Paul continued writing to those who do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).1 But because of your stubbornness (σκληρότητα, a form of σκληρότης) and your unrepentant (ἀμετανόητον, a form of ἀμετανόητος) heart, you are storing up wrath (ὀργὴν, a form of ὀργή) for yourselves in the day of wrath (ὀργῆς, another form of ὀργή), when God’s righteous judgment (δικαιοκρισίας, a form of δικαιοκρισία) is revealed (ἀποκαλύψεως, a form of ἀποκάλυψις)!2
The Greek word σκληρότητα (a form of σκληρότης) is only used this once in the New Testament, but it comes from the word σκληρός (dry, hard, tough). In “The Parable of the Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30) the evil and lazy slave3 described his master as a hard (σκληρός) man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed.4
Jesus said, I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I5 will raise him up on6 the last day. For my flesh is true7 food, and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him.8 His own disciples responded, This is a difficult (σκληρός) saying! Who can understand it?9 Jesus’ explanation is right on target for the study of Paul’s letter to the Romans, The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.10
Paul, recounting his own experience resisting repentance, told King Agrippa what Jesus had said to him on the Damascus road: When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,11 “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting (σκληρός) yourself by kicking against the goads.”12
James wrote about harsh (σκληρῶν, a form of σκληρός) winds,13 and Jude about harsh (σκληρῶν, a form of σκληρός) words (Jude 1:14, 15 NET).
Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment (κρίσιν, a form of κρίσις) on all, and to convict (ἐλέγξαι, a form of ἐλέγχω) every person14 of all their thoroughly ungodly (ἀσεβείας, a form of ἀσέβεια) deeds (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) that they have committed (ἠσέβησαν, a form of ἀσεβέω), and of all the harsh (σκληρῶν, a form of σκληρός) words that ungodly (ἀσεβεῖς, a form of ἀσεβής) sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ, a form of ἁμαρτωλός) have spoken against him.”
This day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed15 is the reason Paul said, So then, do not judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.16
As far as an unrepentant (ἀμετανόητον, a form of ἀμετανόητος) heart is concerned, ἀμετανόητος is probably the negation of μετανοέω, to think differently, reconsider. I’ve already written about the righteous prayer that justified (δεδικαιωμένος, a form of δικαιόω) the tax collector who prayed it, God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!17 In the specific context of Paul’s letter to the Romans it is not too difficult for a repentant heart to find itself in the wide net Paul cast in chapter 1:18-32. Anyone can pray, “God be merciful to me. I have been given over to a depraved mind because I did not see fit to acknowledge you.”18 Or, “God be merciful to me. I have been given over to dishonorable passions because I worshiped and served the creation rather than you.”19 Or, “God be merciful to me. I have been given over to impurity because I worshiped you as if you were a created thing. I haven’t glorified you or given you thanks.”20
In the context of Romans the real stubbornness (σκληρότητα, a form of σκληρότης) at this point would be to continue to assert one’s own righteousness before God, to persist in the effort to make oneself righteous (whether that be according to his law or on one’s own terms) rather than accept his mercy and grace. It is to this stubborn and unrepentant heart that Paul warns, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! He will reward each one according to his works (ἔργα, another form of ἔργον):21
eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness [Table]. There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged (κριθήσονται, another form of κρίνω) by the law.22
Addendum: July 18, 2020
Tables comparing John 6:54, 55; 6:60; James 3:4 and Jude 1:15 in the NET and KJV follow.
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John 6:54, 55 (KJV) |
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| The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. | Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ | ο τρωγων μου την σαρκα και πινων μου το αιμα εχει ζωην αιωνιον και εγω αναστησω αυτον τη εσχατη ημερα | ο τρωγων μου την σαρκα και πινων μου το αιμα εχει ζωην αιωνιον και εγω αναστησω αυτον εν τη εσχατη ημερα |
| For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. | For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| ἡ γὰρ σάρξ μου ἀληθής ἐστιν βρῶσις, καὶ τὸ αἷμα μου ἀληθής ἐστιν πόσις | η γαρ σαρξ μου αληθως εστιν βρωσις και το αιμα μου αληθως εστιν ποσις | η γαρ σαρξ μου αληθως εστιν βρωσις και το αιμα μου αληθως εστιν ποσις |
|
John 6:60 (KJV) |
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| Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, said, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?” | Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| Πολλοὶ οὖν ἀκούσαντες ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶπαν· σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος· τίς δύναται αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν | πολλοι ουν ακουσαντες εκ των μαθητων αυτου ειπον σκληρος εστιν ουτος ο λογος τις δυναται αυτου ακουειν | πολλοι ουν ακουσαντες εκ των μαθητων αυτου ειπον σκληρος εστιν ουτος ο λογος τις δυναται αυτου ακουειν |
|
James 3:4 (KJV) |
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| Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. | Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ πλοῖα τηλικαῦτα ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνέμων σκληρῶν ἐλαυνόμενα, μετάγεται ὑπὸ ἐλαχίστου πηδαλίου ὅπου ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος βούλεται | ιδου και τα πλοια τηλικαυτα οντα και υπο σκληρων ανεμων ελαυνομενα μεταγεται υπο ελαχιστου πηδαλιου οπου αν η ορμη του ευθυνοντος βουληται | ιδου και τα πλοια τηλικαυτα οντα και υπο σκληρων ανεμων ελαυνομενα μεταγεται υπο ελαχιστου πηδαλιου οπου αν η ορμη του ευθυνοντος βουληται |
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Jude 1:15 (KJV) |
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| to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” | To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| ποιῆσαι κρίσιν κατὰ πάντων καὶ ἐλέγξαι |πᾶσαν ψυχὴν| περὶ πάντων τῶν ἔργων ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν ὧν ἠσέβησαν καὶ περὶ πάντων τῶν σκληρῶν ὧν ἐλάλησαν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀσεβεῖς | ποιησαι κρισιν κατα παντων και εξελεγξαι παντας τους ασεβεις αυτων περι παντων των εργων ασεβειας αυτων ων ησεβησαν και περι παντων των σκληρων ων ελαλησαν κατ αυτου αμαρτωλοι ασεβεις | ποιησαι κρισιν κατα παντων και ελεγξαι παντας τους ασεβεις αυτων περι παντων των εργων ασεβειας αυτων ων ησεβησαν και περι παντων των σκληρων ων ελαλησαν κατ αυτου αμαρτωλοι ασεβεις |
1 Romans 2:4 (NET)
4 Matthew 25:24 (NET)
5 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καγὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εγω.
6 The Byzantine Majority Text had εν here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.
7 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀληθής here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αληθως (KJV: indeed).
8 John 6:53-56 (NET)
9 John 6:60 (NET)
11 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και λεγουσαν (KJV: and saying) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
13 James 3:4 (NET)
14 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πᾶσαν ψυχὴν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παντας τους ασεβεις αυτων (KJV: all that are ungodly among them). And I missed it completely. I assumed this was another reference to the day of wrath. Now (Addendum: July 18, 2020) I am more willing to consider this as a reference to a much longer period of time more in keeping with John 16:7-11 and 2 Peter 3:8-13.
16 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NET)
21 Romans 2:5, 6 (NET)
22 Romans 2:7-12 (NET)