BIBLES NET. COM
Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page
|
[Previous] [Next] |
Matthew Henry |
R O M A N S.
CHAP. II.
The scope of the first two chapters of this epistle may be gathered
from
“We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under
sin.” This we have proved upon the Gentiles
(ch. i.),
now in this chapter he proves it upon the Jews, as appears by
“thou art called a Jew.”
I. He proves in general that Jews and Gentiles stand upon the same
level before the justice of God, to
II. He shows more particularly what sins the Jews were guilty of,
notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions
| Equity of the Divine Government. | A. D. 58. |
|
|
|
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art
that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest
thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to
truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do
such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the
judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance
and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up
unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for
glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the
truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth
evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh
good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish
without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be
judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but
the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature
the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a
law unto themselves:
15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the
mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus
Christ according to my gospel.
In the former chapter the apostle had represented the state of the
Gentile world to be as bad and black as the Jews were ready enough to
pronounce it. And now, designing to show that the state of the Jews was
very bad too, and their sin in many respects more aggravated, to
prepare his way he sets himself in this part of the chapter to show
that God would proceed upon equal terms of justice with Jews and
Gentiles; and now with such a partial hand as the Jews were apt to
think he would use in their favour.
I. He arraigns them for their censoriousness and self-conceit
(v. 1):
Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. As
he expresses himself in general terms, the admonition may reach those
many masters
(Jam. iii. 1),
of whatever nation or profession they are, that assume to themselves a
power to censure, control, and condemn others. But he intends
especially the Jews, and to them particularly he applies this general
charge
(v. 21),
Thou who teachest another teachest thou not thyself? The Jews
were generally a proud sort of people, that looked with a great deal of
scorn and contempt upon the poor Gentiles, as not worthy to be set with
the dogs of their flock; while in the mean time they were themselves as
bad and immoral–though not idolaters, as the Gentiles, yet
sacrilegious,
Therefore thou art inexcusable. If the Gentiles, who had but the
light of nature, were inexcusable
(ch. i. 20),
much more the Jews, who had the light of the law, the revealed will of
God, and so had greater helps than the Gentiles.
II. He asserts the invariable justice of the divine government,
To drive home the conviction, he here shows what a righteous God that
is with whom we have to do, and how just in his proceedings. It is
usual with the apostle Paul, in his writings, upon mention of some
material point, to make large digressions upon it; as here concerning
the justice of God
(v. 2),
That the judgment of God is according to truth,–according to
the eternal rules of justice and equity,–according to the heart, and
not according to the outward appearance
(1 Sam. xvi. 7),–according
to the works, and not with respect to persons, is a doctrine which we
are all sure of, for he would not be God if he were not just; but it
behoves those especially to consider it who condemn others for those
things which they themselves are guilty of, and so, while they practise
sin and persist in that practice, think to bribe the divine justice by
protesting against sin and exclaiming loudly upon others that are
guilty, as if preaching against sin would atone for the guilt of it.
But observe how he puts it to the sinner’s conscience
(v. 3):
Thinkest thou this, O man? O man, a rational creature, a
dependent creature, made by God, subject under him, and accountable to
him. The case is so plain that we may venture to appeal to the sinner’s
own thoughts: “Canst thou think that thou shalt escape the judgment
of God? Can the heart-searching God be imposed upon by formal
pretences, the righteous Judge of all so bribed and put off?” The most
plausible politic sinners, who acquit themselves before men with the
greatest confidence, cannot escape the judgment of God, cannot
avoid being judged and condemned.
III. He draws up a charge against them
(v. 4, 5)
consisting of two branches:–
1. Slighting the goodness of God
(v. 4),
the riches of his goodness. This is especially applicable to the
Jews, who had singular tokens of the divine favour. Means are mercies,
and the more light we sin against the more love we sin against. Low and
mean thoughts of the divine goodness are at the bottom of a great deal
of sin. There is in every wilful sin an interpretative contempt of the
goodness of God; it is spurning at his bowels, particularly the
goodness of his patience, his forbearance and long-suffering, taking
occasion thence to be so much the more bold in sin,
Not knowing, that is, not considering, not knowing practically
and with application, that the goodness of God leadeth thee, the
design of it is to lead thee, to repentance. It is not enough
for us to know that God’s goodness leads to repentance, but we must
know that it leads us–thee in particular. See here what method
God takes to bring sinners to repentance. He leads them, not drives
them like beasts, but leads them like rational creatures, allures them
(Hos. ii. 14);
and it is goodness that leads, bands of love,
Compare
The consideration of the goodness of God, his common
goodness to all (the goodness of his providence, of his patience, and
of his offers), should be effectual to bring us all to repentance; and
the reason why so many continue in impenitency is because they do not
know and consider this.
