Romans 1:22
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Although they claimed
The phrase "although they claimed" suggests a self-perception or assertion of wisdom. The Greek word here is "phaskontes," which implies a declaration or assertion. In the historical context of the Roman Empire, many philosophers and scholars prided themselves on their intellectual achievements and understanding. This self-assertion of wisdom is a common human tendency, where individuals or societies elevate their own understanding above divine revelation. The Bible often warns against the pride that comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18), and this phrase sets the stage for the contrast between human claims and divine truth.

to be wise
The Greek word for "wise" is "sophoi," which denotes wisdom or skill. In the Greco-Roman world, wisdom was highly esteemed, often associated with philosophical thought and rhetoric. However, biblical wisdom is distinct from worldly wisdom. True wisdom, according to Scripture, begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). The wisdom claimed by these individuals is not rooted in the knowledge of God but in human reasoning and intellect, which is inherently flawed and limited.

they became fools
The term "fools" is translated from the Greek word "emōranthēsan," which means to become foolish or to lose savor, akin to salt losing its flavor. This transformation from claimed wisdom to foolishness is a divine irony. In the biblical context, a fool is not merely someone lacking intelligence but someone who rejects God and His truth (Psalm 14:1). The historical backdrop of this verse includes the idolatry and moral decay prevalent in Roman society, where despite their advancements in philosophy and culture, they turned away from the knowledge of God. This serves as a cautionary tale that true wisdom is found in humility and submission to God's will, rather than in human pride and self-reliance.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the Book of Romans, Paul is writing to the believers in Rome to explain the gospel and its implications for both Jews and Gentiles.

2. The Roman Church
The recipients of the letter, consisting of both Jewish and Gentile Christians, living in the heart of the Roman Empire.

3. The Gentiles
In this context, Paul is addressing the Gentile world, highlighting their rejection of God despite having knowledge of Him through creation.

4. The Foolish
Those who, despite claiming wisdom, reject God and His truth, leading to moral and spiritual folly.

5. The Wise
In contrast to the foolish, the truly wise are those who acknowledge God and live according to His truth.
Teaching Points
True Wisdom Comes from God
True wisdom is rooted in the acknowledgment and reverence of God. Human wisdom, apart from God, leads to spiritual blindness and moral decay.

The Danger of Pride
Claiming wisdom apart from God is a form of pride that leads to folly. Believers must guard against intellectual pride and remain humble before God.

The Consequences of Rejecting God
Rejecting God and His truth results in a distorted understanding of reality, leading to foolish decisions and actions.

The Importance of Discernment
Christians are called to discern true wisdom from false wisdom by aligning their understanding with Scripture and the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Living Out Godly Wisdom
Believers should strive to live out the wisdom of God in their daily lives, reflecting His truth and love to the world.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Romans 1:22 challenge our understanding of wisdom in today's culture?

2. In what ways can pride lead to spiritual blindness, and how can we guard against it?

3. How does the fear of the Lord serve as the foundation for true wisdom, according to Proverbs 1:7?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure we are living out godly wisdom in our daily lives?

5. How can we discern between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God, as discussed in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 1:7
This verse highlights the beginning of wisdom as the fear of the Lord, contrasting with the folly of those who reject God.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Paul discusses the wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God, emphasizing that God's wisdom often appears foolish to those who are perishing.

Psalm 14:1
This Psalm declares that the fool says in his heart there is no God, aligning with the theme of rejecting God leading to folly.

