For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice:

“And just as then, those who led vicious lives, and put other people astray, were condemned and cast out, so also even now the offending eye is plucked out, and the foot and the hand, lest the rest of the body perish in like manner. And we have the precept: "If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat." And again does the apostle say, "Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of mistrust. Be not ye therefore partakers with them." And as then the condemnation of sinners extended to others who approved of them, and joined in their society; so also is it the case at present, that "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." And as the wrath of God did then descend upon the unrighteous, here also does the apostle likewise say: "For the wrath of God shall be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those men who hold back 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 intermingling 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.”

“Those whom the apostle reproved knew but did not give thanks and, claiming to be wise, actually became fools and fell into idolatry. For when the apostle spoke to the Athenians, he showed plainly that the wise among the Gentiles had discovered the Creator.… He condemned the unbelief of the Gentiles first, in order to show that they could obtain grace if they converted. For it would be unjust for them to suffer a penalty for unbelief but not obtain the reward of faith.”

“After the Apostle rendered the faithful Romans, to whom he was writing, well disposed toward himself by showing his affection for them, here he begins to instruct them concerning those things which pertain to the evangelical teaching, unto which he had foretold that he was set apart. And first he shows the power of the grace of the gospel; second, he exhorts to the carrying out of the works of this grace, in chapter twelve, at the words "I beseech you therefore." Concerning the first he does two things: first he sets forth what he intends, second he explains what he has proposed, at the words "for it is revealed." Concerning the first he does three things: first he sets forth the power of the grace of the gospel, second he explains it at the words "for the justice," third he confirms his explanation at the words "as it is written." He says therefore first: I am not ashamed of the gospel for this reason, that although, as it is said in 1 Corinthians 1:18, the word of the cross is indeed foolishness to those who perish, yet to us it is the power of God. For it is the power of God. This can be understood in two ways: in one way, because the power of God is manifested in the gospel, according to that word of Psalm 110:6: "He has declared to his people the power of his works"; in another way, because the gospel itself in itself contains the power of God, according to that word of Psalm 68:34: "He will give to his voice the voice of power." Concerning this power three things are to be considered. First indeed, to what this power extends, and this is designated when it is added, "unto salvation." James 1:21: "With meekness receive the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." This indeed comes about in three ways: in one way, insofar as through the word of the gospel sins are remitted; John 15:3: "Now you are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." Second, insofar as through the gospel man attains sanctifying grace; John 17:17: "Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth." Third, insofar as it leads to eternal life; John 6:69: "You have the words of eternal life." Second, by what manner the gospel confers salvation, namely through faith, which is designated when it says "to everyone that believeth." This happens in three ways: first through preaching; Mark, last chapter: "Preach the gospel to every creature; he who believes and is baptized shall be saved." Second through confession; below, 10:10: "with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Third through Scripture, whence also the written words of the gospel have a saving power, just as blessed Barnabas used to cure the sick by placing the gospel upon them. Yet superstitions of characters are to be avoided, because this is superstitious. Whence, Ezekiel 9:6, those were saved on whose foreheads was written the Tau, which is the sign of the cross. Third, to whom the gospel becomes unto salvation, namely both to Jews and to Gentiles. For God is not the God of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles, below, 3:29, and therefore he adds "to the Jew first, and to the Greek." By "Greek" he means every gentile, because from the Greeks the wisdom of the gentiles arose. But since below, 10:12, it is said "there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek," how then here "to the Jew first"? It must be said, therefore, that as regards the attaining of the end of salvation there is no distinction between them, for both obtain an equal reward, just as for labor even in the vineyard, both the first and the last received the same denarius, as is said in Matthew 20:1-16. But as regards the order of salvation the Jews are first, because to them the promises were made, as below, 3:2, and it is for their sake that the Gentiles were taken in, as if a branch of a wild olive were grafted onto a good olive tree, as below, 11:24. From them too our Savior was born. John 4:22: "Salvation is from the Jews." He then explains next how the gospel is unto salvation when he says, "for the justice of God is revealed therein from faith to faith." This indeed can be understood in two ways. In one way, of the justice by which God is just, according to that word of Psalm 10:8 (Hebrew numbering, i.e. 11:7): "The Lord is just, and he loves justice." And according to this, the sense is that the justice of God, namely by