Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 1:30
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
30. backbiters ] Rather, evil speakers, without the special notion of speaking in the absence of the person attacked.
haters of God ] The Gr., by formation and classical usage, should rather mean hateful to God; men whose character is peculiarly abhorrent to Him. Similar words or phrases were familiar at Athens to denote defiant evil; and this would well suit the two words here following.
disobedient to parents ] A symptom of deep moral and social disorder. Parental authority stands in the Decalogue among the great foundations of virtue and duty; and our Lord Himself is significantly said (Luk 2:51) to have been “subject” to Joseph and Mary.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Backbiters – Those Who calumniate, slander, or speak ill of those who are absent. Whisperers declare secretly, and with great reserve, the supposed faults of others. Backbiters proclaim them publicly and avowedly.
Haters of God – There is no charge which can be brought against people more severe than this. It is the highest possible crime; yet it is a charge which the conduct of people will abundantly justify, and the truth of which all those experience who are brought to see their true character. To an awakened sinner there is often nothing more plain and painful than that he is a hater of God. His heart rises up against Him, and his Law, and his plan of saving people; and he deeply feels that nothing can subdue this but the mighty power of the Holy One. This is a charge which is not unfrequently brought against people in the Bible; see Joh 7:7; Joh 15:18, Joh 15:24-25; Joh 3:19-20. Surely, if this be the native character of man, then it is far gone from original righteousness. No more striking proof of depravity could be given; and in no creed or confession of faith is there a more painful and humiliating representation given of human wickedness, than in this declaration of an inspired apostle, that people are by nature haters of God.
Despiteful – This word denotes those who abuse, or treat with unkindness or disdain, those who are present. Whisperers and backbiters are those who calumniate those who are absent.
Proud – Pride is well understood. It is an inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of ones superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, etc. (Webster). Of the existence of this everywhere, there is abundant proof. And it was particularly striking among the ancients. The sect of the Stoics was distinguished for it, and this was the general character of their philosophers. People will be proud where they suppose none are superior; and it is only the religion that reveals a great and infinite God, and that teaches that all blessings are his gift, and that he has given us the station which we occupy, that will produce true humility. We may add, that the system of paganism did not disclose the wickedness of the heart, and that rids was a main reason why they were elevated in self-esteem.
Boasters – Those who arrogate to themselves what they do not possess, and glory on it. This is closely connected with pride. A man who has an inordinate self-conceit, will not be slow to proclaim his own merits to those around him.
Inventors of evil things – This doubtless refers to their seeking to find out new arts or plans to practice evil; new devices to gratify their lusts and passions; new forms of luxury, and vice, etc. So intent were they on practicing evil, so resolved to gratify their passions, that the mind was excited to discover new modes of gratification. In cities of luxury and vice, this has always been done. Vices change their form, people become satiated, and they are obliged to resort to some new form. The passions cease to be gratified with old forms of indulgence, and consequently people are obliged to resort to new devices to pamper their appetites, and to rekindle their dying passions to a flame. This was eminently true of ancient Rome; a place where all the arts of luxury, all the devices of passion, all the designs of splendid gratification, were called forth to excite and pamper the evil passions of people. Their splendid entertainments, their games, their theaters, their sports – cruel and bloody – were little else than new and ever-varying inventions of evil things to gratify the desires of lust and of pride.
Disobedient to parents – This expresses the idea that they did not show to parents that honor, respect, and attention which was due. This has been a crime of paganism in every age; and though among the Romans the duty of honoring parents was enjoined by the laws, yet it is not improbable that the duty was often violated, and that parents were treated with great neglect and even contempt. Disobedience to parents was punished by the Jewish Law with death, and with the Hindus it is attended with the loss of the childs inheritance. The ancient Greeks considered the neglect of it to be extremely impious, and attended with the most certain effects of divine vengeance. Solon ordered all persons who refused to make due provision for their parents to be punished with infamy, and the same penalty was incurred for personal violence toward them. Kents Commentaries on American Law, vol. ii. p. 207; compare Virg. AEniad, ix. 283. The feelings of pride and haughtiness would lead to disregard of parents. It might also be felt that to provide for them when aged and infirm was a burden; and hence, there would arise disregard for their wants, and probably open opposition to their wishes, as being the demands of petulance and age. It has been one characteristic of paganism every where, that it leaves children to treat their parents with neglect. Among the Sandwich islanders it was customary, when a parent was old, infirm, and sick beyond the hope of recovery, for his own children to bury him alive; and it has been the common custom in India for children to leave their aged parents to perish on the banks of the Ganges.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 30. Backbiters] , from , against, and , I speak; those who speak against others; false accusers, slanderers.
