Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 1 · Section 3 · Subsection 47 – Subsection 48
Quest. 47. How the wrath of God is said to be reuealed from heauen against all vnrighteousnesse, ver. 18.
1. This clause is a probation of the former, that there is no way whereby one is iustified before God, but by faith, which the Apostle prooueth by the contrarie: because either by workes or faith must men he iustified: but not by workes, as he prooueth first in this chapter by particular induction in the Gentiles, that their workes deserued nothing but Gods wrath: and in the Iewes, c. 2. This is the reason of the connexion of this verse with the former, Beza, Aretius, Mart. And the causes, why the Apostle thus beginneth to reprooue the Gentiles are these. 1. S. Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles, and therefore he first dealeth with them. 2. because the qualitie and nature of faith, and of the grace of God, can not be well vnderstood, vnlesse we first looke into our selues, and consider the vilenesse of our owne workes. 2. And because such is mans pride by nature, vt opera sua maximifaciat, that he setteth much by his owne workes: therefore the Apostle doth first beginne to beat downe the pride of man. 3. It is the manner of the Prophets and of our Blessed Sauiour in their prophesies and sermons, to beginne with the Lawe, and then to proceede to the promises of the Gospel, Hyper.
2. By the wrath of God is signified, declaratio irae Dei, the declaration of the wrath of God, Aretius: there is in God no motion or perturbation, as in man: wrath according to the Hebrewe phrase, is taken for reuenge or punishment, Erasmus.
3. Reuealed. 1. three waies is the wrath of God reuealed against sinne. 1. by the light of nature: for eueryevery mans conscience accuseth, or excuseth him: 2. by the Gospel, which threateneth euerlasting punishment to the wicked and vnbeleeuers. 3. and by daily experience, which sheweth that God is angrie with the sinnes of the world, Pareus. 2. God doth by daily experience testifie his wrath against the vngodly of the world, and euen at this time when the Apostle thus wrote, the world was plagued with warre, famine, and other grieuous calamities, for the contempt of the Gospel, Gualter. 3. but this revelation also may be applyed to the Gospel, wherein is reuealed the wrath of God against sinners: as Mat. 3. Iohn Baptist preached, Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree: and our Blessed Sauiour saith, Luk. 13.3. vnlesse ye repent, yee shall likewise perish. 4. vnderunder the lawe also the wrath of God was declared against the vngodly, as in the destruction of Sodome, and of the Egyptians in the red Sea: but the wrath of God did then onelyonly shew it selfe in such externall and temporarie punishments: But the gospel doth threaten euerlasting condemnation: as Matth. 10.28. feare not them, which kill the bodie, but rather feare him, who is able to destroy both bodie and soule in hell, Perer. And the Law did onelyonly in theft, generally condemne all infidelitie: but the Gospel in hypothesi, in particular condemneth incredulitie and vnbeleefe in Christ, Pareus. And then it beeing a time of ignorance, the iudgements of God, though they were in the world, yet were not marked and obserued, but now they are euident to all men, Aretius.
4. From heauen. 1. Ambrose expoundeth, ipsos coelos demonstrare, &c. that the heauens doe declare the wrath of God against sinners, and shall be their accusers, who refused to worship God which made the heauens: so sometime the Lord calleth the heauens and earth to be witnesses against men, Isa. 2.1. Gryneus. 2. Origen giueth this sense, quia spirituales nequitiae in coelestibus sunt, because the spirituall wickednesses, (that is, the euill spirits) are aboue in the celestiall places, who are ministers of Gods iudgements vponupon the wicked. 3. Chrysostome, Theophylact, Oecumenius, referre it to the reuelation of the last and finall iudgement from heauen, at the second comming of Christ. 4. Caietan and gloss. ordinar. thus vnderstand it, quia Euangelium de toelo est, because the Gospel is from heauen, wherein this wrath of God is reuealed. 5. Some hereby vnderstand the vniuersalitie of Gods iudgements, that they shall be vponupon all men vnderunder heauen, wheresoeuer they are, Per. 6. Some referre it to the manifest appearance of Gods iudgements from heauen, tanquam è sublimi loco, as out of an high place in the sight of all, Faius: so manifest that no man can denie it, Beza. 7. But the best sense is, that men shoud not thinke, these plagues sent vponupon the world, to be ordinarie and naturall, (though God therein may vse naturall and secondarie causes) sed à Deo inflicta, but that they are inflicted of God, Martyr. Pareus.
