit will result to the Jews : Gentiles cautioned
against glorying over the Jews and warned of their own danger, 13-24. The Jews yet to
be recovered to the divine favor, 25-32. Adoration of God, and ascription of glory to
him, 33-36.

I sat then, Hath God cast away his people ? God forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the

tulations, 65: 2. — No valid excuse,
then, remained for the Jews ; and
they could make no plea in abatement
of their guilt, or for mitigating the
sentence of God against them.
CHAPTER XI.
The passages of scripture last
quoted, 10: 19-21, have, at first
sight, a veiy discouraging aspect
towards the Jews, and naturally sug
gest the inquiry, Whether God has
absolutely and finally cast away his
people. The apostle earnestly re
jects such a thought ; and affirms
that as there was in the time of
Elijah the prophet, when the Israel
ites forsook the worship of the true
God, a remnant who faithfully ab
stained from idolatiy, so now there is
a remnant, selected by the free mercy
of God, not on account of any just
claim of tlieir own ; a remnant, which
continued in favor with him, while the
rest had become hardened and were
under his displeasure. Vs. 1-10.
Another question then arises : Is
the transgression of the Jews to have
its sole and final issue in their destruc
tion ? Par from it, is the reply.
Instead of this, through their trans
gression salvation is to go to the Gen
tiles, and by occasion of the Gentiles'
enjoying the blessings of the gospel 10*

the Jews are to be excited to a sense
of their own loss, and to the regaining
of their position of favor with God.
Moreover, by the Jews' being again
received into favor with God the Gen
tiles will, in their turn, be blessed in
a far higher degree than before. Vs.
11, 12.
The apostle regards it a great
honor to be an apostle to the Gentiles,
since, by promoting tlieir conversion,
he is contributing to the recovery of
the Jews. He cautions the Gentile
Christians against feelings of supe
riority to the jews : they ought rather
to leam, from the case of the Jews,
their own danger. Vs. 13-24.
Finally ; the hardness into which
the Jews had fallen is to have an end ;
they are yet to be recovered to the
divine favor and to salvation. Vs
25-32. The discussion of the Jews' rejec
tion closes with adoration of the wis
dom a.iu knowledge of God and
ascnpKC-3 oi glory to him. Vs
33-36. 1 . I say then, etc. In view of the
scripture passages which had just
been produced, 10: 19-21, the ques
tion would naturally arise to a person
of quick sensibilities towards the
Jews, Has then God utterly cast away
his people1? — The force of the ques
tion lies particularly in the words cast
(113)

114

ROMANS.

tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which
he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias ?
how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine
altars ; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But
what saith the answer of God unto him ? I have reserved to
myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to
the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time, also,
there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And
if by grace, then is it no more of works : otherwise grace is
no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more

away ; the original term .expressing
a complete abandonment, as though,
humanly speaking, God would have
no more to do with them. || God for
bid. The apostle thus strongly ex
presses his dissent from the thought,
and seems to start back from it with
abhorrence. || For I also am an Israel
ite, etc. He here gives a reason for
the strong feeling which he had ex
pressed : the query proposed could
not but be revolting to him as a true
Israelite. All his sympathies with
the Jews would seem to be aroused,
as well as his regard for God's faith
fulness to his purposes. — The apos
tle's belonging to the tribe of Ben
jamin is particularly mentioned (com
pare Phil. 3 : 5), because this tribe
and that of Judah were the two which
remained faithful to the royal family
of David, when the ten tribes revolted
under Rehoboam, 1 Kgs. 12 : 20-23.
These two tribes were eminently the
Jeu-s ,- and a person's descent through
one of these would be a sort of guar
anty that love to the Jewish people
had not become extinct in his breast.
2-4. God hath not cast away, etc.
God hath not thrust away, wholly
and hopelessly, his people whom he
foreknew, and whom he has so often
acknowledged as his. — The parallel
case which the apostle proceeds to
state seems to show that the nation
was here meant, and not a select
portion of it. God had fore-appointed
and foreknown the Jewish nation as

an object of his favor, and separated
it from other nations as a medium for
the spiritual welfare of the world.
|| Wot ye not ? Know ye not ? — The
case in hand may be illustrated by
what took place in the time of Elijah
the prophet. In the defection of
Israel from the worship of the true
God, a defection so general that the
prophet spoke of himself as being
left alone, God assured him that
several thousands had remained faith
ful, 1 Kgs. 19: 10, 18. So now,
though the nation in general had re
jected the Messiah, there is a remnant,
according to God's electing mercy,
who have received the Messiah.
|| Maketh intercession, etc.; more prop
erly, makes complaint to God against
Israel. 5. Even so then, etc.; so now there
is a remnant which abides in favor
with God, according to his gracious
election of them out of the nation to
be partakers of his mercy. Compare
8 : 28-30. 9 : 18, 23, 24.
6. And if by grace, then, etc. The
apostle seizes the occasion, in passing,
to inculcate the truly gracious charac
ter of this election, or of the divine
pm-pose by which this remnant had
been selected and was preserved.
The tendency among the Jews to
reliance on their religious deeds, as
procuring them a claim on God, made
it necessary, in the apostle's view, to
assert the contrary sentiment at every
favorable opportunity. || No more of

CHAPTER XI.

115

7 grace : otherwise work is no more work. What then ?
Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for ; but the
8 election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded ; according
as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber,
eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
9 hear, unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be
made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a re-

vorks ; it does not proceed from
works, as a recompense for them : it
is purely of grace. If it were a re
sult of works, then it would not be
of grace ; else grace would cease to
be grace. || But if it be of works,
etc. This latter part of the verse is
only a reversed statement of the same
idea. 7. What then, etc. What follows,
then, says the apostle, from the reply
which has been given to the question,
whether God has finally cast away
his people 1 He had said, in vs. 2-6,
that God has not cast them away
wholly and hopelessly, but that a
chosen remnant of them still con
tinues in favor with him. It follows
from this, that Israel, as a people,
have not obtained that which they
are continually seeking ; namely, a
righteousness which shall secure to
them a claim for acceptance with
God ; but the elect remnant have ob
tained it, being justified and accepted
through their faith in Christ, while
the rest became hardened. || Were
blinded. The more general term
hardened better expresses the original
word. — The contrast which the apos
tle here expresses between two parts
of the nation is of the same nature as
that which he presents in 9 : 18 ; and
in each of these passages the harden
ing results from men's own sinful
preferences, both as a natural conse
quence and as a divine judicial vis
itation. 8. According as it is written; Is.
29 : 10. Deut. 29 : 4. The apostle
considers as applicable to the Jews of
his time, who had become hardened
and had rejected Clirist, the language

in which Isaiah and Moses had de
scribed the people of their times : a
spiritual lethargy had come over
them ; they were as men indulging
in drowsiness who heed not the most
pressing claims ; they saw not, they
heard not, the things pertaining to
their spiritual welfare. || Unto this
day. The quotation from the Old
Testament ends with the words unto
this day ; and it thus served the apos
tle's purpose to convey the thought,
that the moral insensibility with which
the Jews had been chargeable in former
ages still continued. — When God is
said to have given the spirit of slum
ber, blind eyes and deaf ears, this
mode of speaking is in acknowledg
ment of his sovereign disposal of cir
cumstances and events, even as to
those things which are brought about
by the agency of men, and of which
men are themselves the guilty cause ;
so that the idea of an inevitable and,
so far as men are concerned, irre
sponsible, fatality does not belong to
this phraseology. Compare Is. 29 :
3, where Jehovah is represented as
saying, I will camp against thee round
about, and I will lay siege against
thee, etc., though it was the king of
Assyria who was thus to lay siege
against Jerusalem. See, also, Is.
10 : 5-7, where in union with God's
¦expressed design to employ the As
syrian king as an agent for inflicting
vengeance, the Assyrian king is rep
resented as impelled by his own am
bitious purposes : " Howbeit he mean
eth not so, neither doth his heart
think so ; but it is in his heart to
destroy and cut off nations not a few."
9, 10. And David saith; Ps. 69:

116

ROMANS.

10 compense unto them : let their eyes be darkened, that they
may not see, and bow down their back always.
11 I sat then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God
forbid : but rather through their fall salvation is come unto
12 the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall
of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of
them the riches of the Gentiles ; how much more their ful-

22, 23. The imprecations of the
psalmist on his enemies, here quoted,
the apostle considers as foreshowing
and illustrating the infliction of divine
judgments on those who .in tlieir
hardness of heart had refused to ac
cept the Messiah : even their enjoy
ments would become curses, and they
would be bowed down under the
weight of theh- calamities. 1 1 Their
table; that is, the provision with
which their table is furnished : let it
become a means of destruction to
them, and be succeeded by a recom
pense of evil. || Let their eyes be
darkened, etc. Let them become
blind, and make them bend under
tlieir woes. — In other words, divine
judgments have overtaken, and will
rest on, the mass of the nation suita
ble to those who have become hard
ened in disobedience to God and op
position to his method of salvation.
11. / say then, have they stumbled,
etc. The inevitable doom which
awaited the mass of the nation,
agreeably to the view thus far pre
sented, prompted another inquiry : Is
it the design of God, that the Jews,
stumbling, taking offence, at the gos
pel, should fall into perdition ? Is
tlieir perdition for their unbelief the
final fact in their history, as closing
up the designs of God in respect to
them 1 Is the nation to perish 1
|| God forbid. The inquiry is at once
met with pious aversion. Their fall
ing into perdition is so far from being
the ultimate design of God, that he
has graciously made their rejection of
the gospel the occasion of its recep
tion among the Gentiles (compare
Acts 13 : 45-49) ; and its reception
among the Gentiles will serve to ex

cite among Jews a sense of what
they have lost and a desire for the
blessings of the gospel. || Through
their fall; more properly, through
their blunder, their false step, that is,
their trespass in refusing to welcome
Christ. — The word rendered fall
in this clause is different from the
one thus rendered in the first, and
signifies false step, fault, trespass.
|| To provoke them to jealousy ; to
make them jealous of the Gentiles as
.having obtained blessings which the
Jews regarded as peculiarly theirs ;
and thus to excite in them a desire
to obtain the same blessings for them
selves. 12. A still additional result, fa
vorable to the Gentiles, was expected
by the apostle : if the trespass of the
Jews have been the occasion of good
to the Gentiles, and the diminution
of the Jews, as the Lord's people, to
a mere remnant, have resulted iu rich
mercy being shown to the Gentiles,
what blessings may not be expected
for the world when the Jewish believ
ers shall have become full in number 1
Now if the fall — and the diminishing
of them, etc. If, moreover, the tres
pass of the Jews issue in spiritual
wealth, or abundant mercy, to the
world, that is, to the Gentile world,
and then- being diminished to a small
number, namely, the comparatively
small number among them who havo
embraced the gospel, prove the occa
sion of rich mercy to the Gentiles,
how much more tlieir being increased
to a comparatively full number! — As
the diminishing indicates compara
tively few, so the fulness indicates
comparatively many, a comparative ful-

CHAPTER XI.

