Romans 2

2:17 -2:24

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 2

2:17–24 The Jews are indicted for failing to practice what they preach.

2:17–20 Paul details the privileges of the Jews as the elect people of God. Their advantages are genuine, for God has given them his law and hence they are able to instruct the Gentiles with the truths God revealed to them.

2:21–24 Paul zeros in on the main problem with the Jews. They fail to practice the law they proclaim, and hence they will face judgment. Their boast in God is nullified by their failure to obey him. Obviously, Paul is not accusing all Jews of stealing, committing adultery, and robbing temples. It is possible that Paul’s critique of the Jews is similar to what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (

A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments, Vol. VI: Acts–Revelation Chapter 2

Expostulation with the Jew resumed and concluded (17–29). 17. Behold [Ἴδε]—but the true reading is beyond doubt, ‘But if,’ [Εἰ δὲ. Such Itacisms are common in ancient MSS.] thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18. And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent [δοκιμάζεις τὰ διαφέροντα]—or (as in marg.), ‘triest the things that differ,’ (see

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans 17–29. Explicit Exposure of Jewish Responsibility, Guilt, and Peril

17. Behold] Better, But if. A single additional letter in the Gr. makes this difference; and it should certainly be so read. The framework of the sentence is thus somewhat altered: “But if thou art a Jew, and dost glory in the name and privilege,—say, dost thou act up to thy light?”

thou] Emphatic, “thou, my supposed hearer or reader.”

art called] Lit. art surnamed. Perhaps in the word “named” lies a slight reference to the contrast between external and internal “Judaism.” See ver. 28.

restest in] Lit. restest upon. The possession of the Law was the foundation-rock of the man’s peace and hope. On this he reposed himself, thanking God that he was “not as other men were.” The Divine exposure of his sin he perverted into a reason for self-righteousness!

makest thy boast of God] Lit. boastest, or gloriest, in God. A “boast” either most holy or most sinful according to the man’s view of God and of himself. See

The Message of Romans 1. The Law (17–24)

Paul uses eight verbs to describe aspects of Jewish self-consciousness and self-confidence. First, you call yourself a Jew, being proud of the chosen people’s honourable name. Second, you rely on the law given you at Sinai, trusting in your possession of it as a shield against disaster. Third, you … brag about your relationship to God (17). The Greek phrase is identical with the climax of Paul’s portrayal of Christians who have been justified by faith, namely ‘we rejoice in God’ (5:11). But NIV is surely right to elaborate the translation here in order to express the Jews’ pride in their monotheism and in their supposed monopoly of God. Fourth, you know his will, literally ‘the will’ absolutely, to which all other wills are relative. Fifth, you … approve of what is superior. Both here and in

Romans Structure

The first part of the argument (vv. 17–24) explains why Jews cannot be exempt from God’s judgment. The person addressed here is confident about possessing God’s law and having a vocation to commend it to the nations (vv. 17–20). But four rhetorical questions challenge whether he is guilty of the sins he condemns in others (vv. 21–22). A summary statement clarifies that Paul has been speaking about Jews who boast in the law but dishonor God by breaking it (v. 23). Citing

Romans Outline

2:17. Paul resumes the diatribe style employed in vv. 1–5, addressing an imaginary opponent with second-person singular verbs and the emphatic pronoun σύ (“you”). But the connective δέ (“but, now”) sets this section in an adversative relation to vv. 1–16. Paul sets out to challenge the complacency of mainstream Judaism and highlight its failure to live up to God’s calling. He lets his Christian audience overhear this challenge, “in order to lay the groundwork to persuade them to accept his own view of Jewish identity and Jewish vocation, and thus to accept his apostolic ministry, along with its implications for Jew-Gentile relationships in the Roman community itself.”67