Haters of God] , atheists, contemners of sacred things, maligners of providence, scorners, c. All profligate deists are of this class and it seems to be the finishing part of a diabolic character.
Despiteful] , from , to treat with injurious insolence; stormy, boisterous; abusing both the characters and persons of those over whom they can have any power.
Proud] , from , above or over, and , I show or shine. They who are continually exalting themselves and depressing others; magnifying themselves at the expense of their neighbours; and wishing all men to receive their sayings as oracles.
Boasters] , from , to assume; self-assuming, vain-glorious, and arrogant men.
Inventors of evil things] . Those who have invented destructive customs, rites, fashions, c. such as the different religious ceremonies among the Greeks and Romans-the orgies of Bacchus, the mysteries of Ceres, the lupercalia, feasts of the Bona Dea, &c., &c. Multitudes of which evil things, destructive and abominable ceremonies, are to be found in every part of the heathen worship.
Disobedient to parents] Though filial affection was certainly more recommended and cultivated than many other virtues, yet there are many instances on record of the grossest violation of this great branch of the law of nature.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Haters of God; the original word hath a passive termination, and therefore some read it, hated of God. But words passive are sometimes actively taken: see 2Pe 1:3. And the apostle here intendeth a catalogue of the Gentiles sins, whereof this was one: see Psa 81:15.
Despiteful; or, injurious.
Inventors of evil things; they were not contented with old usual evils, but they invented new; whether we refer this to evils of pain, or evils of sin, we may find examples thereof amongst the heathen. Phalaris propounded a reward to him that could devise a new torment; and Sardanapalus offered rewards to such as could find out new venereal pleasures.
Disobedient to parents, either natural or political.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30. haters of GodThe wordusually signifies “God-hated,” which some here prefer, inthe sense of “abhorred of the Lord”; expressing thedetestableness of their character in His sight (compare Pro 22:14;Psa 73:20). But the active senseof the word, adopted in our version and by the majority ofexpositors, though rarer, agrees perhaps better with the context.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Backbiters,…. Who more publicly defamed the characters of their neighbours, and hurt their good name, credit and reputation, though behind their backs:
haters of God; some read it, “hated of God”; as all workers of iniquity are; but rather this expresses their sin, that they were deniers of the being and providence of God, and showed themselves to be enemies to him by their evil works:
despiteful; both by opprobrious words, and injurious actions:
proud; of their natural knowledge, learning, eloquence and vain philosophy:
boasters: of their parts, abilities, wisdom and works; all which they attributed to themselves, and to the sharpness of their wit, their sagacity and industry:
inventors of evil things; of evil schemes of morality and philosophy, and of evil practices, as well as principles:
disobedient to parents; which was acting contrary to the light of nature.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Paul changes the construction again to twelve substantives and adjectives that give vivid touches to this composite photograph of the God abandoned soul.
Whisperers (). Old word from , to speak into the ear, to speak secretly, an onomatopoetic word like (2Co 12:20) and only here in N.T.
Backbiters (). Found nowhere else except in Hermas, compound like , to talk back (Jas 4:11), and , talking back (2Co 12:20), talkers back whether secretly or openly.
Hateful to God (). Old word from and . All the ancient examples take it in the passive sense and so probably here. So (Tit 3:13). Vulgate has deo odibiles.
Insolent (). Old word for agent from , to give insult to, here alone in N.T. save 1Ti 1:13.
Haughty (). From and , to appear above others, arrogant in thought and conduct, “stuck up.”
Boastful (). From , wandering. Empty pretenders, swaggerers, braggarts.
Inventors of evil things ( ). Inventors of new forms of vice as Nero was. Tacitus (Ann. IV. ii) describes Sejanus as facinorum omnium repertor and Virgil (Aen. ii. 163) scelerum inventor.
Disobedient to parents ( ). Cf. 1Tim 1:9; 2Tim 3:2. An ancient and a modern trait.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Backbiters,” (katalalous) railers, against God, godly people and things loosely, and habitually, Psa 15:3; Pro 25:3; 2Co 12:20.
2) “Haters of God,” (thostugeis) “God-haters,” Psa 81:15; Tit 3:3; Pro 10:12; Gal 5:20,
3) “Despiteful,” (hubristas) “insolent,” to act with contempt toward, or take lightly, a person or concept, Pro 1:7; Pro 15:32; 1Th 4:8.
4) “Proud,” (huperephanous) “arrogant,” God rebukes them Psa 119:21; Pro 6:17; Pro 21:4; Pro 28:25; Jas 4:6, God resists them 1Pe 5:5.
