Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans John Calvin
Commentary on Romans
(Hosea 13:9) 51
By connecting the desires or lusts of man's heart with uncleanness, he indirectly intimates what sort of progeny our heart generates, when left to itself. The expression, among themselves, is not without its force; for it significantly expresses how deep and indelible are the marks of infamy imprinted on our bodies.
25. Who changed, etc. He repeats what he had said before, though in different words, in order to fix it deeper in our minds. When the truth of God is turned to a lie, his glory is obliterated. It is then but just, that they should be besprinkled with every kind of infamy, who strive to take away from God his honor, and also to reproach his name. —
And worshipped, etc. That I might include two words in one, I have given this rendering. He points out especially the sin of idolatry; for religious honor cannot be given to a creature, without taking it away, in a disgraceful and sacrilegious manner, from God: and vain is the excuse that images are worshipped on God's account, since God acknowledges no such worship, nor regards it as acceptable; and the true God is not then worshipped at all, but a fictitious God, whom the flesh has devised for itself. 52 What is added, Who is blessed for ever, I explain as having been said for the purpose of exposing idolaters to greater reproach, and in this way, "He is one whom
51On this subject Augustine, as quoted by Poole, uses a stronger language than which we find here: — Tradidit non solum per patientiam et permissionem, sed per potentiam et quasi actionem; non faciendo voluntates malas, sed eis jam malis utendo ut voluerit; multa et intra ipsos et exrtra ipsos operando, a quibus illi occasionem capiunt gravius peccandi; largiendo illis admonitiones, flagella, beneficia, etc., quibus quoque eos scivit Deus ad suam perniciem abusuros — "He delivered them up, not only by sufferance and permission, but by power, and as it were by an efficient operation; not by making evil their wills, but by using them, being already evil, as he pleased; by working many things both within and without them, from which they take occasion to sin more grievously, by giving them warnings, scourges, benefits, etc., which God knew they would abuse to their own destruction." — This is an awful view of God's proceedings towards those who willfully resist the truth, but no doubt a true one. Let all who have the opportunity of knowing the truth tremble at the thought of making light of it. The preposition {ἐν} before desires or lusts, is used after the Hebrew manner, in the sense of to or into; for {{בbeth, means in, and to, and also by or through; and such is the import of }ἐν} as frequently used by the Apostle. It is so used in the preceding verse — {ἐν} {ὁμοιώματι} — into the likeness, etc. Then the verse would be, as Calvin in sense renders it, — God also on this account delivered them up to the lusts of their own hearts to work uncleanness, that they might dishonor their bodies among themselves. The import of {εἰς} {ἀκαθαρσίαν}, in order to uncleanness, is no doubt, to work uncleanness; the Apostle frequently uses this kind of expression. Stuart labors here unnecessarily to show, that God gave them up, being in their lusts, etc., taking the clause as a description of those who were given up; but the plainest meaning is that which Calvin gives. — Ed.
52The words, "the truth of God," and "falsehood," or, a lie, are Hebraistic in their meaning, signifying "the true God," and "an idol." The word, which means a lie, is often in Hebrew applied to any thing made to be worshipped. See Isaiah 44:17, compared with 20; Jeremiah 13:25 Stuart renders the sentence, "Who exchanged the true God for a false one." Wolfius objects to this view, and says, "I prefer to take {ἀλήθειαν} {τοῦ} {θεοῦ}, for the truth made known by God to the Gentiles, of which see Romans 1:18, and the following verses: they changed this into a lie, i.e., into those insane and absurd notions, into which they were led by their {διαλογισμοῖς} — reasonings, Romans 1:21." The expression — {παρὰ} {τὸν} {κτίσαντα} has been rendered by Erasmus, "above the creator," by Luther, "rather than the Creator;" by Beza, "to the neglect of the Creator — præterito conditore;" and by Grotius, "in the place of the Creator." The two last are more consonant with the general tenor of the context; for the persons here spoken of, according to the description given them, did not worship God at all; {παρὰ} is evidently used in the sense of exclusion and opposition {παρὰ} {τὸν} {νόμον} — contrary to the law, Acts 18:13; {παρὰ} {φύσιν} — contrary to nature, Romans 1: 26. See Galatians 1:8 — Ed.