Jeremiah 8:9
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of those who reject the word of the Lord as having no wisdom, paralleling the message in Romans 1:22.
God's Wrath as Revealed Among the GentilesR.M. Edgar Romans 1:18-32
The Inexcusableness of the HeathenC.H. Irwin Romans 1:18-32
The Revelation of WrathT.F. Lockyer Romans 1:18-32
Boasting of WisdomBiblical MuseumRomans 1:22-23
Degradation of God's GloryProf. Godet.Romans 1:22-23
Idolatry a Retrogression, not an Advance in Religious ThoughProf. Godet.Romans 1:22-23
The Follies of the WiseProf. Godet.Romans 1:22-23
Downward EvolutionS.F. Aldridge Romans 1:22-25
People
David, Paul, Romans
Places
Rome
Topics
Boasting, Claimed, Claiming, Fact, Foolish, Fools, Professing, Seeming, Themselves, Utter, Wisdom, Wise
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Romans 1:22

     5973   unreliability
     8402   claims
     8756   folly, examples
     8804   pride, examples

Romans 1:18-23

     5135   blindness, spiritual

Romans 1:18-24

     6195   impenitence, results

Romans 1:18-32

     1025   God, anger of
     1441   revelation, necessity
     5004   human race, and sin
     5541   society, negative
     6023   sin, universality
     6155   fall, of Adam and Eve
     6750   sin-bearer

Romans 1:19-23

     5816   consciousness

Romans 1:19-25

     5038   mind, the human

Romans 1:20-22

     8779   materialism, nature of

Romans 1:20-23

     5943   self-deception
     8799   polytheism

Romans 1:20-25

     5003   human race, and God
     5263   communication

Romans 1:21-23

     5838   disrespect
     5932   response
     6628   conversion, God's demand
     7324   calf worship
     8160   seeking God
     8351   teachableness
     8760   fools, characteristics

Romans 1:21-24

     6663   freedom, of will

Romans 1:21-27

     6238   homosexuality
     8777   lust

Romans 1:21-32

     6024   sin, effects of
     8136   knowing God, effects

Romans 1:22-23

     5894   intelligence
     8780   materialism, and sin

Romans 1:22-24

     8770   idolatry, in NT

Library
Beautiful Thoughts
"Beautiful Thoughts" From Henry Drummond Arranged by Elizabeth Cureton {Project Gutenberg Editorial note: Many quotes from "The Greatest Thing in the World" did not provide a page number.} 1892 The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.--Rom. i. 20. To My Dear Friend Helen M. Archibald This Book Is Affectionately Inscribed.
Henry Drummond—Beautiful Thoughts

February 19. "As Much as in Me is I am Ready" (Rom. I. 15).
"As much as in me is I am ready" (Rom. i. 15). Be earnest. Intense earnestness, a whole heart for Christ, the passion sign of the cross, the enthusiasm of our whole being for our Master and humanity--this is what the Lord expects, this is what His cross deserves, this is what the world needs, this is what the age has a right to look for. Everything around us is intensely alive. Life is earnest, death is earnest, sin is earnest, men are earnest, business is earnest, knowledge is earnest, the age is
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Third Sunday after Easter
Text: First Peter 2, 11-20. 11 Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14 or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Nineteenth Day. Holiness and Resurrection.
The Son of God, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead.'--Rom. i. 4. These words speak of a twofold birth of Christ. According to the flesh, He was born of the seed of David. According to the Spirit, He was the first begotten from the dead. As He was a Son of David in virtue of His birth through the flesh, so He was declared to be the Son of God with power,
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

First Day. God's Call to Holiness.
Like as He which called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; because it is written, Ye shall be holy, for I am holy.'--1 Pet. i. 15, 16. The call of God is the manifestation in time of the purpose of eternity: 'Whom He predestinated, them He also called.' Believers are 'the called according to His purpose.' In His call He reveals to us what His thoughts and His will concerning us are, and what the life to which He invites us. In His call He makes clear to
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