5) “Boasters,” (alazonas) “boasters,” braggarts of self-interest things or achievements, 2Ti 3:2. Used in evil and good sense, Jas 3:5; Psa 44:8.
6) “Inventors of evil things,” (epheuretas kakon) “Inventors of evil things,” Psa 106:29; Psa 106:39; Ecc 7:29. Devisors and manipulators of methods of doing unrighteousness.
7) “Disobedient to parents,” (Goneusin apeitheis) “disobedient toward parents,” rebellious against the Divine order of Domestic peace, order, and family tranquillity and harmony, Exo 20:12; Mat 15:4; Mar 7:10; Eph 6:13; 2Ti 3:2. This sin shall continue till the coming of the Lord. Eph 5:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
30. The word θεοστυγεῖς, means, no doubt, haters of God; for there is no reason to take it in a passive sense, (hated of God,) since Paul here proves men to be guilty by manifest vices. Those, then, are designated, who hate God, whose justice they seem to resist by doing wrong. Whisperers ( susurrones ) and slanderers ( obtrectatores ) (58) are to be thus distinguished; the former, by secret accusations, break off the friendships of good men, inflame their minds with anger, defame the innocent, and sow discords; and the latter through an innate malignity, spare the reputation of no one, and, as though they were instigated by the fury of evilspeaking, they revile the deserving as well as the undeserving We have translated ὑβριστὰς, villanous, ( maleficos 😉 for the Latin authors are wont to call notable injuries villanies, such as plunders, thefts, burnings, and sorceries; and these where the vices which Paul meant to point out here. (59) I have rendered the word ὑπερήφανους, used by Paul, insolent, ( contumeliosos 😉 for this is the meaning of the Greek word: and the reason for the word is this, — because such being raised, as it were, on high, look down on those who are, as it were, below them with contempt, and they cannot bear to look on their equals. Haughty are they who swell with the empty wind of overweeningness. Unsociable (60) are those who, by their iniquities, unloose the bands of society, or those in whom there is no sincerity or constancy of faith, who may be called truce-breakers.
(58) Καταλάλους, literally gainsayers, or those who speak against others, — defamers, calumniators; rendered “revilers,” by [ Macknight ]. — Ed.
(59) The three words, ὑβιστὰς ὑπερηφάνους, and ἀλαζόνας seem to designate three properties of a proud spirit — disdainful or insolent, haughty and vainglorious. The ὑβρισται are those who treat others petulantly, contumeliously, or insultingly “Insolent,” as given by [ Macknight ], is the most suitable word. The ὑπερηφάνος is one who sets himself to view above others, the high and elevated, who exhibits himself as superior to others. The αλαζων is the boaster, who assumes more than what belongs to him, or promises more than what he can perform. These three forms of pride are often seen in the world. — Ed.
(60) Unsociabiles — ἀσυνθετους. “Faithless,” perhaps, would be the most suitable word. “Who adhere not to compacts,” is the explanation of [ Hesychius ]
To preserve the same negative according to what is done in Greek, we may render Rom 1:31 as follows: —
31. Unintelligent, unfaithful, unnatural, unappeasable, unmerciful. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) Haters of God.Rather, perhaps, hated by God. There seem to be no examples of the active sense. The Apostle apparently throws in one emphatic word summing up the catalogue as far as it has gone; he then resumes with a new class of sins. Hitherto he has spoken chiefly of sins of malice, now he turns to sins of pride.
Despiteful, proud, boasters.The three words correspond to the distinction between act, thought, and word. The first implies distinctly insolence in outward bearing; it is the word translated injurious in 1Ti. 1:13. The second is a strong self-esteem mixed with contempt for others. (See 2Ti. 3:2.) The third is used especially of boastfulness or braggadocio in language.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. Backbiters Open slanderers.
Haters of God Railers against religion and the Divine Being.
Inventors of evil things Not only doers of wrong, but fertile in inventing new forms of wickedness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Rom 1:30. Haters of God Discontented with his government, and disaffected to his rule, as a righteous and holy Being who could not but be highly displeased with their abominations. The original word ‘, rendered despiteful, would be more properly rendered violent or overbearing in their behaviour to each other. It properly expresses the character of a man who is resolved to gratify his own appetites and passions, and to pursue what he apprehends his own interest, right or wrong; without at all regarding those inconvenienciesor sufferings which he may thereby bring upon himself. Inventors of evil things, means such as piqued themselves on making new discoveries in the artsof sensuality or of mischief; who found out new pleasures, new ways of gain, and new arts of hurting their fellow-creatures, particularly in war. See Bengelius, Calmet, and Mintert.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 1823
MEN HATERS OF GOD
Rom 1:30. Haters of God.
