Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 3:13
Their throat [is] an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips:
13. an open sepulchre ] Perhaps as “ uttering abomination.” “Emitting the noisome exhalations of a putrid heart (Bp Home on Psa 5:9).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Their throat … – This expression is taken from Psa 5:9, literally from the Septuagint. The design of the psalm is to reprove those who were false, traitorous, slanderous, etc. Psa 5:6. The psalmist has the sin of deceit, and falsehood, and slander particularly in his eye. The expressions here are to be interpreted in accordance with that. The sentiment here may be, as the grave is ever open to receive all into it, that is, into destruction, so the mouth or the throat of the slanderer is ever open to swallow up the peace and happiness of all. Or it may mean, as from an open sepulchre there proceeds an offensive and pestilential vapor, so from the mouths of slanderous persons there proceed noisome and ruinous words. (Stuart.) I think the connection demands the former interpretation.
With their tongues … – In their conversation, their promises, etc., they have been false, treacherous, and unfaithful.
The poison of asps – This is taken literally from the Septuagint of Psa 140:3. The asp, or adder, is a species of serpent whose poison is of such active operation that it kills almost the instant that it penetrates, and that without remedy. It is small, and commonly lies concealed, often in the sand in a road, and strikes the traveler before he sees it. It is found chiefly in Egypt and Lybia. It is said by ancient writers that the celebrated Cleopatra, rather than be carried a captive to Rome by Augustus, suffered an asp to bite her in the arm, by which she soon died. The precise species of serpent which is here meant by the psalmist, however, cannot be ascertained. All that is necessary to understand the passage is, that it refers to a serpent whose bite was deadly, and rapid in its execution.
Is under their lips – The poison of the serpent is contained in a small bag which is concealed at the root of the tooth. When the tooth is struck into the flesh, the poison is pressed out, through a small hole in the tooth, into the wound. Whether the psalmist was acquainted with that fact, or referred to it, cannot be known: his words do not of necessity imply it. The sentiment is, that as the poison of the asp is rapid, certain, spreading quickly through the system, and producing death; so the words of the slanderer are deadly, pestiferous, quickly destroying the reputation and happiness of man. They are as subtle, as insinuating, and as deadly to the reputation, as the poison of the adder is to the body. Wicked people in the Bible are often compared to serpents; Mat 23:33; Gen 49:17.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre] This and all the following verses to the end of the 18th Ro 3:13-18 are found in the Septuagint, but not in the Hebrew text; and it is most evident that it was from this version that the apostle quoted, as the verses cannot be found in any other place with so near an approximation to the apostle’s meaning and words. The verses in question, however, are not found in the Alexandrian MS. But they exist in the Vulgate, the AEthiopic, and the Arabic. As the most ancient copies of the Septuagint do not contain these verses, some contend that the apostle has quoted them from different parts of Scripture; and later transcribers of the Septuagint, finding that the 10th, 11th, and 12th, verses were quoted from the xivth Psalm, Ps 14:3 imagined that the rest were found originally there too, and so incorporated them in their copies, from the apostle’s text.
Their throat is an open sepulchre-By their malicious and wicked words they bury, as it were, the reputation of all men. The whole of this verse appears to belong to their habit of lying, defamation, slandering, &c., by which they wounded, blasted, and poisoned the reputation of others.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Their throat is an open sepulchre; he proceeds to instance in the corruption of man with respect to the members of his body; and he mentions the organs of speech in four several expressions, much to the same purpose: the first is allegorical, taken out of Psa 5:9, upon which see the annotations.
With their tongues they have used deceit; this text doth plainly express the corruption of the tongue, because of lies, calumnies, perjuries, flatteries; and it is taken out of Jer 9:3-5.
The poison of asps is under their lips: the third expression is allegorical, as the first, taken out of Psa 140:3, upon which see the annotations.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13-18. Their, c.Fromgenerals, the apostle here comes to particulars, culling fromdifferent parts of Scripture passages which speak of depravity as itaffects the different members of the body as if to show moreaffectingly how “from the sole of the foot even to the headthere is no soundness” in us.
throat is an open sepulchre(Ps 5:9); that is, “Whatproceeds out of their heart, and finds vent in speech and actionthrough the throat, is like the pestilential breath of an opengrave.”
with their tongues they haveused deceit (Ps 5:9);that is, “That tongue which is man’s glory (Psa 16:9;Psa 57:8) is prostituted to thepurposes of deception.”
