Act 17:31, Rom 2:2, Rev 20:12-13 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 31. Because he hath appointed a day . This is given as a reason why God commands men to repent. They must be judged; and if they are not penitent and pardoned, they must be condemned. . Whom he hath ordained . Or whom he has constituted or appointed as judge. . . Hath given assurance Has afforded evidence of this. That evidence consists, (1.) in the fact that Jesus declared that he would judge the nations, , and (2.) God confirmed the truth of his declaration by raising him from the dead, or gave his sanction to what the Lord Jesus had said, for God would not work a miracle in favour of an imposter. (g) "a day" (*) "ordained" "Appointed" (1) "given assurance" "offered faith"

Acts 17:31

Verse 31. Because he hath appointed a day. This is given as a reason why God commands men to repent. They must be judged; and if they are not penitent and pardoned, they must be condemned. Rom 2:16.

Whom he hath ordained. Or whom he has constituted or appointed as judge. Acts 10:42. Jn 5:25.

Hath given assurance Has afforded evidence of this. That evidence consists,

(1.) in the fact that Jesus declared that he would judge the nations, Jn 5:25,26 Mt 25, and

(2.) God confirmed the truth of his declaration by raising him from the dead, or gave his sanction to what the Lord Jesus had said, for God would not work a miracle in favour of an imposter.

(g) "a day" Rom 2:16 (*) "ordained" "Appointed" (1) "given assurance" "offered faith"

Romans 2:2

Verse 2. But we are sure. Greek, "We know." That is, it is the common and admitted sentiment of mankind. It is known and believed by men generally that God will punish such crimes. It is implied in this declaration that this was known to the Jews, and it was particularly to the purpose of the apostle so to express himself as to include the Jews. They knew it because it was everywhere taught in the Old Testament, and it was the acknowledged doctrine of the nation. The design of the apostle here, says Calvin, is to take away the subterfuges of the hypocrite, lest he should pride himself, if he obtained the praise of men, for a far more important trial awaited him at the bar of God. Outwardly he might appear well to men; but God searched the heart, and saw the secret as well as the open deeds of men; and they who practised secretly what they condemned openly, could not expect to escape the righteous judgment of God. God, without respect of persons, would punish wickedness, whether it was open, as among the Gentiles, or whether it was concealed under the guise of great regard for religion, as among the Jews.

The judgment of God. That God condemns it, and will punish it. He regards those who do these things as guilty, and will treat them accordingly.

According to truth. This expression is capable of two meanings. The Hebrews sometimes use it to denote truly or certainly. God will certainly judge and punish such deeds. Another meaning, which is probably the correct one here, is, that God will judge those who are guilty of such things, not according to appearance, but in integrity, and with righteousness, he will judge men according to the real nature of their conduct; and not as their conduct may appear unto men. The secret as well as the open sinner, therefore; the hypocrite, as well as the abandoned profligate, must expect to be judged according to their true character. This meaning comports with the design of the apostle, which is to show that the Jew, who secretly and hypocritically did the very things which he condemned in the Gentile, could not escape the righteous judgment of God.

Against them. That is, against every man, no matter of what age or nation.

Which commit such things. The crimes enumerated in chap. i. The apostle is not to be understood as affirming that each and every individual among the Jews was guilty of the specific crimes charged on the heathen, but that they were, as a people, inclined to the same things. Even where they might be externally moral, they might be guilty of cherishing evil desires in their hearts, and thus be guilty of the offence, Mt 5:28. When men desire to do evil, and are prevented by the providence of God, it is right to punish them for their evil intentions. The fact that God prevents them from carrying their evil purposes into execution does not constitute a difference between their real character and the character of those who are suffered to act out their wicked designs.

Revelation of John 20:12-13

Verse 12. And I saw the dead, small and great. All the dead--for this language would express that--the whole race being composed of the "small and great." Thus, in other language, the same idea might be expressed by saying the young and old; the rich and poor; the bond and free; the sick and well; the happy and the unhappy; the righteous and the wicked; for all the human family might, in these respects, be considered as thus divided. The fair meaning in this place therefore is, that all the dead would be there, and of course this would preclude the idea of a previous resurrection of any part of the dead, as of the saints, at the beginning of the millennium. There is no intimation here that it is the wicked dead that are referred to in this description of the final judgment. It is the judgment of all the dead.

Stand before God. That is, they appear thus to be judged. The word "God" here must naturally refer to the final Judge on the throne, and there can be no doubt (see Mt 25:31)that this is the Lord Jesus. Compare 2Cor 5:10. None can judge the secrets of the heart; none can pronounce on the moral character of all mankind of all countries and ages, and determine their everlasting allotment, but he who is Divine.

And the books were opened. That is, the books containing the record of human deeds. The representation is, that all that men have done is recorded, and that it will be exhibited on the final trial, and win constitute the basis of the last judgment. The imagery seems to be derived from the accusations made against such as are arraigned before human courts of justice.

And another book was opened, which is the book of life. The book containing the record of the names of all who shall enter into life, or into heaven. Rev 3:5. The meaning here is, that John saw not only the general books opened containing the records of the deeds of men, but that he had a distinct view of the list or roll of those who were the followers of the Lamb. It would seem that in regard to the multitudes of the impenitent and the wicked, the judgment will proceed on their deeds in general; in regard to the righteous, it will turn on the fact that their names had been enrolled in the book of life. That will be sufficient to determine the nature of the sentence that is to be be passed on them. He will be safe whose name is found in the book of life; no one will be safe who is to have his eternal destiny determined by his own deeds. This passage proves particularly that the righteous dead are referred to here as being present at the final judgment; and is thus an additional argument against the supposition of a resurrection of the righteous, and a judgment on them, at the beginning of the millennium.

And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books. The records which had been made of their deeds. The final judgment will proceed on the record that has been made. It will not be arbitrary, and will not be determined by rank, condition, or profession, but it will be according to the record.

According to their works. 2Cor 5:10. The fact that the name of any one was found in the book of life would seem, as above remarked, to determine the certainty of salvation; but the amount of reward would be in proportion to the service rendered to the Redeemer, and the attainments made in piety.

(b) "books were opened" Dan 7:10 (c) "another book" Rev 21:27, Dan 12:1 (d) "according to their works" Jer 32:19, Mt 16:27 Verse 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. All that had been buried in the depths of oceans. This number in the aggregate will be great. If we include all who were swept off by the flood, and all who have perished by shipwreck, and all who have been killed in naval battles and buried in the sea, and all who have been swept away by inundations of the ocean, and all who have peacefully died at sea, as sailors, or in the pursuits of commerce or benevolence, the number in the aggregate will be immense--a number so vast that it was proper to notice them particularly in the account of the general resurrection and the last judgment.

And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. That is, all the dead came, from all regions where they were scattered--on the land and in the ocean--in this world and in the invisible world. "Death and hell" are here personified, and are represented as having dominion over the dead, and as now delivering up, or surrendering those who were held under them. On the meaning of the words here used, Rev 1:18; Rev 6:8. Compare Mt 10:23; Job 10:21; Job 10:22; Isa 14:9. This whole representation is entirely inconsistent with the supposition that a large part of the dead had been already raised up at the beginning of the millennial period, and had been permitted, in their glorified bodies, to reign with Christ.

And they were judged, etc. All these were judged--the righteous and the wicked; those buried at sea, and those buried on the land; the small and the great; the dead, in whatever world they may have been.

(1) "hell" "the grave"