PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Romans
James Barmby [1822-1897] · 439,030 words · 478 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 121
ness, 'l'hoy rested entirely in the sovereign grace and mercy of God. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (ver. 8). So David also describes the blesseclness of those whose iniqnities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. of the man to whom the Lord doth not impute sin (vers. 6-8). N…
947 wordsSECTION 122The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 122
AbrahRm, there would be no difficulty Rl)ont It." I think the way to meet that difficulty is this. Snturate your mind with the spirit of the gospel, with the teachings of tho Word of G,>d, with the spirit of Christ. A ChristiRn is one who hos the spirit of Christ. And, while there will be inconsistencies, as a rule …
961 wordsSECTION 123The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 123
Vere. 9-22.-.AZZ things are of faith. The position is now est.ablished that righteousness is through faith. But, they might say, through the faith of a circumcised man; and the promise of the inheritance was through the Law; and surely the posterity of Abraham came according to the flesh. He e.nswers-Righteol18lless, h…
804 wordsSECTION 124The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 124
all is well. We .. believ'e on him." 2. Th~ sJJtCinl subJ'ect-matttt· qf our fait'ft, "That f'lllsed Jesus," et.c.. It 'WRS not reTMled to Abtahatn. how God would evontually work out l'lll'l'lltion for rnankind, but !!'1ch salvation 1\8 he could gra.sp was promleod-'the l'Ri8ing up of a posterity which s~1ould possess …
911 wordsSECTION 125The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 125
Ver. 18.-0btaining an inheritanr:e. An honourable lineage is not to be despised. M11ny advo.ntagee accrue from 1he law of heredity, by which progenitors transmit distinguishing qualities to their descendants. But tbe text invites to an unusual course of begetting an ancestry and thus winning a noble inheritance-nothin"…
731 wordsSECTION 126The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 126
root-gmce out, of which his virtues sprang; it w&s the aecret sUBtainlng power whloh snppc,rtoo him under the trials of a pilgrim and BOjourner, The signlfioant atatement in Gt>nesis was fastened on by the apostle and triumphantly wielded &s a weapon to slay all Jewish prejudices against tbe gospel coctrine of jueti…
851 wordsSECTION 127The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 127
ful;" hie oase is, therefore, a ohtcial one. Accordingly, Paul begins by asking, "What shall we then say that Abraham, our forefather, bath found, 118 perte.lning t,o the ilesh ?" By this is mee.nt virtually this: "What merit tefore God did Abraham ncqulre in the use of hia nature.I human faculties, or, i:1 other words…
891 wordsSECTION 128The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 128
M! en heir {'If God." 1 Now, this designation of Abrnl,am to the heirshlp or the world ~ at the nme ti~ as the reckonincr to him of righteousness. The Law BfierwL\rds given to his J)C\'lterity b11,d nothing to do with this inheritance. It oame solely through Mtb. It. WRs the gift of Di'l"'ine grace signalizing the patr…
895 wordsSECTION 129The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 129
pa~ted from tlieir usual rendering hecaase sense. or conne, it kindles answ,,rin"' Jr,ve or the 11~bet11.ntive "glory," in a different in ourselves (et. "We love God, br,ca,~ he 1onee, which follows) tn hope of the glory of first loved as"); but the idea here is tl.,it {fod. l;lpoo-11-y~ (tmnsla.tcd "access") oc- ot…
1,020 wordsSECTION 130The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 130
tenRble. though against it is tho ral't thl\t mnoh more, bemw reoonolled, ,n llhall be deet.h in behalf of Pff'l'()fls is being spoken aaved by (literally, in) his life. In tb01e of all along. The remaining l\nd most com- verses, the second being an amplifl0&tion of monly &('('8pted '"iew is that by" the good the fi…
1,117 wordsSECTION 131The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 131
kind in the atonement, inrlcpendently of, trooo th'l evil to ite original calW). Bat and previously to, tho conversion of believers. here, liaving ehown ,Jew and Gentile to be Faith only appropriates, and obedience testi- on the same footing with r~s;.,ect t,i sin, and fies, the npproprio.tion of an nccornplishcd reoon…
953 wordsSECTION 132The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 132
,;,. enterro all!() dMtA BB it.s consequence; dil'Rppee.rs: but auoh is its aspeot to tho which (rrimuily at leut) mllllt mean here natural mnn: R.nd thus we can enter iuto phYl'i<'Rl death, this being all that is de- the soriptura.l idea of death, ns it oomes t.o u, ootro in Henesis (comp. iii. 19 with ii. so inevi…