the poison of asps is undertheir lips (Ps 140:3):that is, “Those lips which should ‘drop as an honeycomb,’ and’feed many,’ and ‘give thanks unto His name’ (Son 4:11;Pro 10:21; Heb 13:15),are employed to secrete and to dart deadly poison.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Their throat is an open sepulchre,…. The several vices of the instruments of speech are here, and in the following verse, exposed: “the throat” is said to “be an open sepulchre”, as in Ps 5:9, so called, for its voracity and insatiableness; both as an instrument of speech, for the words of the wicked are devouring ones; and as an instrument of swallowing, and so may denote the sinner’s eager desire after sin, the delight and pleasure he takes in it, the abundance of it he takes in, and his insatiable greediness for it; likewise for its filthy stench, the communication of evil men being corrupt; and because, as by an open grave, persons may fall unawares to their hurt, so the evil communications of wicked men, as they corrupt good manners, are dangerous and hurtful: R. Aben Ezra explains it by
, “immediate destruction”, or sudden death:
with their tongues they have used deceit; which may design the sin of flattery, for the words in Ps 5:9; the place referred to, are, “they flatter with their tongue”; either God or men, themselves or others, their princes or their neighbour; for there are flatterers in things sacred and civil, there are self-flatterers, court flatterers, and flattering preachers, and all abominable and mischievous; or the phrase may design the sin of lying, either politically, officiously, perniciously, and religiously; and in this latter way, either with respect to doctrine or practice:
the poison of asps is under their lips; or as in Ps 140:3, “adders’ poison is under their lips”. The asp is but a small creature, and so is the tongue, Jas 3:5, but there is a world of mischief in it, signified by poison; which, as that, is latent and secret, is under it; and as that stupefies and kills insensibly, so an evil tongue does, and that in a deadly and incurable manner: oftentimes the Jews speak of the evil imagination, or corruption of nature entering into persons, and operating in them, “as poison in an angry serpent” w.
w T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 62. 2. Yoma, fol. 9. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Throat (). Old word, larynx.
Open sepulchre ( ). Perfect passive participle of , “an opened grave.” Their mouth (words) like the odour of a newly opened grave. “Some portions of Greek and Roman literature stink like a newly opened grave” (Shedd).
They have used deceit (). Imperfect (not perfect or aorist as the English implies) active of , only in LXX and here in the N.T. from the common adjective , deceitful (2Co 11:13). The regular form would be . The – ending for third plural in imperfect and aorist was once thought to be purely Alexandrian because so common in the LXX, but it is common in the Boeotian and Aeolic dialects and occurs in in the N.T. (John 15:22; John 15:24). “They smoothed their tongues” in the Hebrew.
Poison (). Old word both for rust (Jas 5:3) and poison (Jas 3:8).
Of asps (). Common word for round bowl, shield, then the Egyptian cobra (a deadly serpent). Often in LXX. Only here in the N.T. The poison of the asp lies in a bag under the lips (), often in LXX, only here in N.T. Genitive case after (is full).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Open sepulchre [ ] . Lit., a sepulchre opened or standing open. Some explain the figure by the noisome exhalations from a tomb. Others refer it to a pit standing open and ready to devour, comparing Jer 5:16, where the quiver of the Chaldaeans is called an open sepulchre. So Meyer and Morison. Godet compares the phrase used of a brutal man : “it seems as if he would like to eat you.” Compare Dante’s vision of the lion :
“With head uplifted and with ravenous hunger, So that it seemed the air was afraid of him.” ” Inferno, ” 1, 47.
Have used deceit [] . Hebrew, they smoothed their tongues.
Guile is contrasted with violence in the previous clause. Wyc., with their tongues they did guilingly. The imperfect tense denotes perseverance in their hypocritical professions.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Their throat is an open Sepulchre;” (taphos aneogmenos ho larngks auton) “A grave is their open throat,” or like an open grave that gives forth evidence of putrefaction, Psa 5:9; Our Lord likened hypocritical Pharisees to Whited Sepulchers, Mat 23:27-29. The idea is one of uncleanness, especially moral uncleanness.
2) “With their tongues they have used deceit,” (tais glossais auton edoliousan) “With their tongues they have acted deceitfully;” From the desperately deceitful heart, the mouth speaks, Jer 17:9; Mat 12:34; Luk 6:45; Psa 10:7.
