things of darkness, opposed to his present forbear- a disbelief of the plainest principles of morality, and ance; and righteous judgment, when he will no argued even in support of atheism. Agreeably to longer defer to punish, opposed to his present long-|| this account of the contentious, the apostle represents suffering. Who will render to every man-Both them here as enemies of the truth, and as friends of good and bad, both Jew and Gentile; according to|| unrighteousness."-Macknight. Who obey not the his deeds-Not according to his external privileges, || truth-Both those who did not walk according to or his pretences and presumptuous expectations, but according to the real nature and quality of his works. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing -By persevering in a constant course of holiness and righteousness, notwithstanding all the oppositions and difficulties they meet with; (see Matt. xxiv. 13; Rev. ii. 10;) seek for glory-That state of splendour and brightness in which the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, Matt. xiii. 43. Honour-Approbation, commendation, and praise from God and Christ, and all the heavenly host, mentioned 1 Pet. i. 7. And immortality-Ao0apoiav, incorruptibility, everlasting life, health, and vigour of both body and mind. The words include the consummation and perfection of all those glorious qualifications and enjoyments which are bestowed on the saints in heaven. This the saints seek for; that is, desire and labour after; for, though love to God and Christ is the principal || spring of their obedience, yet that love does not exclude the faith which is the evidence of things not seen, or that hope of heavenly glory and felicity which is as an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast; and which, partly at least, influenced Christ || himself amidst all his labours and sufferings, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame. Eternal lifeWhich God will render to such. Verses 8-11. But unto them that are contentious -Like thee, O Jew, who thus fightest against God. The character of the unbelieving Jews was disobedience, stubbornness, and impatience. Mr. Locke thinks the original expression, ou de es epideias, the contentious, here spoken of, are Jews who refused to obey the gospel. "But as the apostle is speaking of the punishment of the wicked Gentiles, as well as of the wicked Jews, epideia, contention, must be a vice common to both. Accordingly, epideial, contentions, are mentioned among the works of the flesh, to which wicked men in general are addicted, Gal. v. 20. And Suidas tells us, that epideia, contention, is ʼn dia hoye pikoveikia, contention by words, by keen disputing. Wherefore the contentious are persons who spread evil principles, and maintain them by keen disputings. This was the vice of many of the heathen, who disputed themselves into the light of nature, chap. i. 18, and those who disobeyed the gospel, are here intended. The former, because, as truth is here opposed to unrighteousness, it must signify not only the truths discovered by revelation, but those likewise respecting religion and morality, which are discoverable by the light of nature, and which, among the heathen, were the only foundations of a virtuous conduct. The truth, as it is in Jesus, or the gospel, however, seems to be especially intended, this being styled, the truth of God, chap. iii. 7; xv. 8; the word of truth, Eph. i. 13, and elsewhere; the knowledge of it being the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 4; iv. 3; the belief of it, the belief of the truth, 2 Thess. ii. 13; obedience to it, obedience to the truth, Gal. iii. 1; v. 7; walking according to it, walking in the truth, 1 John ii. 4; the gospel itself being emphatically styled the truth, Eph. iv. 21; and to know it being to know the truth, 1 John ii. 21. This being so, they that are here said not to obey the truth seem to be especially, first, the unbelieving Jews, and, secondly, the Gentiles, who spake against the truth, and rejected it. And both these obeyed, and gave themselves up to error and falsehood; the Gentiles by changing the truth of God into a lie, chap. i. 25, and the Jews by adhering to their vain traditions, which made void the commands of God, supposing them to be derived from Moses, when they were indeed only the doctrines of men. But obey unrighteousness—Live in known sin; acting contrary to the clear dictates of reason and conscience. Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish-He seems to allude to Psa. lxxviii. 49, He cast upon them, the Egyptians, the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, and finely intimating that the Jews would, in the day of vengeance, be more severely punished than even the Egyptians were, when God made their plagues so wonderful. Upon every soul of man that doeth evil-That contradicts the light of his dispensation, or holds in unrighteousness the portion of truth made known to him. Of the Jew first-Here we have the first express mention of the Jews in this chapter. And it is introduced with great propriety. Their having been trained up in the true religion, and their having had Christ and his apostles first sent to them, were circumstances which placed them in the fore A. M. 4061. man that worketh good; to the Jew first, and also to the 2 Gentile; A. D. 60. 11 For God. 2 Gr. Greek. there is no respect of persons with Wilful ignorance is inexcusable A. D. 60. 