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John Gill (1697-1771)
Verse 19. “Because that which may be known of God,....“ There are some things which could not be known of God by the light of nature; as a trinity of persons in the Godhead; the knowledge of God in Christ as Mediator; the God-man and Mediator Jesus Christ; his incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection; the will of God to save sinners by a crucified Jesus; the several peculiar doctrines of the Gospel, particularly the resurrection of the dead, and the manner of worshipping of God with acceptance: but then there are some things which may be known of God, without a revelation. Adam had a perfect knowledge of him; and his sons, though fallen, even the very Heathens have some notion of him, as that there is a God; and by the light of nature it might be known that there is but one God, who is glorious, full of majesty, and possessed of all perfections, as that he is all powerful, wise, good and righteous: and this
“Is manifest in them,” or "to them"; by the light that is given them: it is light by which that which may be known of God is manifest; and this is the light of nature, which every man has that comes into the world; and this is internal, it is in him, in his mind and conscience, and is communicated to him by God, and that by infusion or inspiration; see Job 32:8;
“For God hath showed [it] unto them;” what may be known of him by that light; and which is assisted and may be improved by a consideration of the works of creation and Providence.
Verse 20. “For the invisible things of him,....” Not the angels, the invisible inhabitants of heaven: nor the unseen glories of another world; nor the decrees of God; nor the persons in the Godhead; but the perfections of God, or his "properties," as the Arabic version reads it; and which are explained by "his eternal power and Godhead."
“From the creation of the world are clearly seen;” this is no new discovery, but what men have had, and might, by the light of nature, have enjoyed ever since the world was created; these
“Being understood,” in an intellectual way, by the discursive faculty of the understanding,
“By the things that are made;” the various works of creation; all which proclaim the being, unity, and perfections of God their Creator,
“So that they are without excuse;” the very Heathens, who have even only the light of nature, and are destitute of a revelation, have no color or pretext for their idolatrous practices, and vicious lives; nor have they, nor will they have anything to object to God's righteous judgment against them, or why they should not be condemned.
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Albert Barnes (1798-1870)
Verse 19. “That which may be known of God” - That which is “knowable” concerning God. The expression implies that there may be many things concerning God which cannot be known. But there are also many things which may be ascertained. Such are his existence, and many of his attributes, his power, and wisdom, and justice, etc. The object of the apostle was not to say that everything pertaining to God could be known by them, or that they could have as clear a view of him as if they had possessed a revelation. We must interpret the expression according to the object which he had in view. That was to show that so much might be known of God as to prove that they had no excuse for their crimes; or that God would be just in punishing them for their deeds. For this, it was needful only that his existence and his justice, or his determination to punish sin, should be known; and this, the apostle affirms, was known among them, and had been from the creation of the world. This expression. therefore, is not to be pressed as implying that they knew all that could be known about God, or that they knew as much as they who had a revelation; but that they knew enough to prove that they had no excuse for their sins.
“God hath showed it to them” - Compare John 1:9. He had endowed them with reason and conscience Romans 2:14-15; he had made them capable of seeing and investigating his works; he had spread before them the proofs of his wisdom, and goodness, and power, and had thus given them the means of learning his perfections and will.
Verse 20. “For the invisible things of him” - The expression “his invisible things” refers to those things which cannot be perceived by the senses. It does not imply that there are any things pertaining to the divine character which may be seen by the eye; but that there are things which may be known of him, though not discoverable by the eye. We judge of the objects around us by the senses, the sight, the touch, the ear, etc. Paul affirms, that though we cannot judge thus of God, yet there is a way by which we may come to the knowledge of him. What he means by the invisible things of God he specifies at the close of the verse, “his eternal power and Godhead.” The affirmation extends only to that; and the argument implies that that was enough to leave them without any excuse for their sins.
www.studylight.org
Psa 19:1:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
For additional information see Joseph Benson’s Bible commentary on Romans 1:19, 20 (1749–1821).
