Romans 1:23

23 They traded the glory of God who lives forever for the worship of idols made to look like earthly people, birds, animals, and snakes.

Romans 1:23 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 1:23

And changed the glory of the incorruptible God
God is incorruptible and immortal in his nature, and so is opposed to all corruptible creatures and things: he has a glory which is essential to him, and a manifestative one in the creatures, and which is relative, and of right belongs to him: his absolute essential glory cannot be changed, cannot be taken away from him, nor given to another; but his relative glory may be said to be changed, when another is worshipped in his stead, and called by his name. So Philo the Jew ^F7 speaks of

``some, who, leaving the true God, make to themselves false ones, and impose the name of the eternal and incorruptible upon created and corruptible beings.''

Into an image made like to corruptible man;
which was worshipped in different forms by the several nations of the world:

and to birds;
as the dove by the Samaritans, the hawk, the ibis, and others by the Egyptians:

and fourfooted beasts;
as the ox, and other creatures:

and creeping things;
such as beetles, serpents, and others, by the same.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F7 De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 678, 679.

Romans 1:23 In-Context

21 They knew God, but they did not give glory to God or thank him. Their thinking became useless. Their foolish minds were filled with darkness.

22 They said they were wise, but they became fools.

23 They traded the glory of God who lives forever for the worship of idols made to look like earthly people, birds, animals, and snakes.

24 Because they did these things, God left them and let them go their sinful way, wanting only to do evil. As a result, they became full of sexual sin, using their bodies wrongly with each other.

25 They traded the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and served what had been created instead of the God who created those things, who should be praised forever. Amen.