WHAT! are there any persons of this character upon earth? It cannot be: it were a libel upon human nature to suppose it. Go round to all the people you can find, and put the question to them, Are you a hater of God? They will spurn at the idea, and deem the question a gross insult. The moral part of mankind would he filled with indignation at such a strange calumnious suggestion. And the most immoral would say, I certainly do not serve him as I ought: but, as to hating him, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this [Note: 2Ki 8:12-13.]? But let us come to the word and to the testimony. Of whom speaks the Apostle the words which we have read? Does he give this character to some of a pre-eminently impious disposition? or does he ascribe it to the whole Gentile world, even to every child of man, so long as he continues in his natural and unconverted state? It is most assuredly in this latter sense that the words must be understood: for the scope of this part of the epistle is to shew, not that some particular persons need a Saviour, but that every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God [Note: Rom 3:19.]. I am far from saying that all persons manifest their enmity against God in the same way, and to the same extent: but if we will candidly examine the state of mankind, we shall find it precisely such as the Apostle here describes it; and that the human heart, till changed by Divine grace, is full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; and that men still are, no less than in the Apostles days, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful [Note: ver. 2931.]. With the description at large I shall not trouble you. It is my intention to confine myself to that particular part of it which I have selected for my text: in confirmation of which, I shall,
I.
Establish the fact, that unregenerate men are haters of God
This fact is absolutely universal
[Look at every child of man, and see what are his dispositions and conduct towards the God of heaven and earth: and all, without exception, will be found to deserve the character here assigned them. All betray an enmity against God; they feel it in their hearts, and manifest it in their lives. It their minds were rightly disposed towards God, they would esteem him above all; and desire him above all; and delight in him above all; and, in comparison of his favour, there would be nothing regarded by them as worthy of a thought. But what is the fact? There is not any thing, however vain or worthless, or vile, that does not occupy a higher place in their esteem than He. Any gratification which they affect, is sufficient to draw them from their allegiance to Him, and to induce them to violate his most express commands. The favour of a fellow-creature is more sought than his; and the displeasure of a poor sinful worm more dreaded than his. Even Satan himself is deemed more worthy to be obeyed than he: as our Lord has said, Ye are of your father the devil; and the lusts of your father ye will do [Note: Joh 8:44.]. But the will of our heavenly Father we will not do. There is no such satisfaction felt in any thing which he enjoins; no such readiness to comply with his sacred motions in the soul. In truth, what is the whole life of an unregenerate man? is it not a state of rebellion against God? There is not a command of his which we desire to keep: there is not one which we do not violate.
Now let us try this conduct by an easy test. Suppose that a child, or a servant, treated us as we have treated God: suppose that, whilst he acknowledged his relation to us, he never sought to please us; never cared however much he displeased us; never felt any comfort in our society, but affected rather the society of our bitterest enemies; never was concerned about our honour or interests; but would sacrifice both the one and the other at any time, without any shame or remorsewhat construction should we put upon that conduct? Should we not say that his mind was altogether alienated from us? No doubt we should: and that is the construction which God himself puts on our deportment towards him: The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be [Note: Rom 8:7.].]
This fact is also realized, to an inconceivable degree
[It would appear impossible for a man so to hate God, as that HIS annihilation and extinction should prove to them a source of real satisfaction: but I put it to the consciences of all, and ask, Supposing we were told, from undoubted authority, that there was no God to control us, no God to inspect our ways, no God to call us to an account, and that we were at liberty to follow our own ways without any fear of a hereafter, would it not, on the whole, be an acceptable report? The Psalmist says, The fool hath said in his heart, No God [Note: Psa 14:1.]. Now, whether we understand that as an affirmation or a wish, it equally shews what I am now contending for; that the very existence of God is a burthen to the carnal mind; and that the extinction of it, if it were possible, would be welcomed as a relief. In truth, we flee from him, as Adam did after the fall [Note: Gen 3:8.], and banish him from our minds as much as possible [Note: Psa 10:4.], and live altogether as without him in the world [Note: Eph 2:12.]. And thus we give a clear proof that we should esteem it no loss if we could get rid of him altogether.]
Melancholy, indeed, is this fact. I will now endeavour to,
II.
Account for it
One would suppose, that He who is all excellence in himself, and the one source of all benefits to man, should be an object of love, and not of hatred, to us: and so he would be, if we had retained our primitive state of innocence: but we have fallen, and are become inconceivably depraved: and therefore we hate him on account of,
1.