117

13 ness ? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the
14 apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office, if by any
means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh,
15 and might save some of them. For if the casting away of
them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving
16 of them be, but life from the dead? For if the first fruit be
holy, the lump is also holy : and if the root be holy, sc are

13, 14. For I speak to you Gentiles,
etc. The thouglits expressed in vs.
11, 12, were designed particularly for
Gentile believers, as leading them to
commiseration and kindness towards
the Jews and repressing the disposi
tion to exult over the Jews as cut off
from the favor of God. || / magnify
mine office ; I regard as specially hon
orable the service to which I am called
as an apostle to the Gentiles, since,
by promoting their conversion, I may
excite my countrymen to seek the
same blessings as the Gentiles are
obtaining and may thus save some of
them. || Apostle of the Gentiles. See
Acts 26 : 15-18. \\ Provoke to emula
tion ; excite to jealousy in respect to
privileges belonging to the people of
God. See verse 11. || My flesh ; my
countrymen. Compare 9 : 3.
15. For if the casting away of them,
etc. The special desire which the
apostle felt for the conversion of his
countrymen was, also, stimulated by
the effect which would result from
that event to the Gentiles : for, if the
rejection of the Jews had proved the
occasion of Gentiles' becoming re
conciled to God and enjoying his
favor, what might not be expected
from their recovery ? That event
would be signally advantageous to
the Gentile world in respect to their
more extended conversion to Christ
and the more thorough sway of true
religion among his avowed disciples ;
as if life, springing up from among
the dead, should exert its re-animat
ing power where only death had
reigned, and add new energy to what
ever elements of life might have been
previously acting. — Life from the dead
seems to be a figurative expression in

advance of the term reconciling used
in the former part of the verse, and
probably signifies increased activity
and efficacy in the extending of the
gospel, and the deepening of religious
influence, as consequent on the gen
eral reception of the gospel among
the Jews. It would seem that the
Jews are to be remarkably efficient,
after their conversion, in advancing
the Redeemer's kingdom ; and thus
the ancient promise to Abraham, In
thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed, Gen. 22 : 18. 12 :
3. 18: 1 8, may receive an additional
fulfilment. The apostle appears to
have regarded the depressed state of
the nation, consequent on tlieir rejec
tion of Christ, only as a striking inci
dent, which, in the long lapse of ages,
will no more conflict with their being
really a chosen people and still in
cluded within divine promises, than
did their seventy years' captivity in
Babylonia. 16. A ground for belief is here pre
sented, that the Jews though now, as
a nation, rejected, are as to be recovered
to the divine favor. The sacred re
lation into which God took the nation
at its commencement was designed to
be enduring, notwithstanding occa
sional interruptions ; and it was in
tended, that future generations of the
people should have a resemblance to
the original stock, as being sacred to
God and acknowledged by him as
truly his. Thus there is to be har
mony, in character and relation to
God, between the progenitors and
then- descendants ; and in them is to
be illustrated the steadfastness of the
divine purposes : harmony will char
acterize the divine plan. If the first

118

ROMANS.

17 the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off,
and thou, being a wild olive-tree, wert graffed in among them,
and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-
18 tree ; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou

fruits of the wheat harvest, given up
as an oblation to God are sacred, so
is the mass of dough which is made
of the oblation ; if the root be sacred
to him, so are the branches which are
produced and nourished by the root :
if he accept the one, he refuses not to
own the other. — In applying these
illustrations, the first fruits and the
root represent the patriarchs of the
nation ; the mass of dough and the
branches represent the nation de
scended from them and viewed as a
whole. The imagery must not be
too closely pressed, as though it in
cluded all the descendants of the
patriarchs : for many of their de
scendants were unlike the progenitors
in piety, and failed of participating
with them in the highest blessings
connected with their relation to God,
and in the very next verse some of
the branches are represented as hav
ing been cut off; in plain language,
many of the people had lost their
relation to God, and were without a
title to the divine favor. But with
such exceptions as the immutable
principles of the government of God
require, and as do not impair the ac
complishment of his purposes as a
whole, God will show eventually that
the branches of the Jewish tree are as
really regarded by him in a sacred re
lation as was the root. The mercy
which selected and blessed the pa
triarchs, as founders of a nation, will
not forsake the nation which, in ac
cordance with divine promises, pro
ceeded from them : the founders and
the nation are regarded as one whole,
as the root and the branches are one
tree : and the lot of the several parts
is to be a kindred one. The apostlo
saw a unity of plan running through
tlie dispensations of God towards his
people, and fully believed that in
future generations the sacred relation

of this people to God will be re
vived and his favor signally be
stowed on them. — // the first fruit be
holy. The first ripe sheaf of the har
vest, as the first in the series of
sheaves and a pledge of the incoming
harvest, was presented to God as an
oblation in acknowledgment of him
as the giver of the harvest. See Lev.
23: 10. Num. 15: 20. Deut. 18:
4. As thus set apart and consecrated
to God, it was ceremonially holy, that
is, sacred to God. || The lump is also
holy. The lump, or mass, of dough,
made from the first fruits, is also
sacred to God.
17. Thou, being a wild olive tree,
etc. The olive was one of the choice
trees of Palestine, and furnished a
striking illustration of the topic now
under treatment. It was usual to
graft cultivated olive trees, when they
had lost some of their branches, with
scions of the wild olive, which in its
natural state bore little or no fruit.
|| Among them; among the branches
still standing.
18. Boast not, etc. Exult not
over the branches which have been
cut off. — The apostlo would thus
check the unkind spirit which some
of the Gentile believers indulged
towards the fallen Jews ; instead of
commiserating, they rather gloried
over them. || But if thou boast, etc.;
if you are disposed to glory ovcr
thcm, repress this disposition by re
membering the obligations under
which the plan of God has placed
you to the Jewish people, and your
dependence on them for the spiritual
privileges to which you have been
admitted. Agreeably to the divine
arrangement, the Jewish people were
the root, you are but branches deriv
ing fruitfulncss and beauty from the
Jewish root.

CHAPTER XI.

119

19 bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say, then,
The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well ; because of .unbelief they were broken off, and thou
21 standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear : for if God
spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare
22 not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of
God : on them which fell, severity ; but toward thee, good
ness, if thou continue in his goodness : otherwise, thou also shalt
be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief,
shall be graffed in : for God is able to graff tliem in again.
For if thou wert cut out of the olive-tree which is wild by
nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive-
tree ; how much more shall these, which be the natural
25 branches, be graffed into their own olive-tree ? For I would
not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest

23

24

19-21. Thou wilt say then, The
branches were broken off, etc. The
Gentiles, still willing to indulge the
spirit of glorying over the fallen Jews,
might reply to the apostle's sugges
tion in verse 18, The natural branches
were broken off, that we might be set
in their place. Very well, says the
apostle in rejoinder ; it is even so.
But remember, the Jews were broken
off for lack of faith ; and you stand
by faith, not by any natural right, not
by any claim to }TOur blessed position,
but by the grace of God through con
fiding in his promises and his merci
ful arrangements ; you occupy your
position, not by deeds of your own,
but by faith in Christ. Indulge not,
then, a haughty and arrogant spirit ;
but rather cherish a salutary dread
lest you, too, forfeit the favor of God ;
for if he spared not the natural
branches, you certainly have ground
for fearing a similar doom.
22. Severity ; not an undue and
vengeful severity, but a strict adher
ence to threatenings proceeding from
justice ; a just severity, as distin
guished from that goodness which
overlooks ill desert and bestows un
merited benefits. || On them ivhich
fell ; on those who have fallen from
his goodness, or from confiding in his

mercy ; that is, the unbelieving Jews.
|| If thou continue, etc. ; if thou con
tinue trusting in his goodness, aud
acknowledging its claims'on thee.
23. And they also, etc. The Jews,
too, though now objects of God's
strict justice, will again experience
his goodness, as soon as they aban
don their unbelief (compare 2 Cor.
3: 16); they shall bo restored to
their position of favor with God, for
he is able, consistently with all his
declarations, to restore tliem, and
thus in their case, as well as in that
of the Gentiles, to manifest his good
ness. 24. For if thou — how much more
shall, these, etc. Indeed, it is much
more to be expected that the people
with whom God originally entered
into a covenant should, on abandon
ing their unbelief, be restored to his
favor, than that those, who had not
previously been thus favored, should
receive blessings which had been
promised to his people. Prom the
goodness of God to you Gentiles,
then, we may fully believe that good
ness is in store for the Jews who are
now in a, fallen and foriom state.
25. For I ivould not, brethren, etc.
Having cautioned the Gentile believ
ers and given grounds to expect a

120

ROMANS.

ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part
is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles bo
26 come in: and so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written,
There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall
27 turn away ungodliness from Jacob : for this is my covenant
unto them, when I shall take away their sins. . . .

restoration of the Jews to the divine
favor, the apostle now takes the atti
tude of a prophet disclosing the
hitherto concealed purpose of God
respecting the Jewish people. || Mys
tery. This word is applied, in the
scriptures, to things which have, been
kept secret but which, when disclosed,
are perfectly intelligible, as well as to
those truths which are, even when re
vealed, inexplicable to the human mind.
Compare Eph. 3 : 3-6. || Lest ye
should be wise, etc. ; lest ye should
think too highly of yourselves —
|| Blindness in jmrt, etc. ; hardness,
insensibility to their obligations and
to the blessings of the gospel. Com
pare verse 7. This insensibility may
have resulted from God's withholding
any positive check to the downward
tendencies of the nation, or from their
being placed, in consequence of their
pervcrseness, in circumstances which
directly deepened their spiritual blind
ness, so that they became, more and
more, fit objects for rejection. In
either case, the result, according to
the scriptural representations, might
be traced to God as manifesting his
displeasure and commencing a right-
eons retribution, and at the same time
to (hems. Ires as abusing their privileges
and giving a more free indulgence to
their sinful inclinations. Compare
Watt. 23: 33-38. 27: 22-25.—
|| Until the fulness, etc. As the word
fulness in verse 12 is the contrast of
diminishing, that is, a diminished num
ber, and consequently indicates an
increased number, a number indefin
itely large, so the expression, fulness
of the Gentiles, probably means here
a vert/ large number of the Gentiles,
not the complete number who are to

embrace the gospel. — The insensi
bility of the Jews to the privileges of
the gospel is to have a limit : after
the gospel has had free course among
the Gentiles, and Gentiles in very
large numbers have been admitted to
its blessings, blindness will pass away
from the Jews, they will see that the
gospel is truly from God and will
zealously receive Jesus as the Mes
siah. 26, 27. And so all Israd shall be
saved. When the fulness of the Gen
tiles shall have come into the posses
sion of the Messiah's blessings, the
surviving Jews generally and their
descendants will become believers in
Christ ; and thus the collective body
of the nation will be saved, though
so many will have perished through
rejection of the Messiah. It is not
implied, in this collective mode of
speaking, that every Israelite will be
saved ; for then, as now, salvation
will result from believing in Christ,
and only those who in heart become
his disciples will enjoy the full benefits
of the gospel. It would seem, how
ever, from the apostle's language, that
the Jews generally will at length be
come genuine Christians and be
saved. || As it is written ; in Is. 59 :
20, 21. The passage as here quoted
has some verbal discrepances from
the passage in the Old Testament ;
and a few words are added, by a
natural association of thought, as indi
cating the spiritual character of the
deliverance which the prophet fore
told. Strict verbal accuracy was not
important ; since the apostle's mind
was occupied with the general idea
of the Deliverer, or Redeemer, be
coming acknowledged among the

CHAPTER XI.

