Romans 2:17-29

Immediate Questions:

Who is Paul writing to?

Where and When is Paul writing this letter?

Personal Observations:

v. 17, Paul’s audience are Jews

v. 17-20, Paul builds up a case, a standard of “Jewishness” that the Jews themselves would identify with

Bearing the name “Jew” (v. 17)

Rely on the Law (v. 17)

Boast in God (v. 17)

Know God’s will (v. 18)

Approve things essential, as instructed from the Law (v. 18)

A guide to the blind (v. 19)

A light to those who are in darkness (v. 19)

A corrector of the foolish (v. 20)

A teacher to the immature (v. 20)

To be a guide, light, corrector, and teacher was to be rooted in the Law, from where the embodiment of knowledge and truth was to come

v.21-24, Paul breaks on their heads their hypocrisy.

As teachers, do you not teach yourselves? (v. 21)

Preachers against stealing and adultery, do you steal and commit adultery? (v. 21 & 22)

As haters of idols, do you rob temples? *What does Paul mean?* (v. 22)

Boasters in the Law, do you not dishonor God when you break the Law? (v. 23)

v. 24, *What passage is Paul quoting?*

v. 25, Circumcision, the exterior sign of a covenant with God, is only valuable if the Law is kept. Otherwise it may as well be uncircumcision.

v. 26-27, if the uncircumcised keep the law, then internally they are circumcised and will be judges over those who, though have the Law and circumcision, stand as transgressors of the Law.

v. 28-29, Jewishness is not grounded in birth or in mutilation of the flesh, but in the circumcision of the heart, in the inwardness of a person, by the Holy Spirit, not by the letter of the Law. *What does it mean that his praise is not from men, but from God?*