Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 13:11

"And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we [first] believed." — Romans 13:11 (ASV)

And that. The word "that" here is connected in meaning with the word "this" in Romans 13:9. The meaning can be expressed this way: All the requirements of the law toward our neighbor may be met by two things. One is, according to Romans 13:9-10, by love; the other, according to Romans 13:11-14, is by remembering that we are near to eternity, keeping a deep sense of this truth before the mind. This will prompt a life of honesty, truth, peace, and contentment (Romans 13:13). The doctrine in these verses (Romans 13:11–14) therefore is, that a deep conviction of the nearness of eternity will prompt to an upright life in our dealings with one another.

Knowing the time. This means taking a proper estimate of the time. It involves taking just views of the shortness and value of time, of the design for which it was given, and of the fact that it is, for us, rapidly coming to a close. Furthermore, consider that the time in which you live is the time of the gospel, a period of light and truth, when you are particularly called on to lead holy lives and thus to act justly toward all. The previous time had been a period of ignorance and darkness, when oppression, falsehood, and sin abounded. This is the time of the gospel, when God has made known to humanity His will that they should be pure.

High time. In Greek, this means "the hour."

To awake, etc. This is a beautiful figure. The dawn of day, the approaching light of the morning, is the time to arouse from slumber. In the darkness of night, people sleep. So says the apostle. The world has been sunk in the night of heathenism and sin. At that time, it was to be expected that they would sleep the sleep of spiritual death.

But now the morning light of the gospel dawns. The Sun of righteousness has arisen. It is time, therefore, for people to cast off the deeds of darkness and rise to life, purity, and action. . The same idea is beautifully presented in 1 Thessalonians 5:5–8.

The meaning is this: "Until now we have walked in darkness and in sin. Now we walk in the light of the gospel. We know our duty. We are sure that the God of light is around us and is a witness of all we do. We are going soon to meet Him, and it is fitting for us to rouse ourselves and to do only those deeds that will bear the bright shining of the light of truth and the scrutiny of Him who is ‘light, and in whom is no darkness at all,’" (1 John 1:5).

Sleep. This refers to inactivity and insensibility to the doctrines and duties of religion. People, by nature, are active only in deeds of wickedness. In regard to religion, they are insensible, and the slumbers of night are on their eyelids. Sleep is "the kinsman of death," and it is the emblem of the insensibility and stupidity of sinners. The deeper the ignorance and sin, the greater is this insensibility to spiritual things and to the duties we owe to God and humanity.

For now is our salvation. The word salvation has been interpreted in various ways here. Some suppose that by it the apostle refers to the personal reign of Christ on the earth (Tholuck, and German theologians generally). Others suppose it refers to deliverance from persecutions. Still others suggest it means increased light and knowledge of the gospel, so that they could more clearly discern their duty than when they first became believers (Rosenmuller).

Probably, however, it has its usual meaning here, denoting that deliverance from sin and danger which awaits Christians in heaven. It is thus equivalent to the expression: "You are advancing nearer to heaven. You are hastening to the world of glory. Daily we are approaching the kingdom of light; and with that state in view, we ought to lay aside every sin and live more and more in preparation for a world of light and glory."

Than when we believed. This means, than when we began to believe. Every day brings us nearer to a world of perfect light.