Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
18. serve not ] Perhaps these words (lit. do not bondservice to,) allude to the professed “ liberty ” of the erring teachers. Q. d., “they decline, indeed, the bondage of Christ, but they are in bondage to their own appetites all the while.” Cp. 2Pe 2:19. With a similar emphasis, probably, he writes “our Lord ( Master) Jesus Christ.”
their own belly ] Cp. Php 3:19. The words indicate sensual self-indulgence generally, whether grosser or lighter.
by good words, &c.] Lit. by their sweet-speech and fair-speech. The first word denotes the seeming piety, the second the seeming reasonableness, of their doctrine.
the simple ] Lit. the evil-less; people unconscious of bad intentions, and hence unsuspicious of them.
Meyer remarks that St Paul did not write thus severely till after long and full experience.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Serve not – Obey not. Though they are professedly, yet they are not his real friends and followers.
But their own belly – Their own lusts; their own private interests; they do this to obtain support. The authors of parties and divisions, in church and state, have this usually in view. It is for the indulgence of some earthly appetite; to obtain function or property; or to gratify the love of dominion.
And by good words – Mild, fair, plausible speeches; with an appearance of great sincerity, and regard for the truth; compare Col 2:4; 2Pe 3:3. People who cause divisions commonly make great pretensions to peculiar love of truth and orthodoxy; and put on the appearance of great sincerity, sanctity, and humility.
And fair speeches – Greek eulogias, eulogy, praise, flattery. This is another very common art. Flattery is one of the most powerful means of forming parties in the church; and a little special attention, or promise of an office, or commendation for talents or acquirements, will secure many to the purposes of party whom no regard for truth or orthodoxy could influence a moment.
Deceive the hearts of the simple – The minds of the unsuspecting, or those who are without guile ton akakon. The apostle means to designate those who are simple-hearted, without any disposition to deceive others themselves, and of course without any suspicions of the designs of others. He has thus drawn the art of making parties with the hand of a master. First, there are smooth, plausible pretences, as of great love for truth. Then, an artful mingling of attentions and flatteries; and all this practiced on the minds of the unsuspecting, drawing their hearts and affections toward themselves. Happy would it have been if the art had been confined to his own times.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. They – serve not our Lord Jesus] They profess to be apostles, but they are not apostles of CHRIST; they neither do his will, nor preach his doctrine; they serve their own belly – they hate intruded themselves into the Church of Christ that they might get a secular support; it is for worldly gain alone that they take up the profession of the ministry: they have no Divine credentials; they convert not the heathen nor the ungodly, for they have no Divine unction; but by good words and fair speeches (for they have no miraculous nor saving powers) deceive the hearts of the simple, perverting Christian converts, that they may get their property, and thus secure a maintenance for themselves. The Church of God has ever been troubled with such pretended pastors – men who FEED themselves, not the flock; men who are too proud to beg, and too lazy to work; who have neither grace nor gifts to plant the standard of the cross on the devil’s territories, and by the power of Christ make inroads upon his kingdom, and spoil him of his subjects. On the contrary, by sowing the seeds of dissension, by means of doubtful disputations, and the propagation of scandals; by glaring and insinuating speeches, , for they affect elegance and good breeding, they rend Christian congregations, form a party for themselves, and thus live on the spoils of the Church of God.
Should it be asked, Whom do you intend by this description? I answer: No soul, nor party, but such as the description suits. Irasceris.? – De TE fabula narratur. O, you are angry, are you? O, then, the cap fits you – put it on.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In this verse you have a reason of the foregoing admonition, together with a description of the seducers, whom they should mark and avoid. He says, they are such as
serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; i.e. they serve themselves rather than Christ. Though they pretend to be the servants of Jesus Christ, and give themselves out for his ministers, yet they aim at nothing but their own commodity and advantage. A further account you have of such persons in Phi 3:19; 1Ti 6:5; Tit 1:11; 2Pe 2:3.
