John Gill

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God—

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,.... The name of the author of this epistle is Paul, who formerly was called Saul.”

God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you

“For God is my witness, whom I serve,.... These words are an appeal to God, and carry in them the nature and form of an oath; the reason of the apostle's using it was, because he was personally unknown to the Romans, and they to…”

in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.

“Making request, if by any means now at length,.... A principal thing, which be incessantly and importunately requested at the throne of grace, was, that he might have an opportunity of coming to them; that God in his providence would open a way for him…”

That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

“So, as much as in me is, I am ready,.... This explains what he was a debtor to one and another for, namely, to preach the Gospel; expresses the readiness of his mind to that work, whatever difficulties lay in his way; and declares what…”

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

“Because that which may be known of God,.... There are some things which could not be known of God by the light of nature; as a trinity of persons in the Godhead; the knowledge of God in Christ as Mediator; the God-man and Mediator Jesus…”

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

“And changed the glory of the incorruptible God,.... God is incorruptible and immortal in his nature, and so is opposed to all corruptible creatures and things: he has a glory which is essential to him, and a manifestative one in the creatures, and which is…”

They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.

“Without understanding,.... Of God, of his nature and worship, of things divine and even moral, being given up to a reprobate mind: covenant breakers; had no regard to private or public contracts: without natural affection; to their parents, children, relations and friends: implacable; when once…”

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 thou art inexcusable, O man,.... Some think, from the connection of these words with the preceding chapter, that the Gentiles are here meant; and particularly those among them who seemed to be virtuous, and took upon them to be the reprovers of others, and…”

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 and impenitent heart,.... The apostle goes on to show, that such persons who promise themselves impunity on the score of prosperity, shall not always go unobserved and unpunished; for there is a day of wrath and righteous judgment hastening on, and…”

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

“Tribulation and anguish,.... These, with the foregoing words, are expressive of the second death, the torments of hell, the worm that never dies, and the fire that is not quenched: which will fall upon every soul of man that doth evil; whose course of life…”

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

“For when the Gentiles which have not the law,.... The objection of the Gentiles against their condemnation, taken from their being without the law, is here obviated.”

an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—

“An instructor of the foolish,.... All men in a state of unregeneracy are foolish, and need instruction; here the common people among the Jews, who knew not the law, are meant; it was very usual to call anyone of their doctors and masters מורה, "an…”

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

“Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,.... Adultery here is to be taken not figuratively for adulterating the word of God, and mixing it with their own inventions; but literally for the sin of adultery, and that not in heart only, but in…”

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

“For circumcision verily profiteth,.... The plea from circumcision in favour of the Jews, and their acceptance with God, and justification before him, is here, and in the following verses, considered.”

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.

“And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature,.... That is, the Gentiles, who are by nature uncircumcised; for as circumcision was by the command of God, and performed by the art of men, uncircumcision is by nature, and what men naturally have.”

A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.

“For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly,.... The apostle removes the plea in favour of the Jews, taken from their name and privilege, by distinguishing between a Jew and a Jew, and between circumcision and circumcision: "he is not a Jew which…”

No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.

“But he is a Jew which is one inwardly,.... Who has an internal work of grace upon his soul: who has not only an outward name, but an inward nature; not the law of God in the hand, but in the heart; not an external…”

What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

“What advantage then hath the Jew?.... If he is not properly a Jew, who is born of Jewish parents, and brought up in the customs, rites, and religion of the Jewish nation, but anyone of whatsoever nation, that is born again of water, and of…”

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. These words are taken from Psa 10:7, by cursing is meant, cursing of God, which is sometimes internal with the heart, and sometimes external with the mouth, as here; and of all good men, though without cause…”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

“Their feet are swift to shed blood. The sins of the heart and mouth are before described, and now the sins of action are taken notice of; for "the feet" are the instruments of motion and action: and when these are said to be "swift…”

and the way of peace they have not known.”

“And the way of peace have they not known. This is a citation front Isa 59:8, and expresses the ignorance of mankind, with regard to true peace, and the way unto it: men are naturally ignorant of the way of peace with God; of the…”

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.

“Where is boasting then?.... There is no room nor reason for it, either in Jews or Gentiles: not in the Jews, who were very apt to boast of their being Abraham's seed; of their circumcision; of their being Israelites; of their having and keeping the…”

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

“Therefore we conclude,.... This is the conclusion from the premises, the sum total of the whole account: that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

“Do we then make void the law through faith?.... Which question is answered by way of detestatation, God forbid! and by asserting the contrary, yea, we establish the law.”

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

“For what saith the Scripture?.... This answers to דכתיב מאי, "what is that which is written" (c)? or what does the Scripture say?”