Albert Barnes

regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

“Concerning his Son - This is connected with the first verse, with the word “gospel.” The gospel of God concerning his Son. The design of the gospel was to make a communication relative to his Son Jesus Christ. This is the whole of it.”

Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

“By whom - The apostle here returns to the subject of the salutation of the Romans, and states to them his authority to address them. That authority he had derived from the Lord Jesus, and not from man.”

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“To all that be in Rome - That is, to all who bear the Christian name. Perhaps he here included not only the church at Rome, but all who might have been there from abroad.”

For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

“For - This word implies that he is now about to give a “reason” for what he had just said, a reason why he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. That reason is stated in this verse.”

For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

“Because - The apostle proceeds to show how it was that the pagan hindered the truth by their iniquity. This he does by showing that the truth might be known by the works of creation; and that nothing but their iniquity prevented it.”

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

“Because that - The apostle here is showing that it was right to condemn people for their sins.”

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

“And changed - This does not mean that they literally “transmuted” God himself; but that in their views they exchanged him; or they changed him “as an object of worship” for idols.”

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

“Who changed the truth of God - This is a repetition of the declaration in Rom 1:23, in another form. The phrase, “the truth of God” is a Hebrew phrase, meaning “the true God.””

Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another.

“And likewise the men ... - The sin which is here specified is what was the shameful sin of Sodom, and which from that has been called sodomy.”

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,

“Being filled - That is, the things which he specifies were common or abounded among them. This is a strong phrase, denoting that these things were so often practiced as that it might be said they were full of them.”

They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.

“Without understanding - Inconsiderate, or foolish; see Rom 1:21-22. Covenant breakers - Perfidious; false to their contracts. Without natural affections - This expression denotes the lack of affectionate regard toward their children.”

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the…

“Therefore - Διὸ Dio. The force of this word here has been the subject of much discussion. The design of this and the following chapter is to show that the Jews were no less guilty that the Gentiles, and that they needed the benefit of…”

So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

“And thinkest thou ... - This is an appeal to their common sense, to their deep and instinctive conviction of what was right.”

But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

“But after thy hardness - The word “after” here κατά kata means in respect to, or you act according to the direct tendency of a hard heart in treasuring up wrath. The word “hardness” is used to denote insensibility of mind.”

To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.

“To them - Whoever they may be. Patient continuance - Who by perseverance in well doing, or in a good work.”

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;

“Tribulation - This word commonly denotes affliction, or the situation of being pressed down by a burden, as of trials, calamities, etc.; and hence, to be pressed down by punishment or pain inflicted for sins.”

For God does not show favoritism.

“For - This particle is used here to confirm what is said before, particularly that this punishment should be experienced by the Jew as well as the Gentile. For God would deal with both on the principles of justice.”

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

“For not the hearers ... - The same sentiment is implied in Jas 1:22; Mat 7:21, Mat 7:24; Luk 6:47.”

So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them

“Which show - Who thus evince or show. The work of the law - The design, purpose, or object which is contemplated by the revealed Law; that is, to make known to man his duty, and to enforce the obligation to perform it.”

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

“Behold - Having thus stated the general principles on which God would judge the world; having shown how they condemned the Gentiles; and having removed all objections to them, he now proceeds to another part of his argument, to show how they applied to the…”

if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,

“And art confident - This expression denotes the full assurance of the Jew that he was superior in knowledge to all other people. It is a remarkable fact that the Jews put the fullest confidence in their religion.”

You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

“Dost thou commit adultery? - There is no doubt that this was a crime very common among the Jews; see the Mat 12:39 note; Joh 8:1-11 notes. The Jewish Talmud accuses some of the most celebrated of their Rabbies, by name, of this vice. (Grotius.)”

You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

“Makest thy boast ... - To boast in the Law implied their conviction of its excellence and obligation, as a man does not boast of what he esteems to be of no value.”

Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

“For circumcision - Joh 7:22 note; Act 7:8 note. This was the special rite by which the relation to the covenant of Abraham was recognised; or by which the right to all the privileges of a member of the Jewish commonwealth was acknowledged.”

The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

“Which is by nature - Which is the natural state of man; his condition before he is admitted to any of the unique rites of the Jewish religion. If it fulfil the law - If they who are uncircumcised keep the Law.”