II. (1-29) Though such is the guilt of the Gentile, there is no one to judge him, for he who would take upon himself to judge does the very same things himself. And the justice of God has only one standard by which all mankind alike will be judged — truth. Or has he any vain idea that he will escape... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE. — The description just given of the state of one section of the human race contains implicitly the condemnation of the other; for it is equally applicable to both. WHEREIN THOU JUDGEST ANOTHER. — By the very act of sitting in judgment upon your fellow-man, you pass sentence upon yourself... [ Continue Reading ]
WE ARE SURE. — St. Paul assumes that this will be acknowledged as a general principle by his readers, whether Jew or Gentile, as well as by himself. There is still a strong under-current of allusion to the way in which the Jew was apt to fall back upon his privileges. “Do not think that they will sa... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THOU SHALT ESCAPE. — Emphatic. “Are _you_ — because you are a Jew — to be the only exception to this rule_?_”... [ Continue Reading ]
RICHES. — In this metaphorical sense, with reference to the divine attributes, this word is peculiar to and characteristic of St. Paul. It is thus used twelve times in his Epistles, and not besides in the rest of the New Testament, including the Epistle to the Hebrews. This is one of those instances... [ Continue Reading ]
Another alternative is put forward, which has less to do with the distinction of Jew and Gentile, and in which the Apostle keeps more closely to the general form that his argument has assumed: “Or do you think to take refuge in the goodness, the benevolence and long-suffering of God?” True it is tha... [ Continue Reading ]
The one condition upon which the goodness of God will come into operation, you directly contravene. Instead of being penitent, you are impenitent, and therefore the load of wrath which you have been accumulating against yourself remains unremoved. It is only waiting for the day of judgment to discha... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. — The Apostle here lays down with unmistakable definiteness and precision the doctrine that _works,_ what a man has _done,_ the moral tenor of his life, will be the standard by which he will be judged at the last day. There can be no question that this is the consistent doctr... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEM WHO. — Before the words “eternal life,” at the end of the verse, we must supply “He will render.” The phrase “glory, and honour, and immortality” is practically equivalent to “eternal life.” “Those who honestly seek for this life shall find it.” The stress is upon the words “by patient conti... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT UNTO THEM ... — The scholar will observe that in the original Greek the construction is changed. At the end of Romans 2:7 is an accusative “(he will render) eternal life;” here we have the nominative, “(there shall be) tribulation and anguish.” THAT ARE CONTENTIOUS. — An error in the Authorised... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON EVERY SOUL OF MAN. — The phrase is not quite the same as “upon every man,” but more special in character, indicating the part in which the punishment will be felt.... [ Continue Reading ]
RESPECT OF PERSONS. — Regard for the external circumstances of a man as opposed to his internal condition; here, especially, “regard for the circumstances of birth and race.” (Comp. Acts 10:34; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; James 2:1; James 2:9.) It is interesting to observe the phr... [ Continue Reading ]
Jew and Gentile alike will be judged, each by the method proper to his case; the Jew by the written Law against which he has sinned, the Gentile by the unwritten law of conscience against which he too has sinned. The mere hearing of the Law will bring no exemption to the Jew; and, on the other hand,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR NOT THE HEARERS OF THE LAW. — The parenthesis should not be placed here (as usually in the Authorised version), but at the beginning of the next verse. The present verse is explanatory of that which precedes. “Judged, I say, by the Law; for they must not suppose that the mere fact of their being... [ Continue Reading ]
A sort of parenthesis begins here. Romans 2:16 refers back to the main subject of the paragraph, and not to the particular point on which the Apostle digresses in Romans 2:14, the virtual operation of law among the Gentiles as well as Jews. BY NATURE. — Spontaneously; of their own motion; not actin... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH. — Rather, _Inasmuch as they._ THE WORK OF THE LAW. — The practical effect or realisation of the law — written in their hearts as the original Law was written upon the tables of stone, (Comp. Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3.) ALSO BEARING WITNESS. — Or, _witnessing with them,_ as margin. T... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse takes up the main thread of the subject. “God will judge Jew and Gentile alike at the last day.” It cannot refer (as some would make it) to what immediately precedes, because there the Apostle is referring to the daily process that goes on whenever doubtful actions are submitted to the la... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD. — An interesting case of a corrupt reading which has found its way into the Authorised version. For “behold,” a decisive consensus of the best MSS. has “but if.” The corruption was very obvious and easy. Adopting “but if,” the answering clause of the sentence is to be found in the question,... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS WILL. — Literally, _the will_ — _i.e.,_ “the supreme will.” APPROVEST THE THINGS THAT ARE MORE EXCELLENT. — Probably rightly given in the Authorised version, though the marginal rendering also is possible, “triest the things that differ” — _i.e.,_ “art able to discriminate between good and evil... [ Continue Reading ]
A GUIDE OF THE BLIND. — Comp. Matthew 15:14, “They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind,” _et seq. _... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FORM OF KNOWLEDGE AND OF THE TRUTH. — As we might say, “the presentation of knowledge and of truth.” Here not form as opposed to substance, but as implying substance — “presentation,” or “embodiment.”... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE. — See above on Romans 2:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMIT SACRILEGE. — Properly, _rob temples — i.e._, idol temples, with a pointed antithesis to that abhorrence of idols on which the Jew prided himself. This is certainly the last offence of which we should have expected the Jews of this date to be guilty, knowing the scrupulousness with which they... [ Continue Reading ]
DISHONOUREST THOU GOD? — This verse has been regarded, not as a question, but as a summary answer to the previous questions, “You, who make all this boast in the Law, by breaking the Law, dishonour God.” There is a certain force in this view, but the structure of the clause is so similar to those th... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH YOU. — _Because of you._ AS IT IS WRITTEN. — From the LXX. version of Isaiah 52:5. The sense of the original is that the name of God is dishonoured by the enslavement and oppression of His people. A nearer parallel in sense, though more remote in words, may be found in 2 Samuel 12:14; Ezekie... [ Continue Reading ]
IS MADE. — _Is become,_ — _ipso facto,_ “is reduced to the case of.”... [ Continue Reading ]
(25-29) This section forms a connecting-link with the opening of the next chapter. “The characteristic mark and badge of the Jew has two sides, the one outward and formal, the other inward and real. Its essence consists in the latter, and without this inward circumcision the outward profits nothing.... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGE THEE. — Comp. Matthew 12:41, “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it,” _et seq._ The idea is that of “putting to shame by contrast.” BY THE LETTER. — The preposition here marks the condition or circumstance under which the action is done, and migh... [ Continue Reading ]