ACC ~ Romans 3 v12

WHO DOES GOOD? ORIGEN: It seems to me that Scripture would not say that they had gone wrong if there had not been a time when they were standing in the right way. From this it appears that the original work of God in creating a rational nature was right and that this being was put in the right way by the gift of the Creator himself. But since he turned aside from this to sin, Scripture rightly says that he has gone wrong. Remember how Adam, the first man, was deceived by the serpent and turned aside from the right way of paradise to the fallen and crooked paths of this mortal life.As a consequence therefore, everyone who comes into this world in the following of Adam has gone wrong and become unworthy, just as he did. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

PELAGIUS: One who does not look for support is bound to fall away and become useless for the work for which he was made. But if there is no one who does good, in what sense does Paul later on accuse those who devour God’s people and ruin the needy? For they were not God’s people if they did not do good. … But this has more to do with the exposition of the psalm than with the apostle’s concern here! PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

FROM BAD TO WORSE. AMBROSIASTER: No one doubts that those who do not look to God for help are inclined to seek help from vain things, and vanity is an idol. Thus they become useless. Once that happens they cannot do good either, for those who have already fallen just go from bad to worse. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

PAUL’S SENSE OF PSALM 14. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Paul did not treat this passage as if it were prophetic but rather because what David said about transgressors was still a good summary of what was going on in Paul’s day. Even now we still cite texts of this kind in our sermons, because what they say can be applied to our congregations. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

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