That they might at the same time remember whence this invincible power proceeds, he again
repeats what he had said before: for he not only teaches us that God, because he loves us, supports
us by his hand; but he also confirms the same truth by mentioning the love of Christ.^277 And this
one sentence sufficiently proves, that the Apostle speaks not here of the fervency of that love which
we have towards God, but of the paternal kindness of God and of Christ towards us, the assurance
of which, being thoroughly fixed in our hearts, will always draw us from the gates of hell into the
light of life, and will sufficiently avail for our support.
Romans 8:38-39
- Persuasus enim sum, quod neque mors,
neque vita,^278 neque angeli neque principatus, - For I am persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come, neque virtutes, neque principatus, neque virtutes,
neque præasentia, neque futura, - Neque altitudo, neque profunditas, neque
ulla alia creatura, poterit nos dirimere a charitate
Dei, Quæ est in Christo Iesu. - Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - He is now carried away into hyperbolic expressions, that he might confirm us more fully
in those things which are to be experienced. Whatever, he says, there is in life or in death, which
seems capable of tearing us away from God, shall effect nothing; nay, the very angels, were they
to attempt to overturn this foundation, shall do us no harm. It is no objection, that angels are
ministering spirits, appointed for the salvation of the elect, (Hebrews 1:14:) for Paul reasons here
on what is impossible, as he does in Galatians 1:8; and we may hence observe, that all things ought
to be deemed of no worth, compared with the glory of God, since it is lawful to dishonor even
angels in vindicating his truth.^279 Angels are also meant by principalities and powers,^280 and they
are so called, because they are the primary instruments of the Divine power: and these two words
were added, that if the word angels sounded too insignificant, something more might be expressed.
But you would, perhaps, prefer this meaning, “Nor angels, and whatever powers there may be;”
which is a mode of speaking that is used, when we refer to things unknown to us, and exceeding
our capacities.
(^277) “Per eum qui dilexit nos — μ — through him who has loved us.” The aorist participle, says Wolfius, extends
to every time, “who has loved and loves and will love us.” From the fact that believers are overcome by no calamities, he draws
the inference, that God’s love is constant and most effectual, so that he is present with the distressed to give them courage, to
strengthen their patience, and to moderate their calamities. See 1 Peter 5:10. — Ed.
(^278) Neither death threatened by persecutors, nor life promised on recantation. — Ed.
(^279) Some of the Fathers, Jerome,Chrysostom, etc., have taken the same view, regarding the Apostle as speaking of good angels,
as it were, hypothetically, as in Galatians 1:8. But Grotius, and many others, consider evil angels to be meant. Probably, angels,
without any regard to what they are, are intended. — Ed.
(^280) Grotius considers the words as being the abstract for the concrete, Princes and Potentates; being called , as some think,
as being the first, the chief in authority, and μ , as having power. “By these words,” says Beza, “Paul is wont to designate
the character of spirits, — of the good in Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 1:16, — and of the bad in Ephesians 6:12, Colossians 2:15.”
Hence the probability is, that the words designate different ranks among angelic powers, without any reference to their character,
whether good or evil. — Ed.