ROMANS 2:17-29 ‘The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles’

TEXT

‘Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,’ (Romans 2:17)

• The Jews were God’s set apart people who received the law (which they were quite boastful of)

‘and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,’ (Romans 2:18)

• they know His will: this must allude to His perfect will (since each of them can’t personally His will for their lives properly!)
• approve the things that are excellent: this contrasts with 1:32 ‘approve of those who practice them’. At this point, the Jews reading the letter are probably starting to feel proud of themselves, having differentiated themselves from the ‘they’ and ‘them’ of 1:18-32). However this also teaches us to approve of what is excellent – how often do we shy away from the good things because of fear of ridicule?
• The Jews were instructed from the law of God, which gave them both a privileged position (see 3:2), but also an excuse for false superiority over the gentiles.

‘and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,’ (Romans 2:19)

• The Jews were very sure of themselves as a guide to those who had no light (law), ie. The gentiles.

‘an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.’ (Romans 2:20)

• the ‘babes’ could be recently converted gentiles into Judaism, or even the young Jews who were taught very early in the ways of Judaism.
• Form of knowledge: why the word form here? Maybe they had the structure of knowledge – the way knowledge and truth were supposed to be displayed, but not its fullness. Or maybe it means that outwardly they showed knowledge and truth, but inwardly they didn’t understand it. This is the first hint in the passage that Paul is going to put them in the same boat as the ‘others’ of chapter 1.

‘You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?’ (Romans 2:21)

• So with all this knowledge and privilege do you follow what you say? Are you a hypocrite?

‘You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?’ (Romans 2:22)

• Apparently it was common practice to steal idols from pagan temples and sell them for profit (which is against the law – Deut 7:25). Without going back to Scripture, this may have seemed like an honourable thing to do. One could argue that stealing the idols meant less idol worship and the money could be used for the poor or in God’s temple. However, God knew that those who did such things would be doing it for self-gain, and that instead of merely decreasing idol worship, it instead made the Jews look bad to their pagan counterparts. How much do we do this ourself? We judge others for their religion and whenever we can (when in our power) we ‘piously’ take away their ability to practice such things. We must search our hearts for our motives here – of course we don’t want this idol worship going on, but we must go about things the right way – the Scriptural way, and that is the way of love.

‘You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?’ (Romans 2:23)

• The Jews knew the law so well, but failed to recognize its real meaning so many times (just look at the Pharisees during Jesus’ ministry!)

‘For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.’ (Romans 2:24)

• this comes from Isaiah 52:5. It is a real kick in the stomach for the Jews, who have now in some way been placed below the Gentiles because they are the cause of sin in gentiles…who don’t even have the law! This is a wake up call strategy employed by Paul to make sure his audience is now listening with open ears. He doesn’t want anyone to get through past here still thinking they are good enough to not need the Gospel.

‘For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.’ (Romans 2:25)

• the Jews had an ingrained belief that circumcision was necessary for salvation (apparently even Christian Jews).
• how was circumcision profitable? It reminded them of their obedience and convenant with God, which indeed beneficial.
• If they disobey the law, then the circumcision means nothing because all it is is a reminder to do the law!

‘Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?’ (Romans 2:26)

• If the impossible happened, and someone lived a perfect life without ever being circumcised, then it matters not whether he was circumcised or not since he has kept the law regardless.

‘And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?’(Romans 2:27)

• it’s not who has the law that’s important, but who does it. Note that fulfills means that EVERY part of the law must be obeyed to the fullest.
• Him who fulfills the law will judge those who haven’t. Ie. Jesus will be the only judge!

‘For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;’ (Romans 2:28)

• Here Paul makes it clear that even in OT times, Judaism was of the heart, not of the flesh. So people were still saved by faith (see chapter 4) rather than by works.

‘but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.’ (Romans 2:29)

• Part of being spiritual is receiving praise and reward from God rather than men. Ie., not looking for glory and fame on the earth, neither respect nor admiration from men, but rather seeking to do God’s will and glorify Him at all times – ready to receive our reward in heaven.

SUMMARY

Paul focuses his previous argument (1:18-32) onto the Jews now, first building them up so they start listening, and then pulling them down seemingly below the Gentiles (though of course they are equal in the grand scheme of things). He tells them they have all the privileges of the law and yet though they teach others well, they don’t teach themselves, or they do not do what it says. In effect, gentiles blaspheme because of the Jews and the hypocrisy that abounds. This is all on the way to concluding that everyone has sinned.

WHAT DO I LEARN?

It reminds me that hypocrisy is one of the most hated things of Christianity – how many times I have heard people that have been turned away by hypocrisy! I need to be extremely careful that I do not become like the Jews that Paul speaks to – that I don’t just teach others from behind our ‘perfect’ wall, but that I share with them in our common experience (as Paul says in 1:12), and teach them who Christ is. I need also to realize that doing the Word is the end, not just understanding it.