Scientific analysis of the biblical Epistles of the Apostles. Scientific line-by-line explanation of the Bible. Andrey Tikhomirov
his invisible things, his eternal power and divinity, from the creation of the world through the contemplation of creatures are visible, so that they are unresponsive. («Divine» bundles).
21 But how, when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, and did not thank him, but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened; (They behaved «wrongly.» However, everything is according to the will of God!).
22 calling themselves wise, they went mad, (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
23 and the glory of the incorruptible God was changed into an image like a corruptible man, and birds, and quadrupeds, and reptiles – (But all according to the will of God!).
24 This is why God gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts, so that they defiled their own bodies. (The central idea of this message is justification. It tells about the sinfulness of all people who are mired in shameful passions and are unable to rise spiritually. This applies primarily to the pagans, who, having come to know God and his commandments, nevertheless gave themselves up to idolatry, therefore God rejected them from himself and betrayed them «in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness.» Pagans – this word «sacred» writers sometimes denote those who do not believe in the true God, or in general all those who do not know and do not recognize his name. In some places of the Bible, this word means Christians not from Jews).
25 They replaced the truth of God with a lie, and worshipped and served the creature instead of the Creator, Who is blessed forever, amen. (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
26 Therefore, God betrayed them to shameful passions: their women replaced their natural use with unnatural; (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
27 similarly, men, abandoning the natural use of the female sex, were inflamed with lust for one another, men on men doing shame and receiving in themselves due retribution for their error. (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
28 And as they did not care to have God in their minds, God gave them over to a perverse mind – to do lewdness, (Talion’s rule).
29 so that they are full of all unrighteousness, fornication, deceit, covetousness, malice, filled with envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
30 slanderers, slanderers, God-haters, abusers, self-praisers, proud, inventive for evil, disobedient to parents, (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
31 reckless, treacherous, unloving, irreconcilable, merciless. (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
32 They know the righteous [judgment] It is God’s law that those who do such things are worthy of death; however, not only do they do them, but they also approve of those who do them. (Criticism of «wrong» behavior).
Chapter 2
1 Therefore, you are not blameless, every person who judges [another], because by the same judgment that you judge another, you condemn yourself, because judging [another], you do the same. (Talion’s rule).
2 But we know that truly there is a judgment of God on those who do such things. (The mention of the «judgment of God», which will evaluate everything «correctly», is an analogy with the human judgment).
3 Do you really think, man, that you will escape the judgment of God by condemning those who do such things and (yourself) doing the same? (The suggestion that it is impossible for a person to avoid the «judgment of God»).
4 Or do you neglect the riches of God’s goodness, meekness, and longsuffering, not understanding that God’s goodness leads you to repentance? («Divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
5 But, according to your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are gathering anger for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of righteous judgment from God, («Divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
6 Who will reward everyone according to his deeds: (The suggestion that it is impossible for a person to avoid the «judgment of God»).
7 those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in a good deed – eternal life; (Talion’s rule: if you behave as established by the priesthood, then, they say, you will live forever, behave badly, do not obey the priests, then, they say, God will punish you. This interpretation is beneficial to priests-priests of any religion).
8 but to those who persist and do not submit to the truth, but give themselves up to unrighteousness – rage and anger. (Talion’s rule: if you behave as established by the priesthood, then, they say, you will live forever, behave badly, do not obey the priests, then, they say, God will punish you. This interpretation is beneficial to priests-priests of any religion).
9 Sorrow and distress to every soul of a man who does evil, first, a Jew, [then] a Greek! (The Jew is in the first place, after all, «the chosen of Yahweh», the Greek-Greek is in the second, also the word «Greek» in this context means all non—Jews).
10 On the contrary, glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, first to the Jew, and then to the Greek! (The Jew is in the first place, after all, the «chosen ones of Yahweh», the Greek Greek is in the second).
11 For there is no hypocrisy with God. (Personification of God, endowing the lord of God with human features. God has no face perception, that is, He does not single out a certain person, but this is not the case, see previous verses: 9—10).
12 Those who have sinned without the law will perish outside the law; and those who have sinned under the law will be condemned according to the law (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
13 (because not the listeners of the law are righteous before God, but the executors of the law will be justified, (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
14 for when the Gentiles, who have no law, by nature do what is lawful, then, having no law, they are their own law: (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
15 they show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as evidenced by their conscience and their thoughts, now accusing, now justifying one another) (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
16 On the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secret affairs of men through Jesus Christ. (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
17 Behold, you are called a Jew, and you comfort yourself with the law, and you boast of God, (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view for Jews).
18 And you know [His] will, and you understand the best by learning from the law (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and what is bad, from Paul’s point of view).
19 And I am sure of myself that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in darkness (Analogies, comparisons).
20 the teacher of the ignorant, the teacher of infants, who has a pattern of knowledge and truth in the law: (Analogies, comparisons).
21 How is it that when you teach another, you don’t teach yourself? (Analogies, comparisons).
22 When you preach not to steal, do you steal? saying, «Do not commit adultery,» are you committing adultery? abhoring idols, are you blaspheming? (Reasoning about the law of Moses – the Torah, «divine» moralizing, revealing what is good and