Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 1:18

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness;" — Romans 1:18 (ASV)

At the outset it is important to observe the correlation between righteousness and wrath. Both are represented as being revealed from God. Just as full salvation awaits the future but also belongs to the present and is appropriated by faith (1:17), similarly wrath, while an eschatological concept, is viewed here as belonging to the present age. It is “being revealed” (GK 636). This means that the unfolding of history involves a disclosure of God’s wrath against sin, seen in the terrible corruption and perversion of human life. This does not mean that the price of sin is to be reckoned only in terms of the present operation of wrath, for there is a day of judgment awaiting the sinner (2:5). But the divine verdict is already in some measure anticipated. Paul regards the degrading depths of sin among pagans as a present judgment from God (cf. vv.24, 26, 28).

This wrath of God is being revealed “from heaven.” This phrase as used in the Gospels means “from God.” Some scholars object to the idea of the wrath of God, but such objection is often molded by human experience of anger as passion or desire for revenge. God’s wrath, however, is not temperamental; rather, it is righteous (cf. 13:4–5).

The object God’s wrath is twofold—“all the godlessness and wickedness of men.” Paul explicates the first term in vv.19–27 and the second in vv.28–32. “Godlessness” (GK 813) means a lack of reverence, an impiety that arrays people against God, not simply in terms of neglect but also of rebellion. “Wickedness” (GK 94) means injustice, relating to the vitiating of a person’s conduct toward other human beings. The two together serve to denote the failure of humankind in terms of the requirements of the two tablets of the Decalogue. No distinction is made here between Jews and Gentiles, since “men” includes the entire human race. These are the very areas in which the prophets found fault with Israel. But as the thought unfolds here, the culprit appears much more sharply in terms of Gentiles than of Jews.

They “suppress the truth by their wickedness.” That is, whenever the truth about God (cf. v.25) starts to assert itself and makes them feel guilty, they suppress it—either by further immoralities or by denial. Suppression of the truth implies a knowledge of the truth, and what this involves is explained in the sequel.