2,155 wordsSECTION 133The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 133
~bow how the effN'tl! of the IRtter for good the entire t\1lfilmont or the Divine purpose; fur trRnPc-end those or the former for e,·il. and hence those pns.<l\g-e~ Cl\nuot be pressed It i• not MSy, however, to explain the as conelnsive for tho doctrine of universal npos\le's exact intention in the contrast.a final sal…
1,055 wordsSECTION 134The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 134
indispute.bly denoting universe.lity of effect, of t~e a.tonemen_t, in all its depth, ilf beyond 88 of the 1rap&.1r-ro,µa, so also of 311a.C.,µa. our1oomprehens1on now(eeeabove on v,sr. 9), But there is no verb to me.ke clear the force yet it III important for 1111 to obeerTe the of the preposition elr. It may denote…
1,092 wordsSECTION 135The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 135
rt>sJ'{'C't to mere 1mimR.l lif,,, is dc-t1d, R@ it ,imth, but on euoh ne are eternal. Thus, were. t0 the lligl1er life of infolligent m11n. too, we sec how it is that eternal lifo is A whole WClrld Clf environing influonros to regarded, not RB one that will have its oom• which the mind of man responds, so as to live…
960 wordsSECTION 136The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 136
this grace." 3. How is ie'obtained, By faith. Christ has done all that ie necessary, on hie pe.rt, to eeoure our salvation. But there is needed eomething upon our part. W 0 have to reoeive upon the Divine terms, ae a free gift, the greatest of all blessinas, It ie e. spiritual act and attitude and exercise, indispen…
848 wordsSECTION 137The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 137
,drnt ~hall be our experience. "In the world," said he," ye shall bavo tribulation." There ie no _discharge from this war. The Jews, indeed, often expected prosperity as a reward of piety ; and • great English writer hM said, " Prosperity was the bleee ing of the old c,o,enant, adversity of the new." The cup is pA.S…
906 wordsSECTION 138The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 138
Now, of all men, the Christian baa most gronnd for hope. Hi.a expectation of direati,,n. guardianship, e.nd he.ppinoss rest, not upon the whisperings of fond imagin&tion, r,1 the promises of fe.llible fellow-men, but upon the word of a faithful and unchangin:; God. " Hope thou in God I " is the counsel religion offers …
950 wordsSECTION 139The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 139
Ver. 5.-Goo's 1~ •~ the heart. The process or spiritual discipline which the apost.\e h_as described is not a process natural to men, but one supernatuml e.nd special to the s1~°!"re Christian. The tribulations of this life do not work the good of all who are TISlted by them ; on the contrary, many are hardened by t…
855 wordsSECTION 140The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 140
all o( gre.oe, For obRerve "the Holy Ghost ie given unto llR." This rloe~ not me'ln that the effusion of the Holy Spirit is capriciouR anrl ~rbitrary, On the contrary, ],w,,,__ though they may not be underBtood by us-explain all the Divine acti00 • and ther~ is reason, even in the impartation of spiritual influences a.…
856 wordsSECTION 141The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 141
rnar,el of the universe, t.he oentral mystery of revelation, that God, In Ohrl1t, oonverted folll! and rebels into frionds and subject&. If we oa.n reooive this, we need have no hesitation in reooiving t.he supplementary doct,rine that God will eternally eave those whom he hu graciously justified. If ouemies are reo…
1,093 wordsSECTION 142The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 142
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1, 2.-Jmtification am,d ita consequences. Here side by side are the most solemn, the most terrible, and the most glorious certitudes of our religion. There is a God. With tha.t God we are not naturally at peace. Enmity toward God means sin; and the wages of sin is death. But how to m…
607 wordsSECTION 143The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 143
t.ion, and are made hein of eternal life. All this justification eeouros for ue in ite very natnre. IT. THE MEANS OR INSTRUMENT OF JUSTIFICATION, In plain l\nd unequivocl\l lam,u:\s:e we are here t,a\d that by faith we must be justified in order to hl\Ve peace with C'n>d. This is the grand central truth of the New …
954 wordsSECTION 144The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 144
01,d'e attitude toward those who 11ecept it ie one of peace, "For the Father himJ1elf loveth you, beoauee ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God" (John xvi. 27), '!'hue faith ie the means by which we take hold of ChriAt-<Jur Sub- stitute, our Reconciliation. And therefore, being clothed upon wi…
