Romans 16:18

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Their own belly.—Compare the description in Philippians 3:18-19, where the Apostle is also denouncing certain persons who made “a god of their belly.” It is not, however, quite clear that the class of persons intended is precisely the same. There the Apostle is condemning Antinomian extravagances which professed to be based on his own teaching; here he would seem to have in view some more radical divergence of doctrine, “contrary to” that which they had learned. Selfish indulgence is unfortunately a common goal, to which many diverse ways of error will be found to lead.

By good words and fair speeches.—The difference, perhaps, is between “insinuating” or “specious” address, and “fine phrases” in a rhetorical sense.

Simple.—Literally, guileless. Those who have no evil intentions themselves, and do not readily suspect others of them.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

16:17-20 How earnest, how endearing are these exhortations! Whatever differs from the sound doctrine of the Scriptures, opens a door to divisions and offences. If truth be forsaken, unity and peace will not last long. Many call Christ, Master and Lord, who are far from serving him. But they serve their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. They corrupt the head by deceiving the heart; perverting the judgments by winding themselves into the affections. We have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. It has been the common policy of seducers to set upon those who are softened by convictions. A pliable temper is good when under good guidance, otherwise it may be easily led astray. Be so wise as not to be deceived, yet so simple as not to be deceivers. The blessing the apostle expects from God, is victory over Satan. This includes all designs and devices of Satan against souls, to defile, disturb, and destroy them; all his attempts to keep us from the peace of heaven here, and the possession of heaven hereafter. When Satan seems to prevail, and we are ready to give up all as lost, then will the God of peace interpose in our behalf. Hold out therefore, faith and patience, yet a little while. If the grace of Christ be with us, who can prevail against us?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Serve not - Obey not. Though they are professedly, yet they are not his real friends and followers.

But their own belly - Their own "lusts;" their own private interests; they do this to obtain support. The authors of parties and divisions, in church and state, have this usually in view. It is for the indulgence of some earthly appetite; to obtain function or property; or to gratify the love of dominion.

And by good words - Mild, fair, plausible speeches; with an appearance of great sincerity, and regard for the truth; compare Colossians 2:4; 2 Peter 3:3. People who cause divisions commonly make great pretensions to peculiar love of truth and orthodoxy; and put on the appearance of great sincerity, sanctity, and humility.

And fair speeches - Greek εὐλογίας eulogias, eulogy, praise, flattery. This is another very common art. "Flattery" is one of the most powerful means of forming parties in the church; and "a little special attention," or promise of an office, or commendation for talents or acquirements, will secure "many" to the purposes of party whom no regard for truth or orthodoxy could influence a moment.

Deceive the hearts of the simple - The minds of the unsuspecting, or those who are without guile τῶν ἀκάκων tōn akakōn. The apostle means to designate those who are simple-hearted, without any disposition to deceive others themselves, and of course without any suspicions of the "designs" of others. He has thus drawn the art of making parties with the hand of a master. First, there are smooth, plausible pretences, as of great love for truth. Then, an artful mingling of attentions and flatteries; and all this practiced on the minds of the unsuspecting, drawing their "hearts" and "affections" toward themselves. Happy would it have been if the art had been confined to his own times.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ—"our Lord Christ" appears to be the true reading.

but their own belly—not in the grosset sense, but as "living for low ends of their own" (compare Php 3:19).

and by good words and fair speeches deceive the simple—the unwary, the unsuspecting. (See Pr 14:15).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

In this verse you have a reason of the foregoing admonition, together with a description of the seducers, whom they should mark and avoid. He says, they are such as

serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; i.e. they serve themselves rather than Christ. Though they pretend to be the servants of Jesus Christ, and give themselves out for his ministers, yet they aim at nothing but their own commodity and advantage. A further account you have of such persons in Philippians 3:19 1 Timothy 6:5 Titus 1:11 2 Peter 2:3.

By good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple: q.d. As Satan insinuated into Eve, by pretending he wished her good; so these seducers pretend they aim at nothing but the good and benefit of those with whom they have to do: with smooth and flattering words, they praise both the persons and doings of those whom they would insnare, (so much the word eulogia, here used, imports), and by this means they impose upon the simple, i.e. the over credulous and unwary, who do not mistrust any deceit or hurt. The word here rendered simple, properly signifies such as are not evil, or that are incautious, and not suspicious.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,.... They do not preach him, but themselves; they do not seek the things of Christ, his honour and glory, the spread of his Gospel, and the enlargement of his kingdom and interest; they seek their own things, worldly honour and applause, riches, wealth, and grandeur; they seek to please men, and so are not the servants of Christ: they introduced the observance of meats and drinks in to the kingdom of Christ, which it do not consist of, and neglected the doctrines of righteousness and peace, from whence springs joy in the Holy Ghost, and so in these spiritual things did not serve Christ; and therefore, as they were not acceptable to God, were not to be approved of by Christian men, but to be marked and avoided:

