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Observe here, How the apostle renews his exhortation to all Christians to watch against the sin of private and personal revenge; he urged it before, ver. 17 he reinforces it here, ver. 19 thereby showing how prone our corrupt natures are to commit this sin, and how hard the contrary duty is to flesh and blood. The heathens reckoned revenge to be a part of justice, and ranked it amongst the number of their virtues; but the scriptures require, that instead of revenging an injury, we remit and forgive it.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves: it follows, rather give place unto wrath. What wrath? or whose wrath?
Answer Give place to your own wrath, say some interpreters; give way a little, and turn aside from the person you are angry with, and do not suffer your anger to hurry you away to revenge.
Give place to the wrath of those that wrong you, say others; decline their wrath, and give not word for word, which will but add fuel to the fire, and oil to the flame.
But it seems best to understand it of God's wrath: leave the matter to God, he will right your cause; do not take God's work out of his hand, but suffer him to come in with his wrath upon your enemies, who wrong and injure you; rather give place to the wrath of God against them, for vengeance is his, and he will repay it.
Learn hence, That such, who having suffered wrong, do seek to revenge themselves, take revenging work out of God's hand; whereas, if they leave the matter with God, his justice will right them fully.