Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 1:20

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

20. from the creation of the world ] i.e. “since the world was created.” The Gr. scarcely allows the interpretation “from the framework, or constitution, of the world.” He means that ever since there was a universe to observe, and man to observe it, the being and will of a Divine Artificer have been discernible.

are clearly seen ] The Gr. verb hardly gives the emphatic “ clearly,” though it distinctly states that they “are under observation,” “in view.”

eternal ] The Gr. word here ( adios) is only found besides in N. T. in Judges 6. By derivation and usage it is connected with the Greek equivalent for “ ever ” or “ always.” The point of the word here is that creation condemns the guilty vagaries of Idolatry by witnessing to a God everlastingly One and the Same.

Godhead ] Lit. Divinity; character or capacity worthy of God.

so that they are without excuse ] Better perhaps, (comparing similar constructions in this Epistle) so that they may, or might, be without excuse; to remove all cause of inevitable ignorance, and to throw the whole blame of declension from primeval truth on the perverted Will.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

For the invisible things of him – The expression his invisible things refers to those things which cannot be perceived by the senses. It does not imply that there are any things pertaining to the divine character which may be seen by the eye; but that there are things which may be known of him, though not discoverable by the eye. We judge of the objects around us by the senses, the sight, the touch, the ear, etc. Paul affirms, that though we cannot judge thus of God, yet there is a way by which we may come to the knowledge of him. What he means by the invisible things of God he specifies at the close of the verse, his eternal power and Godhead. The affirmation extends only to that; and the argument implies that that was enough to leave them without any excuse for their sins.

From the creation of the world – The word creation may either mean the act of creating, or more commonly it means the thing created, the world, the universe. In this sense it is commonly used in the New Testament; compare Mar 10:6; Mar 13:19; Mar 16:5; Rom 1:25; 2Co 5:17; Gal 6:15; Col 1:15, Col 1:23; Heb 4:13; Heb 9:11; 1Pe 2:13; 2Pe 3:4; Rev 3:14. The word from may mean since, or it may denote by means of. And the expression here may denote that, as an historical fact, God has been known since the act of creation; or it may denote that he is known by means of the material universe which he has formed. The latter is doubtless the true meaning. For,

1. This is the common meaning of the word creation; and,
2. This accords with the design of the argument.

It is not to state an historical fact, but to show that they had the means of knowing their duty within their reach, and were without excuse. Those means were in the wisdom, power, and glory of the universe, by which they were surrounded.

Are clearly seen – Are made manifest; or may be perceived. The word used here does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament.

Being understood – His perfections may be investigated, and comprehended by means of his works. They are the evidences submitted to our intellects, by which we may arrive at the true knowledge of God.

Things that are made – By his works; compare Heb 11:3. This means, not by the original act of creation, but by the continual operations of God in his Providence, by his doings, poiemasin, by what he is continually producing and accomplishing in the displays of his power and goodness in the heavens and the earth. What they were capable of understanding, he immediately adds, and shows that he did not intend to affirm that everything could be known of God by his works; but so much as to free them from excuse for their sins.

His eternal power – Here are two things implied.

(1)That the universe contains an exhibition of his power, or a display of that attribute which we call omnipotence; and,

1. That this power has existed from eternity, and of course implies an eternal existence in God.

It does not mean that this power has been exerted or put forth from eternity, for the very idea of creation supposes that it had not, but that there is proof, in the works of creation, of power which must have existed from eternity, or have belonged to an eternal being. The proof of this was clear, even to the pagan, with their imperfect views of creation and of astronomy; compare Psa 19:1-14. The majesty and grandeur of the heavens would strike their eye, and be full demonstration that they were the work of an infinitely great and glorious God. But to us, under the full blaze of modern science, with our knowledge of the magnitude, and distances, and revolutions of the heavenly bodies, the proof of this power is much more grand and impressive. We may apply the remark of the apostle to the present state of the science, and his language will cover all the ground, and the proof to human view is continually rising of the amazing power of God, by every new discovery in science, and especially in astronomy. Those who wish to see this object presented in a most impressive view, may find it done in Chalmers Astronomical Discourses, and in Dicks Christian Philosopher. Equally clear is the proof that this power must have been eternal. If it had not always existed, it could in no way have been produced. But it is not to be supposed that it was always exerted, any more than it is that God now puts forth all the power that he can, or than that we constantly put forth all the power which we possess. Gods power was called forth at the creation. He showed his omnipotence; and gave, by that one great act, eternal demonstration that he was almighty; and we may survey the proof of that, as clearly as if we had seen the operation of his hand there. The proof is not weakened because we do not see the process of creation constantly going on. It is rather augmented by the fact that he sustains all things, and controls continually the vast masses of matter in the material worlds.

Godhead – His deity; divinity; divine nature, or essence. The word is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. Its meaning cannot therefore be fixed by any parallel passages. It proves the truth that the supremacy, or supreme divinity of God, was exhibited in the works of creation, or that he was exalted above all creatures and things. It would not be proper, however, to press this word as implying that all that we know of God by revelation was known to the pagan; but that so much was known as to show his supremacy; his right to their homage; and of course the folly and wickedness of idolatry. This is all that the argument of the apostle demands, and, of course, on this principle the expression is to be interpreted.

So that they are without excuse – God has given them so clear evidence of his existence and claims, that they have no excuse for their idolatry, and for hindering the truth by their iniquity. It is implied here that in order that people should be responsible, they should have the means of knowledge; and that he does not judge them when their ignorance is involuntary, and the means of knowing the truth have not been communicated. But where people have these means within their reach, and will not avail themselves of them, all excuse is taken away. This was the case with the Gentile world. They had the means of knowing so much of God, as to show the folly of worshipping dumb idols; compare Isa 44:8-10. They had also traditions respecting his perfections; and they could not plead for their crimes and folly that they had no means of knowing him. If this was true of the pagan world then, how much more is it true of the world now?

And especially how true and fearful is this, respecting that great multitude in Christian lands who have the Bible, and who never read it; who are within the reach of the sanctuary, and never enter it; who are admonished by friends, and by the providences of God, and who regard it not; and who look upon the heavens, and even yet see no proof of the eternal power and Godhead of him who made them all! Nay, there are those who are apprized of the discoveries of modern astronomy, and who yet do not seem to reflect that all these glories are proof of the existence of an eternal God; and who live in ignorance of religion as really as the pagan, and in crimes as decided and malignant as disgraced the darkest ages of the world. For such there is no excuse, or shadow of excuse, to be offered in the day of doom. And there is no fact more melancholy in our history, and no one thing that more proves the stupidity of people, than this sad forgetfulness of Him that made the heavens, even amid all the wonders and glories that have come fresh from the hand of God, and that everywhere speak his praise.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. The invisible things of him] His invisible perfections are manifested by his visible works, and may be apprehended by what he has made; their immensity showing his omnipotence, their vast variety and contrivance, his omniscience; and their adaptation to the most beneficent purposes, his infinite goodness and philanthropy.

His eternal power] , That all-powerful energy that ever was, and ever will exist; so that, ever since there was a creation to be surveyed, there have been intelligent beings to make that survey.

And Godhead] , His acting as God in the government and support of the universe. His works prove his being; the government and support of these works prove it equally. Creation and providence form a twofold demonstration of God,

1st. in the perfections of his nature; and,

2dly. in the exercise of those perfections.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Because it might be further objected in behalf of the Gentiles, that the notions of God imprinted in their nature are so weak, that they may be well excused; therefore the apostle adds, that the certainty of them is further confirmed by the book of the creatures, which was written before them in capital letters, so that he that runs may read.

The invisible things of him: the apostle tells us afterwards himself what he means by the invisible things of God, viz. his being and his attributes, particularly his eternity and almighty power; to which we might add, his wisdom, goodness, &c. These, though invisible in themselves, yet are discernible by his works, and that ever since the creation of the world. By what they see created, they may easily collect or understand, that there is an eternal and almighty Creator; they may argue from the effects to the cause.

So that they are without excuse: some render it, that they may be without excuse; but it is better rendered in our translation: the meaning is not, that God gave them that knowledge for this end and purpose, that they might be inexcusable, for they might catch even at that for an excuse; but the plain sense is this, that God hath given all men such means of knowledge as sufficeth to leave them without excuse, there can be no pretence of ignorance.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

20. For the invisible things of himfromor “since”

the creation of the world areclearly seenthe mind brightly beholding what the eye cannotdiscern.

being understood by thethings that are madeThus, the outward creation is not theparent but the interpreter of our faith in God. Thatfaith has its primary sources within our own breast (Ro1:19); but it becomes an intelligible and articulateconviction only through what we observe around us (“by thethings which are made,” Ro1:20). And thus are the inner and the outer revelation of God thecomplement of each other, making up between them one universal andimmovable conviction that God is. (With this strikingapostolic statement agree the latest conclusions of the most profoundspeculative students of Theism).

even hiseternal power and Godheadboth that there is an EternalPower, and that this is not a mere blind force, or pantheistic”spirit of nature,” but the power of a living Godhead.

so that they are withoutexcuseall their degeneracy being a voluntary departure fromtruth thus brightly revealed to the unsophisticated spirit.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

For the invisible things of him,…. Not the angels, the invisible inhabitants of heaven: nor the unseen glories of another world; nor the decrees of God; nor the persons in the Godhead; but the perfections of God, or his “properties”, as the Arabic version reads it; and which are explained by “his eternal power and Godhead”: these,

from the creation of the world are clearly seen; this is no new discovery, but what men have had, and might, by the light of nature, have enjoyed ever since the world was created; these

being understood, in an intellectual way, by the discursive faculty of the understanding,

by the things that are made; the various works of creation; all which proclaim the being, unity, and perfections of God their Creator,

so that they are without excuse; the very Heathens, who have only the light of nature, and are destitute of a revelation, have no colour or pretext for their idolatrous practices, and vicious lives; nor have they, nor will they have anything to object to God’s righteous judgment against them, or why they should not be condemned.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The invisible things of him ( ). Another verbal adjective ( privative and , to see), old word, either unseen or invisible as here and elsewhere in N.T. (Col 1:15f., etc.). The attributes of God’s nature defined here as “his everlasting power and divinity” ( ). is for from (always), old word, in N.T. only here and Jude 1:6, common in Philo ( ), elsewhere . is from (from ) quality of and corresponds more to Latin divinitas from divus, divine. In Col 2:9 Paul uses (Latin deitas from deus)

deity , both old words and nowhere else in the N.T. is Divine Personality, , Divine Nature and properties (Sanday and Headlam).