but their own belly; which they made a god of, and devoted themselves to the service of all their views were to gratify and indulge their sensual appetite. The false teachers among the Jews were particularly addicted to this vice: hence the apostle sometimes calls them dogs, Philippians 3:2, on account of their voraciousness, and who, in Isaiah's time, were greedy ones that could never have enough, Isaiah 56:11; and in our Lord's time devoured widows' houses, under a pretence of long prayers for them, Matthew 23:14; and were like the Cretians, evil beasts, and slow bellies, Titus 1:12, unwilling to labour, and lived upon the spoil of others:

and by good words, and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple: they were deceivers; they lay in wait to deceive, made use of the hidden things of dishonesty, walked in craftiness, and handled the word of God deceitfully; and therefore to be marked and avoided: they deceived "the simple", harmless, and innocent, that think no evil, nor are aware of any; who have little understanding of things; persons of weak minds, easy to be imposed upon; very credulous, ready to believe every word, so the simple man does, as Solomon says, Proverbs 14:15; and such false teachers choose to tamper with, and make their attacks upon, being able to gain upon them the most easily, as their father the devil, the old serpent, did, when he first assailed human nature: the "hearts" of these they deceive; they work upon their affections, blind their understandings, impose on their judgments, and corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ: and this they do "by good words and fair speeches"; either by making use of the words of Scripture, and a show of arguments taken from thence; so Satan cited Scripture in his dispute with our Lord; and so heretics, in all ages, have pretended toil in favour of their principles, by which means they have gained on many to follow their pernicious ways; or by using words and phrases that faithful ministers of Christ use, such as the grace of God, the righteousness of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, but in a different sense; as some among us now frequently make mention of them, when they mean no more by them than the light of nature within them, and the dictates of a natural conscience; or by an elegant style, a set of fine words, a flow of rhetorical expressions, great swelling words of vanity, which such men generally affect, and so work themselves into the admiration of the common people; or by doctrines suited to the carnal minds and reasonings of men, which tickle human nature, and swell it with pride and vanity; as by preaching up the purity and power of it, asserting man's free will, and the strength of it to that which is good; the capacity of man to keep the law, and perform good works; justification by them before God, and acceptance with him, on account of them; atonement for sins committed, by repentance and reformation; that God does not regard trifling things, some sins are venial, and easily passed over; that concupiscence is no sin; God does not rigorously exact duty, he takes the will for the deed, and is merciful unto all, and if but sincere, there is no doubt of heaven; and such men, generally speaking, instead of correcting vice, and reproving men for their sins, connive at them, indulge them in them, soothe and flatter, commend and defend them, whereby they attach them to their persons and interest.

Geneva Study Bible

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by {g} good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

(g) The word which he uses signifies a promising which accomplishes nothing, and if you hear any such, you may assure yourself that he who promises to you is more concerned about receiving from you than he is concerned about giving to you.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Romans 16:18. Reason assigned for the injunction of Romans 16:17.

οἱ τοιοῦτοι] “hi tales; notatur substantia cum sua qualitate,” Bengel.

οὐ δουλ.] Note the position of the negation; the thought is: to the Lord they refuse service, but their own belly they serve. Thereby they belonged to the category of the ἐχθροὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ τ. Χρ., Php 3:18.

On τῇ κοιλίᾳ δουλεύειν, τῇ γαστρὶ δουλεύειν, abdomini servire (Seneca, de benef. vii. 26), as a designation of selfishness, bent only on good cheer in eating and drinking, comp. on Php 3:19; Jacobs, ad Anthol. IX. p. 416. For this object the sectaries sought to make use of the influence and following which they obtained. Comp. Lucian, de morte Peregr. 11 ff. Behind their teaching, although this was not itself of an Epicurean nature (Hofmann), there lurked, hypocritically concealed, the tendency to epicurean practice.

διὰ τῆς χρηστολ. κ. εὐλογ.] by means of the kind (having a good-natured sound) and fair-set language, which they hold. On χρηστολ. comp. Jul. Capitol, vit. Pertin. 13; Eustath. p. 1437, 53, and the classical λόγοι χρηστοί, λέγειν χρηστά κ.τ.λ.; on εὐλογία, language finely expressed (here: fine phrases), Plat. Rep. p. 400 D; Lucian, Lexiph. 1; Aesop. 229. The two words characterize contents (χρηστολ.) and form (εὐλ.); hence it is preferable to take εὐλογ. in the above signification than in the ordinary one of praise, extolling (Philippi). Comp. Luther: stately language.

τῶν ἀκάκων] of the guileless (Hebrews 7:26), who themselves have nothing evil in their mind, and are prepared for nothing evil. See Wetstein in loc.; Ruhnken, ad Tim. p. 56; Schaefer, ad Greg. Cor. p. 342.