The contrariety that exists between him and us
[There is not a greater difference between light and darkness, than between, him and us; not only in his natural attributes, which, of course, we cannot resemble, but in his moral perfections also, which in our original creation were enstamped upon us. There is not any one thing which God loves, which we do not hate with a perfect hatred. Holiness, in all its branches, is that which he approves: but in no one respect do we love it. A conformity to his image we never seek; nay, if we behold it in another, we hate and abhor it. This matter has been put to a trial. God himself has become incarnate, and exhibited to the world a perfect transcript of his perfections: and how did the world treat him? There was not an indignity which they did not offer him; nor did they rest, till they had put him to the most ignominious death. Nor was this the conduct of the ignorant populace alone, but of every rank and order in society: kings, priests, people, all joined in the same murderous assaults upon him. His image, too, was represented in his holy Prophets and Apostles: and how were all of them treated? In every age they were the objects of most inveterate hatred; insomuch, that, of all the Apostles, one alone escaped the sword of martyrdom. And is human nature different now from what it was in former ages? The laws of men have imposed restraints on the enmity of the heart: but were those restraints removed, and occasion for the exercise of mens evil dispositions afforded, the same scenes would be transacted now as formerly: for men at this hour, no less than in former ages, love darkness rather than light; and would gladly extinguish the light, that they might be left to follow their own ways unmolested and unreproved.]
2.
The consciousness we feel that he will summon us to his tribunal
[We may treat revelation as we will; but we all feel in our bosoms a persuasion that God inspects our ways, and hates our proceedings, and will avenge the breaches of his holy laws. We may try to divest ourselves of these feelings, and may prevail to dissipate them for a moment; but they will return; and at certain times and seasons will occasion much uneasiness to the mind, and produce there a wish that we could by any means avoid the judgment that awaits us. We feel that God is, and must be, an enemy to us: and therefore we cannot contemplate him with any other feeling than that of fear and dread.
It may be said indeed by some, that this is by no means their experience: that, on the contrary, they feel a complacent regard for God, and a grateful sense of his mercies.
But to this I would answer, It is not to God as revealed in the Scripture, but as they paint him to themselves in their own vain imaginations, that they feel this regard. They conceive of him as bearing no anger against them for their sins, and as lowering his demands of obedience to the standard which they have fixed for themselves, and as looking with complacency on their formal self-righteous endeavours: it is in this view of him alone that they are pleased with him: they despoil him of his own proper attributes, and clothe him with attributes of their own creation; and then they worship the work of their own hands. But, let him be presented to them in his own proper characteras a holy Being, that cannot look upon iniquity without the utmost abhorrence; as a just Being, that cannot but punish with everlasting destruction every impenitent sinner; and as a God of truth, that will accept no human being but as clothed in the righteousness of his dear Sonand they will lose all their fancied regard for him, and shew towards him all the aversion which we have before described. They will find in themselves that Scripture realized, My soul lothed them; and their soul abhorred me [Note: Zec 11:8.].]
Regarding the fact as proved, I now come to,
III.
Make some reflections upon it
In the view of this fact, we may observe,
1.
How deep should be our humiliation before God!
[Men are not humbled, because they will not look at themselves in the glass of Gods word. They think only of some particular sins which they may have committed; and put out of view altogether the disposition of their souls towards God. But, if we would have a just sense of our condition we must probe our hearts to the bottom; and see, not merely what we are, but what we should have been if we had been left to follow our dispositions without restraint. Look at the souls that are now shut up in the abodes of misery in hell: Has any new disposition been infused into them, since they have entered into the eternal world? No: they have only the dispositions which they carried with them: and the only difference is, that they are now left to manifest to the uttermost what in this world was kept from issuing forth in all its full malignity. Under the displeasure of their God, so far are they from humbling themselves before him, that they gnaw their tongues with anguish, and blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains [Note: Rev 16:10-11.]. What would they have said in this world, if they had been told what was really in their hearts? They would have deemed it a gross calumny. But such would be our deportment here, if our corruptions were not restrained, either by education, or by the preventing grace of God. And, if we be sensible how great our depravity is, we shall see that no humiliation can be too deep for any of us; but that it becomes all of us, without exception, to abhor ourselves, even as holy Job did, in dust and ashes.]
2.
What obligations we owe to God for his Gospel!
