Reformasie 500
Kom ons lees Romeine saam met Luther en Calvyn
Romeine 2:1-16
1 Daarom is jy, o mens wat oordeel, wie jy ook mag wees, sonder verontskuldiging; want waarin jy ‘n ander oordeel, veroordeel jy jouself; want jy wat oordeel, doen dieselfde dinge.
2 En ons weet dat die oordeel van God na waarheid is oor die wat sulke dinge doen.
3 En meen jy, o mens wat hulle oordeel wat sulke dinge doen, en dit self doen, dat jy die oordeel van God sal ontvlug?
4 Of verag jy die rykdom van sy goedertierenheid en verdraagsaamheid en lankmoedigheid, omdat jy nie besef dat die goedertierenheid van God jou tot bekering wil lei nie?
5 Maar ooreenkomstig jou verhardheid en onbekeerlike hart vergader jy vir jou toorn as ‘n skat in die dag van die toorn en die openbaring van die regverdige oordeel van God
6 wat elkeen sal vergeld na sy werke:
7 aan die wat deur volharding in goeie werke heerlikheid, eer en onverganklikheid soek die ewige lewe;
8 maar aan die wat eiesinnig en aan die waarheid ongehoorsaam, maar aan die ongeregtigheid gehoorsaam is grimmigheid en toorn;
9 verdrukking en benoudheid oor die siel van elke mens wat kwaad doen, oor die Jood eerste en ook oor die Griek;
10 maar heerlikheid en eer en vrede vir elkeen wat goed doen, vir die Jood eerste en ook vir die Griek.
11 Want daar is geen aanneming van die persoon by God nie.
12 Want almal wat sonder wet gesondig het, sal ook sonder wet verlore gaan; en almal wat onder die wet gesondig het, sal deur die wet geoordeel word;
13 omdat nie die hoorders van die wet by God regverdig is nie, maar die daders van die wet geregverdig sal word.
14 Want wanneer die heidene, wat geen wet het nie, van nature die dinge van die wet doen, is hulle vir hulleself ‘n wet, al het hulle geen wet nie;
15 omdat hulle toon dat die werk van die wet in hulle harte geskrywe staan, terwyl hulle gewete saam getuienis gee en die gedagtes mekaar onderling beskuldig of ook verontskuldig,
16 in die dag wanneer God die verborge dinge van die mense deur Jesus Christus sal oordeel, volgens my evangelie.
Notas:
1 Sien die inleiding op die leesreeks hier, en die res van die reeks hier.
2 Die doel van die reeks is nie om ‘n eie verklaring te gee van die boek Romeine nie, of om vir u die leeswerk en verklaarwerk te doen nie. Die doel is soos dit sê, om ‘saam’ met Luther en Calvyn Romeine deur te lees, deur hul kommentare/lesings daarop te raadpleeg, om te sien hoe hul met hierdie boek omgegaan het wat wesentlik sentraal gestaan het in die Protestantse Reformasie van die 16/17de eeu.
3. Ek gee wel hier en daar ‘n raamwerk of opmerkings, en gee ‘n paar aanhalings uit Luther en Calvyn se kommentare, maar net hier en daar wat my opval en wat ek met julle wil deel. So die vertrekpunt is altyd: ad fontes! = terug na die bronne, d.w.s. lees die Skrif (Romeine) en Luther en Calvyn se kommentare self. Ek gaan ook nie Calvyn weer aanhaal of laat herhaal wat Luther reeds vermeld het nie, maar slegs dan byvoeg as hy verdere insigte gee.
4. Enige opmerkings oor ons Romeine lees saam Luther en Calvyn (RLC), kan hier onder of by die facebook inskrywing geplaas word.
5. Hier is Luther en Calvyn se kommentare gratis aanlyn:
LUTHER OOR ROMEINE 2:1-16
1 Paulus wil daarop wys dat almal skuldig is, Jode ook deur hul denke en/of dade, en dus nie net nie-Jode (Romeine), asook mense wat een sonde veroordeel, maar nie ‘n ander een in hulself nie, hy spreek dus hipokriete ook aan, v.1-3
“… the text has those in mind who judge others privately in their thoughts and also by word of mouth when they scold them, and yet are like them in all respects. We cannot but call it impudent when a conceited man criticizes another who is also conceited, when a squanderer blames another for wastefulness, and when a miser cuts someone else down for avarice. Although this impudence is so obvious that even fools consider it ridiculous and stupid, a great many are so deluded that they have become afflicted with this disease: more or less conceited people criticize each other for being proud; great and small misers jump upon other misers, and so forth. To such people our text certainly applies: “Do you reckon this, O man, who judge’ etc. For they should judge themselves instead of condemning others who are exactly as they are. Therefore they convict themselves. * Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matt. 7:1), i.e., that you do not bring judgment upon yourselves while you put it upon others. However, we are blind toward our own failings but have sharp eyes for the faults of others.”