By good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple: q.d. As Satan insinuated into Eve, by pretending he wished her good; so these seducers pretend they aim at nothing but the good and benefit of those with whom they have to do: with smooth and flattering words, they praise both the persons and doings of those whom they would insnare, (so much the word , here used, imports), and by this means they impose upon the simple, i.e. the over credulous and unwary, who do not mistrust any deceit or hurt. The word here rendered simple, properly signifies such as are not evil, or that are incautious, and not suspicious.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. For they that are such serve notour Lord Jesus Christ“our Lord Christ” appears to bethe true reading.
but their own bellynotin the grosset sense, but as “living for low ends of their own”(compare Php 3:19).
and by good words and fairspeeches deceive the simplethe unwary, the unsuspecting. (SeePr 14:15).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,…. They do not preach him, but themselves; they do not seek the things of Christ, his honour and glory, the spread of his Gospel, and the enlargement of his kingdom and interest; they seek their own things, worldly honour and applause, riches, wealth, and grandeur; they seek to please men, and so are not the servants of Christ: they introduced the observance of meats and drinks in to the kingdom of Christ, which it do not consist of, and neglected the doctrines of righteousness and peace, from whence springs joy in the Holy Ghost, and so in these spiritual things did not serve Christ; and therefore, as they were not acceptable to God, were not to be approved of by Christian men, but to be marked and avoided:
but their own belly; which they made a god of, and devoted themselves to the service of all their views were to gratify and indulge their sensual appetite. The false teachers among the Jews were particularly addicted to this vice: hence the apostle sometimes calls them dogs, Php 3:2, on account of their voraciousness, and who, in Isaiah’s time, were greedy ones that could never have enough,
Isa 56:11; and in our Lord’s time devoured widows’ houses, under a pretence of long prayers for them, Mt 23:14; and were like the Cretians, evil beasts, and slow bellies, Tit 1:12, unwilling to labour, and lived upon the spoil of others:
and by good words, and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple: they were deceivers; they lay in wait to deceive, made use of the hidden things of dishonesty, walked in craftiness, and handled the word of God deceitfully; and therefore to be marked and avoided: they deceived “the simple”, harmless, and innocent, that think no evil, nor are aware of any; who have little understanding of things; persons of weak minds, easy to be imposed upon; very credulous, ready to believe every word, so the simple man does, as Solomon says, Pr 14:15; and such false teachers choose to tamper with, and make their attacks upon, being able to gain upon them the most easily, as their father the devil, the old serpent, did, when he first assailed human nature: the “hearts” of these they deceive; they work upon their affections, blind their understandings, impose on their judgments, and corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ: and this they do “by good words and fair speeches”; either by making use of the words of Scripture, and a show of arguments taken from thence; so Satan cited Scripture in his dispute with our Lord; and so heretics, in all ages, have pretended toil in favour of their principles, by which means they have gained on many to follow their pernicious ways; or by using words and phrases that faithful ministers of Christ use, such as the grace of God, the righteousness of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, but in a different sense; as some among us now frequently make mention of them, when they mean no more by them than the light of nature within them, and the dictates of a natural conscience; or by an elegant style, a set of fine words, a flow of rhetorical expressions, great swelling words of vanity, which such men generally affect, and so work themselves into the admiration of the common people; or by doctrines suited to the carnal minds and reasonings of men, which tickle human nature, and swell it with pride and vanity; as by preaching up the purity and power of it, asserting man’s free will, and the strength of it to that which is good; the capacity of man to keep the law, and perform good works; justification by them before God, and acceptance with him, on account of them; atonement for sins committed, by repentance and reformation; that God does not regard trifling things, some sins are venial, and easily passed over; that concupiscence is no sin; God does not rigorously exact duty, he takes the will for the deed, and is merciful unto all, and if but sincere, there is no doubt of heaven; and such men, generally speaking, instead of correcting vice, and reproving men for their sins, connive at them, indulge them in them, soothe and flatter, commend and defend them, whereby they attach them to their persons and interest.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But their own belly ( ). Dative case after . A blunt phrase like the same picture in Php 3:19 “whose god is the belly,” more truth than caricature in some cases.