Verse 19. “Because that which may be known of God,....“ There are some things which could not be known of God by the light of nature; as a trinity of persons in the Godhead; the knowledge of God in Christ as Mediator; the God-man and Mediator Jesus Christ; his incarnation, sufferings, death, and resurrection; the will of God to save sinners by a crucified Jesus; the several peculiar doctrines of the Gospel, particularly the resurrection of the dead, and the manner of worshipping of God with acceptance: but then there are some things which may be known of God, without a revelation. Adam had a perfect knowledge of him; and his sons, though fallen, even the very Heathens have some notion of him, as that there is a God; and by the light of nature it might be known that there is but one God, who is glorious, full of majesty, and possessed of all perfections, as that he is all powerful, wise, good and righteous: and this
“Is manifest in them,” or "to them"; by the light that is given them: it is light by which that which may be known of God is manifest; and this is the light of nature, which every man has that comes into the world; and this is internal, it is in him, in his mind and conscience, and is communicated to him by God, and that by infusion or inspiration; see Job 32:8;
“For God hath showed [it] unto them;” what may be known of him by that light; and which is assisted and may be improved by a consideration of the works of creation and Providence.
Verse 20. “For the invisible things of him,....” Not the angels, the invisible inhabitants of heaven: nor the unseen glories of another world; nor the decrees of God; nor the persons in the Godhead; but the perfections of God, or his "properties," as the Arabic version reads it; and which are explained by "his eternal power and Godhead."
“From the creation of the world are clearly seen;” this is no new discovery, but what men have had, and might, by the light of nature, have enjoyed ever since the world was created; these
“Being understood,” in an intellectual way, by the discursive faculty of the understanding,
“By the things that are made;” the various works of creation; all which proclaim the being, unity, and perfections of God their Creator,
“So that they are without excuse;” the very Heathens, who have even only the light of nature, and are destitute of a revelation, have no color or pretext for their idolatrous practices, and vicious lives; nor have they, nor will they have anything to object to God's righteous judgment against them, or why they should not be condemned.
Romans 1 Bible Commentary - John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible
Study Romans 1 using John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible to better understand Scripture with full outline and verse meaning.
Albert Barnes (1798-1870)
Verse 19. “That which may be known of God” - That which is “knowable” concerning God. The expression implies that there may be many things concerning God which cannot be known. But there are also many things which may be ascertained. Such are his existence, and many of his attributes, his power, and wisdom, and justice, etc. The object of the apostle was not to say that everything pertaining to God could be known by them, or that they could have as clear a view of him as if they had possessed a revelation. We must interpret the expression according to the object which he had in view. That was to show that so much might be known of God as to prove that they had no excuse for their crimes; or that God would be just in punishing them for their deeds. For this, it was needful only that his existence and his justice, or his determination to punish sin, should be known; and this, the apostle affirms, was known among them, and had been from the creation of the world. This expression. therefore, is not to be pressed as implying that they knew all that could be known about God, or that they knew as much as they who had a revelation; but that they knew enough to prove that they had no excuse for their sins.
“God hath showed it to them” - Compare John 1:9. He had endowed them with reason and conscience Romans 2:14-15; he had made them capable of seeing and investigating his works; he had spread before them the proofs of his wisdom, and goodness, and power, and had thus given them the means of learning his perfections and will.
Verse 20. “For the invisible things of him” - The expression “his invisible things” refers to those things which cannot be perceived by the senses. It does not imply that there are any things pertaining to the divine character which may be seen by the eye; but that there are things which may be known of him, though not discoverable by the eye. We judge of the objects around us by the senses, the sight, the touch, the ear, etc. Paul affirms, that though we cannot judge thus of God, yet there is a way by which we may come to the knowledge of him. What he means by the invisible things of God he specifies at the close of the verse, “his eternal power and Godhead.” The affirmation extends only to that; and the argument implies that that was enough to leave them without any excuse for their sins.
Romans 1 - Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Bible Commentaries - StudyLight.org
Romans 1, Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary by Albert Barnes, a dedicated student of the Bible, continues to be very popular even today.
www.studylight.org
Psa 19:1:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
For additional information see Joseph Benson’s Bible commentary on Romans 1:19, 20 (1749–1821).
