AUTHORIZED VERSION.

с

с

to every ordinance of man

for

as supreme;

governors,

14

or unto

Rom. xiii. 1.

Tit. iii. 1.

tiles comely (as over against the vain behaviour of the Gentiles, ch. i. 18. Compare ch. iii. 16), that (aim of the preceding) in the matter in which (not whereas,' as A. V. The sense is, "that that conduct, which was to them an occasion of speaking against you as evil-doers, may by your good works become to them an occasion of glorifying God." And "that, in which," will be in fact your whole Christian life) they speak against you as evil-doers (often the Christians would be compelled to diverge from heathen customs and even to break human laws, and thus would incur the imputation of malefactors), they may, on the ground of your good works, being spectators of them (contrast to the ignorance assumed below, ver. 15), glorify God in [the] day of visitation (i. e. the day when God visits,-Luke i. 68, 78; Acts xv. 14,-mankind with His offers of mercy and grace: our Lord says of Jerusalem, Luke xix. 44, "Thou knewest not the day of thy visitation." The word has been variously understood the Fathers generally, and some moderns, explain it as above: others think that the day of inquisition before earthly magistrates is meant. Bede and others understand it of the day of judgment. But the former sense is far preferable on account of usage, and for its fitness in the context).

objection to this command, that all powers are ordained of God: for that consideration does not come into notice in these words, but in those which follow, "for the Lord's sake." Here, it is the lower side of such institutions, the fact of their being ordained and upheld by men, that is brought into sight) for the Lord's sake (i. e. Christ's: "the Lord" with St. Peter, except in Old Test. citations, is always our Lord. And here there is additional reason, for that He, the Head of all principality and power, is yet in us his members subject to them, until the day when all shall be put under His feet) whether to king (general,-but, from the nature of the case as regarded those to whom the Epistle is addressed, here the Roman Emperor) as supereminent (not ruled by any other human power), or to governors (of the provinces, sent by Cæsar) as to men sent (in the habit of being sent, sent from time to time) through him (the king, not the Lord, as some, and Calvin very positively. But there can be little doubt that he is wrong. For first the analogy of the clauses shews that the grounds of obedience in each case, all being alike for the Lord's sake, belong to the actually existing rights of power in that case. The king is supreme, in his own right governors rule by delegation from the king. Then the right understanding of "for the Lord's sake," as applying to all, forbids this view. For thus we should obey the king as eminent, no mention of the Lord being made, whereas rulers are to be obeyed as sent by the Lord) for (to bring about) vengeance on evil-doers, and praise of well-doers. 15.] For (ground of the submission enjoined: correlative with, but not going so far as, the

h Tit. ii. 8. ver. 12.

k 1 Cor. vii. 22.

your

Phil. ii. 3.

ch. i. 22.

n Prov. xxiv.

21. Matt.

Xxxii. 21.

Rom. xiii. 7.

purpose announced in ver. 12) so (after this manner, in this direction and wise: viz. as follows) is (se trouve') the will (thing willed, concrete result of the will) of God, that doing good (so literally, the participle carrying the reason with it: by doing good) ye put to silence the ignorance (not simply ignorance of this or that fact, but a state of lack of knowledge or understanding, habitual ignorance. This state is here introduced as speaking, "having [as Wiesinger] ever its mouth open rather than its eyes," ready to cry out upon any mere appearance of things as misunderstood by it) of the foolish men (above designated; those viz. who speak against you as evil-doers; not, "of foolish men in general, as A. V.). 16.] The

connexion is somewhat doubtful. Chrysostom and others join as free with "submit yourselves," above, ver. 13:-Bede, Luther, Calvin, and others, with the last clause, "that with well doing, &c." ver. 15: Steiger, Huther, with the following, ver. 17. This latter seems quite untenable, as carrying no application on from ver. 16 to ver. 17. No one would think of pleading his freedom as an excuse for not honouring all, or for not loving the brethren, or for not fearing God: or indeed for not, in some sense, honouring the King. But in a matter of subjection, such freedom might be and often is made a cloke for disobedience. Connecting then as free with what has preceded, which of the other connexions are we to take? That with "submit yourselves" seems too distant: it may certainly be said that ver. 17 brings in again the general duty in its most simple form but even thus we can hardly account for the parenthetical ver. 15, so unparenthetical in its aspect and construction. Whereas if we join "as free" to ver. 15, we obtain, as Wiesinger well argues, an explanation which that verse seems to need, -for it is almost a truism that we are to

accomplish the putting to silence by well doing, unless some explanation be given of the particular circumstances under which this is to take place.-I regard then ver. 16 as an explanation of ver. 15. As free (children of God, His family and people, His kingly priesthood: not merely free from the law, or free from sin, or free from earthly subjection, but generally and abstractedly free-Christ's freed-men), and not as having your freedom [for] a veil of your evil intent (of the evil intent which using your freedom as a veil would necessarily presuppose), but as God's (emphatic) servants (and therefore bound to submit yourselves to that which God ordains).