121

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes:
but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers'
29 sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repent-
30 ance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet
31 have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so
have these also now not believed, that through your mercy
32 they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them
all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Jews, and bestowing blessings on
them. Through this Deliverer, the
Jews were to be turned away from
sin and again to be brought within
the terms of a covenant that should
never cease.
28. As concerning the gospel, they
are enemies, etc. It was the plan of
God, that the sinfulness of the Jews
in rejecting the gospel and their eon-
sequent rejection by him should be
overruled to the advantage of the
Gentiles, as the occasion of introduc
ing among them the gospel. Thus
for the sake of the Gentiles, the Jews
were treated as enemies to God, and
the gospel was taken from them.
Compare Matt. 21 : 43. || But as
touching the election, they are beloved,
etc.; but, with reference to God's elec
tion of them to be his favored people
and to be a medium of blessings to
the world, they are still beloved, they
are still regarded with a design of
mercy, for the sake of the patriarchs
to whom the promises were made.
God's remembrance of the patriarchs
and of the promises made to them,
still secures this kind regard for the
nation ; because God is unchangeable,
as the following verse affirms.
29. For the gifts and calling of God
are without repentance. Repentance
is indicative of regret and of a change
of mind and conduct on the part of
the person concerning whom it is
affirmed, and concerning things which
he has said or done. Now God does
not repent of his bestowal of gifts of
grace, and of the calling, or invitation,
which he has given in regard to the
blessings of his kingdom : he changes 11

not in regard to his gifts and calling ;
he will not revoke his gracious de
clarations, but will abide faithful and
steadfast in his purpose. — The un-
changeablcness of God, thus confirm
ing the declaration in the 28th verse,
that the Jews will continue beloved
for the fathers' sakes, forms also the
ground of the assurance in vs. 31
and 32.
30, 31. For as ye in times past, etc.
God still adheres to his original pur
pose of mercy, and will accomplish
it even through the disobedience of
those who were his people. As you,
Gentiles, were formerly disobedient to
God and destitute of his favor, but
have now obtained mercy by occasion
of the Jews' disobedience, so the plan
of God, as to his ultimately bestowing
mercy on the Jews, will be accom
plished through the mercy bestowed
on you : the Jews having become dis
obedient and having failed of the
favor of God, in order that, through
the mercy bestowed on you, they might
in turn receive mercy. || Through
your mercy ; through mercy shown to
you. 32. For God hath concluded them
all in unbelief, etc. The word them
ought not to have been admitted into
the translation ; as the original does
not contain here a word correspond
ing to it, and the word all in the orig
inal, as is manifest from the connec
tion, relates not to Jews exclusively,
but to all men, Jews and Gentiles.
The apostle's idea is, that God has
shut up all, both Jews and Gentiles,
in a state of disobedience, regarded
them all as alike chargeable with dis-

122

ROMANS.

33 0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowl
edge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his
34 ways past finding out ! For who hath known the mind of
35 the Lord ? or who hath been his counsellor ? Or who hath
first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him
36 again ? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all
things : to whom be glory for ever ! Amen.

obedience, that he might be merciful
to all, both Jews and Gentiles, saving
all, of every nation, who comply with
the terms of mercy and saving none,
of whatever people, on the ground of
their own righteousness. — The word
unbelief in vs. 30-32 does not so cor
rectly express the original word, as
disobedience ; unbelief being properly
the translation of a different word.
|| That he might have mercy upon all ;
that all, having been brought to a
consciousness of sin, might feel their
dependence on mercy and be pre
pared to receive the grace, or the
gratuitous salvation, of the gospel,
and that all who comply with the
terms of mercy might actually receive
mercy. — That such is the idea of the
apostle, appears from the pervading
doctrine of the epistle ; it being wholly
inconsistent with the leading views
of the epistle to suppose that every
human being, whether conscious of
sinfulness or not, and whether accept
ing the divine method of mercy or
not, shall actually be an object of
God's saving mercy.
33-36. The thought of the mercy
of God, in his so amply providing for
the redemption of men, of his eternal
purposes, of his carrying his designs
into effect in ways wholly unexpected
and beyond anticipation, so that in
the fulness of time they are accom
plished notwithstanding, and even by
occasion of, the perversity of men,

stirs the apostle's mind with adoring
sentiments. — 0 the depth of the riches,
etc. Some prefer to render this
clause, 0 the depth of the riches, that
is, of the rich mercy, 10 : 12, and
wisdom and knowledge of God ! His
mercy is rich, indeed superabundant,
since it has made not only adequate,
but most ample, provision for the be
stowal of blessings which no merits of
men could, by any possibility, secure.
il His judgments ; his judgments, or
determinations, as to what he will
accomplish ; that is, his purposes.
|| His ways; his methods of accom-
plisliing his purposes.
34. For who hath known the mind
of the Lord, etc. Who knew the
mind, the intention, of the Lord?
Who was his counsellor 1 Obviously,
none. He has all wisdom and knowl
edge in himself; his own infinite
mind proposes its objects and provides
for their attainment. Compare Is.
40 : 13.
35, 36. Or who hath first given to
him, etc. Who has ever laid an ob
ligation on God, so as to claim from
him a recompense 1 Such a pretence
would-be the height of absurdity and
profaneness : for all things originate
from him (compare 1 Chron. 29 :
10-14); all things are done through
him; and all things find their ulti
mate aim in him. To him, then, bo
glory forever. Amen.

CHAPTER XII.
Exhortation to Christian conduct in general, 1-21.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accepta
ble unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not
conformed to this world : but be ye transformed by the re-

CHAPTERS XH — XV: 1-13.
These chapters comprise the hor
tatory division of the epistle, in which
the apostle enjoins the cultivation of
the Christian temper generally, obedi
ence to magistrates, and mutual ac
commodation on the part of Gentile
and of Jewish believers, in respect to
ceremonial observances which orig
inated in the Mosaic law.
CHAPTER XII.
1 . / beseech you therefore, etc. The
word therefore connects the hortatory
part of the epistle with the preceding
doctrinal part, as containing the prac
tical lessons appropriate to all believ
ers in Christ, and to. the Roman
Christians in particular. Tlie apos
tle's mind had been occupied with
views of the mercy of God in provid
ing for men's salvation, and in pre
serving a remnant of the Jews from
the destruction which the mass of the
nation were bringing on themselves.
In view of this mercy, he beseeches
the Roman brethren to offer up them
selves to God as a sacrifice, to be
wholly his in their temper and con
duct. || That ye present your bodies ;
that ye offer up your persons, your
selves. The idea of a sacrifice offered
to God being in the apostle's mind,
his language was shaped by that
image. As the bodief of slain ani
mals were offered, he laterally em

ployed the word bodies as signifying
the whole person. Compare 6 : 13.
|| A living sacrifice, etc. Slaughtered
victims were the sacrifices of the
Jewish ritual : in distinction from
these, believers in Christ should be
living sacrifices, devoted to God in
the use of their living, active powers.
As the animals for sacrifice under the
Mosaic law were required to be
ceremonially clean, without blemish,
so the Christian sacrifice was to be
holy, morally pure. || Which is your
reasonable service; rather, your spir
itual service, the service of your mind
and heart. — As sacrifices formed a
part of the Jewish worship, the word
is here employed, in the original,
wdiich particularly signifies service in
worship ; and Christians, in offering
up themselves to God for the cultiva
tion of such tempers of mind, and for
such conduct in all the relations and
circumstances of life, as are accepta
ble to God, are considered as render
ing him a spiritual worship. Tho
entire life of a Christian, so far as it is
devoted to God and spent in con
formity to his will, is a kind of living,
or constant, worship, since the whole
spirit and body are occupied in doing
his pleasure and glorifying him.
2. Be not conformed to this world ;
to this present evil world, Gal. 1:4;:
to the spirit and maxims of the men
of this world, Luke 16:8. 1 Cor.
2 : 6, 8. The present world is char
acterized by its being unspiritual, sin-
(123)

124 ROMANS.
newing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man
that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than
he ought to think ; but to think soberly, according as God

fill, in distinction from the world of prefers divide the latter part of the
holiness to which the Saviour will verse thus : what is the will of God,
bring his people. The men of this what is good, acceptable, and perfect.
world and the genuine disciples of The renewed mind proves what is
Christ are opposite in their leading good in distinction from what is evil,
aims and conduct. John 17:9, 14, what is acceptable to God in distinc-
16. 1| But be ye transformed by the tion from what is displeasing to him,
renewing, etc. ; be ye transformed ac- and what is perfect or complete, from
cording to the renovation which has what is deficient as to the measure of
been wrought in your mind, or heart; duty. The judgments of a renewed
let the renewing of your mind become mind are often widely different from
more and more thorough. || That ye those of a mind which has not felt
may prove, etc. The original word, the transforming power of the Holy
here translated prove, means to try, to Spirit ; and on many topics of reli-
test, to ascertain by trial. The apostle gion, the human mind needs to be
seems to suggest that the renewed renewed in order to judge correctly.
mind may put to the test that which 3. For I say. The apostle now
claims to be the will of God, and prove proceeds to give specimens of what is
by trial what is the will of God con- the will of God to which believers in
cerning men, and may show by a life Christ should become conformed.
in harmony with this will its natural || Through the grace given unto me :
tendency, and thus give a practical through the divino favor which had
demonstration of what is good and been shown in calling him to be an
acceptable and perfect in the sight of apostle. 1: 5. Eph. 3 : 8. By virtue
God. The renewed mind proves, by of the authority with which divine
a kind of instinctive perception, what grace had invested him, he enjoins
is the will of God ; it is a moral test the temper and conduct at which be-
which aids in deciding what things lievers should aim. || Not to think of
are pleasing to God. Generally himself more highly, etc. ; not to in-
speaking, matters of moral feeling dulge in too high an estimate of him-
and conduct will be almost instinct- self, but to judge of himself with
ivcly pronounced on by a spiritual sobriety, according to the degree of
mind, as being according to the will Christian faith which God has be-
of God or otherwise : by cultivating stowed on him. — The idea is not, that,
this spiritual discrimination through if his measure of faith exceed that
the increasing transformation of a of his brethren, ho may therefore judge
renewed mind and its growing con- more favorably of himself than of
formity to the will of God, a person them ; but, as each one's measure of
will have an inward judge of the faith comes from God, he should
moral quality of actions ; a judge, therefore make a modest estimate of
that will become more and more iu- himself and be humble as being de-
telligent and, by a just spiritual sen- pendent on the bounty of God.
sitiveness, more and more able to de- Compare 1 Cor. 3:5. 4:7. Faith,
cide rightly. Comji ire Eph. 5 : 8, being regarded by the apostle as the
10,17. John 7: 17 — Some inter- essential element" of the Christian

CHAPTER XII.

125

4 hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we
have many members in one body, and all members have not
5 the same office : so we, being many, are one body in Christ,
6 and every one members one of another. Having then gifts,
differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
7 faith : or miuistry, let us wait on our ministering : or he that
8 teacheth, on teaching : or he that exhorteth, on exhortation :

life, seems to be aere used as a gen
eric term significant of Christian
character, and more particularly of
such knowledge of the gospel as best
accords with high spiritual attain
ments. 4. For as we have many members,
etc. A modest estimate of one's self
is enforced by the consideration that
the company of believers, whether
the whole, or regarded in the several
portions with which they are more
immediately connected, forms a body,
the various members of which must
harmoniously perform their several
offices, whether more or less impor
tant, in order to accomplish the de
signs for which the body was formed.
|| All members ; more correctly, all the
members. 5. One body in Christ ; one body
as belonging to Christ our Head, one
Christian body. Compare Eph. 4 :
15, 16. 1 Cor. 12 : 12-27.
6. Gifts; spiritual endowments,
capacities for rendering service to the
cause of Christ, either bestowed by
divine grace, or natural talents sanc
tified and elevated by that grace into
fit agen ies for promoting the gospel.
Compare 1 Cor. 12 : 4. || Prophecy.
The gift of prophecy was possessed
by a class of persons who were able,
both by divine revelations and by
sanctified natural endowments, to in
struct and exhort in accordance with
the mind of the Spirit, and occasion
ally to foretell future events. Their
gift was held of great value ; and in the
enumeration of offices, the prophets
stand next to the apostles. Acts 11 :
S7. 21: 9, 10. 1 Cor. 12: 28. 14:
11*

29,30. Eph. 4:11. \\ According to
the proportion of faith ; that is, as in
verse 3, the measure of faith ; or, in
proportion to the strength of faith, or
genuine belief, that the communica
tion to be delivered, whether predic
tion or exhortation, was divinely im
parted. 7. Ministry; the various minis
trations, or services, which the welfare
of a church would require; as, for
instance, the care of the indigent
members, the outward arrangements
for worship and other external mat
ters. || He that teacheth. Teachers
seem to have differed from prophets,
in that their employment was stated
and regular, not occasional, and not
requiring special revelations.
8. He that exhorteth. A particular
class of men is not, probably, here
intended, as the word exhort is very
variously used. Compare Acts 15 :
32. 1 Cor. 14 : 31. || He that giv
eth ; that is, in the way of personal,
or private, benevolence, as the orig
inal word indicates sharing with
another what we possess. Compare
Luke 3 : 11. Eph. 4: 28. || With
simplicity ; with singleness of inten
tion to benefit the needy, and, by im
plication, with kindness and liberality.
The same word is translated liberality
in 2 Cor. 8 : 2, and bountifulness in 2
Cor. 9: 11. || He that ruleth ; he
that presides, probably in the pastoral
relation. In 1 Thess. 5 : 12 the same
word, substantially, in the original is
rendered by the words are over you.
|| He that showeth mercy ; he that per
forms deeds of kindness in general
for the distressed. || With cheerful.

