English · KJV

Severian of Gabala

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 135 passages across 12 books

Commentary

121–135 of 135
Romans 1:32

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

When Paul talks about the “judgment of God” he means the just recompense which God gives to everyone according to their deserts. For men know by their natural reasoning that transgressors will be punished by God, but instead of ceasing from their wicked ways they are actually pleased with those who do such things!… Therefore God will judge those who do such things as absolutely and without question worthy of death.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 2:5

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

When talking about the way they were “storing up” an accumulation of sins, Paul showed that there would also be a greater store of punishment, as a result of the patient endurance of the judge toward those who were suffering so incurably.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Paul shows that nature has failed the Gentiles and that both nature and the law have failed the Jews, before going on to mention the grace of the gospel and saying: “What do we have by grace which is special and superior? Faith, made effective by the righteousness of Christ.” … Paul does not say that all have broken the law but that all have sinned in a general sense. Now the one who is lacking something tries to make up his deficiency. The Jews had the law, but they were lacking the fullness of grace.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 4:11

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Circumcision was given for these three reasons: First, to be a sign of faith; second, to mark out the race of Abraham, and third, to be a sign and symbol of good and wise behavior. It was not given in order to produce righteousness but as a sign and seal of the righteousness which was Abraham’s by faith.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 4:13

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Paul says that the righteous will inherit the world because the ungodly will be thrown out and handed over to punishment on the day of judgment, but the righteous will possess the universe which remains, and will have been renewed, and the good things of heaven and earth will be theirs.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 5:19

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Notice that when Paul talks about sin and righteousness he uses the word many, for not everyone sinned before the coming of the law, nor has everyone who has received grace been justified—for “many are called, but few are chosen.” But when he talks about the death and resurrection of the body, he uses the word all.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 6:3

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Since we are baptized we confess that we have died to the world and have been buried to sin and the devil. .

Romans 6:4

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

“Newness of life” means that we have put off the old life of sin and that our rebirth promises a new way of life. .

Romans 7:8

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

It is not reasonable to condemn completely someone who has sinned in ignorance. But when the law was given and revealed sin, it gave sin power. This was not a condemnation of the law but a punishment of the contempt shown by those who did not keep it. For if it is true that without the law sin lies dead, it is also true that sin is dead when the law is kept.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 7:24

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Having considered the struggle which was taking place in the body against the soul and how man was imprisoned by this, Paul now seeks a way to escape and tries to rescue man, so that the body of death may be transformed into a body of life.… For Paul wants his body to be a body of life and not a body of death or of sin.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 8:9

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

By “Spirit of God” Paul here refers to the spiritual gifts of the New Testament.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Paul says “the image of the Son” meaning the Holy Spirit, because just as the Son is the immutable image of the Father, so the Spirit is of the Son. For those who have been made worthy by the Holy Spirit live according to the Spirit and are conformed to the Spirit, who is the image of the Son.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 8:34

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

The context shows that there is one person who intercedes and another who receives the plea. Nor is it improper for the Son to ask and for the Father to grant the request, for thus the complementary relationship between the two persons is maintained.… This text teaches us that there is a distinction between the Father and the Son which must not be confused.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Romans 10:4

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

This does not mean that Christ is a part of the law but rather that he is the beginning of a new life. The law has come to an end; it has ceased.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

Titus 1:15

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

God has made all things pure. If anything is unclean, the use to which it is put makes it so.

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

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