17.] A pithy general statement (see be low) of the whole department of Christian duty of which the Apostle is now speaking: then a note of transition, by the three following commands, to the next paragraph, where he severs the general into the special duties. Give honour to all men (i.e. by the force of the original, to each man according as the case, which requires it, arises: "in every case render promptly every man's due," Rom. xiii. 7. So that the distinction between this and "honour" again expressed below is a clear one: see there. And by this force of the word used, this first precept assumes a place of general and wide-reaching reference, which then is severed by the three following commands into three great branches, before the relations of ordinary life are introduced ver. 18, with participial forms). Love (as your habit of mind and act) the brotherhood (the aggregate of the brethren), fear God, honour (both these latter as continuing habits, frames of mind and courses of action) the king.

18-25.] Exhortation to servants to be obedient to their masters. 18.] Ye servants (domestic servants: a milder designation than the common New Test, one of slave. Possibly, it may be here used to

AUTHORIZED VERSION.

your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for con

science toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were

ye called: because Christ

in the ori

note.

Rom. xiii. 5.

ch. iii. 14.

include the freedmen who still remained in their master's house), in subjection (the participle carries on, immediately, the "Honour all men" above; but also belongs, at a greater distance, to the whole of the last paragraph, as a general designation of the habitual conduct, in and by which they were to shew forth an honest conversation among the Gentiles) in all fear (this provides, by its wide generality, for the case by and by to be specially commented on. Fear, not merely the reverence of an inferior, but the awe of one in subjection) to your masters; not only to the good (kind) and considerate (see note, Phil. iv. 5: those who make reasonable allowances, and exact no more), but also to the perverse (crooked, in deviating from right and justice, sce Phil. ii. 15).

19, 20.] Reason for being subject to the perverse: that it is well pleasing to God when we suffer for well-doing. For this is thankworthy (as in Luke vi. 32, where the very same word is used, "If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?" i. e. what recognition at God's hand in the day when He will come, and His reward with Him?

It

is said of something, to do or suffer which is out of, beyond, the ordinary course of what might have been expected. The A. V. has hit the meaning very well), if on account of consciousness of God (realization in a man's inner being, of God's presence and relation to himself: so we have "conscience of sins," Heb. x. 2) any one endures (as a superimposed burden, but here induced perhaps by the idea of subjection which is dominant throughout) tribulations (things which bring grief), suffering wrongfully VOL. II.

wrong,

iv. 14, 15.

oldest MSS.

Acts xiv. 22. 1 Thess. iii. 3. 2 Tim. iii. 12.

(here emphatic, as carrying the transition to the next step of the argument). 20.] For (proof of the foregoing by assuming [interrogatively] the refutation of the contrary) what kind of glory [is it] (the word glory is perfectly general, and must not, as Bengel, be supplied with "in God's sight." What credit is due ...? Matt. v. 47), if doing wrong and being buffeted (the participles are in close logical connexion, and both of them describe enduring habit, not the occurrence merely of one such case. "When ye be buffeted for your faults," A. V., is somewhat too wide: "When ye do wrong and are buffeted for it," expresses the Greek more closely. Buffeted is here perhaps in the literal sense: receive blows, as was the wont with slaves), ye shall endure it (not, as De Wette, with only "the reluctant dull endurance of a criminal who cannot avoid his punishment:" this mars the hypothesis, which requires that the same kind of endurance should belong to both its sides, the only difference being in suffering justly and unjustly. So that "endure" must carry the sense of patient endurance: as A. V., "ye shall take it patiently")? but if well-doing and suffering [for it] (these last words are amply justified by the logical connexion of the participles, see above) ye shall endure it [it is glory] (with the reading adopted, it becomes necessary to supply, mentally at least, some such words): for this is thankworthy (see above; it is the same word as there, and never ought to have been altered by the A. V. to acceptable, which is quite another thing) with (in the estimation of) God. 21.] For (proof that undeserved 3 G

Matt. xxvii. 39. John viii. 48, 49. Heb. xii. 3. y Luke xxiii.

43.

in the ori

ginal: see note.

z Isa. liii. 4-6. 11. Matt. viii. 17. Heb. ix. 28.

suffering is thankworthy with God, by the instance of Christ's sufferings, which were our example) to this (state, viz. the endurance of wrongful sufferings) ye were called: because (ground of the assertion) Christ also (the also applies to the words "suffered for you," the words for you carrying with them the "well-doing," as explained below, ver. 24) suffered for you, leaving behind for you a copy (a pattern to write or paint by technically, these patterns were formulæ given by writingmasters to their pupils, containing all the letters of the alphabet) that ye should follow upon (follow close upon, denoting close application to: the word is commonly used of following behind another) His footsteps.

