Rom 2:8-9, 12 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 8. Who are contentious . This expression usually denotes those who are of a quarrelsome or litigious disposition; and generally has reference to controversies among men . But here it evidently denotes a disposition towards God , and is of the same signification as rebellious , or as opposing God . They who contend with the Almighty; who resist his claims, who rebel against his laws, and refuse to submit to his requirements, however made known. The Seventy use the verb to translate the Hebrew word , marah , in . One striking characteristic of the sinner is, that he contends with God; that is, that he opposes and resists his claims. This is the case with all sinners; and it was particularly so with the Jews, and hence the apostle used the expression here to characterize them particularly. His argument he intended to apply to the Jews, and hence he used such an expression as would exactly describe them. This character of being a rebellious people was one which was often charged on the Jewish nation, . Do not obey the truth . Comp. . The truth here denotes the Divine will, which is alone the light of truth. Calvin . It means true doctrine in opposition to false opinions; and to refuse to obey it is to regard it as false, and to resist its influence. The truth here means all the correct representations which had been made of God, and his perfections, and law, and claims, whether by the light of nature or by revelation. The description thus included Gentiles and Jews; but particularly the latter , as they had been more signally favoured with the light of truth. It had been an eminent characteristic of the Jews that they had refused to obey the commands of the true God, But obey unrighteousness . The expression means that they yielded themselves to iniquity, and thus became the servants of sin , . Iniquity thus may be said to reign over men, as they follow the dictates of evil, make no resistance to it, and implicitly obey all its hard requirements. Indignation and wrath . That is, these shall be rendered to those who are contentious, etc. The difference between indignation and wrath, says Ammonius, is that the former is of short duration , but the latter is a long-continued remembrance of evil. The one is temporary, the other denotes continued expressions of hatred of evil. Eustathius says, that the word indignation denotes the internal emotion, but wrath the external manifestation of indignation. Tholuck . Both words refer to the opposition which God will cherish and express against sin in the world of punishment. (r) "that are contentious" (s) "and do not obey"

Romans 2:8-9

Verse 8. Who are contentious. This expression usually denotes those who are of a quarrelsome or litigious disposition; and generally has reference to controversies among men. But here it evidently denotes a disposition towards God, and is of the same signification as rebellious, or as opposing God. They who contend with the Almighty; who resist his claims, who rebel against his laws, and refuse to submit to his requirements, however made known. The Seventy use the verb to translate the Hebrew word , marah, in De 21:20. One striking characteristic of the sinner is, that he contends with God; that is, that he opposes and resists his claims. This is the case with all sinners; and it was particularly so with the Jews, and hence the apostle used the expression here to characterize them particularly. His argument he intended to apply to the Jews, and hence he used such an expression as would exactly describe them. This character of being a rebellious people was one which was often charged on the Jewish nation, De 9:7,24, 31:27, Isa 1:2, 30:9, 65:2 Jer 5:23, Eze 2:3,5.

Do not obey the truth. Comp. Rom 1:18. The truth here denotes the Divine will, which is alone the light of truth. Calvin. It means true doctrine in opposition to false opinions; and to refuse to obey it is to regard it as false, and to resist its influence. The truth here means all the correct representations which had been made of God, and his perfections, and law, and claims, whether by the light of nature or by revelation. The description thus included Gentiles and Jews; but particularly the latter, as they had been more signally favoured with the light of truth. It had been an eminent characteristic of the Jews that they had refused to obey the commands of the true God, Josh 5:6, Jud 2:2, 6:10, 2Kgs 18:12, Jer 3:13,25, 42:21, 43:4,7, 9:13

But obey unrighteousness. The expression means that they yielded themselves to iniquity, and thus became the servants of sin, Rom 6:13,16,17,19. Iniquity thus may be said to reign over men, as they follow the dictates of evil, make no resistance to it, and implicitly obey all its hard requirements.

