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Selected Verse: Romans 2:9 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ro 2:9 |
King James |
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| Tribulation and anguish--the effect of these in the sinner himself. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Tribulation - This word commonly denotes affliction, or the situation of being pressed down by a burden, as of trials, calamities, etc.; and hence, to be pressed down by punishment or pain inflicted for sins. As applied to future punishment, it denotes the pressure of the calamities that will come upon the soul as the just reward of sin.
And anguish - στενοχωρία stenochōria. This noun is used in but three other places in the New Testament; Rom 8:35; Co2 6:4; Co2 12:10. The verb is used in Co2 4:8; Co2 6:12. It means literally narrowness of place, lack of room, and then the anxiety and distress of mind which a man experiences who is pressed on every side by afflictions, and trials, and want, or by punishment, and who does not know where he may turn himself to find relief. (Schleusner.) It is thus expressive of the punishment of the wicked. It means that they shall be compressed with the manifestations of God's displeasure, so as to be in deep distress, and so as not to know where to find relief. These words affliction and anguish are often connected; Rom 8:35.
Upon every soul of man - Upon all people. In Hebrew the word "soul" often denotes the man himself. But still, the apostles, by the use of this word here, meant perhaps to signify that the punishment should not be corporeal, but afflicting the soul. It should be a spiritual punishment, a punishment of mind. (Ambrose. See Tholuck.)
Of the Jew first - Having stated the general principle of the divine administration, he comes now to make the application. To the principle there could be no objection. And the apostle now shows that it was applicable to the Jew as well as the Greek, and to the Jew pre-eminently. It was applicable first, or in an eminent degree, to the Jew, because,
(1) He had been especially favored with light and knowledge on all these subjects.
(2) these principles were fully stated in his own Law, and were in strict accordance with all the teaching of the prophets; see the note at Rom 2:6; also Psa 7:11; Psa 9:17; Psa 139:19; Pro 14:32.
Of the Gentile - That is, of all who were not Jews. On what principles God will inflict punishment on them, he states in Rom 2:12-16. It is clear that this refers to the future punishment of the wicked, for,
(1) It stands in contrast with the eternal life of those who seek for glory Rom 2:7. If this description of the effect of sin refers to this life, then the effects spoken of in relation to the righteous refer to this life also. But in no place in the Scriptures is it said that people experience all the blessings of eternal life in this world; and the very supposition is absurd.
(2) it is not true that there is a just and complete retribution to every man, according to his deeds, in this life. Many of the wicked are prospered in life, and "there are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm;" Psa 73:4. Many of the righteous pine in poverty and want and affliction, and die in the flames of persecution. Nothing is more clear than there is not in this life a full and equitable distribution of rewards and punishments; and as the proposition, of the apostle here is, that God will render to every man according to his deeds Rom 2:6, it follows that this must be accomplished in another world.
(3) the Scriptures uniformly affirm, that for the very things specified here, God will consign people to eternal death; Th2 1:8, "In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction," etc.; Pe1 4:17. We may remark also, that there could be no more alarming description of future suffering than is specified in this passage. It is indignation; it is wrath; it is tribulation; it is anguish which the sinner is to endure forever. Truly people exposed to this awful doom should be alarmed, and should give diligence to escape from the woe which is to come. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Tribulation and anguish (θλῖψις καὶ στενοχωρία)
For tribulation, see on Mat 13:21. Στενοχωρία anguish, which occurs only in Paul (Rom 8:35; Co2 6:4; Co2 12:10), literally means narrowness of place. The dominant idea is constraint. In Deu 28:53, Deu 28:57, it describes the confinement of a siege. Trench remarks: "The fitness of this image is attested by the frequency with which, on the other hand, a state of joy is expressed in the Psalms and elsewhere, as a bringing into a large room," Psa 118:5; Sa2 22:20. Aquinas says: loetitia est latitia, joy is breadth. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Of the Jew first - Here we have the first express mention of the Jews in this chapter. And it is introduced with great propriety. Their having been trained up in the true religion, and having had Christ and his apostles first sent to them, will place them in the foremost rank of the criminals that obey not the truth. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Tribulation and anguish - Misery of all descriptions, without the possibility of escape, will this righteous Judge inflict upon every impenitent sinner. The Jew first, as possessing greater privileges, and having abused greater mercies; and also on the Gentile, who, though he had not the same advantages, had what God saw was sufficient for his state; and, having sinned against them, shall have punishment proportioned to his demerit. |
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
12 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;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.
53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.