By their smooth and fair speech ( ). Two compounds of (speech), the first (from and ) is very rare (here only in N.T.), the second is very common ( and ).
Beguile (). Present active indicative of the double compound verb (see 2Thess 2:3; 1Cor 3:18).
Of the innocent ( ). Old adjective ( privative and ), without evil or guile, in N.T. only here and Heb 7:26 (of Christ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Belly. Compare Phi 3:19.
Good words [] . Only here in the New Testament. Lit., good speaking. The compounded adjective crhs tov is used rather in its secondary sense of mild, pleasant So Rev., smooth speech.
Deceive (ejxapatwsin) Better, as Rev., beguile. It is not merely making a false impression, but practically leading astray Simple [] . Only here and Heb 7:26. Lit., not evil. Rev., innocent. Bengel says : “An indifferent word. They are called so who are merely without positive wickedness, when they ought to abound also in prudence, and to guard against other men’s wickedness.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For they that are such,” (hoi gar toioutoi) “Because those who are such persons,” those who cause contention, divisions, factions, and offences contrary to the doctrines or teachings of Christ, which I delivered to you all; Luk 11:23; Joh 10:12.
2) “Serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,” (to kurio hemon Christo ou douleuousin) “They do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ;” He that is not with (in harmony with) our Lord’s teachings, morally, ethically, doctrinally, is against them; There is no neutral ground with Divine sanction; 1Co 6:19-20; Eph 4:30-32; Mat 12:30.
3) “But their own bellies,” (alla te heauton kailia) “But, in contrast, they serve their own belly,” their fleshly lusts for monetary physical pleasure, or as Judas Iscariot did, for monetary gain, Mat 26:15.
4) “And by good words and fair speeches,” (kai dia tes chrestologias kai eulogias) “And by means of fair and flattering speech;” misleading, deceptive smooth talk, pious talk, as Satan beguiled Eve; 2Co 11:3; 2Pe 2:2-3; 2Pe 2:15; Jud 1:4; Jud 1:11; Jud 1:16-19.
5) “Deceive the hearts of the simple,” (eksapatosin tas kardias ton akakon) “They deceive the hearts of the guileless,” those who are sincere and simple, they delude their listeners and followers who suspect no evil, Eph 4:14; Eph 5:6; 2Th 2:3; 1Jn 3:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
18. For they who are such, etc. He mentions an unvarying mark, by which false prophets are to be distinguished from the servants of Christ; for they have no care for the glory of Christ, but seek the benefit of their stomach. As, however, they deceitfully crept in, and by assuming another character, concealed their own wickedness, he at the same time pointed out, in order that no one might be deceived, the arts which they adopted — that they ingratiated themselves by a bland address. The preachers of the gospel have also their courtesy and their pleasing manner, but joined with honesty, so that they neither soothe men with vain praises, nor flatter their vices: but impostors allure men by flattery, and spare and indulge their vices, that they may keep them attached to themselves. He calls those simple who are not cautious enough to avoid deceptions.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) Their own belly.Compare the description in Php. 3:18-19, where the Apostle is also denouncing certain persons who made a god of their belly. It is not, however, quite clear that the class of persons intended is precisely the same. There the Apostle is condemning Antinomian extravagances which professed to be based on his own teaching; here he would seem to have in view some more radical divergence of doctrine, contrary to that which they had learned. Selfish indulgence is unfortunately a common goal, to which many diverse ways of error will be found to lead.
By good words and fair speeches.The difference, perhaps, is between insinuating or specious address, and fine phrases in a rhetorical sense.
Simple.Literally, guileless. Those who have no evil intentions themselves, and do not readily suspect others of them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Their own belly Their own maintenance and sensuality. (Compare Php 3:18-19.)
Good words and fair speeches With rhyming terminations in the Greek, like apologies and eulogies; with the former commending themselves, with the latter flattering their victims.
Simple Literally, the unevil and therefore suspecting no evil.
‘For they who are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly, and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.’
