with still greater force against the Gentiles. What, then? There is no doubt but that the character of
men is described in those words, in order that we may see what man is when left to himself; for
Scripture testifies that all men are in this state, who are not regenerated by the grace of God. The
condition of the saints would be nothing better, were not this depravity corrected in them: and that
they may still remember that they differ nothing from others by nature, they do find in the relics
of their flesh (by which they are always encompassed) the seeds of those evils, which would
constantly produce fruits, were they not prevented by being mortified; and for this mortification
they are indebted to God’s mercy and not to their own nature. We may add, that though all the vices
here enumerated are not found conspicuously in every individual, yet they may be justly and truly
ascribed to human nature, as we have already observed on Romans 1:26.
Romans 3:19-20
- Scimus autem quod quæcunque Lex dicit,
iis qui in Lege sunt loquitur; ut omne os - Now we know that what things soever
the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
obstruatur, et obnoxius fiat omnis mundus Deo.
104
law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world may become guilty before God.- Quoniam ex operibus Legis non
justificabitur omnis caro coram ipso; per Legem
enim agnitio peccati. - Therefore by the deeds of the law there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the
law is the knowledge of sin.
19.Now we know,etc. Leaving the Gentiles, he distinctly addresses his words to the Jews; for
he had a much more difficult work in subduing them, because they, though no less destitute of true
righteousness than the Gentiles, yet covered themselves with the cloak of God’s covenant, as though
it was a sufficient holiness to them to have been separated from the rest of the world by the election
of God. And he indeed mentions those evasions which he well understood the Jews were ready to
bring forward; for whatever was said in the law unfavorably of mankind, they usually applied to
the Gentiles, as though they were exempt from the common condition of men, and no doubt they
would have been so, had they not fallen from their own dignity. Hence, that no false conceit as to
their own worthiness should be a hinderance to them, and that they might not confine to the Gentiles
alone what applied to them in common with others, Paul here anticipates them, and shows, from
what Scripture declares, that they were not only blended with the multitude, but that condemnation
was peculiarly denounced on them. And we indeed see the discretion of the Apostle in undertaking
to refute these objections; for to whom but to the Jews had the law been given, and to whose
instruction but theirs ought it to have served? What then it states respecting others is as it were
accidental; or as they say, παρεργον, an appendage; but it applies its teaching mainly to its own
disciples.
(^104) Obnoxius Deo — : “Obnoxius condemnationi Dei — subject to the condemnation of God” Beza; “Liable to
punishment before God,” Macknight; “Stand convicted before God,” Doddridge The word means to be “under sentence” or
under condemnation, and thus “to God,” i.e., before God. Tillotson gives this paraphrase, “Liable to the Divine justice.” It may
be rendered “condemned before God.” The meaning is that the world is under condemnation. — Ed.