Since the creation of the world ( ). He means by God and unto God as antecedent to and superior to the world (cf. Col 1:15f. about Christ).

Are clearly seen (). Present passive indicative of (perfective use of –), old word, only here in N.T., with direct reference to .

Being perceived (). Present passive participle of , to use the (intellect).

That they may be without excuse ( ). More likely, “so that they are without excuse.” The use of and the infinitive (with accusative of general reference) for result like is reasonably clear in the N.T. (Moulton, Prolegomena, p. 219; Robertson, Grammar, p. 1003). is another verbal with from . Old word, in N.T. only here and Ro 2:1 (“inexcusable” here).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

The invisible things of Him. The attributes which constitute God ‘s nature, afterward defined as “His eternal power and divinity.” From the creation [] . From the time of. Rev., since.

Are clearly seen [] . We have here an oxymoron, literally a pointedly foolish saying; a saying which is impressive or witty through sheer contradiction or paradox. Invisible things are clearly visible. See on Act 5:41. Illustrations are sometimes furnished by single words, as glukupikrov bittersweet; qrasudeilov a bold coward. In English compare Shakespeare :

“Dove – feathered raven, fiend angelical; Beautiful tyrant, wolfish – ravening lamb.”

Spenser :

“Glad of such luck, the luckless lucky maid.”

Godhead [] . Rev., better, divinity. Godhead expresses deity [] . qeiothv is godhood, not godhead. It signifies the sum – total of the divine attributes.

So that they are [ ] . The A. V. expresses result; but the sense is rather purpose. The revelation of God ‘s power and divinity is given, so that, if, after being enlightened, they fall into sin, they may be without defense.

Without excuse [] . See on answer, 1Pe 3:15. Only here and ch. 2 1.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “For the invisible things of him,” (ta gar aorata autou) “For the invisible things (not visible elements) of him,” or having their origin in him, belonging to God, the Creator and sustainer of all things; these visible things of the universe were made, formed, or fashioned from his own existing invisible elements. Divine faith undergirds this revelation to every believer. Heb 11:1; Heb 11:3.

2) “From the creation of the World,” (apo ktiseos kosmou) “From (the) creation of (the) world order of things,” for “all things were made by him,” Gen 1:1; Joh 1:1-3; 1Co 8:6.

3) “Are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,” (tois poiemasin nooumena kathoratai) “Are well (clearly) seen, being understood by means of the things that are made or formed.” Believers of Christ and the Word clearly see or comprehend that God is the compounder, unifier, mixer, and sustainer of all things and life by reason of his will and power, not by evolution, Heb 11:1-3.

4) “Even his eternal power and Godhead,” (he te aidios autou dunamis kai theiotes) “Both his everlasting power and Divinity.” “The invisible things”, refer not only to invisible elements brought into visible form in creation but also to the dynamic power and Divinity of his attributes manifested in creation and his sustaining all things.

5) “So that they are without excuse,” (eis to einai autous anapologetous) “So that they are without (above occasion for) an excuse,” the “they” refers to Jews, Gentiles, Grecians, and barbarians, wise and unwise, the cultured and profane are without an excuse for a knowledge of God, sin, righteousness, wrath, and offered mercy and salvation, as revealed to Adam and Eve, to Noah, and to Lot and their families. Heb 1:1-3.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

20. Since his invisible things, (46) etc. God is in himself invisible; but as his majesty shines forth in his works and in his creatures everywhere, men ought in these to acknowledge him, for they clearly set forth their Maker: and for this reason the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews says, that this world is a mirror, or the representation of invisible things. He does not mention all the particulars which may be thought to belong to God; but he states, that we can arrive at the knowledge of his eternal power and divinity; (47) for he who is the framer of all things, must necessarily be without beginning and from himself. When we arrive at this point, the divinity becomes known to us, which cannot exist except accompanied with all the attributes of a God, since they are all included under that idea.

So that they are inexcusable. It hence clearly appears what the consequence is of having this evidence — that men cannot allege any thing before God’s tribunal for the purpose of showing that they are not justly condemned. Yet let this difference be remembered, that the manifestation of God, by which he makes his glory known in his creation, is, with regard to the light itself, sufficiently clear; but that on account of our blindness, it is not found to be sufficient. We are not however so blind, that we can plead our ignorance as an excuse for our perverseness. We conceive that there is a Deity; and then we conclude, that whoever he may be, he ought to be worshipped: but our reason here fails, because it cannot ascertain who or what sort of being God is. Hence the Apostle in Heb 11:3, ascribes to faith the light by which man can gain real knowledge from the work of creation, and not without reason; for we are prevented by our blindness, so that we reach not to the end in view; we yet see so far, that we cannot pretend any excuse. Both these things are strikingly set forth by Paul in Act 14:16, when he says, that the Lord in past times left the nations in their ignorance, and yet that he left them not without witness ( amarturon ,) since he gave them rain and fertility from heaven. But this knowledge of God, which avails only to take away excuse, differs greatly from that which brings salvation, which Christ mentions in Joh 17:3, and in which we are to glory, as Jeremiah teaches us, Jer 9:24

(46) There is a passage quoted by [ Wolfius ] from [ Aristotle ] in his book [ De Mundo ], which remarkably coincides with a part of this verse — “πάσὟ θνητὣ φύσει γενομενος ἀθεώρητος ἀπ αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων θεορεῖται ὁ θεός — God, unseen by any mortal nature, is to be seen by the works themselves.” — Ed.

(47) Divinitas , θείοτης, here only, and not θεότης as in Col 1:9 [ Elsner ] and others make a difference between these two words and say, that the former means the divinity or majesty of God, and the latter his nature or being. There seems to be the idea of goodness conveyed in the word, θείοτης: for in the following verse there are two things laid to the charge of the Gentiles which bear a reference to the two things said here — they did not glorify him as God, and they were not thankful. He made himself known by power as God, and by the beneficent exercise of that power, he had laid a claim to the gratitude of his creatures. See Act 14:15; and Act 17:25

[ Venema ], in his note on this passage, shows, that goodness was regarded by many of the heathens as the primary attribute of Deity. Among the Greeks, goodness — τὸ ἀγαθὸν, was the expression by which the Supreme Being was distinguished. And it appears evident from the context that the Apostle included this idea especially in the word θείοτης. — Ed

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

ATHEISM THE ENEMY OF CIVILIZATION

Rom 1:20-32

THE subject, Atheism the Enemy of Civilization, is an affront, but it states a fact. Infidelity is uniformly egotistical and readily imagines it is the friend of all that is good. It shall be our purpose to show that historically the exact opposite is true. It is as perfectly the enemy of man and the foe of civilization as it is the opponent of God. The sacred Scriptures are in this matter, as in all others, the last word (Psa 14:1); The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. History has provided thousands of illustrations of this divinely inspired assertion.

It shall be our purpose, both to soundly interpret this text from Romans, and at the same time to adequately treat the theme announced for discussion. The Scriptures themselves suggest our outline: Atheism is the Enemy of Science, Atheism is the Enemy of Society, and Atheism is the Enemy of the State.

ATHEISM IS THE ENEMY OF SCIENCE

This statement runs counter to the boasted claims of infidelity. Unbelievers have ever been enamored of the notion that they are scholarly and even scientific. Their boasts in this matter are to be found upon every page emanating from their pens, and heard in every hall where one of their representatives secures an audience; but in spite of all that, we propose to state clearly and prove abundantly the exact opposite.

The discoveries of science clearly indicate the existence of God. If it be true as Professor Leuba of Bryn Mawr contends, that the majority of teachers of Science in America are infidels, that is only proof of their superficiality and incompetence. It is not science that has made them so, but rather a pseudo scienceevolution; and a false science always makes for unbelief, while a true one eventuates in faith. The outstanding experts in the established sciences of mathematics and astronomy have been outstanding believers, while the representatives of the Darwin speculation have just as unanimously been atheists, agnostics and skeptics of all sorts.

In the very nature of the case, a study of the works of God impresses one with His personality, power, wisdom, infinity, and from the least speck of material existence to the infinity of the universe, all unite in declaring both His greatness and His glory.

Man used to talk of monads and imagined that they were the smallest particle of matter; such language is now out of date. The monad, so it is claimed, is a world of molecules. The ancient philosopher Giordano Bruno conversed of these as eternal and declared each of them a microcosm or mirror of the Deity. Leibnitz regarded the monads as nonspatial units, each one representing the same universe, but presenting that universe from a different point of view, and each attaining its activities through the will of God. There was a time when biology thought of a monad as a simple single-celled organism; that time is past. A molecule was discovered; it was so small that men declared it the smallest part of a substance that could exist separately and still retain its composition and proportion; the smallest combination of atoms that would form a given chemical compound. But alas for the recent deliverances and the instability of so-called science! We are now told that each molecule contains 740 electrons and no man knows what will be the next deliverance upon this subject. It is evident, however, that the complexity of the simplest things is past the imagination of man. When you rise in the scale of existences and consequently advance in the study of science, you come across the most mysterious secrets in the natural world-secrets so illusive that as yet the mind of the modern man has utterly failed to uncover them. But a few days since the Associated Press carried For Science Service an article proving the discovery of heatless light. This suggestion is based on the fact that low forms of life have been found to generate heatless light. The bacteria and fungi that cause rotten wood to glow in the dark, and the mysterious firefly that can, with a wilful or automatic motion in his body, emit a heatless light out of all proportion to the best that mans devices have ever approached; these bugs and bacteria becoming, as the article stated, at once the admiration and despair of scientists, but clearly indicating the acceptance of a mind infinitely above that of man. Mans invention of light involves a slow combustion and always generates heat; not so with the light of the bacteria and the bug; and to date that secret is with God.