Indignation and wrath. That is, these shall be rendered to those who are contentious, etc. The difference between indignation and wrath, says Ammonius, is that the former is of short duration, but the latter is a long-continued remembrance of evil. The one is temporary, the other denotes continued expressions of hatred of evil. Eustathius says, that the word indignation denotes the internal emotion, but wrath the external manifestation of indignation. Tholuck. Both words refer to the opposition which God will cherish and express against sin in the world of punishment.

(r) "that are contentious" 1Timm 6:3,4 (s) "and do not obey" 2Thes 1:8 Verse 9. Tribulation. This word commonly denotes affliction, or the situation of being pressed down by a burden, as of trials, calamities, etc.; and hence to be pressed down by punishment or pain inflicted for sins. As applied to future punishment, it denotes the pressure of the calamities that will come upon the soul as the just reward of sin.

And anguish. στενοχωρια. This noun is used in but three other places in the New Testament, Rom 8:35, 2Cor 6:4, 12:10. The verb is used in 2Cor 4:8, 6:12. It means, literally narrowness of place, want of room; and then the anxiety and distress of mind which a man experiences who is pressed on every side by afflictions, and trials, and want, or by punishment, and who does not know where he may turn himself to find relief. Schleusner. It is thus expressive of the punishment of the wicked. It means that they shall be compressed with the manifestations of God's displeasure, so as to be in deep distress, and so as not to know where to find relief. These words, affliction and anguish, are often connected, Rom 8:35.

Upon every soul of man. Upon all men. In Hebrew the word soul often denotes the man himself. But still the apostle, by the use of this word here, meant perhaps to signify that the punishment should not be corporeal, but afflicting the soul. It should be a spiritual punishment, a punishment of mind. (Ambrose. See Tholuck.)

Of the Jew first. Having stated the general principle of the Divine administration, he comes now to make the application. To the principle there could be no objection. And the apostle now shows that it was applicable to the Jew as well as the Greek, and to the Jew pre-eminently. It was applicable first, or in an eminent degree, to the Jew, because

(1) he had been peculiarly favoured with light and knowledge on all these subjects.

(2.) These principles were fully stated in his own law, and were in strict accordance with all the teaching of the prophets. Rom 2:6. Also Ps 7:11, 9:17, 139:19, Prov 14:32.

Of the Gentile. That is, of all who were not Jews. On what principles God will inflict punishment on them, he states in Rom 2:12-16. It is clear that this refers to the future punishment of the wicked, for

(1) it stands in contrast with the eternal life of those who seek for glory, (Rom 2:7). If this description of the effect of sin refers to this life, then the effects spoken of in relation to the righteous refer to this life also. But in no place in the Scriptures is it said that men experience all the blessings of eternal life in this world; and the very supposition is absurd.

(2.) It is not true that there is a just and complete retribution to every man, according to his deeds, in this life. Many of the wicked are prospered in life, and "there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm," Ps 73:4. Many of the righteous pine in poverty and want and affliction, and die in the flames of persecution. Nothing is more clear than [that] there is not, in this life, a full and equitable distribution of rewards and punishments; and as the proposition of the apostle here is, that God WILL render to every man ACCORDING to his deeds, (Rom 2:6) it follows that this must be accomplished in another world.

(3.) The Scriptures uniformly affirm, that for the very things specified here, God will consign men to eternal death. 2Thes 1:8, "In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBEY NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction," etc. 1Pet 4:17. We may remark, also, that there could be no more alarming description of future suffering than is specified in this passage. It is indignation; it is wrath; it is tribulation; it is anguish which the sinner is to endure for ever. Truly men exposed to this awful doom should be alarmed, and should give diligence to escape from the woe which is to come!

(1) "Gentile" or, "Greek"

Romans 2:12

Verse 12. For. This is used to give a reason for what he had just said, or to show on what principles God would treat man so as not to be a respecter of persons.

As many. Whosoever. This includes all who have done it, and evidently has respect to the Gentile world. It is of the more importance to remark this, because he does not say that it is applicable to a few only, or to great and incorrigible instances of pagan wickedness; but it is a universal, sweeping declaration, obviously including all.

