Romans 2:16 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

In the day, &c. This relates to Romans 2:12, the intermediate verses, from the 13th, being a parenthesis; when God shall judge the secrets of men Not only their outward actions, good and evil, which are manifest to all men, but their most secret and hidden ones, with their internal desires and designs, their intentions, purposes, schemes, contrivances, with the various workings of their passions, imaginations, and thoughts; for he will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, Ecclesiastes 12:14; will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, 1 Corinthians 4:5. On secret circumstances depends the real quality of actions, frequently unknown to the actors themselves, Romans 2:29. Men generally form their judgments, even of themselves, merely from what is apparent. By Jesus Christ To whom the Father hath committed all judgment; according to my gospel According to the tenor of that gospel which is committed to my trust, and is preached by me: or as I testify in my preaching the gospel, Acts 17:31; 2 Timothy 2:8. For it is not the apostle's intention to signify that all men shall be judged by the gospel, but only that the gospel teaches such a judgment.