8 

8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God - In all the ways of righteousness. They are the sons of God - Here St. Paul enters upon the description of those blessings which he comprises, Rom 8:30, in the word glorified; though, indeed, he does not describe mere glory, but that which is still mingled with the cross. The sum is, through sufferings to glory.

8:15 For ye - Who are real Christians. Have not received the spirit of bondage - The Holy Ghost was not properly a spirit of bondage, even in the time of the Old Testament. Yet there was something of bondage remaining even in those who then had received the Spirit. Again - As the Jews did before. We - All and every believer. Cry - The word denotes a vehement speaking, with desire, confidence, constancy. Abba, Father - The latter word explains the former. By using both the Syriac and the Greek word, St. Paul seems to point out the joint cry both of the Jewish and gentile believers.The spirit of bondage here seems directly to mean, those operations of the Holy Spirit by which the soul, on its first conviction, feels itself in bondage to sin, to the world, to Satan, and obnoxious to the wrath of God. This, therefore, and the Spirit of adoption, are one and the same Spirit, only manifesting itself in various operations, according to the various circumstances of the persons.

8:16 The same Spirit beareth witness with our spirit - With the spirit of every true believer, by a testimony distinct from that of his own spirit, or the testimony of a good conscience.Happy they who enjoy this clear and constant.

8:17 Joint heirs - That we may know it is a great inheritance which God will give us for he hath given a great one to his Son.If we suffer with him - Willingly and cheerfully, for righteousness' sake. This is a new proposition, referring to what follows.

8:18 For I reckon - This verse gives the reason why he but now mentioned sufferings and glory. When that glory "shall be revealed in us," then the sons of God will be revealed also.

8:19 For the earnest expectation - The word denotes a lively hope of something drawing near, and a vehement longing after it.Of the creation - Of all visible creatures, believers excepted, who are spoken of apart; each kind, according as it is capable.All these have been sufferers through sin; and to all these (the finally impenitent excepted) shall refreshment redound from the glory of the children of God. Upright heathens are by no means to be excluded from this earnest expectation: nay, perhaps something of it may at some times be found even in the vainest of men; who (although in the hurry of life they mistake vanity for liberty, and partly stifle. partly dissemble, their groans, yet) in their sober, quiet, sleepless, afflicted hours, pour forth many sighs in the ear of God.

8:20 The creation was made subject to vanity - Abuse, misery, and corruption. By him who subjected it - Namely, God, Gen 3:17, Gen 5:29. Adam only made it liable to the sentence whichGod pronounced; yet not without hope.

8:21 The creation itself shall be delivered - Destruction is not deliverance: therefore whatsoever is destroyed, or ceases to be, is not delivered at all. Will, then, any part of the creation be destroyed? Into the glorious liberty - The excellent state wherein they were created.

9 

9:9 He saw a man named Matthew - Modestly so called by himself.The other evangelists call him by his more honourable name, Levi.Sitting - In the very height of his business, at the receipt of custom - The custom house, or place where the customs were received. Mar 2:14; Luk 5:27.

9:10 As Jesus sat at table in the house - Of Matthew, who having invited many of his old companions, made him a feast, Mar 2:15; and that a great one, though he does not himselfmention it. The publicans, or collectors of the taxes which the Jews paid the Romans, were infamous for their illegal exactions: Sinners - Open, notorious, sinners.

9:11 The Pharisees said to his disciples, Why eateth your Master? - Thus they commonly ask our Lord, Why do thy disciples this?And his disciples, Why doth your Master?

9:13 Go ye and learn - Ye that take upon you to teach others.I will have mercy and not sacrifice - That is, I will have mercy rather than sacrifice. I love acts of mercy better than sacrifice itself. Hos 6:6.