2 In die laaste dag sal hulle geoordeel word wat hul heeltyd verhard het en nooit wou bekeer nie, v.5
“The Last Day is called the day of wrath and the day of mercy; the day of tribulation and peace; the day of confusion and glory. For then the godless will be punished and confounded, but the God-fearing will be rewarded and glorified. Just so one calls also that spiritual day which prevails through the light of faith in the heart of believers a day of wrath and grace, a day of salvation and perdition. See Ps. 110:5: “The Lord at thy right hand has broken kings in the day of his wrath’ i.e., in the day and time of grace which is now; and Zeph. 1:14 ft.: “The voice of the Day of the Lord is bitter, the mighty man” (i.e., the powerful and proud man) “will there meet with tribulation. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of calamity and misery, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and whirlwinds, a day of the trumpet and alarm’ etc.”
3 Gelowiges moet geduldig wees as ons goeie werke vervolg word in hierdie lewe, die genade beloning volg in die lewe hierna, v.7
“But when persecution quickly follows our work, let us rejoice and be confident that it is pleasing to God and even believe that it comes from him. For all that comes from God must be crucified in the world (and so long as it is not led to the cross, i.e., the readiness to endure shame, it cannot be recognized as coming from God). Even his only-begotten Son was not exempted from this but was placed before us as an example for this. “Blessed, therefore, are they that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” (Matt. 5:10.) “Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward.’ etc. (Matt. 5:12.)”
4 Volgens die ‘natuurlike reg/wet’ is alle mense verantwoordelik en skuldig voor God, al het hul nie die geopenbaarde wet deur Moses ontvang nie, v.12
“They shall perish without law” means then: It is not the law that was handed down and received that condemns them, and they will therefore perish without this sort of law, but not without any law at all, but by one which is the same though it was not handed down to them in writing and contained and represented therein.
Here the question may be raised whether Gentiles who, though living outside Christ, nevertheless fulfill the law according to their conscience in a natural way, can be saved, in view of the fact that original sin is not taken away without Christ and no law fulfilled without grace (even though one may substantially have fulfilled it and that salvation is by Christ alone. To be sure, the apostle seems here to assert that some have done or do the things of the law by their natural ability. But it is suspicious that he does not say that they fulfill the law but that they observe some and certain parts of the law. For he says “the things of the law,” i.e., part of the law and not the whole law, and so they all are still under the sway of sin because of all that they have not done, as he says later on in the third chapter of this letter.
If one understands the apostle to say that they do fulfill all the things of the law, the question must, it seems, be answered in the affirmative. And if someone objects to this answer by reference to Christ, original sin, and grace, one must reply to him with the statement that whosoever fulfills the law is in Christ and obtains grace by virtue of the fact that he has prepared himself for it to the limit of his ability. For God could forgive them original sin (even if they did not know or confess it) on account of some humble action directed toward God and the highest being they knew. Moreover, neither they nor the Jews were in any way bound to the gospel and the Christ who was specifically made known by it.”
5) Die daders van die wet wys dat hul geregverdig is, die dade regverdig hul nie, maar openbaar dat jy regverdig is, v.13
“In the twenty-sixth chapter of On the Spirit and the Letter, Augustine explains this passage in two ways: First, “the doers of the law shall be justified” in the sense that by justification they become or are made to be what they had not been prior to justification, namely, doers. Secondly, (and this is better): “They will be justified” in the sense that they will be considered and declared righteous, as it has been stated in the Gloss. This is plainly the sense of the context. “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God,” and if you ask: Who else can be righteous before God except the hearers? you must be given the answer: Only the doers will be righteous, i.e., justified and regarded as righteous. In this sense it is written in Ps. 143:2: “For in thy sight no man living is righteous,” and below in this letter, ch. 3:20: “By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight,” and in Luke 10:29: “And he desired to justify himself” (i.e., to declare, to establish that he was righteous, and to put all sin away from himself as if he did not know who was his neighbor whom he was commanded to love), and in many other places in a similar way.”
6) Die onderskeid tussen die “werke van die wet” wat op die hart van alle mense geskryf is en die “wet self wat op die harte geskryf word”, v.14,15
“They did the things of the law” (i.e., some of them) “by nature.” Then the text is quite plain and the second interpretation of Blessed Augustine is most adequate. In that case the apostle refers to these Gentiles for the reason that they observed the law as little as the Jews did. Even though they have done some of the good works of the law, hoping that because of this they will not have to suffer a heavy punishment on the Day of Judgment, they nevertheless are still found to be in need of the grace and mercy of Christ, just as it was of no advantage to the Jews that they had observed the law externally. Both, therefore, are under the sway of sin, regardless of the good they have done: the Jews with respect to the inner man, (on account of their observance only of the letter of the law) and the Gentiles with respect to something twofold, namely, that they fulfilled the law only in part and then not wholeheartedly.