874 wordsSECTION 145The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 145
came b~m, and he oried aloud, "0 my eon Absalom, my eon, my eon Absalom I would Goo I had died for thee, 0 Ab."lllom, my son, my son I " And so, when the Bible want~ t-0 piotun, grief of the intensest kind, It speak& of mourning ae one mourneth for his only son, 11nd being in bittemesa as one that ls In bitterness f…
923 wordsSECTION 146The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 146
1hall lorLrn, with St. Paul, to II glory in tribulationf! also, knowin" that tribulation workoth putrience." 2. The second blessed fruit off thia bitter tree i, err,perien,;P,. "Tribn- latiun worketh patience; and patience, experience." The word here translated "experi- ence" really means in the original " proof," or…
690 wordsSECTION 147The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 147
•Cooling fount.aine nre t.here for the thimf; , There &re oordials for thoae who a.re faint1 There &re roooe tl1&t &ro whit.or e.nd purer Than any th&t fauoy e&n p&int. Then rn try to prose hopefully onward, Thinking of\en through eaoh weo.ry day, The toils of the road will seem nothing When I get t.o the end of…
884 wordsSECTION 148The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 148
than even the u_ngodly and, indifferent. H: goes down :nt.o ibe depths of sin. "While we were yet Rmners, Christ <lied for us (ver. 8). And not merely sinners but enemies, "When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death /,r his Son" (ver, 10). Here iR the greatest of all commendatiom of tllll Divine love.…
829 wordsSECTION 149The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 149
And once more mingl<'s with ua mMner thinga, 'Tis e'en as if an an~! shook his win~; Immortal fmgrauoo tills the oirouit wide That tells ua whence his treu1U'ea are supplied." O.H.I. Ver.;. 12-21.-Grace abounding. Here the apostle contrasts the reign of sin with t.he reign of graoe, and shows that, while there is …
833 wordsSECTION 150The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 150
ho.vo poo.oe." 1, The natwre o/J?_eace toward God. (1) A quiet mind in view of God's new relo.tion to us in Christ. (2) A calm assurance of God's help in all our grr,wth nnd fight with sin. (3) A confidence that all our relations to tbe world shall be rightly ordered by him. 2. Tlie grounds of peace toward God. "Throug…
832 wordsSECTION 151The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 151
0f his "wk 0f love; and it is beoause we believe in the fact that wo realize the love which gi,es us such a blessed life. Yes," God commendoth his love towo.rd us;" and 1hc> gmn fnct of commendation is this, "Christ died for us." 1. THE LOn:. We may never forget that it was because God loved us we wore sa,ed. The or…
846 wordsSECTION 152The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 152
great evil once for all; the overcoming of our temptations now: m11eh more ! 'I he gift of the Son; and now the gift of all grace through him: much more! And so. "eaved from wrath through him."-T. F. L. Vere. 12-14.-T/u, reign of death. The summing up of this first divi~;on of the Epistle: Christ has undone what sin b…
829 wordsSECTION 153The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 153
,ers. 1S, 19.-The two antithesea. Th<' equal solidarity with Christ as with Adam J'('sffirm<'d, from the implication of '\"ers. 12-14, in the strength of the arguments of '\"en.-. 15-17. Affirmed in two antith('scs, the one pointing in either OMO more to hist{lrical e'\"ents, the other to moral caus('s. 1. Tu RISTORIO…
838 wordsSECTION 154The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 154
He saw the needs of hie creatures, pitied their forlorn wretchednees, woul,l shelter them from the storm, and lavish on them proofs of kindness. Peace reigns there a sense of blissful security, Every article of furniture, every picture on the walls,'every robe worn, every meal provided, speaks of Divine mercy, of a cha…
854 wordsSECTION 155The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 155
we look through the things seen t.o the unseen and eternal can we welcome trouble as working out a weight of glory, and it loses its fearsome aspect, 2. 'l'hen tribulation must have the Christian spirit to work upon, or its results may be disastrous. Not every substance will pass unlrnrmed through the wheels and roll…
857 wordsSECTION 156The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 156
fe11re of coneoienoe and inspiree us with new motives and desires. The law of c0ndem- nation was nailed to the cross. Sinners recognize in the Father's surrender of bis beloved Bon his intention nud willingness to forgive the penitent. II. THE ARGUMENT DABED THEREON. 1. If a dying Ohri" r(',l',1yn,r,i1,ed us surely …