We used to speak of the simple and the complex. Such language is rapidly going out of date; nature has no simplicities. When a molecule involves such complexity of constitution, and bacteria and bugs involve such complexity of mechanism, there is no such thing as the simple. Gods work, in its simplest form, exceeds the understanding of man, and our amazement grows as we acquire additional knowledge.

The Psalmist said of his body,

I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works * *.

My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them (Psa 139:14-16).

In order to impress this truth one needs only to study physiology a bit.

I dont know that I shall even attempt to talk to you about the intricacies and efficiencies of the human eye. I will leave to others the detailed description of its lenses, the intricacies of its muscles, the delicacy and efficiency of its nerves. The eye constantly baffles the imagination and justifies Darwins statement, to suppose that the eye with all its illusive contrivances for adjusting the focuses to different distances and admitting different amounts of light, could be formed by natural means, fails in the highest degree. But when it is all analyzed and the mind comes as near comprehending it as the human mind can, one simply stands amazed at the minutest evidences of the Divine, in the eye, and the proposition of an infinity fixes greater credit to the same.

But the eye is not alone. Let some physicist tell you of the 600 muscles in the human body, the one thousand miles of blood vessels in the human body, the 550 main arteries of the human body, or let him place before you the fact that 1,500,000 sweat glands spread out on the surface of the same, or that the lungs are composed of 7,700,000 cells, or that in the seventy years of human life the heart has struck 2, 500,000 beats and has lifted by its throbs a load of 500,000 tons of blood; and if this does not bewilder you, then let him add that the nervous system controlled by the brain has three trillion nerve cells, while the blood itself is made up of thirty million white corpuscles and one hundred trillion native red ones, and you will be ready to throw up your hands in despair in comprehension of your physical self. And yet, with such an intricate machine, completed perfectly, set in operation, apart from accidents and incidents of danger, known to function from 70 years, the natural limit of a persons life, to 969 years, the longest on record, and who will say that there was no intelligent designer for this competent machine.

But if the study of physiology does not suffice to impress one with all the wisdom and power of an infinite God, then let him lift his face to the heavens above and the stars will speak; and when he has been told that the moon is 240,000 miles removed from the earth and that the sun is more than 90,000,000 miles distant, he will begin to think in terms of space, and then he learns that the sun is, in science, more than a million times as large as our earth. When his astonishment subsides a bit, strike his imagination another blow and tell him that the heat that radiates from that sun represents the surface of two trillion, 284 billion square miles, and that the heat from one single one of those square miles would drive three million ships across the Atlantic, and he will be limp. But, as a rest, suggest to him that there are 400 million suns, very few of which are as small as ours now known to the universe, and that a single one, Betelguese, has recently been computed to be two hundred fifteen million miles in diameter, over ten million times larger than our sun. Also that Antares is three hundred ninety millions of miles in diameter equal to ninety-one million one hundred twenty-five thousand suns like ours, or 136,687,500,000,000 worlds such as ours! After he survives that, then add, Some stars are so remote from ours that it takes sixty thousand years for the light from them to reach us traveling at the rate of 186,000 miles per second. Then if he is not convinced and can hear more, remind him that the latest deliverance from the astronomers of the University of Chicago is to the effect that our discoveries thus far may prove to be only a little section of an infinite universe, and when he comes to himself, if he has a single grain of gray matter left, he will burst into the praises of the Psalmist: The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament sheweth His handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. And when he has calmed himself he will conclude, the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God!

It is only unused light that leads to spiritual darkness. The naturalist who does not find God in the universe has utterly failed to correctly interpret anything in it, from its greatest central sun to its most insignificant bacteria. To go back to the text, Paul tells us exactly how the process is accomplished. The invisible things of Him (namely, His wisdom, power, beauty and grace) from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. And then he tells us how it comes about that they failed to so connect the two as to create in their own hearts faith; and he indicts them with moral deficiency, saying:

When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened,

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things (Rom 1:21-23).

It would be difficult, indeed, to see in all literature any more accurate description of the degenerating effects of Darwinism than the Apostle here pens. For inanity, could anything surpass the combination of infidelity and the acquisition of learning?

The study of the smallest particle of nature until its constituent parts are understood; the investigation of the intricacies of the lower forms of life and their absolute adaptation to the ends for which they were intended; a look into the curiously and wonderfully wrought human body with its unimaginable multiplication of parts and its unthinkable arrangements for efficiency, a lifting of ones face to the heavens and staggeringly attempting to imagine its extent, and then deny God? Only men whose imaginations are wild and whose foolish hearts are darkened and whose egotism hath puffed them up, could ever come to the conclusion of atheism. The portrait shown is impressed in the following words:

There is no God, the fool in secret said;There is no God that rules oer earth or sky.Tear off the band that binds the wretchs head,That God may burst upon his faithless eye!

Is there no God?The stars in myriads spread,If he looks up, the blasphemy deny;While his own features, in the mirror read,Reflect the image of Divinity.

Is there no God?The stream that silver flows,The air he breathes, the ground he treads, the trees, The flowers, the grass, the sands, each wind that blows, All speak of God; throughout, one voice agrees,And, eloquent, his dread existence shows;Blind to thyself, ah! see him, fool, in these!

It is only false science that leads to the bestial philosophy of infidelity! Darwinism has never done anything else. Its history of 3,000 years since the days of the Greek philosophers and down to its most modern revival, first by Erasmus Darwin, and later by his grandson, Charles, has accomplished no better ends. Never, in the history of man, has it made one colossal character or eventuated in a single outstanding discoverer of natures secrets. The established sciences were found out and proven to the satisfaction of the public by believing men. Histories of these individuals is an open page. They were not only men of God, but many of them ministers; men in touch with God, and consequently capable of interpreting the work of God. In the universities the professed scientists of this present day are not scientists. What have they discovered? What contribution have they given to men by their knowledge? Certainly you do not count The Hall of the Age of Man, by Henry Fairfield Osborne, a contribution, since it is evidently a hypocritical pretense.

Certainly you do not call Charles Darwin a contributor to modern science. His speculation has only succeeded in exciting an endless controversy. Why should you name Conklin or Davenport scientists? All that they have ever done was to mouth over what other men have said; neither has made any discovery! Neither can you add Millikan since his published discoveries are not yet proven, nor have they received anything like assured acceptance. These men are either open unbelievers or largely advocates of the mechanical theory.

Galileo was an ardent Christian believer; Copernicius, while a papist, had an unshaken confidence in God and his Word, and was brought up in the house of a priest. Kepler was a ministerial student of such scientific tendencies as to triumph over the priest, and the works of Sir Isaac Newton show that he combined in one man a search for natures secrets and the discovery of the secrets of revelation; and lastly Mendel, the devoted monk, who, while about his pastoral duties, checked up many facts and discovered more of the laws of nature than all his boasted scientific brethren combined. Now let it be forever understood that Atheism is the enemy of science, and faith its father and friend.

ATHEISM IS THE ENEMY OF SOCIETY

God-deniers are not delightful souls! Go where you will throughout the world, when you find them you will not want to abide with them, and it would be difficult for God Himself to brook them.

The first murder that stained the earth with human blood was wrought by a man who refused to recognize the sacrificial atonement as a type of the saving Christ. And when the flood came and wiped the earth with the besom of destruction, it was that it might rid it also of skeptics and atheistsmen who had forgotten and denied God.

There has been a stir recently in the circles of education and religion over the wave of suicide sweeping our colleges, and outstanding men have been discussing methods of abating this blot upon civilization. The solution of the problem is not far to seek. When the schools stop teaching an atheistic philosophy the fruits thereof will not be so openly found, and those fruits are despair, degradation and death.

God-deniers are usually men of reprobate morals. You will seldom find a man who combines in one and the same person the philosophy of atheism and a course of upright moral conduct. In fact, those of you who are informed as to the organization of The American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, and have read the object that they themselves set before their faces, will find therein a perfect illustration of our present contention. They personally declare The American Association for the Advancement of Atheism will undertake to abrogate all laws for enforcing Christian morals. Later they add they wish to contribute to better civilization by operating as a wrecking company.

That is what atheism has ever been;an enemy of Christian moralsa wrecking company indeed! Had others charged them with this, they would, undoubtedly, have repudiated the charge; but now that they have asserted their purpose they can hardly complain. Intelligent and thoughtful men will remind them that they are running true to form. The history they make will of necessity be of a sort which atheism has known through all the centuries.

The love of sin is the individuals lowest estate. There are many unfortunate men and weak women who fall into sin, but who positively loathe the same. The adversarys trap takes them; his pitfalls catch them, but they uniformly grieve their weakness, regret their folly and plead with God for recovering favor. But Paul says in this text that they come to the point where they not only give themselves up to uncleanness through lust, where they not only change the truth of God into a lie, worshipping the creature rather than the Creator, where they not only offend against God but even against nature itself, being filled with all unrighteousness, but where they actually have pleasure in them that do evil.

That is the character of infidels! The American Association for the Advancement of Atheism deliberately publish their pleasure in them that do evil, and express the hope that one representative from their camp may undo the work of a score of missionaries, and that a few thousand dollars spent in the circulation of their infamous literature may offset millions spent by the churches.

