Romans 14 is designed to settle some difficult and delicate questions that could not but arise between the Jews and Gentiles respecting food and the observance of particular days, rites, etc. The “occasions” of these questions were these: The converts to Christianity were from both Jews and Gentiles... [ Continue Reading ]
HIM THAT IS WEAK - The design here is to induce Christians to receive to their fellowship those who had scruples about the propriety of certain things, or that might have special prejudices and feelings as the result of education or former habits of belief. The apostle, therefore, begins by admittin... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ONE BELIEVETH - This was the case with the Gentiles in general, who had none of the scruples of the Jew about the propriety of eating certain kinds of meat. Many of the converts who had been Jews might also have had the same view as the apostle Paul evidently had while the great mass of Jewish c... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT HIM THAT EATETH - That is, he who has no scruples about eating “meat,” etc., who is not restrained by the Law of the Jews respecting the Clean and unclean, or by the fact that meat “may” have been offered to idols. DESPISE HIM - Hold him in contempt, as being unnecessarily scrupulous, etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO ART THOU ... - That is, who gave you this right to sit in judgment on others; compare Luke 12:14. There is reference here particularly to the “Jew,” who on account of his ancient privileges, and because he had the Law of God, would assume the prerogative of “judging” in the case, and insist on c... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE MAN ESTEEMETH - Greek “judgeth” κρίνει krinei. The word is here properly translated “esteemeth;” compare Acts 13:46; Acts 16:15. The word originally has the idea of “separating,” and then “discerning,” in the act of judging. The expression means that one would set a higher value on one day than... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT REGARDETH - Greek, “Thinketh of;” or pays attention to; that is, he that “observes” it as a festival, or as holy time. THE DAY - Any of the days under discussion; the days that the Jews kept as religious occasions. REGARDETH UNTO THE LORD - Regards it as “holy,” or as set apart to the serv... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR NONE OF US ... - Whether by nature Jews or Gentiles. In the great principles of religion we are now united. Where there was evidence of a sincere desire to do the will of God there should be charitable feeling, through there was difference of opinion and judgment in many smaller matters. The mea... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHETHER WE LIVE - As long as we live. WE LIVE UNTO THE LORD - We live to do his will, and to promote his glory. This is the grand purpose of the life of the Christian. Other people live to gratify themselves; the Christian to do those things which the Lord requires. By “the Lord” here the apost... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR TO THIS END - For this purpose or design. The apostle does not say that this was the “only” design of his death, but that it was a main purpose, or an object which he had distinctly in view. This declaration is introduced in order to confirm what he had said in the previous verse, that in all ci... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHY ... - Since we are all subjects and servants alike, and must all stand at the same tribunal, what right have we to sit in judgment on others? THOU JUDGE - Thou who art a “Jewish” convert, why dost thou attempt to arraign the “Gentile” disciple, as if he had violated a law of God? compare Ro... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS WRITTEN - This passage is recorded in Isaiah 45:23. It is not quoted literally, but the sense is preserved. In Isaiah there can be no doubt that it refers to Yahweh. The speaker expressly calls himself Yahweh, the name which is appropriate to God alone, and which is never applied to a crea... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN - Wherefore; or according to the doctrine of the Old Testament. EVERY ONE OF US - That is, every Christian; for the connection requires us to understand the argument only of Christians. At the same time it is a truth abundantly revealed elsewhere, that “all men” shall give account of their... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US NOT THEREFORE JUDGE ... - Since we are to give account of ourselves at the same tribunal; since we must be there on the same “level,” let us not suppose that we have a right here to sit in judgment on our fellow-Christians. BUT JUDGE THIS RATHER - If disposed to “judge,” let us be employed i... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW - This is an admission made to the “Gentile” convert, who believed that it was lawful to partake of food of every kind. This the apostle concedes; and says he is fully apprized of this. But though he knew this, yet he goes on to say Romans 14:15, that it would be well to regard the conscienti... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THY BROTHER ... - This address is to the “Gentile” convert. In the previous verse, Paul admitted. that the prejudice of the Jew was not well-founded. But admitting that still the question was, “how” he should be treated while he had that prejudice. The apostle here shows the Gentile that “he”... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT THEN YOUR GOOD ... - That which you esteem to be right, and which may be right in itself. You are not bound by the ceremonial law. You are free from the yoke of bondage This freedom you esteem to be a good - a favor - a high privilege. And so it is; but you should not make such a use of it a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD - For an explanation of this phrase, see the note at Matthew 3:2. Here it means that the uniquenesses of the kingdom of God, or of the Church of Christ on earth, do not consist in observing the distinctions between meats and drinks, it was true that by these things the Jews ha... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THESE THINGS - In righteousness, peace, and joy. SERVETH CHRIST - Or obeys Christ, who has commanded them. He receives Christ as his “master” or “teacher” and does his will in regard to them. To do these things is to do honor to Christ, and to show the excellency of his religion. IS ACCEPTABLE... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US THEREFORE FOLLOW ... - The object of this verse is to persuade the church at Rome to lay aside their causes of contention, and to live in harmony. This exhortation is founded on the considerations which the apostle had presented, and may be regarded as the conclusion to which the argument had... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MEAT - By your obstinate, pertinacious attachment to your own opinions about the distinctions of meat and drinks, do not pursue such a course as to lead a brother into sin, and ruin his soul. Here is a new argument presented why Christians should pursue a course of charity - that the opposite wo... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS GOOD - It is right; or it is better. This verse is an explanation or enlarged specification of the meaning of the former. TO EAT FLESH - That is, such flesh as the “Jewish” convert regarded as unclean; Romans 14:2. NOR TO DRINK WINE - Wine was a common drink among the Jews, and usually esteem... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU FAITH? - The word “faith” here refers only to the subject under discussion - to the subject of meats, drinks, etc. Do you believe that it is right to eat all kinds of food, etc. The apostle had admitted that this was the true doctrine; but he maintains that it should be so held as not to g... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT DOUBTETH - He that is not fully satisfied in his mind; who does not do it with a clear conscience. The margin has it rendered correctly, “He that discerneth and putteth a difference between meats.” He that conscientiously believes, as the Jew did, that the Levitical law respecting the differ... [ Continue Reading ]