126

ROMANS.

he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity : he that ruleth.
with diligence ; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is
10 evil ; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned
one to another with brotherly love ; in honor preferring
11 one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit;
1 2 serving the Lord ; rejoicing in hope ; patient in tribulation ;
13 continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of
14 saints ; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute
15 you ; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
16 and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one
toward anoth ?r. Mind not high things, but condescend to
men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in

ness. 2 Cor. 9: 7. — In verses 6-8,
the apostle seems to have united
under the general name of gifts the
disposition and capacity for some
private duties with the official services
of certain classes. This was in har
mony with his use of the term gift,
since he sometimes employed it in
cases that did not properly belong to
the pubhc welfare. 1 Cor. 7 : 7. Be
sides, the simplicity and cheerfulness
which he enjoined in respect to the
duties of benevolence might well be
traced to divine influence, as gifts of
the Holy Spirit.
10. In honor; respect, esteem.
|| Preferring one another; literally, talc
ing the lead of one another, as setting
each other an example, in mutual
respect. Compare Phil. 2 : 3.
1 1 . Not slothful in business. The
word here rendered business is trans
lated, in verse 8, diligence ; in 2 Cor.
7 : II, carefulness ; in 2 Cor. 8 : 7,8,
diligence, forwardness. — This clause,
then, is probably better rendered, In
regard to diligence, that is, activity in
the cause of Christ, not slothful.
13. Given to hospitality. Heb. 13:
2. 1 Pet. 4:9.
14. Bless them which persecute you.
Matt. 5 : 44. Luke 6 : 27, 28.
15. Rejoice with them, etc. Joy at
the good of others is oft ?n a surer

proof of the sincerity and strength ol
piety, than sympathy in their dis
tresses : it may be more free from
alloy. 16. Be of the same mind, etc.; of
the same spirit, or disposition; be
like-minded, Phil. 3 : 16. || Conde
scend to men of low estate. The orig
inal is singularly expressive : Being
led away by lowly things, as the con
trast of minding high things ; that is,
being attracted more by the lowly
circumstances in which any of your
brethren may be placed, than by high
things. || Be not wise in your own
conceits. — To such union of spirit as
should characterize the members of a
Christian church, humility is most
friendly, while seif-conceit is its dire
foe. 17. Recompense to no man evil for
evil. 1 Pet. 3:9. || Provide things
honest, etc. The word honest was
probably understood here by our
translators in the sense of honorable,
or becoming : the more general term
good or upright, seems preferable.
Carefulness for what is good in the
sight of all, for what the judgment
and moral sense of men would pro
nounce right and proper, is enjoined ;
in other words, carefulness to walk
uprightly. See 2 Cor. 8 : 21. Com
pare Prov. 3 : 4.

CHAPTER XIII.

127

18 the sight of all men. If it be possib.e, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give
place unto wrath : for it is written, Vengeance is mine ; I
will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hun
ger, feed Mm ; if he thirst, give him drink : for in so doing
21 thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome
of evil, but overcome evil with good.

19

20

CHAPTER XIII.

Subjection to magistrates and discharge of all civil duties, 1-7. Injunction of mutual
love, 8-10. Incitement to renewed Christian vigilance and activity, 11-14.

18. If it be possible, etc. Be at
peace with all men, if it be possible.
Others may make it impossible, since
they may originate and foster causes
of Strife : but as much as in you lieth,
so far as any thing proceeding from
you is concerned, so far as depends
on you, be at peace with all. If
strife arise, let not the cause of it lie
with you.
19. Give place unto wrath ; yield
to wrath ; resist it not with corre
sponding wrath, nor take vengeance
on your foe : leave the work of ven
geance for God, the righteous ruler.
|| For it is written. Deut. 32 : 35.
20. Therefore, if thine enemy hun
ger, etc. See Prov. 25 : 21, 22.
|| Thou shalt heap coals of fire on his
head. This was a proverbial saying,
indicating that the treatment here en
joined would make the evil doer
smart under a sense of his wrong
deeds, or produce a burning sense of
his wrong doing. Such treatment
would excite in him shame and com
punction, which might, issue in his
highest good.
21. Be not overcome of evil, etc.;
be not overcome by evil, so as to do
evil in return ; but triumph over evil
by repaying it with good.

CHAPTER XIII.
The Jews, as a people, being sub
jugated by the Roman government,
were exceedingly restive under it, as
being a heathen and idolatrous power.
Their mistaken zeal for the glory of
God and their expectation that the
Messiah, as the head of the Jewish
people, would bring all nations under
his sway, kept them in a, constant
state of readiness for insurrectionary
movements. In consequence, the
Roman magistrates were constantly
on their guard against political out
breaks among the Jews ; and even the
Christians in Rome, being regarded
by the civil authorities as a sect of the
Jews, were constantly exposed to
suspicion and probably shared in
some public severities which were
really occasioned by the misconduct,
not of Christians, but of the Jews.
Thus, in Acts 18 : 2, we learn that
Aquila and Priscilla had left Italy,
because Claudius, the emperor, had
commanded all Jews to depart from
Rome. Though Aquila and Priscilla
were Jews by birth, they had become
Christians and had separated them
selves, as to religion, from the mass
of the Jews. This fact, however,

128

ROMANS.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
tl ere is no power but of God : the powers that be, are or
dained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power,
resisteth the ordinance of God : and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a ter
ror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be
afraid of the power ? do that which is goodj and thou shalt

oould not be properly apprehended
by the magistrates and did not secure
exemption from rigors which were
designed to rid the city of Jewish
insurrections. Perhaps, too, some
of the Christians, Gentile as well as
Jewish, actually believed that they
might righteously plot against an
idolatrous government, as being a
part of the kingdom of Satan. — ¦
Hence, the apostle judged it neces
sary to enjoin on them submission
to the existing magistracy in all
things pertaining to their civil rela
tions. On matters beyond the
province of the civil authorities, such
as religious worship, he here says
nothing. He is writing to Christians ;
and they could not, consistently, join
in the prevalent idolatry, while yet in
all civil matters they might submit to
the ruling powers. He enjoins sub
mission to the civil authorities on
two grounds : 1 . A regard to the
will of God. Civil government is
his appointment ; and those who oc
cupy the seats of power have been
placed there by his providence. 2. A
regard to their own good. Obedient
subjects will enjoy the protection of
the government; rebellious subjects
will incur its wrath. Vs. 1-7.
Tho injunction to discharge all civil
duties is followed by an injunction
to leave no obligation whatever un
discharged ; and that, the rather, since
the time is near when the hoped for
salvation shall be consummated :
hence, sinful practices should be laid
aside, and the truly Christian spirit
be acted out. Vs. 8-14.
1. Let evm-y soul be subject into the
higher powers : let every one mbmit

himself to the civil authorities, the
magistrates. || For there is no power
but of God ; for magistracy is from
no other source but God ; it exists by
his appointment. || The powers that
be, etc.; the existing civil authorities
were appointed by God. — Magistracy,
not however any particular form of it,
is here declared to be of divine ap
pointment ; and the ruling powers,
actually in authority, are declared to
have been set in their station by
divine providence.
2. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth,
etc. ; whoever, then, arrays himself
rebelliously against the civil author
ity, opposes the appointment of God.
|| Damnation. This word was for
merly used in a broader sense than at
present. Judgment carried into execu
tion probably expresses the apostle's
idea ; the judgment, or punishment,
proceeding, agreeably to the first
clause of the verse, from God. It
may, however, be from God as a
providential visitation through the
agency of the rulers, and reference,
therefore, be made to the civil punish
ment : at the same time, as resistance
opposes the appointment of God, the
punitive results, as in all cases of
sin, are not merely external and
present, but reach to the soul and the
future world.
3 For rulers are not a terror, etc.
Rulers are not an object of dread to
good works, that is, to those subjects
who faithfully observe the laws per
taining to civil duties : such have no
occasion for fear ; it is those whose
deeds, in civil respects, are evil, who,
instead of complying with the civil
regulations, array themselves against

CHAPTER XIII.

129

have praise of the same ; for he is the minister of God to
thee for goo 1. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ;
for he bean th not (he sword in vain : for he is -the minister
of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but
also for conscience' sake. For, for this cause pay ye tribute
also : for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon

the government, create disturbances,
and aim to overthrow the govern
ment, it is those to whom rulers are
a terror. — The apostle confines his
view to government as regulating the
civil relations of its subjects. In the
case of religious persecutions on the
part of magistrates, he would prob
ably direct the Christians to regard
them as trials and afflictions to which
they must submit, as they would do
other providential dispensations for
which they arc not responsible ; while
for the miseries which they would
meet in consequence of engaging in
schemes against the government they
would be personally responsible, as
having brought them on themselves
unnecessarily and in violation of their
civil duties. || Do that which is good ;
good in your relations to the civil
power. || Praise of the same. The
word same refers to the power: by
doing what is good, as a subject, you
will have commendation from the
authorities. 4. For he is the minister of God,
etc. ; for the magistrate is a servant
of God for your benefit. — The magis
trate, even though a heathen, is here
regarded as a servant of God, because
God established civil government
ar.d, by his providence, brought that
magistrate to his station of power,
thus making him the medium of
good "even to Christians. || But if
thou do that, which is evil, etc. ; if you
disregard your civil obligations, and
create disturbances, you may well
fear. || For he beareth not the sword in
vain. The sword, as borne by the
magistrate, was an emblem of the
power of putting to death for offences

against the state. This power of
inflicting the punishment of death the
magistrate docs not possess in vain.
The apostle gives not the slightest
intimation that the power of capi'.al
punishment, lodged with the magis
trates, was either unjust or unsuitable.
In cases of personal injury he forbids
taking vengeance, and directs that
punishment be referred to God. 12 :
19. But the case of a magistrate, in
his public capacity, is different : he
may inflict the punishment of death,
agreeably to the laws, without the
least indulgence of personal revenge;
indeed, with the most sincere compas
sion for the criminal. || For he is the
minister of God, etc. ; the magistrate,
using the sword of justice in the dis
charge of his office, is a servant of
God, an avenger for the punishment
of the criminal.
5. Wherefore, etc. The conclu
sion from the preceding views is here
given : it is necessary to be in sub
jection to the civil power, not only on
account of the punishment which
would follow resistance, but also to
preserve a good conscience. A re
gard to personal good, and a regard
to the claims of conscience, unite in
requiring obedience ; resistance is in
compatible with both.
6. For, for this cause pay ye tribute
also. It is uncertain, in the original,
whether the first clause of this verse
should be regarded as an exhortation
to pay tribute, or as a declarative
statement that the Roman Christians
were in the habit of paying tribute.
But whichever of these is the true
view, the apostle evidently teaches
that the just ground on which the

130

ROMANS.