Characteristic of such teachers was that they sought financial gain from their teaching enabling them to live richly (Tit 1:10-11; 1Co 6:13; Php 3:19 ; 1Ti 6:5; 2Pe 2:3; Jud 1:12), and were smooth and glib tongued (1Co 2:1; 2Co 10:10; Col 2:4). They were not really serving ‘our LORD Jesus’, but their own bellies (Php 3:2-3; Php 3:17-19). Others see the idea of ‘their own belly’ as having in mind asceticism and abstinence, allowing themselves to be ruled by what they should eat and drink (Rom 14:17).
Rom 16:18. And fair speeches ‘, flattering forms of address. We hence learn what were the weapons which these false apostles opposed to the miracles of the true. See Tit 1:10-11.
Rom 16:18 . Reason assigned for the injunction of Rom 16:17 .
] “ hi tales; notatur substantia cum sua qualitate,” Bengel.
.] Note the position of the negation; the thought is: to the Lord they refuse service, but their own belly they serve . Thereby they belonged to the category of the . ., Phi 3:18 .
On , , abdomini servire (Seneca, de benef . vii. 26), as a designation of selfishness, bent only on good cheer in eating and drinking, comp. on Phi 3:19 ; Jacobs, ad Anthol . IX. p. 416. For this object the sectaries sought to make use of the influence and following which they obtained. Comp. Lucian, de morte Peregr . 11 ff. Behind their teaching, although this was not itself of an Epicurean nature (Hofmann), there lurked, hypocritically concealed, the tendency to epicurean practice .
. . .] by means of the kind (having a good-natured sound) and fair-set language , which they hold. On . comp. Jul. Capitol, vit. Pertin . 13; Eustath. p. 1437, 53, and the classical , . . .; on , language finely expressed (here: fine phrases), Plat. Rep . p. 400 D; Lucian, Lexiph . 1; Aesop. 229. The two words characterize contents ( .) and form ( .); hence it is preferable to take . in the above signification than in the ordinary one of praise, extolling (Philippi). Comp. Luther: stately language.
] of the guileless (Heb 7:26 ), who themselves have nothing evil in their mind, and are prepared for nothing evil. See Wetstein in loc. ; Ruhnken, ad Tim . p. 56; Schaefer, ad Greg. Cor . p. 342.
The assertion that Paul appears too severe in the accusation of his opponents (Rckert) cannot be made good. He writes from long and ample experience.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Ver. 18. But their own bellies ] They pretend the service of Christ to their worldly and wicked respects, by a dissembled sanctity, which is double iniquity. The Duke of Bavaria is even eaten up with those Popish flesh flies, friars and Jesuits. It was an honest complaint of a Popish writer, We, saith he, handle the Scriptures, tantum ut nos pascat et vestiat, only for a livelihood; we serve God for gain: as children will not say their prayers unless they be promised their breakfasts. Cajetan writing on Mat 5:13 ; “Ye are the salt of the earth,” confesseth ingenuously of himself and his fellow prelates, that whereas by their places they should have been the salt of the earth, they had lost their savour, and were good for little else but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church. a And such were many of our English prelates grown, before their late extirpation. If you put not into the mouths of these Cerberuses, they would even prepare war against you. Therefore their “sun went down, and the day grew dark over them,”Mic 3:5-6Mic 3:5-6 . All seducers are self-seekers: “they teach things that they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake,” Tit 1:11 . They are like eagles that soar aloft towards heaven, not for any love of heaven, but that they may spy their prey the sooner, seize upon it the better: or like those ravens in Arabia, that, fully gorged, have a tunable sweet record; but empty, they screech horribly. In parabola oves capras suas quaerunt, comparison to a sheep seeking their nanny-goat, as the ferryman looks one way, rows another.
And by good words, &c. ] Those locusts in the Revelation have faces like women, insinuative and flattering. The Valentinian heretics had an art to persuade before they taught, whereas the truth persuadeth by teaching, it doth not teach by persuading. (Tertullian.)
They deceive ] As cheaters do, by the cogging of a dye, , Eph 4:14 . Fallax artificium, vel potius artifex fallacia, saith Erasmus on that text, a cumfing kind of cozenage.
a Evanuimus ac ad nihilum utiles, nisi ad externas ceremonias, externaque bona.
