Birds and beasts and creeping things. Deities of human form prevailed in Greece; those of the bestial form in Egypt; and both methods of worship were practised in Rome. See on Acts vii. 41. Serpent-worship was common in Chal- daea, and also in Egypt. The asp was sacred throughout the latter country. The worship of Isis was domesticated at Rome, and Juvenal relates how the priests of Isis contrived that the silver images of serpents kept in her temple should move their heads to a suppliant (“Satire ” vi., 5387). Many of the subjects of paintings in the tombs of the kings at Thebes show the importance which the serpent was thought to enjoy in the future state.* Déllinger says that the vestal virgins were intrusted with the attendance upon a holy serpent, and
were charged with supplying his table with meats on festival days.
24. Gave them up (aapédwxev). Handed them over to the power of sin. See on Matt. iv. 12; xi. 27; xxvi.2; Mark iv. 29° Luke i. 2; '1 Pet. ii: 28:
results of Wendt’s studies in this field, in addition to his own investigations. I do not know of any book in which the student will find the results of the later German theories of Paul’s psychology so clearly and compactly set forth and so acutely analyzed. I have drawn freely from his work in all my notes on this subject.
* On serpent-worship in Egypt, see Wilkinson, ‘‘ Ancient Egyptians,” sec- ond series, vol. ii.
Cu. IJ THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 19
25. Who changed (oftives wetnrrakav). Rev., for that they exchanged. ‘The double relative specifies the class to which they belonged, and thereby includes the reason for their pun- ishment. He gave them up as being those who, etc. Mery- rak~av exchanged (so Rev.), is stronger than the simple verb in ver. 23. Godet renders travestied. Compare the same word in ver. 26.
Truth of God. Equivalent to the true God.
Into a lie (€v 7é Wevdear). Better, as Rev., exchanged, etc., for a lie. Lit., the lie; a general abstract expression for the whole body of false gods. Bengel remarks, “the price of mythology.”
Worshipped and served (éceBacInoay kal éddtpevoar). The former of worship generally; the latter of worship through special rites or sacrifices. On the latter verb, see on Apoe. xxil. 3.
More than the Creator (zapa). The preposition indicates passing by the Creator altogether; not merely gwing prefer- ence to the creature. Hence Rev., rather than. Compare Luke xviii. 14, where the approved reading is wap’ éxetvov rather than the other, implying that the Pharisee was in no re- spect justified.
Blessed (evAoyntos). See on 1 Pet. i. 3.
26. Vile affections (7dIy artuipias). Lit., passions of dis- honor. Rey., passions. As distinguished from ésidupias lusts, in ver. 24, 7d9n passions, is the narrower and intenser word. ’Eudvuia is the larger word, including the whole world of active lusts and desires, while the meaning of wdJos is passive, being the diseased condition out of which the lusts spring. "Emvdupla are evil longings » waSn ungovernable affect- ions. Thus it appears that the divine punishment was the more severe, in that they were given over to a condition, and not merely to an evil desire. The two words occur together, 1 Thess. iv. 5.
20 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. {Cu. I.
Women (3nrea). Strictly, females. This, and dpoeves males, are used because only the distinction of sex is contem- plated.
27. Burned (é&exavJncav). The terms are terrible in their intensity. Lit., burned out. The preposition indicates the rage of the lust.
Lust (dpé&e). Only here in the New Testament. It is a reaching out after something with the purpose of appropriating it. In later classical Greek it is the most general term for every kind of desire, as the appetite for food. The peculiar expressiveness of the word here is sufficiently evident from the context.