Romans 1:23

23 And they changed the glory of uncorruptible God into the likeness of an image of a deadly man [into the likeness of an image of corruptible man], and of birds, and of four-footed beasts, and of serpents.

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 For when they had known God, they glorified him not as God, neither did thankings; but they vanished in their thoughts, and the unwise heart of them was darked [was darked, or made dark].

22 For they saying that themselves were wise [Soothly they saying themselves to be wise men], they were made fools.

23 And they changed the glory of uncorruptible God into the likeness of an image of a deadly man [into the likeness of an image of corruptible man], and of birds, and of four-footed beasts, and of serpents.

24 For which thing God betook them into the desires of their heart, into uncleanness, that they punish with wrongs their bodies in themselves.

25 The which [men] changed the truth of God into lying, and praised and served a creature rather than the creator, that is blessed into worlds of worlds [that is blessed into worlds, or without end]. Amen.