Romans 2

 

 1 Therefore (1) thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that (♣) (♠) judgest, (*) for in that, which thou judgest another, thou condemnest (♦) thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things.

 

(1) He convinceth them which would seem to be exempt out of the number of other men, because they reprehend other men's faults, and saith that they are least of all to be excused, for if they were well and narrowly searched (as God surely doth) they themselves would be found guilty in those things which they reprehend, and punish in others; so that in condemning others they pronounce sentence against themselves.

(♣) Or, blamest.

(♠) Neither they which do approve evil doers, nor they which reprove them, are excusable before God.

(*) Matthew 7:1; 1 Corinthians 4:5 .

(♦) For either thou art guilty of the same fault, or like.

 

 2 But we (a) know that the judgment of God is according to (b) (*) truth, against them which commit such things.

 

(a) Paul allegeth no places of Scripture, for he reasoneth generally against all men; but he bringeth such reasons as every man is persuaded of in his mind, so that the devil himself is not able to pluck them clean out.
(b) Considering and judging things aright, and not by any outward shew.

(*) For he judgeth the heart and regardeth not the outward person.

 

 3 And thinkest thou this, O thou man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

 

 4  (2)  Or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulness, and (*) patience, and long sufferance, not knowing that the bountifulness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

 

(2) A vehement and grievous crying out against them that please themselves, because they see more than others do, and yet are no whit better than others are.

(*) 2 Peter 3:13 .

 

 5 But thou, after thy hardness, and heart that cannot repent, (*) (c) heapest up as a treasure unto thyself wrath against the day of (♣) wrath, and of the declaration of the just judgment of God,

 

(*) James 5:3 .

(c) Whilest thou givest thyself to pleasures, thinking to increase thy goods, thou shall find God his wrath.

(♣) The wicked shall be condemned, and the faithful delivered.

 

 6  (3) (*) Who will reward every man according to his (♣) works;

 

(3) The ground of the former disputation, that both the Jews and Gentiles have altogether need of righteousness.

(*) Psalm 62:12; Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12 .

(♣) The common sort of men are most unable to be justified by their works, seeing Abraham the father of believers hath nothing to glory of before God, and therefore all men’s works shall condemn them, and they only shall be saved, which apprehend Jesus Christ by faith to be their only justice, and sanctification.

 

 7 That is, to them which by continuance in well doing, seek (d) glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life;

 

(d) Glory which followeth good works, which he layeth not out before us, as though there were any that could attain to salvation by his own strength, but, by laying this condition of salvation before us, which no man can perform, to bring men to Christ, who alone justified the believers, as he himself concludeth, Romans 2:21-22 .

 

 8 But unto them that are contentious, and disobey the (e) truth, and obey unrighteousness, shall be (f) indignation and wrath.

 

(e) By truth, he meaneth that knowledge which we have of nature.
(f) God's indignation against sinners, which shall quickly be kindled.

 

 9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the (*) Grecian.

 

(*) By the Grecian he understandeth the Gentile, and every one that is not a Jew.

 

 10 But to every man that doeth good, shall be glory, and honor, and peace, to the Jew first, and also to the Grecian.

 

 11 For there is (g) no (*) respect of (♣) persons with God.

 

(g) God doeth not measure men either by their blood, or by their country, either to receive them, or to cast them away.

(*) Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34 .

(♣) As touching any outward quality, but as the potter before he makes his vessels, he doeth appoint some to glory, and others to ignominy.

 

 12  (4) For as many as have sinned without the Law, shall perish also (*) without the Law, and as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law,

 

(4) He applieth that general accusation of mankind particularly both to the Gentiles, and to the Jews.

(*) That is, without the knowledge of the Law written, which was given by Moses.

 

 13  (5) (*) (For the hearers of the Law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the Law shall be (h) justified.

 

(5) He preventeth an objection which might be made by the Jews, whom the Law doeth not excuse, but condemn, because that not the hearing of the Law, but the keeping of the Law doeth justify.

(*) James 1:22 .
(h) Shall be pronounced just before God's judgment seat; which is true indeed, if any such could be found that had fulfilled the law; but seeing Abraham was not justified by the Law, but by faith, it followeth that no man can be justified by works.

