SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:20
Porque las criaturas sujetas fueron a vanidad, no de su voluntad, sino por causa del que las sujet,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 8:20
Verse 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity] The Gentile world were subject to vanity of mind; but how? not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same. May we not say, it became vain willingly, but was made subject to vanity unwillingly? For, let us recur to the origin of Gentilism, the confusion of languages, by reason of the attempt to build the tower of BHebel; and though there are some passages in the gloss of the Targumists upon this matter that are sufficiently ridiculous, yet as to their scope and design they are worthy of notice. "They said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, and let its head reach unto the top of heaven; and let us make a house of worship in the top of it; and let us put a sword in his hand that he may wage war for us against our enemies, before we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." It is an ancient tradition among the Jews, that this tower was built on an idolatrous account. The confusion of tongues, by which true religion was lost in the world, is a proof that the builders of this tower sinned against God in the highest degree. They were inclined to vanity, i.e. idolatry, WILLINGLY; but they were subjected to vanity UNWILLINGLY; for this proceeded from the just indignation and vengeance of God. From this time the world lay under heathenism till the bringing in of the Gospel, upwards of 2000 years after. See Lightfoot.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity , etc..] This designs the vanity and emptiness of the minds of the Gentiles, who were without God and Christ, and the Holy Spirit, without the law and Gospel, and grace of God; also the vain conceits they had of themselves, of their wisdom, knowledge, learning, and eloquence; likewise their vain philosophy, particularly their gross idolatry, their polytheism, or worshipping of many gods; together with their divers lusts and vices, to which they were addicted, to such a degree, that they might be truly said to be made subject thereunto, being under the government of these things, slaves unto them, and in such subjection, as that they could not deliver themselves from it; though it is said, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope . Though they were willingly vain, yet they were not willingly made subject to vanity; they willingly went into idolatrous and other evil practices, but the devil made them subject, or slaves unto them; he led them captive at his will, and powerfully worked in them, by divine permission, so that they became vassals to him, and to their lusts; for he seems to be designed, by him who hath subjected the same, and not Adam, by whom sin entered into the world.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 18-25 - The sufferings of the saints strike no deeper than the things of time last no longer than the present time, are light afflictions, and but for a moment. How vastly different are the sentence of the word and the sentiment of the world, concerning the sufferings of this present time Indeed the whole creation seems to wait with earnest expectation for the period when the children of God shall be manifested in the glor prepared for them. There is an impurity, deformity, and infirmity which has come upon the creature by the fall of man. There is an enmit of one creature to another. And they are used, or abused rather, by me as instruments of sin. Yet this deplorable state of the creation is in hope. God will deliver it from thus being held in bondage to man' depravity. The miseries of the human race, through their own and eac other's wickedness, declare that the world is not always to continue a it is. Our having received the first-fruits of the Spirit, quickens ou desires, encourages our hopes, and raises our expectations. Sin ha been, and is, the guilty cause of all the suffering that exists in the creation of God. It has brought on the woes of earth; it has kindle the flames of hell. As to man, not a tear has been shed, not a groa has been uttered, not a pang has been felt, in body or mind, that ha not come from sin. This is not all; sin is to be looked at as i affects the glory of God. Of this how fearfully regardless are the bul of mankind! Believers have been brought into a state of safety; but their comfort consists rather in hope than in enjoyment. From this hop they cannot be turned by the vain expectation of finding satisfactio in the things of time and sense. We need patience, our way is rough an long; but He that shall come, will come, though he seems to tarry.
Greek Textus Receptus
τη 3588 T-DSF γαρ 1063 CONJ ματαιοτητι 3153 N-DSF η 3588 T-NSF κτισις 2937 N-NSF υπεταγη 5293 5648 V-2API-3S ουχ 3756 PRT-N εκουσα 1635 A-NSF αλλα 235 CONJ δια 1223 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM υποταξαντα 5293 5660 V-AAP-ASM επ 1909 PREP ελπιδι 1680 N-DSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. Vanity (mataiothti). Only here, Eph. iv. 17; 2 Pet. ii. 18. Compare the kindred verb became vain (Rom. i. 21 note), and the adjective vain (1 Cor. iii. 20; 1 Pet. i. 18). Vain is also used to render kenov (1 Cor. xv. 14, 58; Eph. v. 6; Jas. ii. 20). Kenov signifies empty; mataiov idle, resultless. Kenov, used of persons, implies not merely the absence of good, but the presence of evil. So Jas. ii. 20. The Greek proverb runs. "The empty think empty things." Mataiov expresses aimlessness. All which has not God for the true end of its being is mataiov. Pindar describes the vain man as one who hunts bootless things with fruitless hopes. Plato ("Laws," 735) of labor to no purpose. Ezek. xiii. 6, "prophesying vain things (mataia)," things which God will not bring to pass. Compare Tit. iii. 9. Here, therefore, the reference is to a perishable and decaying condition, separate from God, and pursuing false ends.By reason of Him who hath subjected (dia ton upotaxanta). God, not Adam nor Satan. Paul does not use the grammatical form which would express the direct agency of God, by Him who hath subjected, but that which makes God's will the occasion rather than the worker - on account of Him. Adam's sin and not God's will was the direct and special cause of the subjection to vanity. The supreme will of God is thus removed "to a wider distance from corruption and vanity" (Alford).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:20 {Was subjected} (hupetag). Second aorist passive indicative of hupatassw (cf. verse #7). {To vanity} (ti mataiotti). Dative case. Rare and late word, common in LXX. From mataios, empty, vain. #Eph 4:17; 2Pe 2:18. {Not of its own will} (ouch hekousa). Common adjective, in N.T. only here and #1Co 9:27. It was due to the effect of man's Sin. {But by reason of him} (alla dia ton). Because of God. {In hope that} (eph' helpidi hoti). Note the form helpidi rather than the usual elpidi and so eph'. hoti can be causal "because" instead of declarative "that."
