image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. factors of their race; and of them they had images. They also had images of women, for a like reason. These were images of corruptible things in contrast with the uncorruptible God. The originals were subject to vanity while they lived, like other mortals; they had long been dead, and their flesh had seen corruption, literally. Moreover, the most corrupt morals were attributed to many of these deities, and the rites with which they were worshipped were of a like corrupt character. It is well observed by Clarke, that "the finest representation of their deities was in the human figure; and on such representative figures the sculptors spent all their skill; hence the Hercules of Farnese, the Venus of Medicis, and the Apollo of Belvidere. And when they had formed their gods according to the human shape, they endowed them with human passions; and as they clothed them with attributes of extraordinary strength, beauty, wisdom, &c., not having the true principles of morality, they represented them as slaves to the most disorderly and disgraceful passions; excelling, in irregularities, the most profligate of men, as possessing unlimited powers of sensual gratification." T And to birds, They rendered divine honors to everything from which they believed themselves to have received benefit. Birds were naturally embraced in the number of their deities; for many of this class were serviceable in the destruction of insects and reptiles, and in various other ways. Hence the eagle of Jupiter was worshipped by the Romans, the ibis and the hawk by the Egyptians, and others by other nations. And four-footed beasts. Even goats, monkeys, dogs, and other similar beasts, have been worshipped by man. Egyptians consecrated temples to the worship of the ox, which seems to have been their principal deity. Under the influence of this example, the Israelites induced Aaron to fashion à golden calf with graving tools; and they worshipped it, and corrupted themselves. Exod. xxxii. 4, 7. Traces of this kind of idolatry are found in the Jewish history for several ages; so strong is the The 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to force of example. A similar form of 24. Wherefore God also gave them up. What is here asserted in general terms is expressed more specifically ver. 26, 27. "Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone." Hosea iv. 17. No punishment is more to be dreaded than this. If God withdraw the restraining influences of his grace, or, which is the same thing, if he permit those influences to become without effect on the human heart, if he let men alone, they inevitably wax worse and worse. Nothing can save them from destruction but the interposition of divine grace. Such was the condition of the ancient idolaters. They forsook God, and worshipped false gods. Their rites and ceremonies of worship naturally tended to deprave their morals, and to encourage the most debasing licentiousness. God permitted these circumstances to take their natural course. Nothing more was necessary to insure the result. The depravity and sinfulness resulting from their idolatry in its turn occasioned miseries appropriate to each species of vice. They were made to eat the bitter fruits of iniquity. Such is the uniform effect of forsaking the true God. To his grace alone can men look for redemption from this bondage to death. It may be observed that the punishment dishonor their own bodies between served the creature more than the themselves: Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and of idolatry had a close correspondence with the nature of the offence. Idolaters dishonored God in the sight of man, by transferring his glory to corrupt and corruptible objects, and by worshipping the creature rather than the Creator. As a just penalty, he allowed them to dishonor themselves, actually as well as apparently, by those vices which naturally resulted from their opinions and practices. In this punishment are involved all the consequences, both mental and physical, of the actions by which they dishonored themselves. T To uncleanness. To defilement, both moral and physical. See the specifications in ver. 26, 27. T Through the lusts of their own hearts. He allowed their evil propensities to have dominion over them; he permitted them to act according to their inordinate desires. T Dishonor. Or, disgrace. T Between themselves. Or, among themselves; mutually; by their impure connection with each other. 25.