 

 14  (6) For when the Gentiles which have (i) not the Law, do by (k) nature the things contained in the Law, they having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves,

 

(6) He preventeth an objection which might be made by the Gentiles, who although they have not the Law of Moses, yet they have no reason whereby they may excuse their wickedness, in that they have somewhat written in their hearts instead of a Law, as men that forbid, and punish some things as wicked, and command and commend other some as good.
(i) Not simply, but in comparison of the Jews.
(k) Command honest things, and forbid dishonest.

 

 15 Which shew the effect of the Law (l) written in their (*) hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing.)

 

(l) This knowledge is a natural knowledge.

(*) For man’s conscience sheweth him when he doeth good or evil.

 

 16  (7) At the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to (m) my Gospel.

 

(7) God deferreth many judgments, which notwithstanding he will execute at their convenient time by Jesus Christ, with a most straight examination, not only of words and deeds, but of thoughts also, be they never so hidden or secret.
(m) As my doctrine witnesseth, which I am appointed to preach.

 

 17  ¶ (8) (♣) Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and (*) gloriest in God,

 

(8) He proveth by the testimony of David, and the other Prophets, that God bestowed greatest benefits upon the Jews, in giving them also the Law, but that they are the most unthankful and unkindest of all men.

(♣) He awaketh the Jews, which were asleep through a certain security and confidence in the Law.

(*) Romans 9:4 .

 

 18 And knowest his will, and (n) (*) allowest the things that are excellent, in that thou art instructed by the Law;

 

(n) Canst try and discern what things swerve from God's will.

(*) Or triest the things that dissent from it.

 

 19 And persuadest thyself that thou art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

 

 20 An instructor of them which lack discretion, a teacher of the unlearned, which hast the (o) form of knowledge, and of the truth in the (p) Law.

 

(o) The way to teach and frame others in the knowledge of the truth.
(p) As though he said, that the Jews under a color of an outward serving of God, challenged all to themselves, when as indeed, they did nothing less than observe the Law.

 

 21 Thou therefore, which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest, A man should not steal, doest thou steal?

 

 22 Thou that sayest, A man should not commit adultery, doest thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, committest thou sacrilege?

 

 23 Thou that gloriest in the Law, through breaking the Law, dishonorest thou God?

 

 24 For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, (*) as it is written.

 

(*) Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:20 .

 

 25  (9) For circumcision verily is profitable, if thou do the Law; but if thou be a transgressor of the Law, thy (*) circumcision is made uncircumcision.

 

(9) He precisely preventeth their objection, which set a holiness in circumcision, and the outward observation of the Law; so that he sheweth that the outward circumcision, if it be separated from the inward, doeth not only not justify, and also condemn them that are indeed circumcised, of whom requireth that, which is signifieth, that is to say, cleanness of the heart and the whole life, according to the commandment of the Law, so that if there be a man uncircumcised according to the flesh, who is circumcised in heart, he is far better and more to be accounted of, than any Jew that is circumcised according to the flesh only.

(*) The end of circumcision was the keeping of the Law, and the Sacrament separated from his end is of none effect.

 

 26 Therefore (q) if the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the Law, shall not his (r) uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

 

(q) This is the figure Metonymy, for, if the uncircumcised.
(r) The state and condition of the uncircumcised.

 

 27 And shall not (s) uncircumcision which is by nature (if it keep the Law) (*) judge thee which by the (t) (♣) letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the Law?

 

(s) He which is uncircumcised by nature and blood.

(*) Or, condemn.
(t) Paul useth often times to set the letter against the Spirit; but in this place, the circumcision which is according to the letter, is the cutting off of the foreskin, but the circumcision of the Spirit, is the circumcision of the heart, that is to say, the spiritual end of the ceremony, is true holiness and righteousness whereby the people of God is known from profane and heathenish men.

(♣) When the Law is called the letter, or that it provoketh death in us, or that it killeth, or is the ministry of death, or that it is the strength of sin, it is meant as we consider the Law of itself without Christ.

 

 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one (u) outward, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh;

 

(u) By the outward ceremony only.

 

 29 But he is a Jew which is one within; and the (*) circumcision is of the heart, in the (x) (♣) spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

 

(*) Colossians 2:11 .

(x) Whose force is inward, and in the heart.

(♣) In the inward man and heart.

 

 

 

Steve

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