ROMANS
Study Notes—Chapter 14
Who are you to judge the servant of another?: In this passage (Ro 14:1-12), Paul makes it clear that Christians are not to judge one another in matters of conscience. Christians in the Rome congregation came from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and some were judging their fellow believers for decisions and actions that did not violate Bible principles. The preceding verse (Ro 14:3) states that “God has welcomed” both “the one eating” and “the one not eating.” Paul’s question here in verse 4 reminded his fellow believers to recognize that Jehovah was supporting the person they were judging. Paul uses an illustration of a household servant and his master. The master had the exclusive right to establish rules for and restrictions on his servant, to assign him duties, to retain or discharge him. Anyone else assuming this responsibility on his own would be considered presumptuous, and the master could rightfully say to him: ‘Who do you think you are?’ In a similar way, each Christian is responsible before God, his Master, in matters of conscience. No Christian has the right to judge his brother because that brother belongs exclusively to God.
Jehovah: Available Greek manuscripts use the term “the Lord” (Greek, ho Kyʹri·os) here. However, as explained in App. C, there are good reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced by the title Lord. The context shows that reference is made to Jehovah God. In this account at Ro 14:1-12, Paul discusses the importance of not judging one another in matters of conscience. At Ro 14:10, he mentions that each one will “stand before the judgment seat of God.” To support his argument, Paul at Ro 14:11 quotes from Isa 45:23, where the context shows that Jehovah God is the one speaking (Isa 45:18-22), and from Isa 49:18, where the divine name appears. (See study note on Ro 14:11.) At Ro 14:12, Paul concludes by saying: “So, then, each of us will render an account for himself to God.” Therefore, both the context and the Hebrew Scripture background support the use of the name Jehovah in the main text.—See App. C3 introduction; Ro 14:4.
make him stand: That is, make him succeed and retain the approval of his master. The term “stand” is used in a similar sense at Lu 21:36.
Jehovah: Available Greek manuscripts use the term “Lord” (Kyʹri·os, without the definite article in Greek) three times in this verse. However, as explained in App. C, there are reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced by the title Lord. Therefore, the name Jehovah is used in the main text.
Jehovah: Available Greek manuscripts use the term Kyʹri·os (“Lord,” with the definite article in Greek) three times in this verse. However, as explained in App. C, there are reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced by the title Lord. Therefore, the name Jehovah is used here in the main text.—See App. C3 introduction; Ro 14:8.
says Jehovah: Paul is quoting from Isa 45:23, where the context makes clear that Jehovah is the one speaking. (Isa 45:18-22) However, Isa 45:23 does not use the phrase “says Jehovah.” Scholars have suggested that Paul also quoted from Isa 49:18, where the phrase “‘As surely as I am living,’ declares Jehovah,” appears. Another possibility is that Paul included the phrase “says Jehovah” to make clear who is speaking, having in mind any of the numerous verses in the Hebrew Scriptures where it and similar phrases appear.—Nu 14:28; Jer 22:24; 46:18 (26:18, LXX); Eze 5:11; 14:16; 16:48; 17:16; 18:3; 20:31, 33; Zep 2:9.