The Gospel the Power of God
'I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.'--ROMANS i. 16. To preach the Gospel in Rome had long been the goal of Paul's hopes. He wished to do in the centre of power what he had done in Athens, the home of wisdom; and with superb confidence, not in himself, but in his message, to try conclusions with the strongest thing in the world. He knew its power well, and was not appalled. The danger was an attraction to his chivalrous
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Witness of the Resurrection
'Declared to be the Son of God with power, ... by the resurrection of the dead.'--ROMANS i. 4 (R.V.). It is a great mistake to treat Paul's writings, and especially this Epistle, as mere theology. They are the transcript of his life's experience. As has been well said, the gospel of Paul is an interpretation of the significance of the life and work of Jesus based upon the revelation to him of Jesus as the risen Christ. He believed that he had seen Jesus on the road to Damascus, and it was that appearance
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Privilege and Obligation
'To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.'--ROMANS i. 7. This is the address of the Epistle. The first thing to be noticed about it, by way of introduction, is the universality of this designation of Christians. Paul had never been in Rome, and knew very little about the religious stature of the converts there. But he has no hesitation in declaring that they are all 'beloved of God' and 'saints.' There were plenty of imperfect Christians amongst them; many things to rebuke; much
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Paul's Longing
'I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me.'--ROMANS i. 11, 12. I am not wont to indulge in personal references in the pulpit, but I cannot but yield to the impulse to make an exception now, and to let our happy circumstances mould my remarks. I speak mainly to mine own people, and I must trust that other friends who may hear or read my words will
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Sin in the Heart the Source of Error in the Head
ROMANS i. 28.--"As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind." In the opening of the most logical and systematic treatise in the New Testament, the Epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul enters upon a line of argument to demonstrate the ill-desert of every human creature without exception. In order to this, he shows that no excuse can be urged upon the ground of moral ignorance. He explicitly teaches that the pagan knows that there is one Supreme
William G.T. Shedd—Sermons to the Natural Man

All Mankind Guilty; Or, Every Man Knows More than He Practises.
ROMANS i. 24.--"When they knew God, they glorified him not as God." The idea of God is the most important and comprehensive of all the ideas of which the human mind is possessed. It is the foundation of religion; of all right doctrine, and all right conduct. A correct intuition of it leads to correct religious theories and practice; while any erroneous or defective view of the Supreme Being will pervade the whole province of religion, and exert a most pernicious influence upon the entire character
William G.T. Shedd—Sermons to the Natural Man

Knowledge. Worship. Gratitude.
The people mentioned by Paul in our text fell into two great evils, or rather into two forms of one great evil--atheism: the atheism of the heart, and the atheism of the life. They knew God, but they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful. We will first consider the first sin mentioned here, and then the second. I shall not look at these two evils as if you were Romans, because I know that you are not, but I shall adapt the text to your own case, and speak of these sins, as Englishmen
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 30: 1884

Inexcusable Irreverence and Ingratitude
"They are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful."--Romans 1:20-21. This first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans is a dreadful portion of the Word of God. I should hardly like to read it all through aloud; it is not intended to be so used. Read it at home, and be startled at the awful vices of the Gentile world. Unmentionable crimes were the common pleasures of those wicked ages; but the chapter is also a striking picture of heathenism
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 38: 1892

The Beloved Pastor's Plea for Unity
"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."--Romans 1:7. IN A FEW MINUTES we shall gather together as members of the Church of Christ to celebrate the memorial of his death. It is a memorable sight to see so many Christian people sitting together with the object of observing this ordinance. Frequently as I have seen it, I must confess that, when sitting in the chair at the head of the table, I often feel overawed
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 39: 1893

Sources of Our Knowledge of Jesus
20. The earliest existing record of events in the life of Jesus is given to us in the epistles of Paul. His account of the appearances of the Lord after his death and resurrection (I. Cor. xv. 3-8) was written within thirty years of these events. The date of the testimony, however, is much earlier, since Paul refers to the experience which transformed his own life, and so carries us back to within a few years of the crucifixion. Other facts from Jesus' life may be gathered from Paul, as his descent
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