2. Provoking the wrath of God,
v. 5.
The rise of this provocation is a hard and impenitent heart; and
the ruin of sinners is their walking after such a heart, being led by
it. To sin is to walk in the way of the heart; and when that is a hard
and impenitent heart (contracted hardness by long custom, besides that
which is natural), how desperate must the course needs be! The
provocation is expressed by treasuring up wrath. Those that go
on in a course of sin are treasuring up unto themselves wrath. A
treasure denotes abundance. It is a treasure that will be spending to
eternity, and yet never exhausted; and yet sinners are still adding to
it as to a treasure. Every wilful sin adds to the score, and will
inflame the reckoning; it brings a branch to their wrath, as
some read that
they put the branch to their nose. A treasure denotes secrecy.
The treasury or magazine of wrath is the heart of God himself, in which
it lies hid, as treasures in some secret place sealed up; see
But withal it denotes reservation to some further occasion; as the
treasures of the hail are reserved against the day of battle and war,
These treasures will be broken open like the fountains of the great
deep,
They are treasured up against the day of wrath, when they will
be dispensed by the wholesale, poured out by full vials. Though the
present day be a day of patience and forbearance towards sinners, yet
there is a day of wrath coming–wrath, and nothing but wrath. Indeed,
every day is to sinners a day of wrath, for God is angry with the
wicked every day
(Ps. vii. 11),
but there is the great day of wrath coming,
And that day of wrath will be the day of the revelation of the
righteous judgment of God. The wrath of God is not like our wrath,
a heat and passion; no, fury is not in him
but it is a righteous judgment, his will to punish sin, because he
hates it as contrary to his nature. This righteous judgment of God is
now many times concealed in the prosperity and success of sinners, but
shortly it will be manifested before all the world, these seeming
disorders set to rights, and the heavens shall declare his
righteousness,
Therefore judge nothing before the time.
IV. He describes the measures by which God proceeds in his judgment.
Having mentioned the righteous judgment of God in
v. 5,
he here illustrates that judgment, and the righteousness of it, and
shows what we may expect from God, and by what rule he will judge the
world. The equity of distributive justice is the dispensing of frowns
and favours with respect to deserts and without respect to persons:
such is the righteous judgment of God.
1. He will render to every man according to his deeds
(v. 6),
a truth often mentioned in scripture, to prove that the Judge of all
the earth does right.
(1.) In dispensing his favours; and this is mentioned twice here, both
in
For he delights to show mercy. Observe,
[1.] The objects of his favour: Those who by patient
continuance, &c. By this we may try our interest in the divine
favour, and may hence be directed what course to take, that we may
obtain it. Those whom the righteous God will reward are, First,
Such as fix to themselves the right end, that seek for glory, and
honour, and immortality; that is, the glory and honour which are
immortal-acceptance with God here and for ever. There is a holy
ambition which is at the bottom of all practical religion. This is
seeking the kingdom of God, looking in our desires and aims as high as
heaven, and resolved to take up with nothing short of it. This seeking
implies a loss, sense of that loss, desire to retrieve it, and pursuits
and endeavours consonant to those desires. Secondly, Such as,
having fixed the right end, adhere to the right way: A patient
continuance in well-doing.
1. There must be well-doing, working good,
It is not enough to know well, and speak well, and profess well, and
promise well, but we must do well: do that which is good, not only for
the matter of it, but for the manner of it. We must do it well.
2. A continuance in well-doing. Not for a fit and a start, like the
morning cloud and the early dew; but we must endure to the end: it is
perseverance that wins the crown.
3. A patient continuance. This patience respects not only the length of
the work, but the difficulties of it and the oppositions and hardships
we may meet with in it. Those that will do well and continue in it must
put on a great deal of patience.
[2.] The product of his favour. He will render to such eternal life.
