Observe here, The author and penman of this epistle described: 1. By his name, Paul. Before his conversion he was called Saul, then Saul the persecuter; after his conversion he was Paul the professor, Paul the preacher, Paul the great doctor of the Gentiles.. wonderful power of the heart-changing g... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, Which gospel God had promised before by his holy prophets speaking in the holy scriptures. Where note, 1. The antiquity of the gospel, how ancient that doctrine is, even as old as the prophets themselves; nay, as old as Adam himself. The gospel, or glad tidings of. Saviour, was first preac... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having told us in the foregoing verses, that he was particularly called to, and by God set apart for, the preaching of the gospel, in the verses before us he declares that Jesus Christ was the main subject of that gospel which he preached, and describes him by his two-fold nature, by his... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. St. Paul declares the person from who, he received authority to be an apostle, namely, Christ himself: BY WHOM HE RECEIVED APOSTLESHIP; that is, by Jesus Christ, mentioned in the foregoing verse; who called him immediately, and furnished him with authority and ability for. gospel-pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Two things are here observable, 1. The general inscription of St. Paul's epistle; and, next, the particular salutations therein given. In the inscription, we have the persons described to whom the epistle is directed: And that, 1. By their place of abode and habitation; TO ALL THAT BE AT ROME. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The great and wonderful success of the gospel; it had produced faith in the hearts, and obedience in the lives of the Romans, which had made them famous throughout the world: YOUR FAITH, says the apostle, IS SPOKEN OF THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD; that is, through all the Roman empire... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have observable, 1. The apostle's solemn protestation of his affectionate love unto, and great care and concern for, these Roman converts, whom he was now absent from, yea, whose faces he had never yet seen; WITHOUT CEASING, says the apostle, I MAKE MENTION OF YOU ALWAYS IN MY PRAYERS. Obse... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having declared, in the foregoing verses, how fervently he prayed for them, and how passionately he desired to come unto them; he now acquaints them with the reason of that desire; namely, For the furtherance of his own joy, and their establishment; I LONG TO SEE YOU THAT YOU MAY BE ESTA... [ Continue Reading ]
Here observe, How the apostle obviates an objection, and prevents. reflection upon himself: Some at Rome might be ready to say, If Paul had such. longing desire to see us as he expresses, why did he not come all this time and preach here, as he has done at Corinth and Ephesus, and elsewhere? He trul... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The glorious description which the apostle gives of the gospel; IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION. That is, the preaching of it is attended by, and accompanied with, an almighty power, which renders it effectual to salvation, if we do not bolt our ears and hearts against it. Lea... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle produces an argument, to prove that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation; BECAUSE BY IT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM FAITH TO FAITH: That is, the righteousness of the Mediator, called the righteousness of God, because it is of his providing, and of his approvin... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having asserted and laid down. general proposition, that the justification of. sinner is only to be expected by the righteousness of the Mediator in. way of faith; he now undertakes the proof and demonstration of it thus; distributes the whole world into Gentiles and Jews; the former see... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, much of the nature and properties of God may be known by the light of nature; his infinite power, wisdom and goodness, are manifest in the minds and the consciences of all men; FOR GOD HATH SHEWED IT UNTO THEM, partly by imprinting these notions of himself upon the hearts of all men, and pa... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle here proceeds in acquainting us with that knowledge of God which the Heathens had by the light of nature, which was in their hearts, and augmented and increased by what of God they saw in the book of the creatures; namely, in the works of creation and providence: THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF... [ Continue Reading ]
From this verse to the end of the chapter, we have. large and black catalogue of the sins which the old Heathens or Gentiles were guilty of; some of which they voluntarily committed, and others were judiciously delivered up unto (for God, without any impeachment of his holiness, often punishes sin w... [ Continue Reading ]
The next sin which the apostle charges upon the Gentiles, is the sin of idolatry. Such as PROFESSED THEMSELVES TO BE THE MOST WISE and knowing men among them, as their celebrated philosophers, poets, and orators, they debased and dishonoured the all-glorious God, by framing vile images of men and be... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. Another infamous sin charged upon the Heathens; namely, the sin of uncleanness; yea, base, unnatural uncleanness, and pollutions of the most odious kinds. Learn thence, That idolatry and uncleanness often go together. Solomon's uncleanness led him to idolatry, and his idolatry incr... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle proceeds to give. particular and distinct account of the abominable idolatry and unnatural filthiness, which he had charged the Heathens with in the foregoing verses. As to their idolatry, he had told us at the 23rd verse, that they had made false and unworthy representations of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle sums up the sins which the Heathens committed against the second table, or against their neighbour; not that every particular person was guilty of all these black crimes, but all were guilty of some, and some perhaps were guilty of all or most of them. Learn hence, That the heart o... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle here closes the chapter with the blackest character that could be given of the Gentiles sin, namely, That although by the light of nature, and the dictates of natural conscience, they knew that their adulteries and unnatural lusts did deserve death, and expose them to the wrath of God, y... [ Continue Reading ]