[In the Gospel is revealed a way of reconciliation for us, through Christ. O! what love was it that bestowed upon us such an inestimable gift as that of Gods only dear Son, to make reconciliation for us through the blood of his cross! And here it is particularly to be noticed, that God does not so much offer to be reconciled to us, as he invites us to be reconciled to him. The address which his ministers are commissioned to make to men, is, We beseech you in Christs stead, Be ye reconciled to God [Note: 2Co 5:20.]. The great obstruction to friendship between God and us lies altogether on our part. Not a single moment would God retain his anger against us, if we humbled ourselves before him, and besought his favour for Christs sake. But, though importuned by him, we continue obstinate in our alienation from him. Still, however, the Gospel follows us with invitations and entreaties to lay aside our enmity, and to accept his proffered mercies. Be thankful for this marvellous kindness vouchsafed unto you: for, if once you be taken into the eternal world, there will be no longer any forbearance on the part of God; but his wrath will burst forth against you, and burn even to the lowest hell to all eternity [Note: Psa 11:6. Rom 2:8-9.]. It would be terrible to have all the creation for your enemies: but to have the Creator himself your enemy, and that for ever and ever, O! how inconceivably terrible will this be! Well! bless your God that this need not be your fate, nor shall be, if only you will throw down the weapons of your rebellion, and implore mercy at Gods hands for Christs sake.]
3.
What a blessing the Gospel proves to all who receive it!
[The effect of the Gospel is, to slay this enmity, and to bring the soul into a state of peace with God. Nor does it merely put away our guilt; but removes also our indisposition to what is good and holy, and even writes the law of God upon our hearts; so that there is in those who receive it as great a resemblance to God, as there was before a contrariety. The mind of a true convert is brought into a conformity to Gods mind, and his ways into a conformity to Gods ways. Thus, being agreed, they walk together in mutual love; and earth is made, to man, a foretaste of heaven itself. See, then, my brethren, that ye experience this effect. See that you love all that God loves, and do all that God approves. Then will you shew that there is an efficacy in the Gospel to transform the soul into the Divine image, and to render it meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Ver. 30. Haters of God ] And so God-murderers,1Jn 3:151Jn 3:15 . See Trapp on “ 1Jn 3:15 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Backbiters = evil speakers (not necessarily behind the back). Greek. katalalos. Only here. Compare 2Co 12:20. 1Pe 2:1.
haters of God = hateful to God. Greek. theostuges. Only here.
despiteful = insolent. Greek. hubristes. Only here and 1Ti 1:13.
proud. Greek. huperephanos. Here, Luk 1:51. 2Ti 3:2. Jam 4:6. 1Pe 5:6.
boasters. Greek. alazon. Only here and 2Ti 3:2.
inventors. Greek. epheuretes. Only here.
evil. Greek. kakos. App-128.
disobedient. See Act 26:19.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rom 1:30. , whisperers), who defame secretly.-, back-biters), who defame openly.-) men who show themselves to be haters of God-) those who insolently drive away from themselves all that is good and salutary.-) those who exalt themselves above others. On this vice, and others which are here noticed, see 2Ti 3:2, etc.-) [boasters, Engl. vers.], assuming, in reference to things great and good.[18]- , inventors of evil things) of new pleasures, of new methods of acquiring wealth, of new modes of injuring others, for example in war, 2Ma 7:31. Antiochus is said to have been [an inventor of every kind of evil] against the Hebrews.
[18] , boastful in words; , proud in thoughts; , insolent in acts.-See Trench Syn.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 1:30
Rom 1:30
backbiters,-Backbiters are those who openly and avowedly calumniate or speak ill of those who are absent.
hateful to God,-Because they are so polluted with sin. The detestableness of their character-‘is abhorred of Jehovah (Pro 22:14), and he put them to a perpetual reproach (Psa 78:66).
insolent,-The insolent are contemptuously offensive and grossly disrespected, and do what they like, without considering whether they trample under their feet the rights, the property, or the lives of others.
haughty,-The haughty have an inordinate self-esteem, an unreasonable conceit of the superiority of their own talents, beauty, wealth, and accomplishments. Being thus raised to such an eminence, they look down with contempt upon all beneath them and cannot regard any as on a level with themselves.
boastful,-The boastful are vainglorious about themselves or that which they possess, and they are not slow about proclaiming their own merits to those around them. [They do not design, like the haughty, to crush by the force of their greatness, but make a lying show of it.]
