vicious disposition, which prevents a man from conferring any good on another. — KXsovefya denotes avarice, properly so called, as we often find it in the writings of Paul : otherwise [were ^rAeovgJ/a not taken in the sense avarice ] this sin would be blamed by him rather rarely. But he usually joins it with impurity ; for man [in his natural state] seeks his food for enjoyment, outside of God, in the material creature, either in the way of pleasure, or else avarice ; he tries to appropriate the good that belongs to an- other.— xaxor\6uag), xaxorjdua, xaxia xixpvg.gjzvri. Ammonius ex- plains this as u wickedly inveighing against all that belongs to others ; exhibiting himself troublesome to another.”
30. Yidupiarag, whisperers ), who defame secretly. — xa rccXdXovg, hack-biters), who defame openly. — faogrvyzTg) men who show them- selves to be haters of God — bfipasrccg) those who insolently drive away from themselves all that is good and salutary. — b^zpritpdvovg) those who exalt themselves above others. On this vice, and others which are here noticed, see 2 Tim. iii. 2, etc. — aXcttyvag) [‘ boasters,’ Engl, vers.], assuming, in reference to things great and good.1 — ecpzupzrug xaxuv, inventors of evil things ) of new pleasures, of new methods of acquiring wealth, of new modes of injuring others, for example in war, 2 Macc. vii. 31. Antiochus is said to have been Kaarig xax/ac sbpsryjg [an inventor of every kind of evil] against the Hebrews.
30. 31. Tovzutfiv affeiQsig, atiwerovg, atfvvOsrovg, affropyovg, u<sk ovdcvg, avzXzij/jbomg, disobedient to parents, without understanding, refrac- tory, [But covenant-breakers — Eng. vers.], without natural affec- tion, implacable, unmerciful ) Two triplets [groups consisting of three each], the former referring to one’s conduct to superiors, the latter to inferiors.
31. ’ AfiwO'srovg). The Lxx. translate the Hebrew words TQ, to act with perfidy , byo, to prevaricate, by dcwfariiv.2
32. A/xa/w/xa, [> judgment . — Eng. ver.], the royal, divine, prin- ciple of justice, that God approves of virtues, hates vices, visits the wicked with the punishment of death, and justly and de- servedly so, in order that He may show that He is not unjust.
1 dXotgau, boastful in words; vTrepviqiuvo;, proud in thoughts; uftpunrig, insolent in acts.— See Trench Syn. — Ed.
2 The Vulg. translates ctovvQhovg ‘ incompositos.’— Ed.