New Testament Commentary - Romans 1

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 The gospel is the power of God unto salvation through Jesus Christ—Wrath of God rests on those guilty of murder, homosexual practices, fornication, and other sins if the guilty do not repent.
1 PAUL, a ^aservant of Jesus Christ, *called to be* an ^bapostle, ^cseparated unto the gospel of God^a**, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son ^aJesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the ^bseed of ^cDavid according to the flesh;	*1^a called to be* an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God Some contend that Paul was never offically ordained an apostle, but takes this title upon himself. Here it states that Pauls was 'called'. This has significance in reference to where Christ states of all the apostles, 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you.' (John 15:16) An apostle is both 'called' of God and 'ordained' by priesthood authority. By the time of the epistle to the Romans, Paul has been so 'called' and 'ordained'. This is what the meaning is of verse one when it so states that Paul was a 'servant of Jesus Christ', 'called and separated' as an apostle. The only question seems to be as to just when this occured. In the case of Barnabus we have the casting of lots for him to be chosen to take the place of Judas in the quorum of the twelve apostles. Between that event and when Paul is here mentioned in Acts, another apostle has been killed by the hand of Herod and that is James the Great, the 'brother of John'. which death may be immediately associated with chapter 13's record, as it is in Chapter 12 of Acts that it is recorded that James was killed. Most have supposed that we seemingly do not have a record of who replaces James, or do we? At the beginning of Paul's and Barnabas' work among the Gentiles, they come to Salamis just after the recorded death of James the brother of John, where it is stated that they had John to be their 'minister**' (Acts 13:5). Up to that time Paul and Barnabas traveled together though it seems that Paul is the spokesman for the two according to the associations made of them of the Greeks to their Gods. What seems significant is that the Apostle John of the First Presidency is there to minister unto them. Prior to this John was given to be in company with Peter in Jerusalem (Act 5) and in chapter 6 is were Stephen is chosen and the story of Paul commences. In what capacity has John come? Certainly the apostle had considered who was to replace James by now and in an order, like unto the selection of Barnabus, they would have named a new apostle. Was this the mission of John to Salamis to minister unto Paul and Barnabas? Did John there ordain Paul an apostle as had been determined in the filling of the vancancy of James? It seems significant that the first mention of Saul by the name of Paul came immediately next after this administration of John as recorded in acts 13:9. Then in verse 13, Paul is addressed separate from Barnabas, the senior apostle to him, as 'Paul and his company' and Barnabas is no longer mentioned as being 'over' to he who is now 'called' Paul. And Paul has continued on in the company of John to Perga in Pamphylia. It is there that John departs from Paul's company, with Paul apparently fully in charge of 'his immediate company', as what might be deduced as a newly appointed apostle of the Church and in the mission field to the Gentiles. Not that Paul has replaced Barabas in 'senior authority' but that the 'mission' has been divided between the now two apostles, Barnabas and Paul. Further, while Paul has his own company, as would Barnabas also, they are the apostles to the Gentiles. Later these two apostles of the Gentiles come to a consideration of circumcision as applied to the Gentiles, which some of the Hebrews of the mission field continue to dispute upon. Thus and according to this matter it also seems that Barnabas and Paul will soon also 'part ways', Paul departing to Jerusalem (Act 15), but not from a 'dispute' between themselves! It ist aparantly due to the fact that Paul is now the particular apostle of Barnabas and Paul among the Gentiles which Paul and Barnabas together determine should go up to Jeruselam to clarify the matter of circumcision unto the Gentiles.	1^a TG Servants ^b 1 Cor. 4:9 (1-21); D&C 18:9 ^c GR set apart; TG Setting Apart 3^a The Greek text omits the name and title at this point ^b TG Jesus Christ, Birth of ^c TG Jesus Christ, Davidic Descent of
4 And ^adeclared to be the ^bSon of God with ^cpower, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection ^dfrom the dead: 5 By whom we have received ^agrace and apostleship, ^bfor ^cobedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:		4^a Gr appointed, decreed, set forth ^b D&C 10:57; D&C 11:28; D&C 14:9; D&C 45:52 ^c TG Jesus Christ, Power of ^d GR from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord 5^a TG Grace ^b JST Rom 1:5-6 ... through obedience, and faith in his name, to preach the gospel among all nationss; among whom ye also are called of Jesus Christs ^c TG Obedience
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be ^asaints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.		7^a TG Saints
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your ^afaith is ^bspoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.		8^a Rom. 16:19 ^b GR proclaimed
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual ^agift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be ^acomforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was ^alet hitherto,) that I might have some ^bfruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.		4^a Gr appointed, decreed, set forth ^b D&C 10:57; D&C 11:28; D&C 14:9; D&C 45:52 ^c TG Jesus Christ, Power of ^d GR from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord 5^a TG Grace ^b JST Rom 1:5-6 ... through obedience, and faith in his name, to preach the gospel among all nationss; among whom ye also are called of Jesus Christs ^c TG Obedience
