ACC ~ Romans 3 v8

TWISTING SCRIPTURE. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: These people twist the Scriptures when they read them by their tone of voice, in order to serve their own preferences. They alter some of the accents and punctuation marks in order to force wise and constructive precepts to support their taste for luxury. STROMATA 3.39.2.

WHY NOT DO EVIL THAT GOOD MAY COME? ORIGEN: This is an argument raised by unjust people against the Christian faith. They blaspheme us even more by suggesting that because we believe that God’s truthfulness abounds in the falsehood of men and that his justice is confirmed by our unrighteousness, we also believe that we should do evil so that good may come of it and that we should tell lies so that God’s truthfulness will shine out even more clearly because of it. But in claiming that this is what we think they are blaspheming us, as if these things were somehow the logical conclusion of our beliefs. But in fact the logic of our beliefs does not accept this line of reasoning, because we understand that God is a just and true judge. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

WHETHER FORGIVENESS ENCOURAGES SIN. AMBROSIASTER: This is why the apostle asked himself this question. The matter was raised by opponents, as if this were the meaning of the preaching of the forgiveness of sins—that they should do evil and good would come of it. That is, they should sin so that by forgiving their sins God should appear to be good, according to what has just been said above. Paul calls this blasphemy and rejects it as a bad interpretation of God’s teaching. Faith is not meant to encourage people to sin by preaching that God will ultimately be vindicated. Rather, it gives sinners a remedy so that having recovered their health they may live under the law of God and not sin again. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CHRYSOSTOM: The people Paul is referring to here are Gentiles who thought in this way themselves. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 6.

WHETHER WITHOUT MY LIES GOD WOULD NOT APPEAR TO BE TRUE. [PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: This is aimed at the Carpocratians, who are the worst of heretics and Gentiles to boot. The text is directed at those who say that unless they sin God’s grace will not abound, and unless they tell lies God will not appear to be true. The apostle answers them by saying that if what they think is true, then they should not be judged as sinners. But given that vengeance is wreaked on sinners, Paul says that they have not thought correctly. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

PELAGIUS: It is not true that, as some people think we say, the more evil we have done, the greater good we shall receive. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

ABSTAINING FROM WICKEDNESS. THEODORET OF CYR: This was not the intention of the apostles’ teaching. On the contrary, they demanded that everyone abstain from all manner of wickedness. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.