Heaven is life, eternal life, and it is the reward of those that
patiently continue in well-doing; and it is called
(v. 10)
glory, honour, and peace. Those that seek for glory and honour
(v. 7)
shall have them. Those that seek for the vain glory and honour of this
world often miss of them, and are disappointed; but those that seek for
immortal glory and honour shall have them, and not only glory and
honour, but peace. Worldly glory and honour are commonly
attended with trouble; but heavenly glory and honour have peace with
them, undisturbed everlasting peace.
(2.) In dispensing his frowns
(v. 8, 9).
Observe,
[1.] The objects of his frowns. In general those that do evil, more
particularly described to be such as are contentious and do not obey
the truth. Contentious against God. Every wilful sin is a quarrel
with God, it is striving with our Maker
(Isa. xlv. 9),
the most desperate contention. The Spirit of God strives with sinners
(Gen. vi. 3),
and impenitent sinners strive against the Spirit, rebel against the
light
(Job xxiv. 13),
hold fast deceit, strive to retain that sin which the Spirit strives to
part them from. Contentious, and do not obey the truth. The
truths of religion are not only to be known, but to be obeyed; they are
directing, ruling, commanding; truths relating to practice.
Disobedience to the truth is interpreted a striving against it. But
obey unrighteousness–do what unrighteousness bids them do. Those
that refuse to be the servants of truth will soon be the slaves of
unrighteousness.
[2.] The products or instances of these frowns: Indignation and
wrath, tribulation and anguish. These are the wages of sin.
Indignation and wrath the causes–tribulation and anguish
the necessary and unavoidable effects. And this upon the soul;
souls are the vessels of that wrath, the subjects of that tribulation
and anguish. Sin qualifies the soul for this wrath. The soul is that
in or of man which is alone immediately capable of this indignation,
and the impressions or effects of anguish therefrom. Hell is eternal
tribulation and anguish, the product of wrath and indignation. This
comes of contending with God, of setting briers and thorns before a
consuming fire,
Those that will not bow to his golden sceptre will certainly be broken
by his iron rod. Thus will God render to every man according to his
deeds.
2. There is no respect of persons with God,
v. 11.
As to the spiritual state, there is a respect of persons; but not as to
outward relation or condition. Jews and Gentiles stand upon the same
level before God. This was Peter’s remark upon the first taking down of
the partition-wall
(Acts x. 34),
that God is no respecter of persons; and it is explained in the next
words, that in every nation he that fears God, and works
righteousness, is accepted of him. God does not save men with
respect to their external privileges or their barren knowledge and
profession of the truth, but according as their state and disposition
really are. In dispensing both his frowns and favours it is both to Jew
and Gentile. If to the Jews first, who had greater privileges,
and made a greater profession, yet also to the Gentiles, whose
want of such privileges will neither excuse them from the punishment of
their ill-doing nor bar them out from the reward of their well-doing
(see
for shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
V. He proves the equity of his proceedings with all, when he shall
actually come to Judge them
(v. 12-16),
upon this principle, that that which is the rule of man’s obedience is
the rule of God’s judgment. Three degrees of light are revealed to the
children of men:–
1. The light of nature. This the Gentiles have, and by this they shall
be judged: As many as have sinned without law shall perish without
law; that is, the unbelieving Gentiles, who had no other guide but
natural conscience, no other motive but common mercies, and had not the
law of Moses nor any supernatural revelation, shall not be reckoned
with for the transgression of the law they never had, nor come under
the aggravation of the Jews’ sin against and judgment by the written
law; but they shall be judged by, as they sin against, the law of
nature, not only as it is in their hearts, corrupted, defaced, and
imprisoned in unrighteousness, but as in the uncorrupt original the
Judge keeps by him. Further to clear this
(v. 14, 15),
in a parenthesis, he evinces that the light of nature was to the
Gentiles instead of a written law. He had said
(v. 12)
they had sinned without law, which looks like a contradiction;
for where there is no law there is no transgression. But, says he,
though they had not the written law
they had that which was equivalent, not to the ceremonial, but to the
moral law. They had the work of the law. He does not mean that
work which the law commands, as if they could produce a perfect
obedience; but that work which the law does. The work of the law is to
direct us what to do, and to examine us what we have done. Now,
(1.) They had that which directed them what to do by the light of
nature: by the force and tendency of their natural notions and dictates
they apprehended a clear and vast difference between good and evil.
