ACC ~ Romans 1 v30

HATERS OF GOD. AMBROSIASTER: Because these things were displeasing to God, Paul says that they were hateful to God, and because they are also displeasing to men, he adds that they are insolent, haughty, boastful and inventors of evil, not just followers of it. For, becoming true imitators of their father the devil, they invented the evil of idolatry, through which all the vices in the world originated, as well as the greatest perdition. For the devil, whom Scripture says was a sinner from the beginning, although he gloried in his tyrannical presumption, never dared go so far as to call himself God. For among other things he says to God: “All these things have been given to me,” not: “All these things are from me.” In the book of Job the devil asks for power to be given to him, and in the prophet Zechariah he thinks that he can contradict the priest but does not claim power for himself.For this reason the idolaters are even worse, because they proclaim the divinity not only of the elements but also of imaginary things.

They were seized with such insolence that they did not even acknowledge their parents, who had given them birth! They rejoiced in their children but despised those by whom they had come into being. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

INVENTORS OF EVIL. CHRYSOSTOM: Classing things which to many seem to be matters of indifference among his accusations of sin, Paul further strengthens his case, going up to the stronghold of their wickedness and styling them “boastful.” For although sinning is high-minded, boasting is even worse. … Furthermore, they were “inventors of evil.” Not content with the evil which already exists in the world, they went and invented more! Again, this is the behavior of those who are determined and in earnest, not of those who are distracted and forced off course. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 5.

SELF-DESTRUCTION. PELAGIUS: The Scriptures link slander to idolatry by stipulating the same penalty for it—destruction. The haughty are those who want to be more than they are. The devil was like this, and so destroyed himself. For one who seeks to lord it over others will end up beneath them. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

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