Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 3 · Subsection 26
Quest. 26. How the Creatures are said to waite, and to be subiect to vanitie, and to be deliuered, &c. and to grone, v. 19 v. 23.
1. Chrysostome well obserueth, that here the Apostle throughout saineth a certaine person of the creatures, giuing vntounto them affections, as well desire, hope, sorrow, greeuing: as the Prophets doe sometime bring in viniam lamentantem, the vineyard wayling, the mountaines howling and lamenting: and here the Apostle by this patheticall and emphaticall description of the generall desire and hope of the creatures to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, encourageth and hearteneth the Saints with patience to endure affliction, vponupon hope of their deliuerance.
2. First, he saith foreign, the earnest desire of the creature, expecteth, which word Theophylact interpreteth anxiam expectationem, the carefull expectation: so Calvin, Martyr: Ambrose, frequentem, the continuall expectation, Hilarie, long inquam, a desire a farre off, the word properly signifieth erecto capite expectare, to expect with putting forth of the head; the word is compounded of foreign, an head: Beza: and so the Syrian interpreter, oculos intendit, the creature expecteth, and setteth the eyes, as earnestly looking and beholding: and whereas he saith, the expectation of the creature expecteth, that is an Hebrew pleonasme; to expresse the continuall desire and expectation of the creature: Now there is a twofold expectation, or desire of the creature: one naturall, as for the earth and trees to bring forth fruit; and this propension and inclination they hauehave by nature: there is another supernaturall desire, as when any thing tendeth to an end aboue the naturall constitution: as the corruptible bodie, to the state of incorruption in the resurrection: and so the creatures are said to expect when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed: not that they hauehave any sense or knowledge who are the sonnes of God, but then they expect their owne libertie from the bondage of corruption, when the glorie of the sonnes of God shall be made manifest.
3. The nature is said to be subiect to vanitie. 1. which is not simply to be vnderstood of corruption, as Chrysostome expoundeth: for neither are the heauens of a corruptible nature, as other things, nor yet should the elements hauehave beene incorruptible though man had not sinned, seeing they were to serue for the generation and procreation of things, which cannot be done without corruption: Tolet annot. 15. 2. And Origens speculation is vaine, who vnderstandeth this vanitie to be the bodies, into the which the soules, which were before, were detruded. lib. 1. perearch. c. 7. And Erasmus conceit is somewhat too curious, that interpreteth foreign, vanitie, frustrationem; the deceiuing or disapointing of the creature, which saileth of that end, at the which it aymeth, namely immortalitie, in multiplying one individuum, particular, by another: but it misseth of that end. 4. wherefore by vanitie is vnderstood the fraile condition of things, which is much degenerated since the creation, both in the heauens, and the earth, and in the elements: and they doe looke to be restored againe to their perfit estate: Beza.
4. Not of it owne will: 1. not signifying thereby, as Theophylact, that all things were made by the prouidence of God, not virtute sua, by their owne power or vertue. 2. neither is it spoken comparatiuely, because they looke for a better estate, and so are said not to will that which is worse; Pere. 3. but this their vanitie is contra naturalem propensionem, against their naturall inclination: for eueryevery thing by nature would decline and shunne the corruption thereof: God made all things perfite in the beginning, but by mans sinnes euen according to the ordinance of God, all things were subdued to vanitie; Pareus.
5. VnderUnder hope: not that there is any hope in the creature: but the Apostle ascribeth vntounto them figuratiuely humane affections: and here hope is taken for the thing hoped for: as where it is said in the Psalmes, the Lord is my hope: Tolet annot. 10. hereby onelyonly is expressed the excellencie of that state to the which the creatures shall be restored.
6. Into the glorious libertie, &c. 1. Theodoret referreth it to the time, when the sonnes of God shall be glorified: and so Ambrose readeth in libertate, in the libertie of the sonnes of God: that when the sonnes of God, shall enioy their libertie, then the other creatures shall be freed from their corruptable estate. 2. Chrysostome interpreteth propter libertatem, they shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, because of the libertie of Gods children; as for mans cause they were enthralled, so for mans cause they shall be enlarged. 3. But here more is signified, that the creatures also, though they shall not be partakers of the glorie, yet they shall hauehave a more perfect estate, Calvin.
7. EueryEvery creature groueth, &c. which neither with Origen can be vnderstood of the Angels, for they are not subiect to greefe or groning: 2. neither is it to be referred to men, as Augustine, whose opinion shall be examined in the next question. 3. but here the Apostle continueth the former figure called (prosopopeia) ascribing vntounto the vnreasonable and senselesse creatures, a kind of sense and feeling of their miserie, and longing desire to be easied from it, as a woman that trauaileth: Par.