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the ^aBarbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ^aready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ^aashamed of the ^bgospel of Christ: for it is the ^cpower of God unto ^dsalvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.		4^a Gr appointed, decreed, set forth ^b D&C 10:57; D&C 11:28; D&C 14:9; D&C 45:52 ^c TG Jesus Christ, Power of ^d GR from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord 5^a TG Grace ^b JST Rom 1:5-6 ... through obedience, and faith in his name, to preach the gospel among all nationss; among whom ye also are called of Jesus Christs ^c TG Obedience
17 For therein is the ^arighteousness of God revealed ^bfrom faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by ^cfaith. 18 For the ^awrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, ^bwho ^chold the truth in ^dunrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest ^ain them; for God hath shewed it unto them.		4^a Gr appointed, decreed, set forth ^b D&C 10:57; D&C 11:28; D&C 14:9; D&C 45:52 ^c TG Jesus Christ, Power of ^d GR from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord 5^a TG Grace ^b JST Rom 1:5-6 ... through obedience, and faith in his name, to preach the gospel among all nationss; among whom ye also are called of Jesus Christs ^c TG Obedience
20 For the ^ainvisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his ^beternal ^cpower and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were ^athankful; but became ^bvain in their imaginations, and their ^cfoolish heart was ^ddarkened.		4^a Gr appointed, decreed, set forth ^b D&C 10:57; D&C 11:28; D&C 14:9; D&C 45:52 ^c TG Jesus Christ, Power of ^d GR from the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord 5^a TG Grace ^b JST Rom 1:5-6 ... through obedience, and faith in his name, to preach the gospel among all nationss; among whom ye also are called of Jesus Christs ^c TG Obedience
22 Professing themselves to be ^awise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the ^auncorruptible God into an ^bimage made like to ^ccorruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Dishonor Their Own Bodies — Sexual Sin "Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost? ~ Book of Mormon \| Alma 39:5 ~ SPEAKING to his son Corianton, Alma the Younger explains to him that sexual sin is next to the sin of murder, that is the sheading of innocent blood, and then the sin greatest of all the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is the sin against the truth of God so revealed and witnessed in the first person by and through the power of the Holy Ghost unto the very soul and spirit of man. When considering the the commandments of God, Christ was once asked which was the greatest of the commandments. To which Jesus answered it was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength and that the second was like unto it. And that on these two commandments hung all the laws and commandments of God. And thus with that in mind, a review of the Ten Commandements many group them into those that concerned man's relationship to God and then also those that related to man's relationship to man. Now their first 4 of the 10 are easily seen to govern man's relationship to God. But then the 5th commmandment concerning honoring thy father and thy mother seems at first to concern one's relationship to his fellow man, particulary that family relationship unto one's own parents, their father and mother. But then again, when one considers that he is a spirit child of our Heavenly Father and our Heavely Mother, the this command can also be seen to deal with a man's relationship to God, in that we have a Father and Mother in Heaven who we are to Honor and Obey as well. Now the last five commandments are specifically related to our relationship to our fellow man and our responsibilities toward them. With the first five commandments dealing with God and our family relationship to heaven set in that perspective, it is from the perspective that the second set of five commandments, the last five commandments, are set out in a hierarchal order as the pertain to our fellow man, whom we are to love and treat even as we treat ourselves. The First of the last five is: Thou Shalt not kill! That is the commandment against murder in the frame of the murdering with full intent to kill innocent life, wherein there is no justification to murder them. It is extremely dificult to even gain a forgiveness for this type of murder. And that 'limited' forgiveness has been seen to limit man to not inheriting the Celestial kingdom of God. Of the sin against God, that is denying the witness of the Holy Ghost of God is unpardonable, there is not forgiveness for that sin. And as for murder of the shedding of innocent blood, it is not easy to ever obatin a forgiveness for that and even then it has its limits attached. (Alma 39:5-6) And then next to those sins, comes next the committing of sexual sin. As listed in the five commandments which deal specifically with one's fellowman, sexual sin, those sins that related to the marriage of a man and a women being the only acceptable place for 'sex' to be aproved of by God, the committing of sex relations outside of marriage are next to committing murder. 'These things, which the Apostle Paul is speaking over here in Romans chapter 1 in deal with sexual sins are the next sins after murder that are the most abominable in the sight of God. These are the sins of the misuse of the powers of pro-creation. And they are worse that the sins of the last three commandments of stealing, lying, or coveting or seeking they neighbor's goods. And Paul take the time to set out how it is the such as dishonoring one's own body is such as homosexual activities, which things are filled with all unrighteousness, as well as fornication, which is adultry against the marriage relationship between a man and a woman as husband and wife. The family relationship through parents, husbands and wives, is what connects the holy heaven where is the presence of God to the families of man on earth. It is the way that men and women may become even as God is. That is how our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother are. It is also that link between heaven and earth that enables God to complete his work and his glory, which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).
24 Wherefore God also ^agave them up^a to ^buncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts^b, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves^c: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie^a, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator^b, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God ^agave them up^a unto ^bvile ^caffections: for even their ^dwomen did change the natural use into that which is against nature^b:	24^a God also gave them up God gave man his agency to chose and then placed him in a temporal mortal body to prove himself. And with a vail of forgetfulness case upon his intelligence, leaving the spirit to the failings of the creature to contend with. 24^b uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts (or carnal desires) So encased with the carnal man, the spirit was left to the lusts of the flesh and their own carnal desires. The chore of the spirit to deal with and to come to control the nature of the creature to effect the true natural use that God set forth and intended of man and womam unto vile affections. 24^c to dishonour their own bodies between themselves Paul has taken the intents of the false worship of the carnal desires of the flesh of the idol worships such as Diana and Asthorth and as they were so associated with the corruption of the worship of gods of stone and of the hands of corruptible man. 25^a changed the truth of God into a lie The truth that God set out to Adam and Eve was the giving of the man and woman unto each other as husband and wife in order to perpetuate the plan of God and to multiple and replenish the earth with posterity (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24;) that God might work his work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). And the lie being the devish sins of the flesh that are not given unto God's assigned purpose unto the man and the woman in their natural heavenly course of marriage the to bearing of children joining themselves unto the purpose and cause of the work and glory of God. 25^b worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator The Creator set out the purpose of man to cleave unto his wife and they together to multiple and replenish or fill the earth with the children of God, and in this way to serve God the Creator more than to follow after the carnal lusts and desires of the flesh of the creature. 26^a God gave them up That is man placed man on this earth, subjecting them to the "vile affections" of the flesh, that they might choose for themselves to do good or evil. In terms of the man and the woman, the good choice was to marry and have children, raising them up unto the Lord their God. The bad was to yeild to the carnal nature of the creature unto those vile affections of the flesh which are not devoted to the civilized design by God uses of those 'affections' in the bonds of marriage only. 26^b even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature The affections of desire to be properly felt were the natural affections which do propagate the human race, NOT the unnatural use of the 'homosexual' LGBT communities and their perversions of the Plan of God as set out in the scriptures of God.	24^a Acts 7:42 ^b TG Uncleanness 26^a GR abandoned, delivered ^b GR suffering, passions of dishonor; 2 Tim. 3:3 ^c Judges 19:22 ^d TG Woman
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman^a, burned in their ^alust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly^b, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even *as they did not like to ^aretain God in their* knowledge^a, God ^bgave them over to a ^creprobate mind^b, to do those things which are not convenient^c**;	27^a men, leaving the natural use of the woman What 'politically correctness' has done is to confound that nature of things as they are given to be under the hand of God. The feminist movement would say that it is discriminatory for a woman to be spoken of as being her natural use to bear children, as if that was the only thing a woman was of use. But as often women who are of the mind of love, marriage and children would also speak of their natural use of the man in that course, so it is. And neither are discriminating against the other unless they consider that to be the only use of the woman or the man. And oddly enough that is almost all about what the LGBT people think that life is all about, the uses of each other, everybody included, to get off on, as if that is the sole single use and purpose of life. Now that is completely discriminating against everybody thinking that insidious notion that that is all that each other are to be used for! 27^b men with men working that which is unseemly Now that is the polite manner of speaking. Their is a refreshing air of honesty about life on a farm and it is not just the smell. For those raised on the farm their is the literal visual world about such matters all about one's self. And their is nothing more awkward and unseemly as one steer bull attempting to mount another steer bull who is not aparty to that so happening. And that is what Paul is speaking of and the Romans and their orgies and vile corruptions of their false corrupted idol worships knew well what it was that Paul was talking about. Only some twisted minded city slicker would attempt to fool anybody with trying to preach that this was absolutely not what Paul was talking about. *28^a as they did not like to retain God in their* knowledge Now the word of God from the beginning was plain and simple to be read and understood. It is people and some language interpretation and transliterations that corrupt that. It was man that 'did not like to retain' that simple knowledge and understandings of God. Perhaps Isaiah speaks of it best concerning the minds of evil persons in the last day and how they are working to resist the truth of God. Simply put, "Wo unto those who call evil good and good evil . . . (Isaiah 5:20). 28^b over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient** This gets back to farmyard visuals. More politely said, God made man to fit to the woman and the woman to fit to the man. It is that which is 'vile' that makes of such 'not convenient!'	27^a TG Homosexuality; TG Lust 28^a GR discern, choose ^b Ps. 81:12 ^c GR worthless, unable to stand test
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, ^awickedness, covetousness, ^bmaliciousness; full of envy, murder, ^cdebate, ^ddeceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 ^aBackbiters, haters of God, ^bdespiteful, ^cproud, ^dboasters, inventors of evil things, ^edisobedient to parents,
31 Without ^aunderstanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of ^adeath, not only do the same, but ^bhave ^cpleasure in them that do them.