Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Romans
Book: Romans
Chapter: 2
Overview:
The Jews could not be justified
By the
Law of
Moses, any more
than the
Gentiles By the
Law of nature.
(1-16) The sins of the
Jews confuted all their vain confidence in their outward
privileges.
(17-29)
1-16 The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to
their privileges
By right, while they were unthankful,
rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every
nation,
Age, and description, must be reminded that the
Judgment
of
God will be according to their real character. The case is
So
Plain, that we may
Appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every
wilful
Sin, there is contempt of the
Goodness of God. And though
the branches of
Man's disobedience are very various, all
Spring
from the same root. But in true
Repentance, there must be
Hatred
of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the
mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the
evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the
great change wrought in
Repentance, it is
Conversion, and is
needed
By every human being. The ruin of sinners is their
walking after a hard and impenitent
Heart. Their sinful doings
are expressed
By the strong words, "treasuring up wrath." In the
description of the just
Man, notice the full demand of the
Law.
It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all
actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the
unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all
evil. The human will is in a state of
Enmity against
God. Even
Gentiles, who had not the written
Law, had that within, which
directed them what to do
By the
Light of nature.
Conscience is
a
Witness, and first or last will
Bear Witness. As they kept or
broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either
acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to
sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that
Christ shall be
the
Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall
be then punished, and brought to
Light.
17-24 The
Apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows
of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession
and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in
God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud,
vain-glorious boasting in
God, and in the outward profession of
his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride
is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the
sins of professors is, the dishonour done to
God and religion,
By their not living according to their profession. Many despise
their more ignorant neighbours who
Rest in a dead form of
Godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally
void of
Life and power, while some
Glory in the
Gospel, whose
unholy lives dishonour
God, and cause his name to be blasphemed.
25-29 No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without
regenerating
Grace, which will always lead to seeking an
interest in the
Righteousness of
God By Faith. For he is
No more
a
Christian now, than he was really a
Jew of old, who is only
one outwardly: neither is that
Baptism, which is outward in the
Flesh: but he is the real
Christian, who is inwardly a true
believer, with an obedient
Faith. And the true
Baptism is that
of the
Heart,
By the
Washing of
Regeneration and the renewal of
the
Holy Ghost; bringing a spiritual frame of mind, and a
willing following of
Truth in its holy ways. Let us pray that we
may be made real Christians, not outwardly, but inwardly; in the
Heart and
Spirit, not in the
Letter; baptized, not with water
only, but with the
Holy Ghost; and let our praise be, not of
men, but of
God.