18. ] , , Theophyl. Wetstein cites from Julius Capitolinus, in Pertinace, 13, “omnes, qui libere conferebant, male Pertinacem loquebantur, chrestologum eum appellantes, qui bene loqueretur et male faceret.”
, fairness of speech: so Plato, Rep. iii. 400 D, . . . or perhaps ‘ eulogies ’ (flatteries), as Pind. Nem. Rom 4:8 , | | , | .
Rom 16:18 . . . . Christians must not associate with those who do not serve the one Lord. : this combination occurs here only in N.T. : cf. Phi 3:19 , . The words need not mean that the teachers in question were mere sensualists, or that they taught Epicurean or antinomian doctrines: the sense must partly be defined by the contrast it is not our Lord Christ whom they serve; on the contrary, it is base interests of their own. It is a bitter contemptuous way of describing a self-seeking spirit, rather than an allusion to any particular cast of doctrine. : according to Grimm, refers to the insinuating tone, to the fine style, of the false teachers. Examples from profane Greek bear out this distinction ( ), but as in Biblical Greek, and in Philo and Josephus invariably has a religious sense, Cremer prefers to take it so here also: “pious talk”. : Rom 7:11 , 1Co 3:18 , 2Th 2:2 . : all the English versions, except Gen [40] and A.V., render “of the innocent” (Gifford). See Heb 7:26 . In this place “guileless” is rather the idea: suspecting no evil, and therefore liable to be deceived.
[40] genitive case.
serve. App-190.
Jesus. The texts omit.
belly. See Joh 7:38.
good . . . speeches = their fine words and flatteries.
good words. Greek. chrestologia. Only here.
fair speeches. Greek. eulogia. Occurs sixteen times (eleven translated “blessing”). See Rom 15:29.
deceive = deceive thoroughly. Greek. exapatao. Occurs: Rom 7:11. 1Co 3:18. 2Co 11:3. 2Th 2:3. The usual word for “deceive” means “to lead astray” (App-128).
simple = guileless. Greek. akakos. Only here and Heb 7:26.
18.] , , Theophyl. Wetstein cites from Julius Capitolinus, in Pertinace, 13, omnes, qui libere conferebant, male Pertinacem loquebantur, chrestologum eum appellantes, qui bene loqueretur et male faceret.
, fairness of speech: so Plato, Rep. iii. 400 D, . . . -or perhaps eulogies (flatteries), as Pind. Nem. Rom 4:8, | | , | .
Rom 16:18. ) such as these. The substance with its quality is denoted.-, the belly) Php 3:19.-) as concerns themselves by promising.-) as concerns you, by praising and flattering.- ) , a word of a middle signification, , for the sake of euphemy (end.); which the LXX. translate , and which occurs more than once in Proverbs. They are called , who are merely free from badness, whereas they should also be strong in prudence, and be on their guard against the , the badness of others.
Rom 16:18
Rom 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ,- Things not taught in the Scriptures cannot be taught in the worship or work of the church as service to Jesus Christ. To bring things not taught into the service is to place them with their authors on a par with the commandments of God and with God himself.
but their own belly;-Those who bring things not commanded by God into the services of God must do it to make themselves popular or to build up a strong worldly church. This is to serve their fleshly desires.
and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.-[These makers of divisions and offenses, however fair and fine their pretensions and speeches might be, were not sincerely serving Christ, but rather serving their own sensual and selfish ends, and the aim of all their kind and plausible words is only to deceive those innocent ones who are slow to suspect it in others.]