inventors of evil things,-The word evil must be taken in its widest sense, as including every species of wickedness which could injure themselves or others. So intent were they on practicing evil, so resolved to gratify their passions, that the mind was excited to discover new modes of gratification. In cities of luxury and vice this has always been done. Vices change their form, men become satiated, and they are obliged to resort to some new form. [Those who invent evil things to acquire property, to satisfy ambition, or to gratify lusts are certainly included]
disobedient to parents,-Apostasy from the affections due to parents is a fountain of great corruption. That this sin should be mentioned in this black list shows the light in which Jehovah regards it. This vice was exceedingly common among the heathen. Multitudes of them cast off their old and infirm parents to perish from starvation, cold, or by the violence of wild beasts. No other sin mentioned more clearly indicates the great depth to which they had sunk. [This sin is growing rapidly among the people of this country, and this refusal to yield to this primal, natural authority tends to a reckless resistance to all rightful government, whether human or divine.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Backbiters: Pro 25:23
haters: Rom 8:7, Rom 8:8, Num 10:35, Deu 7:10, 2Ch 19:2, Psa 81:15, Pro 8:36, Joh 7:7, Joh 15:23, Joh 15:24, Tit 3:3
boasters: Rom 2:17, Rom 2:23, Rom 3:27, 1Ki 20:11, 2Ch 25:19, Psa 10:3, Psa 49:6, Psa 52:1, Psa 94:4, Psa 97:7, Act 5:36, 2Co 10:15, 2Th 2:4, Jam 3:5, Jam 4:16, 2Pe 2:18, Jud 1:16
inventors: Psa 99:8, Psa 106:39, Ecc 7:29
disobedient: Deu 21:18-21, Deu 27:16, Pro 30:17, Eze 22:7, Mat 16:21, Mat 15:4, Luk 21:16, 2Ti 3:2
Reciprocal: Exo 20:5 – of them Deu 32:41 – them that hate Jdg 9:29 – would to God Psa 15:3 – backbiteth Pro 24:8 – General Isa 30:11 – cause Eze 14:5 – estranged Eze 16:45 – that loatheth Mic 2:1 – to Eph 4:31 – evil speaking Col 1:21 – sometime 1Ti 1:9 – disobedient
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
:30
Rom 1:30. Backbiters means about the same as “whisperers” in the preceding verse; those who would Blander you “behind your back.” Haters of God is proved by their worship of false gods. Despiteful is similar to mali cious, and such characters also will show their pride. Boasters are those who love to practice those evils and want others to know about it. Inventors of evil things. They not only follow in the steps of wicked persons, but also devise evil ways of their own. Disobedient to parents means they have repudiated the rightful authority of their father and mother.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 1:30. Backbiters; open slanderers, or calumniators.
Hateful to God; or, as in the E. V., haters of God. The former sense is the classical one; the latter is supposed to be more in accordance with the Biblical view of God. Leaving the word in its strict signification, hated of God, we recognize in it a summary judgment of moral indignation respecting all the preceding particulars; so that, looking back on these, it forms a resting-point in the disgraceful catalogue (Meyer). This suits the connection better: If any crime was known more than another, as hated by the gods, it was that of informers, abandoned persons who circumvented and ruined others by a system of malignant espionage and false information(Alford).
Insolent, haughty, boasters; three terms applying to self-exaltation, the last the least offensive.
Disobedient to parents. Apostasy from the piety and affection due to parents is a fountain of corruption. See Mal 4:6; Luk 1:17 (Lange).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 30a. Whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters.
The dispositions expressed in the six terms of this group are those of which pride is the centre. There is no reason for reducing them to four, as Hofmann would, by making the second term the epithet of the first, and the fourth that of the third; this does not suit the rapidity of the enumeration and the need of accumulating terms., whisperer, the man who pours his poison against his neighbor by whispering into the ear; , the man who blackens publicly; signifies, in the two classical passages where it is found (Euripides), hated of God, and Meyer therefore contends that the passive sense ought to be preserved here, while generalizing it; the name would thus signify all hardened malefactors. But this general meaning is impossible in an enumeration in which the sense of each term is limited by that of all the rest. The active signification: hating God, is therefore the only suitable one; it is the highest manifestation of pride, which cannot brook the thought of this superior and judge; one might say: the most monstrous form of calumny (the malediction of Providence); Suidas and CEcumenius, two writers nearer the living language than we, thought they could give to this word the active signification, a fact which justifies it sufficiently. To insolence toward God (the sin of among the Greeks) there is naturally joined insult offered to men: , insolent, despiteful. The term (from , ), proud, designates the man who, from a feeling of his own superiority, regards others with haughtiness; while , boaster, denotes the man who seeks to attract admiration by claiming advantages he does not really possess.
Vv. 30b, 31. Inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without tenderness, without pity.
