21. διότι picks up and expands the theme of Rom 1:19.
γνόντες, aor. = having received or gained knowledge of GOD. |[73] τὴν ἀλ. κατέχοντες.
[73] | parallel to
ἐδόξασαν = did not ascribe the due honour to GOD for what they knew to be His acts; cf. Act 11:18; Mat 15:31, alibi
ηὐχαρίστησαν. They lacked the temper which should have led them δοξάζειν.
ἐματαιώθησαν. V[75] only here; cf. 1Co 1:20 f., Rom 3:20, and esp. Eph 4:17. The adjective implies absence of purpose or object, futility: so = they became μάταιοι, turning from the true object of all thought they invented vain and meaningless objects for themselves.
[75] Vb verb
διαλογισμοί in S. Paul always in a bad sense; cf. 1Co 3:20, which perhaps gives the source of the use. It seems to imply the working of the intellect without correction by facts; cf. Rom 14:1. ἐν perhaps instrumental—they lost the true thread by their speculations.
καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη κ.τ.λ. Cf. Eph 4:17 f., missing the true aim, they lost the true light.
καρδία more nearly corresponds to ‘mind’ than to ‘heart.’ So here ἀσύνετος, unintelligent; cf. Rom 10:6; Rom 10:8. Associated with thought and will (Rom 1:24; 1Co 4:5) more usually than with feeling (Rom 9:2), see S. H. There is the same tragic irony here as in 1Co 1:20 f.; cf. Wis 11:15.