Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 1:19

"because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them." — Romans 1:19 (ASV)

Because. The apostle proceeds to show how it was that the Gentiles hindered the truth by their iniquity. He does this by showing that the truth could be known from the works of creation, and that nothing but their iniquity prevented it.

That which may be known of God. This means what is knowable concerning God. The expression implies that there may be many things concerning God which cannot be known. However, there are also many things which can be ascertained, such as his existence, and many of his attributes—his power, wisdom, justice, etc.

The apostle's object 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 he had in view.

His purpose was to show that enough could be known about God to prove they had no excuse for their crimes, or that God would be just in punishing them for their deeds. For this, it was only necessary that his existence and his justice—or his determination to punish sin—should be known.

The apostle affirms that this was known among them and had been since the creation of the world. This expression, therefore, should not be taken to imply that they knew all that could be known about God, or that they knew as much as those who had a revelation. Instead, they knew enough to prove that they had no excuse for their sins.

Is manifest. This means it is known or understood.

In them. This means among them. The preposition in is often used this way. It means that they had this knowledge, or it had been communicated to them. The great majority of the Gentile world was indeed ignorant of the true God, but their leaders, or their philosophers, had this knowledge (see Barnes on Romans 1:21).

But this was not true of the majority, or the main body of the people. Still, it was true that this knowledge was in the possession of humanity, or was among the pagan world, and would have spread if it had not been for the love of sin.

God hath shewed it unto them. . 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, goodness, and power, and had thus given them the means of learning his perfections and will.