7 this very thing. Render therefore to all, their dues : tribute
to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom custom ; fear to
whom fear ; honor to. whom honor.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another : for he
9 that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou
shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt
not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not
covet ; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly
comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy
10 neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor :
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

payment of tribute rests is the very
same as he had mentioned for sub
mission to the government in general.
He repeats, substantially, the first
clause of the fourth verse, as pre
senting the proper ground for the
payment of tribute ; namely, that the
officers who had charge of this part
of the public affairs were servants of
God, men called in his providence to
this service. The service which they
rendered was for tho support of the
government, and was thus subsidiaiy
to the divine arrangement in appoint?
ing magistracy. To refuse the pay
ment of tribute would, therefore, be
to oppose a divine appointment. —
The apostle's language here, if re
garded as declarative rather than hor
tatory, would encourage those who
had always viewed the matter in this
light, wliile it would kindly correct
the error of any who might have
viewed the matter differently. —
Among the Jews, the payment of
taxes to the Romans was a continual
grievance. It was a perpetual token
of tlieir subjection to a foreign and
heathen power, and was the occasion,
on the part of daring leaders, of
resistance to the government, and
of apparently conscientious query
among the well-disposed. See Matt.
22: 17.
7 . Render therefore to all, their dues.
Having shown the grounds of obedi
ence in general to the civil authorities
and to the demand for tribute in par

ticular, he closes this topic by enjoin
ing the discharge of all dues to state
officers. Tribute; taxes. || Custom;
duties imposed by law on goods im
ported or exported. || Fear; in re
ference to judges. || Honor; in refer
ence to the higher magistrates, or to
the magistracy in general. — Compare
1 Tim. 2: 1, 2. Tit. 3:1. 1 Pet.
2: 13-17.
8, 9. The direction to pay all pub
lic officers their dues he now extends,
and makes it touch all cases of obli
gation. — Owe no man any thing, but to
love one another. Be in no man's
debt, as to any thing : with the ex
ception of one debt, or obligation,
which it is impossible should be ever
so discharged as to warrant an ex
emption from it; namely, the debt of
mutual love. Prom this we can
never be discharged ; it is perpetually
binding. The pressure of this duty
we ought ever to feel ; for in perform
ing it, we are fulfilling the law of
God ; since all the directions of his
law, pertaining to our social relations,
may be comprised in the one direc
tion, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself. Obviously, true, love to
others will prevent all those social
wrongs which the decalogue forbids,
and secure obedience to any command
which provides for the good of others.
10, Love worketh no ill to his neigh
bor. True love to one's neighbor can
not prompt injury to him, but rather
tbe opposite jood ; it is therefore the

CHAPTER XIII.

131

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to
awake out of sleep : for now is our salvation nearer than when
12 we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let
us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on
13 the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day : not
in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wanton-
14 ness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make not provision for tlie flesh, to fulfil
the lusts thereof.

fulfilling of the law, because the law
forbids all wrong doing to a neigh
bor, that is, to any other person. If,
also, a man have the spirit of love,
he has that which prompts a cheerful
obedience to all divine commands.
Christian obedience is not merely
compliance with extraneous com
mands ; it springs from the heart.
Where genuine love is the ruling
principle, obedience to the divine
will follows naturally and sponta
neously. 11. And that. An enforcement
now follows of the injunction in the
8th verse, not to leave any social
obligation undischarged, from the
consideration that we are rapidly
hastening to our complete salvation.
|| Knowing the time, etc. ; knowing
what point of time we have reached,
that it is the hour for us to be already
aroused from sloth and earnestly en
gaged in the work of the Christian
life. Compare 1 Thess. 5 : 6-9. The
Roman Christians would doubtless
feel that, in view of their obligations
and prospects, they were not half
awake and needed to be aroused from
spiritual torpor. || Salvation ; de
liverance from the annoyances and
temptations of the present state :
these were great and numerous amid
the prevailing vices of Rome and the
hostility wdiich, in various forms, tbe
Christians were compelled to encoun
ter. Salvation would also be the con
summation of their hopes in heaven.
That glorious end of the Christian
course, the apostle felt, was drawing
near to him and his fellow Christians ;

and the nearer it was, the more pre
pared for it should thoy seek to
become. 12. The night is far spent. The
whole period of the present state is
here regarded as comparatively night,
and this was to them now far ad
vanced. || The day; the state to
which the disciples of Christ were
tending, the endless day of holiness
and bliss in the Messiah's kingdom.
|| Let us therefore cast off the works if
darkness, etc. Darkness is expres
sive of ignorance and sin ,- works of
darkness are sinful deeds and indul
gences not fit to see the light. Light
is expressive of. knowledge and holi
ness ; to put on Ihe armor of lii/hf is to
bo in constant readiness for all right
eous deeds The exhortation is,
Cease from sinful indulgences and in
good earnest live righteously.
13. Let us ivalk honestly as in the
day, ete. Let us live as in broad day
light, honorably, in a manner becom
ing our Christian profession and our
avowed hopes, not in bacchanalian
revels, in licentiousness, in strife and
heart-burnings. 14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus
Christ. To put on Christ is to come
into close intimacy with Christ in our
affections and conduct, as a garment
is closely connected with its wearer,
and to make ourselves known by our
lives as those to whom Christ has
united himself and who worthily re
present his religion. In other words,
Be decidedly Christ-like in your tem
per and life ; and make no provision
for carnal indulgences.

CHAPTER XIV.
Mutual accommodation in matters which are liable to diversity of judgment, 1-23.

CHAPTER XIV.
The harmony of the Roman church
had been disturbed by questions about
the lawfulness of animal food and the
religious observance of certain days.
The Mosaic law forbade the use of
certain animals as food ; and the
Jews consequently felt bound to avoid
them, as unclean and unlawful. It
also forbade the use of blood : ani
mals, allowed for food, must be pre
pared for use in a manner that would
effectually drain their blood. Some
practices among the Gentiles in re
gard to the slaughtering of animals
and preparing them for food, naturally
deepened the Jews' abhorrence of
what they regarded as polluted, and
polluting, food. The Gentiles offered
animal sacrifices, also, to their gods,
and portions of such sacrifices were
sent to the markets for sale ; so that
purchasers were constantly liable to
buy food that had been offered up to
a heathen god. The use of such food
was regarded by many as sharing in
the guilt of idolatry. By these united
influences, it is probable that some
of the Jews had become prejudiced
against all animal food, since they
might, unconsciously, whenever they
ate it, bo partaking of food that would
defile them by its very kind, or by
the manner of its preparation, or by
its having been offered to idols ; and
when Jews of such* sentiments became
Christians, they probably retained
their conscientious scruples, and, be
sides believing that it would be wrong
in them to use animal food, objected
to its use by any Christians. The
Gentile believers, not having been
accustomed to the distinction between
clean and unclean, or lawful and pro-
(132)

hibited, in reference to food, and not
having been taught, by preachers of
the gospel, any distinction of this
kind as belonging to the Christian
religion, and being superior to any
scruples about idolatry, while con
scious of not practising, or approv
ing, it, could not sympathize with
the Jewish sentiment, and felt at
liberty to eat whatever they chose.
Doubtless, some of the Jewish believ
ers also, in accordance with the spirit
of the apostle himself, regarded the
Mosaic prohibition as no longer bind
ing and had correct ideas of Christian
liberty. The Mosaic law enjoined, also, the
observance of several days in the
course of a year, both as feasts and
as fasts ; and custom had increased
the number of such days. Some of
the converted Jews felt conscience-
bound on this point, while many of
their fellow Christians, both Jewish
and Gentile, of more comprehensive
views and untrammelled by a weak
conscience, acknowledged no such
distinction of days. Compare Gal.
4: 10. Col. 2: 16-23.
Diversity of opinion in the Roman
church, on both of these subjects, led
to mutual alienation : the unduly
scrupulous condemned those who felt
at liberty to dispense with ritual ob
servances ; the more strong-minded
held the weak in contempt. The
apostle aimed to restore harmony by
bringing the contending parties to
a spirit of mutual accommodation.
He censured each of them as wrong
in tlieir conduct towards the other,
whether in condemning or in despis
ing. But while he defended the
strong-minded against the harsh judg
ment of their weaker brethren, he wis

CHAPTER XIV.

133

1 Hra that is weak in the fsath receive ye, but not to doubt-
2 ful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all
3 things ; another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him
that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him
which eateth not, 'judge him that eateth : for God hath re-
4 ceived him. Who art thou that judgest another man's ser
vant ? to his own master he standeth or falleth : yea, he shall
5 be holden up : for God is able to make him stand. One man
esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every
day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own
6 mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the

more particularly solicitous to correct
the unfraternal feelings of the strong-
minded and to caution them against
a use of their liberty, which might be
pernicious to their brethren.
1 . Him that is weak in the faith ;
a Christian brother who is unable
to extricate himself from needless
scruples of conscience. || Receive ye,
etc. ; admit him to your Christian
regards, not to disputes about his
doubts, or about matters respecting
the allowableness of which he is not
able to satisfy himself.
2. The apostle now presents one
of the cases which had produced di
versity of opinion and conduct in the
Roman church, and in respect to
which persons who took opposite
sides equally needed advice. — One
believeth, etc. One firmly believes it
right for him to eat all kinds of food,
animal as well as vegetable : but
another who is weak-minded in regard
to ceremonial matters, and whose con
science is morbidly scrupulous, eateth
vegetable food only.
3. Directions are now given to the
two classes, represented by these two
Christians. — Let not him that eateth
despise, etc. ; let not him that eateth
all kinds of food despise him who,
through weakness of judgment and
conscience, abstains from eveiy thing
but vegetable food : on the other
hand, let not him who does not use
animal food pass judgment on him
who uses it. Por God has received
to his favor him who eateth as well 12

as him who eateth not ; being a. be
liever in Christ, he, as well as the
one of a weakly-sensitive conscience,
is admitted to favor with God.
4. The impropriety of the weak
brother's passing judgment on the
other is now exposed . — Who art thou
that judgest, etc. What right hast
thou to pass judgment on a servant
who does not belong to thee, but to
another, even to Christ ? Christ is
his Master ; and according to his
own master's judgment ho is to stand
accepted, or to fall condemned. Yea :
he shall be made to stand, since he is
a believer ; for God is able to make
him stand in Christian integrity and
in divine approval. Instead, then,
of harshly judging him that eats, re
gard him as a fellow-servant account
able to the same common Lord as
thyself. 5. The other case which had dis
turbed fraternal harmony is next
presented. — One man esteemeth one day
above another, etc. Some Jewish
Christians retained a conscientious
feeling in regard to the days appointed
by the Mosaic law for sacred observ
ances : the Gentile Christians in gen
eral, not having been accustomed to
the observance of those days, and
doubtless some Jewish Christians,
felt under no obligation to regard
them. The apostle's direction in re
gard to this matter is, that every
Christian should act according to his
own convicti 'ii of what God requires.
6. In sacredly regarding such a

134

ROMANS.