:

22.] Further expansion of this example of Christ, making it plain that He endured patiently in suffering for welldoing-who never did (never in a single instance) sin (the words are almost a citation from Isa. liii. 9, in one form of the Septuagint version) nor yet (climax: not only did He never sin in act, but not even .) was guile ever found in His mouth: 23.] who when reviled, reviled not again (a proof of his patience. Isa. liii. 7 is before the Apostle), when suffering threatened not (used not to threaten denoting constant habit. The order is again that of climax : from reproach to suffering, from not reproaching to not threatening): but (‘yea, rather') delivered [them] (see below) up (what? Most Commentators supply "himself" [so A. V.], or “his cause,' both of which seem out of place, and hardly justified by the usage of the verb

:

in the original. Rather would I supply an object out of the being reviled and suffering, foregoing, either, with Huther and Wiesinger, "His reproaches and sufferings," or, which seems to me better, "those who inflicted them:" perhaps not without reference to Father, forgive them for they know not what they do ") to Him that judgeth (whose office it is to judge) righteously (i. e. the Father: designated in ch. i. 17 as " He that judgeth without respect of persons." Calvin says well, "Those who indulge their exaction of vengeance, do not leave to God the office of Judge, but in a manner want to make Him their executioner "): 24.] who Himself (now the well-doing reaches its height. He was not only negatively innocent, ver. 22, but suffered in the pursuance of the noblest purpose of love, and that love towards us : by which fact His example is further brought home and endeared to us) bore our sins (but in the pregnant sense of "bore to sacrifice," "carried and offered up:" see notes on James ii. 21, and Levit. xiv. 20; Heb. vii. 27. It is a word belonging to sacrifice, and not to be dissociated from it. In Isa. liii. 12, [Heb. ix. 28,] we have the sense of bearing on Himself more prominent : and by that passage our rendering here must be regulated: always remembering that the other sense lies behind) in His [own] body on the tree (i. e. “took them to the tree and offered them up on it as an altar"); that (purpose of that great and crowning suffering of the Lord) having died (not, as some Commentators, "having passed away," being removed to a distance, but literally, "having died ") to our sins,

(justification of the last assertion by another allusion to Isa. liii.) ye were straying like sheep: but ye have returned (not, "have been converted") now unto the Shepherd (compare ch. v. 4, and the prophecies in Isa. xl. 11; Ezek. xxxiv. 23, xxxvii. 24, also John x. 11) and Bishop (the word Episcopos properly signifies overseer, or visitor: and there may be a reference to Ezek. xxxiv. 11, "Behold, I will seek out my sheep and visit them" [so the Septuagint, using the very word from which Episcopos is derived]. But the most likely account of the expression is, that the Apostle transfers the wellknown name of the elders of the churches, Episcopoi, to the great Head of the Church, of whom they were all the servants and representatives. On the name and office, see notes, Acts xx. 17, 28; Phil. i. 1) of your souls (so in ch. i. 9, 22, and in ver. 11).

CH. III. 1–7.] Exhortations in regard to the married state: and (1-6) to wives: (7) to husbands.

† So all our oldest MSS d Ezek. xxxiv. 23. & xxxvii. 24. John x. 11, 14, 16.

ch. v. 4.

a 1 Cor. xiv. 34.

Col. iii. 18.

Heb. xii. 20. Eph. 22. Titus ii. 5. in the ori b1 Cor. vii. 16. eat. xviii.

+ Not expressed

note.

+ So all our ancient MSS.

с

15. 1 Cor. ix.

10-22

d ch. ii. 12 e 1 Tim. ii. 9. Titus ii. 3, &c.

jection to (the participle, as in ch. ii. 18: carrying on the general command, Honour all men. Wives are to pay this honour, by being, &c.) your own husbands (your own gives point to the obligation, but is without any distinctive emphasis: see the parallel place, Eph. v. 22, and note), that (if we render strictly the future which follows, we must make this that in English, into so that) even if (even if assumes as possible, the apparently exceptional case which may seem to justify the wives' disobedience) any (husbands) are disobedient to the word (in a state of unbelieving disobedience; most probably, though this is not directly nor necessarily assumed, heathens), they shall be won (converted to faith and obedience: made a gain for Christian love, and for Christ Himselff So Leighton : "A soul converted is gained to itself, gained to the pastor, or friend, or wife, or husband who sought it, and gained to Jesus Christ: added to His treasury, who thought not His own precious blood too dear to lay out for this gain") without word (without speech: without you, the wives, preaching to them, or exhorting them, but simply by your Christian behaviour. The rendering of the A. V.,

without the word,' is precluded, on account of the general improbability of such a saying, seeing that faith is grounded on hearing, and hearing on the word of God. Besides which, the wives' conversation, being a shewing forth of obedience to the word, could not be said to produce its effect without the word) by means of the behaviour of their wives; when they have beheld your chaste behaviour (chaste, in the largest sense, not with its proper reference only: modest and pure) coupled with fear (so the A. V., admirably: con

1.] In like manner (i. e. after the same general principle, enounced in ch. ii. 13, as the servants in their relation), wives (as servants, ch. ii. 18, husbands, ver. 7, is vocative. This is decisively shewn by your below, as in ver. 7. The word signifies only women: but by the context it is shewn to mean wives), [by being] in sub