879 wordsSECTION 157The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 157
T,, di~,,lxy the particular prohibition was to listen to the tempter, and to eubetitut.e lnmrnn will for the Divine. Therein m1s contained the germ of the worst vlcee. To ,Tcsu~ was assignoo the more difficult task of remaining holy amid a world of evll, and the sli!!hte~t de'"°iation from rectitude had marred hie perf…
875 wordsSECTION 158The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 158
for through these we reach the power of patient endurance (r,,,.oµwf,), and through the power of patient endurance we reach experience (5o,uµ.~, which means the rmdt af the probation, as well as tbe "probation" itself, and the former gives here, notwithetandin.,. the Revisers, the better sense); land through experience…
864 wordsSECTION 159The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 159
or glorious hope, of joy in God. 'l'he apostle in the present section expounds the relation in which mankind stands to the two grel\t representatives, A.dBm and Christ. We CRI1not do better than com1ider these two roprcsontl\tives in the order named, and bow they are related to the race. I. Tm:_ Fms! ADAM AS REPRES…
881 wordsSECTION 160The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 160
While Wll arll united to the first Adam by ordinary gemraUon, we get united, tlJ the second Adam by regeneration. Tho first union is iuvoluntary; we cannot determir.e who our parents shall be. But union to Christ partakes or a voluntary character. When tho Spirit is received and regenerates us, he makes WI willing i…
853 wordsSECTION 161The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 161
of the one Ohriet all believers are justified thus : Do you not know tlu\t we have n.11 -human sin rnnst be a matter of indif- died to sin P Or are you really ignol'll,nt of fereuoo; it <lllnnot nullify the free git\; nay, what your very baptism meant P But of, eh. Tii. l, where the so.me expression ooours, gra<'e …
1,021 wordsSECTION 162The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 162
following donth in our caee ne in Christ's. e~preP.sed by it hae the support of Origen, 'fhe sense, therefore, is-As our burial (or Cliry,;ostnm, and other aneient Fath1ffe; alM totnl immorsion) in the b[lptismal wakr was of tl.to Vulgate, ancl, amrmg modane, Bna, followo,l by ontire omergence, so our death Luthe-r, …
1,045 wordsSECTION 163The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 163
(l) might i:till he understood; so that the man's unregenerate self, when under sin ideR won Id be- tl,c- i:ame as in Col. ii. 12, <'to., and oondcmno.tion; the ,1<a.111&s or 11los ll.vOpa,• TIE. th11t of onr rising in baptism itself t,:, a 1ros being his regonorato solf. It is, of new lif,, with Christ. in which si…
2,167 wordsSECTION 164The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 164
too fur rem<'t"<'d_ from t.he pnSl!llge l,eforo rule "·e must obey. Dnt il still will try to us t.o be mken m nny connection with it, usurp lordship over us-in vo.in, however, Xeithrr is tlil' first 1'8!11lon at all c-og-rnt. if we resist the ,usurp,\iion : o~ ,cupmlu,, vo,.->..a bears the sense of in..•truments as\…
1,053 wordsSECTION 165The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 165
711 not, that to whom ye yield your1elve1 Vere. 17, 18.-But than.u be to God, thai ■ ervant1 to obey (litera,lly, wnto obedience), ye were the servant■ of llll, but ye obeyed hill servants ye are to whom ye obey ; from the heart that form of doctrine where- whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto ye were del…
1,059 wordsSECTION 166The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 166
as if you l11Hl only been transferred from made free from Bin, and made 1ervant1 to one b<>ndiage to another, so as t.o show that, God, ye have your fruit unto 1an0Wloation;· e"en f'lO. you ILNl under a.n obligation not to a.nd the end life eternal, For the wages of sin. Aroording to this view of the mean• Bin is death…
1,068 wordsSECTION 167The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 167
pass11ge last olted. " The things of which apology o.e seems t.o be implied in ver. J9 ye are now ashamed,'' in var. 21, are " the (according to the meaning of the verse thnt works of clo.rknees" of Eph. v. 11; and in hu been preforred) for speaking of oar both pl11cos they are declared to have no becoming BUIIIJU to r…
889 wordsSECTION 168The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 168
e'l"ery good ~-ork there is a resurrection appointed. Death is for I\ senson ; God's people csunot be "holden of it." The corn of wheat dies, but it dies to live, and to bring forth much fruit. 4-. In Christ's resurrection the Ohristinu is begotten to a living hope of an immortal inheritance. His people are appointed t…
