John Wesley

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

“Who was of the seed of David according to the flesh - That is, with regard to his human nature. Both the natures of our saviour are here mentioned; but the human is mentioned first, because the divine was not manifested in its full evidence…”

and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

“But powerfully declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit of Holiness - That is, according to his divine nature.”

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the world.

“He here particularly thanks God, that what otherwise himself should have done, was done at Rome already. My God - This very word expresses faith, hope, love, and consequently all true religion.”

For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

“That I may impart to you - Face to face, by laying on of hands, prayer, preaching the gospel, private conversation. Some spiritual gift - With such gifts the Corinthians, who had enjoyed the presence of St. Paul, abounded, 1 Cor.”

that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

“That is, I long to be comforted by the mutual faith both of you and me - He not only associates the Roman with, but even prefers them before, himself.”

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.

“But Paul is not ashamed, knowing it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth - The great and gloriously powerful means of saving all who accept salvation in God's own way. As St.”

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.”

“Sometimes it means that righteousness by which a man, through the gift of God, is made and is righteous; and that, both by receiving Christ through faith, and by a conformity to the essential righteousness of God.”

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

“His first argument is, The law condemns all men, as being under sin. None therefore is justified by the works of the law. This is treated of chap. iii, 20.”

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

“For what is to be known of God - Those great principles which are indispensably necessary to be known. Is manifest in them; for God hath showed it to them - By the light which enlightens every man that cometh into the world.”

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without…

“For those things of him which are invisible, are seen - By the eye of the mind. Being understood - They are seen by them, and them only, who use their understanding”

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, knowing God - For the wiser heathens did know that there was one supreme God; yet from low and base considerations they conformed to the idolatry of the vulgar.”

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

“Receiving the just recompense of their error - Their idolatry being punished with that unnatural lust, which was as horrible a dishonour to the body, as their idolatry was to God.”

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,

“Filled with all injustice - This stands in the first place; unmercifulness, in the last. Fornication - Includes here every species of uncleanness. Maliciousness - The Greek word properly implies a temper which delights in hurting another, even without any advantage to itself.”

slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.

“Whisperers - Such as secretly defame others. Backbiters - Such as speak against others behind their back. Haters of God - That is, rebels against him, deniers of his providence, or accusers of his justice in their adversities; yea, having an inward heart- enmity to…”

They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.

“Covenant-breakers - It is well known, the Romans, as a nation, from the very beginning of their commonwealth, never made any scruple of vacating altogether the most solemn engagement, if they did not like it, though made by their supreme magistrate, in the name of…”

Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who…

“Not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that practice them - This is the highest degree of wickedness.”

But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

“But to them that are contentious - Like thee, O Jew, who thus fightest against God. The character of a false Jew is disobedience, stubbornness, impatience.”

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

“Of the Jew first - Here we have the first express mention of the Jews in this chapter. And it is introduced with great propriety.”

but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek.

“But glory - Just opposite to "wrath," from the divine approbation. honour - Opposite to "indignation," by the divine appointment; and peace now and forever, opposed to tribulation and anguish.”

For God does not show favoritism.

“For there is no respect of persons with God - He will reward every one according to his works. But this is well consistent with his distributing advantages and opportunities of improvement, according to his own good pleasure.”

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 of the law are, even now, just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified - Finally acquitted and rewarded a most sure and important truth, which respects the gentiles also, though principally the Jews.”

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.

“The things contained in the law - The ten commandments being only the substance of the law of nature.”

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

“Their conscience - There is none of all its faculties which the soul has less in its power than this. Bearing witness - In a trial there are the plaintiff, the defendant, and the witnesses. Conscience and sin itself are witnesses against the heathens.”

on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.

“Men generally form their judgments, even of themselves merely from what is apparent. According to my gospel - According to the tenor of that gospel which is committed to my care. Hence it appears that the gospel also is a law.”

you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

“He now inverts the order: for sins against God are the most glaring in an heathen, but not in a Jew. Thou that abhorrest idols - Which all the Jews did, from the time of the Babylonish captivity.”