in this case, for they had, in preference to others, both the promises and the threatenings of the law;
as though he had said, “This is the universal rule of the divine judgment; it shall begin with the
Jews, and it shall include the whole world.”
Romans 2:11-13
- Siquidem non est acceptio personarum
apud Deum. - For there is no respect of persons with
God. - Quicunque enim sine Lege peccaverunt
sine Lege etiam peribunt; quicunque vero in Lege
peccaverunt per Legem judicabuntur. - For as many as have sinned without law
shall also perish without law: and as many as
have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; - Non enim Legis auditores justi sunt apud
Deum, sed qui Legem faciunt justificabuntur. - (For not the hearers of the law are just
before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified.
11.There is no respect of persons,etc. He has hitherto generally arraigned all mortals as guilty;
but now he begins to bring home his accusation to the Jews and to the Gentiles separately: and at
the same time he teaches us, that it is no objection that there is a difference between them, but that
they are both without any distinction exposed to eternal death. The Gentiles pretended ignorance
as their defense; the Jews gloried in the honor of having the law: from the former he takes away
their subterfuge, and he deprives the latter of their false and empty boasting.
There is then a division of the whole human race into two classes; for God had separated the
Jews from all the rest, but the condition of all the Gentiles was the same. He now teaches us, that
this difference is no reason why both should not be involved in the same guilt. But the word person
is taken in Scripture for all outward things, which are wont to be regarded as possessing any value
or esteem. When therefore thou readest, that God is no respecter of persons, understand that what
he regards is purity of heart or inward integrity; and that he hath no respect for those things which
are wont to be highly valued by men, such as kindred, country, dignity, wealth, and similar things;
so that respect of persons is to be here taken for the distinction or the difference there is between
one nation and another.^68 But if any hence objects and says, “That then there is no such thing as
the gratuitous election of God;” it may be answered, That there is a twofold acceptation of men
(^68) The word , respect of persons, is found in three other places, Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; and James 2:1; and
in these the reference is to conditions in life. In Acts 10:34, the word is in another form , a respecter of persons, and as
a verb in James 2:9. The full phrase is μ , as found in Luke 20:21, and Galatians 2:6. It is a phrase peculiar to the Hebrew
language, and means literally, to lift up or regard faces, that is, persons,. See Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 10:17; 2
Chronicles 19:7
An argument has been hence taken to oppose the doctrine of election; but this is to apply to a particular thing what belongs
entirely and exclusively to another. This belongs to the administration of justice, but election is the exercise of mercy. Even
Grotius admits, that God manifests a difference in bestowing benefits, but not in exercising Judgment. Indeed, in the present
instance, with regard to the subject handled by the Apostle, there was a manifest difference; the Gentile had only the law of
nature, but the Jew had a revealed law. Yet when brought to judgment there was to be no respect of persons, each was to be
judged impartially according to the circumstances of his condition. And further, election does not proceed on the principle of
showing respect of persons, that is, of regarding men according to their privileges or outward circumstances, or kindred or
relation in life, or any thing in man; but its sole and exclusive ground or reason is the good pleasure of God. — Ed.