The drunkard is not the lowest man, but the man who takes pleasure in making other drunkards is lower still. The harlot is not the lowest of women, but the woman who takes pleasure in teaching her sister harlotry is taking the last plunge toward the pit. The grieved doubter is not necessarily damned, but the man who destroys the faith of his friends and the professor whose teaching wrecks the confidence of studentssuch are allies of Satan himself!

ATHEISM IS THE ENEMY OF THE STATE

Civilization has not been the product of atheism. We challenge The American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, or any other advocate of this God-denying, soul-destroying doctrine, to show one instance in which their philosophy has built a state, or a single instance in which they have made anything but an evil contribution to the same. In view of this fact is it not amazing to find many school menmen set in positions of opportunity and responsibility, stealthily poisoning the minds of the young? The American Association for the Advancement of Atheism is quoted in the following:

Dr. Irwin Erdman, of Columbia University, teaches his students that man is a mere accident, that immortality is a sheer illusion, and that there is practically no evidence for the existence of God.

Everett Dean Martin, director of Cooper Union in New York City, has the largest class in philosophy in the world. He teaches his students that religion is primarily a defense mechanism, subjective in its organism.

Prof. John B. Watson, of Johns Hopkins, teaches that freedom of the will has been knocked into a cocked hat, and that the soul-consciousness, God and immortality, are merely mistakes of the older psychology.

The names of the gentlemen whom they quote should repudiate the charge and fling back to the men who have framed and published the same, if they be not true. If true they should resign as unfit teachers.

All across this continent text-books are filled with their vicious work, going under the name of Science, which is being compelled to carry the straining burden of such statements, and society already feeling the consequences of the same, is but reaping the first-fruits of a bitterer harvest that is sure to come.

Witness France and her plunge into atheism and the reign of terror that followed; or, take Russia and her present debauch of infidelity, and the natural disgrace coming in consequence.

Civilization has ever been the product of religion, and false religion will produce poor civilization. Heathen countries have illustrated this; yet, even their religion is helpful, and the wildest superstition has proven more beneficial than the most balanced atheism that ever voiced itself. If you want to know what the condition of any state or nation is, find out what its religion is and you can readily determine; it is as unerring as the electric needle!

The world has suffered much from religion; Paul charged the people of Athens with being too religious. Yet perhaps it can be said with absolute candor that none of these are so detrimental to society, so harmful to the state and so destructive to national life, as atheism or no religion. Christianity has produced the highest known civilization.

There is not an ennobling influence known to humanity that is not the emphasized product of Christianity. There is not a desirable institution existing with any peoples that has not been fostered and favored by the Christian faith. There is not a philosophy that tends to the social, political and spiritual uplift of mankind that may not be found better phrased in the Bible than unbelieving men have ever expressed the same. The Christian faith, with its one and true God and its wondrous and true Book, has brought to the world more light and has given to living men more happiness than all the philosophies of unbelieving men combined; and the crime of the ages is not the murder of individuals, now characterizing and cursing modern society, but it is the sinister, devilish, damnable doctrine, now lurking in the halls of every university in the land and of all civilized lands, and seeking by smooth speech and in the name of Science, falsely so-called, to destroy the faith of men in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in His revealed Will, the Scriptures!

The moral outrage of the century is the mouthing over of the name of Karl Marx, quoting from Bebel, Belfort Bax, Blatchford, H. G. Wells and Van Loon and their likemen whose teachings are in perfect accord with Engels charge against religion that it was a lie, and Marx emphatic declaration, The idea of God must be destroyed, and Bax declaration, The Christian doctrine is more revolting to the high moral sense of today than the Saturnalia of Proserpina could have been to the conscience of the early Christians.

Many universities are eaten up with such teachings. Such text books are intended to destroy the faith of the young men and women who study them in a personal God, in the Bible as the revealed Will of God, and in Christ as the incarnate Son of God, and in Christianity as His supernatural revelation, and so sovietize our schools as to make them hotbeds of Bolshevism.

Let these text-books remain; let these professors, cloaked in the name of Science, continue their attacks upon the citadel of revealed religion, and the time will speedily be on when your schools will be maelstroms of immorality and political iniquity, and your state will be no more secure than is Russia, where this social gospel has triumphed against God and His Word!

Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley

(20) For, though there were parts of Gods being into which the eye could not penetrate, still they were easily to be inferred from the character of His visible creation, which bore throughout the stamp of Omnipotence and Divinity.

The invisible things of him.His invisible attributes, afterwards explained as His eternal power and Godhead.

Are clearly seen . . . by the things that are made.There is something of a play upon words here. The unseen is seendiscerned by the eye of the mindbeing inferred or perceived by the help of that which is made, i.e., as we should say, by the phenomena of external nature.

Even His eternal power and Godhead.A summary expression for those attributes which, apart from revelation, were embodied in the idea of God. Of these power is the most obvious. St. Paul does not go into the questions that have been raised in recent times as to the other qualities which are to be inferred as existing in the Author of nature; but he sums them up under a name that might be used as well by a Pagan philosopher as by a Christianthe attributes included in the one term Godhead. Divinity would be, perhaps, a more correct translation of the expression. What is meant is divine nature, rather than divine personality.

So that they are without excuse.They could not plead ignorance.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

20. Invisible things God’s attributes, unseen by bodily eyes, are revealed to the understanding by things that are made. That is, from evidences of design and power seen in natural constructions the reason of man is able and is bound to infer God. From the time of the creation of the world, including the primitive ages, until now, those standing evidences of God have left man without excuse for not recognising his eternal power and Godhead. The syllable head in Godhead is the same as hood in manhood, so that the word signifies divinity.

The plain meaning of the apostle is, that the argument from external design (so conclusively stated by Paley) is so clear that men are excuseless from not knowing nature’s God. This is more noteworthy, as some at the present day, even claiming to be Christian philosophers, slight the design evidence as of no value, and rest the whole proof of God’s existence upon an intuitive and direct perception of God himself. That there are intuitions by which God is recognised we need not deny; but holy Scripture largely bases the assurance of the Divine existence upon the proofs derived from “the things that are made.”

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things which are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse,’

For what makes man totally inexcusable is that ‘the things that are made’ reveal to the open mind the invisible things of God (His goodness, wisdom, power, majesty, creativity, providential care) and have done so from the beginning. For in combination with man’s spiritual nature they make known His eternal power and Godhead. As we look at the wonders of creation, the evidence of ‘design’ in nature, its beauty, its diverse colours, its radiance, the scene from the mountain top, the wonder of men’s inexplicable bodies and minds (made even more inexplicable by the discoveries of micro-biology and the discovery of the human genome), and the wonders of outer space, we can only recognise that it is God Who has done this, a God Who is rational, interested in beauty, powerful, intricate, and yet Who brings comfort to the heart. As the Psalmist said, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork, day unto day utters speech, and the night-time is not silent’ (Psa 19:1-2). And Jesus added, ‘Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not neither do they spin, and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these’ (Mat 6:28-29). These ideas of design, magnificence and beauty should therefore fill us with awe and point our hearts towards God, and would in fact do so were we not blinded by sin. But the problem is that men do not want to know God. So instead men philosophise them away.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Rom 1:20. For the invisible things, &c. For from the creation of the world those things of him which are invisible, are (being duly attended to) clearly seen by the things which are made; even his eternal power and divinity. Those invisible things of God, of which the Apostle here speaks, lie within the reach and discovery of men’s reason and understanding; but yet they must exercise their faculties, and employ their minds about them: they are and can be discovered only if they be attentively considered: and yet the whole must be accompanied by divine light and divine grace (which are offered to all) in order to the production of any genuine good. Bishop Warburton has a peculiar remark upon the last words of this verse, and those in the next, wherein he observes, that the apostle evidently condemns the foolish policy of the Gentile sages, who when they knew God, yet glorified him not as God, by preaching him up to the people, but, carried away in the vanity of their imagination, bya mistaken principle of politics, that a vulgar or general knowledge of him would be injurious to society,shut up his glory in their MYSTERIES, and gave the people in exchange for an incorruptible God, an image made like corruptible man, &c. wherefore God, in punishment for their sins, thus turning his truth into a lie, suffered even their mysteries, which they erected (though on these wrong principles) for a school of virtue, to degenerate into an odious sink of vice and immorality;giving them up unto all uncleanness and vile affections. That this was the Apostle’s meaning, appears not only from the general tenor of the passage, but from several particular expressions; as Rom 1:23 where he speaks of changing the glory of God to birds, beasts, and creeping things: for this was the peculiar superstition of Egypt, and Egypt was the first inventress of these mysteries. Again, he says, They worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Rom 1:25. This was strictly true with regard to the MYSTERIES: the CREATOR was there acknowledged by a small and select number of the participants; but the general and solemn worship in these celebrations was to their natural idols. See Div. Leg. b. 2: sect. 4 and Pearson on the Creed, Art. I.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Rom 1:20 f. . ] Giving a reason for, and explaining, the previous .

] His invisible things , the manifold invisible attributes, that constitute His nature. Paul himself explains it afterwards by ; therefore it is not actiones Dei invisibiles (Fritzsche; comp Theodoret).

] through the works are seen becoming discerned ; defines the manner in which the takes place, otherwise than through the senses (the , , Plat. Rep. p. 529 B), in so far as it is effected by means of mental discernment , by the agency of intelligent perception . The forms with a striking oxymoron, in which the compound selected for that purpose, but not elsewhere occurring in the N. T., heightens still further the idea conveyed by the simple form. Comp Xen. Cyr. iii. 3, 31.: . . . Pind. Pyth. ix. 45.: . . On the oxymoron itself, comp Aristotle, de mundo , 6, p. 399, 21. Bekk: ( ).