- Who changed the truth of God into a lie. See note on ver. 23. The phrase truth of God is regarded by many as equivalent to the true God. In this sense, the passage is substantially a repetition of ver. 23. Others, with perhaps quite as good reason, understand the truth of God to indicate the true idea of his character, as worthy of love, and veneration, and worship; which idea was displaced in the minds of idolaters by the lying fables of mythology. The people abandoned the truth, and embraced a lie. Idols are termed "falsehood," and "vanity, and the work of errors," Jer. x. 14, 15, and "lying vanities," Ps. xxxi. 6; a graven or molten image of an idol is styled "a teacher of lies," Hab. ii. 18. T And worshipped and served the creature. Created beings or things. What these were, is specified in ver. 23. ¶ More than the Creator. Or, rather than the Creator; for so the passage may properly be rendered. They renounced their allegiance to the true God, and devoted themselves to the service of false gods. They "forsook the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." Jer. 26 For this cause God gave them ii. 13. Such is the language applied by the prophet to the children of Israel, who had "gone far from the Lord, and walked after vanity, and become vain." And the penalty which he denounces in the name of the Lord is strikingly similar to that which is here described by the apostle. "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know therefore and see that it is an evil thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts." T Who is blessed forever. This form of doxology was common among the Jewish writers, when speaking of God, giving expression to their gratitude, and keeping alive their veneration. See 2 Cor. xi. 31; Gal. i. 5. "The Mahometans also borrowed this custom from the Jews, and practise it to a great extent. Tholuck mentions an Arabic manuscript in the library at Berlin, which contains an account of heresies in respect to Islamism; and as often as the writer has occasion to mention the name of a new heretical sect, he adds, 'God be exalted above all which they say.' Stuart. And so here, after mentioning the idolatrous practices by which men had "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible things, and had "changed the truth of God into a lie," the apostle gives expression to his own reverence and veneration, by acknowledging the true God as the "Creator, who is blessed forever." T Amen. See note on Matt. vi. 13. 26, 27. The general statement embraced in verse 24 is here repeated more specifically. It has been supposed, perhaps not without reason, that in verses 24, 25, the apostle referred particularly to the philosophers and lawgivers, but that he here includes with them the whole mass of the people. The whole body politic was infected with moral disease. The populace manifested such a propensity for idolatry, that the philosophers seem to have imagined that no other system of religion could meet their wants. They therefore encouraged the practices which up unto vile affections. For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature : 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the the voice of nature condemned. Both leaders and followers were guilty; and both were obnoxious to punishment. The retribution, the utter debasement of mind and body, which followed their renunciation of God and their adhesion to idolatry, is here described at large. "Without raking over the loathsome particulars of this mass of abominations, it is enough to say, in general, that the ancient Greek and Roman writers have left on their pages abundant testimony to the truth of this picture, in all its darkest colors, as painted by the apostle. And the history of modern idolatry, as given by travellers and missionaries, presents evidence of corruption and gross sensuality scarcely less horrible."- Livermore. The proof of such enormities, furnished by ancient writers, is exhibited, to a considerable extent, by Macknight. He adds "These things I should not have brought into the reader's view, had it not been to prove the truth of the apostle's charge, namely, that the abominable crimes mentioned by him were not prohibited either by the religion or by the laws of the heathens; but, on the contrary, were authorized by both, and avowedly practised by men of the first characters in the heathen world. When, therefore, the statesmen, the philosophers, and the priests, notwithstanding they enjoyed the light of nature, improved by science, thus avowedly addicted themselves to the most abominable uncleanness; nay, when the gods whom they worshipped were supposed by them to be guilty of the same enormities; when their temples were brothels, their pictures invitations to sin, their sacred groves places of prostitution, and their sacrifices a horrid mixture of superstition and cruelty, there was certainly the greatest need of the gospel revelation to make mankind sensible of their brutality, and to bring them to a more holy practice. That some professing Christians are guilty of the crimes of which we have been speaking, is true. But it is equally woman, burned in their lust one towards another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. true that their religion does not, like the religion of the heathens, encourage them in their crimes, but deters them, by denouncing, in the most direct terms, the heaviest wrath of God against