discussed, Wilt thou — as to good. — xaxwi/, of evil) This is treated of at ver. 4, if [thou do that which is evil] — upon him that doeth [evil]. They especially do evil who are also rebellious. For at the beginning of the verse thus retains its own proper force. — 6'sXetg, wilt thou ) All in some degree will , but they do not in an equal degree so act. — w <po(3e?<rQai, not he afraid) One kind of fear precedes bad actions, and deters men from committing them ; this fear continues, ver. 7 : another kind follows bad actions, and from this fear, they are free, who do well. — ’ivamv, praise) 1 Pet. ii. 14, along with a reward ; comp. 1 Cor. iv. 5.
4. ©sou yap, for of God) There is here an Anaphora or re- petition of the same word at the beginning of different clauses. There is a trace of Divine providence in this, that even wicked men, appointed to the magistracy, give their support to what is good, and visit evil with punishment.1 — <sot, to thee) This to thee is used with great elegance respecting him, that doeth well, but rSj is used indefinitely respecting the evil-doer. — s is) so far as concerns what is good, what is for your advantage. — rb xaxbv, evil). Good is marked as in direct antithesis to this evil in ver. 3, not in ver. 4. — pope?, wieldeth [ hearetli ]), not merely pspsi, carries : \_gestat , not gerit ; wields ] according to Divine appoint- ment.
5. ’ Avdyxn) Baumgarten remarks that this word is wanting in some MSS. It is only wanting in the Graeco-Latin, which are unworthy of the name of MSS. where they have no Greek copies agreeing with them (as also happens, ch. i. 19). I do not mention this for the sake of contention, but because I am well assured of the advantage conferred on the Greek New Testament by him, who lessens the authority of the bilingual copies in any passage. — d/a rfo bpyr\v, for [on account of, through fear of] wrath) which hangs over the evil-doer, ver. 4. Hence we have another manifest connection of this with the preceding chapter, in which see ver. 19, [give place] unto wrath. — did rrtv
xctxcp. So also the German version. — E. B. So the oldest authorities ABD corr. later, G, Vulg. fg Iren. Memph. But both Syr. Versions have tuv dyoidav ’ipyau — xaxuiv. — Ed.
1 A tdxovog eariu, He is the minister) Paul uses the same words concern- ing the magistracy, as he uses to express on other occasions the ministry of the Gospel. So also ver. 6. — V. g.