which he is just in keeping his promises, is revealed in it, namely in the man who believes the gospel, because he believes that God has fulfilled what he promised concerning the sending of Christ; and this "from faith," namely of God who promises, Psalm 144:13: "The Lord is faithful in all his words." "Unto faith," namely of the man who believes. Or, in another way, so that it be understood of the justice of God by which God justifies men. For the justice of men is called that by which men, by their own powers, presume to justify themselves, below, 10:3: "not knowing the justice of God, and seeking to establish their own, they are not subject to the justice of God." This justice indeed is revealed in the gospel, insofar as through the faith of the gospel men are justified at whatever time; whence he adds "from faith unto faith," that is, proceeding from the faith of the Old Testament into the faith of the New Testament, because by both men are justified and saved through the faith of Christ, since by the same faith they believed he would come by which we believe he has come; and therefore it is said in 2 Corinthians 4:13: "having the same spirit of faith, we believe, and therefore we speak also." Or it can be understood as from the faith of the preachers into the faith of the hearers, below, 10:14: "how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard?" Or from the faith of one article into the faith of another, because for justification the faith of all the articles is required. Revelation 1:3: "Blessed is he who reads and hears the words of this prophecy." In another way it can be understood as from present faith into future faith, that is, into the full vision of God, which indeed is called faith by reason of certain and firm knowledge, but this latter by reason of evangelical knowledge. 1 Corinthians 13:12: "We see now through a glass in a dark manner, but then face to face." He proves this explanation, moreover, when he adds, "as it is written, but my just man liveth by faith." This indeed is taken according to the text of the Septuagint. For in our text, which follows the Hebrew truth, it is said, "the just man liveth by his faith." Now he is called "my just man," namely, one justified by me and reckoned just before me, below, 4:2: "for if Abraham was justified by the works of the law, he has glory, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice." Whence from this it is added, "he liveth by faith," namely by the life of grace. Galatians 2:20: "but that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God." Now four things must be considered here concerning faith. First indeed, what faith is. For it implies a certain assent with certainty, to that which is not seen, arising from the will, because no one believes except willingly, as Augustine says. And according to this, the believer differs from the doubter, who assents to neither side; he also differs from the one who holds an opinion, who assents to one side, not with certainty but with fear of the other; he also differs from the one who has knowledge, who assents through certainty by the necessity of reason. And according to this, faith is a mean between knowledge and opinion. Second, it must be considered whether faith is a virtue. And it is manifest that it is not a virtue if it is taken for that which is believed, according to that saying, "the Catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity." But if it is taken for the habit by which we believe, then sometimes it is a virtue, sometimes not. For a virtue is the principle of a perfect act. Now an act which depends on two principles cannot be perfect if the perfection proper to either of the principles is lacking: just as horsemanship cannot be perfect if either the horse does not go well, or the rider does not know how to guide the horse. Now the act of faith, which is to believe, depends on the intellect and on the will moving the intellect to assent; whence the act of faith will be perfect if the will is perfected through the habit of charity and the intellect through the habit of faith, but not if the habit of charity is lacking; and therefore faith formed by charity is a virtue, but unformed faith is not. Third, it must be considered that the very same habit of faith, in number, which was unformed without charity, becomes a virtue when charity comes; because, since charity is outside the essence of faith, its substance is not changed by charity's coming and going. Fourth, it must be considered that just as the body lives by the soul with natural life, so the soul lives by God with the life of grace. Now God first dwells in the soul through faith, Ephesians 3:17: "that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts." Yet this indwelling is not perfect unless faith is formed by charity, which unites us to God by the bond of perfection, as is said in Colossians 3:14. And therefore, what is said here, "he liveth by faith," is to be understood of faith formed by charity. Then, when he says, "for the wrath of God is revealed," he proves what he had said, namely that the power of the grace of the gospel is unto salvation for all men. And first he shows that it is necessary unto salvation; second, that it is efficacious or sufficient, in chapter five, at the words "being justified therefore by faith." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows that the power of the grace of the gospel is necessary unto salvation for the gentiles, because namely the wisdom in which they trusted could not save them; second he shows that it was necessary for the Jews, because namely circumcision and the law and the other things in which they trusted did not bring them salvation, chapter two, at the words "wherefore thou art inexcusable." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth what he intends; second he explains what he has proposed, at the words "because that which is known of God." Now he sets forth three things. First indeed the penalty, saying: rightly do I say that in it the justice of God is revealed, for the wrath of God is revealed in it, that is, his vengeance, which is called the wrath of God by a likeness to men who are angry and who seek vengeance outside themselves. Yet God inflicts vengeance out of the tranquility of his mind. Wisdom 12:18: "But thou, our Lord, judgest with tranquility." And concerning this wrath of God it is said in John 3:36: "he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Now this is said because certain philosophers used to say that punishments for sins do not come from God, contrary to what is said in Psalm 93:10: "he who chastises the nations, shall he not rebuke?" Whence it is added "from heaven," because they believed that his providence was occupied with heavenly things, in such a way that it did not extend to earthly things. Job 22:14: "he walks about the poles of heaven, and does not consider our affairs." But, as it is said in Psalm 101:20 (i.e. 102:19), "the Lord hath looked down from heaven upon the earth." Or it is said "from heaven" to show their iniquity, because they ought especially from the greatness of the heavens to have understood the power of the creator. Job 20:27: "the heavens shall reveal his iniquity." Or "from heaven," of the one who is to come to judgment. Acts 1:11: "as you have seen him ascending into heaven, so shall he come." Second, he sets down the fault for which the penalty is inflicted. And first indeed the fault which is committed against God, when he adds "against all ungodliness." For just as piety is called the worship which is rendered to God as to the highest parent, so ungodliness is called the sin which is against divine worship. Ezekiel 18:28 (Vulgate numbering): "the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Second, he sets down the fault which is committed toward man, when he says "and injustice." For justice is that by which men come together and share with one another by reason. Job 35:8: "thy justice shall help the son of man." Third, he sets down the knowledge which they had of him, when he adds, "of those men who detain the truth of God," that is, the true knowledge of God, "in injustice," as if held captive. For the true knowledge of God, as far as it is in itself, leads men to good, but it is bound, as if detained in captivity, by the affection of injustice, through which, as Psalm 11:1 (i.e. 12:1) says, "truths are diminished from the sons of men." Then, when he says "because that which is known," he explains what he has proposed, though in reverse order. For first he grants that the wise among the gentiles knew the truth about God; second, he shows that ungodliness and injustice were in them, at the words "so that they are inexcusable"; third, that they incurred the wrath of God, at the words "who, when they knew the justice of God." Concerning the first he does three things. First, what they knew about God; second, he shows from whom they received this kind of knowledge, at the words "for God hath manifested it to them"; third, he shows by what manner, at the words "for the invisible things." He says therefore first: rightly do I say that they detained the truth of God, for there was in them, as regards a certain measure, a true knowledge of God, because "that which is known of God," that is, what is knowable about God by man through reason, "is manifest in them," that is, it is manifest to them from that which is in them, that is, from an intrinsic light. It must be known, therefore, that something concerning God is altogether unknown to man in this life, namely what God is. Whence Paul also found at Athens an altar inscribed: "To the unknown God." And this is so because man's knowledge begins from those things which are connatural to him, namely sensible creatures, which are not proportioned to represent the divine essence. Nevertheless man can, from creatures of this kind, know God in three ways, as Dionysius says in the book On the Divine Names. In one way indeed through causality. For since creatures of this kind are defectible and mutable, they must necessarily be traced back to some immovable and perfect principle. And according to this it is known concerning God that he is. Second, by way of excellence. For not all things are traced back to the first principle as to a proper and univocal cause, as when a man begets a man, but as to a common and surpassing cause. And from this it is known that he is above all things. Third, by way of negation. For if he is a surpassing cause, none of the things which are in creatures can belong properly to him, just as neither is a celestial body properly said to be heavy or light or hot or cold. And according to this we say that God is immovable and infinite and whatever else is said of this kind. Now they had this kind of knowledge through the light of reason implanted in them. Psalm 4:6: "Many say, who showeth us good things? The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us." Then, when he says "God hath manifested it to them," he shows by what author this kind of knowledge was manifested to them, and he says that "God hath manifested it to them," according to that saying of Job 35:11: "he teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth." Here it must be considered that one man manifests something to another by unfolding his own conception through certain external signs, for instance through speech or writing, but God manifests something to man in two ways. In one way, by pouring in an interior light, through which man knows, Psalm 42:3: "send forth thy light and thy truth." In another way, by setting forth the exterior signs of his own wisdom, namely sensible creatures. Ecclesiasticus 1:10: "he poured her out," namely wisdom, "upon all his works." Thus, therefore, God manifested it to them, either