The Holy Spirit in the Glorified Christ.
"Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."--Rom. i. 4. From the foregoing studies it appears that the Holy Spirit performed a work in the human nature of Christ as He descended the several steps of His humiliation to the death of the cross. The question now arises, whether He had also a work in the several steps of Christ's exaltation to the excellent glory, i.e., in His resurrection, ascension, royal dignity, and second coming.
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Proposition Though the Necessity and Indispensableness of all the Great and Moral Obligations of Natural Religion,
and also the certainty of a future state of rewards and punishments, be thus in general deducible, even demonstrably, by a chain of clear and undeniable reasoning; yet (in the present state of the world, by what means soever it came originally to be so corrupted, the particular circumstances whereof could not now be certainly known but by revelation,) such is the carelessness, inconsiderateness, and want of attention of the greater part of mankind; so many the prejudices and false notions taken up
Samuel Clarke—A Discourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God

Rome and Ephesus
Corinth as portrayed in the Epistles of Paul gives us our simplest and least contaminated picture of the Hellenic Christianity which regarded itself as the cult of the Lord Jesus, who offered salvation--immortality--to those initiated in his mysteries. It had obvious weaknesses in the eyes of Jewish Christians, even when they were as Hellenised as Paul, since it offered little reason for a higher standard of conduct than heathenism, and its personal eschatology left no real place for the resurrection
Kirsopp Lake—Landmarks in the History of Early Christianity

With the Opening of this ChapterWe Come to Quite a Different Theme. ...
With the opening of this chapter we come to quite a different theme. Like a fever-tossed patient, Ecclesiastes has turned from side to side for relief and rest; but each new change of posture has only brought him face to face with some other evil "under the sun" that has again and again pressed from him the bitter groan of "Vanity." But now, for a moment, he takes his eyes from the disappointments, the evil workings, and the sorrows, that everywhere prevail in that scene, and lifts them up to see
F. C. Jennings—Old Groans and New Songs

Here Some Man Shall Say; "If the Concupiscence of the Bad...
16. Here some man shall say; "If the concupiscence of the bad, whereby it comes that they bear all evils for that which they lust after, be of the world, how is it said to be of their will?" As if, truly, they were not themselves also of the world, when they love the world, forsaking Him by Whom the world was made. For "they serve the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever." [2670] Whether then by the word "world," the Apostle John signifies lovers of the world, the will, as it is
St. Augustine—On Patience

On the Symbols of the Essence' and Coessential. '
We must look at the sense not the wording. The offence excited is at the sense; meaning of the Symbols; the question of their not being in Scripture. Those who hesitate only at coessential,' not to be considered Arians. Reasons why coessential' is better than like-in-essence,' yet the latter may be interpreted in a good sense. Explanation of the rejection of coessential' by the Council which condemned the Samosatene; use of the word by Dionysius of Alexandria; parallel variation in the use of Unoriginate;
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Fundamental Ideas of Man and his Redemption.
To Athanasius the Incarnation of the Son of God, and especially his Death on the Cross, is the centre of faith and theology (Incar. 19, kephalaion tes pisteos, cf. 9. 1 and 2, 20. 2, &c.). For our salvation' (Incar. 1) the Word became Man and died. But how did Athanasius conceive of salvation'? from what are we saved, to what destiny does salvation bring us, and what idea does he form of the efficacy of the Saviour's death? Now it is not too much to say that no one age of the Church's existence has
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Letter Xlv (Circa A. D. 1120) to a Youth Named Fulk, who Afterwards was Archdeacon of Langres
To a Youth Named Fulk, Who Afterwards Was Archdeacon of Langres He gravely warns Fulk, a Canon Regular, whom an uncle had by persuasions and promises drawn back to the world, to obey God and be faithful to Him rather than to his uncle. To the honourable young man Fulk, Brother Bernard, a sinner, wishes such joy in youth as in old age he will not regret. 1. I do not wonder at your surprise; I should wonder if you were not suprised [sic] that I should write to you, a countryman to a citizen, a monk
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Letter vi (Circa A. D. 1127) to the Same
To the Same He protests against the reputation for holiness which is attributed to him, and promises to communicate the treatises which he has written. I. Even if I should give myself to you entirely that would be too little a thing still in my eyes, to have recompensed towards you even the half of the kindly feeling which you express towards my humility. I congratulate myself, indeed, on the honour which you have done me; but my joy, I confess, is tempered by the thought that it is not anything
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

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