They did by nature the things contained in the law. They had a
sense of justice and equity, honour and purity, love and charity; the
light of nature taught obedience to parents, pity to the miserable,
conservation of public peace and order, forbade murder, stealing,
lying, perjury, &c. Thus they were a law unto themselves.
(2.) They had that which examined them as to what they had done:
Their conscience also bearing witness. They had that within them
which approved and commended what was well done and which reproached
them for what was done amiss. Conscience is a witness, and first or
last will bear witness, though for a time it may be bribed or
brow-beaten. It is instead of a thousand witnesses, testifying of that
which is most secret; and their thoughts accusing or excusing,
passing a judgment upon the testimony of conscience by applying the law
to the fact. Conscience is that candle of the Lord which was not quite
put out, no, not in the Gentile world. The heathen have witnessed to
the comfort of a good conscience.
| ——–Hic murus ahoncus esto,
Nil conscire sibi——– Be this thy brazen bulwark of defence, Still to preserve thy conscious innocence.–HOR. |
and to the terror of a bad one:
| ——–Quos diri consein facti
Mens habet attonitos, et surdo verbere cædit– No lash is heard, and yet the guilty heart Is tortur’d with a self-inflicted smart–JUV. Sat. 13. |
Their thoughts the meanwhile, metaxy
allelon—among themselves, or one with another. The same
light and law of nature that witnesses against sin in them, and
witnessed against it in others, accused or excused one another.
Vicissim, so some read it, by turns; according as they
observed or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences
did either acquit or condemn them. All this did evince that they had
that which was to them instead of a law, which they might have been
governed by, and which will condemn them, because they were not so
guided and governed by it. So that the guilty Gentiles are left without
excuse. God is justified in condemning them. They cannot plead
ignorance, and therefore are likely to perish if they have not
something else to plead.
2. The light of the law. This the Jews had, and by this they shall be
judged
(v. 12):
As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.
They sinned, not only having the law, but en nomo—in
the law, in the midst of so much law, in the face and light of so
pure and clear a law, the directions of which were so very full and
particular, and the sanctions of it so very cogent and enforcing. These
shall be judged by the law; their punishment shall be, as their
sin is, so much the greater for their having the law. The Jew
first,
v. 9.
It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon. Thus Moses did accuse
them
(John v. 45),
and they fell under the many stripes of him that knew his master’s
will, and did it not,
The Jews prided themselves very much in the law; but, to confirm what
he had said, the apostle shows
(v. 13)
that their having, and hearing, and knowing the law, would not justify
them, but their doing it. The Jewish doctors bolstered up their
followers with an opinion that all that were Jews, how bad soever they
lived, should have a place in the world to come. This the apostle here
opposes: it was a great privilege that they had the law, but not a
saving privilege, unless they lived up to the law they had, which it is
certain the Jews did not, and therefore they had need of a
righteousness wherein to appear before God. We may apply it to the
gospel: it is not hearing, but doing that will save us,
3. The light of the gospel: and according to this those that enjoyed
the gospel shall be judge
(v. 16):
According to my gospel; not meant of any fifth gospel written by
Paul, as some conceit; or of the gospel written by Luke, as
Paul’s amanuensis (Euseb. Hist. lib 3, cap. 8), but the gospel
in general, called Paul’s because he was a preacher of it. As many as
are under that dispensation shall be judged according to that
dispensation,
Some refer those words, according to my gospel, to what he says
of the day of judgment: “There will come a day of judgment, according
as I have in my preaching often told you; and that will be the day of
the final judgment both of Jews and Gentiles.” It is good for us to get
acquainted with what is revealed concerning that day.
(1.) There is a day set for a general judgment. The day, the great
day, his day that is coming,
(2.) The judgment of that day will be put into the hands of Jesus
Christ. God shall judge by Jesus Christ,
It will be part of the reward of his humiliation. Nothing speaks more
terror to sinners, or more comfort to saints, than this, that Christ
shall be the Judge.
(3.) The secrets of men shall then be judged. Secret services shall be
then rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, hidden things shall
be brought to light. That will be the great discovering day, when that
which is now done in corners shall be proclaimed to all the world.
| The Pretensions of the Jews; The Depravity of the Jews. | A. D. 58. |
|
|
|
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and
makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are
more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the
blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast
the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not
thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou
steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou
commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit
sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the
law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through
you, as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but
if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made
uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of
the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for
circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it
fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision
dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is
that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision
is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter;
whose praise is not of men, but of God.