] embraces all that God as Creator has produced, but does not at the same time include His governing in the world of history, as Schneckenburger thinks, Beitr. p. 102 f.; for , with which corresponds (LXX. Ecc 3:11 ; Ecc 7:13 , al [449] ), is the formal expression for God’s works of creation; as also Paul himself, in Eph 2:10 , describes the renewing of man as analogous to creation. It is only of the works of creation that the Apostle could assert what he here says, especially as he adds . Since, moreover, , by means of the works , contains the instrumental definition appended to , [450] . cannot be taken in a causal sense (see Winer, p. 348 [E. T. 463]), as the medium cognoscendi (so Luther and many others, including Calovius, Pearson, Homberg, Wolf, Heumann, Morus and Reithmayr), but only in the sense of temporal beginning: since the creation of the world they are so perceived.

. . ] A more precise definition of the previous . , everlasting , belongs to both substantives; but annexes the general term, the category, of which the is a species. See Fritzsche a [451] Matth. p. 786. Its relation to the preceding consists in its completing the climax and cumulation, for which prepares the way. Hartung, Partikell . I. p. 98. Hofmann is unsupported by linguistic usage in inferring from the position of , that is not meant to apply also to . It is just that position that makes the common property of both members (see especially Hartung, l.c [452] p. 116 f.), so that, in order to analyse the form of the conception, we may again supply after (Stallbaum, a [453] Plat. Crit. p. 43 B.; Schaefer, Poet. gnom. p. 73; Schoemann, a [454] Is. p. 325 f.; also Winer, p. 520 [E. T. 727]). The is the totality of that which God is as a Being possessed of divine attributes, as , the collective sum of the divine realities. [455] This comprehensive sense must by no means be limited. The eternal power this aspect of His which comes into prominence at first and before all others and the divinity of God in its collective aspect, are rationally perceived and discerned by means of His works. Arbitrary is the view of Reiche, who holds that Paul means especially wisdom and goodness , which latter Schneckenburger conceives to be intended; and also that of Hofmann (comparing Act 17:29 ; 2Pe 1:4 ), that the spiritual nature of the divine being is denoted. We may add that Rckert holds the strange view, that , which could not properly be predicated of God, is only used here by Paul for want of another expression. It might be and was necessarily said of God, as being the only adequate comprehensive expression for the conception that was to be denoted thereby. For analogous references to the physico-theological knowledge of God, see Wetstein, and Spiess, Logos spermaticos , 1871, p. 212. The suggestion of Philo as the Apostle’s source (Schneckenburger) is out of the question. Observe further how completely, in our passage, the transcendental relation of God to the world the negation of all identity of the two lies at the foundation of the Apostle’s view. It does not exclude the immanence of God in the world, but it excludes all pantheism . See the passages from the O. T. discussed in Umbreit.

.] has its logically correct reference to the immediately preceding . , and therefore the parenthesis , in which Griesbach and others have placed . , must be expunged. The cannot be said of the result , as Luther, and many others, including Reiche, Kllner, de Wette, Rckert, Fritzsche, Reithmayr, Philippi, Ewald, following the Vulgate ( ita ut sint inexcusabiles ), have understood it; for the view, which takes it of the purpose , is not only required by the prevailing usage of with the infinitive [456] (see on 2Co 8:6 ), but is also more appropriate to the connection, because the is conceived as a result effected through God’s revelation of Himself (Rom 1:19 ), and consequently the idea of the divine purpose in . . [457] is not to be arbitrarily dismissed. Comp Erasmus (“ne quid haberent” etc.), Melancthon (“ propter quas causas Deus” etc.), Beza, Calvin (“ in hoc ut ”), Bengel and others. But Chrysostom, even in his time, expressly opposes this view (comp also Oecumenius), and at a later period it became a subject of contention between the Lutherans and the Reformed , See Calovius. The view, which interprets it of the result , hesitates to admit the conception of a divine decree , under which Paul places the inexcusableness of men; and yet not only may this stand to the perception of God from His works which has existed since the beginning in the relation of result , but, in accordance with the thoroughly Scriptural idea of destiny (comp e.g. Rom 5:20 ), it must stand to it in the relation of that decree . In this connection, which inserts the results in the divine counsel , the inexcusableness of man appears as telically given with the self-manifestation of God. Rom 1:21 , as in general even Rom 1:18 , contains the perverse conduct of men manifesting itself in the course of human history, on account of which God, who foresaw it, has in His natural self-manifestation made their inexcusableness His aim. Inexcusable they are intended to be; and that indeed on account of the fact, that, although they had known God (namely from that natural revelation), they have not glorified Him as God .

] as in Rom 1:19 , only to be separated by a comma from what precedes: inexcusable on this account, because .

] not: cum agnoscere potuissent (Flatt, Nielsen; also as early as Oecumenius); nor yet: although they knew God, so that it would be contemporaneous with . . So Philippi and van Hengel; also Delitzsch, bibl. Psychol , p. 346. They had attained the knowledge from the revelation of nature (for to this, according to Rom 1:19-20 , we must refer it, and not, with Rckert, to the history in Genesis of the original revelation), but only actu directo , so far as that same self-manifestation of God had presented itself objectively to their cognition; the actus reflexus remained absent (comp Delitzsch, p. 347), and with them who keep down the truth , Rom 1:18 , the issue was not to the praise of God, etc.; so that is thus previous to the . . Paul sets forth the historical emergence of that for which they were inexcusable. They had known God, and yet it happened that they did not praise Him, etc.

.] It would have been becoming for them to have rendered to God as such, agreeably to His known nature, praise and thanks; but they did neither the one nor the other. Regarding in the sense: according to the measure of His divine quality , comp on Joh 1:14 . The praising and thanksgiving exhaust the notion of the adoration , which they should have offered to God.

. . ] but they were frustrated in their thoughts (comp 1Co 3:20 ), so that the conceptions, ideas, and reflections, which they formed for themselves regarding the Deity, were wholly devoid of any intrinsic value corresponding with the truth. Comp Eph 4:17 . The is a specific attribute of heathenism. Jer 2:5 ; 2Ki 17:5 ; Psa 94:11 . Comp also Act 14:15 ; Jdt 6:4 .

. . [466] ] forms a climax to the foregoing. Comp Eph 4:18 ; Eph 1:18 . Their heart that had been rendered by the unintelligent, incapable of discerning the true and right, became dark , completely deprived of the light of the divine that had come to them by the revelation of nature. , like , denotes the whole internal seat of life , the power which embraces all the activity of reason and will within the personal consciousness. Comp on Eph 1:18 ; Delitzsch, p. 250. To take here in a proleptic sense (see on Mat 12:13 ) is quite inappropriate, because it destroys the climax. Comp moreover on , Wis 11:15 ; as also on the entire delineation of Gentile immorality, Rom 1:20 ff.; Wisdom 13-15. This passage as a whole, and in its details, presents unmistakeable reminiscences of this section of the book of Wisdom. See Nitzsch in the Deutsch . Zeitschr. 1850, p. 387; Bleek in the Stud. u. Krit. 1853, p. 340 f. Without reason Tholuck argues against this view.

[449] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[450] Not merely to (Hofmann), which is closely bound up with as showing the manner of it, so that both together are defined instrumentally by . On , as denoting the intellectual animadvertere in seeing (Hom. Il. . 599, in the inverse position: ), comp. Ngelsb. z. Ilias , p. 416, Exo 3 ; Duncan, ed. Rost, p. 787.

[451] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[452] .c. loco citato or laudato .

[453] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[454] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[455] On the difference between this word and (Col 2:9 ), which denotes Deitas, Godhead , the being God , see Elsner, Obss. p. 6, and Fritzsche in loc. Van Hengel has erroneously called in question the distinction. In Wis 18:9 , namely, is not the law of the Godhead , but the law whose nature and character is divinity , of a divine kind; and in Lucian, de Calumn . 17, is the divinity of Hephaestion, his divine quality . In Plutarch very frequently occurs. Appropriately rendered in Vulgate by divinitas .

[456] , with an infinitive having the article, is not used in a single passage, of the Epistle to the Romans in particular, in any other than a telic sense. See Rom 1:11 , Rom 3:26 , Rom 4:11 ; Rom 4:16 ; Rom 4:18 , Rom 6:12 , Rom 7:4-5 , Rom 8:29 , Rom 11:11 , Rom 12:2-3 , Rom 15:8 ; Rom 15:13 ; Rom 15:16 . Far too hastily de Wette terms this interpretation in our passage senseless , and Baumgarten-Crusius agrees with him. Tholuck calls it grammatical terrorism. Hofmann recognises the telic view as the true one in all cases where is used with the infinitive.

[457] . . . .

[466] . . . .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 1822
THE LOST STATE OF THE GENTILE WORLD

Rom 1:20-21. They are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God.

HERE the plan of the epistle begins to be developed. St. Paul, intending to prove that there was one only way of salvation for the whole race of mankind, begins with shewing, that the Gentile world were altogether guilty before God, and lying under a just sentence of condemnation. In the next chapter he shews the same respecting the Jews: and, in the third, he confirms, from the Scriptures of truth, all that he hath spoken respecting both the one and the other; and from thence deduces the general conclusion, that they are all shut up unto the faith of Christ, and must seek salvation by him alone.
In this present discourse we shall have to consider the state of the Gentiles, against whom universally the judgments of God are denounced; the wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, and especially against those who hold (or imprison) the truth in unrighteousness, which they have done in all ages of the world [Note: ver. 18.].

But that we may bring the matter home to ourselves also, we shall shew

I.