5. VponUpon all vngodlinesse. 1. Origen restraineth this clause: that though the wrath of God, be said to be reuealed against all impietie, non tamen in omnes homines, yet not against all men, but onelyonly against those among the Gentiles, which had the knowledge of the truth: such were their wise men and Philosophers. 2. But Tolet by diuerse reasons sheweth, that all the Gentiles are here comprehended, whether the wise or vnwise. 1. by the generalitie of the words, against all impietie and vnrighteousnesse. 2. because they all had the knowledge of God by the creatures. 3. v. 26. the Apostle maketh mention of their women, whom he would not hauehave counted among the Philosophers and wiser sort. 4. the Apostles intent is to prooue, that all the Gentiles were vnderunder the wrath of God, and therefore also the knowledge of the Gospel, and of faith in Christ, was necessarie vntounto all, both the wise and vnwise. 3. but as Tolet here reasoneth well: so yet herein he is deceiued: he thinketh as this sentence concerneth all the Gentiles, so the former, that the iust shall liue by faith, he taketh to be meant onelyonly of the Iewes: whereas v. 17. the Apostle made euident mention both of Iew and Grecian, that the Gospel was the power of God to saluation, to euerie of them that beleeued, Faius.
6. All impietie and vnrighteousnesse. 1. Tolet following Theodoret, thinketh that these two are applyed to idolatrie: which is both impietie, because it denieth vntounto God his worship, and iniustice, in giuing that which is due vntounto God, vntounto idols. 2. But the vsuall interpretation is better: which Origen also hath, impiet as peccare in Deum est, iniquit as in homines, impietie is to sinne against God, iniquitie against men: so also Chrysostome, non de dogmatis tantum dicit, sed de vita, he speaketh not onelyonly of the errors of doctrine, but of the sinnes of the life, &c. So impietie comprehendeth the transgressions against the first table: vnrighteousnesse, against the second, Pareus. 3. some by all impietie, &c. vnderstand all impious and vnrighteous persons, Perer. rather it signifieth, super omnes impietatis partes, &c. vponupon all the partes of impietie, and vnrighteousnesse, Gorrham. whereof these two reasons may be yeelded, 1. that none should be excepted: though they seemed neuer so righteous they might hauehave some impietie in them, Beza. 2. and to shew the obiect of Gods wrath, which was not properly men, but the impietie and vnrightousenesse of men, Pareus.
Quest. 48. What it is to withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse, v. 18.
1. Anselme vnderstandeth this of those, qui veritatem id est Dei scientiam habent, tamen male vivunt, which hauehave the truth, that is the knowledge of God, but yet doe liue ill.
2. Basil of those, qui donis Dei ad proprias voluntates abutuntur, which hauing the gifts of God, doe abuse them to their owne pleasure: But the first restraineth this word veritie, or truth, as though it onelyonly concerned the knowledge of diuine things: whereas there is a truth also in moral duties: the second seemeth onelyonly to include those which sinne malitiously, and of set purpose: whereas all the Gentiles were guiltie of this in detayning the truth in vnrighteousnesse.
3. Oecumenius expoundeth it of those which did know the truth in themselues, and did keepe it in, ne alys splendeat, that it should not appeare vntounto others: But in this sense onelyonly the Philosophers and wise men among the heathen should be touched, whereas S. Paul sheweth what was the condition of all the Gentiles in generall.
4. Augustine, Ambrose, Chrysostome, Hayme, doe specially apply it to the knowledge of God, which the Gentiles had by the creatures, and abused it, in leauing the Creator, and worshipping the creature, quod per opera Dei cognovisti, per opera hominum perdidisti, that which thou knewest by the works of God, thou hast lost by the handieworke of men, August. serm. 55. de verbo Domini secund. Ioan. And Chrysostome thus resembleth it, like as one hauing the kings treasure committed vntounto him, to bestowe in the kings affaires, should spend it vponupon harlots, and other Iewde persons: so also Tolet. Perer. But in this sense the Apostles reason should be too much restrained: who spake before of all impietie and vnrighteousnesse, both against God and man.
5. By truth, then we here better vnderstand, veras notitias de Deo colendo, & proximo diligendo, the true notice both of worshipping God, and louing our neighbour: such as the Gentiles had by the knowledge of nature: which notice of the truth, they by their owne concupiscence, and vnrighteousnesse abused, and did contrarie things to this their knowledge, both in their duties toward God, and their neighbours, Pareus, Martyr, Hyperius. And here the Apostle vseth a sic similitude taken from Tyrants, who oppresse the innocent, and imprison them: so the Gentiles did as it were imprison the truth which they had by nature, in their owne corrupt affections: which were as setters & gives vntounto the truth, which would hauehave shewed it selfe, but was kept vnderunder.
6. But seeing the truth is powerfull and prevalent: why should it be kept vnderunder more at one time, then at an other? Ans. The truth is alwaies powerfull: but the difference is not in the truth it selfe, but in the instrument which we vse in apprehending it: our naturall strength is of small force, but when the grace of God assisteth vsus: then the truth breaketh forth, and can be no longer kept vnderunder. Martyr.