In the latter part of the chapter the apostle directs his discourse
more closely to the Jews, and shows what sins they were guilty of,
notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. He had said
(v. 13)
that not the hearers but the doers of the law are justified; and he
here applies that great truth to the Jews. Observe,
I. He allows their profession
(v. 17-20)
and specifies their particular pretensions and privileges in which they
prided themselves, that they might see he did not condemn them out of
ignorance of what they had to say for themselves; no, he knew the best
of their cause.
1. They were a peculiar people, separated and distinguished from all
others by their having the written law and the special presence of God
among them.
(1.) Thou art called a Jew; not so much in parentage as
profession. It was a very honourable title. Salvation was of the Jews;
and this they were very proud of, to be a people by themselves; and yet
many that were so called were the vilest of men. It is no new thing for
the worst practices to be shrouded under the best names, for many of
the synagogue of Satan to say they are Jews
(Rev. ii. 9),
for a generation of vipers to boast they have Abraham to their
father,
Matt. iii. 7-9.
(2.) And restest in the law; that is, they took a pride in this,
that they had the law among them, had it in their books, read it in
their synagogues. They were mightily puffed up with this privilege, and
thought this enough to bring them to heaven, though they did not live,
up to the law. To rest in the law, with a rest of complacency and
acquiescence, is good; but to rest in it with a rest of pride, and
slothfulness, and carnal security, is the ruin of souls. The temple
of the Lord,
Jer. vii. 4.
Bethel their confidence,
Jer. xlviii. 13.
Haughty because of the holy mountain,
Zeph. iii. 11.
It is a dangerous thing to rest in external privileges, and not to
improve them.
(3.) And makest thy boast of God. See how the best things may be
perverted and abused. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is
the root and summary of all religion,
Isa. xlv. 15; 1 Cor. i. 31.
But a proud vainglorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession
of his name, is the root and summary of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride
is of all kinds of pride the most dangerous.
2. They were a knowing people
(v. 18):
and knowest his will, to thelema—the will.
God’s will is the will, the sovereign, absolute, irresistible will. The
world will then, and not till then, be set to rights, when God’s will
is the only will, and all other wills are melted into it. They did not
only know the truth of God, but the will of God, that which he would
have them to do. It is possible for a hypocrite to have a great deal of
knowledge in the will of God.–And approvest the things that are
more excellent—dokimazeis ta diapheronta. Paul prays
for it for his friends as a very great attainment,
Eis to dokimazein hymas ta diapheronta. Understand it,
(1.) Of a good apprehension in the things of God, reading it
thus, Thou discernest things that differ, knowest how to
distinguish between good and evil, to separate between the precious and
the vile
(Jer. xv. 19),
to make a difference between the unclean and the clean,
Good and bad lie sometimes so near together that it is not easy to
distinguish them; but the Jews, having the touchstone of the law ready
at hand, were, or at least thought they were, able to distinguish, to
cleave the hair in doubtful cases. A man may be a good casuist and yet
a bad Christian–accurate in the notion, but loose and careless in the
application. Or, we may, with De Dieu, understand
controversies by the ta diapheronta. A man may be
well skilled in the controversies of religion, and yet a stranger to
the power of godliness.
(2.) Of a warm affection to the things of God, as we read it,
Approvest the things that are excellent. There are excellences
in religion which a hypocrite may approve of: there may be a consent of
the practical judgment to the law, that it is good, and yet that
consent overpowerd by the lusts of the flesh, and of the mind:–
| ——–Video meliora proboque
Deteriora sequor. I see the better, but pursue the worse. |
and it is common for sinners to make that approbation an excuse which
is really a very great aggravation of a sinful course. They got this
acquaintance with, and affection to, that which is good, but being
instructed out of the law, katechoumenos—being
catechised. The word signifies an early instruction in childhood.