3) “The poison of asps is under their lips,” (ios aspidon hupo ta cheile auton) “Poison (as) of asps is under their lips,” or venom of a serpent is beneath their lips that cause sharp tongues, Psa 140:3. They, Jew and Gentile, are by nature like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear or will not heed the charmer –they stop their ear, are obstinately disobedient to the voice and call of God, Psa 58:3-6.
In their rejection of Christ, he called the Jews a generation,” progeny, or a genealogical offspring of serpents, vipers, or snake-hearted hypocrites, Mat 23:7; Mat 23:33; so did John the Baptist, Mat 3:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. It is further added, Their throat is an open grave; (100) that is, a gulf to swallow up men. It is more than if he had said, that they were devourers ( ἀνθρωποφάγους — men-eaters;) for it is an intimation of extreme barbarity, when the throat is said to be so great a gulf, that it is sufficient to swallow down and devour men whole and entire. Their tongues are deceitful, and, the poison of asps is under their lips, import the same thing,
(100) This is from Psa 5:9, that is, the first part, and is literally the Septuagint, which correctly represents the Hebrew. The last clause is from Psa 140:3, and is according to the Septuagint, and the Hebrew, too, except that “asps,” or adders, is in the singular number. [ Stuart ] gives the import of this figurative language different from [ Calvin ] : “As from the sepulchre,” he says, “issues forth an offensive and pestilential vapor; so from the mouths of slanderous persons issue noisome and pestilential words. Their words are like poison, they utter the poisonous breath of slander.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) Their throat is an open sepulchrei.e., their speech is at once corrupt and corrupting. It is compared to a yawning gravenot merely to a pit into which a man may fall, but to a sort of pestiferous chasm yawning and ravening, as it were, after its prey.
They have used deceit.Strictly, they were deceiving; a continued action brought up to the present time.
Under their lips.As the poison-bag of the serpent is directly under the kind of tooth by which its venom is discharged.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. An open sepulchre As swallowing the once living; and, like the whited sepulchres of the Saviour’s words, full of dead men’s bones.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
All Men Have Committed Particular Sins (3:13-18).
He then goes on to demonstrate this with regard to particular sins. It will be noted that the first four lines are related to sins of speech, and the next three to sins of violence, whilst the list ends up with the claim that there is no fear of God before their eyes, for if there was they would not commit such sins.
Their throat is an open sepulchre,
With their tongues they have used deceit, (Psa 5:9 LXX)
The poison of asps is under their lips (Psa 140:3 LXX),
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, (Psa 10:7)
Their feet are swift to shed blood, (Psa 59:7-8)
Destruction and misery are in their ways,
And the way of peace have they not known. (Isa 59:7 ff LXX)
There is no fear of God before their eyes.’ (Psa 36:1)
It is noteworthy that the list begins by dealing with sins of the tongue, sins of which all are guilty. The idea of the throat being an open sepulchre reflects ‘uncleanness’. Open sepulchres were to be avoided for that reason. Thus the idea may be that out of men’s mouths came what was unclean and would defile others. But the idea may also possibly be that whereas sepulchres normally hide their corruption and uncleanness, being closed up and sealed, man, by what he says, opens up his corruption and uncleanness for all to see and hear. In this gossipers and backbiters may well be especially in mind. There may also be the indication that such a person’s words are a trap for the unwary, for a careless man could easily fall into an open sepulchre.
This is then especially related to their tongues using deceit, in order to deceive men and corrupt them, and bring them down. All of us are at times glib with our tongues, and all of us at some time seek to deceive others (although we often excuse it in ourselves). So man with his mouth and his words is seen as working untold harm in the world (compare Rom 1:29-30). The poison of asps under their lips emphasises the fact that their words are poisonous and destructive. Here the thought is mainly of the maliciousness of men and women, a maliciousness which can result in cruel and hurtful words, backbiting, slanderous accusations, and the murdering of other people’s reputations by gossip and tale bearing.
Their mouths being ‘full of cursing and bitterness’ brings out their attitude towards their fellowmen. They seek to bring curses on them and speak bitterly of them. Such people curse and swear and reveal their own bitterness of heart in the bitter things that they say. But, as James points out, with the same tongue they bless God and curse men, and he adds, ‘my brothers, these things ought not to be’ (Jas 3:9-10).