serve: Mat 6:24, Joh 12:26, Gal 1:10, Phi 2:21, Col 3:24, Jam 1:1, Jud 1:1, Rev 1:1
but: 1Sa 2:12-17, 1Sa 2:29, Isa 56:10-12, Eze 13:19, Hos 4:8-11, Mic 3:5, Mal 1:10, Mat 24:48-51, Phi 3:19, 1Ti 6:5, 2Pe 2:10-15, Jud 1:12
by: 2Ch 18:5, 2Ch 18:12-17, Isa 30:10, Isa 30:11, Jer 8:10, Jer 8:11, Jer 23:17, Jer 28:1-9, Jer 28:15-17, Eze 13:16, Mic 3:5, Mat 7:15, Mat 24:11, Mat 24:24, 2Co 2:17, 2Co 4:2, 2Co 11:13-15, Col 2:4, 2Th 2:10, 1Ti 6:5, 2Ti 2:16-18, 2Ti 3:2-6, Tit 1:10-12, 2Pe 2:3, 2Pe 2:18-20, 1Jo 4:1-3, Jud 1:16
the simple: Rom 16:19, Psa 19:7, Psa 119:130, Pro 8:5, Pro 14:15, Pro 22:3, 2Co 11:3
Reciprocal: Num 22:7 – rewards of divination Num 23:12 – General 1Sa 2:15 – General 2Sa 15:6 – stole 2Sa 15:11 – their simplicity 1Ki 13:18 – But Psa 12:2 – flattering Pro 1:10 – General Pro 7:7 – the simple Pro 20:19 – flattereth Pro 28:10 – causeth Pro 28:21 – for Pro 29:5 – spreadeth Pro 30:15 – Give Jer 29:8 – Let Eze 12:24 – General Eze 13:4 – like Eze 34:2 – Woe Eze 45:20 – every one Dan 11:34 – cleave Hos 7:14 – assemble Hos 10:11 – and loveth Amo 7:12 – eat Mic 2:11 – I will Mat 10:16 – harmless Mat 13:41 – and they Mat 18:17 – let Mat 24:49 – and to Luk 6:26 – when Luk 12:45 – to eat Joh 6:26 – Ye seek Joh 10:1 – the same Rom 1:1 – a servant Rom 14:18 – in 1Co 2:1 – with 1Co 2:4 – not 2Co 1:12 – simplicity 2Co 7:2 – we have wronged 2Co 11:20 – take Gal 1:7 – but Gal 4:17 – zealously Eph 4:14 – tossed Phi 1:15 – even Col 2:18 – no 1Th 2:5 – a cloak 1Ti 3:3 – not covetous 1Ti 4:2 – lies 2Ti 3:4 – lovers of God 2Ti 3:5 – from 2Ti 3:8 – men Tit 1:12 – liars Heb 13:9 – carried Jam 3:6 – a world 2Pe 2:14 – beguiling 2Pe 3:17 – being 2Jo 1:10 – come Rev 12:9 – deceiveth Rev 13:11 – and he had
:18
Rom 16:18. Belly is from KOILIA, and Thayer defines it at this place, “the gullet [throat, or what goes down it], and he explains it to mean, “to be given up to the pleasures of the palate, to gluttony.” The motive of these divisive characters is to gain the confidence of their victims, in the hope of obtaining something from them to consume upon their appetite. The simple refers to those who do not suspect anything wrong in the workings of these teachers, and hence are easily deceived thereby.
Rom 16:18. For they that are such, etc. Comp. Php 3:18-19.
Our Lord Christ; He is the true Master (notice the unusual form, which is supported by all the early manuscripts), yet they do not serve Him, but their own belly; a figure for sensuality. It is remarkable how often schismatics have proved their Epicureanism.
By their good words and fair speeches; lit, by the kind speaking and blessing. These terms refer either to the tenor and force of their words, or the former may point to the mask of kindliness, and the latter to flattery. The unctiousness of sensual hypocrites is well known.
Deceive the hearts of the guileless; those who are unsuspicious, unwary. How many were deceiving and deceived appears from Php 1:15, written from Rome a few years after this. Undue severity cannot be ascribed to the Apostles language: few earnest Christian teachers have failed to observe how apt it still is.