12 For as many as have sinned A. M. 4004. without law, shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law, m Deut. x. 17; 2 Chron. xix. 7; Job xxxiv. 19; Acts x. 34; Gal. ii. 6; Eph. vi. 9; Col. iii. 25; 1 Pet. i. 17. most rank of the criminals that obeyed not the truth. judgment; without law-Without having had any written law, any express and outward revelation It must be observed, however, that "in this and from God; shall also perish-Be condemned and the following verse, the apostle, by using the most punished; without law-Without regard had to any general expression possible, every soul of man, and written law, or supernatural revelation, being proved by twice introducing the distribution of Jew and guilty by the law written in their hearts. The exGreek, which, according to the ideas of the Jews, pression, shall perish, shows the agreement of the comprehended all mankind, (see note on chap. i. 16,) manner of suffering with the manner of sinning. has left his reader no room to doubt that he is dis- He could not so properly say, shall be judged withcoursing of the judgment of all nations, of heathen out law. Some understand it of the annihilation of as well as of Jews and Christians. Therefore, not the heathen; but both reason and Scripture assure only what he says of the punishments, but what he us they shall be punished for their sins, though in a observes of the rewards to be distributed at that less degree than those who disobey the greater light day, must be understood of the heathen, as well as of revelation. Since none of mankind ever lived of those who have enjoyed the benefit of revelation." without the law of nature, it is evident the expresWe see also, by these two verses, (verses 9, 10,) and sions, avouws, without law, in this clause, and ev vouw, chap. i. 16, that the apostle carefully lays it down in, or under law, in the following clause, cannot be as a fundamental position that there was now, under understood of that law. Neither can they be underthe gospel, no other national distinction between the stood of the law of Moses, seeing it is affirmed in Jews and the Gentiles, save only a priority of right the latter clause, that as many as have sinned in or in the Jews to the offer of the gospel, and the allot- under the law, shall be judged by the law. For the ment of rewards or punishments, according as they Jews are not to be judged by the law of Moses. See obeyed or not. But glory, (just opposite to wrath,) note on verse 13. In this context, therefore, voμos, -From the divine approbation; honour, (opposite law, signifies divine revelation in general. Thus, to indignation,)-By the divine appointment; and the oracles of God, with which the Jews were inpeace-Implying a secure and quiet possession of all trusted, Rom. iii. 2, have the name of o vopos, the good, now and for ever, opposed to tribulation and law, often given to them in Scripture; as Psa. xix. 7; anguish. To every one that worketh good-Sin- || John x. 34 ; xii. 34 ; xv. 25; Rom. iii. 19; in all which cerely performs his duty to God and man; to the passages, and many others, the law signifies the Jew first, &c.-To one as well as another. For whole of the divine revelations, taken complexly, there is no respect of persons with God-That is, in they stand recorded in the Jewish Scriptures. But passing their final sentence, and in distributing re- when these Scriptures are distinguished into parts, wards and punishments, he is determined by their as Luke xxiv. 44, where the law of Moses, and the real characters, and will reward every one accord-prophets, and the Psalms are mentioned; the law, ing to his works, not according to their outward in that division, denotes the five books of Moses only, condition; such as their country, kindred, sex, dig- as it does likewise, Rom. iii. 21, being witnessed by nity, office, wealth, and profession of religion. This the law and the prophets. In this restricted sense, declaration concerning God, as Judge, the apostle the word vouos, generally, though not always, has made to show the Jews their folly in expecting the article prefixed, the law. And as many as have favour at the final judgment, because they had Abra- || sinned in, or under, the law- That is, revelation, ham for their father, and were themselves members whether the patriarchal, the Jewish, or the Chrisof God's church. And it must appear the more im-tian, shall be judged by the law-By the revelation portant and seasonable, considering that the Jews thought no Israelite should be deprived of future happiness, whatever his faults had been; unless he were guilty of apostacy, idolatry, and a few other very enormous crimes. But this impartial and equitable proceeding at the final judgment is very consistent with God's distributing to persons here advantages and opportunities of improvement, accord-idea which is better conveyed by the expression, ing to his own good pleasure. Verse 12. For as many as have sinned-And have not repented and brought forth fruit worthy of repentance; as many as have lived and died in the commission of known sin: he speaks as of the time past, for all time will be past at the day of as wherewith they were favoured. Though the word Kpinσovraι sometimes signifies, shall be condemned, in this passage it is rightly translated, shall be judged, because the apostle's intention is to show, that all who have enjoyed the benefit of an external revelation shall be more severely punished, if wicked, than the Gentiles, who have not had that advantage: an shall be judged, than it would have been by shall be condemned. For judgment implies an accurate consideration of all circumstances, whether of aggravation or of alleviation, and the passing such a sentence as appears to the judge equitable, upon due consideration of the whole case. And the meaning here is, that their guilt being aggravated by the advantages which they enjoyed, they shall be punished in proportion to it. See Macknight. it as if it were that righteousness, and all for the sake of Christ. Verses 14, 15. For when the Gentiles-That is, Verse 13. For not the hearers of the law-Those any of them who have not the law-Not a written who are only hearers; are-Even now; just-dikaio, revelation of the divine will; do by nature―That is, righteous, that is, accounted and dealt with as right- by the light of nature, without an outward rule, or eous persons; before God-Here the apostle con- by the untaught dictates of their own minds, infludemns the folly of the Jews, who thought themselves enced, however, by the preventing grace of God, sure of eternal life, because God had favoured them which hath appeared to all men, Tit. ii. 11; or, the with a revelation of his will: as Dr. Whitby has || true light, which lighteth every man that cometh shown by many important quotations, in a note on into the world: the things contained in the lawthis verse. But the doers of the law-Whether natu- The moral duties required by the precepts of the ral or revealed, that is, they who walk according to law, the ten commandments being only the subthe light of the dispensation they are under, "who stance of the law of nature. These, not having the steadily and universally, in the tenor of their lives, || written law, are a law unto themselves-That is, act agreeably to its precepts; they, and they only, what the law was to the Jews, they are by the light shall be justified [acquitted and rewarded]-In the and grace of God to themselves, namely, a rule of day of final audit and account; whether their know- life. All the ancient Greek commentators, as ledge of it were more or less express." So Dod- Whitby has shown, interpreted this passage not of dridge. A most sure and important truth this, the Gentiles who had been converted to Christianwhich respects the Gentiles also, though principally|ity, but of those Gentiles who had not been favoured the Jews. The apostle speaks of the former, verse 14, with a revealed law, and therefore were neither pro&c.; of the latter, verse 17, &c. It must be observed, selytes to Judaism nor Christianity. Who showhowever, that the apostle does not speak of a per- To themselves and others, and, in a sense, to God fect, unsinning obedience, either to the law of na-himself, the work of the law-In its most important ture, or to any revealed law, whether patriarchal, moral precepts, in the substance, though not in the Jewish, or Christian; but of that obedience of faith,|| letter of them; written in their hearts-By the same productive of holiness, or that sincere obedience to divine hand which wrote the commandments on the the dispensation men are under, which, on the tables of stone; their conscience also bearing witground of the covenant of grace, established for allness-For or against them, or testifying how far mankind immediately after the fall, God is pleased they have complied with their light or law. There graciously to accept instead of that unsinning obe- is not one of all its faculties which the soul has less dience, which to man, in his fallen state, is impossi-in its power than this. And their thoughts-Or ble. This obedience of faith, with regard to the their reasonings or reflections upon their own conheathen, implies their believing that God is, and duct; the meanwhile-Or, as the expression, μɛrav that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek || ahλnhov, is translated in the margin, between themhim; and on the ground of this faith, coming to him selves, or by turns, according as they do well or in prayer for his favour and blessing, and with praise ill; accusing-Checking and condemning them for his benefits, and diligently seeking an acquaint-when they have acted contrary to their light; or ance with him, and with his will concerning them. And with respect to Jews and Christians, it implies a true and lively faith in, and sincere obedience to, the truths, precepts, and promises of the dispensation they are under. The reader must observe, therefore, that merited justification, whether of Jews or heathen, spoken of chap. iii. 20; Gal. ii. 16;|| or, justification according to the tenor of the law, by performing all the deeds or works enjoined thereby, without the least failure, is not here intended; but a gratuitous justification, founded, not on the accused person's innocence, or righteous-enced by the light and grace of God; on which acness, but proceeding merely from the mercy of his Judge, who is pleased, out of pure favour, to accept of his faith, producing sincere love and obedience, in the place of perfect righteousness, and to reward else excusing-Approving and justifying them when they have conformed to it. Hence the apostle meant it to be inferred, that it was not the having, or knowing the law, (verse 13,) nor the condemning others for the transgression of it, could avail a man, but the doing of it, or walking according to it. We may observe further on this verse, that, as the law in this context signifies divine revelation, the work of the law must be men's duty, which revelation discovers by its precepts, which is also in part discovered by men's natural reason and conscience, influ count it is said to be written on their hearts. Thus, in the compass of two verses, the apostle hath explained what the light of nature is, and demonstrated that there is such a light existing. It is a revelation 3 Or, the conscience witnessing with them. Or, between themselves.