How inexcusable they are for their conduct towards God

The Gentiles have in every age had sufficient opportunities of attaining the knowledge of God
[The things of God which are exclusively made known to us in the book of revelation, they could not be acquainted with, because the light of revelation was not vouchsafed to them: but the book of creation was open to them, and equally legible to all; and from thence they might acquire a considerable knowledge of God s nature and perfections. In beholding the heavenly bodies all moving in their orbits; and the earth so abundantly furnished with every thing for the accommodation of man; and man himself the most noble of all Gods works, his body so curiously wrought, and his soul so richly endowed; in beholding these things, I say, they could not but know, that there was some superior Being, who had formed them all. They could not look upon any work of art,a house, for instance, or a watch, or any thing that required skill,but their minds must of necessity be led to contemplate the maker of it: and a similar necessity was imposed upon them by all the works of creation. Having traced up every thing to a First Cause, they must see that, as He was the cause of all that existed besides himself, there could be nothing to give existence to him; and that consequently, he must be self-existent and eternal. Moreover, they must see, from the immensity and the excellency of all his works, that there can be no limit to his wisdom, his power, or his goodness; but that these perfections of his must of necessity be infinite. That these deductions were open to them we are sure, because some of their more enlightened philosophers have actually made these discoveries, though certainly with less clearness and precision than we by the means of revelation are enabled to do. And God himself affirms it in the verses preceding our text; saying, that the things concerning him which were invisible to human eyes, were nevertheless clearly to be seen and understood in his visible works, even his eternal power and Godhead [Note: ver. 19, 20.]. St. Paul also, when addressing heathens, quotes to them their own poets, to shew, that, in the representations which they foolishly made of the Supreme Being, they did in fact violate the law that was in their own minds, and act contrary to the light that was within them [Note: Act 17:28-29.].]

But they did not improve these opportunities aright
[They entertained most unworthy conceptions of the Deity. Instead of regarding him as a Spirit who pervaded all space, they made images of him like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things; and then bowed down to the work of their own hands, and said, Deliver me; for thou art my god [Note: Compare ver. 23. with Isa 44:9-20.]. What could be more insulting to the Divine Majesty than such conduct as this?

Moreover they testified no gratitude towards him for all the benefits that he conferred upon them. Innumerable were the blessings which in constant succession he bestowed upon them [Note: Act 14:16-17.]; yet were they not thankful [Note: ver. 21.], but abused his gifts, instead of taking occasion from them to love and glorify the Giver.

They sought not in any thing to please him, nor cared however much they might displease him. The abominations they committed cannot even be thought of but with horror and amazement [Note: ver. 26, 27.]. And, whilst they were thus bent on the gratification of their lusts and appetites, and purposely cast out of their minds all those notices of a Supreme Being, which from time to time arose to check them in their excesses [Note: ver. 28.], they were given over to the dominion of every hateful disposition that could assimilate them to the god of this world, whose willing servants they were. What an assemblage of evils was there accumulated in their character [Note: ver. 2931.]! Yet was this representation of them by no means overcharged. Their own historians, and poets, and philosophers have justified every word that is here spoken. What the poet said of the Cretans might, with few exceptions, be applied to all; The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow-bellies [Note: Tit 1:12.], a wretched compound of falsehood, and cruelty, and abominable sensuality.

Nor were they merely impelled to these things by the impetuosity of their own passions; for, whilst they had internal convictions of the impiety of this conduct, they deliberately approved and honoured those who were most addicted to it.]

From hence it appears how inexcusable they were, and how justly sentenced to eternal condemnation
[Had they been able to plead ignorance, they would have had some kind of excuse: but they could not do this: for they did really know God; but did not choose to retain him in their knowledge: and so far were they from having this plea to extenuate their crimes, that the light which they resisted constitutes the heaviest aggravation of their guilt: This is their condemnation, that they loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil [Note: Joh 3:19.]. Again, if they could not plead ignorance, neither could they plead necessity; for they were under no necessity to dishonour God in this way, either from without or from within. They were perfectly free agents in all that they did: and though they could not, nor can any child of man, fulfil all the Divine will, or themselves do any thing spiritually good, yet they might have abstained from much which they did amiss, and done much which they neglected to do: and therefore they are justly chargeable with all the guilt that they contracted; and are as reprehensible before God for not using the powers which they possessed, as they would have been if those powers had been ever so enlarged.

All that has been spoken in reference to the heathen in former days, is still applicable to them at this time. The notices of a Deity may be much more obscured in the minds of some than of others; and the criminality of all must be estimated in some measure according to the peculiar circumstances under which they live: but, inasmuch as all violate the law that is in their own minds, and neglect to improve the advantages they enjoy, they all are obnoxious to the charge contained in our text, and are therefore without excuse.]
But, that we may bring this matter home to ourselves, let us consider,

II.

How much more inexcusable we are, if we resemble them

We have opportunities of knowing God, far beyond any that the heathen ever enjoyed
[Even in reading the book of creation, we, by means of our superior advantages, are enabled to see much that was hid from them, or, at least, to discover with incomparably greater clearness the unity and perfections of God, which they could but faintly and doubtingly discern. But we have a revelation, wherein God has proclaimed his own name, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty [Note: Exo 34:6-7]. We have also a yet clearer revelation of God in the person of his own Son, who is the image of the invisible God [Note: Col 1:15.], the brightness of his Fathers glory, and the express image of his person [Note: Heb 1:3.]. Nor is it from words only that we discover his excellency, but from actions also. We behold our God incarnate: we behold his glory veiled, so that, without being blinded with the overwhelming splendour of his majesty, we may contemplate him, and familiarize ourselves, as it were, with his adorable perfections. In this especially the most ignorant amongst us excels all the greatest philosophers of Greece and Rome; we behold the attribute of mercy; we can tell how that may be exercised in perfect consistency with justice: we can tell how God can be just, and yet the justifier of the ungodly [Note: Rom 3:26; Rom 4:5.]. In a word, all the wonders of redeeming love are set before us in terms so plain, that he who runs may read them.]

But how have we improved these advantages?
[Have we glorified God as God, or his blessed Son as the one hope of a ruined world? Alas! alas! if we take a survey of our own spirit and conduct through life, we shall find, that there has been but little difference between us and heathens.

Consider our defects. We have not glorified God as God, neither been thankful. What might justly have been expected of persons privileged as we have been? Might it not have been reasonably hoped that persons redeemed from death and hell by the blood of Gods only dear Son should have been incessantly pouring out their souls in grateful adorations, and dedicating to his service their every faculty, and every instant of their time? Methinks, it should have been a work of pain and self-denial to devote so much as a thought to any other subject, especially to any subject unconnected with this. But have our hearts been thus exercised? Has it been thus our delight to anticipate the employment of heaven? Or rather, have not the wonders of redemption had far less influence on our minds than the things of time and sense? Yea, have they not for the most part been passed by, as though they were only a cunningly-devised fable, wherein we had no interest?

Consider also our errors. We have not, it is true, transformed our God into an idol: but we have had scarcely more worthy conceptions of him than if he had been an idol. In theory we have ascribed to him the different perfections of his nature; but in practice we have denied them allhis omniscience, his holiness, his justice, and his truth, by vainly imagining, either that he did not behold, or that he would not punish, our iniquities. We, as he himself tells us, have thought him to be even such an one as ourselves: whilst exalting in our minds his attribute of mercy, we have, in fact, divested him of all that belongs to him as the Governor of the universe: a God all mercy, is a God unjust.

Consider yet further our excesses. These, as to the overt act, do not proceed to such extremes as were common among the Gentiles: but the abominations that we do commit, sufficiently shew, that we are not restrained by any regard to God, so much as by public laws and popular opinion. Christianity having elevated the general tone of morals, those hideous crimes which were but too frequent among the Gentiles are scarcely so much as thought of amongst us: but, in all that we can do consistently with the laws of society, we are not a whit superior to the heathen themselves. What juster picture could the Apostle have drawn, if he had intended to describe, what is improperly called, the Christian world? Take us as a people, and say, whether we are not filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; yea, whether we be not full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whether we be not whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, implacable, unmerciful: and say particularly, whether, notwithstanding [Note: ver. 2931. In reading this, pause after every word.] we know the evil of such things, we do not both practise them ourselves, and choose for our friends and companions those who are guilty of those very practices? Who, I would ask, are the favourites with the world? the godly, and they who are conformed to the Saviours image? No: but the ungodly, who by their conduct and example sanction all the corruptions of the human heart [Note: ver. 32.].]

How inexcusable then must we be!
[Verily, the men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment against us; yea, the Gentiles also, throughout the universe, will condemn us, because of the extent to which we have imitated their evils, and abused our infinitely superior advantages. The Gospel which we enjoy, if it prevail not with us to put away our sins, and to walk as Christ walked, will only prove to us a savour of death to our more aggravated and heavier condemnation [Note: 2Co 2:16.]. If Christ had not come and spoken unto us, we had not had sin: but now we have no cloak for our sin [Note: Joh 15:22.].]

See then,
1.

How thankful we should be for the Gospel of Christ!

[Doubtless one reason why the world was left without a Saviour for four thousand years, was, that the world might see how little they could do to restore themselves to the favour and image of God. At no period were the powers of the human intellect carried to a greater extent, than at the time of our Saviours advent: but what did philosophy effect? what did it effect even amongst those who most exalted it? Nothing to any good purpose. The poets and philosophers themselves were as much addicted to sin as the vulgar, whom they looked down upon with contempt: and, if it were not for the light of the Gospel, we should be as much immersed in sensuality as they. Let this be borne in mind, that, whether born in a Christian or a heathen land, we are all by nature equally corrupt and helpless; and all need a Saviour, the one as much as the other. To us a Saviour is revealed, and precisely such an one as we stand in need of. O let us then bless our God for the revelation of his grace: let us be thankful that we see what many prophets and kings desired to see, but desired it in vain: and let Christ, who is the sum and substance of the Gospel, be truly precious to all our souls.]

2.