The assertion that Paul appears too severe in the accusation of his opponents (Rückert) cannot be made good. He writes from long and ample experience.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Romans 16:18. οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι κ.τ.λ. Christians must not associate with those who do not serve the one Lord. τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Χριστῷ: this combination occurs here only in N.T. τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ: cf. Php 3:19, ὧν ὁ θεὸς ἡ κοιλίᾳ. The words need not mean that the teachers in question were mere sensualists, or that they taught Epicurean or antinomian doctrines: the sense must partly be defined by the contrast—it is not our Lord Christ whom they serve; on the contrary, it is base interests of their own. It is a bitter contemptuous way of describing a self-seeking spirit, rather than an allusion to any particular cast of doctrine. διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας: according to Grimm, χρηστολογία refers to the insinuating tone, εὐλογία to the fine style, of the false teachers. Examples from profane Greek bear out this distinction (εὔαρχός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος καὶ πολλὴν τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος καὶ εὔλεξις), but as εὐλογία in Biblical Greek, and in Philo and Josephus invariably has a religious sense, Cremer prefers to take it so here also: “pious talk”. ἐξαπατῶσι: Romans 7:11, 1 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:2. ἀκάκων: all the English versions, except Gen[40] and A.V., render “of the innocent” (Gifford). See Hebrews 7:26. In this place “guileless” is rather the idea: suspecting no evil, and therefore liable to be deceived.

[40] genitive case.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18. serve not] Perhaps these words (lit. do not bondservice to,) allude to the professed “liberty” of the erring teachers. Q. d., “they decline, indeed, the bondage of Christ, but they are in bondage to their own appetites all the while.” Cp. 2 Peter 2:19.—With a similar emphasis, probably, he writes “our Lord (Master) Jesus Christ.”

their own belly] Cp. Php 3:19. The words indicate sensual self-indulgence generally, whether grosser or lighter.

by good words, &c.] Lit. by their sweet-speech and fair-speech. The first word denotes the seeming piety, the second the seeming reasonableness, of their doctrine.

the simple] Lit. the evil-less; people unconscious of bad intentions, and hence unsuspicious of them.

Meyer remarks that St Paul did not write thus severely till after long and full experience.

Bengel's Gnomen

Romans 16:18. οἱ τοιοῦτοι) such as these. The substance with its quality is denoted.—κοιλίᾳ, the belly) Php 3:19.—χρηστολογίας) as concerns themselves by promising.—εὐλογίας) as concerns you, by praising and flattering.—τῶν ἀκάκων) פתי, a word of a middle signification, μέσον, for the sake of euphemy (end.); which the LXX. translate ἄκακος, and which occurs more than once in Proverbs. They are called ἄκακοι, who are merely free from badness, whereas they should also be strong in prudence, and be on their guard against the κακίαν, the badness of others.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 18-20. - For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly (cf. Philippians 3:18, 19). Had St. Paul thought these people sincere though mistaken, he would doubtless have treated them with the tenderness he shows towards the weak brethren. But he regards them as self-interested, and of the flesh; and against such disturbers of the Church's peace he is, here as elsewhere, indignant (el. Galatians 1:7, 8; Galatians 2:4; Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:11, 12). In speaking of them as serving, or being slaves to, their own belly, it cannot be concluded certainly that he attributed to them habits of sensuality. He may only mean that it is the gratification of the lower part of their nature that they have in view; and there may be allusion to the motive of such persons being the desire of eating and drinking at the cost of the Churches. In 'The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles' (alluded to under Romans 12:6, seq.) the desire to live without working at the cost of the Church is set down as one of the marks of a false apostle or a false prophet. And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (rather, innocent, or harmless. So the word ἄκακος is translated in Hebrews 7:26. It is different from ἀκέραιος in ver. 19, though the Authorized Version makes no difference). For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. This is apparently adduced as a reason for his exhorting them to beware of those seducers, with a confidence that they will not be seduced by them, ver. 19 being thus dependent on ver. 17. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, but simple (ἀκεραίους) concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Romans 16:18

Vincent's Word Studies

Belly

Compare Philippians 3:19.

Good words (χρηστολογίας)

Only here in the New Testament. Lit., good speaking. The compounded adjective χρης τός is used rather in its secondary sense of mild, pleasant. So Rev., smooth speech.

Deceive (ἐξαπατῶσιν)

Better, as Rev., beguile. It is not merely making a false impression, but practically leading astray

Simple (ἀκάκων)

Only here and Hebrews 7:26. Lit., not evil. Rev., innocent. Bengel says: "An indifferent word. They are called so who are merely without positive wickedness, when they ought to abound also in prudence, and to guard against other men's wickedness."