Lord : and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he
doth not regard it. He that eateth, eatetl to the Lord, for
he giveth God thanks ; and he that eateth not, to the Lord
7 he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth
8 to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we
live, we live unto the Lord ; and whethei we die, we die
unto the Lord : whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
9 Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose and re
vived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother ? or why dost thou set
at naught thy brother ? For we shall all stand before the judg-
1 1 ment-seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the
Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall

day a Christian may act piously, and
in declining to regard it, another
Christian may act piously, with a
¦a sincere intent to please the Lord in
'his employment of time. ^He that
regardeth the rfay/etc. ; he that regard
eth the day regards it out of respect
to the Lord's will; and he that re
gards it not, ho too, in like manner,
declines to regard it out of respect to
tho Lord's will. The same truly
religious motive may actuate one in
observing the day, and the other in
not observing it : both may equally
cherish a pious regard to the will of
the Lord. — The apostle now returns
to the case of food as coming under
the same rule, and as the two cases
are alike in the principle which should
regulate a Christian's conduct, he
¦speaks in the subsequent verses only
iof the question pertaining to food.
'|| He that eatdh, eateth to the Lord, etc.
Ho that eateth animal food, as well
¦as vegetable, eateth it with a religious
acknowledgment of the Lord ; for he
ithanks God who has appointed it for
man's use : on the other hand, he
who doth not eat it declines to use it
out of regard, in like manner, to his
convictions of the Lord's will, and
religiously thanks God for the pro
vision which he has made for man's
necessities. Both the one and tiie
other have a regard to the Lord's
will.

7, 8. For none of us liveth to him
self, etc. This regard to the will of
Christ in whatever we do is eminently
propar ; for we are not our own, we
belong to Christ : by the fact of our
being Christians, no one of us lives,
or dies, as being his own, but as be
longing to Christ, both in living and
in dying ; that is, in the whole of our
existence, whether in this world or
the other, we belong to Christ.
9. For to this end Christ both died,
and rose, etc. Christ is the Lord of
Christians, both the dead and the
living; and it was in order that he
might become such, that he died and
rose again.
10. Since, then, Christ is the com
mon Lord of all Christians, and as
such, is to be our Judge, let both the
weak-minded and the strong-minded
take caution. — Why dost thou judge —
why dost thou set at naught? Why
dost thou, who scrupulously ab-
stainest from animal food, condemn
thy brother? or, why, on the other
hand, dost thou, who eatest animal
food , despise thy brother 1 See verse
3. Por we are all to stand at the
tribunal of Chi-ist. See 2 : 16. 2
Cor. 5:10. John 5: 22,27. Matt.
25 : 31-46.
11. For it is written: Is. 45 : 23,
The idea of the quoted passage is,
that every one shall bow before- God,
the sovereign Judge.

CHAPTER XIV.

135

12 confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account
13 of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another
any more : but judge this rather, that no man put a stum-
14 bling-block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I
know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is
nothing unclean of ftself : but to him that esteemeth any
15 thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother
be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.
16 Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let
17 not then your good be evil spoken of: for the kingdom of
God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy

12. So then every one of us shall
live account., etc. It follows, then,
tiat every one of us is to give account
of himself to God : no one can avoid
giving this account ; no one will give
account for another, but each for
himself. 13. Let us not therefore judge one
another, etc. Since, then, each one is
to give account of himself, let us not
pass judgment on one another ; but
decide, rather, not to put any hin
drance, or any occasion of sin, in our
brother's way.
14. / know, etc. As strengthen
ing the determination not to put any
occasion of sin in a brother's way,
the apostle avows his own clear con
viction, which, he was fully persuaded,
was according to the mind of Christ,
that no article of food is unclean in
itself, or capable of defiling the soul,
Mark 7:15. Acts 10: 15; yet, if a
person honestly regard it as unclean,
that is, forbidden and unlawful, to
hira it is unclean, and it would be
wrong for him to use it, because by
so doing he would violate his con
science and thus contract guilt : con
sequently, we ought to avoid occa
sions o' leading him thus to sin.
15. The case being so, Christian
love requires a person to abstain from
such an article of food who might inno
cently use it so far as himself alone is
concerned, but who by using it might
endanger another's integrity and sal
vation.— T.f thy brother be grieved with

thy meat, etc. If on account of food
used by thee thy Christian brother is
aggrieved, thou dost not act charita
bly ; that is, according to love. —
|| Destroy not, etc. ; do not cause to
perish. Compare 1 Cor. 8:11. Be
not accessory, by thy food, which
pertains merely to the perishable body
and to brief gratification, and is hence
of very small consideration, to the
perdition of him whom Christ so
loved as to die for his sake. — The
natural consequence of sin is here
had in view, the loss of the soul.
Sin, whether in a believer or an un
believer, exposes to perdition ; it
is only by abiding in holiness that we
can be saved. Heb. 4: 1. 12: 14,
Col. 1 : 22, 23.
16. Let not then your good be evil
spoken of. Let not that which you
justly esteem so. great a good, namely,
your Christian freedom from the
yoke of the Mosaic law, be reviled in
consequence of the mischiefs which
would result from an undue assertion
and indulgence of it ; rather be will
ing to waive your right and prefer a
brother's peace of conscience to your
own gratification. The reason for
this immediately follows; namely,
true piety consists in other things
than carefulness, on one side or on
the other, about food.
17. For the kingdom of God, etc.
Por the religion of Clirist, designed
to establish the reign of God in men's
souls, that is- to say, genuine piety,

136

ROMANS.

18 in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth
Christ, is acceptable to God, and appro\ ed of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for
20 peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For
meat destroy not the work of God. All things, indeed, are
pure : but it is evil for that man "who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine, nor any thing
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made
22 weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God.
Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which

does not consist in food and drink, as
though a man's piety depended on
what he eats or declines to eat ; but
in righteousness of heart and life, in
peace towards God and men, and in
spiritual joy, such joy of soul as the
Holy Spirit produces.
18. For he that in these things serv
eth Christ, etc. The sure way to
commend your Christian liberty is, to
act as servants of Christ in these
things which constitute the reign of
God in the heart. He that serves
Christ in these things, namely, right
eousness, peace, and spiritual joy ; he,
who in his professed subjection to
Christ exemplifies these things, will
be acceptable to God and approved
among men, and even among those
who are weak in their consciences.
1 9 . Things wherewith one may edify
another; things conducive to our
mutual building up in the Christian
faith. 20. For meat; for so small a con
sideration as the kind of food which
thou shalt eat. || Destroy not ; liter
ally, pull not down. || The work of
God. This may mean the work
which God is effecting among men in
establishing righteousness ; that is,
the cause of God on earth : or, since
Christians are called, 1 Cor. 3 : 9,
compare 3: 16, God's building, refer
ence may be made to the Christian
community, or to the church of which
the parties concerned were members,
viewed as a building. The idea here
contrasts well witll that in the pre

ceding verse: the exhortation there
is, to build up one another ; here, not
to pull down the work of God. || AU
things indeed are pure, etc. All kinds
of food are indeed pure in themseh es
(compare verse 14), not communicat
ing moral defilement, and therefore
lawful to be used; yet to a person
who eats with offence, that is, thereby
occasioning another to commit sin,
the eating is wrong. Compare 1
Cor. 8 : 8-11.
21. /( is good neither to eat flesh,
etc. On tho other hand, though a
person might use whatever articles of
food he chooses without incurring
guilt to himself, yet to abstain from
such articles when the use of them
would occasion sin to another, is good
and right. || Thy brother stumbleth , or
is offended, etc. ; falls into sin, or is
led astray, or in respect to which his
conscience is weak. — Prom regard to
the weak conscience of another and
the danger of his being led into acts
which in him would be sinful, it is
good for a person to deny himself
what in other circumstances he might
rightfully enjoy. Compare 1 Cor.
8 : 13. 'lu: 29.
22. Hi ist thou faith, etc. More
properly, Ti ou hast faith; that is,
thou, tbe strong-minded Christian,
hast a full belief that what thou doest
is right. Very well ; make not this
belief, however, the standard by
which others must judge in regard
to themseh cs. This belief of thine
should be held as a matter between

CHAPTER XV.

137

23 he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat,
because he eateth not of faith : for whatsoever is not of faith

CHAPTER, XV.

If utual accommodation Btill further encouraged, 1-7. Christ, the hestower of blessings on
Jews and Gentiles in common, 8-13. Apology for writing with so much boldness, 14-20.
Proposal to visit the lloman brethren, after having fulfilled the trust of conveying to
Jerusalem a pecuniary contribution for the indigent Christians of that city, 21-29. Be
speaking of their prayers in reference to his journey to Jerusalem, 30-33.

1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of
2 the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us
3 please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even
Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The re-

God and thee, and not as embolden
ing thee to disregard the moral weak
ness of thy brother. || Happy is he
that condemneth not himself, etc. Justly
may the man account himself hap
py, who is free from self-condemna
tion in the acts which he approves.
23. And he that douhteth, etc.; but
he, who doubts the rightfulness of
eating flesh, is condemned if he cat it ;
because his act would not proceed
from a belief that it was right : he
ate, while conscientiously doubting
whether he was doing right; and
every act which does not proceed
from a belief that it is right, is sinful ;
it is doing what the person suspects,
at least, to be wrong, and thus his
conscience is really defiled.
CHAPTER XV.
The subject of the preceding chap
ter is concluded ; vs. 1-13. The
apostle expresses his great regard for
the Roman Christians, notwithstand
ing the boldness rith which he had
12*

written to them, 14-16; gives a cur
sory view of his apostolic labors,
17-21 ; makes known his purpose of
visiting Rome after he shall have
conveyed to Jerusalem a contribution
with which he had been entrusted for
the indigent Christians there, 22-29 ;
and requests a remembrance in their
prayers, expressing also his interest
in their welfare, 30-33.
1 . We then that are strong, etc. ;
we, who have strength of judg
ment and conscience ought to bear
with the weaknesses of our brethren,
and not to please ourselves in disre
gard of their scruples. Compare
Gal. 6 : 2.
2. Let every one of us please his
neighbor, etc. Instead of pleasing
himself, each one of us should aim to
please his brethren with the design of
advancing theh spiritual improve
ment. 3. For even Christ pleased not him
self etc. The example of Christ is
produced, to enforce the exhortation :
he submitted to reproach and suffer-

138

ROMANS.

4 proaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me. For
whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for
our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
5 scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and
consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another,
6 according to Christ Jesus : that ye may with one mind and
one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
7 Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also
received us to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circum
cision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto
9 the fathers : and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his
mercy : as it is written, For this cause I will confess to
10 thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And
11 again he saith : Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And
again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles ; and laud him, all
12 ye people. And again Esaias saith; There shall be a root
of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles ;
in him shall the Gentiles trust.

mg for the sake of God and his cause
among men. || As it is written : Ps.
69 : 9. Compare Phil. 2 : 4, 5.
4. Whatsoever things were written
aforetime; things written in the Old
Testament. |[ For our learning, etc. ;
for our instruction ; that we, through
the patience which the scriptures
enjoin and the consolation which they
impart, might have well grounded
and confirmed hope of eternal life.
5, 6. As a fit conclusion to his
treatment of the mutual disagree
ments among the members of the
Boman church, the apostle expresses
the wish that God may bestow on
them the spirit of concord, that with
unity of feeling they may glorify God.
The God of patience and consolation ;
the God who bestows patience and
consolation, as mentioned in the pre
ceding verse. || According to Christ
Jesus ; according to the will of Christ
and to his example.
7. Wherefore receive ye one another,
etc. ; receive one another to mutual
kind regards, an Clirist has received
us into his favor and thus secured
glory to God.

8, 9. Now I say, etc. He now
finishes this discussion about the mat
ters in controversy, by affirming that
Jesus Christ became a minister of
good both to Jews and Gentiles, in
order to confirm the veracity of God
in his promises to the patriarchs and
in his predicted purpose to show mercy
to the Gentiles, that they, too, might
glorify God. || Was a minister of
the circumcision. Here, as in 3 : 30,
the circumcision designates the Jews
distinctively. — A minister is one min
istering to the good of others, render
ing them service. Christ is here
represented as one who took on him
service for the Jews in accordance
with the promises of God, thus acting
for the truth of God, establishing his
veracity. || And that the Gentiles, etc.
He became, also, the medium of
mercy to the Gentiles. The apostle
may have designed here to awaken
the sentiment that both Jews and
Gentiles, believing in Christ, form
one body and ought to cherish har
mony ; and that Christ, having come
to minister to their common good, is
an example which should prompt

CHAPTER XV.

139

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power
of the Holy Ghost.
14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that
ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able
15 also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I
have written the more boldly unto you, in some sort, as put
ting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me
16 of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the
Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up
of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the
17 Holy Ghost. I have therefore whereof I may glory through

them to minister to one another's
good. Compare Luke 22 : 27. Matt.
20: 28. || As it is written. The
purpose of God to bless the Gentiles
is shown by several quotations from
the Old Testament; namely, Ps. 18 :
49. Deut. 32:43. Ps. 117:1. Is.
11 : 10.
13. Now the God of hope ; the
God from whom comes our hope of
eternal life. || In believing ; in believ
ing on Christ. || Through the power
of the Holy Ghost. The joy and
peace, here prayed for, are imparted
through the power of the Holy Spirit
and render the hope, already cher
ished, more abundant and firm.
14-16. The apostle now forestalls
any injurious misapprehensions which
might be occasioned by the freeness
with which he had written ; he there
fore avows his high estimate of the
Roman brethren, and traces his bold
ness, (though he wishes to be con
sidered as, in part, reminding them
of what they already knew and, were
disposed to perform,) to his bearing
the office and responsibility of an
apostle. — And I myself also am per
suaded of you, etc. ; more correctly,
But I myself, etc. : notwitlTstanding
my counsels to you, I am persuaded
of your kind and conciliatory spirit
and your ample knowledge of the
gospel. Compare 1: 8, 12.
15. The more boldly ; more boldly

than would seem consistent with my
avowed persuasion of your goodness
and knowledge. || In some sort, as,
etc. ; in part, as reminding you of
what you already know. || Because
of the grace that is given to me, etc.
The real cause of his boldness iu
addressing them was, that God had
by his grace invested him with the
responsibility of an apostle. Com
pare 1:5. 12 : 3. It was neither
through lack of confidence in his
brethren, nor through assumption of
authority, that he wrote with so much
freedom. 16. That I should be the minister
of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, etc.
The original terms here employed are
quite peculiar: they describe the
apostle's work as a priestly service
rendered to Christ in reference to the
Gentiles, in which he officiated by
making known to them the gospel,
in order that they might become an
offering to God, acceptable to him,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit. — In
other words, he had been divinely
called to the apostleship among the
Gentiles in order that they might par
take of the influences and blessings of
the gospel and become au accepted
and holy people of God.
17-21. In view of the appoint
ment to the apostleship among the
Gentiles, he had great cause for re
joicing, since Christ had accomplished
much by him in respect to the con-

140

ROMANS.

18 Jesus Crrist, in those things which pertain to God. For I
will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ
hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by
19 word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the
power of the Spirit of God ; so that from Jerusalem and
round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel
20 of Christ. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not
where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another
21 man's foundation : but as it is written, To whom he was not
spoken of, they shall see : and they that have not heard shall
understand.

version of the Gentiles, particularly
those to whom Christ was before un
known. — / have dierefore whereof I
may glory, etc. : I have therefore a
ground for glorying in Christ Jesus ;
that is, in my connection with Christ,
as being his agent in promoting the
cause of God.
1 8. For I will not dare to speak of
any of those things which Christ hath
noi wrought by me, etc. Compare 2
Cor. 10: 13— i6. This avowal of un
willingness to mention any thing
which Clirist had not effected through
him, virtually contains the idea that
Christ had wrought much through
him. He may be considered as say
ing, I will not venture to say a word
about things which Christ has not
accomplished by me ; for I should,
indeed, regard this as arrogance; but
I may venture to speak of what ho
has accomplished by me, in making
the Gentiles obedient to the gospel.
|| By word and deed; by speech and
act, by making known the gospel and
performing deeds in confirmation of
it. — The means employed for the
conversion of the Gentiles are here
intimated ; namely, the preaching of
the gospel and the miraculous deeds
which attested its divine authority.
19. Through mighty signs and won
ders ; literally, by the power of signs
and wonders, the miracles wrought by
the apostle. Conpare Acts 16 : 16,
18. 19 : 11, 12. I| By the power of
(he Spirit of God. The preaching of

the gospel and the working of mira
cles were made effectual by the Spirit
of God. Thus while glorying, the
apostle took no honor to himself: it
was Christ who wrought through
him ; his labors were made effectual
by the Holy Spirit. Compare 1 Cor.
3 : 5-9. 4 : 6, 7. || -So that from
Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum,
etc. The extent of territory over
which his labors were spread, fur
nished ground, also, for glorying in
his relation to Christ ; namely, from
Jerusalem and round about (perhaps,
in the expression, round about, he
meant to include Arabia, Gal. 1:17,
and Damascus, Acts 9 : 22) to Illy
ricum, a country of Europe on the
north-east shore of the Hadriatic Sea.
A mere glance at a map shows how
extensive were his travels in preach
ing the gospel and planting churches.
|| / have fully preached, etc. The idea
is, that he had preached through all
that extent of territoiy, thus giving
completeness in all those regions to
his official work.
20, 21. Yea, so have I strived, etc.
He here intimates a limitation in re
gard to the places where he had
preached : "though he had travelled
so extensively, yet it had been his
aim to spread the gospel, not where
it had already been made known, but
where Christ had not been named,
thus acting in harmony with the pro
phetic declaration, in Is. 52 : 15, that
knowledge of Christ was to be dif-

CHAPTER XV.

141

22 Fok which cause also I have been much hindered from
23 coming to you. But now having no more place in these
parts, and having a great desire these many years to come
24 unto you, whensoever I take my journey into Spain I will
come to you ; for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be
brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be soine-
25 what filled with your company. But now I go unto Jerusa-
2G lem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them
of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for
27 the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased
them verily ; and their debtors they are. For if the Gen
tiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their
28 duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When

fused among those who had not heard
of him. — The planting of the gospel
in the dark regions of idolatry and
superstition was a favorite object with
the apostle and was in literal accord
ance with his commission from Christ.
See Acts 26: 16-18.
22-29. Tho apostle expresses his
desire to visit the Roman brethren. —
For which cause ; namely, the inces
sant demand for his labors in the
regions which he had indicated in
verse 19. || Much hindered; more
coirectly, many times, or many years,
hindered. 23. Having no more place in these
parts ; having no longer a place for
laboring, or an occasion for laboring,
in these regions, since throughout
them the gospel has been made
known. 24. Whensoever, etc. He cher
ished the purpose of extending his
labors as far as to Spain, and was
intending, when he should under
take this contemplated tour, to pass
through Rome and visit the brethren
there. || And to be brought on my way.
It was customary, when a person was
setting out on a journey, or re-com
mencing it after tarrying awhile at
a place, for particular friends to ac
company him a short distance. —
Hence the expression, to be brought on
the way, or, literally, to be sent forward.
Compare Acts 5": 3. 20:38. 21:

5. 3 John, verse 6. || If first 1 be
somewhat filled with your company.
His regard for the Roman brethren
made him anticipate much enjoyment
in his visit to them ; but a full satis
faction of his desires he could not
promise himself : his purpose to pros
ecute his official labors would allow
hiin to gratify his desires only in
part. 25. But now I go unto Jerusalem,
etc. Compare Acts 24 : 17. He was
the bearer of a contribution made for
the indigent Christian Jews in Jerusa
lem. 26, 27. And their debtors they are.
The Gentile Christians in Macedonia
and Achaia were pleased to make this
contribution for the poor among the
Jewish Christians in Jerusalem ; but,
besides that, the apostle represents, it
was a matter of duty : thoy were
under obligations to Jews, and they
might well feel it their duty to impart
worldly good in return for the spir
itual blessings which had flowed to
them from the Jews. — By this sug
gestion, the apostle probably aimed
to promote kind feeling between the
Gentile and the Jewish members of
the Roman church, and perhaps to
secure additional aid for the suffering
poor in Jerusalem.
28. Performed this ; completed this
business. || Sealed to them this fruit ;
delivered over, and thus made sure, to

142

ROMANS.

29

30

31

32
33

therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them
this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. And I am sure
that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the
blessing of the gospel of Christ.
Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's
sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together
with me in your prayers to God for me ; that I may be
delivered from them that do not believe in Judea ; and that
my service which / have for Jerusalem may be accepted of
the saints ; that I may come unto you with joy by the will
of God, and may with you be refreshed. Now the God of
peace be with you all. Amen.

them this fruit of the Gentile Chris
tians' bounty. || 2" will come by you
into Spain. Whether the apostle was
ever able to accomplish this purpose
is doubtful. The New Testament
makes no mention of an actual jour
ney to Spain ; and the entire derange
ment of his plans, consequent on the
opposition with which the uncon
verted Jews assailed him on his ar
rival at Jerusalem, Acts 21 : 17, 27,
might have frustrated his purpose.
When he went to Rome, it was not
only as a prisoner, but also after many
delays, occasioned both by Jews and
by Roman magistrates ; so that cir
cumstances took an entirely different
turn from that which he was antici
pating. 29. I shall come in the fulness of
the blessing, etc. Compare 1: 11, 12.
30-32. In view of the hazards of
his visit to Jerusalem, he requests the
intercession of the brethren at Rome.
For the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, etc. ;
by a regard for the Lord Jesus Christ,
and by the brotherly love which the
Holy Spirit has imparted.
31. That I mag be delivered, etc.
He was aware of the determined hos

tility felt towards him by the uncon
verted Jews in Jerusalem. See Acts
20:22,23. 21:10-13. \\ And that
my service, etc. ; that my service in
conveying the contribution, verse 25,
may be accepted of the Jewish Chris
tians. — He knew that many of the
Jewish Christians were unfavorably
affected towards him, Acts 21: 17-21,
and therefore feared that a contribu
tion brought by him, and from the
Gentile Christians who were so favor
able to him, might not be welcomed.
The visit to Jerusalem,- now just about
to be made by the apostle, proved the
occasion of those trying scenes which
are recorded in Acts, commencing at
21 : 17 and occupying the remainder
of that book.
33. The God of peace. The
thought of God as the author :i
peace was quite appropriate in view
of the disagreements which the apos
tle had been seeking to remove. The
expression, however, was a frequent
one ; and probably designated God
as the author of all good. See Phil.
4:9. 1 Thess. 5 : 23. 2 Thess. 3 .
16. Heb. 13 : 20.

CHAPTER XVI.

Commendation cf Phebe and closing salutations to numerous individuals at fiome, 1-16.
Exhortation to b? on their guard against false teachers, 17-20. Salutations rom various
persons to the Romans, 21-24. Closing commendation of the Romans to God, with
ascription of praise to him, 25-27.

