"For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold down the truth
in unrighteousness."
Observe the discretion of Paul, how after encouraging by the
gentler things, he turns his discourse to the more fearful. For after
saying that the Gospel is the cause of salvation and of life, that it is
the power of God, that it gendereth salvation and righteousness, he
mentions what might well make them fear that were heedless of it.
For since in general most men are not drawn so much by the
promise of what is good as by the fear of what is painful, he draws
them on both sides. For this cause too did God not only promise a
kingdom, but also threaten hell. And the Prophets spake thus with
the Jews, ever inter mingling the evil with the good. For this cause
too Paul thus varies his discourse, yet not any how, but he sets first
the good things, and after the evil, to show that the former came of
the guiding purpose of God, but the latter of the wickedness of the
backsliding. And in this way the prophet puts the good first, saying,
"If ye be willing and will obey me, ye shall eat the good of the
land:
but if ye be not willing and will not obey me, the sword shall devour
you." (Is. i. 19, 20.) So here too does Paul conduct his discourse.
But
observe him; Christ, he means, came to bring forgiveness,
righteousness, life, yet not in any way, but by the Cross, which is
greatest too and wonderful, that He not only gave such things, but
that He also suffered such things. If then ye insolently scorn the
gifts, then will the penalties await you, And see how he raises his
language, "For the wrath of God," he says, "is revealed
from
heaven." Whence does this appear? If it be a believer who says
this,
we will tell him of the declarations of Christ, but if the unbeliever
and
the Grecian, him Paul silences, by what he says presently of the
judgment of God, bringing an uncontrovertible demonstration from
the things which were done by them. And this too is by far the most
striking point in him, how he exhibits those who speak against the
truth, as themselves bearing witness by the things which they do
daily, and say, to the doctrines of the truth. But of this in the
sequel:
but for the present, let us keep to what is set before us. "For the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven." And indeed even here this
often takes place in famines and pestilences and wars: for each
individually and all in common are punished. What will be the new
thing then? That the chastisement will be greater, and common to
all, and not by the same rules. For now what takes place is for
correction; but then for vengeance. And this also St. Paul showed,
when he said, "We are chastened now, that we should not be
condemned with the world." (1 Cor. xi. 32.) And now indeed to many!
such things usually seem to come not of the wrath from above, but
of the malice of man. But then the punishment from God shall be
manifest, when the Judge, sitting upon the fearful tribunal, shall
command some to be dragged to the furnaces, and some to the
outer darkness, and some to other inexorable and intolerable
punishments. And why is it that he does not speak as plainly as this,
the Son of God is coming with ten thousand angels, and will call
each man to account, but says, that "the wrath of God is
revealed?"
'His hearers were as yet novices, and therefore he draws them first
by things quite allowed by them. And besides what is here
mentioned, he also seems to me to be aiming against the Greeks.
And this is why he makes his beginning from this, but afterwards he
introduces the subject of Christ's judgment.
"Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the
truth in unrighteousness." Here he showeth that the ways of
ungodliness are many,, and that of truth, one. For error is a thing
various and multiform and compound, but the truth is one. And after
speaking of doctrines he speaks of life, mentioning the
unrighteousness of men. For there be various kinds of
unrighteousness also. One is in money affairs, as when any one
deals unrighteously by his neighbor in these; and another in regard
to women, when a man leaves his own wife, and breaks in upon the
marriage of another. For St. Paul calls this also defrauding, saying
thus, "That no man go beyond or defraud his brother in the
matter." (1 Thess. iv. 6.) Others again injure not the wife or
property,
but the reputation of their neighbor, and this too is unrighteousness.
For "a good name is better than great riches." (Prov. xxii.
1.) But some say that this also is said of Paul about doctrines. Still
there is nothing to prevent its having been said of both. But what it is
"to hold the truth in unrighteousness," learn from the sequel.
Ver. 19. "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in
them, for God hath showed it unto them."
But this glory they invested stocks and stones with. As then he
which is entrusted with the goods of the king, and is ordered to
spend them upon the king's glory, if he waste these upon robbers,
and harlots, and witches, and make these splendid out of the king's
stores, he is punished as having done the kingdom the greatest
wrong. Thus they also who after having received the knowledge of
God and of His glory, invested idols therewith, "held the truth in
unrighteousness," and, at least as far as was in their power, dealt
unrighteously by the knowledge, by not using it upon fitting objects.
Now, has what was said become clear to you, or must one make it
still clearer? Perhaps it were needful to say somewhat more. What
then is it which is here said? The knowledge of Himself God placed
in men from the beginning. But this knowledge they invested stocks
and stones with, and so dealt unrighteously to the truth, as far at
least as they might. For it abideth unchanged, having its own glory
immutable. "And whence is it plain that He placed in them this
knowledge, O Paul? "Because," saith he, "that which may
be known
of Him is manifest in them." This, however, is an assertion, not a
proof. But do thou make it good, and show me that the knowledge of
God was plain to them, and that they willingly turned aside. Whence
was it plain then? did He send them a voice from above? By no
means. But what was able to draw them to Him more than a voice,
that He did, by putting before them the Creation, so that both wise,
and unlearned, and Scythian, and barbarian, having through sight
learned the beauty of the things which were seen, might mount up to
God. Wherefore he says, Ver. 20. "For the invisible things of Him.
from the Creation of the world are clearly. seen, being understood by
the things which are made."
Which also the prophet said, "The heavens declare the glory of
God." (Ps. xix. 1.) For what will the Greeks (i.e. Heathen) say in
that
day? That "we were ignorant of Thee?" Did ye then not hear the
heaven sending forth a voice by the sight, while the well-ordered
harmony of all things spake out more clearly than a trumpet? Did ye
not see the hours of night and day abiding unmoved continually, the
goodly order of winter, spring, and the other seasons remaining both
sure and unmoved, the tractableness (eugnwmosunhn) of the sea
amid all its turbulence and waves?
All things abiding in order and by their beauty and their grandeur,
preaching aloud of the Creator? For all these things and more than
these doth Paul sum up in saying, "The invisible things of Him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things which are made, even His eternal Power and Godhead; so that
they are without excuse." And yet it is not for this God hath made
these things, even if this came of it. For it was not to bereave them of
all excuse, that He set before them so great a system of teaching, but
that they might come to know Him. But by not having recognized
Him they deprived themselves of every excuse, and then to show
how they are bereaved of excuse, he says, Ver. 21. "Because that,
when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God."
This is the one greatest charge; and the second after it is their also
worshipping idols, as Jeremy too in accusing them said, "This
people hath committed two evils: they have forsaken me the fountain
of living water, and have dug for themselves broken cisterns."
(Jer.
ii. 13.) And then as a sign of their having known God, and not used
their knowledge upon a fit object, he adduces this very thing, that
they knew gods. Wherefore he adds, "because that, when they knew
God, they glorified Him not as God." And he names the cause
through which they fell into such senselessness. What then is it?
They trusted everything to their reasonings. Still he does not word it
so, but in a much sharper language, "but became vain in their
reasonings and their foolish heart was darkened." For as in a night
without a moon, if any one attempt to go by a strange road, or to sail
over a strange sea, so far will he be from soon reaching his
destination, that he will speedily be lost. Thus they, attempting to go
the way leading to Heaven, and having destroyed the light from their
own selves, and, in lieu of it, trusted themselves to the darkness of
their own reasoning, and seeking in bodies for Him who is
incorporeal, and in shapes for Him who hath no shape, underwent a
most rueful shipwreck. But beside what has been said, he names
also another cause of their error, when he says, Ver. 22.
"Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools." For having some great
conceit of themselves, and not enduring to go the way which God
had commanded them, they were plunged into the reasonings of
senselessness (1 Ms. dianoias). And then to show and give in
outline, what a rueful surge it was, and how destitute of excuse, he
goes on to say, Ver. 23. "And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible
God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and
four-footed beasts, and creeping things."
The first charge is, that they did not find God; the second was, that it
was while they had great and clear (Sav. marg. "wise ") means
to do
it; the third, that withal they said they were wise; the fourth, that
they
not only did not find that Reverend Being, but even lowered Him to
devils and to stones and stocks. Now he takes down their
haughtiness also in the Epistle to the Corinthians, but not in the
same way there as here. For there it is from the Cross he gives them
the blow, saying, "The foolishness of God is wiser than men."
(1 Cor.
i. 25.) But here, without any comparison, he holds their wisdom by
itself up to ridicule, showing it to be folly and a mere display of vain
boasting. Then, that you may learn that when they had the
knowledge of God they gave it up thus treacherously, "they
changed," he says.
Now he that changeth, hath something to change. For they wished to
find out more, and not bear with the limits given them, and so they
were banished from these also. For they were lusters after new
devices, for such is all that is Grecian. And this is why they stood
against one another and Aristotle rose up against Plato, and the
Stoics blustered (efruaxanto 6 Mss.
"fenced themselves," efraxanto which Field inclines to prefer)
against him, and one has become hostile to one, another to another.
So thatone should not so much marvel at them for their wisdom, as
turn away from them indignant and hate them, because through this
very thing they have become fools. For had they not trusted what
they have to reasonings, and Syllogisms, and sophistries, they
would not have suffered what they did suffer. Then, to strengthen the
accusation against them he holds the whole of their idolatry up to
ridicule. For in the first place the changing even were a very fit
subject of scorn. But to change to such things too, is beyond all
excuse. For what then did they change it, and what was it which they
invested with His Glory?
Some conceptions they ought to have had about Him, as, for
instance, that He is God, that He is Lord of all, that He made them,
which were not, that He exerciseth a Providence, that He careth for
them. For these things are the "Glory of God." To whom then
did
they ascribe it? Not even to men, but "to an image made like to
corruptible man." Neither did they stop here, but even dropped down
to the brutes, or rather to the images of these. But consider, I pray,
the wisdom of Paul, how he has taken the two extremes, God the
Highest, and creeping things the lowest: or rather, not the creeping
things, but the images of these; that he might clearly show their
evident madness. For what knowledge they ought to have had
concerning Him Who is incomparably more excellent than all, with
that they invested what was incomparably more worthless than all.
But what has this to do with the philosophers? a man may say. To
these belongs most of all what I have said to do with them. For they
have the Egyptians who were the inventors of these things to their
masters.
And Plato, who is thought more reverend than the rest of them,
glories in these masters. (Plat. Tim. 21. B. etc.) And his master is in
a
stupid awe of these idols, for he it is that bids them sacrifice the
cock to sculapius (his last words, Ph do), where (i.e. in his temple.
So Field from Mss.) are the images of these beasts, and creeping
things. And one may see Apollo and Bacchus worshipped along with
these creeping things. And some of the philosophers even lifted up
to Heaven bulls, and scorpions, and dragons, and all the rest of that
vanity. For in all parts did the devil zealously strive to bring men
down before the images of creeping things, and to range beneath the
most senseless of all things, him whom God hath willed to lift up
above the heavens. And it is not from this only, but also from other
grounds, that you will see their chief man to come under the remarks
now made. For having made a collection of the poets, and having
said that we should believe them upon matters relating to God, as
having accurate knowledge, he has nothing else to bring forward but
the "linked sweetness" of these absurdities, and then says,
that this
utterly ludicrous trifling is to be held for true.
Ver. 24. "Wherefore also God gave them up to uncleanness, through
the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between
themselves."
Hence he shows, that even of the perversion of the laws it was
ungodliness which was the cause, but He "gave them up," here
is, let
them alone. For as he that hath the command in an army, if upon the
battle lying heavy upon him he retreat and go away, gives up his
soldiers to the enemies not by thrusting them himself, but by
stripping them of his own assistance; thus too did God leave those
that were not minded to receive what cometh from Him, but were the
first to bound off from Him, though Himself having wholly fulfilled
His own part. But consider; He set before them, for a form doctrine,
the world; He gave them reason, and an understanding capable of
perceiving what was needful. None of these things did the men of
that day use unto salvation, but they perverted to the Opposite what
they had received. What was to be done then? to drag them by
compulsion and force? But this were not to make them virtuous. It
remained then, after that, for Him to leave them alone, and this He
did too, that in this way, if by no other, having by trials come to know
the things they lusted after, they might flee from what was so
shameful (3 Mss. and eikotws, and with reason). For if any that was a
king's son, dishonoring his father, should choose to be with robbers
and murderers, and them that break up tombs, and prefer their
doings to his father's house; the father leaves him, say, so that by
actual trial, he may learn the extravagance of his own madness. But
how comes he to mention no other sin, as murder, for instance, or
covetousness, or other such besides, but only unchasteness? He
seems to me to hint at his audience at the time, and those who were
to receive the Epistle. "To uncleanness, to dishonor their own
bodies
between themselves." Note the emphasis here, as it is most severe.
For they stood not in need of any others, it means, to do insolent
violence to them, but the very treatment the enemies would have
shown them, this they did to themselves. And then, taking up the
charge again, he says, Ver. 25. "Who changed the truth of God into
a
lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator."
Things which were matter for utter scorn, he puts down specially,
but what seemed of a graver cast than the rest, in general terms; and
by all he shows, that serving the creature is Grecian. And see how
strong he makes his assertion, for he does not say, barely.
"theyserved
the creature," but "more than the Creator:" thus
everywhere
giving fresh force to the charge, and, by the comparison, taking from
them all ground of mitigation. "Who is blessed forever. Amen."
But
by this, he means, He was not any whit injured. For Himself abideth
"blessed for ever." Here he shows, that it was not in
self-defence that
He left them alone, inasmuch as He suffered nothing Himself. For
even if these treated Him insolently, yet He was not insolently
treated, neither was any scathe done to the bearings of His glory, but
He abideth continually blessed. For if it often happen, that man
through philosophy would not feel the insults men offered him, much
less would God, the imperishable and unalterable Nature, the
unchangeable and immovable Glory.
For men are in this respect made like unto God, when they do not
feel what is inflicted by them who would do them despite, and are
neither insulted of others who insult them, nor beaten of them when
beating them, nor made scorn of when they, make scorn of them.
And how in the nature of things can this be? it may be said. It is so,
yea most certainly it is possible, when thou art not vexed at what is
done. And how, it may be said, is it possible not to be vexed? Nay
rather, how is it possible to be vexed? Tell me now, if your little
child
were to insult you, would you then reckon the insult an insult? What,
but would you be vexed? Surely not. But aud if you were to be
vexed, would you not then beb ridiculous? Thus too let us then get
to feel disposed towards our neighbors, and then we shall have no
sense of displeasure. For they that insult us are more senseless than
children. Neither let us even seek to be free from insults, but when
we are insulted to bear them. For this is the only secure honor. But
why so? Because this you are master of, but that, another person.
Do you not see the adamant rever berating the blows it receives? But
nature, you will say, gives it this property. Yet you too have it in
your
power to become by free choice such, as that happens to be by
nature. How? do you not know that the children in the furnace were
not burned? and that Daniel in the den suffered no harm? This may
even now come to pass. There stand by us too lions, anger and lust,
with fearful teeth tearing asunder him that falleth among them. (Plato
Rep. viii.)
Become then like that (ekeinon 3 Mss.) Daniel, and let not these
affections fasten their fangs into thy soul. But that, you will say, was
wholly of grace. Yes; because the acts of free-will led the way
thereto. So that if we be willing to train ourselves to a like
character,
even now the grace is at hand. And even though the brutes be an,
hungered, yet will they not touch thy sides. For if at the sight of a
servant's body they were abashed, when they have seen the
members of Christ, (and this is what we believers are,) how shall
they do else than be still? Yet if theft be not still, it is owing to
the
fault of those cast among them. For indeed many spend largely upon
these lions, by keeping harlots, breaking through marriages, taking
vengeance upon enemies. And so before ever they come to the
bottom of the den they get torn in pieces. (Dan. vi. 24.) But with
Daniel this did not so happen, neither yet would it with us, if we were
so minded, but even a greater thing would take place than what then
happened. For the lions hurt not him; and if we be sober-minded,
then will they that hurt us even profit us. Thus then did Paul grow
bright out of those that thwarted him and plotted against him, thus
Job out of the many scourges, thus Jeremy out of the miry pit, thus
Noah out of the flood, thus Abel out of the treachery, thus Moses out
of the bloodthirsty Jews, thus, Elisha, thus each of the worthies of
old, not out of relaxedness and softness, but out of tribulations and
trials, came to be attired with their bright crowns. Wherefore also
Christ, inasmuch as He knew this to be the groundwork of a good
report, said to His disciples, "In the world ye shall have
tribulation,
but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John xvi. 33.)
What then, they will say, Have not many been turned to flight by
these terrors? Yes, but that was not of the nature of temptation, but
of their own remissness. But He that "with the temptation maketh
also an escape, so that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. x. 13),
may
He stand by all of us, and reach forth His hand, that being gloriously
proclaimed victorious we may attain to the everlasting crowns,
through the grace and love towards man (5 Mss. add the rest and so
Field pasim) of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom, and with
Whom, to the Father be glory, with the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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