- - Eccles. xii. 14; Matt. xxv. 31; John xii. 48; Chap. iii. 6; 1 Cor. iv. 5; Rev. xx. 12.- -P John v. 22; Acts x. 42; xvii. 31; 2 Tim. ix. 1, 8; 1 Pet. iv. 5.- - Chap. xvi. 25; 1 Tim. i. 11; 2 Tim. ii. 8. from God written originally on the heart or mind of man; consequently is a revelation common to all na- || tions; and, so far as it goes, it agrees with the things written in the external revelation which God hath || made to some nations. We are compelled, however, when we come to consider matters of fact, to acknowledge that this light of nature has been dread- || fully obscured and corrupted, even in the most learned and civilized heathen nations upon earth, as the apostle has proved at large in the latter part of|| the preceding chapter. And long before the ages referred to by him, All flesh had corrupted its way, Gen. vi. 5, 11; darkness covered the earth, and gross || darkness the people, Isa. lx. 2; there was none that understood, (chap. iii. 11;) and all were alienated|| from the life of God, through the ignorance that was in them, Eph. iv. 18, &c. || 17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, A. M. 4061. and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18 And "knowest his will, and 5 approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 And art confident that thou thyself art Matt. iii. 9; John viii. 33; Chap. ix. 6, 7; 2 Cor. xi. 22. Mic. iii. 11; Chap. ix. 4.– Isa. xlv. 25; xlviii. 2; John viii. 41. Deut. iv. 8; Psa. cxlvii. 19, 20. - Or, triest the things that differ.- Phil. i. 10.-y Matt. xv. 14; xxiii. 16, 17, 19, 24; John ix. 34, 40, 41. here therefore he refutes the highest point of Jewish glorying, after a further description of it, interposed verses 17-20, and refuted verses 21-24. The description consists of twice five articles; of which the former five, verses 17, 18, show what he boasts of in himself; the other five, (verses 19, 20,) what he glories in with respect to others. The first particular of the former five answers to the first of the latter; the second to the second, and so on. Thou art called a Jew-A professor of the true religion, and a worshipper of the true God. Dr. Macknight is of opinion that in this and the following verses, the apostle intended to address chiefly the men of rank and learning among the Jews; a supposition to which he thinks it is no objection that probably there were no doctors of the law, nor Jewish scribes and priests at Rome, when this letter was written; because, " as the apostle was reasoning against the whole body of the nation, his argument required that he should address the teachers of every denomination, to whom the things written in this and the following verses best agree. Besides, as he had addressed the heathen legislators, philosophers, and priests, in the first chapter, for the purpose of showing them the bad use they had made of the knowledge they derived from the works of creation, it was natural for him in this to address the Jewish scribes, priests, and doctors, to show them how little they had profited by the knowledge which they had derived from revelation. Of the Jewish common people the apostle speaks, chap. iii. 20, &c., where he proves that they also were extremely vicious.” And restest in the law-Dependest on it alone, and on the having of it, for justification and salvation, though it can only condemn thee. And makest thy || boast of God-As thy God; as belonging only to you Jews, and being yours in a peculiar manner; the founder of your commonwealth; your lawgiver, protector, and Saviour. And knowest his will-By special revelation, and more fully than the Gentiles. And approvest the things that are more excellent— Hast attained to a considerable degree of understanding in the law, so as to place a proper value Verses 17-20. Behold-Here he applies the mat- upon things according to their worth, and to distinter he had discussed in the preceding verses more guish between things lawful and unlawful. The closely to the Jews, and proves, that, notwithstand-original words, dokipažɛiç ra diagɛpovra, may be rening all their pretences and privileges, they were transgressors of the law, and so could not be justified by works, any more than the Gentiles. And || Verse 16. In the day, &c.-This relates to verse 12, the intermediate verses, from the 13th, being a parenthesis; when God shall judge the secrets of menNot only their outward actions, good and evil, which are manifest to all men, but their most secret and hidden ones, with their internal desires and designs, their intentions, purposes, schemes, contrivances, with the various workings of their passions, imaginations, and thoughts; for he will bring every work || into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, Eccles. xii. 14; will bring || to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, 1 Cor. iv. 5. On secret circumstances depends the real quality of actions, frequently unknown to the actors themselves, verse 29. Men generally form their judg- || ments, even of themselves, merely from what is apparent. By Jesus Christ-To whom the Father hath committed all judgment; according to my gospel-According to the tenor of that gospel which is committed to my trust, and is preached by me: or as I testify in my preaching the gospel, Acts xvii. 31; 2 Tim. ii. 8. For it is not the apostle's intention to signify that all men shall be judged by the gospel, but only that the gospel teaches such a judgment. dered, and triest, or, approvest on trial, the things that differ. Being instructed, &c.