875 wordsSECTION 169The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 169
tion, but is yet found wherever Christ is known, trusted, and loved. We greet the new Y?ar _with gladness and with hope, becallll? it seems_ to offer us the opportrmity to begm hfe anew. We are thankful for the relief of leavmg the past behind and we oheri~h the hope that ea.eh new year will ~e .one o! greater spiritua…
872 wordsSECTION 170The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 170
ChriMian eociety, constrain him to frequent the means of religious instruction; yet his life ha!! not thereby become a new Jifo. The old nature is still there, 'l'he Ethiopian has not changed his skin, nor the leopard his spots. The man's true life lies in the bent of his thoughts, the affections of hie heart, the bias…
846 wordsSECTION 171The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 171
are high~r. than fear and interest. 2. The aid afforded i~ ~ea~; it is the aid of the Holy Bpmt of God, 3. 'l'he example set before the Chnstum lB more stimulating and inspiring, 4. The prospects presented are more alluring and glorioua. Ver.17.-The mould of (Jhristi(1111, doctri'M. The Christian, in remembering what …
819 wordsSECTION 172The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 172
doubt.. Ewald, who dMl.s destructively with most of the gospel inoidents, "regarding 110me III mythic&l, some 11.S admitting of a rationalistic interpretation, e.nd some 11.8 combining the elements of both," is unable to destroy or explain away tho Resurreotion. "Rejecting all attempts to explain it, he accepts the …
909 wordsSECTION 173The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 173
thoae who believe on f/WJ Lord JeB'll,B shall Uve with him /fJ'T ll1llf'f', "I am the Resurrec- tion, and the Life : he that believeth in me, though ~e were dead, yet SQall he liv~" (John xi, 25), And here the apostle says, "Now 1f we be dead witb Cbrist, we believe that we shall also live with him" (ver. 8). Christ ha…
814 wordsSECTION 174The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 174
God. 2. Som~ are servants of tM «we <if dress. Even in our Lord's t.ime, he found· It l1ecesAAry to wa.rn his hearers against thinking too much about their dress. Even Cliristi~n people, who profess t.o be the servants of Christ, are too frequently the servants of fashion. There is sometimes more attention given to the…
1,194 wordsSECTION 175The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 175
Vers. 1-11.-Buried and risen with <Jhrist. Att.aching to almost all privileges and blessings there are da.ngerous possibilities of abuse. So with the blessed doctrine of justification by faith, which bas been so largely dwelt on hitherto. So especially with that aspect of it just referred to (eh. v. 20). How readily th…
525 wordsSECTION 176The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 176
things. and u, enter into his glory Y" (Luke xxiv. 26). (2) As tc devotion to God. (a) Dinnely: God could not suffer hia Holy One to see corruption; "having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost" (Acts ii. 33); (b) humanly: "be liveth unto God;" for us. 2. Our relation th1·011gh the life of Ohrist to God…
857 wordsSECTION 177The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 177
And certain teachers have said-Those are the causes: man's own susceptible nature, and the divers influences which play upon it. Therefore, given the temperament and the influences, we can predict the result. Very plausible. True, if these are the only oe.uses, the result may thus be known. But the cause of causes is t…
1,150 wordsSECTION 178The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 178
\'ers. 3, 4.-Tlu significance of baptism. To suppose that the acceptance of the grace of God in Christ readers us careless about the further committal of sin is to mis- apprehend the nature of redemption. We cannot dissociate the external results of Christ's work from a consideration of its inward effects upon the m…
621 wordsSECTION 179The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 179
I. THE ALTERNATIVE. We yield to the motions either of" sin unto death" or of "obedience unto rigbteo~sness.': No middle .co.urse. is possi!1le. .Though the notorious transg_re~sor _may do a kmd action, and the distmgu1shed samt disappointingly err, yet the d1stmct1on is real. Characters o.re only of two sorts; they ver…
779 wordsSECTION 180The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 180
thians were reminded of their previous wretched career-" such were some of you "--so here the Romans. In reading the Authorized Version stress must bo laid on the past tense, "were:" then it suggests the clearer translation of the Revised edition. I. THE FORMER SLAVERY, Absolute freedom is impossible to man, who le …
866 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.