I gladly accept this interpretation in view of the fact that the whole argument of this chapter (as the apostle himself says farther on in ch. 3:9 of the letter before us: “We have charged both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin”) is nothing else than the demonstration that all, and this means both Jews and Gentiles, are sinners in need of the grace of God.
How can one combine with this interpretation a proper understanding of the saying of the apostle that the work of the law is written in their hearts (Rom. 2:15), especially in view of the fact that even the prophet says that it would be given at a future time only to a believing people, that God would write his law not on tables of stone but on their hearts? Now it seems to me (without wanting to prejudice a better opinion) that it is one thing to say “that the work of the law is written in their hearts” and another that “the law is written in their hearts.” For the apostle did not intend to say here (even if he could have done so on the basis of knowledge) that they had the law written in their hearts, but he wanted to say only “the work of the law.”
I believe, therefore, that “the law is written in their hearts” means the same as “love is shed abroad in their hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 5:5). This love is the law of Christ and the fulfillment of the law of Moses or, rather, it is a law without law, without measure, without end, without limit, but extended above and beyond everything the law prescribes or can prescribe. But “the work of the law is written in their hearts” means that the knowledge of the law is written in them, i.e., the law written in letters concerning what must be done but not grace which enables one to do this. Hence, those who have had only the work of the law written in their hearts must necessarily have remained confined until now in the letter that kills.”
7) Alleen Christus red ons van die veroordeling van ons gewetens, v.15,16
“Where from, then, shall we take the thoughts that excuse us? Only from Christ and in Christ. For when his own heart reproaches a Christian and accuses him by testifying against him that he has done evil, he presently turns away from it and turns to Christ and says: He made satisfaction, he is righteous, he is my defense, he died for me, he made righteousness to be mine, and made my sin his own. And if he made my sin his own, then I have it no longer, and I am free.
And if he made his righteousness mine, then I am righteous in the same righteousness as he. But my sin cannot swallow him up but it is swallowed up in the infinite abyss of his righteousness, for he is God himself to whom be praise forever and ever. Thus, “God is greater than our heart.” (I John 3:20.) As our defender he is greater than our accuser, and infinitely so. God is our defender, the heart our accuser! Is this the proportion? Yes, yes, indeed, so it is! “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” No one! Why? Because “it is God that justifies.” “Who is he that condemns?” No one! Why? Because “it is Jesus Christ” (who is also God) “that died, yea, rather, that was raised from the dead,” etc. “If God is for us, then who can be against us?”
CALVYN OOR ROMEINE 2:1-16
1 Mense wat in skynheiligheid leef moenie dink dat uiterlike sukses ‘n teken is van die Here se goedkeuring van hul lewe nie, dit moet hul juis beskaam dat hul sy goedheid misbruik, v.4
“Where then the fear of God does not rule, confidence, on account of prosperity, is a contempt and a mockery of his great goodness. It hence follows, that a heavier punishment will be inflicted on those whom God has in this life favored; because, in addition to their other wickedness, they have rejected the fatherly invitation of God. And though all the gifts of God are so many evidences of his paternal goodness, yet as he often has a different object in view, the ungodly absurdly congratulate themselves on their prosperity, as though they were dear to him, while he kindly and bountifully supports them.
Not knowing that the goodness of God, etc. For the Lord by his kindness shows to us, that it is he to whom we ought turn, if we desire to secure our wellbeing, and at the same time he strengthens our confidence in expecting mercy. If we use not God’s bounty for this end, we abuse it. But yet it is not to be viewed always in the same light; for when the Lord deals favorably with his servants and gives them earthly blessings, he makes known to them by symbols of this kind his own benevolence, and trains them up at the same time to seek the sum and substance of all good things in himself alone: when he treats the transgressors of his law with the same indulgence, his object is to soften by his kindness their perverseness; he yet does not testify that he is already propitious to them, but, on the contrary, invites them to repentance. But if any one brings this objection — that the Lord sings to the deaf as long as he does not touch inwardly their hearts; we must answer — that no fault can be found in this case except with our own depravity. But I prefer rendering the word which Paul here uses, leads, rather than invites, for it is more significant; I do not, however, take it in the sense of driving, but of leading as it were by the hand.