It is a great privilege and advantage to be well catechised betimes. It
was the custom of the Jews to take a great deal of pains in teaching
their children when they were young, and all their lessons were out
of the law; it were well if Christians were but as industrious to
teach their children out of the gospel. Now this is called
(v. 20),
The form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law, that is, the
show and appearance of it. Those whose knowledge rests in an empty
notion, and does not make an impression on their hearts, have only the
form of it, like a picture well drawn and in good colours, but which
wants life. A form of knowledge produces but a form of godliness,
A form of knowledge may deceive men, but cannot impose upon the
piercing eye of the heart-searching God. A form may be the vehicle of
the power; but he that takes up with that only is like sounding
brass and a tinkling cymbal.
3. They were a teaching people, or at least thought themselves so
(v. 19, 20):
And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind.
Apply it,
(1.) To the Jews in general. They thought themselves guides to the poor
blind Gentiles that sat in darkness, were very proud of this, that
whoever would have the knowledge of God must be beholden to them for
it. All other nations must come to school to them, to learn what is
good, and what the Lord requires; for they had the lively oracles.
(2.) To their rabbis, and doctors, and leading men among them, who were
especially those that judged others,
v. 1.
These prided themselves much in the possession they had got of Moses’s
chair, and the deference which the vulgar paid to their dictates; and
the apostle expresses this in several terms, a guide of the blind, a
light of those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a
teacher of babes, the better to set forth their proud conceit of
themselves, and contempt of others. This was a string they loved to be
harping upon, heaping up titles of honour upon themselves. The best
work, when it is prided in, is unacceptable to God. It is good to
instruct the foolish, and to teach the babes: but considering our own
ignorance, and folly, and inability to make these teachings successful
without God, there is nothing in it to be proud of.
II. He aggravates their provocations
(v. 21-24)
from two things:–
1. That they sinned against their knowledge and profession, did that
themselves which they taught others to avoid: Thou that teachest
another, teachest thou not thyself? Teaching is a piece of that
charity which begins at home, though it must not end there. It was the
hypocrisy of the Pharisees that they did not do as they taught
but pulled down with their lives what they built up with their
preaching; for who will believe those who do not believe themselves?
Examples will govern more than rules. The greatest obstructors of the
success of the word are those whose bad lives contradict their good
doctrine, who in the pulpit preach so well that it is a pity they
should ever come out, and out of the pulpit live so ill that it is a
pity they should ever come in. He specifies three particular sins that
abound among the Jews:–
(1.) Stealing. This is charged upon some that declared God’s statutes
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him. The
Pharisees are charged with devouring widows’ houses
and that is the worst of robberies.
(2.) Adultery,
This is likewise charged upon that sinner
(Ps. l. 18),
Thou hast been partaker with adulterers. Many of the Jewish
rabbin are said to have been notorious for this sin.
(3.) Sacrilege-robbing in holy things, which were then by special laws
dedicated and devoted to God; and this is charged upon those that
professed to abhor idols. So the Jews did remarkably, after their
captivity in Babylon; that furnace separated them for ever from the
dross of their idolatry, but they dealt very treacherously in the
worship of God. It was in the latter days of the Old-Testament church
that they were charged with robbing God in tithes and offerings
converting that to their own use, and to the service of their lusts,
which was, in a special manner, set apart for God. And this is almost
equivalent to idolatry, though this sacrilege was cloaked with the
abhorrence of idols. Those will be severely reckoned with another day
who, while they condemn sin in others, do the same, or as bad, or
worse, themselves.
2. That they dishonoured God by their sin,
While God and his law were an honour to them, which they boasted of and
prided themselves in, they were a dishonour to God and his law, by
giving occasion to those that were without to reflect upon their
religion, as if that did countenance and allow of such things, which,
as it is their sin who draw such inferences (for the faults of
professors are not to be laid upon professions), so it is their sin who
give occasion for those inferences, and will greatly aggravate their
miscarriages. This was the condemnation in David’s case, that he had
given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme,
2 Sam. xii. 14.
And the apostle here refers to the same charge against their
forefathers: As it is written,
v. 24.
He does not mention the place, because he wrote this to those that were
instructed in the law (in labouring to convince, it is some advantage
to deal with those that have knowledge and are acquainted with the
scripture), but he seems to point at
Ezek. xxxvi. 22, 23; and 2 Sam. xii. 14.