by pouring in light interiorly, or by setting forth visible creatures exteriorly, in which, as in a certain book, the knowledge of God might be read. Then, when he says "for the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world," etc., he shows by what manner they received this kind of knowledge. Here, first it must be considered what these things are, which they knew about God. And he sets down three. First indeed "the invisible things of him," by which is understood the essence of God, which, as has been said, cannot be seen by us. John 1:18: "no man hath seen God at any time," namely through essence, while living this mortal life. 1 Timothy 1:17: "to the king of ages, immortal, invisible." Now he says "invisible things" in the plural because the essence of God is not known to us according to what it is, namely as it is one in itself. Thus it will be known to us in our homeland, and then "the Lord shall be one, and his name one," as is said in Zechariah, last chapter. But it is manifest to us through certain likenesses found in creatures, which participate in a manifold way in that which is one in God, and according to this our intellect considers the unity of the divine essence under the aspect of goodness, wisdom, power, and the like, which in God are one. He called these therefore "the invisible things of God," because that one thing which corresponds in God to these names, or aspects, is not seen by us. Hebrews 11:3: "that from things invisible, invisible things might be made." Another thing, moreover, which is known about God is "his power," according to which things proceed from him as from a principle; Psalm 146:5 (i.e. 147:5): "great is the Lord, and great is his power." Now the philosophers knew that this power was everlasting, whence it is said "his eternal power also." The third thing known is what he calls "and divinity," to which pertains the fact that they knew God as the ultimate end, toward which all things tend. For the divine good is called the common good which is participated in by all; for this reason he said rather "divinity," which signifies participation, than "deity," which signifies the essence of God. Colossians 2:9: "and in him dwelleth all the fullness of the divinity." Now these three are referred to the three aforesaid ways of knowing. For the invisible things of God are known by way of negation; the eternal power, by way of causality; the divinity, by way of excellence. Second, it must be considered by what medium they knew those things, which is designated when he says "by the things that are made." For just as art is manifested through the works of the artisan, so also the wisdom of God is manifested through creatures. Wisdom 13:5: "for by the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the creator of them may be known so as to be seen." Third, he shows how through these things God is known, when he says "being understood, are clearly seen." For God can be known by the intellect, not by sense or imagination, which do not transcend bodily things; but "God is a spirit," as is said in John 4:24; Isaiah 52:13: "behold, my servant shall understand." Fourth, it can be designated from what, in this manner, God is known, when he says "from the creation of the world." By this, in one way, "creature" can be understood as man, Mark, last chapter: "preach the gospel to every creature," either because of the excellence of man, who in the order of nature is less than the angels but excels among the lower creatures, according to that saying of Psalm 8:6: "thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, thou hast subjected all things under his feet, sheep and oxen," etc.; or because he communicates with every creature: for he has being in common with stones, life in common with trees, sensation in common with animals, understanding in common with the angels, as Gregory says. In another way it can be understood of universal creation. For no creature, by its own natural powers, can see the essence of God in itself. Whence also of the Seraphim it is said in Isaiah 6:2 that "with two wings they covered their face." But, just as man understands God through visible creatures, so the angel does so through the fact that he understands his own essence. Now "from the creature of the world" can be understood in another way, not as the created thing itself but as the creation of things, as if it were said: from the creation of the world. And then it can be arranged in two ways. In one way, that it be understood that the invisible things of God are understood through the things that are made from the creation of the world, not only through the things that are made in the time of grace. In another way, that it be understood that from the creation of the world men began to know God through the things that are made. Job 36:25: "all men see him." Now the Gloss says that by "the invisible things of God" is understood the person of the Father. 1 Timothy, last chapter: "whom no man among men hath seen," etc. By "the eternal power," the person of the Son, according to that saying of 1 Corinthians 1:24: "Christ, the power of God." By "the divinity," the person of the Holy Spirit, to whom goodness is appropriated. Not that the philosophers, by the guidance of reason, were able to arrive, through the things that are made, at knowledge of the persons as to their proper characteristics, which do not signify a relation of a cause to creatures, but according to what is appropriated. Yet they are said to have fallen short in the third sign, that is, in the Holy Spirit, because they did not posit anything to correspond to the Holy Spirit, just as they posited something to correspond to the Father, namely the first principle itself, and something to correspond to the Son, namely the first created mind, which they called the paternal intellect, as Macrobius says in his book on the Dream of Scipio.”