The last group refers to the extinction of all the natural feelings of humanity, filial affection, loyalty, tenderness, and pity. It includes six terms. The first, inventors of evil things, denotes those who pass their lives meditating on the evil to be done to others; so Antiochus Epiphanes is called by the author of 2 Macc. (2Ma 7:31), , and Sejanus by Tacitus, facinorum repertor. People of this stamp have usually begun to betray their bad character in the bosom of their familiesthey have been disobedient to their parents., without understanding, denotes the man who is incapable of lending an ear to wise counsel; thus understood, it has a natural connection with the previous term; Hofmann cites Psa 32:8-9., which many translate irreconcilable, can hardly have this meaning, for the verb from which it comes does not signify to reconcile, but to decide in common, and hence to make a treaty. The adjective therefore describes the man who without scruple violates the contracts he has signed, the faithless man. , without tenderness, from , to cherish, caress, foster; this word denotes the destruction even of the feelings of natural tenderness, as is seen in a mother who exposes or kills her child, a father who abandons his family, or children who neglect their aged parents. If the following word in the T. R., , truce-breakers, were authentic, its meaning would be confounded with that of , rightly understood., without pity, is closely connected with the preceding , without tenderness; but its meaning is more general. It refers not only to tender feelings within the family circle; here it calls up before the mind the entire population of the great cities flocking to the circus to behold the fights of gladiators, frantically applauding the effusion of human blood, and gloating over the dying agonies of the vanquished combatant. Such is an example of the unspeakable hardness of heart to which the whole society of the Gentile world descended. What would it have come to if a regenerating breath had not at this supreme moment passed over it? It is in this last group that the fact which the apostle is concerned to bring out is most forcibly emphasized, that of a divine judgment manifesting itself in this state of things. In fact, we have no more before us iniquities which can be explained by a simple natural egoism. They are enormities which are as unnatural as the infamies described above as the punishment of heathenism. Thus is proved the abandonment of men to a mind void of discernment (the of Rom 1:28).
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
backbiters [outspoken slanderers], hateful to God [many contend that this should read “haters of God,” since Paul is enumerating the vices of men, and not God’s attitude toward them. Others, following the reading in the text, see in these words what Meyer calls “a resting-point in the disgraceful catalogue”–a place where Paul pauses to reveal God’s moral indignation toward the crimes particularized. But Alford takes the words in a colloquial sense as describing the political informers of that period. “If,” says he, “any crime was known more than another, as ‘hated by the God,’ it was that of informers, abandoned persons who circumvented and ruined others by a system of malignant espionage and false information,” though he does not confine the term wholly to that class], insolent, haughty, boastful [these three words describe the various phases of self-exultation, which, a sin in all ages, was at that time indulged in to the extent of blasphemy, for Cicero, Juvenal and Horace all claim that virtue is from man himself, and not from God], inventors of evil things [inventors of new methods of evading laws, schemers who discover new ways by which to unjustly accumulate property, discoverers of new forms of sensuous, lustful gratification, etc.], disobedient to parents,
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
30. Secret maligners, i. e., eaves-droppers clandestinely stirring up a hell-fire to burn you forever, meanwhile they flatter you with their lips, and claim to be your best friends. These slanderers. How frequently does murder follow slander! These remorseless liars, whether clandestinely or openly, set whole communities on the fires of hell, often deluging homes with blood. Haters of God. Satan imparts his own nature to the people given up to him. So they actually loathe and despise the God who made them and gives them the air they breathe. Proud, haughty, arrogant.
These words express different phases of that abominable Satanic delusion that makes the beggar think he is a king, the fool think he is a philosopher, the debauchee think he is a gentleman, and the hypocrite think he is a saint. Practitioners of evil, i. e., they are professional scoundrels, ready to do anything that is bad and nothing that is good. If they pretentiously do good, it is only a cloak for their meanness, that they may unsuspected perpetrate a blacker crime. Disobedient to parents. How awfully dissolute the present age on parental discipline: children rushing headlong to hell under the immediate eye of parents who make a profession of Christianity! In many so-called Christian homes, the children are Incorrigible. In Georgia, an old- style Methodist forbade his daughters to attend Satans dances, their silly, half-hearted mother encouraging them to go and catch beaux so they could marry. One day the father comes into the family room, finding them all busy making lustful ball-dresses, getting ready for Satans fandango. They could no longer hide the matter, so they confess outright. He then picks up all of the goods, seventy dollars worth, and laid them into the big, old-style wood fire, and looks at them till they all burn into ashes. Then turning he addresses his wife and daughters: If there is anything more of this, I will sell out [and he had a princely house] and give all I have to the missionary cause, tramp for my living, and you shall all go to the wash-tub for your bread. He had an iron will, and they knew he would do it, so he had no more trouble to rule his house. Good Lord, give us more like him!