It is a lamentation that those who were made to be to God for a name
and for a praise should be to him a shame and dishonour. The great
evil of the sins of professors is the dishonour done to God and
religion by their profession. “Blasphemed through you; that is,
you give the occasion for it, it is through your folly and
carelessness. The reproaches you bring upon yourselves reflect upon
your God, and religion is wounded through your sides.” A good caution
to professors to walk circumspectly. See
III. He asserts the utter insufficiency of their profession to clear
them from the guilt of these provocations
(v. 25-29):
Circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; that is,
obedient Jews shall not lose the reward of their obedience, but will
gain this by their being Jews, that they have a clearer rule of
obedience than the Gentiles have. God did not give the law nor appoint
circumcision in vain. This must be referred to the state of the Jews
before the ceremonial polity was abolished, otherwise circumcision to
one that professed faith in Christ was forbidden,
But he is here speaking to the Jews, whose Judaism would benefit them,
if they would but live up to the rules and laws of it; but if not
“thy circumcision is made uncircumcision; that is, thy
profession will do thee no good; thou wilt be no more justified than
the uncircumcised Gentiles, but more condemned for sinning against
greater light.” The uncircumcised are in scripture branded as
unclean
(Isa. lii. 1),
as out of the covenant,
and wicked Jews will be dealt with as such. See
Further to illustrate this,
1. He shows that the uncircumcised Gentiles, if they live up to the
light they have, stand upon the same level with the Jews; if they
keep the righteousness of the law
(v. 26),
fulfil the law
(v. 27);
that is, by submitting sincerely to the conduct of natural light,
perform the matter of the law. Some understand it as putting the case
of a perfect obedience to the law: “If the Gentiles could perfectly
keep the law, they would be justified by it as well as the Jews.” But
it seems rather to be meant of such an obedience as some of the
Gentiles did attain to. The case of Cornelius will clear it. Though he
was a Gentile, and uncircumcised, yet, being a devout man, and one
that feared God with all his house
(Acts x. 2),
he was accepted,
v. 4.
Doubtless, there were many such instances: and they were the
uncircumcision, that kept the righteousness of the law; and of such
he says,
(1.) That they were accepted with God, as if they had been circumcised.
Their uncircumcision was counted for circumcision. Circumcision
was indeed to the Jews a commanded duty, but it was not to all
the world a necessary condition of justification and salvation.
(2.) That their obedience was a great aggravation of the disobedience
of the Jews, who had the letter of the law,
Judge thee, that is, help to add to thy condemnation, who by
the letter and circumcision dost transgress. Observe, To carnal
professors the law is but the letter; they read it as a bare writing,
but are not ruled by it as a law. They did transgress, not only
notwithstanding the letter and circumcision, but by it, that is, they
thereby hardened themselves in sin. External privileges, if they do not
do us good, do us hurt. The obedience of those that enjoy less means,
and make a less profession, will help to condemn those that enjoy
greater means, and make a greater profession, but do not live up to
it.
2. He describes the true circumcision,
(1.) It is not that which is outward in the flesh and in the
letter. This is not to drive us off from the observance of external
institutions (they are good in their place), but from trusting to them
and resting in them as sufficient to bring us to heaven, taking up with
a name to live, without being alive indeed. He is not a Jew,
that is, shall not be accepted of God as the seed of believing Abraham,
nor owned as having answered the intention of the law. To be Abraham’s
children is to do the works of Abraham,
(2.) It is that which is inward, of the heart, and in the
spirit. It is the heart that God looks at, the circumcising of the
heart that renders us acceptable to him. See
This is the circumcision that is not made with hands,
Col. ii. 11, 12.
Casting away the body of sin. So it is in the spirit, in our
spirit as the subject, and wrought by God’s Spirit as the author of it.
(3.) The praise thereof, though it be not of men, who judge
according to outward appearance, yet it is of God, that is, God
himself will own and accept and crown this sincerity; for he seeth
not as man seeth. Fair pretences and a plausible profession may
deceive men: but God cannot be so deceived; he sees through shows to
realities. This is alike true of Christianity. He is not a Christian
that is one outwardly, nor is that baptism which is outward in the
flesh; but he is a Christian that is one inwardly, and baptism is that
of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not
of men but of God.
|
[Previous] [Next] |
Matthew Henry |
|
Back to Bibles Net . Com – Online Christian Library Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary – Free Download |
Copyright 2008. Bibles Net. Com. All Rights Reserved.