Have sinned, have been guilty of crimes of any kind toward God or man. Sin is the transgression of a rule of conduct, however made known to mankind.

Without law. ανομως. This expression evidently means without revealed or written law, as the apostle immediately says that they had a law of nature, (Rom 2:14,15.) The word law, νομος, is often used to denote the revealed law of God, the Scriptures, or revelation in general, Mt 12:5, Lk 2:23,24, 10:26, Jn 8:5,17.

Shall also perish. απολουνται. The Greek word used here occurs frequently in the New Testament. It means, to destroy, to lose, or to corrupt; and is applied to life, (Mt 10:39) to a reward of labour, (Mt 10:42) to wisdom, (1Cor 1:19) to bottles, Mt 9:17. It is also used to denote future punishment, or the destruction of soul and body in hell, (Mt 10:28, 18:14, Jn 3:15,) where it is opposed to eternal life, and therefore denotes eternal death. Rom 14:15, Jn 17:12. In this sense the word is evidently used in this verse. The connexion demands that the reference should be to a future judgment to be passed on the heathen. It will be remarked here, that the apostle does not say they shall be saved without law. He does not give even an intimation respecting their salvation. The strain of the argument, as well as this express declaration, shows that they who had sinned--and in the first chapter he had proved that all the heathen were sinners--would be punished. If any of the heathen are saved, it will be, therefore, an exception to the general rule in regard to them. The apostles evidently believed that the great mass of them would be destroyed. On this ground they evinced such zeal to save them; on this ground the Lord Jesus commanded the gospel to be preached to them; and on this ground Christians are now engaged in the effort to bring them to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. It may be added here, that all modern investigations have gone to confirm the position that the heathen are as degraded now as they were in the time of Paul.

Without law. That is, they shall not be judged by a law which they have not. They shall not be tried and condemned by the revelation which the Jews had. They shall be condemned only according to the knowledge and the law which they actually possess. This is the equitable rule on which God will judge the world. According to this, it is not to be apprehended that they will suffer as much as those who have the revealed will of God. Comp. Mt 10:15, 11:24, Lk 10:12.

Have sinned in the law. Have sinned having the revealed will of God, or endowed with greater light and privileges than the heathen world. The apostle here has undoubted reference to the Jews who had the law of God, and who prided themselves much on its possession.

Shall be judged by the law. This is an equitable and just rule; and to this the Jews could make no objection. Yet the admission of this would have led directly to the point to which Paul was conducting his argument, to show that they also were under condemnation, and needed a Saviour. It will be observed here, that the apostle uses a different expression in regard to the Jews from what he does of the Gentiles. He says of the former, that they "shall be judged;" of the latter, that they "shall perish." It is not certainly known why he varied this expression. But if conjecture may be allowed, it may have been for the following reasons.

(1.) If he had affirmed of the Jews that they should perish, it would at once have excited their prejudice, and have armed them against the conclusion to which he was about to come. Yet they could bear the word to be applied to the heathen, for it was in accordance with their own views, and their own mode of speaking, and was strictly true.

(2.) The word "judged" is apparently more mild, and yet really more severe. It would arouse no prejudice to say that they would be judged by their law. It was indeed paying a sort of tribute or regard to that on which they prided themselves so much--the possession of the law of God. Still, it was a word implying all that he wished to say, and involving the idea that they would be punished and destroyed. If it was admitted that the heathen would perish, and if God was to judge the Jews by an unerring rule, that is, according to their privileges and light, then it would follow that they would also be condemned, and their own minds would come at once to the conclusion. The change of words here may indicate, therefore, a nice tact, or delicate address in argument, urging home to the conscience an offensive truth rather by the deductions of the mind of the opponent himself, than by a harsh and severe charge of the writer. In instances of this the Scriptures abound.; and it was this especially that so eminently characterized the arguments of our Saviour.