It will be noted up to this point that the emphasis has been on the effect of what people say. For what people say is of such importance that Jesus said that, ‘For every idle word that men shall speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment’ (Mat 12:36). Compare ‘The tongue is a little member — set on fire of Hell’ (Jas 3:5-6). No wonder James says that if anyone does not sin with his tongue, he is a perfect man (Jas 3:2).
‘Their feet are swift to shed blood’ (Pro 1:16; Isa 59:7). Their feet being swift to shed blood indicates an unhealthy eagerness for violence. Men move at a run because they are so eager to hurt and kill each other. Here the emphasis is on people’s violence and its consequences.
‘Destruction and misery are in their ways’ (Isa 59:7). Here the concentration is on the harm that people do to each other, and the misery that people bring to each other, by the way in which they behave. Men who meet up with them can expect nothing but harm and belligerence. For they know nothing of the path of peace.
‘And the way of peace have they not known’ (Isa 59:8). Such people have no desire to bring peace into the world in which they live, nor to seek peace. Rather they bring trouble and distress. It was in contrast to this that Jesus said, ‘blessed are the peace-makers, for they will be called sons of God’ (Mat 5:9).
‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’ (Psa 36:1). This final statement both sums men and women up and is a final indictment on them. They live without regard for God and for His judgment, and that fact comes out in their lives and in the way that they behave. All this is of course the very opposite of ‘loving your neighbour as yourself’. And they do all this because they do not truly ‘believe’. For if they did believe they would fear God and avoid such things.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Ver. 13. The poison of the asps ] Of that sort of asps that spit their venom far from them upon the bystanders. ( .) There is a great deal of such vermin and venom in that newly found world of wickedness, the tongue, Jas 3:6 . It is easy to observe that St Paul here, making the anatomy of a natural man, stands more on the organs of speaking than all other members, and showeth how his tongue is tipped with fraud, his lips tainted with venom, his mouth full of gall, his throat a gaping grave, his tongue as a rapier to run men through with, and his throat as a sepulchre to bury them in. As for the asp, they write of her, That whereas her poison is so deadly, that the part infected cannot be cured but by cutting off, succurrit periclitantibus benignior natura, et noxiosissimo animali caliginosos obtutus dedit. (Jo. Wover.) Aspidi (saith Pliny, viii. 23) hebetes oculi dati, eosque non in fronte, sed in temporibus habet.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13. ] , an Alexandrine form for ; see Lobeck, Phrynichus, p. 349. The open sepulchre is an emblem of perdition , to which their throat, as the instrument of their speech, is compared.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rom 3:13 . is an exact quotation of Psa 5:10 (LXX). The original seems to describe foreign enemies whose false and treacherous language threatened ruin to Israel. For the form , see Winer, p. 91 (f.). The termination is common in the LXX: Wetstein quotes one grammarian who calls it Boeotian and another Chalcidic; it was apparently widely diffused. The last clause, . . ., is Psa 139:4 , LXX.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Their. Psa 5:9 shows that this refers to the boasters and workers of iniquity of Rom 3:5. Compare Rom 1:24-32; Rom 2:17, Rom 2:23.
throat: i.e. speech; by Figure of speech Metonymy. App-6. Greek. larunx;. Only here.
open sepulchre = opened sepulchre; literally a tomb that has been opened, emitting noisomeness.
sepulchre. Greek. taphos. Only here, Mat 23:27, Mat 23:29; Mat 27:61, Mat 27:64, Mat 27:66; Mat 28:1. Applied to any place where dead bodies are deposited. Mnemeion, rendered “sepulchre”, is found only in Gospels and Act 13:29, and means a monumental tomb. Compare Mat 27:60.
tongues. See Psa 140:11.
have used deceit = deceived. Greek. dolioo; only here. The kindred verb occurs 2Co 4:2.
the. Omit. poison. Greek. ioa. Occurs here and Jam 3:8; Jam 5:3.
asps. Rendered “adders” in Psa 140:3. Greek. aspis. Only here. Compare Jam 3:5, Jam 3:6, Jam 3:8. Deu 32:33.
