Is revealed (amoxadvmrera). Emphasizing the peculiar . sense in which “righteousness” is used here. Righteousness as an attribute of God was revealed before the Gospel. Right- eousness in this sense is a matter of special revelation through the Gospel. The present tense describes the Gospel in its con- tinuous proclamation: 7s being revealed.
From faith to faith (€« mlorews eis mictw). Rev., by faith unto faith. According to the A. V. the idea is that of pro- gress in faith itself; either from Old to New Testament faith, or, in the individual, from a lower to a higher degree of faith; and this idea, I think, must be held here, although it is true that it is introduced secondarily, since Paul is dealing principally with the truth that righteousness is by faith. We may rightly say that the revealed righteousness of God is wnto faith, in the sense of with a view to produce faith; but we may also say that faith is a progressive principle; that the aim of God’s just- ifying righteousness is /ife, and that the just lives by his faith (Gal. ii. 20), and enters into “more abundant” life with the development of his faith. Compare 2 Cor. ii. 16; iii. 18; iv. 17; Rom. vi. 19; and the phrase, justification of life, Rom. Vals
Cu. LJ THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 15
18. For. All men require this mode of justification, for all men are sinners, and therefore exposed to God’s wrath,
The wrath of God (dpyi) Ocod). Not punishment, but the personal emotion. See on John iii. 36.
Ungodliness and unrighteousness (dcéBevav Kal adsxiav). Irreligiousness and immorality. See on godliness, 2 Pet. 1, 3; also 2 Pet. ii. 13.
Hold (xateyovtwv). Not possess: compare ver. 21. Rev., correctly, hold down, i.e., hinder or repress. Compare 2 Thess. ii. 6, 7; Luke iv. 42.
The truth. Divine truth generally, as apparent in all God’s self-revelations.
19. That which may be known (76 yvwordv). So A. V. and Rey., as equivalent to that which is knowable. But that which is knowable was not revealed to the heathen. If it was, what need of a revelation? Better, that which ts known, the universal sense in the New Testament, signifying the universal objective knowledge of God as the Creator, which is, more or less, in all men.
In them. In their heart and conscience. The emphasis should be onin. Thus the apparent tautology—what is known is manifest—disappears.
20. The invisible things of Him. The attributes which constitute God’s nature, afterward defined as “ His eternal power and divinity.”
From the creation (aro). From the time of. Rev., since.
Are clearly seen (xaJopatra). We have here an oxymoron, literally a pointedly foolish saying ; a saying which is impres- sive or witty through sheer contradiction or paradox. Jnwvisible things are clearly visible. See on Acts v. 41. Illustrations are sometimes furnished by single words, as yAuv«vruxpos bitter-
16 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Cu. L
sweet ; Spacvédeiros a bold coward. In English compare Shakespeare : ‘¢ Dove-feathered raven, fiend angelical ; Beautiful tyrant, wolfish-ravening lamb.” Spenser : ‘Glad of such luck, the luckless lucky maid.”
Godhead (Jewrns). Rev., better, divinity. Godhead ex- presses detty (Sedtns). Oevdtys is godhood, not godhead. It sig- nifies the sum-total of the divine attributes.
So that they are (eis 70 eivar). The A. V. expresses result ; but the sense is rather purpose. The revelation of God’s power and divinity is given, so that, if, after being enlightened, they fall into sin, they may be without defence.
Without excuse (avarroroynrous). See on answer, 1 Pet. iii. 15. Only here and ch. ii. 1.
21. Knowing—glorified not. “TI think it may be proved from facts that any given people, down to the lowest savages, has at any period of its life known far more than it has done: known quite enough to have enabled it to have got on com- fortably, thriven and developed, if it had only done what no man does, all that it knew it ought to do and could do” (Charles Kingsley, “The Roman and the Teuton ”),