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven,.... The apostle having hinted at the doctrine of justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ; and which he designed more largely to insist upon in this epistle, and to prove that there can be no justification of a sinner in the sight of God by the deeds of the law, in order to set this matter in a clear light, from hence, to the end of the chapter, and in the following ones, represents the sad estate and condition of the Gentiles with the law of nature, and of the Jews with the law of Moses; by which it most clearly appears, that neither of them could be justified by their obedience to the respective laws under which they were, but that they both stood in need of the righteousness of God. By "the wrath of God" is meant the displicency and indignation of God at sin and sinners; his punitive justice, and awful vengeance; the judgments which he executes in this world; and that everlasting displeasure of his, and wrath to come in another world, which all through sin are deserving of, some are appointed to, God's elect are delivered from, through Christ's sustaining it, in their room and stead, and which comes and abides on all impenitent and unbelieving persons. This is said to be "revealed", where? not in the Gospel, in which the righteousness of God is revealed; unless the Gospel be taken for the books of the four Evangelists, or for the Gospel dispensation, or for that part of the ministry of a Gospel preacher, which represents the wrath of God as the desert of sin, the dreadfulness of it, and the way to escape it; for the Gospel, strictly taken, is grace, good news, glad tidings, and not wrath and damnation; though indeed in Christ's sufferings for the sins of his people, which the Gospel gives us an account of, there is a great display of the wrath of God, and of his indignation against sin: but this wrath of God is revealed in the law, it is known by the light of nature, and to be perceived in the law of Moses, and may be observed in the Scriptures, where are many instances and examples of divine wrath and displeasure; as in the total destruction of the old world by a world wide flood, the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, turning Lot's wife into a pillar of salt, the plagues of Egypt, and the several instances mentioned in this chapter. This wrath is said to be God's wrath "from heaven", by the awful blackness which covers the heavens, the storms and tempests raised in them, and by pouring down water or fire in a surprising manner, on the inhabitants of the world; or "from heaven", that is, openly, manifestly, in the sight of all; or from God who is in heaven, and not from second causes; and more especially it will be revealed from heaven, when Christ shall descend from thence at the day of judgment: the subject matter or object of it, against, or "upon" which it is revealed, are, all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men; that is, all ungodly and unrighteous men; or all men who are guilty of ungodliness, the breach of the first table of the law, which respects the worship of God, and of unrighteousness, the breach of the second table of the law, which regards our neighbours' good: and these persons are further described as such, who hold the truth in unrighteousness: meaning either such who know the Gospel, which is "the truth", and do not profess it openly, but hold and imprison it in their minds, which is a great piece of unrighteousness; or if they do profess it, do not live up to it in their lives: or rather the Gentile philosophers are designed, who are spoken of in the following verse; See Gill on Rom 1:22; who had some knowledge of the truth of the divine Being, and his perfections, and of the difference between moral good and evil; but did not like to retain it themselves, nor communicate all they knew to others, nor did they live according to that knowledge which they had.”

