Romans 1:23

23 And by them the glory of the eternal God was changed and made into the image of man who is not eternal, and of birds and beasts and things which go on the earth.

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 Because, having the knowledge of God, they did not give glory to God as God, and did not give praise, but their minds were full of foolish things, and their hearts, being without sense, were made dark.

22 Seeming to be wise, they were in fact foolish,

23 And by them the glory of the eternal God was changed and made into the image of man who is not eternal, and of birds and beasts and things which go on the earth.

24 For this reason God gave them up to the evil desires of their hearts, working shame in their bodies with one another:

25 Because by them the true word of God was changed into that which is false, and they gave worship and honour to the thing which is made, and not to him who made it, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it.