—Or, as Beza in· terprets Karnxsμevoç EK TOV POμov, Being educated, or They who preach and do not CHAPTER II. practise the truth are inexcusable. A. M. 4064. a guide of the blind, a light of them that abhorrest idols, 'dost thou commit A. M. 1064. which are in darkness, A. D. 60. sacrilege? A. D. GO. Jews of that age. For (as their own historian relates) some even of the priests lived by rapine, and others in gross uncleanness. And as for sacrilegiously robbing God and his altar, it had been complained of ever since Malachi. So that the instances instructed from thy childhood, out of the law, 2 Tim. iii. 15. And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind-Vainly presumest that thou hast knowledge enough to teach others. The Jewish doctors, in contempt of the Gentiles, were wont to speak of them as blind—in darkness—ignorant— || are given with great propriety and judgment. Thou babes-and boasted of themselves as guides, to whose direction the Gentiles, in matters of religion, ought implicitly to submit. This boasting of the Jews the apostle introduced here, to show that their sins were greatly aggravated by the revelation of which they boasted. Who hast the form of knowledge-A system, body, or model of that knowledge, which is scattered up and down in the law, and of the truths which are there delivered. For the original word, opowic, seems to bear this meaning: and the apostle may be considered as comparing the law to a looking-glass, which exhibits exact images of things, as the Apostle James likewise docs, chap. i. 25. This implies that they not only considered themselves as having a sketch, or the outlines, of the truth contained in the law, but the most accurate knowledge of it. And this they counted sufficient to save them, though they lived in a loose and ungodly manner. that makest thy boast of the law-As so excellent, and thinkest it such an honour to be acquainted with it, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? ||-Dost thou act as if thou wert studying the declaration of his will, only to show him in a more presumptuous and contumacious manner, that thou dost not regard it? For the name of God is blasphemed -Spoken evil of, as if it countenanced and encouraged such wickedness as that in which you live, and his holy religion is brought into contempt thereby; as it is written, in your own Scriptures, concerning your fathers, whose evil deeds you so generally imitate. See the margin. We find Josephus frequently accusing the Jews of what is here laid to their charge by the apostle, saying, "What wickedness do you conceal, or hide, which is not known to your enemies? You triumph in your wickedness, strive daily who shall be most vile, making a show of your wickedness as if it were Verses 21-24. Thou therefore which teachest || virtue." "And thinkest thou this, O man, that thou another-And valuest thyself upon thy ability to do || shalt escape the judgment of God, who punishes the it, trusting therein for acceptance with God; teach- Gentiles, when thou art as guilty as they of acting est thou not thyself?—He does not teach himself, against thy conscience, and doing that for which who does not practise what he teaches. This, and thine own mouth condemns thee, or, which is as bad what follows, is mentioned, to show that the know- as that which thou condemnest in them, and which ledge, which the scribes and doctors pretended to also causes them to blaspheme that holy name by derive from the law, had had no manner of influence which thou art called! Surely after these things, so on their spirit and conduct; so that their boasting scandalously done, it will be of no advantage to thee in the law, and their claim to be the teachers of the || that thou art called a Jew, or hast received the sign Gentiles, were very little to be regarded by the of circumcision."-Whitby. Gentiles. Dost thou steal-commit adultery-com- Verses 25-27. For circumcision verily profileth— mit sacrilege-Sin grievously against thy neighbour, He does not say justifieth. How far it profited is thyself, God. St. Paul had shown the Gentiles, first, shown in the third and fourth chapters: if thou keep their sins against God, then against themselves, then the law-Here, as in many other passages, the aposagainst their neighbours. He now inverts the order, tle speaks to the thoughts of the Jewish readers. for sins against God are the most glaring in a hea-They fancied that circumcision, by showing that then; but not in a Jew. Thou that abhorrest idols they were descended from Abraham, and were -Which all the Jews did, from the time of the members of God's covenant, would ensure their Babylonish captivity: thou committest sacrilege-salvation, though they were ever so wicked. But Dost what is still worse, robbing him, who is God the apostle tells them their circumcision would avail over all, of the glory which is due to him. Nonethem only if they practised the law; that is, perof these charges were rashly advanced against the formed the things required in the covenant with |