A modified conditional clause, beginning with εἰ (“if”), is followed by five indicative verbs and two participles in an extended protasis but with no formal apodosis. The person addressed is someone who “calls himself” (ἐπονομάζῃ [present middle]) a Jew. For centuries the term Ἰουδαῖος had been used by foreigners to identify a person belonging to Judea. But from the Maccabean period onward, it was adopted by Jews themselves as a replacement for the older designations “Israelite” or “Hebrew.” Paul addresses his fellow Jews collectively in this way, implying that “the presence of misbehavior within ethnic Israel renders void the national, ethnic boast; it prevents Israel from fulfilling its calling to be the light of the world.”70 Several expressions are used in vv. 17–20 to identify what it meant to be a Jew in Paul’s world. The first is “you rely on the law” (ἐπαναπαύῃ νόμῳ), the preceding context suggesting that confidence before God on the day of judgment is meant. Compare

J MAC Study Bible

2:17-29 Having shown that outwardly moral people - Jew & Gentiles alike - will stand condemned by God’s judgement, Paul turns his argument exclusively to Jews, God’s covenant people. Neither their heritage, their knowledge, not their ceremonies, specifically circumcision, will protect them from God’s righteous judgement.

2:17 Jew- Previously called Hebrews and Israelites, by the first-century “Jew” had become the most common name for the descendants of Abraham through Isaac. “Jew” comes from “Judah” (meaning “praise”), one of the 12 tribes and the designation for the southern half of Solomon’s kingdom after his death. From the time of the Babylonian captivity, the whole race bore this title. Their great heritage, however (Genesis 12:3), became a source of pride and complacency (Jonah 4:2, Micah 3:11,12; Matthew 3:7-9; John 8:31-34, 40-59), which led to judgment instead of “praise”.

2:19,20 the blind… immature. Because they possessed the law, the Jews were confident that they were spiritually superior teachers: guides to blind pagans (Matthew 23:24-28), light (Isaiah 42:6), wise in God’s ways, and able to teach the immature (probably a reference to Gentile proselytes to Judaism).

2:21-23 - A series of questions designed to contrast most Jews’ practice with what they knew and taught (Psalms 50:16-20, Matthew 23:3,4,James 3:1)

2:22 do you rob temples? May refer to fraudulently skimming funds from money given to the temple or withholding part of their temple tax or offerings (Malachi 3:8-10). More likely, however, it refers to the common practice-in direct violation of God’s command (Deuteronomy 7:25) - of looting pagan temples and selling the idols and vessels for personal profit (Acts 19:37) under the pretext of religion.

2:24 It is written - Quoted from Isaiah 52:5

KJV Holman Study Bible

2:17-20 Jew was the name given to people who returned to Judea from exile, but later it was extended to cover all Hebrew people (Israelites) wherever they lived. Pail listed eight grounds on which Jews rested their sense of moral superiority over the Gentile; three times he cited the law as a ground. The Jews believed that God had granted them special privileges and given them a mission to bring light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6-7). True enough. Yet Jesus taught, “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have commited much, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48). Furthermore, Jesus warned the religious leaders, “ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:28). Mere possession of the law does not win divine favor.

2:21-23 Following Jesus’ example, Paul exposed Jewish hypocrisy. He did so with a series of five rhetorical questions that indicted his people for lacking essential righteousness. Paul did not mean that every Jew committed all these sins but that all transgress the law and lack the righteous to enter God’s presence. Jesus taught that even the thought of adultery violates the law (Matthew 5:27-28). Paul knew from his own experience that his heart was full of covetousness (Romans 7:7-10). The history of the Jewish nations was full of unrighteous act. Stephen asked, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?” (Acts 7;52). The religious leaders of the nation were instrumental in putting Jesus to death, Stephen was stoned by the Sanhedrin, and James the Just (half-brother of Jesus) was killed in the temple area.

2:24 Paul cited Isaiah 52.5 as support that Jewish sin resulted in God’s name being dishonored among the pagan nations when the Jews were defeated and exiled. To pagan perception, Jehovah had seemed powerless since He did not protect His people.