Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 2:8

"but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [shall be] wrath and indignation," — Romans 2:8 (ASV)

But unto them . . . — The scholar will observe that in the original Greek the construction is changed. At the end of Romans 2:7, there is an accusative case, "(he will render) eternal life;" here, we have the nominative case, "(there shall be) tribulation and anguish."

That are contentious. — This phrase points to an error in the Authorised Version, stemming from a wrong derivation of the word. Strictly, it means to those who act in the spirit of a hireling; hence, according to the word's secondary meaning, "to those who act in a spirit of factiousness and self-seeking."

It is, however, quite possible that this mistaken derivation may have been current in St. Paul’s time, as it undoubtedly was somewhat later, from Origen downwards. St. Paul, it is true, distinguishes between the proper word for “contention” and the one used here (e.g., in 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20). But this distinction would not exclude—rather, it would seem to imply—not a formal derivation, but some association of ideas. The shade of meaning will, perhaps, be expressed if we translate using a word such as “factiousness.” So, in Philippians 1:16 (properly Philippians 1:17, as the order of the clauses is reversed), we read, the one (the other) preach Christ of factiousness.

Indignation and wrath. — The Greek equivalents for these two words are distinguished as the settled angry feeling from the passionate outbreak of anger.

The truth. — This term is used here in a moral sense, almost equivalent to "rectitude" or "that which is right." There is a tendency towards this meaning in Romans 1:18, Who hold down the truth in unrighteousness, though in that passage "the truth" appears to mean "natural religion" in general, rather than this specific ethical sense.

The ethical sense comes out clearly in John 3:21, he that doeth truth, which is contrasted with he that doeth evil. Phrases such as "obey the truth" and "obey unrighteousness," in plainer language, would simply mean "do good" and "do evil." It may be noted that St. Paul is fond of these quasi-personifications.