2 Langmoedigheid/geduld is noodsaaklik vir die gelowige se lewe, nie net om aan te hou goed doen nie, maar ook om ons deur vervolging te dra, v.7
“To them indeed, who by perseverance, etc.; literally, patience; by which word something more is expressed. For it is perseverance, when one is not wearied in constantly doing good; but patience also is required in the saints, by which they may continue firm, though oppressed with various trials. For Satan suffers them not by a free course to come to the Lord; but he strives by numberless hinderances to impede them, and to turn them aside from the right way. And when he says, that the faithful, by continuing in good works, seek glory and honour, he does not mean that they aspire after any thing else but the favor of God, or that they strive to attain any thing higher, or more excellent: but they can not seek him, without striving, at the same time, for the blessedness of his kingdom, the description of which is contained in the paraphrase given in these words. The meaning then is, — that the Lord will give eternal life to those who, by attention to good works, strive to attain immortality.”
3 Die “daders van die wet word geregverdig” het gewys daarop dat die wet volkome vervul moes word, wat geen mens kon doen nie, en daarom leer vers 13 nie ‘regverdiging deur werke nie’ maar dat ons juis ‘n ‘ander/vreemde geregtigheid’ buite onsself moet soek (nl. Christus se geregtigheid), v.13
“For the hearers of the law, etc. This anticipates an objection which the Jews might have adduced. As they had heard that the law was the rule of righteousness, (Deuteronomy 4:1,) they gloried in the mere knowledge of it: to obviate this mistake, he declares that the hearing of the law or any knowledge of it is of no such consequence, that any one should on that account lay claim to righteousness, but that works must be produced, according to this saying, “He who will do these shall live in them.” The import then of this verse is the following, — “That if righteousness be sought from the law, the law must be fulfilled; for the righteousness of the law consists in the perfection of works.”
They who pervert this passage for the purpose of building up justification by works, deserve most fully to be laughed at even by children. It is therefore improper and beyond what is needful, to introduce here a long discussion on the subject, with the view of exposing so futile a sophistry: for the Apostle only urges here on the Jews what he had mentioned, the decision of the law, — That by the law they could not be justified, except they fulfilled the law, that if they transgressed it, a curse was instantly pronounced on them. Now we do not deny but that perfect righteousness is prescribed in the law: but as all are convicted of transgression, we say that another righteousness must be sought. Still more, we can prove from this passage that no one is justified by works; for if they alone are justified by the law who fulfill the law, it follows that no one is justified; for no one can be found who can boast of having fulfilled the law.”
4 Paulus leer dat die werke/getuie van die wet in alle mense se harte geskryf is, maar nie die krag om dit volkome na te kom nie, v.15
“Without reason then is the power of the will deduced from this passage, as though Paul had said, that the keeping of the law is within our power; for he speaks not of the power to fulfill the law, but of the knowledge of it. Nor is the word heart to be taken for the seat of the affections, but only for the understanding, as it is found in Deuteronomy 29:4, “The Lord hath not given thee a heart to understand;” and in Luke 24:25, “O foolish men, and slow in heart to believe.”
Nor can we conclude from this passage, that there is in men a full knowledge of the law, but that there are only some seeds of what is right implanted in their nature, evidenced by such acts as these — All the Gentiles alike instituted religious rites, they made laws to punish adultery, and theft, and murder, they commended good faith in bargains and contracts. They have thus indeed proved, that God ought to be worshipped, that adultery, and theft, and murder are evils, that honesty is commendable. It is not to our purpose to inquire what sort of God they imagined him to be, or how many gods they devised; it is enough to know, that they thought that there is a God, and that honor and worship are due to him. It matters not whether they permitted the coveting of another man’s wife, or of his possessions, or of any thing which was his, — whether they connived at wrath and hatred; inasmuch as it was not right for them to covet what they knew to be evil when done.
5 Die Evangelie is tot die opstanding van sommige en die veroordeling van andere, v.16
“He adds, according to my gospel, intimating, that he announced a doctrine, to which the judgments of men, naturally implanted in them, gave a response: and he calls it his gospel, on account of the ministry; for the authority for setting forth the gospel resides in the true God alone; and it was only the dispensing of it that was committed to the Apostles. It is indeed no matter of surprise, that the gospel is in part called the messenger and the announcer of future judgment: for if the fulfillment and completion of what it promises be deferred to the full revelation of the heavenly kingdom, it must necessarily be connected with the last judgment: and further, Christ cannot be preached without being a resurrection to some, and a destruction to others; and both these things have a reference to the day of judgment.
The words, through Jesus Christ, I apply to the day of judgment, though they are regarded otherwise by some; and the meaning is, — that the Lord will execute judgment by Christ, for he is appointed by the Father to be the Judge of the living and of the dead, — which the Apostles always mention among the main articles of the gospel. Thus the sentence will be full and complete, which would otherwise be defective.”
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