lips = language. Figure of speech Metonymy. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13.] , an Alexandrine form for ; see Lobeck, Phrynichus, p. 349. The open sepulchre is an emblem of perdition, to which their throat, as the instrument of their speech, is compared.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 3:13. –) so the LXX., Psa 5:10; Psa 140:4.-) a sepulchre lately opened, and therefore very fetid.- , their throat) Observe the course of the conversation, as it flows from the heart, by the avenue of their throat, their tongues, and their lips-the whole is comprised in the mouth; a great part of sin consists in words.- ) under theirlips; for on their lips is the sweetness of honey.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 3:13
Rom 3:13
Their throat is an open sepulchre;-An open sepulcher emits foul odors, which depicts the evil that comes out of their mouth. [The deadly calumny by which the wicked destroy their fellow men is taken in the sense of gaping, as the grave, to denote their readiness to destroy them, as the grave seems ready for, and, as it were, expects, the dead, and cannot be satisfied.]
With their tongues they have used deceit:-Their words are deceitful and misleading. [Back of a deceptive tongue lies a deceptive heart which studies to deceive, and the tongue uses words suited to that end.]
The poison of asps is under their lips:-The words of these evil persons strike with the poison that would destroy the purest character. [This intimates the extreme noxiousness of the slander by comparing it to the deadly poison of asps, designating that virulent slander which cankers the highest reputation and those biting speeches which sting even to death. (Jas 3:8).]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
throat: Psa 5:9, Jer 5:16, Mat 23:27, Mat 23:28
with their: Rom 3:4, Psa 5:9, Psa 12:3, Psa 12:4, Psa 36:3, Psa 52:2, Psa 57:4, Isa 59:3, Jer 9:3-5, Eze 13:7, Mat 12:34, Mat 12:35, Jam 3:5-8
the poison: Deu 32:33, Job 20:14-16, Psa 140:3
Reciprocal: Gen 3:15 – enmity Lev 11:13 – the eagle 1Ki 20:7 – seeketh mischief Job 20:16 – the poison Psa 10:7 – and deceit Psa 50:19 – tongue Psa 58:4 – poison Psa 91:13 – adder Pro 1:12 – as the Mic 6:12 – spoken Mat 15:11 – but Luk 6:45 – and an Eph 4:29 – no 1Ti 3:8 – doubletongued Jam 3:6 – a world Jam 3:8 – full Rev 13:6 – he opened
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
:13
Rom 3:13. Through several verses Paul is describing the evil conduct of many persons in both Jewish and Gentile nations. When a sepulchre is opened, the corruptions in it are manifest. These characters were so bold in their sinful utterances that Paul compares their throats to the sepulchre. Deceitful language is as dangerous as the poison of asps, a very venomous kind of snake.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 3:13. Their throat is an open sepulchre. Quoted accurately from the Greek version of Psa 5:9. The reference is to sinful speech. The figure is either from the noxious odor, or from the insatiableness of an open grave. In either case, the reference is to the corrupting character of the speech.
They have used deceit. Habitual, continued action is expressed. Hebrew: their tongues they make smooth.
The poison of asps, etc. Accurately quoted from (LXX.) Psa 140:3, latter half of the verse. The Hebrew is: poison of an adder; but the distinction between the two classes of venomous serpents is not maintained in the LXX. The reference is to the malice which is behind the cunning of their tongues. Perhaps the thought of the poison bag under the serpents fangs suggests the figure.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 13, 14. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
These four propositions refer to the different organs of speech, and show them all exercising their power to hurt, under the dominion of sin. The throat (larynx) is compared to a sepulchre; this refers to the language of the gross and brutal man, of whom it is said in common parlance: it seems as if he would like to eat you. The characteristic which follows contrasts with the former; it is the sugared tongue, which charms you like a melodious instrument. The imperfect (Alex. form) denotes the action as continually repeated. These two features are borrowed from Psa 5:9, where they describe the behavior of David’s enemies. The third proposition is taken from Psa 140:3, which treats of the same subject; what is meant is that calumny and falsehood which malignant lips give forth, as the serpent infuses its poison. The fourth (Rom 3:14) describes the wickedness which is cast in your face by a mouth full of hatred or bitterness; it is borrowed from Psa 10:7, where the contrast is between the weak godly man and the powerful wicked man within the theocracy itself.
This picture of human depravity manifesting itself in word is completed by the description of the same wickedness shown in deeds.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit [Psa 5:9]: The poison of asps is under their lips [Psa 140:3]:
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
13. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips. This is an awful description of the above who depart from God. This picture is progressive, this verse describing an advanced state of alienation from God.