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant
of the church which is at Cenchrea : that ye receive her in
the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in what
soever business she hath need of you : for she hath been a
succorer of many, and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and
Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus : who have for my life
laid down their own necks : unto whom not only I give
thanks, h'lt also all the churches of the Gentiles : likewise
greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-
beloved Epenetus, who is the first-fruits of Achaia unto

CHAPTER XVI.
Commendation of Phebe, probably
the bearer of the epistle, vs. 1, 2.
Salutations to various Christians in
Rome, 3-16 ; exhortation to avoid
men who occasion dissensions, 17-20.
Salutations from various individuals,
21-24 ; closing ascription of glory to
God, 25-27.
1. Phebe, our sister ; our Christian
sister. || A servant of the church ;
probably in conformity with the orig
inal term, a deaconess of the church.
It is generally believed that, on ac
count ol the customs of society, cer
tain females in churches were ap
pointed to the care of the poor and
sick of their own sex, holding a rela
tion to the female members of the
church similar to that of deacons to
the entire church. || Cenchrea ; one
of the sea-ports of Corinth. — Corinth
was an inland city on an isthmus,
and had communication with the sea
by two sea-ports, one towards Europe,
tiie other towards Asia. Cenchrea

was the lattet-, a few miles distant
from Corinth.
2. In the Lord, as becometh saints ;
agreeably to the will of the Loid, as
it becomes Christians to receive their
fellow disciples.
3, 4. Priscilla and Aquila. See
Acts 18: 2, 3, 18. 1 Cor. 16: 19.
|| Who have for my life, etc. On what
occasions they exposed their lives for
the apostle, we arc not informed.
|| ¦ All the churches of the Gentiles.
Priscilla and Aquila seem to have
travelled, for purposes of traffic, over
various regions, and to have had a
temporary abode in various cities
They were thus able to confer benefits
ou many churches, probably, by hold
ing religious assemblies at their resi
dences, as well as in other ways;
thus, too, Christians from various
regions, while in the same cities with
them, were favored with religious
privileges. Generally speaking, then,
all the churches of the Gentiles had
ground for gratitude to them.
5. The church that is in their house.
(143)

144

ROMANS.

6 Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labor on us.
7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow
prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were
8 in Christ before me. Greet Amplias, my beloved m the
9 Lord. Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my
10 beloved. Salute Apelles, approved in Christ. Salute them
11 which are of Aristobulus' household. Salute Herodion my
kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus,
12 which are in the Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa,
who labor in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which
13 labored much in the Lord. Salute Rufus, chosen in the
1 1 Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon,
Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with
15 them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister,
16 and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. Salute
one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute
you.

As Aquila and Priscilla had a tem
porary abode in various cities, they
were, probably, in the habit of ac
commodating in their houses small
assemblies of Christians for worship.
Such assemblies appear to have been
denominated churches, in accordance
with the etymological meaning of the
word church in the original, namely,
an assembly, or company, of persons
called together. Compare 1 Cor. 16:
19, 20, where such a company, or
church, is expressly distinguished
from the entire church, or all the
brethren, in the city spoken of. —
|| Epenetus, who is the first-fruits of
Achaia un'o Christ. In 1 Cor. 16:
15, the family of Stephanas is called
the first-fruits of Achaia. This term,
however, was not intended to distin
guish an individual, or a family, as
tho very first that adopted the religion
of Christ in Achaia : it designated
those who were the earliest converts
to Christ in that province. To this
number Epenetus belonged, as well
as the family of Stephanas.
6. Who b stowed much labor on us ;
who exerted herself much in our
behalf. 7. Junia. It is uncertain in the

original, whether Junia, or Junias,
is the right name; consequently,
whether a Christian brother, or a sis
ter, is intended. || My kinsmen; prob
ably, by family relation. || My fellow
prisoners. Where and on what occa
sion Andronicus and Junia shared a
prison with the apostle is unknown.
10. Approved in Christ; a tried
and approved Christian.
13. Rufus. Whether he was the
son of Simon the Cyrenian, men
tioned in Mark 15 : 21, as some sup
pose, is uncertain, since the name
Rufus was very common. || Chosen
in the Lord ; a choice, beloved Chris
tian. |[ His mother and mine ; Rufus's
own mother. She bad, also, greatly
endeared herself to the apostle by
affection and care for him like a
mother's. 16. Salute one another with a holy
kiss. Compare 1 Cor. 16-20 2
Cor. 13:12. 1 Thess. 5 : 26 1 Pet
5 : 14. This token of mutual reli
gious affection was common amono-
the earhest Christians. In ordinary
hfe among the Jews, Greeks, and
Romans, salutation was accompanied
with a kiss ; and the custom naturallv
passed into the usages of Christians

CHAPTER XVI.

145

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have
18 learned ; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not
our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly ; and by good
words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad
therefore on your behalf : but yet I would have you wise
20 unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And
the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

After the apostles' times, it was made
a matter of ecclesiastical regulation
and continued for several centuries.
17-20. The apostle cautions the
Romans against certain men who
were opposing the genuine doctrine
of the gospel, creating dissensions
and occasions of sin among Chris
tians. He probably meant the zealous
Judaizers who had done so much
mischief among the Galatians, Gal.
1 : 6-9. 3:1. 4: 16, 17. 5: 12.
6 : 12, 13, and against whom he af
terwards warned the Philippians,
Phil. 3 : 2, 3. Whether or not such
persons had yet attempted to alienate
the Romans from the true faith, it
was still necessary to put the Roman
brethren on their guard. — Mark ;
carefully notice. || Offences ; occa
sions of stumbling, both as to the
doctrine of the gospel and as to the
conduct which it enjoins.
1 8. They that are such serve not our
Lord Jesus Christ, but, etc.; they serve
not Christ, but themselves, bent only
on procuring a subsistence and low
gratifications. || The simple; the un
suspecting. 19. For your obedience is come
abroad unto all men. Compare 1:8.
The obedience to the gospel for
which the Romans had become every
where distinguished, was a reason
why they should avoid men who
would sow dissensions among them
and thus impair the church's influence.
Should they come under the power
of false teachers, the reputation which 13

they had every where enjoyed, as in
telligent and established Christians,
would not only be endangered, but
might operate to the strengthening of
error. || / am glad thei-efore on your
behalf. I rejoice on account of your
obedience to the gospel, and the con
sequent ground of hope that you will
be steadfast in adhering to it. || But
yet. I would have you wise — and simple,
etc. But while I rejoice in your
obedience to the gospel, I yet wish,
since insinuating false teachers are
abroad, that you may be sagacious
and wary as to what is good, shrewdly
discriminating it from evil, and sim
ple-minded as to what is evil, feeling
no tendency towards it, instinctively
repelling it. — The word here trans
lated simple is the same as is trans
lated harmless in Matt. 10 : 16 ; and
our Lord's direction in that verse,
Be ye wise as serpents, harmless as
doves, may illustrate the apostle's
meaning. He may be considered as
saying, I wish you, concerning what
is good, to be wary and shrewd ; con
cerning what is evil, to be simple and
harmless, as doves. Compare 1 Cor.
14: 20. 2 Cor. 11 : 3.
20. And the God of peace shall
bruise Satan, etc. God who is the
author of peace, 15 : 33. 1 Cor. 14:
33, shall give you the victory over
Satan, who is the author of dissen
sions. — In the expression, God shall
bruise Satan under your feet, allusion
is made to the ancient practice of
treading down conquered enemies, or

146

ROMANS.

21 Timotheus, my work-fellow, and Lucius, and Jfson, and
22 Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. I Tertius, who wrote
23 this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, and
of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain
24 of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to
my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since
the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the scrip
tures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the

25

2G

putting the foot on their necks. See
Josh. 10: 24. Compare Gen. 3 : 15.
21-23. Salutations from persons
who were with the apostle at the time
of sending this epistle. — Timotheus.
Acts 16 : 1-3. || Lucius. Acts 13 :
1. || Jason. Acts 17: 5. || Sosipa
ter; probably the same as Sopater.
Acts 20 : 4. '
22. /, Tertius, who wrote this epis
tle, etc. Tertius was the apostle's
amanuensis, or scribe, in writing this
epistle. It was the apostle's ordinary
practice to employ a scribe, though
he wrote the salutation at the end
himself. In one case he wrote the
entire epistle with his own hand.
Compare Gal. 6 : 11. 1 Cor. 16 : 21.
Col. 4: 18. 2 Thess. 3: 17. || In
the Lord ; as a disciple of Christ.
23. Gaius, mine host and of the
whole church. See 1 Cor. 1 : 14. He
was in the habit of showing hospi
tality to Christians from all quarters.
24. Erastus, the chamberlain, etc. ;
more correctly, the treasurer of the
city of Corinth ; perhaps the person
mentioned in 2 Tim. 4 : 20. || Quar
tus, a brother ; a Christian brother.
25-27. The epistle concludes with-
an ascription of praise to God. — To
him who is of power to stablish you,
etc.; to him who is able to establish
you ill faith. Compare 1 Cor. 1 : 8.
2 Cor. 1 : 21 . || According to my gos
pd; according to the gospel which I
preach ; or, the gospel as I preach it.
Compare 2: 16. Perhaps the apos

tle intended to distinguish his gospel
from the erroneous views of the
Judaizing teachers. - || And the preach
ing of Jesus Christ ; even the preach
ing which Clirist himself has en
joined ; in other words, the genuine
doctrine of Christ. || According to the
revelation of the mystery. ' The mystery
here is the undisclosed purpose of God
to save men through faith in Christ.
See Eph. 3 : 4-6, 9. Col. 1 : 26.
2:2. 4:3. Compare the note on
11 : 25. By the gospel that secret
purpose has become disclosed, and
thus the gospel is the revelation of
that mystery. II Which was kept
secret, etc. ; which was kept in silence
through all the ancient times preced
ing the comiug of Christ.
26. But now is made manifest;
now, in these times, since Christ has
come, the purpose of God is made
manifest. Col. 1 : 27. || And by the
scriptures of the prophets, etc. ; and,
by means of the prophetic scriptures
which predicted the gospel (1 ¦ 2)
and which are now fulfilled, this par-
pose of God is made known, pub
lished abroad, agreeably to the com
mand of the eternal God. among all
nations, in order to ma.ee them obedi
ent to the requisition of faith in
Christ (I: 5) —The apostles con
stantly appealed to the writings of
the Old Testament in confirmation
of their instructions ; and it was by
means of these scriptures that convic
tion of the truth as to the Messiah-

CHAPTER XVI.

147

27 of ? 1-titin^G°d' made known t0 aI1 nations for the obedience
01 laitli : To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ
forever. Amen.

rfX /r1' and the validity of his
claim to be accepted as the Son of
„c?^WT Froduced.-The apostles
acted, also under the command of
the eternal God. See Acts 4- 19
5: 19, 20. 13: 47. I Tim. 1 : 1.
lit. 1 : 3. The epithet everlastinq
more properly eternal, is here of spe
cial significance ; since it is He who
sees the end from the beginning, by
whose arrangement the method' of
mercy was so long kept concealed, and
who in the fulness of time brought
about the disclosure. The apostles
who proclaimed it acted by his com
mand, as really as the prophets who
predicted the Messiah ; and the gos
pel is the promulgation of his eternal
purpose of mercy carried into effect
by Jesus Christ.
27. To God, only wise, etc. ; to the
only wise God, etc. This verse is to
be connected with the 25th; thus,
To him who is able to establish you
.... to the only wise God, etc.
God only is independently wise, wise
in himself : compared with him, too,
no being has wisdom. Compare
Job. 4:18 — A reader of the original
perceives a peculiarity in the language
of this doxology : and diverse modes
of accounting for it are adopted. —
Some suppose that the clause, through
Jesus Christ, should be connected with

the clause, the only wise God, convey
ing the idea that the wisdom of
God is eminently displayed through
Christ. Eph. 3: 10, 11. The rela
tive pronoun, occurring here, in the
original, is also regarded by some as
used instead of the personal pronoun.
It has also been thought, that, by
means of the relative pronoun, Clirist
is the designed object of the ascrip
tion, the reader's mind being left to
supply the omission thus occasioned
in the former part of the sentence.

The subscription usually attached
to this epistle, stating that it was sent
from Corinth, and that it was con
veyed by Phebe of Cenchrea, though
probably correct, was appended long
after the apostle's time. In like man
ner, the subscriptions to the other
epistles did not proceed from the
apostle. " Some of them," as Home
observes in his Introduction to the
Scriptures, vol. II. pp. 154, 155,
" are beyond all doubt false. . . .
They are altogether wanting in some
ancient manuscripts of the best note,
while in others they are greatly varied.
. . . According to Dr. Mill, they
were added by Euthalius, bishop of
Sulca in Egypt, about the middle of
the fifth century."

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