all who are guilty of them. Besides, the gospel, by its divine light, hath led the nations to correct their civil laws; so that in every Christian country these enormities are prohibited, and, when discovered, are punished with the greatest severity. The gospel, therefore, hath made us far more knowing, and, I may add, more virtuous, than the most enlightened and most polished of the heathen nations were formerly." Receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. By error is here denoted idolatry, with its rites, as in 2 Pet. ii. 18. Idolatry is emphatically called error, because it is the most pernicious of all errors. Its starting-point is a denial of the true God, a renunciation of his authority, and rebellion against his laws. Whoever goes thus far is prepared to adopt any error of opinion, however absurd, and to commit any sin, however high-handed or disgusting. Thus did the error of those who forsook God and cleaved unto idols embrace all those minor errors which followed in its train. The meet or proper recompense, which these idolaters received, was manifold. It affected the body, producing weakness, debility, and premature old age, with all the intermediate diseases which are the natural effect of licentiousness and debauchery, and which often terminate in an early and miserable death. The mind was affected no less disastrously. Its natural strength and activity became impaired, and a state of imbecility or fatuity succeeded. Insanity is often the result of the same cause. It also affected the moral sense. All relish for truly spiritual enjoyment was lost, and the conscience became seared as with a hot iron. Thus the whole man became dishonored, debased, and degraded. Such was the meet and the natural 28 And even as they did not like | mind, to do those things which are to retain God in their knowledge, not convenient; God gave them over to a reprobate recompense of idolatry. So corrupt was the character attributed to the gods, and so corrupt the ceremonies observed in their honor, that nothing short of a miracle could preserve the worshippers from corruption. Such a miracle was not consistent with the design of God, until he revealed himself in the gospel of his Son. He gave them up to the natural consequences of their error, as a meet recompense. What those consequences were, and how bitter and awful the retribution, is sufficiently plain from the language of the apostle and the concurrent testimony of history. 29 Being filled with all unright 29. Being filled. A strong figure of speech, denoting their habitual indulgence of the unholy emotions, and their habitual performance of the unrighteous acts, embraced in the following catalogue. It was not merely an occasional lapse of which they were guilty. Like those who long before had "forsaken the Lord," and "gone away backward," and rebelled against God, "the whole head was sick, and the whole heart faint." Isa. i. 5. ¶ Unrighteousness. A general term, denoting all violations whatever of the divine law, whether by act, word, or thought. T Fornication. Illicit intercourse. This crime was very prevalent among the ancient heathen, and was even practised, by authority, in some of their idolatrous ceremonies of worship. T Wickedness. The word here used denotes a desire to injure others; an evil disposition, or malice. T Covetousness. A desire to appropriate wrongful is so pernicious, and so fruitful of iniquity, that it is specially forbidden in the Tenth Commandment. T Maliciousness. The word used here "denotes evil in general; rather the act of doing wrong than the desire which was expressed before by the word wickedness." T Envy. Uneasiness and 28. And even as they did not like. Or, approve. They did not so approve the character of the true God as to choose to retain him in their thoughts, or to meditate on his character and to adore his perfections. T God gave them over. See note on verse 24. To a reprobate mind. Or, an unapproving mind. The same word which is rendered like, in the former clause, occurs here in a mod-ly what belongs to others. This desire ified form. The idea seems to be that, because they voluntarily neglected to study and meditate the character of God, inasmuch as they had a distaste for it, he allowed them to become morally incapable of appreciating the loveliness of his character. Or, the word may be understood, in its more Barnes. natural and usual sense, to mean unap-discontent, on account of the welfare proved; and, metaphorically, impure, of others, accompanied with a sensadepraved, perverse. It properly denotes tion of dislike or hatred. T Murder. the condition of metals which have not The wilful destruction of human life, been purified from dross. In like man- without sufficient cause. Technically, ner it may denote that state of mind murder implies malice in the offender. which needs the influence of light, or But the word here used is more broad that moral condition which needs the in its signification, and