Commentary of Charles Spurgeon, Adam Clarke & Matthew Henry
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit,
malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are
worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do
them.
Vs.28-32
Almost every trace of original righteousness had been obliterated.
---Were man left to the power and influence of his fallen nature he would
be, in all places of his dispersion on the earth, what the apostle
describes in the 29th, 30th, and 31st verses of this chapter.
The proofs of God's eternal power and providence, so manifest in the
creation and preservation of the universe, were wholly disregarded.
They did not like to retain God - It would, perhaps, be more literal to translate ουκ εδοκιμασαν, They Did Not Search to retain God in their knowledge. They did not examine the evidences before them ( Romans 1:19, Romans 1:20;) of his being and attributes; therefore God gave them over to a Reprobate mind, εις αδοκιμον νουν,
to an Unsearching or undiscerning mind; for it is the same word in both
places. They did not reflect on the proofs they had of the Divine
nature, and God abandoned them to the operations of a mind incapable of
reflection.
First, Sins against the first table: Haters of God.
Secondly, Sins against the second table.
These are
especially mentioned, because in these things they had a clearer light. In
general here is a charge of unrighteousness. This is put first, for every sin is
unrighteousness; it is withholding that which is due, perverting that which is
right; it is especially put for second-table sins, doing as we would not be done
by.
Against the fifth commandment: Disobedient to parents, and without
natural affection—astorgous, that
is parents unkind and cruel to their children. Thus, when duty fails on one
side, it commonly fails on the other.
Against the sixth commandment: Wickedness (doing mischief for
mischief's sake), maliciousness, envy, murder, debate (eridos—contention),
malignity, despiteful, implacable, unmerciful; all expressions of that
hatred of our brother which is heart-murder.
Against the seventh commandment: Fornication;
he mentions no more, having spoken before of other uncleannesses.
Against the
eighth commandment: Unrighteousness, covetousness.
Against the ninth
commandment: Deceit, whisperers, back-biters, covenant-breakers, lying
and slandering.
Here are two generals not before mentioned—inventors of
evil things, and without understanding; wise to do evil, and yet having no
knowledge to do good.
They knew that those who commit such
things were worthy of death, eternal death; their own consciences could not
but suggest this to them, and yet they ventured upon it.
They not only do the same, but have
pleasure in those that do them. Syneudokousi: they
do not only commit sin, but they defend and justify it.
Now lay all this together, and then say whether the Gentile
world, lying under so much guilt and corruption, could be justified before God
by any works of their own.