“For the wrath of God is revealed - The apostle has now finished his preface, and comes to the grand subject of the epistle; namely, to show the absolute need of the Gospel of Christ, because of the universal corruption of mankind; which was so great as to incense the justice of God, and call aloud for the punishment of the world 1. He shows that all the heathen nations were utterly corrupt, and deserved this threatened punishment. And this is the subject of the first chapter, from Rom 1:18 to the end (Rom 1:18-32). 2. He shows that the Jews, notwithstanding the greatness of their privileges, were no better than the Gentiles; and therefore the wrath of God was revealed against them also. This subject he treats in Romans 2:1-29 and Romans 3:1-19. 3. He returns, as it were, on both, Rom 3:20-31, and proves that, as the Jews and Gentiles were equally corrupt, they could not be saved by the deeds of any law; that they stood equally in need of that salvation which God had provided; that both were equally entitled to that salvation, for God was the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews. By οργη θεου, the wrath of God, we are not to understand any uneasy passion in the Divine Being; but the displeasure of his righteousness, which is expressed by the punishments inflicted on the ungodly, those who retain not God in their knowledge; and the unrighteous, those whose lives are profligate. As, in the Gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed for the salvation of the ungodly, so is the wrath of God revealed against the workers of iniquity. Those who refuse to be saved in the way revealed by his mercy must be consumed in the way revealed by his justice. Ungodliness - ασεβειαν, from α , negative, and σεβω or σεβομαι, I worship, probably intended here to express atheism, polytheism, and idolatry of every kind. Unrighteousness - αδικιαν from α, negative, and δικη, justice; every thing contrary to strict morality; all viciousness and profligacy of conduct. Who hold the truth in unrighteousness - In what sense could it be said that the heathen held the truth in unrighteousness, when they really had not that truth? Some think this refers to the conduct of their best philosophers, such as Socrates, Plato, Seneca, etc., who knew much more of the Divine nature than they thought safe or prudent to discover; and who acted in many things contrary to the light which they enjoyed. Others think this to be spoken of the Gentiles in general, who either did know, or might have known, much of God from the works of creation, as the apostle intimates in the following verses. But Rosenmuller and some others contend that the word κατεχειν here does not signify to hold, but to hinder; and that the place should be translated, who through maliciousness hinder the truth; i.e. prevent it from taking hold of their hearts, and from governing their conduct. This is certainly a very usual acceptation of the verb κατεχειν, which Hesychius interprets κρατειν, κωλυειν, συνεχειν, to retain, hinder, etc.; these men hindering, by their vicious conduct, the truth of God from being propagated in the earth.”

“For the wrath of God is revealed, &c. He begins to speak of the heathens, and of the wicked world, whose sins God punisheth from time to time with visible chastisements of plagues, famines, wars, &c. and that because they detain the truth of God in injustice, or in iniquity, that is, because they have not honoured God, even according to the knowledge which he has given them of him, especially their philosophers. (Witham)”

“WHY THIS DIVINELY PROVIDED RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NEEDED BY ALL MEN. (Rom 1:18) For the wrath of God--His holy displeasure and righteous vengeance against sin. is revealed from heaven--in the consciences of men, and attested by innumerable outward evidences of a moral government. against all ungodliness--that is, their whole irreligiousness, or their living without any conscious reference to God, and proper feelings towards Him. and unrighteousness of men--that is, all their deviations from moral rectitude in heart, speech, and behavior. (So these terms must be distinguished when used together, though, when standing alone, either of them includes the other). THIS WRATH OF GOD, REVEALED AGAINST ALL INIQUITY, OVERHANGS THE WHOLE HEATHEN WORLD. (Rom 1:18-32) who hold--rather, "hold down," "hinder," or "keep back." the truth in unrighteousness--The apostle, though he began this verse with a comprehensive proposition regarding men in general, takes up in the end of it only one of the two great divisions of mankind, to whom he meant to apply it; thus gently sliding into his argument. But before enumerating their actual iniquities, he goes back to the origin of them all, their stifling the light which still remained to them. As darkness overspreads the mind, so impotence takes possession of the heart, when the "still small voice" of conscience is first disregarded, next thwarted, and then systematically deadened. Thus "the truth" which God left with and in men, instead of having free scope and developing itself, as it otherwise would, was obstructed (compare Mat 6:22-23; Eph 4:17-18).”