Vv. 18. The parties referred to are men at once sensual and hypocritical; it is therefore under the influence of a deep moral aversion that the Christians of Rome are called to avoid them. They serve their sensual appetites, and not Christ. This feature reminds us of Php 3:19, words which apply to the same individuals: whose god is their belly, and who mind earthly things; comp. also 2Co 11:20-21 : If a man bring you into bondage, devour you, take of you, ye suffer it. It is this sensual and insolent conduct which Paul characterizes, Php 3:2, in the severe terms: Beware of dogs; beware of evil workers. The gospel ministry was to these people a means of gain, and gain the means of satisfying their gross passions. They were the Tartuffes of the period. Another point of resemblance identifies them more completely still with the type drawn by Molire: they present themselves with a benignant style of speech (), and with fatherly benedictions (); and the simple (, literally, the innocent), who suspect no evil, allow themselves to be caught with these devout airs and paternal tone. Was it necessary, as Schultz holds, that these men should be already present to account for Paul speaking thus in regard to them? Had he not learned to know them in this light in Galatia and at Corinth, and could he not portray them to the church of Rome, that they might be recognized immediately on their appearing?
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly [“Belly” is meant to express all the appetites of the carnal life. The heretics here referred to, being mediocre and insufficient teachers in the true faith, resorted to the artifice of stirring up factions for the purpose of obtaining therefrom physical and pecuniary support. (Comp. Phi 3:19) Their breed is not extinct. There are many who shine as heretics who would pass their lives in obscurity if they were orthodox, and there are also many who amass fortunes preaching lies who would live at a poor, starving rate if they preached the truth. But nothing better can be expected of the devotees of the belly]; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. [They succeeded, not by the inherent power of what they taught, but by the insidious manner in which they taught it. “Truth,” says Trapp, “persuadeth by teaching, it doth not teach by persuading.” It has always been a characteristic of truth that it comes to us in plain and simple garb, rugged, unadorned (Mat 11:20; Act 4:13; 1Co 1:21-31; 1Co 2:1-16; 2Co 3:12-13; 2Co 10:10; 2Co 11:6; Jam 3:17), and its rival, error, sits in the seat of the mighty, speaks with all subtilty and charms with rhetoric and oratorical display– Act 8:9; Act 13:10; Act 12:21-23; 1Co 8:1-2; 1Ti 6:3-5; 2Ti 3:7-8]
18. For such do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own stomach, and through good speaking and eulogy deceive the hearts of the innocent. This sad revelation of schismatics and heretics has flooded Christendom with delusion and destruction for ages, and is this day rampant in all the earth. Unspiritual, carnal, designing men, by their beautiful, eloquent and fastidious speeches and eulogies, bragging on the people, win the hearts of the simple and unsuspecting and lead them away proselytes, deluded by their sophistry and beguiled into conservatism to their selfish caprices for the sake of filthy lucre, patronage, popularity, promotion and temporal emolument. The same people turn this scripture against the poor holiness bands and accuse them of creating schism, division and heresy. This is where all the martyrs died under charge of schism, heresy and disloyalty. It was true, and is yet, that the devout, sincere people, pursuant to their conscientious duty to God, are forced to separate from these carnal shepherds who starve them to death and let Satans wolves devour them. This state of things results from the predominate power and influence of Satan in this dark fallen world, usurping the churches and passing himself for God, filling the pulpits with men of his own calling and leading, who are really these very schismatics and heretics here anathematized by the Holy Ghost. Hence if we did not separate from them, we would not only be untrue to God, but lose our souls. Therefore in all ages the persecuted martyrs and the poor holiness people have really been the true church of God, though everywhere denounced as schismatics and heretics, by the ecclesiastical tyrants, who under Satanic leadership having usurped the visible church, hurl their anathemas against all who dare to retreat away from the deadening influence of their carnal ministry. The real heretic is the one who separates from God and His truth, and not the one who separates from some visible organization claiming to be the church of God, but in countless instances signally failing to verify a solitary differentia of the Holy Ecclesia.
Verse 18
Their own belly; their own earthly and carnal propensities.
16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by {g} good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
(g) The word which he uses signifies a promising which accomplishes nothing, and if you hear any such, you may assure yourself that he who promises to you is more concerned about receiving from you than he is concerned about giving to you.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes