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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:15

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ,.... By "the spirit of bondage" is meant, not the Spirit of God: for this is just the reverse of his character, who is a "free Spirit", or רוח נדיבה , "a Spirit of liberty"; and is contrary to his work and office, which is to show a soul its state of bondage by nature, and to deliver out of it; and though fear may arise from the convictions of sin, yet this he removes by discoveries of love; moreover, his work is to make... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:16

The Spirit itself beareth witness ,.... The thing which the Spirit of God witnesses to is, that we are the sons of God ; which supposes the case in some sense doubtful and uncertain, at least that it is called in question; not by others, though it sometimes is, as by Satan, which need not seem strange, since he called in question the sonship of Christ himself, and by the world who know them not, and by good men, till better informed: but the testimony of the Spirit is not the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:17

And if children, then heirs ,.... Children, whether natural or adopted, are heirs to their parents, and according to the Roman laws, which some think the apostle here respects, whether male or female; but according to the Jewish laws F3 Misn. Bava Bathra, c. 8. sect. 2. T. Hieros. Bava Bathra, fol. 16. 1. , females did not inherit only in case of want of male issue; for though Job's daughters inherited with his sons, this was a peculiar case; and the Jewish writers say F4 Jarchi in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:18

For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time ,.... By "this present time" may be meant, the then present age, in which the apostle lived; which was an age in which the people of God suffered much, as was foretold by Christ, and which was necessary for the confirmation of the Gospel; for grace and strength answerable to their trials were given them; and the power of God was visibly to be seen in the supporting of them; though this was not the only suffering age: wherefore by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:19

For the earnest expectation of the creature ,.... Some by the creature understand the universe, all created beings animate and inanimate, which having suffered much by the sin of man, are introduced by a rhetorical figure, as waiting for deliverance and a restoration to their paradisiacal estate; but some part of the world is manifestly distinguished from them, Romans 8:23 , others think that angels are here meant, who being obliged to minister to sinful men, are represented as groaning... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:20

For the creature was made subject to vanity ,.... This designs the vanity and emptiness of the minds of the Gentiles, who were without God and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, without the law and Gospel, and grace of God; also the vain conceits they had of themselves, of their wisdom, knowledge, learning, and eloquence; likewise their vain philosophy, particularly their gross idolatry, their polytheism, or worshipping of many gods; together with their divers lusts and vices, to which they were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:21

Because the creature itself also ,.... The phrase in hope, which stands in our version, at the end of the preceding verse, should be placed in the beginning of this, and be read in connection with Romans 8:19 being a parenthesis, thus: "the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God, in hope that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption"; and so it is placed in some copies, and in the Syriac version: that is, "the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:22

For we know that the whole creation groaneth ,.... As a woman with child, ready to bring forth: for it is added, and travaileth in pain together until now ; regeneration is owing to the grace of God, which is compared to "seed", of which men are born again; the means of conveying it is the Gospel, and ministers are the instruments of begetting souls to Christ, and who travail in birth till Christ be formed in them: now the Gospel being carried by the apostles into the Gentile world, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:23

And not only they, but ourselves also ,.... Not only they Gentiles, but we Jews likewise: which have the firstfruits of the Spirit : meaning either the apostles, who were all Jews, and who most of them received the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit on the day of "Pentecost", which was the day of the firstfruits, Numbers 28:26 ; and to which there seems to be an allusion here; or else the Jewish converts in general: to the Jews the promises of the Messiah were made; to them he first... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:24

For we are saved by hope ,.... We who have received the firstfruits, who were in a lost perishing condition, and by nature no better than others, than the Gentiles, are saved by sin and wrath to come by Christ, with a spiritual and everlasting salvation. They were already saved in the preparations and purposes of God; in the covenant of grace; in the arms and hands of Christ, through his purchase; and as considered in him; and with respect to the inchoation and application of salvation, in... read more

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