John Calvin 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)

For revealed, etc. He reasons now by stating contrasting points, and proves that there is no righteousness except what is conferred, or comes through the gospel. For he shows that without this all men are condemned; by it alone salvation is to be found.

And he brings, as the first proof of condemnation, the fact that though the structure of the world and the most beautiful arrangement of the elements ought to have induced man to glorify God, yet no one discharged his proper duty. From this it appears that all were guilty of sacrilege, and of wicked and abominable ingratitude.

To some it seems that this is a main subject, and that Paul forms his discourse for the purpose of enforcing repentance. But I think that the discussion of the subject begins here, and that the principal point is stated in a previous proposition, for Paul’s object was to teach us where salvation is to be found.

He has already declared that we cannot obtain it except through the gospel. But as the flesh will not willingly humble itself so far as to assign the praise of salvation to the grace of God alone, Paul shows that the whole world is deserving of eternal death.

Therefore it follows that life is to be recovered in some other way, since we are all lost in ourselves. But the words, when carefully considered, will help us much to understand the meaning of the passage.

Some make a difference between impiety and unrighteousness, and think that by the former word is meant the profanation of God’s worship, and by the latter, injustice towards men. But as the Apostle immediately refers this unrighteousness to the neglect of true religion, we shall explain both as referring to the same thing.

And then, all the impiety of men is to be taken, as a figure of speech, as meaning “the impiety of all men,” or, the impiety of which all men are guilty. But by these two words one thing is designated, and that is, ingratitude towards God; for we thereby offend in two ways: it is said to be ἀσέβεια, impiety, as it is a dishonoring of God; it is ἀδικία, unrighteousness, because man, by transferring to himself what belongs to God, unjustly deprives God of his glory.

The word wrath, according to the usage of Scripture, speaking after the manner of men, means the vengeance of God; for God, in punishing, has, according to our perception, the appearance of one in wrath. It imports, therefore, no such emotion in God, but only has a reference to the perception and feeling of the sinner who is punished.

Then he says that it is revealed from heaven. Though the expression from heaven is taken by some in the sense of an adjective, as though he had said, “the wrath of the celestial God”; yet I think it more emphatic when taken as having this meaning: “Wherever a man may look around him, he will find no salvation, for the wrath of God is poured out on the whole world, to the full extent of heaven.”

The truth of God means the true knowledge of God; and to hold in that is to suppress or to obscure it. Therefore, they are charged as guilty of robbery. — What we render unjustly is given literally by Paul in unrighteousness, which means the same thing in Hebrew; but we have regard to clarity.