“Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”
Romans 11:35, KJV
““Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?””
Romans 11:35, ESV
Table of Contents
- Romans 11:35 Meaning – Or who hath first given to him
- Romans 11:35 Meaning – and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Romans 11:35 Meaning – Or who hath first given to him
This is another reason by which the justice of God is very forcibly and ably defended against all the accusations and charges of the wicked, — that, if no obligation is imposed on God by the merits of any human being, it is impossible for any one justly to expostulate with infinite Justice, because he does not receive a remuneratlon.
For it is absolutely required that every human being, who is desirous to force any one to do him a kindness, should be able to produce those duties, by the performance of which he is entitled to make such a claim.
God, according to this passage of Paul, cannot be accused of injustice, unless it can be said the Source and Fountain of all law does not pay every one his due.
It is also evident, no person can be deprived of his rights by God, since he is indebted to none; for who can boast of any of his own works, by which he merited the grace of infinite Love?
This is a striking passage, and teaches us, that it is not in our power, by any good actions of our own, to challenge our eternal Sovereign to grant us salvation; but he prevents the undeserving by his gratuitous goodness; for Paul shows what men are in the habit of doing, as well as their ability.
If we are indeed ready carefully to examine our character, we shall find that infinite Majesty is in no respect our debtor, while all mankind stand arraigned before his judgment-seat; so far, therefore, from deserving any favour at his hand, eternal death is too slight a punishment for our disobedience.
Nor does Paul only conclude that Jehovah is not our debtor, on account of our corrupt and vicious nature; but he asserts, man, provided he were entire and perfect, could produce nothing before God, by which his favour might be conciliated and secured; because, from the very commencement of his being, the child of Adam is so bound to his Maker, by the very law of creation, that he has notliing which can be considered his own property.
We shall, therefore, endeavour without effect to rob the all-perfect Lord of his right to determine to do freely what he chooses with the works of his hands, according to his own unerring wisdom; for nothing done by the creatures of a day, has made the King of glory their debtors, and the Supreme Being is laid under no obligation to the potsherds of the earth.
Calvin, John – Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans tr. Francis Sibson (1834)
In the next interrogation there is a reference to Job 41:3, LXX., 11, E.V.: “Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him?” or to Joel 3:4: “Will ye render Me a recompense? and if ye recompense Me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head;” but it is a mere allusion.
The meaning is — ‘No created being can have a claim of strict right on God for any blessing. The Creator is not, cannot be, under obligation to His creatures.
What can they give Him, but what He has previously given them? When He gives. He gives freely.
If any creature can make out a claim against Him, it will be sustained. If any man can show that he has been profitable to God, he shall obtain his reward as a matter of desert, not grace. The question is intended to shame into silence the murmurings of the unbelieving Jews, as if they had been dealt unjustly with in the arrangements of the new economy; and to impress on the minds of men, of every race and age, that blessings to sinful men can be hoped for from nothing but the self-moved, sovereign benignity of God.
Brown, John – Analytical exposition of the epistle of Paul the apostle to the Romans (1857)
Romans 11:35 Meaning – and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Reason 2. God is in no man’s debt, or can be, no man merits at his hand, no man can come forth and say, that he hath obliged God by any act of goodness in himself.
Therefore they cannot boast, any of the elect, as if God was bound to them by any Law, that he should appoint them unto life: neither can any of the reprobates complain, as though he paid not what he ought, seeing he is a debter to no man.
Dickson, David – An Exposition of All St. Paul’s Epistles (1659)
