Matthew Henry

For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either.

“Prescription, long usage, the faithfulness of their ancestors, would not secure them. It was in vain to plead, though they insisted much upon it, that they were Abraham's seed, Matt. iii.”

Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness.

“God laid righteousness to the line and judgment to the plummet, and dealt with them according to their sins.”

Take notice, therefore, of the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, if you continue in His kindness.

“Fear the Lord and his goodness. Another thing that qualified this doctrine of the Jews' rejection is that, though for the present they are cast off, yet the rejection is not final; but, when the fulness of time is come, they will be taken in…”

And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

“The condition of their restoration is faith: If they abide not still in unbelief. So that nothing is to be done but to remove that unbelief that is the great obstacle; and God is able to take that away, though nothing less than an almighty…”

For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches…

“We must be cut off from the old stock, and be brought into union with a new root. Those that are grafted into the good olive-tree partake of the root and fatness of the olive.”

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.

“Jesus Christ is the great deliverer, which supposes mankind in a state of misery and danger. In Isaiah it is, the Redeemer shall come to Zion. There he is called the Redeemer; here the deliverer; he delivers in a way of redemption, by a price.”

Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs.

“Though, as concerning the gospel (namely, in the present dispensation of it), they are enemies to it for your sakes, that is, for the sake of the Gentiles, against whom they have such an antipathy; yet, when God's time shall come, this will wear off…”

Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

“A body sincerely devoted to God is a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice, by way of allusion--that which was dead of itself might not be eaten, much less sacrificed, Deut. xiv.”

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

“The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life, Prov. iv.”

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and…

“Believers lie not in the world as a confused disorderly heap, but are organized and knit together, as they are united to one common head, and actuated and animated by one common Spirit. [2.]”

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,

“Magistrates, ministers, people, in a Christian commonwealth, have their several offices, and must not intrude one upon another, nor clash in the discharge of their several offices. [4.]”

so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

“According to the grace, charismata kata ten charin. The free grace of God is the spring and original of all the gifts that are given to men.”

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

“True love will interest us in the sorrows and joys of one another, and teach us to make them our own. Observe the common mixture in this world, some rejoicing, and others weeping (as the people, Ezra iii.”

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

“By him kings reign, Prov. viii. The usurpation of power and the abuse of power are not of God, for he is not the author of sin; but the power itself is.”

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority?

“This is a good argument, but it is low for a Christian. We must be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake; not so much formidine pœnæ--from the fear of punishment, as virtutis amore--from the love of virtue.”

For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain.

“Hence it appears that laws with penalties for the lawless and disobedient ( 1 Tim. i. 9 ) must be constituted in Christian nations, and are agreeable with, and not contradictory to, the gospel.”

For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain.

“First, As a holy God, that hates sin, against which, as it appears and puts up its head, a public testimony is thus borne. Secondly, As King of nations, and the God of peace and order, which are hereby preserved.”

The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as…

“He that tempts others to sin, and defiles their minds and consciences, though he may pretend the most passionate love ( Prov. vii. 15, 18 ), does really hate them, just as the devil does, who wars against the soul.”

Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

“For it is a sin not only to devise evil against thy neighbour, but to withhold good from those to whom it is due; both are forbidden together, Prov. iii.”

And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

“The apostle therefore, for the obviating of this reproach and the clearing of Christianity from it, shows that obedience to civil magistrates is one of the laws of Christ, whose religion helps to make people good subjects; and it was very unjust to charge upon…”

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

“It forbids an anxious encumbering care. Indulging ourselves in an irregular desire. We are not forbidden barely to provide for the body (it is a lamp that must be supplied with oil), but we are forbidden to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

“Let not your Christian friendship and fellowship be disturbed with such vain janglings and strifes of words.-- Not to judge his doubtful thoughts (so the margin), "not to pump out his weak sentiments concerning those things which he is in doubt about, that you may…”

The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God…

“(1.) Because God hath received them; and we reflect upon him if we reject those whom he hath received. God never cast off any one that had true grace, though he was but weak in it; never broke the bruised reed.”

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

“You think that he who eateth will fall by his presumption, or that he who eateth not will sink under the weight of his own fears and scruples; but if they have true faith, and an eye to God, the one in the intelligent use…”

He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does…

“4 , justly makes this observation: It appears by this that saying grace (as we commonly call it, perhaps from 1 Cor. x.”