Romans 2:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Having praised God's long-suffering and shown its greatest benefit for the attentive, namely, that it draws sinners to repentance, the Apostle increases fear. For those who use it as they should, it serves as the foundation of salvation. For those who despise it, it becomes an occasion for greater punishment.

As for the widespread opinion that God, being good and long-suffering, does not seek punishment, the Apostle suggests this: when you say it, you speak of nothing other than bringing punishment upon yourself.

For God shows His greatest mercy so that you may be freed from sins, not so that you may add new ones. As soon as you do not do this, the punishment will be more dreadful.

If you rely on God's longsuffering because you have not yet been punished, then this lack of punishment serves toward a greater punishment for you. For God's longsuffering is saving for those who use it for their correction. But for those who use it to increase sin, it becomes a greater occasion for punishment, not by its own nature, but because of their hardness of heart.

Paul says this so that no one may think he has succeeded in escaping punishment because the goodness of God endures his sin. Let no one think that His patience can be despised, as though God were unconcerned with human affairs.

Let him understand and not hide from himself that God's judgment has not been promised to him in this life. In the life to come he will repent that he did not believe that God is Judge. Remaining in punishment without the fruit of repentance, he will repent because he did not believe in God's judgment, the truth of which he will see.

Therefore the one whom long-suffering has not healed must be brought more forcefully to obedience and frightened by eternal punishment. Paul speaks very strictly, knowing that evil thoughts are restrained from sin by nothing except fear.

God spares you and is longsuffering, awaiting your repentance. For the Apostle added: "Not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance."

From now on the last times have come (see 1 Jn. 2:18). Let us be ashamed and fear the longsuffering of God, and let us not despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance.

Here it is clearly shown why God permits the sinner to follow the desires of his heart. Although He could hinder sin or send punishment, He nevertheless prefers that the sinner turn of himself to repentance.

How is it, says blessed Paul, that God calls and awaits you with such goodness, and you despise this? "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" This is the cord by which, as I told you before, God draws you to repentance. But if you stubbornly resist, the cord will break, and you will fall into utter perdition.

How many idolaters, blasphemers, robbers, plunderers, violent men, predators, flatterers, deceitful men, fornicators, adulterers, defilers, and other lawless people there are. Yet God does not destroy them, though they are enemies of God.

What is this if not the goodness of God, which leads them to repentance? And He not only endures them and does not destroy them, but also preserves them from the enemy's assault, though they do not perceive it.

"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering?" The Apostle indicates the causes that increase man's guilt before God. They are the sinner's inattention to God's goodness, which is poured out abundantly upon the unrighteous as well as the righteous. They are his neglect of God's forbearance, which mercifully and graciously endures the insults inflicted by the sinner upon God's majesty and justice. Finally, they are his refusal to make use of God's longsuffering, which awaits the sinner's correction and seeks out ways for his salvation.

Alongside the Gentiles, God's judgment also weighs upon the Jews. For although they had the revealed Law, they were at all times no better than the Gentiles.

Indeed: Rom 2:1-3. Condemning the Gentiles for their impiety, they did the same thing. "Do you think," asks the Apostle, "O man, of Jewish faith and nation, that you will escape the judgment of God while condemning those who do such things and doing the same yourself?"

If the judgment of God is not always revealed visibly, this should only be an incentive for you to repentance. "Or do you despise the riches of God's goodness, gentleness, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" (Rom 2:4).

After rebuking the Gentiles, the holy Apostle Paul turns to the sinfulness of the Jews. First of all he draws attention to their arrogant attitude toward the sinful Gentiles. They condemned them for the very things in which they themselves were sinful, and therefore they too were guilty before God.

Indeed, they were more guilty than the Gentiles. First, they condemned others. Second, they despised the whole great work of the divine economy of salvation. Third, they showed unrepentant obstinacy. Because of this, a special fierceness of wrath will overtake them on the dread day of God's judgment, which will be accomplished according to each one's deeds.

God's present condescension and long-suffering have a completely different meaning from the one you give them. Here the goodness of God leads you to repentance. Take from this an incentive not to sink into sins, dreaming ruinously of perpetual impunity, but to leave sins behind and repent.

"God is long-suffering, but if you do not turn back, His sword will flash over your head. The Lord is merciful, not so that you may take from this an occasion for greater hardening, but so that you may have time to enter the arena of repentance" (Oecumenius).