What effect our superior advantages should produce upon us

[We should aspire after the highest possible attainments, in love and gratitude, in purity and holiness. We should aim at glorifying God as God, and Christ as Christ. Let us then contemplate Christ in all his offices, as our Prophet, as our Priest, as our King. Let us not be contented with a theoretical or superficial survey of his character, but let us search into it, and ruminate upon it, and get our souls suitably impressed with it. Let us get such views of him, as shall render us insensible to all created excellency; as a man who looks at the meridian sun is blinded to all inferior objects. Let us in these holy exercises seek to obtain a conformity to his image; agreeably to what the Apostle has said, We beholding his glory are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord [Note: 2Co 3:18.]. Let no measure of resemblance to him ever satisfy us; no efforts in his service ever content us. Let us, even if we have attained an apostolic measure of zeal and holiness, forget it all, and reach forward to higher attainments [Note: Php 3:13-14.]. Let our trust in him be simple; our fellowship with him intimate; our confidence in him assured; our expectation from him large; our devotion to him ardent; our obedience uniform; our surrender of ourselves to him entire, and unreserved. Let us live for him, and walk worthy of him; so that he may be glorified, yea, and be magnified in us also, both in life and death [Note: Php 1:20.].]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Ver. 20. Are clearly seen ] Pervidentur. As in a mirror, or as on a theatre. Ut solem in aquis, sic Deum in operibus contemplamur. God (saith one) is best seen in his works, as the sun in the west. a

a Saeculum est speculum, quo Deum intueamur.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

20. ] For (justifying the clause preceding) His invisible attributes (hence the plur. applying to and which follow), ., from the time of the creation , when the manifestation was made by God: not = . ‘by the creation of the world;’ which would be tautological, following, besides that cannot = , in the sense of ‘the creation,’ i.e. ‘the creatures.’ Umbreit has here a long and important note on O. T. prophecy in general, which will be found well worth study.

. . ] being understood (apprehended by the mind, see reff.) by means of His works (of creation and sustenance, not here of moral government), , are perceived ; not, ‘are plainly seen,’ this is not the sense of in , but rather that of looking down on, taking a survey of, and so apprehending or perceiving.

. . . ] His eternal Power . To this the evidence of Creation is plainest of all: Eternal, and Almighty, have always been recognized epithets of the Creator.

. ] and Divinity (not Godhead , which would be ). The fact that the Creator is divine ; is of a different nature from ourselves, and accompanied by distinct attributes, and those of the highest order, which we call divine .

. . ] with an inf. never properly indicates only the result , ‘so that;’ but is often used where the result , and the intention , are bound together in the process of thought. This is done by a very natural habit in speaking and writing, of transferring one’s self to the position of the argument, and regarding that which contributed to a result, as worked purposely for that result. And however true it is, that in the doings of the Allwise, all results are purposed , to give the sense ‘ in order that they might be inexcusable ,’ would be manifestly contrary to the whole spirit of the argument, which is bringing out, not at present God’s sovereignty in dealing with man , but man’s inexcusableness in holding back the truth by unrighteousness . , then, in this case, is most nearly expressed by wherefore , or so that . See Winer, edn. 6, 44. 6. , . , , . Chrys. Hom. iv. p. 450.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

invisible. Greek. aoratos. Here, Col 1:15, Col 1:16, 1Ti 1:17. Heb 11:27.

clearly seen. Greek. katkorao. Only here.

things that are made. Greek. poiema. Only here and Eph 2:10.

eternal. Greek. aidios. App-151.

Godhead. App-98.

so that, &c. = to the end (Greek. eis) of their being. Compare Rom 1:11.

without excuse. Greek. anapologetos. Only here and Rom 2:1.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

20.] For (justifying the clause preceding) His invisible attributes (hence the plur. applying to and which follow), ., from the time of the creation, when the manifestation was made by God: not = . by the creation of the world; which would be tautological, following, besides that cannot = , in the sense of the creation, i.e. the creatures. Umbreit has here a long and important note on O. T. prophecy in general, which will be found well worth study.

. .] being understood (apprehended by the mind, see reff.) by means of His works (of creation and sustenance,-not here of moral government), , are perceived; not, are plainly seen,-this is not the sense of in , but rather that of looking down on, taking a survey of, and so apprehending or perceiving.

. . .] His eternal Power. To this the evidence of Creation is plainest of all: Eternal, and Almighty, have always been recognized epithets of the Creator.

. ] and Divinity (not Godhead, which would be ). The fact that the Creator is divine;-is of a different nature from ourselves, and accompanied by distinct attributes, and those of the highest order,-which we call divine.

. .] with an inf. never properly indicates only the result, so that; but is often used where the result, and the intention, are bound together in the process of thought. This is done by a very natural habit in speaking and writing, of transferring ones self to the position of the argument, and regarding that which contributed to a result, as worked purposely for that result. And however true it is, that in the doings of the Allwise, all results are purposed,-to give the sense in order that they might be inexcusable, would be manifestly contrary to the whole spirit of the argument, which is bringing out, not at present Gods sovereignty in dealing with man, but mans inexcusableness in holding back the truth by unrighteousness. , then, in this case, is most nearly expressed by wherefore, or so that. See Winer, edn. 6, 44. 6. , . , , . Chrys. Hom. iv. p. 450.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Rom 1:20. , the invisible things are seen) An incomparable oxymoron[13] (a happy union of things opposite, as here invisible, yet seen). The invisible things of God, if ever at any time, would certainly have become visible at the creation; but even then they began to be seen, not otherwise, save by the understanding.- , from the creation) here denotes either a proof, as , in Mat 24:32, so that the understanding [comp. Rom 1:20, understood] of the fathers [respecting God, as He, whose being and attributes are proved] from the creation of the world, may refute the apostasy of the Gentiles; or rather, denotes time, so that it corresponds to the Hebrew preposition , and means, ever since the foundation of the world, and beyond it, reckoning backward; and thus the , eternal, presently after, agrees with it. In the former mode of interpretation, is connected with , are seen from; in the second mode, with , unseen ever since.-) [the things made], the works that have been produced by , creation. There are works; therefore there is a creation; therefore there is a Creator.-) Those alone, who use their understanding, , , look closely into a subject.-, are seen) for the works [which proceed from the invisible attributes of God] are discerned. The antithesis is, [Rom 1:21], was darkened.–) These words stand in apposition with .- …, eternal, etc.) The highest attribute of God, worthy of God-perfection in being and acting; in one word , which signifies divinity [not Godhead, as Engl. Vers.], as , Godhead.-, power) of all the attributes of God, this is the one, which was first revealed. His works, in a peculiar manner correspond to His several attributes [Isa 40:26]- ) Paul not only speaks of some result ensuing, but directly takes away all excuse; and this clause, ,-is equivalent to a proposition, in relation to [to be handled more fully in] the following verses. Construe it with [Rom 1:19. The fact of their knowing God, is manifest in, or among them].-, without excuse). So also in regard to the Jews, ch. Rom 2:1.

[13] See App. for the meaning of this figure.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

For the: Joh 1:18, Col 1:15, 1Ti 1:17, 1Ti 6:16, Heb 11:27

from the: Rom 1:19, Deu 4:19, Job 31:26-28, Psa 8:3, Psa 33:6-9, Psa 104:5, Psa 104:31, Psa 119:90, Psa 139:13, Psa 148:8-12, Mat 5:45

even his: Rom 16:26, Gen 21:33, Deu 33:27, Psa 90:2, Isa 9:6, Isa 26:4, Isa 40:26, 1Ti 1:17, Heb 9:14

Godhead: Act 17:29, Col 2:9

so that they are: or, that they may be, Rom 2:1, Rom 2:15, Joh 15:22

without: Act 22:1,*Gr.

Reciprocal: Gen 1:1 – God Psa 19:1 – The heavens Psa 28:5 – Because Psa 107:31 – Oh that men Psa 145:10 – All thy Ecc 3:11 – also Isa 44:20 – a deceived Isa 57:15 – that inhabiteth Jer 51:15 – hath made Jer 51:17 – Every Act 14:15 – which Act 14:17 – he left Act 17:23 – To Act 17:27 – they Rom 1:31 – Without understanding Rom 2:14 – do by Rom 3:19 – that 1Co 1:21 – the world 1Ti 5:5 – a widow Jam 4:17 – General 1Pe 4:3 – to have Rev 10:5 – lifted

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

:20

Rom 1:20. This verse corresponds in thought with Psa 19:1, meaning the evidences in nature of the existence of a Supreme Being. The invisible things of him are His eternal power and Godhead. Though invisible to man, yet the evidences of them are clearly seen in the world that was created and whose objects “declare the glory of God” (Psa 19:1). This leaves the heathen without excuse for their unbelief.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Rom 1:20. For the invisible things of God. Some of His attributes, as explained afterwards.

Since the creation of the world. From, while literally correct, may be misunderstood as referring to the means of clearly seeing.

Being perceived, etc. The mode of clearly seeing the invisible attributes of God is the perception of them through the visible things which He has made.

Even his everlasting power and divinity. The word everlasting here is not the same as that usually rendered eternal; it belongs to both nouns. Eternal, and Almighty, have always been recognized epithets of the Creator (Alford). Through the power men recognize the divinity, which here means not the personal Deity, but the sum of the divine attributes. The position Paul takes is opposed to Pantheism.

That they may be without excuse. The designed result is here set forth; so that is not literally exact. But mans inexcusableness, not Gods sovereignty, is under discussion.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

The apostle here proceeds in acquainting us with that knowledge of God which the Heathens had by the light of nature, which was in their hearts, and augmented and increased by what of God they saw in the book of the creatures; namely, in the works of creation and providence: The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, &c. The sense, I conceive, is this, That the wise and wonderful frame of the world, which cannot reasonably be ascribed to any other cause but God, is a sensible demonstration to all mankind, of an eternal and powerful Being, that was the author and contriver of it. The strokes of the Creator’s hand are engraven in all parts of the universe; the heavens, the earth, and the capacious sea, with all things contained in them, are evident testimonies of the excellency of their original cause: And therefore such of the Heathens of old as shut their eyes, and such of the Atheists at this day as wink hard, and will not see the footsteps of a Deity in the works of creation and providence, are, and will be, everlastingly left without excuse.