includes what is influence of grace. In either sense of now termed manslaughter, and indeed the word, it indicates the natural result all unnecessary homicide. The apostle of forsaking the true God, and allow- is supposed to refer not only to the killing corruptible objects to usurp his ing of individuals, from motives of place in the mind. To do those things malice, or greediness of gold, but to the which are not convenient. The original destruction of life in wars, and more word is somewhat stronger than the particularly to the gladiatorial contests translation. The idea is that they did in the amphitheatre, where human lives those things which were not fit to be were sacrificed merely for the gratificadone; things not suitable nor decent: tion of the spectators. Perhaps no things, indeed, shameful and criminal. malice, properly speaking, is chargeThe particular things here denom- able to the authors of wars, or to those inated not convenient are enumerated in who established and patronized the morthe next three verses. tal combats of gladiators, so common at 30 Backbiters, haters of God, eousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,. now used, the word is generally understood to indicate "a privy calumniator; a censurer of the absent." But it is here placed in opposition to whisperers, in the previous verse, and denotes those who reproach the absent openly, in contradistinction to those who do the same thing privately. Haters of God. Not only those who cherish a spirit of absolute enmity to God and to his Rome at the date of this epistle. But there is manifested, in both these forms of legalized murder, a most unchristian disregard of human life, and an utter absence of that love for others which the gospel requires. T Debate. The original denotes contention, strife, what we sometimes describe as quarrelling. The word debate is generally used now in a good sense, as applicable to cool, deliberate discussion of important sub-divine law, but those who disbelieve jects, for the purpose of ascertaining the truth. But here it implies anger and ill-will, as in 2 Cor. xii. 20. The same word is rendered contention, 1 Cor. i. 11; strivings, Titus iii. 9; and strife, Rom. xiii. 13; 1 Cor. iii. 3; Gal. v. 20; Phil. i. 15; 1 Tim. vi. 4. Deceit. Deception is a common accompaniment of graver crimes. Few, who are vicious enough to violate human or divine laws, will not attempt to conceal their guilt. Of the ancient Cretans, it was said they were "always liars." Tit. i. 12. And there is reason to believe the dwellers at Rome were not much more trustworthy. Such also is the general character of pagan nations in the present age. Would that Christendom were free from the same vice! Malignity. The word here used is said to indicate that peculiar form of malignity which exhibits itself in misrepresenting the actions, words, and intentions, of others; which attributes good actions to bad motives, and bad actions to the worst motives. We have a sample of this spirit in Job i. 9-11, where Satan inquires, "Doth Job fear God for naught?" and asserts that if he should be deprived of the gifts previously bestowed on him, he would " curse God to his face." Livermore remarks, that this is "a devil of great power in modern days." T Whisperers. That is, of evil things. Secret calumniators. There are those who indulge in hints and inuendos, and cautiously, and under pledge of secrecy, give currency to slanderous reports, but lack courage to speak openly. Such are here intended. 30. Backbiters. Those who openly and publicly slander the absent. As the testimony of his works and his word, and who fail to render to him due homage and obedience, are styled haters of God, in the Scriptures. Thus our Lord said concerning the Jews, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin; but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father." John xv. 22-24. With much propriety might the ancient idolaters be called haters of God; for they disregarded the testimony of "the things that are made," "changed the truth of God into a lie," and lived in the habitual disregard of his holy law. T Despiteful. "This word denotes those who abuse, or treat with unkindness or disdain, those who are present. Whisperers and backbiters are those who calumniate those who are absent." Barnes. Proud. Elated on account of some real or supposed advantage over others. Pride is so commonly and openly exhibited, that it needs not a description. If men would consider the vast difference between their Creator and themselves, it would cure them of their overweening pride of place or station; and if they would compare their conduct with the requisitions of his law, they would cease to be proud of their works; instead of thanking God, with the haughty Pharisee, that they are not as other men, they would feel constrained to join in the prayer of the humble and contrite Publican, "God, be merciful to me, & sinner." ¶ Boasters. Those who arro - |