Learn hence, 1. That much of the being and essential perfections of God may be known by the light of nature, if attended to; and much more may be understood by the book of the creatures, if attentively looked into. The invisible things of God are clearly seen from the creation; that is, the creation of the world is a plain demonstration to men of the being and power of God.

Learn, 2. That all such persons will be left forever without excuse before God, who either extinguish the light of nature, and smother the natural notices which they have of God, or do not improve them by a due consideration of the works of God. Without opening the eye of reasons, the book of creation is of no more use to us than to the brute beasts: They see the creatures as well as we, but many of us consider the creatures, and see God in the creation no more then they: And this will leave us without excuse.

Learn, 3. How endearing are our obligations to almighty God, for the favour and benefit of divine revelation; that, together with the light of nature, we have the superadded light of scripture; the law to convince us of our sin, the gospel to discover a Saviour. The Heathens had only those natural apostles, of sun, moon, and stars, to guide them to the wisdom of the Father, the incarnate Son of God, and his inspired apostles and ministers to lead us into all truth, and his Holy Spirit to excite and quicken us in our obedience to him.

Therefore, eternally magnified be Omnipotent Love, for the light of scripture, for the benefit of divine revelation. For though there be a natural theology, there is not a natural Christology; there is a natural divinity, but not a natural gospel, a knowledge of God by the light of nature, but no knowledge of Jesus the Mediator, without the light of scripture.

All thanks, eternal thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! Lord, how will all such as contemn it be left without excuse!

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Vv. 20. He did so by His works in nature. By the term , the invisible things, the apostle designates the essence of God, and the manifold attributes which distinguish it. He sums them up afterwards in these two: eternal power and dwinity. Power is that which immediately arrests man, when the spectacle of nature presents itself to his view. In virtue of the principle of causality innate in his understanding, he forth with sees in this immense effect the revelation of a great cause; and the Almighty is revealed to him. But this power appears to his heart clothed with certain moral characteristics, and in particular, wisdom and goodness. He recognizes in the works of this power, in the infinite series of means and ends which are revealed in them, the undeniable traces of benevolence and intelligence; and in virtue of the principle of finality, or the notion of end, not less essentially inherent in his mind, he invests the supreme cause with the moral attributes which constitute what Paul here calls divinity, , the sum total of qualities in virtue of which the creative power can have organized such a world.

The epithet , eternal (from , always), is joined by some with both substantives; but power alone needed to be so defined, in order to contrast it with that host of second causes which are observed in nature. The latter are the result of anterior causes. But the first cause, on which this whole series of causes and effects depends, is eternal, that is to say, self-causing. The adjective is therefore to be joined only with the first of the two substantives; the second required no such qualification. These invisible things, belonging to the essence of God, have been made visible, since by the creation of the universe they have been externally manifested. is the dative of instrument: by the works of God in nature; , since, indicates that the time of creation was the point of departure for this revelation which lasts still. The complex phrase , are spiritually contemplated, contains two intimately connected ideas: on the one hand, a viewing with the outward sense; on the other, an act of intellectual perception, whereby that which presents itself to the eye becomes at the same time a revelation to our consciousness. The animal sees as man does; but it lacks the , understanding (whence the verb , ), whereby man ascends from the contemplation of the work to that of the worker. These two simultaneous sights, the one sensible, the other rational, constitute in man a single act, admirably characterized by the expression spiritual contemplation, used by the apostle.

We have here a proof of Paul’s breadth of mind and heart. He does not disparage, as the Jews did, and as Christian science has sometimes done, the value of what has been called natural theology. And it is certainly not without reason that Baur (Paulus, II. p. 260) has regarded this passage as laying the first basis of the apostle’s universalism. This same idea of a universal revelation appears again in Paul’s discourses at Lystra and Athens (Act 14:17; Act 17:27-28); so also in 1Co 1:21, and in our own Epistle Rom 3:29 : Is God not also the God of the Gentiles? a question which finds its full explanation in the idea of a primordial revelation addressed to all men.

The last words of the verse point out the aim of this universal revelation: that they may be without excuse. The words are startling: Could God have revealed Himself to the Gentiles only to have a reason for the condemnation with which He visits them? This idea has seemed so revolting, that it has been thought necessary to soften the sense of the phrase …and to translate so that (Osterv.), or: they are therefore inexcusable (Oltram.). It is one great merit of Meyer’s commentaries that he has vigorously withstood this method of explanation, which arbitrarily weakens the meaning of certain prepositions and particles used by Paul. Had he wished to say so that, he had at command the regular expression / . And the truth, if his thought is rightly understood, has nothing so very repulsive about it: in order that, he means, if after having been thus enlightened, they should fall into error as to God’s existence and character, they may be without excuse. The first aim of the Creator was to make Himself known to His creature. But if, through his own fault, man came to turn away from this light, he should not be able to accuse God of the darkness into which he had plunged himself. One might translate somewhat coarsely: that in case of going astray, they might not be able to plead ignorance as a pretext. In these circumstances there is nothing to prevent the in order that from preserving its natural meaning.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse [and God reveals his wrath against them, because that which is known of God, i. e., the general truths as to his nature and attributes, is manifested unto them; for God himself so manifested it, causing his invisible attributes, even his power, divinity, etc., to be constantly and clearly revealed in the providential working of nature from the hour of creation’s beginning, until now, that they may be without excuse for sin, and so justly punishable]:

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

20. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being known by the things which are made, both His eternal power and divinity, so that they are left without excuse. God-head in E. V. is wrong, the Greek being theiotees, which means divinity, instead of theotees, which means God-head; the words being so much alike, transcribers and translators mistook the one for the other. The truth of the matter is, while God is revealed to all the heathens by the light of nature, conscience and the universally present Holy Spirit, it is a matter of fact that the different Persons of the Trinity are not thus revealed. Hence, though the heathens can know God and be saved without the revealed Word, in the absence of the latter, they never would be able to recognize three Persons of the Trinity. You see Paul positively affirms the gracious possibility of universal salvation, otherwise they would not all be left without excuse. Hence you see from this positive statement that no one in the judgment day can give an apology for his disqualification to meet the Lord and enter heaven. The untutored savage in his primeval wilds sees God in the clouds and hears him in the winds:

Whose soul proud science never taught to stray, Far as the solar walk, the milky way.

Captain John Smith, a cultured Episcopalian, during his captivity with the Indians, after the old chief had adopted him as his son and successor, was left in charge of him and his old wife and little grandson, while all the balance went off to war. During a terrible wintry storm, when a great sleet everywhere covered the deep snow, the loud roar of whose breaking beneath the feet entirely disqualified him to get in gunshot of the wild animals on which they were all dependent for their daily food, day after day the young Englishman returns at nightfall from a laborious all-day walk over the ice fields, crushing beneath his feet and letting him down into the deep snow, weary and forlorn, faint with hunger and fatigue. Every evening the venerable chief lying flat on his back on his bear-skin, prostrate with rheumatism, delivers his adopted son a profitable exhortation on the patience and humiliation requisite to qualify a soul at lifes end to ascend above the snow clouds, and dwell in the glorified presence of the Great Spirit forever. Finally John concludes that they are all going to starve to death in a pile. Consequently, with much regret in his own heart to leave those people to die alone, he set out apparently as usual on a hunting excursion, but with his mind made up to escape and make his way back to Jamestown. While thus trudging along, seeing a herd of buffaloes at a great distance, taking position in concealment, he prays God to send them within gun-shot, as he had had nothing to eat for a week but some broth made from the bones of a wild-cat, which the vultures had picked, and they had recovered from beneath the snow. Sure enough, his prayer is answered and the herd comes roaring along near by. He fires away and downs a fat heifer. Running, he cuts out some meat and satisfies his awful hunger by eating it blood-raw. Then supplying himself with some of the food to eat on his journey, his heart turns back with incorrigible sympathy for those poor people he had left to die. Consequently, loading himself with the meat, he wends his way back to the wigwam, arriving at nightfall, and saluted by the venerable chief, lying on his back, O, my son, I knew you would bring it today. Oeneah (the name of his God) told me so. Smith wanted to hand him some of it raw to eat at once. O, no, my son, I am not in a hurry. Well, says Smith, I will broil you some on the coals. O, no, I prefer it stewed. While it is cooking I want you to sit down that I may talk to you about the great spirit, Oeneah, who always takes good care of his children. Smith felt himself a missionary among them, and had been teaching them the Christian religion the best he could from the Bible. Now he finds, to his surprise, that the old Indian, who had spent his life in savagedom, knew much more about the Lord, and his salvation, than he did. I mention this to demonstrate a case of a heathen who was intelligently saved, walking with God and bearing the fruits of the Spirit. A multitude of Scriptures intelligently corroborates this great truth, that all the people in the world can be saved if they will, having nothing to do but walk in the light which God gives them, as in that case, in the glorious ultimatum, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all sin (1Jn 1:7). This is true of all the people in the world, whether heathen, Moslem, Papist or Protestant (Joh 1:9 and Tit 2:11). Then why send the heathens the gospel if they can be saved without it?

(a) Because God has commanded us to go and preach the gospel to every creature. We must obey or fall under condemnation.

(b) Because the more light they have, the greater the probability that they will walk in it and be saved. For the same reason we keep on preaching to people in gospel lands, not because they can not be saved without it, but because they will not. In all cases it is a question of will and probability rather than privilege and possibility.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being {d} understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

(d) You do not see God, and yet you acknowledge him as God by his works; Cicero.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes